Saint underwent a training session harder than any other he had experienced, mainly because he rarely lifted weights or did more than endurance and combat training. But with the help of Panda and a few Heartaches joining him, Saint quickly picked up on some tricks to build muscle and increase his strength. And while they all worked out in the field, Agnus and Indie were back at the barracks, standing right behind the edge of the balcony to monitor the performance of their teams. They didn’t get to see them up close, but from the look on their faces, they were at least pleased to see them training together, even though their expressions were critical when looking at their teammates.
–It looks like we might actually get a chance to go into battle together…– Agnus said with a small but satisfied smile, which prompted Indie to agree with a nod. But as the latter glanced at her to see if she was convinced of the team’s performance, Indie noticed that Agnus seemed a bit distracted by something else, more specifically, someone.
–Yes, it seems that way… But I have to ask…– Indie replied with a slight hesitance to speak her mind. She subtly looked over at Kayden as Agnus’s gaze fixed on him. But as soon as Agnus felt the presence of doubt, she immediately interrupted Indie, abruptly turning to her while stepping away from the ledge of the balcony.
–You want to know what I was doing with my subordinate? Is that it?– Agnus asked curiously, catching Indie off guard with her candor. She turned a bit embarrassed, and for a moment, she tried backtracking for her impertinence, but it was clear that Agnus wasn’t concerned about the topic, so she instead maintained her composure and tried to inquire politely.
–Well, I know what you were doing… I’m just asking why...– Indie replied with an uncomfortable look, although her suspicion drove her to find the truth in order to ease her doubts. Despite Agnus noticing how skeptical she was, she looked past the fact she was blatantly questioning her, and without objecting or showing a hint of reluctance, she took a brief moment to think her answer through before confessing everything.
–I believe that some men require motivation to do certain things, or they expect something in return for their hard work… You see, Kayden can be pretty hot-headed and difficult to control sometimes. I tried keeping him on a leash and disciplining him, but that only made him more impulsive and harder to talk to…– Agnus began explaining calmly, with a level of comfort and compliance that captivated Indie, only increasing her intrigue alongside some suspicion. She was already getting an idea of where Agnus’ explanation was going, but since she was so willing to explain further, Indie could only listen quietly while trying to contain any negative reaction.
–Since he is the most valuable member of our team, I had to make sure he had the motivation to fight instead of holding resentment against me or, even worse, himself. So then I just thought, what a better way of motivating a man than giving him exactly what he wants?– Agnus elaborated in a casual but heartfelt manner, now smiling proudly, and showing genuine care in her words, which didn’t match her blunt words very much. Her admitting everything without a second thought left Indie speechless, seemingly with more questions than before, but it didn’t take her long to picture everything in her head.
–And he wanted to sleep with his general?– Indie asked apprehensively, with her confusion being cleared up but being replaced with anxiety as she came to a realization. But she didn’t even have to imagine the situation, as Agnus just nodded affirmatively without a doubt, leaving her in disbelief and having to sit with the thought for a moment.
–Sex, yes. I know it sounds odd, but many soldiers develop feelings for their superiors or just have the desire to have them. So I noticed that, and I decided to use it to have some control over him– Agnus confessed bluntly, not even looking at Indie anymore as she got distracted, seemingly reminiscing about her experience with Kayden. But it was her overly honest demeanor, lack of remorse, or even self-awareness that kept Indie thinking. She wasn’t taking it well and tried to make more sense of Agnus’ story, but at the same time, she was dreading the possibility of getting more details.
–That does sound pretty odd…– Indie mumbled before giving up on thinking so hard about it. She brushed it off, despite the disturbing thought still plaguing her mind from the troubled expression that lingered on her face. But as she turned to watch his teammates as well, mimicking Agnus, the latter noticed her staring at both Panda and Saint. It was clear she was still pondering, but from Agnus’ perspective, her stare carried a different connotation, prompting her to consider it for a bit and then letting her curiosity get the best of her.
–Don’t you have a teammate like that? If they are behaving rebellious or are constantly bitter, it might be due to them wanting attention. That’s how men usually work, so I would recommend you give it a try, you’ll see it works…– Agnus asked with a suggestive voice, almost trying to persuade Indie, which seemed to work to some extent. Despite her expression showing complete aversion to the idea, the question drew Indie’s attention, but not to Panda or Saint, but to Frost. She began looking at him in particular while Agnus tried to convince her to try her discipline methods. But even though she seemed against such a thing, Indie laid her eyes on Frost for a good while, finding herself conflicted as her mostly reluctant expression began wavering with doubt.
–No thanks, I think I’ll pass… But I will keep in mind what you said…– Indie replied after a long, tense silence, ultimately rejecting Agnus’ advice politely. The latter didn’t seem too bothered by it, although she remained intrigued by the way Indie fixated on Frost for a moment. But after laughing it off, she noticed Indie wasn’t fully able to move on like her, even when she had stopped staring.
It was the slightly pensive expression on her face that grabbed Agnus’ interest, and she could tell she agreed with her to some degree, only that she refused to accept it. But in the end, Indie didn’t say anything else about the topic, and with seemingly nothing else to add to the conversation, she returned to the barracks. With her stepping inside, Agnus was left alone to overlook both teams’ training. But now that she found herself with no one around, she wore a prideful, slightly eager grin when watching her teammates, especially Kayden. And as the Heartaches and EchoForce trained together for hours, she kept herself entertained until the afternoon.
