#bloomstride

Starting from here

Linhardt had many rude awakenings in his life, mostly from people wanting him to stop slacking off, but this was one time he wished he stayed asleep. 

The bump in the road caused him to abruptly wake up, his eyes quickly scanning his surroundings (or lack thereof). He was trapped in a wooden cage that was barely big enough for him and his fellow abductee.

Wait, there was another person? A look down at his ankles revealed a chain connecting him to Annette of the Blue Lions. “Oh great,” he grumbled, “maybe she could sing a song to our captors to free us,”

She wouldn’t be much help asleep, Linhardt thought to himself. He sighed as he lightly kicked her until she woke up. “Annette, wake up. We’re in trouble,”

          Gerome had concluded quite some time ago that the most formidable rivals to the axe creeds happened upon duel wielding even before they arrived at the academy. This was not envy. It wasn’t. However, he had decreed to himself that he must meet at least one duel wielder and face off against her, to compare his strengths, his weaknesses, his resolve to that of one so unmarred. 

          Really, rumors that she was the top of her class in Reason and doubly wielded an axe was enough to light a wick beneath his boots. So, he sought her out of the crowd, clearing the hallways and blazing through the library. However, he had far more experience avoiding people than he did searching… The myths that it became near impossible to find someone once you were intent on looking for them were true, then. He grimaced. 

          Perhaps he ought to stop his quest before the entire student body was up in knots, over the Lone Wolf prowling the grounds. What, with his crimson hair and daunting mask, he had incidentally set off a sort of rumor mill, himself. There were people whispering about him long after he had disappeared from outside the lecture halls and left little trace of himself in the gardens. 

          The Lone Wolf was looking for a girl. And not just any girl. He was looking for Annette Fantine Dominic. The rumors traveled faster than even his own search, and dusted their indelicate hands upon the students of the Blue Lions. Whatever they said must not have been proper, because the looks they were giving him now that he made his rounds again was… something he thought he recognized before. But. He couldn’t place it, even if he tried. 

          No matter. 

          “Annette was it? I’ve been looking for you.”