Author's Notes: Chapter 3! Had no idea what to title this. Chapter 4 will take longer to come as it's not complete as yet and this week has been extremely stressful so I've been unable to continue it.

This one's a little shorter so it won't be so taxing to read hehe. I made the Yevonite Army sound more like a college than a military department, I guess that's cos I've recently got enrolled in college so it's just all latched onto my brain.

Happy reading, please review.

EDIT: Had to re-submit this cos for some reason FF cut off the end.

Chapter 3

Half a Night with Hassun

Erit yawned loudly and swung, like a monkey, onto his top bunk while Jubis dived to the bottom one.

"Shino, can I sleep on top tonight?" Pasck called with wide eyes.

"What? No way, you ask me that every night, you know the rules, I go up top."

"But I'm smaller then you."

"I don't care."

Pasck slipped down the ladder he had half ascended and curled up in a dog-like many on the lower bunk's pillow.

"I hope the bed bugs eat you." He hissed as Shino passed him as he climbed.

Logos was struggling considerably with his chosen resting spot, he'd managed to hook it up in the top corner of the tight room by standing on Nadra's bunk and using a long bamboo pole; which was usually applied to opening a small trap door on the ceiling which stored the boy's weapons. But setting the chaise up in quite a rush he hadn't really thought out how he'd lay himself down in it. He finally came to the conclusion that he'd have to reach across from Nadra's bed and pull himself up into it, all the while trying to prevent it from swinging around and letting him spill out. An ungainly practice indeed.

Even though he was admittedly exhausted from the day's hard labour; the whole first class troop (basically all young recruits aged between eleven to fifteen) had been taken out for training sessions, which demanded: a lot of running, ducking, covering, rolling, firing and mud flinging, he decided he would not retire just yet as he did not want to be seen in such a silly undertaking in front of these new and debateable acquaintances. Instead he chose to sit at the end of one, Ormi's bunk and converse for half an hour or so until the others had drifted off. Ormi seemed surprisingly awake.

"Ah! I'm pooped." Erit announced as he flopped back onto his impressionable pillow.

There came a low snore from Jubis' bunk and the group gave a hearty chuckle. Not long after this each boy called their goodnight, Nadra and Pasck whispering a little prey for their families and fellows, and the room fell dark and silent, save for the dusky glow from a stub of a candle on the floor next to Ormi's bunk.

"So, how'd yous find it?"

"Find what?" Logos replied sleepily, tugging on his lower eyelids momentarily to try and keep himself conscious.

"The training."

"Oh, not as harsh as I expected, if anything I was disappointed."

"You thought it was easy!"

"Shh!" Ormi's exclamation twanged in Logos' head causing a peck of pain in his temple. "I've just had much more testing exercises before, though some of the recruits immaturity strained my patience."

"Yeah, they always throw mud balls, they think it's funny."

"Who do you mean by they? Shino shot one right in my eye." Logos ran his finger along the rim of his left eye. "It's still all sore and irritated, not to mention it's beginning to excrete pus."

"I told you, yous should have gone to the doctor about that."

"Hmph, Ralin wouldn't have let me leave, that man already has an unjustifiable hatred for me, besides it's only a small chip in the wood, not like it took my eye out completely or anything."

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Ormi raised two pudgy fingers right in front of Logos' face.

"Two, you lout, now stop patronising me."

"Sorry."

"It'll be fine after I've had a good rest."

"Don't think the Captains were too happy with us today. Did yous see the look on their faces when I tripped up on that tree root?"

"Well, you must admit, Ormi that was rather clownish, but yes the Captains around here are never content not even with the performance of the higher members."

"Yeah these guys are good, don't think I'd ever get to be as fast as them." Ormi eyed the sleeping boys.

"Oh, don't self-pity, it's very depressing and annoying."

"I'm not self-pitying! Just saying theys really got some speed."

"On the plus side though, you're considerably stronger then the rest of the boys."

Ormi was taken back at the sudden compliment.

"Really? Yous think?"

"You managed to carry your sack of armour all the way to the meeting spot without collapsing once and in incredible time too. I must confess it was quite impressive."

Ormi beamed so wide that his flabby cheeks nearly swallowed his eyes.

"So what department are these five working towards?"

"Shino's always wanted to be an assassin, he just thinks it's cool, wasn't until he said about it Erit and Jubis decided theys liked the sound of it too. Not sure about Nadra, he's training to be an assassin too but I think it's mainly to fit in. Pasck, just a regular soldier, I guess and I's been practicing to be a bodyguard."

"Bodyguard?"

"Yeah, yous know for the head monks and stuff, I'd escort them places."

"Sounds like a worthy goal."

"That's why I'm doing it," it was evident that Ormi was growing weary as his huge mouth dropped to release a deep yawn. "My grandpa decided I'd train in it cos it'll make me, erm, what was the word he used?"

"Significant? Potent? Notable?"

"Yeah, that's the word, 'notable'. Like he wants my name in the history books or something. So what yous training for?"

"In all honesty, I'm not sure. I guess if I was to follow my family line I'd simply remain as I am and continue to upgrade in rank every six months or so. Sounds rather, monotonous to me."

"Yous could always do a split apprenticeship, but it's alotta hard work. Nadra tried it when he first came, doing assassination and engineering, he dropped out of engineering in a week cos he got really sick. Body couldn't cope with all the pressure and stress of the constant work it had to do or something; I can't quite remember what the doctor said. But yeah it was bad."

"You can't relinquish me that easy," Logos raised a curious eyebrow, "I like the sound of this split apprenticeship. How do you apply?"

"Not sure, hmm, I think yous gotta send in some sorta form to the leading Captain of your recruit section, so for yous that would be Ralin."

Logos emitted an aggravated 'tut', why did Ralin always have to know what he was up to.

"What yous thinking of doing?"

"I was considering, probably assassination and," he paused to tap his chin thoughtfully with an index finger, "perhaps body guarding."

Ormi gave Logos an appreciated thump on the shoulder, which threatened to knock Logos back off the bed.

"Yous'll have to check that with Nadra in the morning, don't know if I've got the details straight."

"Will do, on that note, Ormi, I think I shall seclude myself of wakeful thought and resign to bed."

"Ok, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

With that Logos clambered onto the top bunk and, thanking Yevon it was dark and the occupants of the room were in slumber, he suspended himself haphazardly across the gap between Nadra's bunk and his isolated hammock. It was a good thing he was tall otherwise he would have most assuredly failed to grip the fabric and fallen, flat-faced to the wooden floorboards below. In one fluid motion his lean legs propelled forward and swooped straight into the hammock, which swayed madly for a moment in response.

After the acrobatics had ceased, Logos fumbled for his quilt, which he discovered scrunched up by his feet, and draped it over his body before allowing himself to slump down onto the plump pillow. His berth at home was much more comfortable but after the surge of the day's challenges, anything would be more than enough.