The City of Rakuen

As Sunday dawned students would once again be informed via screens that all students were to report to the battle arena for a joint assembly. Worrying considering the events of last week.

However once the prefects had escorted the last of the students into the battle arena and Dunleavy came to the stage she smiled.

"Greetings, I hope everyone had a good round. I am pleased to announce that Conquest won this round, I hope you spend your extra raks wisely. Congratulations to those who won battles both within their schools; Suzaku Kururugi, Ein and Jack Noir of Conquest and Rebecca Harcourt, Nanami Asagi and Merlin of Fortitude."

She smiled again glad to be reporting good news for once instead of bad, "Also to those who won interschool battles; Arthur Pendragon and Yuka Kazami both of Conquest. No one won the round but do not be dismayed, the winning conditions are meant to challenge you and I am sure you will all do even better in future."

So far there seemed to be no reason why this assembly was here and not in the schools as usual but Dunleavy continued.

"This next week shall be the fourteenth round since you began to arrive, you have all worked very hard regardless of whether you arrived fourteen weeks ago or just last week. This next week is therefore a chance for you to relax and have fun, catch up on school work and let your hair down. There shall be no school and no required battling. I do however expect you to behave yourselves." Certain members of the audience got a level look at that.

"Some of you have been selected to go on a school trip, I am sure you will have a lot of fun, and make many new friends whilst reforging old bonds." Again as sometimes happened with Dunleavy she spoke as if she were reading, her voice flat. Names came up on the screen and she read them aloud.

"Conquest
Suzaku Kururugi
Cirno
Flynn Scifo
Arthur Pendragon
Ein
Cheshire Cat
Vanezio Lykastis
Yuka Kazami
Hikaru Hitachiin
Kaoru Kitachiin
Yosuke Hanamura

Fortitude
Rebecca Harcourt
Shion
Yuri Lowell
The Holy Empire of Britannia
Sora Himoto
Alex Furest
Merlin
Komachi Onozuka
Nanami Asagi
Brittany Speares
Jules de Ferrier
Sora Himoto
Juri Arisugawa"

The list was longer than a usual player list and when she was finished Dunleavy turned back to the audience. "If your name has been called out you have one hour to gather your things, clothes suitable for traveling will be on your bed and there is a packed lunch for everyone in the common rooms of your dorms to eat on the train. If your have extra warm clothes or coats please bring them as it may get cool especially at night. Once you are ready please report to the train station."

As classes continue on Friday the weather gets continuously worse until teachers announce that the last class will be cancelled. Screens display the message that all students must report to their dorms but power outages and flickers render them mostly ineffectual. Prefects are instead sent out, armed with waterproofs to make sure all students make it back to their dorms.

Thunder crashes and lightning lights up the sky as the lights flicker and the wind gets steadily louder. Students are required to remain inside, prefects are sent round with snacks and all prepare themselves for a long, wet and windy afternoon.