It was beautifully sunny this morning, but Joshua knew it wouldn't last for long. Most days usually started pretty, like this one, until rain clouds took over the sky early in the afternoon. It was a quirk of living in Xeistoria that most people adjusted to after a while. The university church laid on the periphery of the school's central garden, opposite to a string of administrative buildings where the faculty worked. Bushes lined the cement path, trimmed to a moderate height. They were dotted by red, purple, and white flowers all throughout, with buzzing bees and the odd butterfly hovering above them. Most trees in campus were losing their leaves, but the ones who still clung to them were painted orange and yellow by the season. The dead foliage was piling up on the grass, but the cleaning staff did a good job every day to ensure this was kept to a minimum.

Joshua found the atmosphere peaceful. A cold autumn wind would blow by every other minute, but the sun's warmth contrasted the temperature comfortably. There weren't many students around, so things were quiet here. They were all too busy preparing for midterms to be out enjoying the day. Actually, if Joshua weren't working on this case, he'd probably be joining them in their stress. Preventing a magical war, though, had priority over getting good grades. As he approached the church, a faint murmur arose in the distance. It got bigger and louder the closer he got, until he spotted a large crowd outside the cathedral. In front of the marble steps of the building, a group of protesters marched to the beat of their chanting. They held signs with a variety of messages, most of them criticizing the Holy Church of Catherine.

No more bigotry in XCU!

Homosexuals are people too!

Keep your religion out of my education!

Joshua stopped short of the picket line, smirking in amusement. This was probably the group Al and Elizabeth were talking about. He had heard of people being pissed with a church being present inside campus, but this was the first time he witnessed them in action. They certainly had a unique appearance. Men and women of different races, height, and… hair color? Some women had purple, braided hair, others had a short, green or blue pixie cuts. Lots of men had their tips dyed red or white, while others were bald on certain parts of their skull. Joshua hadn't really seen a group of students as odd as these. Not that he was judging them or anything. Some of them actually looked cool, while others… well, Joshua admired their bravery for looking like that in public.

They were very annoying at the moment, but Joshua didn't blame them for this. If they weren't blocking the entrance to the old building, he would even be inclined to agree with their message. Xeistoria University was supposed to be secular institution, and the Church of Lady Catherine did suck. Joshua knew he wasn't impartial about this, though. He and Al weren't exactly on good terms with the church, considering the context that led to them abandoning it. Still, Joshua couldn't help but find the protesters silly. They didn't know the vital role the church played when it came to maintaining the balance of power between mages. A necessary evil, really. Even if they weren't very influential in this part of the continent, so far away from Alexandria, their capital, the mere presence of a representative here prevented a lot of conflict. This cathedral served more like a diplomatic embassy than a place of faith. Since they didn't make any efforts to proselytize their religion, Joshua found them mostly harmless here.

Joshua tried to sidestep them to enter the church, but a short woman with green hair stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Joshua wouldn't describe her as fat per say, more like lumpy in many places, including her puffed up face. She had many pins of her backpack, mostly animal related. Some cows, paw prints, and horses that acted as decoration. Scowling with a sweaty brow, she glared at Joshua and said:

"No one passes the picket line, okay?! You'll have to practice your religion elsewhere, like the rest of us. You don't see us imposing our beliefs on you, now do you?"

"Whoa!" Joshua raised his hands. "I'm not trying to start anything. I'm just trying to see a friend of mine inside. Plus, aren't you technically imposing your beliefs by not allowing anyone inside?"

The protester widened her eyes, aghast. "How dare you! We are upholding our right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly!"

"It doesn't seem very peaceful to me…"

"You should feel ashamed!" shouted the woman. "So much progress has been hindered by this religious institution, enforcing it's backwards way of thinking on society, and you dare defend it!"

"I'm not defending it! I'm just trying to visit someone!"

"You're part of the problem! By excusing their behavior, you're perpetuating a system of oppression!"

