Election Declaration

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Hibiki and Valeria were there at the entrance to the dorm, waiting for Colette. When she noticed that Xeria was absent, Colette asked the two where she had gone.

"We don't know. A staff member knocked on our door and handed her a folder. She just disappeared shortly after." Hibiki said. "Instructor said to ignore it and to go ahead and go to the auditorium." She added.

Thankfully, the auditorium wasn't far, and the influx of students, both new and experienced, made it easy for one to find the right path. Merging with the long line of fellow students, they slowly made their way into the large, ovular building.

"What? Instructor was elected as the Third Year Representative?" Hibiki asked.

"Yes... he seemed rather frustrated by it as well... said that he'd get the Third Years back for it. I guess he'd really rather not be Representative if he can help it... maybe he finds the prospect to be bothersome." Colette said.

"Miss Ari did say that he had always been a little lazy when it came to things he considers unpleasant... well... anything that that doesn't involve Spirit Hunting, anyways. I don't know whether to be horrified by that information or not... I'm not exactly certain what he'd consider teaching us to be." Valeria stated.

"Well... he did say during his Rejuvenation Trial that he didn't want to waste the chance to teach us... maybe he thinks that having us as students is a good thing?" Hibiki asked.

"Maybe... regardless, I'm interested in hearing his speech tonight... he'll be third in line... Xeria will be last." Valeria said.

They continued slowly progressing with the line of students, before finding themselves just outside of the entrance doors to the auditorium.

"It's huge... there are so many seats!" Hibiki said, despite only being able to see a single line of seats from their position.

"It has to be... all campuses of Ivoria Academy double as a staging ground for large scale operations in the case of a multi-Aevator event... even though there have only ever been three sighted in the hundred and twenty years since our dimensions fused... and to think... our Instructor... single-handedly brought one down on his own... that really puts his power into perspective for me." Valeria explained.

"I'm not perfectly familiar with the Demon Classification System... just how strong are Aevator-class Demons?" Colette asked.

"Hmm... you know of the Edriin, right? The class of Demon that is second to the Aevators, right?" Valeria asked, continuing when Colette and Hibiki nodded their heads.

"S-Rank Spirit Hunters are the upper echelon of out profession, they represent the very best that a common Spirit Hunter can ever strive to be. A single S-Rank Spirit Hunter can slay a thousand Edriin with no problem... but in contrast... it takes a hundred average S-Rank Spirit Hunters to bring down a single Aevator." Valeria finished.

"That means that Instructor Drake is equivalent to a hundred S-Rank Spirit Hunters?" Hibiki asked.

"Right... our Instructor isn't just a prodigy... in a less than kind phrase: he shouldn't exist." She noted.

"I wonder how he got so powerful... I doubt that he did it with just training." Colette said, thinking back on her own youth and the sheer amount of physical activity she engaged in.

"Probably not... but his parents are pretty strong... so it's not too surprising that he's powerful... although I don't believe his parents are why he's as strong as he is now." Valeria told them.

"His parents?" Hibiki questioned.

"Yeah... his parents are both really well known S-Ranks... Robert and Kelly Greymoor, considered by many to be the most powerful Spirit Hunters to be born in the U.S. in over sixty years... when the second Aevator appeared in Hamburg... they were part of the six man team that brought it down... um... my parents were, too." She said.

Both Hibiki and Colette nearly snapped their necks, turning to look at their teammate.

"Really!?" They cried in unison.

Valeria had begun blushing, as though the topic wasn't one she was all too familiar with broaching.

"Yes... my parents are a constant reminder of just how much expectation I have weighing me down... but, I intend on not only meeting those expectations... but surpassing them fully." She said.

"Wow, your parents must be incredibly strong if they're able to take down an Aevator with only four other people." Colette noted.

"Most definitely, but Instructor must be even stronger than that, right?" Valeria said.

"What about your parents, Hibiki?" Colette asked.

"Oh, my life isn't all that special, I'm an only child, born in Yokohama, just like the Headmistress said. My parents own a bakery in the downtown area, and I grew up expecting that I would be running it one day." Hibiki explained.

"So, why did you end up testing to see if you were Gifted?" Colette asked.

"Well... my mom and dad are both in their early thirties... and my mom went to my dad about seven months ago and told him she wanted another child. They came to the conclusion that another child would be way too expensive, so my mom said that maybe I could be Gifted, even if neither of them were, and asked me to test." She continued.

