The skirmish between Jeanne and Talulah didn't drag on for long. Neither of them could stand the sheer vulnerability of having their fatal weakness pinched by the other, and by mutual, unspoken agreement, they let go of each other's hair at the exact same time.
FrostNova found the abrupt ending rather disappointing. She had been secretly hoping the confrontation would last long enough for her to capture a much longer video clip to archive for posterity.
Even that harmless little ambition was ruthlessly crushed. Under Jeanne's mildly benevolent, meaningful smile, FrostNova prudently purged the incriminating footage from her terminal. Now, she would have to rely entirely on oral history.
When Talulah caught FrostNova's subtle expression, a fleeting thought crossed her mind: should she just pack FrostNova off on a long-term patrol until she completely forgot this afternoon ever happened?
"Why do I have this nagging feeling that Talulah is going to hold a grudge? Are you sure she won't find some creative way to retaliate against me for this later?"
After enduring a lingering, weighted stare from the Draco, Jeanne and FrostNova were unceremoniously escorted out of the office and left standing in the corridor.
"Relax. Don't you know Talulah by now? She's not the petty type," Jeanne offered an awkward, reassuring smile, though she knew damn well she was the one who had dragged FrostNova into this mess in the first place.
FrostNova didn't dignify that with a verbal response. She simply shot her companion a withering side-eye before turning down the hall. "Let's drop it. But you still have more pressing matters to deal with."
Pressing matters? What on earth was waiting for her that warranted such a solemn warning from FrostNova? Jeanne tilted her head in genuine confusion—right before a blur of white fur darted past the end of the corridor.
Like spores bursting from damp soil after a heavy rain, white-clothed members of the Yeti Squadron materialized from every available doorway and corner, instantly congregating to chatter excitedly among themselves.
Having caught wind of the rumor that their leader had been dragged into Talulah's office, the squad had rushed over in full force. They certainly hadn't come to rescue their captain—these absolute gremlins were here strictly for front-row seats to the gossip!
FrostNova had realized their intentions the exact second she spotted those shining, scandal-hungry eyes, which was why she had thrown the burden squarely onto Jeanne to clear the peanut gallery out.
"Long time no see, Anna! When did you lot get back?" Jeanne called out, waving cheerfully at a tall, white-haired Feline whose identity she remembered, putting on her best innocent-bystander act.
"Long time no see, Big Sis Jeanne!" The soldier named Anna beamed right back, waving enthusiastically as if they were long-lost best friends meeting for tea.
They called Jeanne "Big Sis" simply out of habit, having spent years calling FrostNova that before Jeanne started leading operations alongside them and naturally inherited the title.
Looking at them side by side, Anna was noticeably taller and more mature than Jeanne. Anyone walking past would assume Anna was the older sister, but that was just the eternal curse of Jeanne's perpetually youthful appearance.
"We've actually been here the whole time—ever since you hauled Big Sis back into the room! So, Jeanne, what juicy stuff actually happened in there?"
Anna and the surrounding Yeti Squadron operatives immediately swarmed Jeanne, their eyes glittering with unbridled curiosity as they cast deeply meaningful glances back toward FrostNova.
"When are you and Big Sis finally going to make it official? Don't worry about public optics or anything, we've been waiting for the wedding banquet forever—mff—?!"
Before Anna could finish her sentence, a cold, pale hand clamped firmly over her mouth. Had her mouth been any smaller, it would have looked like a full fist was being shoved down her throat to choke off the rest of the sentence.
Next came the terrifying, murderous glare of their captain. That wasn't just a look of embarrassment—that was the look of a leader actively contemplating justifiable homicide.
"Mmph mmmph... mmph mmph mmph (Big Sis Jeanne, save me)!"
Anna finally realized she had crossed a line. You simply did not voice those unhinged theories right to their faces! At the very least, she should have saved that fanfiction for a private group chat where the targets couldn't reach her!
Other passing operatives noticed the commotion, but upon seeing it was just the Yeti Squadron acting up, they walked away without missing a beat. Those particular idiots played with fire on a weekly basis; getting strung up by their ankles with a riding crop was practically an occupational hazard by now.
