Me: Ok. I had this chapter written but then my laptop went and got broke. So I lost the chapter I stupidly forgot what I had written. Hopefully I'll remember what Sven had planned in the last chapter and post it up, but until then, this'll have to do.
A massive thanks to everyone who reviewed especially Sweet but Psycho. I'm trying to develop Wendy a bit more and hopefully we'll see more of her personality in the upcoming chapters. I don't really know why it went in a column either. It should be fixed now though.
I just realised. This chapter is longer than the others! Hopefully I'll be able to keep this up :-)
The usually quiet classroom was now filled with the excited chattering of the students who had just received their Apprentice day placements.
Akira, Sven and Wendy sat at the one desk, their envelopes sitting in front of them, still un-opened. "On the count of three?" Wendy asked.
Sven and Akira nodded. "One. Two. Three." The grabbed the envelopes and opened the flaps, sliding out their contents onto the table. They were silent as they scanned the letters, searching for the all important section that would tell them where they had been placed.
"The ranger Union." Sven crowed triumphantly. "Where'd you girls get?
Bet you didn't get a cool a place as I did."
"I got the same place as you actually." Wendy corrected him. "Where'd you get?" Wendy and Sven looked at Akira expectantly.
Akira smiled. "I got Fall City."
"Is that not a bit far away? I mean, over to Fiore and back in one day?" Sven asked.
Akira shook her head. "I'll be staying the night in Fiore. I'm gonna miss class tomorrow."
"I hate you now." Wendy pouted, turning away.
"No." Akira was unable to suppress her giggles. "I love you Wendy! Don't leave me."
Beside her, Sven was having a laughing fit of his own. "Tough luck. Wendy's coming with me to the Union where we will make our living as
popcorn salespeople."
"What?" Wendy and Akira spluttered in unison.
"Remember the plan?" Sven waved his hands about in the air. "Our vision for a popcornier world?"
"Popcornier isn't a word." Akira pointed out.
"And I thought we would be selling Squirtle shaped sandwiches."
Wendy's statement earned a few odd looks from their nearby class mates. They were used to random statements but not from the usually calm and quiet Wendy.
It was at that moment Ms. April decided to intervene before the trio went totally hyper. "Are you ready to leave for your assigned bases in half an hour?" She asked, pointedly glancing at her watch.
"Nearly Miss." Sven, Akira and Wendy tried to look as angelic as possible.
"Go on then and finish off getting ready." Ms. April clasped her hands and smiled. "I wish you the best of luck."
There was silence as Ms. April walked away to the other side of the classroom when Sven and Akira burst out laughing. Wendy had calmed down considerably and started to gather up her stuff from the table. "C'mon guys." She said. "It'll make a bad impression if we're late."
Akira rolled her eyes, having gotten used to Wendy's slight obsession with perfectionism but Sven had to go and question her instead of obeying.
"We've loads of time. I suppose you'll want us to leave earlier than everyone else."
Akira winced, praying to whoever would listen that Sven would pick up on Wendy's irritation and shut up while he could still walk. He didn't though.
"Yes Sven." Wendy's voice was icy, no hint of joking. "I do intend on leaving early. What if we get lost or held up for some reason? I am
not turning up late to the Ranger Union of all places."
Sven looked slightly nervous as he spoke. "That's ok, I don't mind if-"
"Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be if we were late." Wendy cut into Sven's apology with her rant. "After we graduate no leader would want us in their base because everyone would know we were late for apprentice day and they'd think we were unreliable." Wendy's voice was increasing in pitch, becoming more frantic.
"Wendy." Akira interrupted her friend before she went into full scale hysterics. "We're gonna be late if you keep going on like that."
A strangled squeak escaped from Wendy's mouth as she twirled around and half walked, half ran from the classroom.
"What did I say?" Sven protested when Akira glared at him.
"You know she doesn't like being late."
"Yeah. I knew that. I didn't know she could get so upset about it."
Sven groaned.
Amber sighed. "Just apologise to her. Ok? Make it good and soppy." She smiled at Sven who looked completely confused.
She was about to dumb it down even further but at that moment, Miss April stood up at the front of the room and addressed the class. "For anybody who has a placement in Fiore, the boat is leaving in five minutes. I wish you all the best of luck."
Akira turned to Sven and winked at him cheekily. "See ya. I've a boat to catch." Bending down, she picked up her bag from the floor.
She turned and walked out of the room. Sven scooped up his letter and hurried after her, not wanting to be left behind by Wendy.
Akira, having spent most of her life in Fall City, was well used to boats. She had spent many summers working at the pier, earning some extra cash and learning about the work of mechanics at the same time. A lot of her knowledge came from working with the engine's of boats.
So there she sat, on the deck of the ship, enjoying the sea breeze. Five other students had accompanied her. Akira and a future operator called Mike had been assigned to Fall City.
The pair exchanged a few cordial words on their way to the base. They hesitated as the domed building came into sight. "You nervous?" Mike asked.
Akira nodded, taking in deep breaths to calm herself. Today would be great. She at least, knew her way around Fall City, unlike Mike who had been born and bred in Sinnoh.
The base was empty when they entered except for a girl who looked to be around fourteen. Akira guessed she had only graduated a year ago.
"Hi." Mike spoke first. "We're from the Ranger School."
"Pretty obvious seeing as you're wearing the uniform." The girl smiled. "I'm Aria. Joel, our leader, will be back in a couple of minutes. He had to go out on a message."
"I'm Akira."
"And I'm Mike."
"Do you guys want a drink or anything?" Aria offered.
"No thanks. We're all right."
Akira tried to hide her scowl at Mike's presumption. She wasn't actually thirsty but Mike should have asked her before declining for the both of them.
"Do you want anything Akira?" Aria shot a look at Mike.
Akira smiled. She was going to like Aria. "No thanks."
"So. What are training for?" Aria asked after the trio had seated themselves.
"I want to become a mechanic." Akira said.
Aria's face lit up. "You were here at the base when I was doing my apprenticeship two years ago!"
"Oh yeah." Akira vaguely remembered Aria on that day. She had been working with an electrician that summer. She had been so excited to get to the ranger base on apprentice day. "I remember. You were-"
She was cut off by the front door opening and a blonde haired ranger entering the base.
Joel had finally arrived.
"Wanna play a game?"
"Arceus Sven! For the fifth time no!" Wendy nearly shouted as they
made their way along the winding road up to the Union.
Sven scowled but as soon as Wendy diverted her attention away from him, he broke into a devilish smirk. "How about I spy?" He suggested innocently.
Time seemed to freeze as Wendy stopped and glared at Sven, her eyes angry but the rest of her face dangerously calm. They stood still for what felt like hours to Sven but probably was only seconds. "Ok then." She sighed. "I'll go first. I spy something beginning with 'I'"
"Ivy." Sven gestured at the green plant clinging to tree trunks around them.
"Nope." Wendy grinned.
Several guesses later, Sven was ready to give up. "Ok. What is it?"
"An idiot." With a smirk, Wendy broke into a run, taking the steps that lead to the Union two at a time.