**************************************
Sylanwood, West Tarrabria: Vice & Verstea Cafe, Time: 10:00 AM
**************************************
It was a windy morning. The sun was heating like a volcano as it gave everyone sweatdrops for anyone who was outside.
In Vice & Verstea Cafe, everyone enjoyed a sea-style coffee. However, some of the menu consists of seafood because that's just how the sailors like it.
Outside, Ezra and Ace were at a table with 4 seats together. Ace was eating Kai Tao while Ezra was just reading a newspaper and sipping the salmon coffee. He had a slightly uncomfortable expression as the smell was strong and very hard to drink.
"Sure is quiet today, eh?" Ace stated while continuing to eat the meal he was having.
Ezra lifts down his newspaper with an annoyed expression, "Where the hell are they? We already call Mianne to meet up here."
"I'm rather curious at what's taking them so long…" Ace planted his face on the steel table before lifting it back up with a heated mark on his cheek, "Ah hot!"
"Well, whatever they are doing, they sure aren't hungry to miss out on breakfast," Ezra stated, going back to reading his newspaper.
Ace was just looking around at this point, he was eating his meal, yes, but the silence was killing him at this point.
Ace's cheek was flushed up, "You think they are…"
Just from that word alone, Ezra did a spit take, causing him to cough loudly. "Oh god no! They wouldn't do those sorts of "things"! I don't even think James knows about it at all!"
"Hey, my man least know what's love. It's just he's a bit clueless to hint." Ace argued, causing Ezra to rub his head.
Ezra shuddered dramatically. "Mianne terrifies me sometimes. I pity the poor fool who gets on her bad side." He pretended to clutch his neck protectively.
"Which is exactly why our boy James is perfect for her!" Ace grinned widely. "He's about the only guy immune to her wrath. She looks at him with such...softness."
Ezra sighed before muttering, "May god rest his soul once she leads him into that bed…"
"Heyyyy!"
A familiar voice could be heard as Ezra and Ace looked over to see James and Mianne running toward them, they were wearing way more fancier outfits than they were.
"Hoho, total makeover hello?" Ace was surprised to see them, "Do they have to dress you up this fancy just for being an intern?"
Mianne scratched her cheek with a flushed expression, "W-Well, all of us must dress like this so maybe…"
Ezra decided to cut to the chase, "Alright, what took you so long anyways? We have been waiting for 2 hours!" It better be a good explanation.
"Well…" Mianne decided to show her hand by opening her right palm to show the red marking across it.
Ezra blinked for a bit, "That doesn't explain anything-"
"They took us back to writing essays…" Mianne started to fake crying, "It was so cruel that it even made James scream on the inside…"
James tilted his head, "But I'm still here-" before the regular program of flashback started.
**************************************
Sylanwood, East Tarrabria: Abyssal Keep: Floor 3, Time: 8:00 AM
**************************************
It was another windy weather for the most mossiest castle ever. Couldn't they just get a janitor to clean up the exterior? But we are getting sidetracked by what's happening.
"HUH??? WE NEED TO WRITE A THOUSAND WORD IN AN HOUR???"
The wave crashed into the cliff, it was like a disaster struck somewhere on Gaia.
Inside the castle, Mianne was shocked with her jaw on the table while James's eyes were closing, his head dropping up and down almost like he was trying to stay awake.
"I'm sorry for this, but we didn't get to write any report from yesterday." Bada frowns while crossing his arms, "So, you two need to write one fast because the submission will close in about an hour"
He looks over to see Magne coming toward him, dragging a sleepy Varian along. She was holding the paperwork with her usual bright smile.
"Ay, boss! I finish with mine and Vary!" She gives Bada the paperwork before he puts it away with the rest of the piles.
"Good work, you can go back to your station," Bada stated with Magne nodding before dragging Varian away again.
Mianne was shocked at Magne, "She just got here!" Something isn't right, Magne just arrived and now she has finished the report in a minute.
"Haha! These kids don't even know that we are so used to this." Erik grinned, he was writing way faster. The determination fired up in his eye more than ever, "And you lots, don't tell em the work around this. I want them to suffer."
Kiara hit Erik's head, "Pushing around the kids aren't we?" Erik let out a 'Kgh!' from the impact before he handed the paper over to Kiara.
Mianne decided to start working on it as she scratched her head about how to word the situation last night.
She looked over to see James wasn't doing it but completely just sat still like a statue.
"James..?" She was about to nudge him before he finally started to speak.
"Mianne, I just realized. We will never escape this cycle…" James finally opened his eyes, revealing tired pupils and bags under his eye.