"So I did, and lo and behold, I AM Gifted, and the more I thought about it, the more I'd like to have a younger sibling. So if I become a Spirit Hunter, and am part of the reason he or she can live a peaceful, happy life, then I'll be happy." She said.

"And you, Colette?" Valeria asked.

"My life has been pretty boring up until this point. I was born to a single mother, who chose to raise me in the wilderness rather than the hustle and bustle of the city. I never knew my father, but Mother always assured me that he loved me dearly... she doesn't have any mementos of him... maybe he is... or was... a Spirit Hunter?" Colette ventured.

"I see... what was it like... living so far from anyone else?" Valeria asked cautiously, obviously trying her hardest to avoid any sensitive topics.

"I enjoyed it, to be honest. I spent a lot of time in the city after I tested as Gifted, and it was really overwhelming for me. I did a lot of hunting for my own food as I got older, so I... embarrassingly enough, didn't actually understand how to get food when in the city." She said.

The three girls laughed at this, finally passing the threshold of the auditorium entrance. Hibiki and Valeria shivered slightly at the lower temperature of the building.

"Should we look for a good set of seats?" Hibiki asked.

"No need, it would seem that Instructor has that covered." Colette said, pointing to five figures in a row of seats a few hundred feet to their northwest.

Colette had recognized them instantly, and while the other girls knew who the Goddesses were, they seemed unsure of Cthulhu.

"Who's he... and why does he look like Instructor?" Valeria asked wearily.

"It's Cthulhu, the Aevator that Drake Contracted with." She said, waving to her Instructor's Goddesses and Demon.

They waved back, motioning for the girls to join them. Slipping through the wave of students ahead of them, they somehow managed to get to the row of seats that had been essentially saved for them.

Hibiki and Valeria's uncertainty towards Cthulhu was more than apparent to him as they approached.

"Easy now, you two, I don't bite." He laughed.

Hibiki's eyes went wide, obviously not expecting the Aevator to speak, let alone be friendly.

"You can talk?" Valeria asked slowly.

"Indeed I can, Miss Valeria. All Aevator are entirely sentient, unlike the other Demons." He replied.

"Really? That's rather horrifying." Valeria said.

With a laugh, Cthulhu shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe for you it is, but the Boss thinks it's pretty useful. I'm not much use to him if I'm an idiot, eh?" He asked.

"Why'd you choose to serve Drake anyway?" Colette asked.

"Ah, now that is the question, isn't it? It was really stick with a guy who was way stronger than any human we'd ever encountered, or get destroyed by him... the former was way more conducive to my survival." He said. "To my surprise, when I offered my allegiance to him, he accepted without much hesitation."

"So... Instructor said you take over his... lust... what about the rest of you?" Colette asked.

"I take the place of his anger." Pandora said.

"I exist in place of his uncertainty!" Gullveig said quietly.

"I, in place of his sadness." Gaia said.

"And lastly, I exist in place of his fear." Khione answered. "Speaking of which... I'm going to head up to the stage to be with Master... I'll speak with you all later." She said, giving them a bow.

As she slipped between a number of students, Valeria wondered aloud why Khione would need to be with Drake.

"Drake has... uh... what did the doctor call it? Asperger Syndrome." Gullveig asked.

"I believe that was what it was originally known as... but it is simply referred to as autism now." Pandora corrected. "After being with him for as long as I have... there's no doubt that being in social situations is his foil. He hates having to do things like public speaking. But when Khione is with him... he's leagues more confident." She said happily.

"Then again... I'm not up there with him... so if he's genuinely pissed off about being elected... he won't hold back." She noted, looking to the stage's black curtain with what seemed to be a little bit of fear.

"Eh... it'll make tonight a bit more interesting." Cthulhu said.

"That's true... I'm sure Khione will be swooning over him regardless of what he does." Gaia laughed.

Gullveig and Pandora laughed, and Colette shook her head, smiling.

"Why IS Khione in love with Drake, anyway?" Colette asked.

"She's like him... really inept in social situations. I guess the two of them clicked really well, even with their own quirks." Gaia said.

"Other than the fact that they get along well... we're not really sure what happened between them... as he did with the others, he had Gaia and I leave him alone with Khione when he got to know her... he spent six months alone with her... and when we finally reconnected with him, she was head over heels for him." Pandora explained.