Working in tandem, Jeanne and FrostNova unceremoniously hauled the flailing Anna down the hall. FrostNova spared one icy glare for the remaining squad members who were contemplating a tactical retreat, locking eyes with them to silently command: follow us.
With their tails metaphorically tucked between their legs, the cluster of gossiping soldiers shuffled behind their captain like wilted eggplants until they reached a quiet, nearby Yeti Squadron safehouse for an impromptu disciplinary session.
"Alright, spit it out. Who started the rumor that Jeanne and I have some kind of special dynamic—to the absurd point where we're apparently planning a wedding?"
FrostNova crossed her arms, fixing her icy gaze upon the assembly of troublemakers. From the sound of it, this particular piece of lore had been circulating for a remarkably long time, and she wanted a timeline of its origin.
"Well... it actually started quite a while ago!" Anna piped up, uttering a truly horrifying statement. What do you mean it started 'quite a while ago'?! Explain yourselves right now!
"We just noticed that whenever the two of you were in the same room, the atmosphere wasn't normal. So people started guessing, and then... well, when Jeanne came back this time, we all agreed the theory checked out."
Anna didn't seem even remotely repentant. Her eyes were practically sparkling with starry-eyed enthusiasm as she began recounting various wild fan theories about FrostNova and Jeanne to the ice-wielding leader's face.
"I had no idea your collective lives were so... creatively fulfilled," FrostNova said flatly, her voice dropping into a dangerously calm register.
Every single operative in the room immediately snapped to attention. When their captain used that specific tone, it meant they were about five seconds away from severe bodily consequences.
"All of you, double your physical regimen starting tomorrow. Double the standard training load!" FrostNova pointed a finger toward the exit, projecting the absolute authority of a squad leader. No amount of pleading was going to save them this time.
The soldiers trembled uniformly, preparing to shuffle out the door in abject despair.
"Wait."
FrostNova suddenly halted them. The operatives turned around with hopeful, damp-eyed expressions, desperately praying their fierce leader had a change of heart.
"Let me make this crystal clear: there is nothing between Jeanne and me. If I catch wind of any more rumors regarding this nonsense floating around the barracks..." FrostNova's sharp gaze swept slowly across every face in the room.
"We swear on our lives it won't happen again, Big Sis! You gotta believe us!" the squad yelled in a panic, scrambling out the door before another punishment could drop.
Watching her chaotic subordinates scatter into the wind, FrostNova let out a long, exhausted sigh. She turned back to look at Jeanne, who had been standing quietly in the corner this entire time, her shoulders trembling violently as if she were desperately holding something back inside her chest.
"If you want to laugh, just laugh. It's not like—"
FrostNova had barely started her sentence when Jeanne completely lost the battle against her own ribs.
"Hahahaha! Ahahahahaha! Oh man, your squad is an absolute riot! How on earth do you train a whole bunch of gremlins like that?"
Unable to contain it any longer, Jeanne clutched her stomach and let out a full, uninhibited roar of laughter right in front of the exasperated Cautus. FrostNova could only stare blankly, wondering if there was any known method to scrub those specific memories clean from Jeanne's skull.
"Ah, man. I haven't laughed that hard in ages. The Yeti Squadron really are the best stress relievers in the wasteland. Don't you think your subordinates are hilarious?"
Jeanne cackled away, completely ignoring the way FrostNova's expression was rapidly souring—right up until a compressed lump of freezing snow dropped directly down the collar of her shirt.
"Eep! Cold, cold, cold—!" Jeanne scrambled up off her stool, leaping into the air in sheer surprise as she hadn't expected a stealth retaliation.
"Stop messing around and sit down. I dragged you here to talk about something serious," FrostNova said, her tone shifting back to genuine anxiety as she ignored Jeanne's antics. "A little while ago, I noticed some Sarkaz operatives—people who looked like they might be connected to that Rhodes Island outfit—visiting the old man. Ever since then, he's been acting a bit strange. I'm worried those Rhodes Island folks are trying to... poach him!"
As FrostNova reached that conclusion, her grey eyes narrowed with protective hostility.