[hr][center][color=khaki][h1]Freya Leander ~ Cait Sith[/h1][/color][/center] [hr] [@Zaphander] [@Nyahahameha] [@Heartfillia] It wasn't fine. Renard's weak smile, his whisper of "I get it" like she'd upset him... That said it all. [color=khaki]"Please..."[/color] Freya took a step closer. [color=khaki]"Don't blame yourself. For anything."[/color] As someone else approached - Kerianne, who'd been lucky to have missed all that - Freya put on her own faint smile. [color=khaki]"Hey..."[/color] Holding her stiff, sore hands out, she accepted the gifts from Keri and Gabby. [color=khaki]"Thanks... Both of you, thanks."[/color] She sniffed the flowers and gently nuzzled them before tucking them into the crook of her elbow, then read the card, her heart warming from the kind gestures. Felicity may not have shown any concern, or bothered to visit, but here were people who cared. At Peter's words, she nodded. [color=khaki]"Well, I don't think they were going for us personally,"[/color] she added to his speech, [color=khaki]"so let's hope we don't run into any more villains before we become pro heroes. I'm with you on teamwork though."[/color] That was when Renard spoke up, sounding so unlike his usual self, Freya's mouth fell open at his tone. That anger, that self blame, she'd never expected it of someone like him. [color=khaki]"No!"[/color] she replied as he paused and looked away. [color=khaki]"Don't do this to yourself! We all held out. You did great, the jokes, the chair, the..."[/color] She closed her eyes, images rushing into her mind like a nightmare. Renard kneeling in blood, shaking, launching a flurry of kicks and punches at the chainsaw woman, his face uncharacteristically contorted with fury... She hadn't done great, Freya thought, suppressing a shudder. Not if she'd done that to him. Triggered something in him that had destroyed the good cheer his friends knew him for, all because she'd been careless enough to step into a villain's path. Trying to push away the thoughts, she raised her head, glancing at him, then Gabby, then Peter. [color=khaki]"You all did a good job. Teamwork, it really is the greatest Quirk."[/color] Her words weren't enough to lift the mood. Especially when Renard broke the news about Sofia. Freya gasped, slumping her shoulders against the wall as numb disbelief sapped what little strength she still had. [color=khaki]"But-But why? How bad was it?"[/color] Her voice wavered. [color=khaki]"Please tell me she's going to be alright!"[/color] Renard wasn't in the mood to talk any more. He simply turned and started on his painful way down the corridor. [color=khaki]"Wait!"[/color] Freya hurried a few steps after him, then stopped. She'd already made things a great deal more awkward for him. The last thing he needed was 'help' from her, the person responsible for the mess he was in. [hr][center][color=darkviolet][h1]Kerianne Morley ~ Nightwatch[/h1][/color][/center] [hr] [@Zaphander] [@Nyahahameha] [@Heartfillia] Giving out cards almost felt like an insult. Even as her friends expressed gratitude, Kerianne's doubts weighed on her. She'd had to do something, but what difference could a few simple messages make? Once her hands were empty, she put them in her pockets, casting her eyes down at herself. Her neatly-pressed blouse, hiding scars from brawls. She'd known danger, had to watch her back as she'd kept to the shadows, literally and figuratively. She'd seen friends beaten and bloodied. Yet she'd never experienced anything on this level. And if she hadn't broken away from those crowds, turned from that path... She may well have ended up as one of the people who'd done this to the class. [color=darkviolet]"Heh... I hope that helps at least a little,"[/color] she said nonetheless, voice soft. Gabby and Peter seemed in reasonably good spirits, at least, but Freya's shaken state didn't escape her notice, and Renard... Kerianne's eyebrows furrowed. It wasn't just his limp or his heavy bandages that were distressing to see. It was the complete and utter change in his attitude. [color=darkviolet]"No jokes?"[/color] she asked. [color=darkviolet]"No teasing that I must have a sentimental side after all? Renard, just how bad did things get?"[/color] At that point, Peter looked over, attempting to rouse people's confidence with a speech. While he put up something of an overconfident tough guy act, Kerianne couldn't exactly fault him for it, given the situation. Somebody, however, did argue back - the last person she'd expected to. Her normally stern eyes widened a fraction. Then, she stepped closer to Peter and Renard, hands raised, palms up. [color=darkviolet]"Look."[/color] She kept calm, yet firm. [color=darkviolet]"Peter, I get what you're saying. Got to say, I agree with Renard that there probably wasn't a reason for them to target the class, but it's good you're using this as motivation. Once you see certain things... It's kind of all you can do."[/color] Falling silent, she cringed. Her words must sound so empty to people who didn't know she was talking from experience. Taking a deep breath, she continued. [color=darkviolet]"And Renard, don't beat yourself up. Like you say, we've only just started on this course. None of you are to blame."[/color] Renard didn't beat himself up any further. Instead, he announced something that stunned Kerianne speechless. Sofia wasn't coming back? The blonde shut her eyes, gritting her teeth. She should have known some people would get pulled out of the school after something like that, no matter how strong their drive to succeed. Still, she shook her head as if trying to deny what she was hearing. [color=darkviolet]"Oh god..."[/color] she finally said. [color=darkviolet]"And she was so set on getting through the course..."[/color] It was with a hushed apology that Renard headed away, unusually subdued after that outburst. Not that she blamed him, particularly as he hadn't quite been a bearer of glad tidings just now. Still, as annoying as she found his contant pranks and joking around, the lack of such behaviour was nothing short of disturbing. [color=darkviolet]"Don't be sorry,"[/color] she called. She lowered her gaze to her feet. [color=darkviolet]"I'm the one who owes everyone an apology. For not having been around."[/color]