"So, any updates on our vengeful psycho assassin?" Shelby asked as she swung the sword through the air to meet Raven's.
"You know that talking and fighting at the same time is rather difficult," Raven reminded her student, poking Shelby in the ribs with her katana.
"You don't seem to be having an issue with it." Dodging a blow, Shelby feinted to the left and brought her sword to where Raven's arm was. She parried the blow with no apparent effort.
"I'm the expert. Anyway, in answer to your question, we have no current knowledge of her whereabouts, or anything about her next plan. Rest assured you'll find out for yourself pretty soon."
Shelby advanced, swinging her sword carefully. "Okay then, since you're the expert, do you know what those knives of hers were?"
"Stun knives. There's a taser in the blade, effectively making it both a blade and a tranquiliser. They're double-bladed, too, so very dangerous."
"No kidding." Twirling her sword around to keep Raven's blade out, Shelby moved forward and then lunged.
"You know, you're not actually that bad at this," Raven said, despite the obvious ease with which she had dodged the sword.
"I guess maybe in comparison to non-Ravens. But if I'm up against two double-blades, will a single sword be enough? This is my sixth year here, remember, even if the assassin classes have only been for a few weeks."
"Your sword won't be the only one fighting," Raven pointed out. "Tell you what, once we've gotten rid of Blade, we can find you a proper weapon - as many blades as you like." Shelby grinned in anticipation and in her excitement her sword met its target without even meaning to.
"Be that excited more often," Raven said, smiling as she took her katana back from Shelby and strapped them both to her back. "See you next week."
'
'
"Mini Raven's at it again," Laura groaned as Shelby appeared out of nowhere in front of her and whipped out her Blackbox, opening her homework.
"Can that please not be my new name?" Shelby complained. "You look cheerful. Who died?"
"HIVEmind let me into the outside internet and I just saw the new Star Wars movie, so I could tell you who died if you want..."
"Please don't," Otto said quickly. He was sitting on the bed next to Laura, tapping away at the essay on his screen. "I haven't seen it either."
"Since when are you a Star Wars fan?" Shelby said with her eyebrows raised. Laura winked. "Oh, of course. Of course. Thanks, Laura."
"What? All I did was mention how life is not truly meant for living before you've watched Star Wars."
"Fifty times," Otto teased.
"Okay, okay," Shelby interrupted. "Why don't we talk about Karate Kid, or District 13? You know that it was directed by the creator of parkour himself?"
"Don't even know who that is," Laura said. "Anyway, does anybody know where Wing is?"
"I think it's his weekly ass-kicking session," Shelby said.
"Right, of course. Lord save us from the Raven apprentices."
"Hey! At least I'm thinking about what I'm going to do after this year. What do the two of you have planned out?"
"I told you, I'm going to be a hacker."
"But that's so vague," Shelby moaned. "Hack for H.I.V.E.? Just hack-steal a few million bucks and then retire? Or, God forbid, hack for the government?"
"Well, who are you going to assassinate for?"
"Shut up, you two," Otto said half-heartedly, not wanting to be asked his plans. He did have an idea, but the others would just laugh.
"Yes, shut up, you two," Wing said.
"There you are!" Shelby exclaimed happily. "Over here, neither of these two know the first thing about martial arts and this essay is worth half my grade."
"And there I was thinking you were happy to see me." Wing looked offended.
"That too," Shelby said. "Aw, come on, you know I love you. Just at the moment I especially love your knowledge of martial arts."
Wing smiled ever so slightly. "I suppose that's alright then. What's the question?"
'
'
"You know, all joking aside," Shelby said, flopping down on her bunk, "don't you ever think about what it'll be like once we get out of here?"
"Of course I do," Laura replied. "But no matter how long I spend thinking about it, it's gonna be super weird. So I try not to spend too long brooding, you know?"
"I guess so," Shelby said slowly. "But it's debatable whether I'm ever actually leaving..."
"What, because of the Raven classes? She gets to leave a great deal, though, doesn't she?"
Shelby nodded. "You don't think you're going to stay here, then? Pike probably only has a few more years left, and who better to replace him than you?"
