Heading downstairs, on her way out of the barracks, Priscilla noticed Panda and Frost entering the building, now wearing shirts and less sweaty than before, but they were still visibly exhausted from all their demanding exercises. She waved at them, smiling particularly at Frost, who only gave her a quick nod in response, with Panda not even paying her attention as they walked right by her in the lounge. Agnus and Indie saw them enter the room, but they first took a moment to wave goodbye to the princess, and before they knew it, Frost and Panda had disappeared.
They headed upstairs as well, where they walked over to the second-to-last room on the left side of the hallway, unaware of Candy right next door. They didn’t seem to care who they stumbled upon, but the room they chose to enter turned out to be empty, so they took the opportunity to get inside before someone else spotted them and quickly closed and locked the door. The room was just as small as the others, although it wasn’t a bedroom but an infirmary, with a stretcher set up against the back wall, hugging the left side of the room, a medical cabinet on the right, and a large table next to the open window opposite to the door, which didn’t show much due to it pointing at the mountain.
Panda sat on the stretcher, which barely withstood his weight, while Frost approached the window, only to close the curtains and clear some of the medical equipment on the table. Once the little amount of light coming through the window vanished, the room was left completely dark, with the only source of light now being a small candle on the table. They could barely see their faces, but they didn’t seem to be bothered by the dim lighting. In fact, it appeared to help their current situation as Frost looked around the room suspiciously to assess their privacy, facing away from Panda, who eagerly stared at him and waited for a word to come out of his mouth.
–Alright, I think this is private enough…– Frost affirmed deliberately as he peeked out the curtains one last time, poking his head through the open window to look outside and hear the movement in the adjacent rooms. It sounded like Candy was talking to herself in her frenzy to plan everything out, and the Heartaches nearby were still sleeping, so Frost didn’t show concern, unlike Panda.
–Could you tell me what this is all about? You are kind of scaring me, chief…– Panda asked with an anxious but lighthearted tone to stop himself from thinking the worst, although he only grew more worried when Frost closed the window, turned back to him, and while leaning his back on the medical cabinet in front, he laid his eyes on him with alarming resolve.
–Look, I have something important to tell you…– Frost replied in a somber manner, prompting a more attentive reaction from Panda. He composed himself, sitting straight, locking his eyes on Frost’s, and adopting a tough look in anticipation of whatever he was going to hear.
–It’s not about the excessive eating. I know about all those restaurants you visit, but we have enough money, so don’t worry…– Frost added reassuringly after noticing Panda’s tense expression, which certainly relieved him but still left him a bit skeptical and somewhat embarrassed.
–What is it then?– Panda asked with a newfound curiosity as Frost once again looked away. He specifically stared at the door with a pensive expression, as if he waited for someone to knock at any moment. But after a long silence, he took a breath and turned back to Panda with shared uncertainty.
–I have a feeling… a bad one. You know what all this bonding and collaboration between teams means, right?– Frost responded and asked prudently, making Panda hesitate for a moment. Despite relating to his feelings, he was worried about the question and had to consider it heavily before replying.
–Yea, we are trying to get the other guys to do the job for us so we can leave this city and keep fighting our war…– Panda answered casually, leaving his worries behind a little after getting Frost to chuckle, although it wasn’t in the way he expected.
–No, not that. I don’t think we'll ever leave this place. We have been sent here to be disposed of. Think about it…– Frost replied calmly, but his concerningly pessimistic tone left Panda thinking for a while, almost in shock to hear such an assumption.
–I mean, Snake wouldn’t really do that…– Panda argued in denial, looking away to reflect on the idea, leading to Frost getting closer to give him a questionable stare that made him reevaluate his own words. His expression planted some doubt in Panda’s mind, which quickly overwhelmed him and brought back some anxiety. But as much as he tried to keep his composure and hide it, he couldn’t deny his suspicion any longer, and after thinking it through again, he made some sense of his doubt.
–Well, maybe. But there’s no way Indie would let us come here without a purpose. I’m sure she talked it over with him and came to an agreement. We are just unlucky that nothing has happened yet. We just have to wait a little longer…– Panda followed up in a forced optimistic tone in an attempt to convince himself more than Frost, as the latter had already made up his mind. Even though he was visibly insecure and couldn’t stop doubting himself, Panda held some hope, although he began sounding more desperate than positive, being only discouraged by the thought of Frost being right as he continued staring at him silently. Frost watched as Panda’s mind changed before his eyes, but to let him process the revelation, he tried to give some sort of explanation to ease his worries.
–I do think she made an agreement, but I’m not sure if it’s in our favor. Something is off, I know it, but I can’t really prove it yet. That’s why I’ve also made an agreement with the princess, just in case anything happens…– Frost replied with a convinced but soothing tone, being cautious with his words to calm Panda down. And while it seemed to work since Panda seemed to fully believe him, he also didn’t seem to focus too hard on what could be the truth, as it was clear that Frost already had a lot figured out.