James's voice started to sound crazed like, "You know I kinda hate school, the amount of work just eats up all the precious training I could have gotten…"
"Oh no…" Mianne realized what was happening. "Not this again…"
Erik raised an eyebrow, "What's up with the lot?" His expression quickly turned into smugish, "Don't tell me he's cracking under the pressure of writing?"
"It's none of your business!" Mianne glared at Erik, "He's just having…an episode…"
Erik let out a 'scoff' before a light bulb appeared on his head, "If you want me to bash the lot head in, just say so!" He walked toward James who was just talking to himself.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on him!" Mianne warned him, her intimidation didn't reach Erik's ears as he continued.
"This isn't gonna go well now is it?" Kiara sighed, watching her dumbass boyfriend ready to confront the boy who's currently losing his shit.
"The cycle of burnout every day…Eat, sleep, work, repeat til the clock runs out…" He kept muttering to himself, his eye started to turn redder from the sheer lack of…rest.
"Oi, kid. Stop slacking and start working!" Erik clenches his fist in intimidation, "Unless you want that beating from me again…"
"..." James simply looked up at him, his cold eyes staring into Erik's soul.
"What's your major malfunction, kid?" Erik decided to lift James by the collar, "Oi, knucklehead! I'm talking to you!" He'd yelled as James didn't even bother responding.
"I will murder you," James stated out of his breath.
"What?" Erik was confused before James started to go feral and bite down on Erik's hand.
"WHAT THE FUCK???" Erik was confused and terrified at this as he tried to shake him off.
"ONE OF YOU GET HIM OFF ME!" Erik looked over at everyone only to see them chuckling or laughing at the sight.
"THE FUCK ARE YOU LAUGHING AT YOU MOOK-" Erik was tackled into the ground with James tearing him apart.
"It started…" Mianne ominously stated Kiara looked at her with concern.
Aziz let out a slight smile, "It seems like he possesses the same sleep-deprived traits as you, brother." He looks over to Nils, who could only let out a sigh.
"Indeed but thou seem more animal than I am." Nils then let out a slight frown, "That mutt does have a bite on him after all…"
**************************************
Sylanwood, West Tarrabria: Vice & Verstea Cafe, Time: 10:30 AM
**************************************
"And after all, that damn bastard live…" Mianne rubs her cheeks with tissue, knowing that the victim of the incident lives for another day.
"..." Ace closed his eyes and started to breathe in before breathing out, "I have no words for you two."
"If only someone didn't rub their trait onto someone else!" Mianne glared at Ezra, who just rubbed his face.
"I didn't do anything." Ezra argued before a waitress put another coffee down on the table, "Thank you."
"Yes, you did!" Mianne stood up from her seat, "You make my poor innocent, Jamey into an unhinged goblin when he lacks sleep."
"Judgemental as usual…" Ezra stated before he slid the coffee over to James, "Drink it, it would help you out for the entire day."
James let out a heavy sigh, "Fine, whatever you say…" He proceeded to drink it as his face started to back into his usual.
"Haah~ it smells so bad but I feel like I could at least do basic tasks now…" His face was in a huge relief with flowers floating around his head.
Ace decided to change the topic, "Welp, what are you twos gonna do today?"
"Well, Bada suggested both of us go visit the BOE section of Tarrabria so we could go get James his own Custodiae," Mianne stated, swaying her body left and right out of boredom as James did the same.
Ace giggled, "Mr.' Eyebag' and me gonna be having more fun in the fair in here. If you need anything, just come to us, alright?"
Mianne and James nodded before both of them stood up, "Well, good to check up on you twos, and have fun!" Mianne waved at them.
"Hope you two win a lot of prizes!" James waved back, "Be sure to share the prize with us as well!"
"See ya around!" Ace waved as well before nudging Ezra to wave back at them.
Mianne and James walk down the streets, chatting among themselves as Ace and Ezra watch them from afar.
"I do hope those two never break apart…" Ace stated before Ezra's expression formed into a genuine smile.
"The only thing I agree with you on…" He watched as he knew that those two helped each other no matter which time, location, or distance.
**************************************
Sylanwood, West Tarrabria : Streets, Time: 11:00 AM
**************************************
"Well, if we could make it there in time, maybe we could get a reservation at Chillet Steakhouse!" Mianne stated, poking at the map of Tarrabria.
"I hope they have some fat nutrients on those meat!" James excitedly exclaimed, his mouth starting to water off the menu that could be in it.
'Rib-eyes mmmmm! T-bone steak as well-' His excited thoughts were stopped as his shoulder bumped into someone on the way.
"Ah! Sorry about that-" James turned around to see the person he wasn't expecting to see.
It was Elliott. His expression quickly turned into spiteful hatred as he saw James's face.
"thaTTTTTTT!" James screamed at the end, knowing that this was going to be an interesting and totally civil conversation
"YOU!"
***************************************