"He split you up as he got to know you? What was that like?" Hibiki asked.

"Well... all four of you are Exceptions... right?" Pandora asked.

The girls shot one another looks, before nodding.

"Well... with Exception Contracts, the agreement that a Deity and a Spirit Hunter make is essentially a lifetime agreement, similar in concept to a marriage. Each Deity has something they search for in partners for a Contract... to be honest, Exceptions are even more strict, since their Contract requires the Deity to nullify any other agreements they have at the time." Pandora explained.

"What did you all search for in the Instructor?" Valeria asked.

"I wanted to know how powerful he could become over time... despite him being only five years old at the time... there was something about him that told me he wouldn't be a waste of my time." Pandora explained.

"As a Deity whose very existence brings creation, I wanted to know how pure his heart and mind were. He is a very driven person, and almost impossible to corrupt." Gaia said.

"I wanted to know how kind he could be... I found out after Khione explained their relationship to me. Drake might be an introverted person, but when it comes to others... he can be quite the sweetheart." Gullveig said happily.

"So you know why she loves him!" Pandora nearly screamed, causing a group of nearby students to turn to them.

A glare from Cthulhu made them turn their heads away, but the Goddesses remained quiet until they were sure that they weren't being listened to.

"Why have you never said anything about it until now?" Pandora hissed.

"Khione is my friend! She didn't want me to tell you so I won't." Gullveig said.

Pandora grabbed Gullveig's face, yanking the girl's cheeks with frustration.

Both Cthulhu and Gaia stood up, raising their hands above Pandora's head, and, without a word, struck the back of her head.

With a yelp, Pandora released Gullveig from her grip, her hands immediately shooting to the back of her head.

"Don't tease little ones, Pandora. If Gullveig has it set in her heart to keep a promise, then there's no reason for her to break it." Gaia said.

Cthulhu rubbed Gullveig's cheeks with a bit of black energy.

"You're a good friend, Gullveig, both to Drake and Khione, I like that about you." He said quietly.

"Is it at least a good reason?" Pandora asked.

"Good? People fall in love for countless untold reasons. It would be foolish to think that I could judge someone for something so subjective." Gullveig said.

"I'm asking if she loves him for something other than his looks. I don't need you to tell me the reason exactly, just that she has good intentions." Pandora doubled down.

Gullveig sat still for a moment, considering the query.

"Khione does find Drake to be attractive. But I don't feel that she loves him for such shallow reasons." She answered finally.

Pandora settled down at this, making Gaia laugh.

"You're such an open book, Pandora! You're so worried about Drake that it's sickly sweet." She giggled. "You talk tough, but the truth is that you're entirely smitten with Drake, aren't you?"

Pandora's face was burning with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"I! I've... I've been with him for more than a decade now... I've been at his side for so long... gotten to see him grow from a young boy into a young adult... if I do care about him... it's in more of a motherly sense." Pandora countered.

"All of you like him." Cthulhu said. "And don't even try to deny it! It's not like there's anything wrong with it anyway... you five have always looked like a loving family." He added.

"Well... I suppose that Drake is undoubtedly my favorite person... I... do care about him... but as for whether my feelings are romantic in nature... it's been so long that I don't really know anymore." Gaia said.

"What about you, Gullveig? Do you like Drake?" Valeria asked.

"Mhmm! Drake is an absolutely wonderful person. Sure he has his faults... but that only makes the good parts of him even better!" Gullveig said.

"I've been meaning to ask this, Gullveig... but are you... maybe a younger Deity?" Cthulhu asked.

"Hmmm... younger is a bit of a stretch... I suppose you might consider me young in comparison to the old ladies next to me." Gullveig said.

"Old..."

"...ladies?"

Gaia and Pandora had only just finished their sentence as they each pinched one of Gullveig's cheeks, pulling and chastising her for calling them old.

"Hey, grannies. It's starting." Cthulhu said.

They pulled away from a now red cheeked Gullveig.

The curtain had only just finished pulling back as the lights dimmed. As the girls looked to the stage, they immediately recognized four of the people atop it.