–Oh, so you have been visiting her. Now that’s why you disappear so often… You are trying to get a taste of that royal-...– Panda quipped teasingly to break some of the tension and get a short laugh out of Frost, who seemed to need it as he cracked a short smile even when the joke was at his expense.
–Yes, but I only talked to her once. She was very compliant, too. But that’s why we are now working with the Heartaches, or at least that’s what we all believe…– Frost responded casually, but he couldn’t stop Panda from turning skeptical again, especially since Frost treated the topic so lightly with his accusations, prompting more questions than understanding nods.
–So we aren’t working with them?... Wait, are they the enemy?– Panda asked in a slight panic, conflicted with disbelief and shock after hearing what Frost was implying. And although it seemed like he was exaggerating a bit with his reaction, with Frost scoffing at him, he did seem to be somewhat right with his doubts.
–No, I don’t think so. But they aren’t really our team…– Frost replied firmly, both certain and disquieting, having to confront the truth as well, which Panda didn’t seem to be taking so well as his eyes wandered around the room in extreme confusion.
–You see, the moment they get called for a mission, we probably won’t join them, or at least I won’t join them…– Frost elaborated, sounding less enthusiastic and even a bit disappointed as he looked down and started frowning with regret, prompting Panda to focus solely on him as he now had a main concern to deal with.
–Why is that?– Panda asked worriedly, still in disbelief of Frost’s claims, who took a moment to think and gather the courage to reveal his reasons to him.
–Because I think that’s what Snake and Indie want. I still can’t make sense of why they want to keep me here, but I don’t think I’ll ever see another real fight in my life…– Frost replied with a slightly spiteful tone, giving Panda a moment of realization but leaving him speechless for a moment. He had a hard time believing his assumption, but his instincts drove him to shake his head and try to cheer him up. However, Panda had no chance to speak a word as Frost was steadfast with his thoughts and was already moving on.
–That’s why I wanted to warn you about whatever might happen next. If there is a mission, I want you to lead the team…– Frost added with an earnest stare, trustworthy enough for Panda to take it seriously, although it still shocked him even more. He began considering it, but everything eventually became too much for him to handle, and after seeing Frost waiting for an answer, Panda just snapped.
–What! Are you crazy? Do you think you are gonna die or something?– Panda exclaimed in a burst of anxiety and stress, mixed with denial and a few nervous laughs to disregard Frost’s pessimism. The latter didn’t try to argue, and instead, he backed away to let Panda calm himself down since he had to think through his proposition for a while. After some waiting, seeing as Panda wasn’t leaning too much into the idea, Frost grew impatient and saw the need to keep explaining, but now using a different approach.
–No, I think Crisis won’t be able to fight anymore. We are just overqualified guards of this dumb city now… But I’m sure they are going to let EchoForce operate independently since they aren’t officially serving under Snake’s command but mine…– Frost replied nonchalantly, lowering the seriousness to help Panda think and figure out the plan. He was still confused, and even once he had made sense of it, he remained skeptical that something like what Frost was describing could actually happen.
–So you are saying that if something serious happens, and we aren’t allowed to go… We should send the rookies out instead of us?– Panda asked with a suspicious and rhetorical tone, seemingly keeping the question to himself as he struggled to understand the idea. Frost answered with a quick nod, but after assessing Panda’s face, he noticed that he was aware but just needed more reassurance.
–Yes, but that’s why I’m going to put you in charge of EchoForce. Only Groovy and Bones are ranked high enough to lead them, but they are stuck here with us, and you know how they won’t say no to Indie. Cookie is out of the picture, so that leaves only you…– Frost responded affirmatively, with an increasingly cogent smile that slowly convinced Panda, as he was unable to think of a way to argue, although he still had many questions.
–But… Didn’t you agree to discuss this with Indie when we got here?– Panda asked incredulously, to which Frost became a bit hesitant and was now the one struggling to think of how to respond. He looked away and sighed, drawing more suspicion from Panda, who followed his every movement with a critical stare until Frost tried to explain himself.
–We did, that very same night. You fell asleep, remember? After that, she pretty much denied me any liberty to take action outside the city walls, per Snake’s order…– Frost replied with a slightly downhearted tone that sounded forced, yet it still touched Panda and greatly bothered him, even though he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at his response.
–Damn, so they really have us in timeout and don’t want to admit it…– Panda muttered with frustration as he started to see the truth more clearly, like Frost intended. But now that they were on the same page, the latter tried showing some optimism to prevent Panda from letting his grievances get to him, or at least relieve some of that stress that was making him lose his composure.
–Yes, but it only affects me. Technically, it does affect the rest of the team. But you are allowed to serve independently, right?– Frost asked in a hopeful manner, giving Panda an eager look that made him come to his senses, although it didn’t really inspire much faith in him.
