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"Would you like to hear a story Solo?" he said out of the blue "If not then there's nothing else.....but I'd really like to get this off my chest.....so if you'd like to hear it, I'll be in my room, last one on the right." he said this information emotionless, as he made his way, once again, to his room.

"Come in." he said emotionless as he lit a cigarette "You don't mind if I smoke do you?" he didn't wait for a answer "So Solo, how much do you know about the peace between the first war, and this war?"

((LONG POST))

"To most it was peace, but to me, and the only man I would call my brother, it was hell." he sighed "We were poor, and there was little job opportunities for us, so we barely got by." he took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled "so when either of us actually got a steady job, or made enough money for a proper meal, it was a pretty big deal to use." he looked down at his feet and sighed "It went on like that until I was about to turn seventeen, my 'brother' said that he'd be running into some money soon, that we would actually be able to have a normal life, and just do things that normal teenagers do.....I didn't understand then, but I found out eight months later." he took a deep breath and sighed "My brother had taken out many loans to get enough money to buy our apartment, and the place he was working went out of business, it was then they started calling, and about a month after that we got a message that said. 'You have a week to pay us back, or else.' " he felt the tears run down his face, but he didn't care "They have a saying in the loan business, 'A dead man can't pay debts, but a injured man can.' Well, after the week was up he started coming back from where ever he was with bruises and cuts, but he always smiled. after another few weeks went by we got another message, a final warning 'Give us or money, or we'll kill you.', they didn't give us a time frame, so I knew it would be soon." he sighed again the tears still flowing "One day he sent me out to buy groceries, but I guess I wasn't gone long enough, when I got back, I saw my 'brother' struck down by a fifteen year old kid, with red and black hair and a red and black katana, That was Asura Mamoshi, an assassin for hire, and two years later, the man who gave me these scares." he point to the large X shaped scar in the middle of his face "And I gave him a scar right down his right eye, so he would always remember me." he wiped his face on his sleeve "But I am happy you told me he died, but who told you to tell me that?"

Lucian laughed "He wasn't in the same situation as us,he told me that the day I got these scars." he got dead serious "He said he killed because it was fun, the different emotions people show in their final moments, and-" the name Solo said stopped him dead in his tracks "Virgil.....god damn it!" he punched his wall "Asura isn't dead, he's Virgil.....I knew something seemed familiar about him....Listen Solo, Asura, Virgil, what ever he's going by, is extremely dangerous, stay away from him." he paused "That Brant kid.....did he seem to know Virgil well?"

"Okay ....that wall doesn't deserve that."

Solo scratches his head on that one as he spoke.

What kind of a situation was he getting more and more tangled into? What kind of nutcase got a thrill off of killing people, and better yet, why would said nutcase be going to school right now? Scratch that, Mr. Marax was already assured of his identity as Virgil, which didn't make any kind of sense.

Age wise, if teach was 17 at that time and the killer 15 ..in order for him to become a teacher meant he had to go to college, and at the least ...Mr. Marax was 21 if not older than that. That meant that this guy had to be between the ages of what 19- 22.

He was too old to be going to this school, and besides that ...how many thugs had more than a second grade education. Okay, he was the exception to that rule, but hell, he was trained during peace time. This guy wasn't.

"Whoa, you are getting a head of yourself teach, first off, you were seventeen at the time and this kid was what ...fifteen." "No matter how you do the math, he can't be Virgil or Bryant for that matter." "he would have to be two years younger than you ...too old to be a student here, and secondly ...if he is such a bloodthirsty manic ...do you seriously thing he can sit here and study when it's much more fun to be ....I don't know cutting people's head off?"

"Anyway, that's beside the point ...I will heed your warning either way." "I will watch out for Virgil and Bryant, though I doubt I will be running into them again."

"So, with all that said and done ...is there anything else you need to talk to me about, or am I free to go for the night." "I am starting to get a headache."

Solo wasn't kidding about that last part. Mr. Marax had afterall bounced his head off a brick wall earlier, so of course, his head wasn't going to take that abuse laying down.

A e-mail was sent to Lucian. The subject was labeled as: "Missing Student, Suspicious Students." The message itself summarily described the Princess and her two kidnappers. It continued on after that with: "Students seem to have been tampering around with the maintenance elevator. Please gather a group and take care of the matter. Depending on how things go, assistance may or may not be present." It was signed: A concerned fellow teacher.

It was, mailed in a coded form specifically for Lucian. The fellow teacher of course, didn't exist. And group implied student or others... while assistance implied other groups with similar goals to his.

Solo did a little wave of his hand as he headed for the door.

"Sure, no problem ...I mean ...it's not that uncommon for a teacher to try and kill you." "So, no sweat right?"

Sarcasming was thick in his voice, and as the boy was heading out of the door ...suddenly it would seem that Mr. Marax wanted him for something else. Solo could only hope that the information wouldn't require any more bodily harm as he sighed and walked over to him.

This was the day that just would not end.

The Nightingale approached the airspace around the Ashford Academy. Six Gunlinks, and the Arch Zephyr launched. Eternal, with his coffin in tow, and Latune were riding on the Arch Zephyr's hands.

Kanita waited for Leon in her Shrike Mk. II. She glanced briefly around the hanger from her cockpit's view. All personnel were readying for personnel combat if needed be.

Speakers around the Academy began calling students and facility to head for the safe houses built into the Academy during the Black Rebellion for situtations like these. The only catch was, they were located near the underground near the Black Knights underground facility located beneath the school. It was formerly the underground maintenance part of the Academy.

Eternal and Latune hurried off the Arch Zephyr's hands and onto the Academy grounds. Eternal took the lead with Latune as rear guard. Eternal knew Latune didn't like blood but... now wasn't the time to argue about that.

"All units, remember, we're working with the Black Knights and the EF on this one. Also, avoid being the direct cause of civilian casualties, avoid it altogether if reasonable," reaffirmed Eternal.

---

Like always when going into battle, all hands had prepared for personnel combat and infiltration. The Ascendant trailed the Nightingale and pulled up in front of it. It was positioned to give the Nightingale an advantage should they turn on their word.

The Mk. Gun, Mk. Lance, and Gunfalken were launched, but they stayed near the launch catapults. The Mark 00 Version 2 was on standby in case of an enemy attack. The transport for the ground forces was still being prepared.

---

A stray 'Black Knight' slipped out of the Academy. He had fulfilled his task, and was withdrawing as ordered by his superiors. He smiled and disappeared from sight.

---

Destiny walked alongside Xiaomao, 'supporting' her. It portrayed the image of a fragile woman and her boyfriend or aid assisting her in addition to her cane, which was a staff for good measure. The duo walked down the hallway of the Academy.

It was mostly empty now since most students had evacuated. The pair happened to begin passing by the room Lucian and Solo were in. The couple took their time leisurely. They were, as Xiaomao says, 'sightseeing'.