Asahina Yui was stood at the far right in a line of five people, with Drake in the very center, and Xeria to the far left. Allicity was busy toying with an audio device in front of them. After a few silent moments, she tapped the device, being greeted with a deep booming feedback from a set of speakers lining the enormous walls of the building.

"Ah... good, it's functional." She said.

Her cute, playful demeanor had all but melted away, replaced with the hard-edged glare of a woman who had been fighting for longer than many had been alive.

"Good evening, students. My name, if you've forgotten, is Allicity Lachlan. I am the current Headmistress of the Japan Branch of Ivoria Academy, a position I've held for twenty years at this point. As the Rejuvenation Trials have come to an end, I summoned you all here so that we might do as we have always done here at Ivoria. Tonight we will remind ourselves exactly why it is we fight... this is, of course, more aimed towards the new students..." She trailed off.

"But then again... all of you will do well to remember this." She finished.

Sucking in a breath, her fingers tapped the tablet she had been holding. A large screen descended from the ceiling behind her. With another few taps, the screen began to glow with white light.

"One hundred and twenty years ago, a catastrophic change in our world occurred. The space between our dimension and another collapsed, bringing our spaces of living within proverbial inches of each other. Almost immediately, the change was apparent, with a huge number of crystalline creatures that we began calling "Spirits" flooding into our world."

A small cityscape had flickered onto the screen. It was empty. Even from the sky high view, the lack of life in the space was obvious.

"These Spirits began wreaking havoc in our homes, and in a matter of months, they had managed to force us more inland than global warming had." She stopped, turning to the screen.

With another flash, the image changed, becoming a large diagram of a person. Everything about the diagram was normal, save for a large circle located in the center of the chest.

"Human beings are born with a pool of life energy that we call a Soul. This energy is incredibly unique to each human, with no two Souls being quite the same. This Soul, as well as the energy, are the reason that Spirits are so dangerous to humans. Spirits radiate the same type of energy that our Souls are made of... and when the two energies meet, normal human bodies don't do well... suffering illness, reduced organ function, and eventually, with the time frame dependent on the type of Spirit, death."

A few mumbles from the massive crowd denoted how familiar with the last problem many were.

"That energy from them is a poison... but it also served as the key to our greatest evolution." She said.

The circle on the diagram's chest split in half, leaving only a white semicircle.

"That poison forced our bodies to change, and in response, a number of us lost half of our Soul. This empty space gave us the capacity to not only resist the negative effects of Spirit Energy, but, with the help of Deities that made themselves known shortly after the Collapse, the power to fight, to push back the Spirits from our world!" She said.

The image faded away, replaced with another cityscape.

This one was far less clean, most of the city, in fact, was pure rubble. It was almost difficult to tell what had been there, but many seemed to recognize the image.

"New York City, 2090. Forty years after the dimensions collapsed, the city was leveled instantly by a Spirit that we now refer to as a Demon, and this one more specifically, an Aevator. In the singular moment of the being's appearance, the entire population perished from the amount of Spirit Energy that had been released. Two thousand, two hundred, and thirty eight Gifted humans perished attempting to bring the Aevator down."

The image changed once more, this time, a large group of men and women were standing before what looked to be a council.

"After the Aevator had been defeated, the Gifted who had slain it looked to the leaders of the nations. Their words were simple: Give us a place where we can hone our craft, and take students to teach it to, and we will give you warriors that can eliminate the threat that Aevators pose, as well as suppress the common spirits. Ten years later, the first branch of Ivoria opened in the United States, taking in two hundred students. In the last seventy years, Ivoria has become the brand name for Spirit Hunting, with every Hunting Firm in existence requiring it's members to have at least three years of training in from Ivoria."

The image changed again, this time, it was a picture of two people, a young man and woman, standing side by side.

"Now... to more positive things than the Aevators. Sixty years ago, a pair of twins were born that were a little different from the norm. By that point, we essentially knew all that we currently do about Souls, and had believed that the rule of life was that a being had to have at least a partial soul in order to live. These two, however, didn't have Souls at all... they were the exception... they were Exceptions. Over the sixty years since then, Exceptions have become slightly more common, with thirty born out of every ten million people born into this world. Exceptions are special, however, for a very specific reason..."

Drake, Xeria, and Yui stepped forward, while the image changed once again. This time, the same diagram of a human reappeared, but the circle had been replaced with an empty void that filled the filled the entire shape with a dark, murky black.