"Nah, I'm a rubbish teacher, I-"
"Taught me how to hack a Blackbox," Shelby interrupted. "If you don't want to, don't, but it would be pretty nice to have you around to keep me sane."
"What about Wing, then? Is this all too immoral for him?"
"It's kind of hard to tell what he's planning to do," Shelby answered. "But I'm kind of assuming he'll be staying away from the whole villainy thing if he can help it."
"But that would mean staying away from you, and we can all tell that he doesn't plan on doing that anytime soon," Laura grinned. "He'll most likely...I dunno, probably teach, or guard, or something."
"But the school's pretty closely linked with G.L.O.V.E. and considering they're kind of responsible for the death of both his parents..." Shelby trailed off. She looked a bit apprehensive.
"Look, whatever happens, Wing will make time for you, you know that," Laura said, nearly smiling. "This is a very unusual situation, isn't it?"
"Huh. Usually I'm the comforter and you're the comforted, yes," Shelby replied. "But let's say for a moment I take over Raven's spot once she gets tired of it, I'll be away on a killing spree all the time, and every time there's a chance I won't come back. I don't know if he'd be able to handle that."
"Shelby Trinity," Laura said firmly. "You'll come back every single time, in one piece, with Wing waiting, because he knows you'll make it. He's not going to get fed up of waiting - the four of us have spent the last six years waiting for each other to come back alive, and we always have. Besides, Raven's probably not even forty yet. You have a good few years with before you even need to worry about that."
Shelby smiled grudgingly. "I'm really going to miss you."
"Who said I was going anywhere?"
'
'
Shelby Trinity
Appearance: Blonde hair, blue eyes, tall, slim.
D.O.B.: 17th April, 1991 in Los Angeles, California.
Stream: Alpha.
History: Stole $15m worth of jewels under the alias 'the Wraith'. Taken during a heist on Tiffany & Co HQ.
Skills: Stealth, lockpicking, theft, combat, physical endurance.
Weaknesses: Technology, finance.
Blackbox IP: 179.652
Laura Brand
Appearance: Red hair, green eyes, average height, slim.
D.O.B.: 8th July, 1991 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Stream: Alpha.
History: Sent to H.I.V.E. after hacking an American Air Force base to eavesdrop on a phone call.
Skills: Technology, particularly hacking.
Weaknesses: Stealth, physical endurance, finance.
Blackbox IP: 238.169
Otto Malpense
Appearance: White hair, blue eyes, short, slim.
D.O.B.: Brought to an orphanage 29th August, 1991 in London. Real birthdate unknown.
Stream: Alpha.
History: Sent to H.I.V.E. after creating a mind control device and using on the then Prime Minister.
Skills: Technology, but also demonstrates an aptitude for most other aspects of villainy.
Weaknesses: Finance.
Blackbox IP: 813.772
Wing Fanchu
Appearance: Black hair, brown eyes, tall, muscular.
D.O.B.: 3rd November, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan.
Stream: Alpha.
History: Sent to H.I.V.E. for his skills in martial arts and self defence.
Skills: Stealth, comabt, physical endurance.
Weaknesses: Finance, technology.
Blackbox IP: 317. 549
Nigel Darkdoom
Appearance: Bald, brown eyes, average height.
D.O.B.: 18th January 1991 in Oxfordshire, England
Stream: Alpha.
History: Sent to H.I.V.E. because of his father, Diabolus Darkdoom.
Skills: Biotechnology.
Weaknesses: Combat, technology.
Blackbox IP: 967.134
Franz Argentblum
Appearance: Blond hair, short, overweight.
D.O.B.: 29th March, 1991 in Berlin, Germany.
Stream: Alpha.
History: Sent to H.I.V.E. because of his father, Heinrich Argentblum.
Skills: Finance, firearms.
Weaknesses: Combat, physical endurance, technology.
Blackbox IP: 754.282
Import BLADE_ to 179.652?
Importing...imported.
Import BLADE_ to 238.169?
Importing...imported.
Import BLADE_ to 813.772?
Importing...imported.
Import BLADE_ to 317.549?
Importing...imported.
Import BLADE_ to 967.134?
Importing...imported.
Import BLADE_ to 754.282?
Importing...imported.