Tales of Concordia: Volume One

Chapter Five: Registration

Rika

7:30 A.M.

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*Beep*

The shrill ringing of my alarm caused me to slowly stir from my sleep. I didn't feel like getting up at all.

"7:30... Another hour can't hurt." I said to myself, reading the digital numbers on the clock. I moved to shut off the alarm before dozing back off.

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*Knock*

Barely five minutes after falling asleep again, I heard a knock at my door. You've got to be kidding me... Maybe if I ignore It they'll go away-

Another repeated set of knocks barraged my ears. I could tell whoever was there wasn't going to leave.

"Arghhh Fine! I'm up!" I shot up from my bed, hastily throwing on my usual hoodie and pants. I grabbed my hair tie, styling my hair back into its usual ponytail as I approached my front door, flinging it open

"Who's there!? Especially so early in the-" I stopped, instantly recognizing the man's scarred face and white hair.

"Keita!" I said, ecstatically greeting him "You're back a little bit earlier than you said you'd be!" I told him. He smiled before replying.

"Yeah, I got back late last night. The rest of my group should be back sometime today. That aside, I'm surprised you actually decided to get up, I thought you would've left me standing at the door." He said laughing.

"We both know you wouldn't have stopped knocking until I answered the door. Anyways, What did you stop by for?" I asked him.

"What else? Work of course. Come on, follow me." He said, starting to walk off.

"Wait, Like Now?" I asked him. He immediately turned his head towards me and responded.

"Yes, right now. Let's get moving while it's early, there's a lot to do." I groaned. I hated starting work this early but with Keita, I knew I didn't really have much of a choice. I locked up and left my home, following him.

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"Where exactly are we going? We're walking in the opposite direction of the hall, so I can assume we aren't doing something there." I said. He spoke a moment after.

"To the hospital to visit Ren. I'll let him explain his side to you but essentially, he was unlucky last night." Keita said. I was taken aback by him just dropping this.

"Is he okay?  Why're you only now telling me this?" I asked him.

"If he wasn't okay I wouldn't have told you so casually." He responded. "Although, I should've expected your reaction regardless. He'll be fine though. At most, he'll be out of commission for a few weeks."

"The fact that something injured him that badly is worrying though..." I said.

"He wasn't dealing with normal Beasts down there. They were definitely above the 'usual' kind, If I can even refer to CBs like that." Keita said. I began to think to myself as we walked.

I wouldn't say Rentaro was close to us in strength by any means. That isn't to say he's weak though. Ren was definitely more skilled than the average member. However, hearing he was put into the hospital for something he should've been able to handle was more than concerning, So I could guess something irregular happened. That worried me even more though, as I thought Corrupted beasts were as UNusual as something could get... I wish I did more to stop him yesterday.