A/N: I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. This chapter was actually really hard to write. And that's not including school, homework, movies, "dates", my parents don't approve of me doing this so I have to sneak it, and Wi-Fi cuts off at midnight so I had to wait another 5 and ½ hours before I could upload this.
Please review. Even if you don't have anything constructive to say, at least I'll know how many people read it and liked or disliked it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Taz or Up. They belong to Starkid. I do own Dean Kysh, Micah, Cassie, Rebecca, and Kate. Thank you.
Up's always reliable internal alarm clock went off at exactly 0600 hours. He got up slowly and rubbed his eyes. For a moment he didn't know where he was. Once he became aware of the bare white walls and the unmistakable smell of bleach, he remembered he was in the ward. He looked at the small Hispanic girl sleeping on the bed, sniggering as she furrowed her eyebrows, scrunched up her nose, and burrowed deeper under the covers. He turned towards the door and was quietly letting himself out when he heard a small hiccough. Fearing he'd woken Taz up, he instinctively turned his head back into the tiny room. This small movement sent spasms shooting down the right side of his neck and into his shoulder. He sucked in a breath through his teeth. The nurse at the desk heard the hiss and saw him tense.
"You alright, Lieutenant?" she asked, her doctor instincts taking over.
"Yes, thank you, Kate," he said, rubbing his neck. Then, with a second's hesitation, he added, "Although, there is one thing."
"And what, pray tell, would that be?" Kate asked.
"How many times have I told you not to let me sleep in that chair?" he demanded, a cheeky grin taking over his features.
"And how many times will you ignore me?" she retorted.
"As many times as I can get away with," he replied with a wink. He left the ward and went to get some breakfast.
Taz was shaking in her seat, her nerves having caught up with her. No, she wasn't scared of the Academy or experiencing something new. She was scared of what it expected people to be. She knew she had to be tough to be a Ranger, but she hadn't realized how…heartless it made people seem. She experienced it as she and Up left the ward, heading for the drop pod. The farther away he got from the ward, the deeper his scowl became. At the drop pod entrance, his face, which was usually full of life, was now so emotionless he could have been a porcelain doll. He was like a completely different Up.
She was shaken out of her reverie by an announcement over the intercom telling the passengers that they'll be landing in approximately ten minutes. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the seat tightly, willing herself to stay calm. She felt the seat next to her sink and opened her eyes as Up draped his arm around her shoulders.
"You'll do fine," he reassured her.
Taz just closed her eyes again and said nothing. Up turned in his seat to face her. He took her face in his hands firmly, but gently. She turned slowly and looked up at him. His eyes were boring into hers and she found herself not able to look away.
"Don't worry. You're tougher than six usual recruits put together. Trust me." He was talking softly enough so only Taz could hear him. He was so close that Taz could feel his breath on her nose and smell his spearmint toothpaste. She could feel her heartbeat in her temples and hoped Up wouldn't notice how fast her pulse was.
Up felt her relax and took his hands from her face. He gave her a warm smile and buckled up, preparing himself for landing. Taz returned the smile and did the same.
The walk from the drop pod to the Dean's office went by in a blur. Taz was acutely aware of everyone staring at her as she passed. She tuned out Up's conversation with Dean Kysh and she only pulled herself back to reality as he pinned a Cadet badge on the front of her white tank. She shook his hand firmly and followed Up out of the office.
Up looked at Taz. She still had her determined expression, but he could see the happiness in her eyes. After many twists and turns, he stops outside a door.
"Well, here's your room," he said then smirked. "Cadet."
Taz smiled. "Gracias, Up."
He pulls out a plastic card. "Here's your room key. Don't lose it. It takes a long time and a shitload of paperwork to get it replaced." He swiped the card due to the fact Taz had her box.
The door slid open and three girls jumped to attention. "At ease, Cadets," Up ordered. "This is Micah, Cassie, and Rebecca. Gals, this is Taz. She just enrolled and I expect y'all to make her feel welcome." He stared them each in the eye.
"It's okay, Up. I can take care of myself."
Up looked down at her disapprovingly, but relented. "Alright. Get yourself situated, get to know each other, and I'll come get you in ten minutes for dinner." He gave Taz a small smile, nodded to the others, and walked out of the room.
Taz made her way over to the empty bunk and started emptying her box. She tensed as she heard footsteps approaching.
"Hey, Taz. I'm Micah." Taz gave the young woman a quick once-over. About 5'5", dark frizzy hair, and light brown skin.
"Hola," Taz replied.
"Speak English, dipshit," came a voice from the corner bunk. "We don't know your stupid language."
Micah flinched, but didn't say anything. She laid a hand on Taz's shoulder and whispered, "Don't mind Cassie. We usually just try to ignore her."