Joshua sighed in exasperation, afterwards spotting Al leaving the cathedral. He waved his hand at him and called him out, until finally being seen by his brother. Al didn't look particularly happy. He hid his hands inside the pockets of his jacket and walked over to him with an annoyed slouch. As soon as he tried to pass, the protester said:

"No one passes the picket line! Even if you're leaving the building!"

Al looked at Joshua, confused. Joshua shrugged and said:

"Apparently they're protesting today."

"I noticed." Al turned towards the protestor. "Look, I'm really not in the mood for this. I don't want any trouble here; Can't you just make an exception?"

"Trouble?" said the protester. "I'll give you trouble! Are you threatening me? I'll have you know we won't stand for this!"

Al turned to Joshua. "What the hell is this chick's problem?"

"Chick?" The protester pushed Al backwards. "Who the hell do you think you are, threating me like this? I am a woman! I will not be dehumanized by your misogynistic language!"

Al clenched his fist, but swallowed and contained his anger. Before he could shout something back at her, another woman joined the protester. The only word that could describe her is beautiful. She wore a red turtleneck sweater, a black short skirt, and long black socks under brown leather flats. She had flawless skin, a graceful, yet strong composure, with aqua colored eyes and long, wavy black hair, tied in twin-tails by black ribbons. Her body was jaw dropping, almost like a supermodel in proportion. Hips, legs, breasts, she had everything an insecure woman would hate. Her figure was accentuated by her clothes, since it pressed against her skin in a way that highlighted her features. Not overtly, though. Everything was covered in such a way that it forced you to admire her body, but at the same time wish you could see more.

The way she smiled at Al appeared incredibly genuine. It had an angelic-like quality to it, enough to melt the heart of almost anyone on the receiving end. Not Joshua, though. If anything, it made him more guarded around her. He knew a practiced smile when he saw it; it's kind of his thing. Every move she made, even the way she distributed her weight on her legs seemed calculated. Not fake or insincere, just very self-aware. She knew exactly how attractive she was and the impression she left on others. Joshua couldn't really judge her because of this, he was the same in a lot of ways, but it didn't sit well with him. It was like she was hiding how clever she really is under a veil of apparent innocence. In a fluid motion, she walked up beside her companion and gently said:

"Sarah, is there a problem here?"

"President!" said Sarah. "These men are trying to break the picket line." She pointed at Al. "This one even threatened and objectified me!"

The president raised an eyebrow, looking at Al concerned. "Is this true?"

"I didn't threaten her!" Al glared at Sarah. "And she's flattering herself if she thinks I objectified her."

"Screw you, you misogynistic piece of-"

The president raised her hand and stopped Sarah before she could finish. "Sarah, remember what we talked about. You need to calm down if you want to make a point. Lead by example, not by rewarding their combativeness by stooping to their level." She approached Al and softly placed her hand on his upper arm, intently staring into his eyes without blinking. "Please, wait for the rally to end. It it'll only take half an hour." She then smiled, thinking Al would comply. "I'll be eternally grateful if you do."

"Fuck that!" Al stepped away, blushing. "I-I'm not gonna wait around like an idiot. I have things to do!"

The president was taken aback by his comment, like she couldn't even conceive that he would refuse. She glanced downwards, bit her bottom lip for a second, and said:

"We can't break the picket line for you, otherwise this will all be pointless." She pouted. "Are you really sure you can't wait?"

Al narrowed his eyes. "I'm leaving."

Al tried to walk away, but Sarah kept getting in front of him.

"President Tiffany Ethyris!" said Elizabeth, walking towards them. "What a wonderful surprise! I'm a reporter with The Xeistoria University Post, would you mind making a few comments on this rally? How do you respond to the allegations that you're denying students their right to practice their religion? What about the rumors that say you detained people for not contributing to your protest? Is the XSMG moving away from their mission statement of fostering more tolerance in the university?"

Sarah stared at Elizabeth with her mouth gaped open. Tiffany Ethyris winced back cutely, looking embarrassed. "No, I-I would never dream of that. Fighting ignorance with more ignorance is not our goal." She sighed. "I apologize, my vice-president seemed to perceive an insult where there wasn't any. Sarah, please let them leave."

