I DO NOT OWN HALO (I wish I did) BUT I DO OWN ALL OCs.
The next morning proved a task for the teammates. Breakfast wasn't too bad beside Ubevin scaring the 'shit' out of Kiara when she tried to nab his bagel. Weapon's training was basic but did give them insight into names and shapes of unknown weapons, along with being aloud to pick their current 'peaceful' and 'hostile' future weapons of choice if they wanted. Daily brief was a run-over of missions recently completed by higher-ups and giving the classes ideas on what they might be doing. Then the mass of recruits found that to their dismay, meeting with peers time was homework time. But the first Exercise Hour proved itself.
As the 'class' slowly filed into a large room, the director of the hour stood atop his soap-box, clearing his throat. "Since today is the first day, we are going to initiate your 'Teammate Link'. So, as I call your name, you will step forward and enter these curtains. But first, any volunteers to go first and be our example?"
The room was silent, even Kiara didn't want to raise her hand, looking like she knew and slightly feared what was behind those sheets of fabric. Finally, a human female raised her hand.
"My teammate and I will volunteer, sir." The brunettes curly ponytail swayed behind her as her partner, a male human, also nodded.
"Thank you What are your names?"
"Jesla Cutter" said the female, followed by the male's "Hunter Lee."
"Well, Hunter and Jesla, you just earned 25 points of extra credit. Each." The group gasped and the two headed forward to the curtains as the director flipped on a projecting image not to far away.
On the image, Jesla and Hunter were sat down in chairs not to far away from each other and were being told to do something which the rest of the group couldn't hear.
"Now our volunteers are seated in support chairs and strapped in so we can turn their chair were they backs are flat and necks to the air." As he spoke the two were strapped in then turned, their foreheads and chins placed delicately on supports. "Then after they are secured, we shave and sterilize the back of their neck and above their ears before giving them a tiny shot of a numbing agent in both places."
Kiara winced next to Naress, who looked down at her and blinked before looking back at the screen. At the moment, they were both getting their shots. Jesla seemed to wince but Hunter glared at the ground. Then came the scary part as those attending the two gently placed suction cups on the spots and backed away, flicking a switch. The two jerked simultaneously, yelping so loud it was heard through the curtains. The group began to murmur in fright, unable to look away as another 'nurse' came over to the frozen patients and squirted a green gel into tubes attached to suctions cups.
"What the hell are they doing?"
"Ah, sorry, forgot to keep explaining. The suction cups have tiny needles in them, unable to be felt because if the numb-er. When they flick the switch, our doctors send a tiny volt of electricity that turns on every sensory nerve in the body. Then the give them what we call 'The Link'."
"What is the Link?"
"The Link is a chemical mixed with a very special microorganism. If you cut one in half, one exactly identical grows like it and together they share pain, thoughts, affections, etc... Though you will not be sharing EVERYTHING with your partner, you will share what you allow and configure yourself to."
The two volunteers were then sat up, the suction cups removed and gently unstrapped before nurses led them slowly out of sight. "You will then be taken to a cool-down room. We made sure everyone here had Lessons next so this and that can inter-merge."
"Is this the only station?"
"Nope, every recruit is getting themselves 'linked' today. Alright, as I call your names you will enter and go to the station I tell you to. "
Kiara grabbed Naress' hand, causing the Sangheili to look down. Kiara was shaking, looking a little sweaty.
"What's wrong?"
"I...I hate needles..." Naress 'o'ed, patting her head. Then, thinking, the gently pinched Kiara's neck. The girl jerked, punching Sangheili in the hip. "What the hell?!"
"I was pre-numbing the spot. You'll barely feel it now," she grimaced, rubbing the sore spot
"...really?"
"Yep, works for me."
Kiara was silent for a while before pinching and yanking the spots, wincing every so often but seemingly enjoying the idea of not feeling needles.
"Alright, Kiara and Naress! Room 3."
"That's us," sighed Naress before stepping forward, the human quickly following after. Surprisingly, Kiara got in her seat first, patting the armrest and swinging her legs, looking ready to go. The Sangheili smiled, sitting down and waiting as nurses strapped them in. Once the chairs were inverted though, her teammate started to whine.
"Hey Kiara, it okay. Relax, hey. Look over here." Kiara's rested her chin down and her eyes swiveled over to look at her friend. Naress blinked, "Hum a tune."
"What tune?"
"Do you know the tune for 'Soldier's March'?"
"No...oh! Do you know any Japanese songs?"
"Ummm... possibly..."
"Here, listen." Kiara shut her eyes and began to hum a tune very quietly, flicking her finger to it. Naress narrowed her eyes, thinking it sounded rather familiar. A sharp pain came to the back of her neck but she ignored it despite Kiara gasping when the numb-er was administered to her. Her eyes began to water and she sniffled as Naress looked over.
"Kiara, look it me. Keep humming or sing it I don't care, then watch."