Taz nodded slightly and continued putting her stuff away.
"I heard that, Micah." Cassie saunters over and Micah backs away quickly. Cassie turns to Taz. "What are you, nine? How tall are you?"
"I'm fifteen," Taz replied. "Did jou not pass de t'ird grade? I was sure jou must've known jou have to be at least sixteen to join." She ignored Cassie's last question. Who gave two shits?
Cassie glared at her furiously. "See girls? This 'Cadet' is the epitome of being all talk." She reached into Taz's box and pulled out the Ranger action figure. "She's just a child trying to escape reality." She points to Rebecca. "Did you see the way Up looked at her? Obviously, she was only allowed in because she's letting the Lieutenant in her pants! Ha-ha-," she choked on her laugh as a knife embedded itself in the wall, inches from her face. Horrified, she turned to Taz, just to find the girl already a foot away from her.
Taz stuck her finger under Cassie's chin. "What did jou say, perra? Jou ignorant pedazo de mierda. Up is a good man. He saved mi vida. I got into de Academy 'cause Up saw somet'ing in me, so stop making snap judgments about me. Jou know not'ing. Jou don't know my life. Jou don't know what I've been t'rough," she screamed, pulling her knife out of the wall. She turned and stormed out of the room, right into Up.
"Hey, Taz! I was just coming to get you. What's the matter?"
"Not'ing. I'm not hungry. Can we go to de gym?"
"Um, sure?" Up replied, puzzled.
"Good. I'll tell jou on de way."
"Alright, follow me," Up turned and headed down the corridor. Taz walked by his side, having to skip a step or two to keep up with his long strides. "So what is it?"
"Cassie," Taz growled. "She t'inks she is all dat. Just 'cause she is mas alto, doesn't mean she can be a polla to everyone."
Up nodded. "Yes, we've had some trouble with Cassie in the past. You just need to ignore her. She's an attention whore." They reached the gym and Up stretched his hand towards the door handle, as this was the only room without automatic doors.
"She said dat de only reason I'm here is because I'm sleeping wit' jou," Taz said with her head down.
Up's arm halted its journey. He put both hands on Taz's shoulders and squatted at eye level. "Taz, I need you to listen to me. I don't want you to give a damn about what Cassie says. Okay? She had no right to say that about you." Taz nodded and he continued, "I'll have a talk with her about-,"
"No, Up," Taz interrupted. "Let's just leave it alone. I don't wanna make any more of a scene."
"Any more of a scene?" Up queried. "Taz, what did you do?"
"I threw my knife at her…" Taz never finished her sentence as Up barked out a laugh.
"You didn't hit her, did you?" he asked between guffaws.
"No! Of course not!" Taz assured, laughing along with him.
He opened the door and held it for Taz. "So, what do you want to do first?"
Taz looked around the spacious room and when nothing appealed to her, she asked, "Can we spar?"
"Sure!" Up led Taz onto the mats. "Now, let's start with your stance. Keep your feet shoulder width apart." Taz obliged. "Good. Now, bend your knees slightly to keep your balance. Alright. Now, what I want you to do is block my punches, but keep an eye out for any other moves I may pull. This will help your peripheral vision, which, in the long run, will help your defensive skills."
"I feel like I'm in the Karate Kid," Taz pointed out.
"That's my favorite movie!" Up exclaimed.
"Seriously? Wait, it's the good one with Jackie Chan, si?"
"Duh.." Up smirked. "Who likes the original?"
Taz smiled. "Okay, senior. Let's do this"
Up started throwing punches at Taz. Slowly at first, then gradually gaining speed. Taz's face was set in a look of intense concentration as she blocked every one of them. As Up began to throw more intricate punches, he landed a few. It was when a right jab hit her in the side, he found her weakness.
"Ayiee!" Taz shrieked and jumped back.
Up stopped his attack, thinking he'd hurt her. Soon, a triumphant grin replaced the worried one as he realized what happened. "Taz," he asked. "Are you ticklish?"
"No," she answered a little too quickly. "I'm not."
"You sure?"
"Si, I am. Now, can we continue? Please?" She got back into position and Up did the same, although, his smile only diminished into a sly grin.
This time, Taz attacked first, and boy, did she have some fists of fury! Up was going into overdrive trying to block all of them. He took advantage of her narrow sight and lashed out with his leg, sweeping her off her feet. Before she had time to get up, Up had straddled her. He shifted his weight so he wouldn't crush her and pinned her arms down with his knees. He then started to tickle her, giving no mercy. Taz squirmed and squealed, trying to get away.
After she started having trouble breathing, Up pushed himself off of her and held out his hand. Taz ignored it and got up on her own.
"So," Up started. "You wanna watch The Karate Kid?"
Taz smiled and to answer him, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the door.
A/N: Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review!
.