"Exceptions, who lack Souls entirely, are wholly unaffected by the energy of both weaker Spirits AND the Aevator. In addition to this, they have an even better ability to house the energy of the Deities, so much so that they can form Contracts that allow them to use the Deity's powers to their fullest extent."

The murky black turned a bright blue, filling the human shape in its entirety.

"With this power at our disposal, opposition to the threat that Aevators pose is not only feasible, it's well within our capabilities."

"This year, you have three Exceptions representing you, despite them only being a fraction of a percent of the population. One of them, is a tried and tested warrior, and a woman who earned her S-Rank with hard work and dedication to our cause, the second is well known to the world as the Exceptional Exception, who's four Contracts have remained a wonder to the people, both Gifted and otherwise. He, on his own, brought the third Aevator to their knees, subjugating it and sealing a fifth Contract with it."

The crowd blossomed with the quiet exchange of whispers. Many knew exactly who Drake was, but for some, it was the first time SEEING him. Colette and Valeria both silently wondered if he met their expectations. Other than his attractiveness, Drake was a rather plain looking person.

"The third Exception is a first year, and while she is, as of yet, untested, Mr. Greymoor has seen fit to take her as one of his own students, intent on molding her in a way that only the very best can. I'm sure that with time, she will cement herself as a top class student and a warrior worthy of praise."

The other two representatives stepped forward, a young man in between Drake and Yui, and a rather timid looking girl between Drake and Xeria.

"I present to you, through the democratic process, your chosen representatives for the Second through Fifth Years, as well as the randomly chosen representative for the First Years. They will now impart a piece of the wisdom they have gained during their time here at Ivoria." Allicity said, finally bringing her own speech to a close.

Yui stepped forward first, taking the audio device from Allicity.

The display behind them lit up, a picture of Yui appearing alongside a list of statistics.

Asahina Yui
Fifth Year, Rank S
2-21-50
Exception
Contract: Full, Jupiter

Levels:

Strength: S
Defense: B
Durability: A
Magic Potential: C
Speed: A
Spirit Energy Resistance: S

"Greetings, fellow students, I, Asahina Yui, as the Fifth Year Representative, will give you this advice: Never be afraid to advance, never underestimate yourself, and never be afraid of failure." Her words boomed clearly over the room.

The young man beside her stepped forward. He had a plain face, with dirty blonde hair and green eyes.

The display changed again.

Silas Everwhite
Fourth Year, Rank S
8-12-51
Standard
Contract: Partial, Izanami

Levels:

Strength: D
Defense: D
Durability: B
Magic Potential: S
Speed: S
Spirit Energy Resistance: S

"My name is Silas Everwhite, as the Fourth Year Representative, my advice to you is simple: Understand that we are the only option for our loved ones survival, without us, they are doomed to a painful, horrific death. Keep that in mind as you train... allow your desire to defend those you love to propel you to new heights."

Drake stepped forward, the display changing a third time.

Drake Greymoor
Third Year, Rank A
4-24-52
Exception
Contract: Full, Pandora, Gaia, Khione, Gullveig, Aevator Cthulhu

Levels:

Strength: S
Defense: S
Durability: S
Magic Potential: S
Speed: S
Spirit Energy Resistance: S

As his stats flashed across the display, there was a much louder wave of talk, each student in awe of his supposed abilities.

"Students of Ivoria, I wish to impart in you... something that I have learned through my years... by working alongside your team, there is no enemy that you can't..."

His voice trailed off, he had raised his face, looking to the ceiling rather than the crowd. He sucked in a deep breath, then returned his gaze.

"No... it's wrong of me to lie to you... my Aevator, Cthulhu has told me of what lies on the other side... millions and millions of Aevators are waiting for the opportunity to cross the dimension and ravage our homes... our world... every day that you aren't both mentally and physically prepared for them is one where our existence as a species is threatened..." He said.

A more bleak, timid whimper rolled through the crowd, with many exclaiming that no one could ever win against millions of Aevator.

"But... do not fear... look to those who have taken a seat around you... these are your comrades, your brothers and sisters-at-arms who have taken up the fight against the most terrifying enemy we've ever known... if you wish to keep humanity alive, then during your time here, keep in mind that the ones here with you now... are the ones worth protecting. Remember that even in the daunting face of an opponent whose power is like nothing we've ever seen, you chose to stand and fight against it... take heart in knowing that while you work under the banner of Ivoria, you will always be under my protection... you are MY brothers and sisters, and I will be your shield." He said.

