My family and I are up at the crack of dawn. I had ordered them to wake up three hours before we were ordered so they could eat a decent breakfast and get everything in order before leaving. I knew they wouldn't admit it, but they also needed time to be a bit sentimental.
Lector, Frosch, and Tiger Lily were to report to their new families thirty minutes before we were ordered to be at the gate. I had received their new assignments last night. All three of them are split up. As the boys go to shower, I look around the barracks and make sure everything is how it should be. We are always told to leave things behind when moving, you won't need any of it. Of course the boys carried small personal items like books and pictures from home. They would always keep these in their pockets during the journeys between places.
I think back to when I had first arrived here. Being fourteen, I was intimidated at the thought of rooming with ten boys of all different ages, some even older than me. I had adjusted quickly; however, I learned to be cunning and quick. They had trials more often then, at least one a week, and my boys were dropping like flies. We had woken up one day with a note under the door. I had expected it to be an order for a trial as per usual, but instead I found a note describing how my family had been moving too quickly, and the trials would be pushed to be less often. Of course I was proud, and relieved at that. I had more time to train my men.
They continued to give me only guys, I wasn't entirely sure why. Sting arrived only six months after they made me captain, and he was a mess. I was tough on him, being a good two inches taller at the time it was easy. He trained hard and eventually began to lead the group.
The boys begin arrive back into the barracks after thirty minutes and noise begins to fill the room. I slip away to my own room to finish tying up the loose ends. The noise in the room adjacent to mine reaches an absurd level, notifying me that all my men are back. It's only two hours until we leave and they need to eat.
I throw myself into the room quickly slamming the door to make sure they know I'm here. All heads turn to me.
"Alright you guys know the drill," I begin. My voice isn't as loud as usual, "to the mess hall, come on!"
They file out of the room and we all start of towards breakfast. When we arrive I say brief goodbyes to the other captains who all congratulate me leaving a sinking feeling in my chest. I'm not ready.
Afterward, I go and eat my last meal with my men. They're surprised but I feel as thought I owe them this much. We finish promptly and head back to the barracks.
The boys say brief goodbyes to the younger ones and I lead the three of them down the halls towards their new families. Lector has been placed in Yukinos family, which eased a bit of my concern. Frosch and Tiger Lily are in two different families both of which had captains I had only briefly met. I say good byes to the three as I dropped each of them off, wishing them luck in their new families. They all sniffle goodbyes back.
When I return to my barracks the boys are ruff housing naturally. I quiet them down by banging my foot on an adjacent bedpost. They perk up and stand at attention for what will probably be the last time.
"You've all been loyal soldiers, loud and unruly, but loyal none-the-less," they all chuckle, "I wish you all the best of luck with your new assignments." They all loosen up after this knowing that I no longer have real jurisdiction over them. They still hold respect for me however, I can feel it. The boys go back to joking amongst themselves and a groups wanders up to me, filled with questions. Considering I no longer am their captain, I answer truthfully. Most of the questions consist of my future assignments and where I will go. A few boys ask what their assignment means. As we talk the fear in my chest bubbles around and I can barely keep it down.
Thirty minutes before we are required to be at the gate, the boys and I jog off through the halls. I wanted to make sure we were early. We arrived ten minutes later and were told to sit and wait. Sting approaches me.
"So this is it huh?" His Hans creeps awkwardly up his neck, "I don't know what's gonna happen from here Lucy, for the first time ever I don't know what to do."
I chuckle trying to make things light heated. "Oh come on Sting, don't you remember the first time we met, you were a mess," I look up to see him smiling a bit.
"I guess you're right."
"You were fine then and you're gonna be fine now." I don't want him to go. He's been my only constant.
"I guess I can only really say goodbye..." he trails off.
"Goodbye Sting," I stand slowly.
"'Bye Lucy." He hugs me abruptly and I let him hold me for a brief moment before I pull back. No need to be sentimental.
A man in a dark grey uniform approaches me saying that it's time for me to leave. I stand and follow him. Before I board my ship I turn to the boys, all of which are waving with goofy grins talking various forms of "bye mom!"
I smile and roll my eyes. With a sarcastic salute I step onto the small aircraft and take a seat.
XxXxXx
Ahhh I feel like it's been forever! I wasn't originally going to continue this story but I really really enjoy writing it so I'm going to keep going even if no one reads it lol. If you are reading tho, than you beautiful person! (If you are reading the authors note I love you the mostest xoxo)