I apologize for the lateness... I would really appreciate it if you guys would leave comments with what you think about this chapter or the series as a whole. Thanks ever so much, Arraiga
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The next few days were truly hellish. Ryna and the Shining Fangs (which he unsuccessfully tried to rename several times) built up defenses throughout the 1st year hall, with the HQ located in the nurse's office. Their efforts took the shape of choke points and ambush spots being set up throughout the floor, with iron cut-off walls that forced anyone who encountered them to follow along the indicated path. With all the traps he and Ulgo had installed, Ryna was sure that they would be safe long enough to finish the training he had been putting the Shining Fangs through
Whenever he had been able, Ryna made sure to bring fresh food and water to Sensara, despite the fact that their refrigerator was full in their dorm. He made sure to keep time frozen though, for fear of both her wrath and that he would crack and let her out if he heard her voice. It had been nearly impossible for him to lock her in the room the first time, and trying to do it again would just tear him up inside.
"This is for her protection," he thought after one of the food drop-offs, "so why does it feel so wrong?"
About 2 weeks into the preparations for the anticipated war with the upperclassmen, Ryna received an urgent summons to Iures' office near the end of the day.
I think this meeting is not going to end well for us Carl warned after Ryna had read the summons.
"Relax Carl, Gramps probably just wants to know why we're building crazy mazes and whatnot in the hallways. Admittedly, it does seem really strange, but we have a good reason," Ryna said. He had long since told his classmates about Carl's existence, and they didn't regard him as crazy whenever he seemed to be talking to himself anymore.
Even still, I don't like it. I have survived for ten thousand years based off of my intuition--
"--You have been inside of my ancestor for 10,000 years, and our intuition and abilities have kept us alive," Ryna corrected. He decided not to pause Ulodny, in all its beautiful colors and buildings, for the trip to Iures' office. It wasn't a long walk, and he was admitted by the receptionist immediately upon his arrival. But as the elevator's doors opened, a look of mild surprise flashed across his face.
"Well, this is a surprise," he said, looking around the room. Sitting in the conference room that fills the first part of Iures' suite were prominent members of all three of the other years.
"Look at the little troublemaker first year! All alone, with no friends!" one of the guys sitting at the table declared as Ryna walked in. Ryna recognized him as a third year student, but couldn't quite remember his name.
"Hush Leo!" Iures said from the far end of the table, "Ryna ma' boy, this here is an assembly of all of the two highest ranked students from each year. From the second years, we have Humboldt and Ralor. From the third year we have Leo and Susana. And finally, from the fourth year, we have Markan and Natalie. I'm sure you all recognize Ryna here?"
A collective "Yes," rose from the group. Ryna took one of the two available seats near the end of the table closer to the elevator.
Well, this is a fine predicament you have here Ryna. Everyone here except for those two of the oldest year bear some anger toward you Carl announced, alerting Ryna to the possible danger he was in.
"Well, I guess we should get started then," Iures said, sighing heavily, "Ryna, would you care to explain why a large group of people, who seem to be working for you are building battlements throughout the first year floor?"
"Well, long story short, Sensara got kidnapped by one of the third year groups, and I retaliated by severely injuring several of the kidnappers, and rescuing Sensara--"
"Bullshit! No one I know did anything of the sort!" Leo roared. Ryna didn't need Carl to see the sudden flicker of fear in his eyes.
"--We expect that there will be a severe retribution for our actions, and are taking measures to protect ourselves from any threats," Ryna finished, trying hard to speak formally.
"And where is Sensara now? She would be the easiest method to unveil the truth, would she not?" One of the fourth years, Markan, asked.
"Yeah, she would be, but I am not risking her again, so I put her somewhere safe, and she isn't gonna leave there until I am certain she will be safe," Ryna said flatly. In the corner of his eye, he say Iures nod in approval, but the rest of the group was not quite as nice.
"I think he is hiding her because he doesn't want her to reveal that he just attacked the third years without any provocation!" Humboldt declared. Ryna looked at him for a second before he recognized him as the man whose gang he had obliterated before he had found Sensara.
"Clearly Ryna is not willing to move on his position. However, as he said, when he is convinced that she will be safe, he will bring her out of wherever she is. In order to meet that requirement, why don't we make some sort of peace treaty?" Iures suggested, pulling out a piece of official-looking paper.
"Gramps, I get this weird vibe that this was your plan for the whole time," Ryna remarked, bringing a grin to the old man's face. The peace treaty was not particularly complicated: Ryna was to dismantle his defenses, and bring in Sensara to explain what had happened. In return, there was a complete guarantee that she would be safe, and that there would be no retaliatory action by any other year, and no punishment from the school until the truth was ascertained. Every person present signed without hesitation except for Leo, who hesitated for a fraction of a second before he gave his signature to the paper.
Just as Ryna turned to go, Iures spoke up again. "If there is any retaliatory action, let's say there is just for arguments sake, I will leave it up to the victim or victims to decide what to do then. I hope there will be a more diplomatic solution this time,"
That just left Ryna to let Sensara out of the room, and somehow survive the process. Which is exactly what he spent the walk to the dorm trying to figure out, and he wasn't having much luck. He arrived at the door with the solid plan to just throw himself at her knees and beg forgiveness, which, he reasoned, would delay her reaction long enough for him to get inside, which would then prevent anyone else from hearing his dying screams.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be I guess. Locking the girl you love up in a room for two weeks is never a good idea, just as future reference, Ryna," he thought as he began to enter the password he had set on the door. Blood pounded through his ears as it slid open, revealing an empty bedroom.
"Hello? Sensara? You here?" Ryna exclaimed, panic rising in his voice. He entered slowly, looking for any sign of his girlfriend. He searched both the kitchen and the bedroom and didn't find her. He walked back into the bedroom and began to inspect the windows for any signs of breakage, figuring that, if someone was going to try to take her, they would try it at night when she was sleeping.
However, the lack of any signs of breakage sent Ryna's heart plummeting. He began to shout her name, and his shouts devolved into wails when no response came for several minutes. In despair, he threw himself face-down on the bed, wracking his brain for any way that she could have been abducted, and where she could be.
In the depths of his despair, he failed to hear the bathroom door open, and a humming, naked Sensara walk out. Her eyes lit up, but her expression became hard, demanding a full apology. She managed to get his attention cy clearing her throat loudly. He looked up at her disbelievingly at first, but then a heartwarming look of complete relief and happiness flooded him. He practically flew up to grab her.
"Sensara, I am so so so so so soooo sorry about leaving you in here. I missed you so badly, I couldn't stand it, " he said, apologizing. Instead of replying, she gave him a "there-better-be-more-than-that" look.
"You do realize just how pissed I am at you, right?" she said, her tone dangerous. Ryna caught the tone, and pulled her into his arms.
"I love you, I love you, and I know it will be hard for you to forgive me, and I promise I won't ever do it again," Ryna whispered into her ear. Suddenly he pushed himself away from her, "I would understand if you don't forgive me, or even break up with me. locking you in here was terrible! And I never should have done it, but seeing you get hurt would have killed me, so I overreacted... a little,"
A little?! You locked me in here for TWO WEEKS!! I oughta dump you--"
