[hr][center][color=khaki][h1]Freya Leander ~ Cait Sith[/h1][/color][/center] [hr] [center][youtube]https://youtu.be/nIRxwZ3LG50[/youtube][/center] Once she'd headed home, Freya could barely bring herself to leave her room. She trudged over to her backpack, which her parents had brought back after their visit, and with a sigh, pulled out her hero costume. Right now, it looked like exactly that - a costume. Wearing it again would feel like playing dress-up. How could she call herself a hero after that? Why should she go back and complete her training if Sofia couldn't? Or face Renard again after what she'd put him through? Holding up the outfit with one hand, she extended the claws on the other. She'd rip it to shreds, then quit the course. She'd known deep down she should. So why wouldn't her body comply with her mind? Just then, she heard the front door open, followed by footsteps up the stairs. Slumping her shoulders, she dropped the costume in a crumpled heap and sank onto the bed. As she'd expected, a knock sounded at her door. [color=darkkhaki]"Freya? You in there?"[/color] Freya swallowed down the tightness in her throat before replying. [color=khaki]"Yeah... Come in."[/color] The door creaked open, and her mother stepped in. Although clearly tired from work, she bore an expression of concern as she sat down next to Freya, hugging her. [color=darkkhaki]"Oh sweetie, I'm just so glad you're ok. And that it'll all be ok."[/color] Freya shook her head. [color=khaki]"No... No it won't be,"[/color] she replied, eyes squeezing shut. [color=khaki]"It won't be ok. M-Most of them got away with it. People got hurt, badly hurt, s-some of the workers didn't make it... Someone even got taken off the course, it was that bad. And... and Renard, he took the whole thing the worst of all, he just isn't the same any more, and it's all because of me..."[/color] The more she babbled, the more frantic her tone grew. [color=khaki]"I can't go back. Felicity's right. Dad's right. I'm not meant for this."[/color] Her mother made soft chirruping noises, like a parent cat towards a kitten. [color=darkkhaki]"Remember, it's early days yet. Of course it'll take a while for everyone to get through this, but people are pretty resilient. As for Renard, I can't imagine anything keeping him down for long."[/color] A shudder ran through Freya. She'd thought that too, before this. [color=darkkhaki]"Whether you go back or not,"[/color] her mother continued, [color=darkkhaki]"it's your choice. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If you still want to be the hero I have no doubts you can be, then go for it."[/color] Freya stared in surprise. [color=khaki]"But... Didn't I scare you?"[/color] The grip around her tightened. [color=darkkhaki]"Of course I was scared,"[/color] her mom replied. [color=darkkhaki]"I won't lie, I worry about you, and about Felicity, every day. But this is what you've both always wanted, and I'm not going to take it away from you."[/color] Another chirrup. [color=darkkhaki]"If you're not ready to go back on Monday, that's fine, I'm sure they'll understand. Just think it over before you do anything drastic. Because if you don't want to quit, there's no need to."[/color] Sniffling, Freya nodded. [color=khaki]"Thanks, Mom. Yeah... I-I'll think about it."[/color] [center]...[/center] [@Heartfillia] Her mind was made up by Monday, even if she didn't know if she'd made the right choice by going back. To her relief, Renard still arrived to drive her to school, but barely said a word throughout the entire journey. [i]It's early days yet.[/i] Freya kept repeating her mother's words in her mind as she stared out at the rain, but her worries still loomed large as the clouds overhead. She barely paid attention in class. The nightmares hadn't let up, stealing much of her sleep over the weekend. More than once that morning, she woke to a teacher's scolding, finding herself slumped over the desk. The hours stretched out until lunch break, as well as an unexpected but welcome announcement. Physical training was cancelled. With a sigh of relief, Freya shuffled from the room, lunch bag in hand. It wasn't just the lingering aches throughout her body that made her reluctant to train. In truth, despite her choice to continue the course, Felicity's taunt kept playing through her head. [i]Told you - you don't have what it takes.[/i] Normally, she'd see extra time as a chance for a good nap. Today, though, there was someone she had to at least try to help. No matter how badly she'd failed on Saturday. Step by slow step, she made her way down the corridor, approaching Renard. He seemed in better shape physically, nothing left of his injuries but a few cuts and a slight limp. Emotionally, though... That was a different matter. [color=khaki]"Hey,"[/color] she called out, speeding her pace a little. [color=khaki]"Just wanted to ask..."[/color] Catching up with him, she paused as she looked over his remaining wounds. [color=khaki]"You ok there? Your leg, it isn't giving you too much trouble is it? And..."[/color] As her eyes met his, she took a deep breath. It was time to confront him. [color=khaki]"Please tell me the truth. How's everything otherwise?"[/color] [hr][center][color=darkviolet][h1]Kerianne Morley ~ Nightwatch[/h1][/color][/center] [hr] Kerianne hadn't slacked off that day. That was what Alex and Elaine had reassured her over and over again. Yet it still felt like she had. Which was why, after the announcement that physical training was cancelled, she headed to the school gym anyway. Dressed in her sports kit, she dragged various pieces of equipment into the hall, those perpetually wary blue eyes flicking this way and that, noting where shadows fell. U.J provided some security, but she still had to prepare for any possibility. Friday's events were proof of that, as was the sudden cancellation of class. The fact that Mr Hayes of all people had called off the training... It couldn't mean anything good. And if anything happened again, she wouldn't let her friends down. Crouching in a shady corner, she set a stopwatch around her neck. In an instant, she dropped, staring ahead and pressing her hand to the planks as if pushing at a door. A lurching sensation jolted through her, black wisps rising where she disappeared. Her immediate surroundings changed like snapshots from different angles as she blinked through shadows cast by apparatus. Reaching the punching bag at the end of the hall, she drew back a wrap-protected fist and launched a jab. She then ducked as if from an enemy's counter strike, activating her Quirk the second she touched the bag's shadow, zipping in and out of portals to her starting point. As she repeated the process, it wasn't long until the room started spinning. She crouched, ready to warp again despite her wobbling legs, but her guardians' words came back to her. Overtraining wouldn't help. Her sigh echoed through the room as she stood up, staggering to the mat where she'd left her bag. She should rest in between sessions, Elaine had said, wait until the dizziness passed, then start again. Sipping from a water bottle, she checked the stopwatch and grimaced. Just a few days off sick and she was already out of practice. As much as she wanted to resume training, she set the bottle aside and lay back. As soon as she stopped feeling like she'd stepped off a rollercoaster, she'd continue the session. And she'd do better this time.