[h2][color=39b54a][center]Gabri[color=fff200]ella Go[/color]nzales
Re[color=fff200]pulsa L[/color]ibre[/center][/color][/h2]
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[@Aviaire][@LuckyBlackCat][@Heartfillia][@Aerandir][@Tenma Tendo]

Hearing the concerns voiced by both Freya and Kerianne, Gabriella's chuckling subsided. She...didn't hear anyone else laughing. A burning embarrassment overcame her and she found herself wanting to do nothing but continue laying face-down where she was. Even if it hadn't been an intentional slip-up, she'd still been hoping the resulting attempt at physical comedy would have helped lighten the mood at least a [i]little[/i]. A silver lining to the dull, throbbing pain she felt in the back of her neck and shoulders, if nothing else.

Next, Yi dropped down behind Kerianne, a fact Gabby only found out by turning her head to look toward him via the corner of her eye as he espoused his question. Gabriella gave a soft exhale, then began the process of righting herself, her arms lifting her torso off the mat and her legs curling under her as she sat up. She glanced around at everyone's face, starting with Yi. While everyone else appeared to have varying degrees of concern on their faces. Yi simply looked pensive as if he was focusing his uncanny ability to read her thoughts, something he'd displayed since the very first week of the semester. She wondered, would [i]he[/i] have been the one to talk her out of dwelling on her thoughts if he'd been present last Friday, instead of Renard?

Wait. Had she ever actually thanked Renard for that? It might just have been the blow to the head, but she couldn't remember having done so. And now, with so many of their friends in one room, she felt now would be a great time to do so. Or, it would be if Eira wasn't turning to leave!

[color=39b54a]"Eira! Please wait!"[/color] Eira seemed to hear her, stopping in the doorway to the gymnasium and turning in her direction. Her face still looked pretty dismayed, but Gabby couldn't worry about that now. [color=39b54a]"There is something I need to say, and I want as many people as possible to hear it."[/color]

Gabriella stood up on her feet, glancing between Yi, Kerianne, and Freya as she rose. She felt bad for ignoring their questions, but this was important. She then locked her eyes onto Renard. [color=39b54a]"Renard. I never properly thanked you for what you did for me on Friday. After that rescue exercise, I wanted nothing more than to go home and think about my failures. I thought that would make sure I learned the lessons I needed to learn to be a proper hero, but in truth, I was just dwelling. You were the one who helped me come to the realization that I do not need to dwell on failure to learn from it. Because of you, I was present at the factory."[/color]

Her gaze shifted to Freya, who had been able to escape the villains, however briefly, thanks to the hole she'd made with Peter's help; then to Eira, who she felt she had aided by intercepting the scorpion villain while Eira went to help Renard. [color=39b54a]"To any of you who feel that my presence aided in their survival against those villains, I wish for you to direct your gratitude to Renard as well. If he wasn't the person he is, I would not have been present to aid you. And for those who weren't present that day..."[/color]

She glanced between Yi, Kerianne, and Breeze. [color=39b54a]"...I hope you'll also extend your gratitude to Renard, for helping ensure we didn't lose any friends that day. He fought the hardest of any of us, and every wound he bears is one that was not inflicted on someone else."[/color]

She turned her gaze back to Renard, both to deliver the closer to the speech she had improvised (she took a moment to mentally thank her talent for putting on performances, which was what allowed her to speak so earnestly in front of so many people to begin with), and to gauge his reaction. [color=39b54a]"Thank you for everything you did for me, and for my friends, Renard."[/color]