"But president…" Sarah glared at the trio, shifting her sight between Al, Elizabeth, and Joshua. "These people… They're the type of manipulative, opportunistic scum we're supposed to eradicate! If we bend to their will now, how can we ever hope to bring about an ideal society? We can't keep making concessions! You're making us look weak!"

"Not buts. They're only leaving the building." Tiffany smiled at Sarah. "Technically, we just want to keep people out. We also have the zoo rally this afternoon, so we can't afford to start anything big here. You're the one who organized that protest. Are you saying you're willing to skip the zoo in order to keep up appearances here?"

Sarah paused for a second and shook her head in defeat, stepping out of the way. She couldn't stop staring at Elizabeth, like something was out of place. Elizabeth wrinkled her face in discomfort, but smiled and walked ahead. Joshua stayed silent through it all, knowing that he would only make things worse if he spoke. Al really should've kept his mouth shut, but it didn't matter. Things worked out in the end. Had Elizabeth not stepped in, they were probably going to be there a while. It was lucky that she exited the cathedral when she did. At least she seemed fine, despite what happened to her last night.

Al remained stoic as they left the steps, walking forward until he couldn't be seen anymore. This left Joshua confused. He didn't even thank Elizabeth for her help there. Strange. Even when he's grumpy, he usually expresses gratitude after receiving assistance. This left Joshua alone with Elizabeth though, allowing him to do what he came here for. Joshua stared at the ground sheepishly, cleared his throat, and said:

"So… umm… Elizabeth…"

"Yes?"

"I owe you an apology for what happened yesterday. If I'd been more focused, you wouldn't have gotten injured. Really, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I already told Al, it was my choice. No one should feel guilty about it. I'm the one who got involved in this mess."

"So you're gonna stay safe?"

Elizabeth furrowed her brow. "Hell no! I don't care if you guys don't want to help me, I'm still investigating this story. I was gonna do it anyway, whether I met you guys or not."

"But-"

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna write anything nasty about you guys. I was mostly bluffing about that. Actually… I should be the one apologizing. It was a scummy move on my part. I'm sorry." Elizabeth turned around. "Later Joshua! And thanks for everything! It… it was fun. Even if it was cut short."

Elizabeth waved goodbye, taking a few steps forward. Before she could leave, Joshua tapped her shoulder and said:

"Wait, I have something for you." He handed her a business card. "Al's number is there. I'd tell you to call me, but I kinda lost my phone yesterday. I can guess what happened when you woke up, though. Al doesn't have the greatest bedside manner, so it wouldn't surprise me if you two fought. Is that why he left without saying anything?"

"Yeah…" said Elizabeth. "We kinda shouted at each other."

Joshua sighed. "Listen, he may not look it on the outside, but he's an honorable guy. If by some reason you get into to trouble, don't hesitate to call him. He'll probably complain and make a big show out of it, but he'll help you out. He's not the type of person that lets others die if he can stop it. Okay?"

Elizabeth nodded and smiled. "Thanks." She pocketed the business card. "I'll keep it in mind."

[Break]

The hallways of the Xeistoria General Hospital were sleek and pristine. Polished linoleum tiles covered the fifth floor, stained with a multitude of dots of various colors. The walls were painted in a purple-ish shade of blue that felt stylish and professional at the same time. Elizabeth was surprised by the quietness of the floor, though. Only the sound of her footsteps and distant murmurs could be heard, with the occasional ding of the elevator filling the void. It made sense to Elizabeth, this was a place for rest and healing after all but, somehow, she always imagined hospitals to be louder than this. Maybe it's because her few experiences with hospitals were in emergency rooms. The hectic nature of that environment led to a lot more noise being produced, whether its by patients being wheeled around or panicking nurses asking for assistance. This section of the hospital, though, was incredibly relaxing when compared to her mental image.