To the girls' surprise, the mood had changed to one of excitement as quickly as it had changed to melancholy. A large number of students had begun to clap proudly.

'He really is a kind person.'

Gullveig's words echoed in the minds of the girls, but it seemed as though Drake hadn't finished.

"With that in mind... I'll offer you all a bit of incentive to become stronger. As always, this year's Stagnation Trial will be a battle royale between all classes... during said Trial, I will be gunning for each and every one of you, so... do yourselves a favor... and work your asses off to be at your very best this June."

Another ripple of excitement.

"It's a shame he doesn't speak in public more often... he's most certainly got the charisma, and he definitely knows how to work a crowd." Pandora said.

The Second Year Representative spoke next.

The girl was short and pretty, with light, silver hair and fair skin. Her pupil-less white eyes were her most noticeable feature.

Her Royal Highness Lillian Shaithe-Hemdon
Second Year, Rank A
4-24-53
Standard
Contract: Partial, Pendragon

Levels:

Strength: C
Defense: D
Durability: A
Magic Potential: S
Speed: A
Spirit Energy Resistance: A

"I know... that I am a princess... I know that you might look at me, and see someone who's beyond spoiled because of her heritage... but I agree with Mister Greymoor... we are a family of warriors... I will always be willing to come to your aid, all that I ask is that you be willing to do the same. My advice to you is this: Don't take what you have for granted... fight as hard as you can to protect what you have, for on the day that you need to fight for keeps, it is in everyone's best interest that you find yourself up to snuff."

Xeria was finally up, and the display changes as soon as she had stepped up.

Xeria Tsaplin
First Year, Rank C
10-30-54
Exception
Contract: Full, Ababinili

Levels:

Strength: D
Defense: D
Durability: C
Magic Potential: S
Speed: C
Spirit Energy Resistance: S

"Good evening... I know that it is not my place to say anything about what it is to be a Spirit Hunter... but I think that my Father's words may be of some use to you all: To us... our work may seem worthless... as though we are trying to throw dirt into a bottomless hole... but, remember that even if we don't see the line of dirt we've created in the darkness below, it is still there. So, rather than focus on what you can't do... keep your goals set on doing what you can... if we keep that in mind, then someday the hole will be filled, regardless of whether we are there to see it or not."

As her speech ended, the audience began to clap loudly enough that the whole room seemed to vibrate with energy.

Allicity spoke a little more about the purpose of the Representatives, mainly to help address any concerns that students may have in a more neat, uniformed way. At the end of her speech, roughly three hours had passed, and she finally gave them the order to return to their dorms.

Drake and Xeria met the girls outside of the auditorium shortly after most of the students had shuffled off to their rooms, ready to turn in.

"I'm surprised you didn't blow up on them, Boss." Cthulhu noted with amusement.

"I decided that I'd try to rile them up in a different way. Thankfully it seems to have worked wonders." He laughed.

"Sir... was that true? About the Aevators, I mean?" Xeria asked.

"Oh yes... there are a huge number of my kind in the other dimension. What the Boss forgot to mention was the fact that they don't know how to move across the dimension in large numbers without most of our people getting lost or destroyed in the abyss between." Cthulhu said.

"I see... thank you, Aevator." She said.

"Eh, just call me Cthulhu, we'll be working closely in your time here anyway, so formality will just serve to make our time together more awkward." He said.

Xeria nodded.

"With that... I think we should all turn in for the night. I actually have a bit of homework for you, Hibiki. The exact directions are on your tablet in a message. As for you two, communicate with your Deities and find out how you can best utilize their powers. I'll be having Colette do the same, but under my guidance. If you haven't figured out anything concrete by Monday, just tell me and I'll work with you on it." Drake said.

The three girls left them there, and Colette turned to him after they disappeared into the darkness.

"Will you be attempting to bring us down as well?" She asked.

"No, if I fought you four there's a chance I might prevent one of you from getting at least B Rank... so I think I'll hold off on taking you on. In fact I'll probably stick with you to keep you girls from getting into any sticky situations." He laughed.

"Very well... shall we go?" She asked, ready to escape the January cold.

"Yeah, let's go."