Chapter Six: Preparations
Location: Training Grounds. Dimension 033. December 27th, 2007. 12:01.
"That had to have been the longest week of my life," May complained as she slumped down next to Brian, who seemed to have dozed off. A yawning Alice then joined them, nodding enthusiastically. Carol sat next to her brother, attempting to follow his lead while Daisuke causally leaned against the wall, waiting for something to happen. He got his wish, for about ten seconds later, Gennai and his clones opened the two ginormous wooden doors that led to the grounds where the chosen had gathered. Startled by the change in atmosphere, Brian sat up suddenly, almost knocking over his sister who had been attempting to use him as a pillow. Annoyed, Carol stood along with May as they watched their new Council: Gennai, Gage, Gabe, and Ginny. Gennai began to speak, explaining the positions of each council member. Gennai would be the rightful head of the entire organization; Ginny would oversee Division One training; Gabe would lead Division Two; and Gage, to the horror of some Warrior-hopefuls, would be in charge of Division Three. He then began call forth groups that were assigned upon arrival. Feeling anxious and annoyed at the fact that they were group 25, one of middle groups, Daisuke's thoughts drifted towards his friends. After contemplating the idea of being separated from them, he silently began praying that they would be able to stick together. At long last, they team was called, and they made their way to the front of their room. After a laundry list of names, he came upon theirs.
"Motomiya, Daisuke. Division Three." Daisuke let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and joined the group behind Gage. He stared as Gennai continued to read names.
"Paston, May. Division Three." Looking rather shocked, she made her way to Daisuke and stood loyally beside him. Giving her a comforting smile, Daisuke listen once more.
"Raybeck, Alice. Division Three."
"Hoi, Long. Division Three."
"Hoi, Shing. Division Three."
"Hoi, Fai. Division Three." Daisuke curiously watched the three brothers join their group.
" Nikonov, Anna. Division Three."
Gennai kept calling names for minutes until the group dwindled down to just two. Brian stood tall, his sister leaning on him for support. The last thing they wanted to do was be separated.
"Egna, Brian. Division Three." Brian shot a worried glance at Carol until following his friends' footsteps towards his new division.
"And finally, Egna, Carol. Division Three." Daisuke smiled brightly, thanking whatever power above prevented them from being separated.
After a few agonizing hours of name calling, a hoarse-voiced Gennai thanked the chosen and told them to look to their division heads for further instruction. Gage surveyed the people surrounding him, keeping the same disgusted look on his face as always. He took the group away from the room, past their former beds, and towards a solid metal door with a code pad. Excitement grew; they had never been allowed anywhere but their sleeping quarters, the large training room, and the bathrooms. Entering a long series of numbers, Gage opened the door to reveal sunshine. For the first time in a week, the kids saw daylight. Upon exiting the building, they found the dimension to be similar to the Digital World in looks; in fact, as was later explained to them, the dimension was an exact replica of the Digital World's geography, which made navigation simple. The Division didn't stop until they reached a vast field with what looked like training equipment scattered around. Gage turned to the group.
"Welcome to your training grounds, maggots. Ever wanted to join the military? Well, your wish in granted. This is where you'll be learning new battle skills, along with being tested on physical fitness. You will also have lessons in offensive Genesis. At the end, you'll have the option of actually choosing what field you want to specialize in." Gage rolled his eyes, as if the thought of choice was ridiculous. "There are four different options: Medics, Alchemists, Rushers, and Powers. You are also allowed to combine either Medic and Alchemist or Rusher and Power, but your training would be, obviously, twice as brutal. Your sleeping area will be in the building to your right," he pointed to a small, square room with no windows, "and it has attaching bathrooms. After you finish basic training week, you will be put into your mission team. This is pretty much your family; you will fight together, sleep together," at this, a few immature students snickered, earning death glares from Gage, "and pretty much annoy the hell out of each other. Now I guess I should explain those stupid options your granted." Annoyed, he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and began to read in a monotone voice.
"Medics heal team members while away, and work in the infirmary while on base using specialized Genesis. Alchemists learn about the different herbs and rocks and combine them with Genesis to produce helpful aids in battle. They research while on base, and are put into action on missions. Rushers build up speed with intense training and the formation of Genesis, and powers do the same but with strength, yada, yada, yada." He folded up the paper and smiled mischievously. "Alright, now that that's over with, time to begin."
Location: Training Sleeping Quarters. Home Base. Dimension 033. December 30th, 2007. 22:47.
Sore and moaning, Division Three's candidates slowly limped their way to their uncomfortable beds, many with bruises and cuts that covered their bodies. Upon collapsing on his bed, Brian let out a long wail with his face to the sheets.
"I barely have enough strength to breathe, much less change into my pajamas," he complained, attempting to lift his arm and failing miserably. He turned his head away from the suffocating bedspread and looked to his left, where a long row of beds found themselves occupied by grumbling children. To his right, Daisuke slowly changed out of his tattered clothing and finally laid on top of his bed with fresh sleepwear.
"I don't know if they actually expect us to sleep under these sheets; it's a billion degrees in here," he said, wiping the sweat off his brow.
"I wonder if the girls are doing any better," Brian mumbled, looking towards the divider that separated the genders. The girls were definitely not doing any better, unfortunately. They looked just the same as the males: bruised and exhausted. Many of them were in such bad moods that they immediately went to sleep without so much a word to anyone else. May and Carol laid on their beds already dressed, with Alice to their left, fast asleep. May mumbled incoherently about how unfair their treatment was while Carol stared at the ceiling. She thought of home, of her family. Eventually her thoughts fell on her partner and she felt her eyes water.
'Lunamon...I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you. But I swear I'll get you back,' were her last thoughts as the lights in the room went out and she drifted off to sleep.
Location: Training Grounds. Home Base. Dimension 033. January 4th, 2008. 09:07.
"Once I call your name, tell me your desired course. Johnson, Wallace."
Gage was collecting the information from all of his students while Daisuke, Brian, Carol, May, and Alice waited in line with the rest of their division. Their secretly dubbed "Hell Week" was finally over, though they weren't quite sure if things were going to get easier or harder. Unfortunately, some of their comrades weren't fortunate enough to pass the requirements Gage set for them, so they had a whole week of basic training up ahead. In the program, if you didn't match up to expectations, you had to retake the course, just like in school. Alice looked at the line of "failures," as Gage rudely named them, and found herself thanking her lucky star that she managed to barely scrape by the bare minimum with May. She was never the athletic type, and neither was the pretty blonde, but they succeeded in passing. She watched as Brian was the first to reach Gage.
"Power," he stated, and filed behind the line formed for that group. She thought very carefully about her future 'career,' as she liked to put it. This would consume her life, and she made very sure that it was what she wanted most. She continued watching as Carol said, "Medic," and suddenly wondered what her nonathletic friend May had planned.
"Power and Rusher," Daisuke said, earning a raised brow from Gage. He was only the third to double up on training. Alice admired the courage Daisuke had to be willing to undergo double training with that horrible being when she focused in on May's answer.
"Rusher," she said with determination. Alice couldn't help but smile at her. She was truly committed to being her best. She stepped up to the strict man and looked him in the eye. This was it, there was no going back. With a shy smile, she answered,
"Alchemist."