The young reporter felt weird walking around here, a mixture of awkwardness and anxiety swirling inside her. She kept staring at the room numbers, hoping to find the one indicated by the nurse, but at the same time wished she could give up and leave. It's not that she didn't want to see Alex Duke, it's that she didn't know what to do once she found her. Elizabeth couldn't just say that she decided to randomly visit her. Who would believe that? She didn't even know Alex, she was just an acquaintance at best. Would she just say that she pitied Alex? Of course not. Mostly because it wasn't true, even if it did look that way. This visit came from a place of empathy, not pity. After what the nurse told her, Elizabeth felt required to come. It was a nice gesture that needed to be done.

Apparently, the reason the hospital contacted Elizabeth was because they literally didn't have anyone else to call. Alex passed out in her lab when a mixture of chemicals she prepared evaporated into a toxic cloud. None of the extractors were turned on, even though they were functional, and if a janitor hadn't noticed the gas seeping out, she would've died in a matter of minutes. Alex wasn't native to Xeistoria, she came from a small town, far into the countryside. She didn't have a cellphone or anyone listed in her emergency contacts; only the piece of paper Elizabeth had given her earlier in the day. Elizabeth shook her head with a sigh. In retrospect, it made sense that Alex was depressed. No friends, no family or boyfriend around, just her work and her mentor to keep her busy. With Henry Martin gone, she probably threw herself at her work to distract herself. If Elizabeth recalled correctly, Alex hadn't even been able to grieve for Professor Martin. Of course it weighed on her. It probably made her snap from the stress of her deadline.

Feeling alone in this town was something Elizabeth understood deeply. She had never considered killing herself, but she would be lying if she said she felt valued by anyone. Maybe it's the fault of this society that only cares about those who are productive, where productive usually means 'makes a lot of money'. No one is allowed to relax in this culture, like you have to earn the right to just be. If you're not a workaholic, you're worthless. Anything that doesn't have a tangible result, like science or journalism, is considered a luxury pursued by entitled people. Elizabeth huffed in annoyance. She was beginning to reenact the many arguments she had with her parents before graduating high school.

Her parents had pushed her to study law because she loved to argue so much, even though she was set on being a journalist since she was little. "It's too risky", they argued, "how will you make enough money?", ignoring the fact that thousands of people lived just fine as journalists. Sure, she wouldn't afford a fancy house or car later on, but she didn't care about any of that. She could live a comfortable life doing what she loved; she just wouldn't be as successful as they felt she needed to be. You can brag to your friends about your lawyer or doctor daughter, but a journalist? You only mention that in passing, unless they won a prestigious award or made a lot of money. Of course, from her parent's point of view they fully supported her career choice, but Elizabeth knew this was just a lie they told to themselves. They didn't encourage or approve her decision, they only tolerated it. This was evident by the fact that they still asked her to do something else and made her feel inferior for her choice.

Elizabeth was mumbling to herself in anger when she remembered she was searching for Alex's room. She then stopped and took a deep breath. She really needed to get over her family issues before graduating. What did this even have to do with Alex? Elizabeth frowned. Self-centeredness, yet another thing she had to work on. Thankfully though, she found the room a couple of doors ahead. Stepping lightly, she edged around the doorframe and leaned her head inside.

Elizabeth squinted her eyes. The view was beautiful. Sunlight entered through clear windows on the wall to Alex's right, displaying the entirety of the third district bay on the horizon. There were four young men there, in front of Alex's bed, and they seemed to be discussing something.

"I know you don't consider it an issue," said one of the boys, "but it's something we have to fix. What good is the product if people don't want to drink it?"

"Yeah," said another young man, "it tastes horrible and it doesn't hydrate well. It literally does the opposite! Who wants water that drinks them instead?"

"Look uhh…" Alex yawned. "Oh god, what was your name again?"

"It's Ritchie!" He scoffed. "We've been working together for six months now! Why do you keep forgetting it?!"

"Sorry, sorry," said Alex, "I barely remember my family's names, so don't take it personally. Anyway, Ritchie, I get what you mean, but aren't you bringing this up a little too late? Tomorrow's the deadline! Instead of complaining to me, you should be working on a solution! Add a mineral supplier that attaches to the ions or something. If taste is the only problem we have, then we're in the clear! At least it does what it's designed to do! It even endures explosions!"