With half the team enjoying a break from training by taking a walk around the city or waiting in the barracks, everyone took turns to rest or shower. Only a couple of Heartaches continued training lightly outside, mainly playing around to not force themselves too much. But out of nowhere, Priscilla showed up, greeting Agnus and Indie while they chatted in the lounge before walking upstairs. There were eight small rooms located on all sides of a short hallway, even tinier than the ones at Savepoint. The princess opened most of the doors in hopes of finding someone in particular, but all she found were some of the Heartaches taking naps.
It was only when she reached the end of the hallway, where she noticed the door was slightly open, that Priscilla walked in without hesitation, startling the person inside, which turned out to be Candy. The room was a sort of office, one with a small desk and two chairs in front, but it had a big window facing the field, which Candy was using to keep an eye on her teammates as she stood behind the desk. As soon as Priscilla came in, she gasped and turned around, but tried to keep her cool to not raise suspicion.
–Hi, Candy!– Priscilla greeted her cheerfully, being met with a nervous smile from Candy as she pretended to check something on the window before fully focusing on her friend. She appeared to be paying her a casual visit, but Candy immediately questioned her ulterior motives.
–Hey, Prissy! How are you doing?– Candy asked in the same lively manner, although she was still surprised and even confused as to why Priscilla would come down to the field. In response, the princess’ smile faded away, and since she stayed at the door, Candy had to walk around the desk to get closer and listen in.
–I’m good, but I’m kind of busy. That’s why I hurried up to come here and give you the news…– Priscilla replied casually, sparking more curiosity in Candy.
–What kind of news?– Candy asked eagerly but started to worry when Priscilla approached her and leaned on one of the chairs in front of her.
–I want you to do a favor for me… Actually, I want the entire team to help you as well…– Priscilla answered with a playful tone while she brushed her fingers on the back of the chair coyly. She seemed hesitant to reveal her intentions, as Candy was making her suspicion known. But as she was still curious enough to hear her out, she tried to ignore her dubious demeanor and keep up an approachable attitude.
–Well, of course. But what is this favor about?– Candy replied with a similar tone, seemingly completely willing to help her friend in any way with her caring and sympathetic smile. However, Priscilla took her response as a definitive answer, and after holding her excitement for a second, she revealed her favor with a dazzling gesture.
–I want you all to plan my surprise birthday party! It’s coming up in three days!– Priscilla replied with enthusiasm and a delighted grin that made Candy smile as well. But after they cheered for a moment, Candy's confusion returned quickly.
–Wait… You want us to plan a birthday party and make it a surprise? How does that work?– Candy asked with a bewildered expression, which made Priscilla laugh, prompting her to laugh nervously as well. But just when she appeared to be messing with her, the princess responded affirmatively with a bright smile and several rapid nods.
–Yes, I want you to make it the most pretty and exciting event in history!– Priscilla exclaimed, getting distracted for a moment as she cheered again, leaving Candy dumbfounded upon hearing her request. It took a while for the princess to notice that she seemed a bit insecure about the idea, but it did raise concern when Candy tried to hide it with an awkward smile.
–You can do it, right? Would there be any problem planning this? Is your team capable of arranging good parties?– Priscilla asked skeptically but lightheartedly enough to not push Candy too much. Despite still being pressured to respond as the princess had high hopes, Candy took a moment to think, and from one second to another, she turned confident and bright to ease Priscilla’s mind.
–Yea, of course they are. They are really great at celebrating together! And I’m sure, with the help of the Heartaches, we will make your birthday the best you will ever experience!– Candy replied with great optimism and determination, but her self-assured tone didn’t sound as genuine as it used to be. She was having a hard time trying to keep up her front, but she still managed to get Priscilla to believe her smile after finding some reassurance when she looked out the window and saw the rookies exercising with some of the Heartaches.
–You are right, they look like they work great as a team. I can’t wait!– Priscilla cheered and turned to Candy to hug her. Both girls shared a joyous hug, during which Candy grew worried again, although she hid it well from the princess until she stepped away.
–Alright, I’ll try not to bother you so much. Don’t tell me anything about your plan, it would ruin the surprise…– Priscilla added playfully as she glanced back at Candy with a huge, impatient grin on her face after heading for the door. She almost began doubting herself again, but Candy quickly forced a smile and waved at her to match her enthusiasm.
–Sure thing! Don’t worry about it, you will be speechless that day!– Candy replied reassuringly, building up more excitement and hope in the princess, who was now yearning for her birthday to arrive after her promise. It was obvious from her eyes filled with joy that she was already picturing a perfect party, which only increased Candy’s anxiety as she had set the expectations way too high.
But now that Priscilla was leaving and returning to the castle, Candy’s excited smile disappeared abruptly. She was left alone at the office, suddenly overwhelmed by the pressure of planning a flawless surprise birthday for her friend, living up to her standards, and not failing her for the sake of the team. But as the burden put so much stress on her that her breath shortened and her nervous grin shuddered, Candy pulled herself together, and with a surge of inspiration, she took a seat on one of the chairs and began overworking her brain, beginning to plan everything in her head while trying to keep her sanity.
