After returning, it took them a day and a half to be discharged. Dan was discharged after everyone else, since he probably had the worst beating. He went to his room and felt funny. It felt like months since he'd actually slept on his own bed.
He decided to not wear his uniform, just the pants. He wore his usual turtle neck but a sleeveless version he had.
Everyone was in their room, even Sam. He went over to Laura's room—guessing it. But, she wasn't there. He looked for her all over the dormitory.
He left the dorm, looking around blankly.
"Roof." Jon said
Dan then casts "Black Envelope: Footgear" and then jumps up to the roof. The roof had a flat surface before the converging tiles.
And there she was, sitting on the roof, alone. Her legs cupped by her arms. Resting her chin on one of her knee. Dan walked toward her slowly, trying to make a sound so that he doesn't suprise or scare her.
She looks at him.
"Hey, Dan." She greets him, she had a blank face. Usually she has a smile.
"Hey. What are you doing here?" Dan asks
"Just sitting."
"Mind if I join you?"
"No." She said as she taps the floor beside her twice
Dan then walked closer and sat right next to her. Maybe a couple inches away. He crossed his legs and looked at her. He noticed that she wasn't feeling happy. She wasn't smiling and she had nothing to say. It was like that for nearly a minute.
"You okay?" Dan whispered loudly
"Yeah... Uh... Well, I don't know." Laura was all over the place
"I'm listening." He said
"I feel bad for not being as hurt as you all were. I was barely in the infirmary. Like, I'm glad I'm okay but, I keep stuttering in fights. I hate it." She explains
"I'm glad you're okay. Happy even. And I don't really know what you mean. But, you were just scared. It's okay. It's normal." Dan said in relief
"I guess. But..."
"You hate being saved, is that it?" Dan assumes
"No. Yes? Maybe. I'm not sure."
"Feeling useless in a fight is frustrating. Especially when you could've actually done something. But, you just need time to grow, that's all."
"I'm a coward."
"No, you're not. Don't say that."
"I have a brother. Had?"
Dan was about to say something but he stayed silent, he didn't want to ruin the moment.
"He was always supporting me becoming a sorcerer. But, I was timid and shy and scared. Hesitant. My family called me a coward and a weakling. And that I couldn't be a swordsman or a sorcerer. One day he was eager to prove my strength to my family."
"A mission to take out a level four, but it turned out to be a maniacal level seven. I could've helped him. But, instead... I... I ran. I left him alone. I ran and I didn't stop running. Maybe he's dead now. I don't know."
"So, that's why, huh?" Dan whispered very softly
Laura's eyes became shiny. Light reflected from her tears that flow from her eyes.
"And I never apologized." Her voice cracked and water started to run down her eyes quickly. She started sobbing. A memory she had repressed for almost two years. It came to her in her nightmares. The guilt of leaving your brother to die, knowing well enough you could've helped.
Dan hadn't thought of anything to say. He gently puts his hand over her shoulders and pulled her close to him. A light bulb lit up in Dan's head. But, it wasn't the right moment to say it.
"Laura, I'm sure he's okay, alive I mean. And it sounds like he really cares about you. I'm sure he'd forgive you." Dan said, almost whispering it to her.
She didn't say anything back, she just cried. While Dan just pat her back and shoulder with nothing to say.
BLACK ROOM
"You know you have to do it." Jon stated
"But..."
"You have a reason now. A reasonable reason to do it, too." Jon said
"I'm only doing this for her. That's the main purpose. Her. Not me." Dan said in a serious tone
"Alright, our mission is secondary, I get it." Jon backed off
"None of our stuff gets done until her, got it?" Dan made sure he got his point out
"Hey, it's not like I can intervene. I'm basically just a voice. You're the meat pilot." Jon said
"Alright, then. Tonight."