"There is a guiding idea that was developed which we use to shape our understanding of war," Mr. Toriyama spoke over his shoulder as he wrote notes up on the virtual board. "It is a singular theory, created around 2164. Does anyone have an idea as to what it is?" The professor ceased his writing and spun on his heel to observe a very sleepy-looking class. More than a few students had their eyes closed or head on their desk, including Porter, whose cheek was resting in a puddle of his own drool.

A single, tiny arm shot up in the air and waved back and forth as an overly exuberant Nami showed her desire to answer the question. Knowing he wouldn't get any other response from this dreary class, Mr. Toriyama nodded at the young student, signalling her to continue with the answer. "It is Cataclysm Theory sir."

"Thank you Nami. You may sit down now." The little girl did as requested. "As I tell you every class, you don't have to stand up every time you answer a question."

"Yes, sir," came the eager reply.

"Cataclysm Theory," Toriyama continued, resuming his writing, "states that a singular, large impact event will have an effect on all military forces involved, regardless of which side is more affected by the event, though the effect is always to a multiple of three compared to the relative magnitude of the event, using Goratz's Psyche Index Meter for reference. However, the interesting aspect of Cataclysm Theory is that the event will always have a larger impact on the non-military population, to a multiple of seven. Keep in mind that the common misconception is that the event will largely result in psychological trauma or joy or an emotional response, but Cataclysm Theory covers politic shifts, cultural changes, and economic impacts as well, and usually it is more concerned with those aspects than any psychological ones. It is alternatively known as Concussive Impact Syndrome, largely because its multipliers increase exponentially for each successive event that occurs within a set period of time. Now, who can tell me who created this theory?" Toriyama turned to face the class again, watching Nami's hand shoot up once more. However, he needed to inject a little life into this class and he knew exactly who to call upon if you wanted excitement. "Mr. Ryen, could you give us the answer please?"

"Mmglforp." Little ripples went out across the saliva puddle under Porter's head as he mumbled.

"Porter!"

"Lawrence Wilstein!" Porter sat up straight in his chair, eyes bulged out and red-rimmed. He had taken a particular beating in the previous class with Ochenkov, as the barbarian teacher had run the entire class through a gauntlet of harsh survival training, save for Nami who seemed to be his personal favourite.

"Well," Mr. Toriyama mused as the rest of the class giggled and came back to life. "When you consider that Wilstein had been dead for fifteen years by the time Cataclysm Theory was published, it probably wasn't him. Try Kendro Allen next time Porter, and make sure you keep up on the readings."

"Yes, sir," Porter slouched down in his chair in shame as the class continued to the end.

* * * * *

Chase had his arm wrapped around one of his cronies, pinning them down as he won another round of fights. He had set up a miniature arena in the middle of the cafeteria and was taking on challengers in exchange for food. The remainder of the Crisis Rescue Unit sat off to the side, following Chase's antics as he gloated.

"You'd think after all we'd been through he would have changed just a little," Ardwen mumbled, causing Gretta to giggle. She was tagging along with him whenever he was free as the two had started spending significantly more time together since the dance.

"He's different!" Nami snapped back, waving her arms around to draw attention to her miniature frame (one made even smaller by her sitting). "I mean if Chase weren't Chase anymore than who would he be? But he is definitely slightly different." A chunk of mashed potato smacked Porter in the back of the head, followed by a howl from Chase. "Well, very slightly different."

"I don't know how you put up with him though Nami," Gretta stated, speaking what was on everyone's mind.

"He's a softy on the inside, very loyal." Porter shocked everyone by answering first, leaving Nami with her mouth open as she was cut off. He wiped the potato off his head, looking back at everyone's surprise. "What?"

"What happened to you two?" Ardwen balked. "You disappear for a bit and now you come back as best of friends?" There was a pause around the table as the group stare continued. "Were you two locked in a closet together or something?"

"What? No! No, we were both just busy doing something, that's all. It was a punishment more than it was loving time spent together, trust me. Besides, we're all a team right? We work together, we fight together, we win and lose and die together...maybe not all at the same time though. I mean in the future. In general. Whatever. Teamwork, all that."

"Speaking of teamwork," Nami said, slyly shifting her eyes between Porter and Riya. "I hear that you two got all smoochy smoochy on the night of the dance."

"Nami!" Raul barked, trying to reprimand the loli.

"What? It's an innocent statement and we haven't gotten together to talk in so long!"

Riya's face shot red with embarrassment and she buried her head in Rick's arms, who materialized beside her as he turned off his cloaking. "How dare you upset lady Riya with your besmirching of her fair name! Come young lady, I shall take you from these hounds!" Rick scooped Riya up and rushed her out of the room as her soft voice could be heard telling him that none of it was necessary.

"Hmm, I was wondering why there was that empty seat pulled out there," Ardwen said blankly, poking at his food a little as if nothing had happened. "So anyways Porter, don't feel embarrassed about it. It's a totally natural process to like a girl." The rest of the group snickered, regardless of all of them acquiring their own relationships around the dance. Porter stood up hastily, knocking his chair down behind him, his cheeks' flushed. He rushed out of the cafeteria, chasing after Rick and Riya's path and leaving the rest of the group at the table.

"So he was definitely in a closet with Chase," Gretta finally said, breaking the silence, and they all burst out laughing.

