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She spotted him, and he paled, pursing his lips as he glanced to the other Suns. Jordan knew, he could see it in his eyes. "I'll... I'll be right back," He smiled weakly before finally wobbling his way through the crowd. Robert was still lurking, but that didn't matter- just... just friends saying goodbye. Hopefully not for the last time, although who knew?

"Um. Um. Hi!" He tried to smile. Everything was fine. Business as usual.

“Oh, but Sydney, if I don’t sing now, when will I?” As in, she thought anytime would be a good time, really. Molly giggled a bit. “Oh, I know dear. I could tell by your coat. Mallaidh Finn!” That and well, you know, she’d seen her around before during Mist debriefings as well. She took the offered hand with her free hand and gave it a firm shake before releasing it.

Molly made a small sound as Candace threw her arms around her, and she couldn’t help but laugh as well as she enveloped the Intermediate trainee tightly in her arms. She swayed with Candace in her arms, reaching up with a gloved hand to pat her head in what she hoped was a soothing gesture. “I think, Miss Candace.” She murmured to her, “All that anyone can ask of you is to do your best, so as long as we try our best, that’s all that matters.”

Molly didn't want it to be anymore complicated than that.

"Hi."

Sasha shot Robert a curious look before turning a bright smile back towards Jerry.

"How are you um. How are you holding up?" He looked alright, Sasha supposed. She pulled a piece of fuzz off of his scarf. "I heard you singing. Earlier."

Sasha leaned in without waiting for an answer to her question. "I'm nervous."

The doctor turned his head and gave Robert a wide, toothy smile. "Quite the pep talk, Robert."

Startling, Clarice looked up and gave the Intermediate a small, pensive frown before quickly schooling her expression, "Make sure you pick up your runics." She turned back to H and pulled a small box out of her pockets. "Speaking of, I had these made up for her. Not the real deal but they should do for now."

Plucking the box out of her hand he waggled it at his assistant, "I'll deliver this, you can say your goodbyes."

The blonde gave him a sullen look, murmuring, "Don't wanna."

His smile softened at the edges, "Ah well, you've never been able to before. But really, why start now?"

Clarice's expression broke for a moment, a glimpse of helplessness in the face of continuous loss, before turning stone cold. "Right. I'm going to go over the supplies inventory one more time." And she was stalking away, clipboard in hand.

Sighing at his assistant's retreating figure, the doctor began to walk through the field, as he passed by Sasha, he placed a hand on her head and smiled down at her. A brief benediction and then he was gone, moving through the crowds.

Moments later, long, deft fingers captured Candace's own, placing a white box in them. "Well, my dear," the doctor drawled, "...not the requested runics, just yet, as that's what happens when you ask the pupil rather than master, hm?"

Inside the boox was a pair of gloves, reinforced to protect her palm and more vulnerable joints.

A smile from Dr. H felt like an arrow through the heart. Robert's light, teasing facade crumpled and he just kind of stared, open mouthed, before shaking his head out of it and looking at Clarice instead. That woman had 'you're all going to die and I'm running out of black to wear at your funerals' all over her face, and it made Robert want to throw up. He felt especially sick when he watched her walk away without a word, because for some reason, that just made it hurt more.

And s**t was about to get even realer, when H went for Candace, and she gave him a hug. DRAMAZ. Where was his popcorn. He was ready for some popcorn. Popcorn would help his stomach settle.

Well, Molly was pleased. She was just beaming as she squeezed Candace once more before letting her go. “You’re welcome!” She replied, and then shuffled off a bit as to not be intrusive on her conversation with the Life Lead. Ah…you know, since they were going to the Sahara…Molly fished around in a coat pocket until she found a green hair tie, and pulled at her curls back and tied it off into a messy bun of some sort. There. That way it’d be out of her face and off of her neck.

With that done and nothing pressing to do right at the moment, Molly just contented herself with humming that song to herself.

Allan was on the offensive - when was he ever not - when it came to pep talks for his group. He figured the trainees needed them, and honestly thought he would have done a better job with the inspiring speech than the Death Division lead.

"Trainees, don't forget to get your runic weapons charged too." he nodded towards the temporary station, a runic weapons tent with content ready to be distributed to those who had clearance for them. The Sun lead saw that Robert was looking particularly nervous, nearing the Life trainee as casually as possible "You can do it, believe in yourself and trust in your nakama."

There, that seemed inspirational enough, as he followed it up by a pat on the shoulder as he moved to the next victim trainee, a sullen-looking Moon trainee that kind of looked like pirate from that one anime, giving them an equally motivating pep talk that involved "inner strength and shikai". Two steps down the road to his next target, Allan suddenly remembered that he had seen this pirate trainee before - wasn't this Julie's protege? - and he backtracked, tacking on the words "don't worry, true love is not judged by appearance" onto his previous comment.

At this point, finally a couple of Sun Hunters had managed to catch up to him, firing at him several questions about weapons checking and asking to double-check their runic weapons. Each one was inspected thoroughly, though their owners also got rewarded with The Inspirational Talk.

Robert felt instantly at ease when Allan came to pep talk him, but the word nakama was like a physical punch to his senses, and he just kind of stared for a moment, wondering if he was supposed to get some kind of special gear called a nakama that he missed out on.

s**t, what the ******** was a nakama and did anybody have any extras?!