[centre][h2][color=7ea7d8]Lauren Jones[/color][/h2]
[@wolverbells][@HecateProxy][/centre]

[color=7ea7d8]"That's a shame, I think he has potential!"[/color] She teased although she then let the matter drop.  They were friends, and because of that rather than in spite of it, Lauren knew not to push Jade's buttons too much.  Especially since it would actually be nice to see her interact with others a little more and making this occasion a negative experience would only cement the girl's isolationist nature.  They followed her towards the cabins, Mora communicating mostly be facial expressions than speech with her throat still raw from her strangling.

She didn't respond to Jade's out loud musings, not having anything much to say on the matter.  True, she felt the instructor had gone to uncomfortable extremes to break them down but it was fairly common knowledge that the process by which ordinary civilians could enter the military was tough, even more so after the fall of Shinganshina.  Still, she couldn't quite forgive the physical abuse her friends had received for relatively minor transgressions, at least sending the boys running or forcing Jade's rescuer to do push ups were constructive punishments.  Maybe it was her being too soft, her healer's side warning against the causing of unnecessary injuries.

They passed other cadets and Lauren recognised a few and it was clear Jade and Mora did too, both struggling to hide the painful memories and the emotions they evoked upon seeing faces from that day.  For Lauren it produced an emptiness, a sense of disbelief.  Of course that day had been traumatic, or else she wouldn't be struggling to cope with the memories and the nightmares, but the fact that she had never seen her Ma killed made it difficult to accept.  There was simply no way she was alive, logically Lauren could accept that, but it was difficult to force her emotions to acknowledge that.  She had already diagnosed herself as deluded, in denial about it all, but that did not help in shaking the void that she felt whenever thinking of that day. 

Forcing herself to the present, with her two friends who had miraculously survived everything and were beside her now, she turned to those they passed and waved with a genuinely pleased smile on her face.  She recognised some more than others, having only met them very briefly before.  Gabriel she remembered better, having spent a little time patching his leg up and then reporting to a proper medic his condition.  After that... she had been too occupied with her Pa's job and spending time with Ra and Jade.

[color=7ea7d8]"Heya guys, we'll see you at tea!"[/color] She called, moving on past.

They found their cabin relatively quickly and walked in, the place was clean but was certainly not new.  It was better than the conditions they had lived in immediately after they escaped Wall Maria but there was little space between the two bunk beds set against the walls and even less space for personal effects of any kind which concerned her; it was going to be more difficult keeping her shameful secret from the others here than at home.

[color=7ea7d8]"Sit down for a second, I think I have some things in my bag..."[/color] She sat Mora down on a bed before rummaging through a satchel separate from the rest of her very few belongings.  She finally retrieved a small glass bottle and a little tub of ointment and returned to the injured girl's side.  [color=7ea7d8]"Drink this, it might just dull the pain a little and help you with food, at least.  That's going to be the main struggle.  I'll rub this on your neck, it's going to hurt but it'll reduce any swelling and might stop the bruises from being so visible."[/color]  She didn't wait for permission and gently, but firmly, applied a light coating of the ointment before returning it to her small supply and then brought out a roll of bandages, looking over at Jade.

[color=7ea7d8]"I haven't forgotten about you, either.  Before you go to sleep we'll wrap these around your chest, just in case any of your ribs were damage.  For now, we should get something to drink.  We were standing out in the sun for hours and my throat is as dry as a desert. I should probably check up on those running boys too, just in case..."[/color]