"Why?"
"Just watch."
"Okay..." Kiara blinked before shakily starting. "Doonn't...loose your wwayyyy..." As she sang, Naress stuck one of her 'jaws' out and wiggled it at each word. Kiara stopped, suddenly shutting her mouth as her face turned red, trying to hold in giggles.
"C'mon, keep going," smirked the Sangheili, wiggling her jaws again as the human continued. Kiara was too distracted giggling and singing to noticed the suction cups placed on but the two did yelp when the surge of electricity blasted through them.
It felt like a Warthog hit them. Kiara groaned loudly as her partner tried to shake her head of the feeling but was too stiff. Naress began to feel something like an itch on her temples and neck, the itch increasing until she wanted to scream but it faded before she could. She was about to call out to her partner when another shock of electricity jolted her out of her trance. Her brain went into overdrive and the Sangheili kicked out, making the chair wobble and shake as she didn't remember where she was. Incoherent babbling was heard and she kicked again, making a loud screeching noise. Then, Kiara.
"Easy, easy... Easy..." Naress panted, kicking again but the voice came back, "Naress, it's fine, we're in the GPC Linking Stations, remember?"
"...Yes."
"Good... Now calm down, open your eyes, tell me what you see."
The Sangheili cracked her eyes open, seeing the startled nurse and doctor before looking around. Kiara was still strapped in, eyes shut. "I see the nurses...the doctor...and you...but you look asleep... Wait...how are we talking?"
Kiara's eyes snapped open and immediately went to her partner. A shiver ran down both their spines before the human was slowly turned and unstrapped, the doctor following en-suit on Naress. When they were free, they stumbled over to each other, wide eyed and curious. They could feel each other's pulse, smell the air around them... Kiara naturally flattened her hand when she felt Naress use the wall for support, looking over as she saw both what herself and her partner were seeing. They looked down at each other, amazed at seeing themselves and their friend.
"...We're Linked..."
Apparently they weren't the only two feeling this, as those who had gone before were sitting in the recovery room, either staring at their partners or at the world around them. Some higher-ups were attending to a few pairs, apparently showing them how to get a basic grip on this new world. Ubevin and Hale were waiting on a bench not to far away, grinning at the group. The strange mix of emotions towards the two from each other made Naress shake her head, groaning before she flopped against the wall next to where Kiara was sitting on the ground, staring at nothing.
"Enjoying yourselves?" asked Hale, receiving a glare simultaneously and starting to laugh. Ubevin smirked, shaking his head and looking at the two.
"Okay guys, let get you two configured. Kiara, Naress... think about a wall... Now think about a chain-link wall."
"Okay..."
"Now place each other on the opposite side. This separates yourself as being but still keeps you in contact. Now think as the chain-link wall keeping everything you DON'T want your partner into and put it on your side." It took them a while but soon Kiara nodded, opening her eyes. Nerass took a little longer.
"Good. Now picture yourself at a table, a small one, sitting on opposite sides. On this table is everything you're fine with your partner looking at or feeling or anything like that. Put those things on the table." Again, the girls shut their eyes. Naress laughed loudly at one point and Kiara stomped her foot, causing Hale to smile. They took longer this time, giggles being exchanged.
"Alright. Lastly, you're on a couch. Everything else immediate goes on this couch. That shouldn't be hard to do... Let's see how this goes. Both of you, search for your partner's childhood friend then nod when you find it. Ready... go."
It took only moments before the two opened their eyes and nodded. Ubevin nodded back, "Good, that should have been in the 'table' section. Now, second favorite food, go." Again, only moments before they had it and nodded. Ubevin ran them through this several times before looking at them both. "Okay, this one will be a bit trickier. See if you can climb that chain-link fence and grab something from you friend before they knock you back. Ready? Go."
The two squeezed their eyes shut, looking like they were physically straining. It was several minutes before Kiara bust out, "I KNEW IT!" The boys fell back in sudden surprise as Naress' eyes shot open.
"Hey!"
"I knew it I knew itIknewitIknew-"
"Well now I 'know' something so don't you open your mouth, 'missy'."
The two glared at each other as the boy laughed and Ubevin patted their shoulders. "Good job. Work on the chain-link fence a little more but know your partner may still need to get over it sometimes and anything can be moved from section to section. Now, are any of you having double vision? Echos? Phantom touches or itches?"
"After I put up my 'fence' I wasn't having that anymore... so...
"Yeah same here."
"And now, for the last test."
Hale suddenly reached over and pinched Kiara's side. Instantly, Nerass felt the some pain in the exact spot on her body but only jerked compared to her partner's full-out explosion. Ubevin crossed his arms, smirking as he watched sibling beat the tar out of sibling but occasionally flinched. Naress only watched, grinning widely before the recoveries were shooed from the room and sent to lunch.
Might upload two chapters today!
Please R&R!
