I walked along the damp corridors, listening to the sounds of gunfire above me. They didn't need me tonight. Shutter's team would make sure of that. I snickered. The Tigers had really grown weak these past few months. The wars were hardly even fun anymore. I walked past the Initiation Room, one of the largest areas in the complex and shuddered, remembering my first time here…
It was late, the moon up high. There were a lot of men in the large room. I was very intimidated. Most of them were taller than 6 feet, and all muscular, their robotic eyes following me whenever I took a small step, calculating my fear level, stamina, almost everything about me. The one that was clearly the leader stepped forward, asked why I was joining. I lied, said I needed cash. He hit me hard, so hard that I could taste the blood in my mouth as I fell to the floor. The men then converged toward me, started kicking me until I thought I would never breathe again. They then mercifully stopped, and formed a line. I picked myself up, and one of them handed me some dice. I stood there, uncomprehendingly, until the leader stepped forward, slapped me, and said "roll the dice, imbecile" I forced my bleeding fingers to open, dropping the dice. I rolled a 7. I didn't understand when the first seven men in the line stepped out, and led me to the door to the left. It smelled like cocaine. When I saw the bloodstained mattress, I wanted to scream, or run, or anything to get away, but I couldn't. I had nowhere else to go, and what with the wars raging outside my front door, this was the only way to get protection.
It was hard, and painful, and possibly the longest night of my life. The men were disgusting, and laughed when I screeched in pain, or when their fingers touched my body, but I made it through. I'd heard of worse stories. But still, years later, I wake up screaming for them to stop touching me.
I'd like to say that after that, it was a done deal, I was in and nothing bad happened to me again, but that would be a lie. It was still hard. I had to work to get where I am now, but where I am now I'm proud of. Nearly half my body is robotic, and I'm the best fighter in the Pheonixes. I'm their secret weapon. Whenever they're really in danger, they bring me out. Their errand girl, in a way. But I'm so different from the girl I used to be. Suddenly, a crash coming from the eastern hall where the entrance was situated, drove me out of my daze. I ran toward the sound of screaming and guns firing, only to see my family getting slaughtered. I dove into the rush, feeling the adrenaline as I drew my two swords from my back in one swift movement and stabbed one of the Tigers in the chest. From behind me, a man jabbed a knife into my left shoulder. I heard the sickening sound of metal against metal, and swung around, the knife still in my back to draw my gun and shoot the man in the skull. I pulled the knife out, and threw it across the room to pin a short man against the wall. Though more were swarming, I judged it best to barricade the door, killing a few extras in the process. Seeing my damaged family fallen all around me, I couldn't help but mutter a strew of profanities. I carried five at a time down to the medicine bay, what was left of it, anyways.
Doc whistled when I came in.
"Damn, Cass. Couldn't you get there quicker? Woulda been a hell of a lot easier for me."
"screw off, Doc."
I turned, and left him to his work. Doc still creeped me out, despite all my years spent here.