–Yes, but what am I going to achieve by being all by myself?…– Panda asked with a dispirited expression, which was almost impossible to get rid of as the despair was plaguing his mind. But as Panda became bitter about the current situation, Frost saw more potential and didn’t hesitate to encourage him to the best of his abilities.
–You’ll have the task force, and even those Heartaches could help you in some way. I don’t know, you’ll make do somehow. The point is that I need you on the frontlines, no matter who you fight with. I just need you to fight for us…– Frost replied with a resolute and encouraging tone that was just enough for Panda to turn around and believe in him, even if he still couldn’t believe in himself.
–I get it, but I’m not sure if I can… I mean, I’m going to lead a bunch of kids into war. I’m not like you, I don’t know how to teach them or get them to behave– Panda responded insecurely, trying to give Frost the reason but unable to keep up with his demands, which started to discourage him as well.
–Well, it’s our only option to have some sort of involvement in this war… I don’t see any other alternatives…– Frost replied thoughtfully, leading to Panda looking down and reflecting as well, but he became slightly more remorseful and hopeless.
Panda had given up hope, but it was seeing him in that state that seemed to spark some thoughts in Frost, as he had been in the same spot the night of the festival attack. Just like he needed the help of Candy to push forward, Panda was in need of support and absolute faith in him from someone close, with the only difference being that Frost didn’t appear too comfortable providing that. Regardless, using the confidence that Panda was lacking, Frost took a moment to come up with a way to lift his spirits up, getting inspired by the sentiment he related to as well as using some of the advice he had received, all in order to summon his inner Candy.
–But you know, it’s also because I trust you. I know you have what it takes to lead. You are as much of a leader as I am sometimes, even better. You have that cautious mentality that keeps us safe when I lose control sometimes. You know when to stop when we’ve gone too far, but you always know how to push us forward when we are lagging behind. You have what we need to win, it just so happens you’ll have to do it without us…– Frost explained in a consoling but uplifting manner, reaching out for Panda to motivate him with a heartfelt, almost cheery smile, which he was forcing too much and came off as a bit awkward. However, the sentiment he portrayed was deeply felt by Panda, and it was clear right away as his expression suddenly turned much brighter, even when he wasn’t fully convinced.
–I really appreciate all that, you know it… But you are asking too much! It doesn’t seem fair I get to fight and you don’t. I can’t leave you behind here, and I won't be forced to...– Panda replied modestly but still refused the idea out of annoyance. He let out his frustrations with a few grunts, prompting Frost to wait for him to vent, and once he became quiet, he stared back at the door with similar frustration, only concealing it with a distressed frown.
–I thought the same, but we don’t always get what we want…– Frost affirmed cynically, giving in to Panda’s dejection, but he then suddenly turned to him with a resolute expression, drawing his attention immediately.
–So if you want something fair, go out there and fight on behalf of all of us. I know you would do it to keep our nation safe…– Frost added with a firm, confident, and reassuring tone that finally seemed to convince Panda, despite his voice carrying a subtle sarcastic undertone. It still managed to get Panda to reconsider his request as he stared at him for a few long, tense seconds. A smirk began forming on his face, and even though he was still wary of Frost, Panda appeared to be gaining confidence in the idea.
–No, that’s what you do… But I’ll try, I guess…– Panda replied lightheartedly, with a mocking grin that made both of them crack and share a laugh for a brief moment. However, Frost wasn’t fully satisfied with his answer, and as it was clear that Panda didn’t believe in their chances to succeed, he got right up close to get him to comply.
–Promise me, no matter what, you’ll be prepared for anything that gets thrown at you…– Frost ordered with a stern, challenging, almost threatening stare that forced Panda to respond affirmatively. He wasn’t reluctant anymore, and while not as resolved as his chief, he shared the will to push through despite all the odds set against them. And now that he was convinced to fulfill Frost’s request, they both stared at each other with conviction, agreeing silently as they nodded along before Panda began smiling.
–Well, it’s not like I can dodge it. I’ll be a big freaking target without all of you backing me up…– Panda replied with a humorous smile, breaking the tension and immediately shifting the mood to a lighter one, which Frost didn’t oppose as he was finally satisfied with his response.
–Come on, you can take it… It’s not like we asked you to be fat…– Frost joked back, following it up with a teasing smirk as he leaned back to stay at a safe distance from Panda, who was slightly offended and outraged by his comment, but he was able to just laugh it off.
–Alright man, now I would be glad to leave your ass here…– Panda responded in a playfully menacing manner that made Frost burst into laughter alongside himself. They both played along with their bickering, exchanging pestering looks to provoke each other. But once they heard some of the Heartaches waking up and leaving the rooms on the other side, they had to put an end to the fun. Unfortunately, they had to regain composure before leaving the room, but they now had a pact that they both seemed willing to keep, so they concluded their conversation and proceeded to relax throughout the rest of the day.