"We know." Ritchie rolled his eyes. "You almost blew us up, remember? And don't relegate this to us! You've made it pretty clear that this is your project."

"Yeah, but you guys have a lot riding on this too!" Alex lowered her voice, gripping her bedsheet in discomfort. "I'm hospitalized, okay? What the hell do you want me to do?"

At this point Elizabeth knocked on the open door and entered the room. Scowling, she then said:

"You guys have got to be the most insensitive jerks in the entire university. Can't you see she's tired?"

One of the researchers blinked, confused. He then said:

"Who are you?"

"None of your business. This poor woman has gone through a rough night, and you have the gall to hound her with work?" Elizabeth glared at them. "Get out before I call security and tell them you're harassing her."

"But-"

"I'm sorry," said Elizabeth, "did I stutter? Get out!"

The boys looked at each other and hung their heads with shame. One by one they walked out of the room, not even bothering to say goodbye to Alex. After Elizabeth closed the door, Alex looked at her and said:

"Not that I don't appreciate that, but why are you here? If you're looking for more stuff about Henry's murder, I don't really have much else to say. I think I told you everything."

"No, no, I'm not here for that. I was worried when the nurse called me. You only had my phone on you so they called me. I figured you'd like some company…"

"Oh god…" Alex blushed. "This is so embarrassing. I-I'm sorry. What did they tell you?"

"That you… well…"

"I didn't do it." Alex's face hardened. "I wasn't trying to commit suicide. They just assumed that, and kept me in observation here."

"Oh…" Elizabeth walked next to the bed and sat on a chair. "Then what happened?"

"I was exhausted. I had to work on some components for the machine, and forgot to turn on the extractors. I kinda fell asleep while the chemicals settled, so the batch went sour." Alex crossed her arms with a pout. "It pisses me off that they decided I tried to kill myself! I mean, okay, I really needed this break. I admit I've been overworked lately, but this is just demeaning."

Elizabeth chuckled. "I get it. People who just assume they know better for you get under my skin. Treating you like a child and stuff. It's like, accidents happen right? But that doesn't mean you'll stop doing whatever because of them! You're a grown-ass woman! You can do whatever you want!"

"Thank you!" Alex raised her arms widely. "It's like I'm taking crazy pills here! You're the only person who's agreed with me!" She laughed. "But whatever, I can't really hold it against them. They're just doing their job. Thanks for the visit, though. I really needed to talk to someone with a brain."

"It's my pleasure." Elizabeth smiled. "Besides, it's not like I'm busy with anything. I've pretty much hit a dead end in the investigation. I guess I need a break too. I've been doing nothing but working on it all week." She looked down and pulled on her shirt. "I'm even wearing the same clothes from yesterday. Damn it, I'm such a mess."

Alex giggled. "Yeah, I was going to ask you about that. I thought I was hallucinating or something."

"I uhh… I'm too involved in my article." Elizabeth sighed. "I'm complaining right now, but as soon as I leave here, I'm probably jumping straight back into my work."

"I feel you; I'm the same. I'm heading to my lab as soon as I get out of here. Mostly because all my stuff is there. Still, I wish I could stall for a while. It'd be nice to clear my head."

"Hmm…" Elizabeth stroked her chin. "Would you be interested in going to the zoo? I'm going there next."

"The zoo? Huh. I've actually never gone. I've always wanted to, but I promised someone I wouldn't go without them and forgot about it. That's so random, though. Why are you heading there? Didn't you say you want to work on your story?"

"Yeah, it won't really be for pleasure. You see, the XSMG is organizing a protest there, and I kinda wanna poke around. I haven't been able to investigate them as thoroughly as I wanted to because I was… following other leads yesterday. Still, I'm sure it's a good distraction, if you want to tag along."

Alex remained silent for a few seconds, sporting a contemplative look on her face. She then pursed her lips, looked at Elizabeth, and said:

"Ahh hell, why not? It's on the way to the university. And I'm sure the doctor will be more comfortable releasing me if I say I'm accompanied by someone. It's not like I'll be any less safe there. Let me change my clothes and I'll join you!"