Porter stormed through the halls, thoroughly embarrassed by the talk but also possessed by a strange happiness. At the start of this year, he would have thought he would have been dismissed from the academy by now, left alone down on Earth after failing the examinations. Not only was he still here but he was part of a group. He had friends. There were people here who cared about him and supported him, even if sometimes they could be insensitive to each other or get into trouble. He had kissed Riya at the dance. He had found his missing brother on Earth. He had saved Eisley and rescued Ochenkov. He had done so much when not too long ago he had thought of himself as so little. And yet, he still couldn't stay awake in class.

The teen sighed as he walked the hallways, releasing a mixed bag of emotions into the air as he hunted down his lost love. His first guess was her room, but he found no answer there as he knocked on the door and called out her name. He had no second option in his mind and was left simply wandering around, poking his head in everywhere in a desperate search.

Finally, he stumbled upon Riya in the auditorium, a holographic display of the academy floating around Earth lighting up the centre of the room. Rick sat next to her, pouring the girl a cup of tea from a pot he had brought along. "Riya!" Porter exclaimed in relief as he finally found her. The words bounced around the empty room, travelling through each of them (and Rick). "Riya I'm so sorry that happened." Porter drew near to Riya, ignoring the dark stares from Rick and the sword he wielded.

"You shouldn't be." Riya spoke softly, a whisper that easily travelled in the auditorium. "I was the one who told her anyways."

"Oh..." Porter stopped in his tracks and blushed again, a little dizzy with emotion and excitement. Riya was telling her friend about him? He had assumed she would have kept it a personal secret, a singular moment locked in time that had never been expanded upon. For her to be telling people did that make it...real? "Riya I...I want to talk to you." Riya nodded in understanding, knowing this was coming. "Alone, preferably."

Rick snorted for his response, his body beginning to blur and melt into his surroundings. "Very well, but I will always be just a scream away from assisting Lady Riya."

"You're not a knight in shining armour you lug," Porter mumbled as Rick took off, vanishing into the air. There was a new silence that blanketed the room, covering the two teens as they stared at one another. "We haven't really talked at all since..."

"I know."

"And I'm sorry that we didn't it's just been that we got called to Earth and then Ochenkov and then...and then...Sigma...and..."

"Porter." Riya's silken voice hardened just a little, stopping the rambling boy short.

"Y-yes?"

Riya stood up and approached Porter, drawing near to his body and standing across from his face, eyes locked onto his. She brought a hand up and gently brushed his cheek with the backs of her fingers. "I'm glad you're alive." Riya nearly fell onto Porter, pressing her head against his chest and wrapping her arms around him. In shock, the young man's arms instinctively rose and crossed her back, holding her close.

"Me too." The words tumbled out of his mouth but he was hardly conscious of it. He wasn't really conscious of anything at this point. It was him and Riya standing there in an auditorium and nothing else. His brother's disappearance bubbled and passed through his mind. The battle against Sigmeund and Porter's brush with death appeared and swirled around him. What had Riya been thinking then? How had she felt watching him? What about Earth and the United Eastern States? Had that concerned her? Did it matter anymore?

What if he didn't ever go back to Earth? What if he just sat here in space with Riya? If he never boarded the White Storm again and he never picked up a weapon and he and her moved out to a little farm village like Easley and lived there forever? Or was he moving too fast? Was this just a moment between close friends or was this...was this Riya's feelings?

"These are my feelings Porter," Riya said, giggling a little. "You say a lot under your breath." Porter jumped back from the girl in shock, his face glowing a brilliant shade of red.

"I-I-I did not...nothing...say...not anything...what?" And then Riya's answer started to sink into his head and he began to process what it meant too. "Your feelings? You have feelings?"

"Of course I have feelings!" Riya laughed, sitting back down again and sipping her tea. "I love all of you guys in the Rescue Unit. Where would I be without all of you?"

Porter's head hung low, defeat in his mind. "So it's a communal feeling..."

"Yes it is." Riya stood up once again, brushing past Porter on her way out. "But I have special communal feelings for you Porter," she whispered, squeezing his hand. Porter's head shot up in elation and he felt like he was slowly rising into the air, floating upwards as a golden beam of light shone on his body. Cherubs came down from the heavens with trumpets, heralding a revelation of emotions. "We're going to be late for class though. Let's get going, unless you want a slipper from Shotuku." Porter fell back down onto the ground at hearing this, an image of a wrinkled old devil rising up from the ground in front of him, cackling his evil laugh as flames burst out around him and fiery slippers rained down.

"Yes Riya," Porter sighed, rushing to keep up with her. As he caught up, his hand swung forward, connecting with her palm by accident. Before he could withdraw it her fingers had closed around his hand, holding it close. She brought it up to her mouth, looking past it into Porter's shocked eyes. She placed her lips on his skin, giving his wrist a tiny kiss that sent an electric shock through both their bodies, both metaphorically and physically as Porter and Riya's skin tingled.

Riya giggled a little, releasing Porter's hand as he twitched and struggled to walk beside her. "That was cute Porter." Riya took in a deep breath, obviously relieved that the two had finally spoken, even if it was only for a moment. "Thank you Porter, for coming to see me. And thank you Nami, for making it happen." There was a bang as Nami and Gretta toppled out of the air vent above, crashing onto the ground in a dizzy pile. Nami's little hand slowly raised into the air, giving Riya a thumbs up as a secret plan and agreement was fulfilled.

Cataclysm Theory, Porter thought. The shift in beliefs, in actions, in emotions, and in functionality due to a singular event. I will definitely get that right on the next test now.

A/N: Oh Porter! Even when the world is at war and its greatest threats have arisen, all you can think about is girls?!