Erin was only in the brig for a day or two before being released. Not
much changed afterwards, except that Erin was careful to keep her fighting
verbal. The conflicts with Fiona stopped abruptly after Cheyan extracted a
promise from Erin that ran somewhat along the lines of "You do not touch
Fiona, you do not talk to Fiona, you do not look at Fiona, you do not think
about Fiona". And so her contact with the Griffin ceased. She was, however
not above enjoying it when Astra and Elanius smuggled food out of the Mess
Hall and pelted it at Fi in the showers.
Erin's time in the brig strengthened her friendship with Astra, probably due to the fact that she would not have ended up there had Fiona not called Astra a coward and worse. Surprisingly, Alcarinque did not say anything to Erin about it; perhaps he felt Cedion had dealt with it sufficiently, or just didn't care. Erin shrugged it off, and simply enjoyed the fact that she had one less person to endure a lecture from.
Stories from respected peers began to sway Erin's mind to the opinion that the teachers were the cruel and often sadistic, but it was an experience of her own that led her to believe they were a manifest of evil.
Davenport, the Sergeant who taught Physical Training, had once been a marine. He was something of a fitness freak, and was always looking for an opportunity to find an adequately challenging workout. His chance came one day on the track, and his victim was quite unsuspecting.
"What happened to your hand, Ced?" Erin sat on one of the benches along the track, one leg tucked beneath her. A cup of water was cradled in her hands, which she sipped it.
Cedion shook his head slightly, offering some weak excuse about an accident with the weight machines. Erin didn't believe it for a second; he was either leaving something out, or lying outright, but she knew that if Ced didn't want to tell her the truth, he wouldn't, and badgering him would be pointless.
Erin wiped a layer of sweat from her brow and followed Cedion's gaze to the approaching Staffer. Salutes were exchanged, somewhat stiffly on the side of the students.
"Ho, Sergeant," both Ced and Erin offered in unison.
Davenport nodded, "Ho, soldiers. And what exactly are you two doing that is beneficial for your physical training?"
Erin raised one eyebrow and brushed sweat-soaked tendrils of hair behind her ears, pointedly. "Finished, sir."
Cedion nodded to his hand. "I'm ta be excused from physical training for a couple o' days, sir."
The sergeant seemed to accept these answers, for he proceeded to go off on a long-winded tangent about his days as a marine and his daily run uphill with a backpack of large, heavy stones.
Erin gave the appearance of attentive listening while her mind drifted off elsewhere, to more interesting thoughts, like when and who Alcar would appoint a new TL for Toon C (Ced had been promoted to B), and pondering what had really happened to Ced's hands.
"...so now I give soldiers piggyback rides to simulate the weight. S'not perfect, but it is adequate. Would one of you oblige me?"
Erin snapped out of her reverie. The Sergeant wanted to give her a piggyback ride? She took a step back, unconsciously, looking toward Cedion. A smirk crept across her face and her voice grew sweet. "You go right ahead, Ced."
Cedion looked at his hand, bandages and all. "Well, sir, in tha case I'll have ta recommend Erin.. I've lost a bit o' me grip, lately, and gained a few bruises that'd make it a bit more than uncomfortable.
Erin's smirk fled, replaced with an expression of horror. She gave Cedion a black look.
Davenport shrugged. "Either of you will do, neither of you are anything like the weight I used to carry – but you'll do"
Cedion grinned sympathetically at Erin. "Sorry lass,"
Unable to think of an excuse, Erin sighed and clenched her fists. "Alright then, sir. Your... rucksack is ready."
The sergeant stooped low enough for Erin to jump onto his back. She sprung onto him, barely making it. The joys of being short. She reflected that it was a worse punishment than being locked in the brig, and made a note to avoid Davenport whenever possible for future reference.
Cedion excused himself and left the Gym, while Erin glared daggers at his retreating back.
Erin endured this indignity in silence, glowering venomously at anyone who entered the Gym and gave them strange looks.
When Davenport had finished submitting the sullen Phoenix girl to this degradation, he let her down and absolved her of her fitness training for the following day.
Erin quickly scorned this offer, lifting her chin to inform the Sergeant haughtily, "I do it for myself, not you."
Unfortunately, the Ex-Marine only expressed approval and thwarted Erin's attempted to ruffle him. She glared, saluted, and -- before he could give her another piggyback-ride -- fled.
Erin's time in the brig strengthened her friendship with Astra, probably due to the fact that she would not have ended up there had Fiona not called Astra a coward and worse. Surprisingly, Alcarinque did not say anything to Erin about it; perhaps he felt Cedion had dealt with it sufficiently, or just didn't care. Erin shrugged it off, and simply enjoyed the fact that she had one less person to endure a lecture from.
Stories from respected peers began to sway Erin's mind to the opinion that the teachers were the cruel and often sadistic, but it was an experience of her own that led her to believe they were a manifest of evil.
Davenport, the Sergeant who taught Physical Training, had once been a marine. He was something of a fitness freak, and was always looking for an opportunity to find an adequately challenging workout. His chance came one day on the track, and his victim was quite unsuspecting.
"What happened to your hand, Ced?" Erin sat on one of the benches along the track, one leg tucked beneath her. A cup of water was cradled in her hands, which she sipped it.
Cedion shook his head slightly, offering some weak excuse about an accident with the weight machines. Erin didn't believe it for a second; he was either leaving something out, or lying outright, but she knew that if Ced didn't want to tell her the truth, he wouldn't, and badgering him would be pointless.
Erin wiped a layer of sweat from her brow and followed Cedion's gaze to the approaching Staffer. Salutes were exchanged, somewhat stiffly on the side of the students.
"Ho, Sergeant," both Ced and Erin offered in unison.
Davenport nodded, "Ho, soldiers. And what exactly are you two doing that is beneficial for your physical training?"
Erin raised one eyebrow and brushed sweat-soaked tendrils of hair behind her ears, pointedly. "Finished, sir."
Cedion nodded to his hand. "I'm ta be excused from physical training for a couple o' days, sir."
The sergeant seemed to accept these answers, for he proceeded to go off on a long-winded tangent about his days as a marine and his daily run uphill with a backpack of large, heavy stones.
Erin gave the appearance of attentive listening while her mind drifted off elsewhere, to more interesting thoughts, like when and who Alcar would appoint a new TL for Toon C (Ced had been promoted to B), and pondering what had really happened to Ced's hands.
"...so now I give soldiers piggyback rides to simulate the weight. S'not perfect, but it is adequate. Would one of you oblige me?"
Erin snapped out of her reverie. The Sergeant wanted to give her a piggyback ride? She took a step back, unconsciously, looking toward Cedion. A smirk crept across her face and her voice grew sweet. "You go right ahead, Ced."
Cedion looked at his hand, bandages and all. "Well, sir, in tha case I'll have ta recommend Erin.. I've lost a bit o' me grip, lately, and gained a few bruises that'd make it a bit more than uncomfortable.
Erin's smirk fled, replaced with an expression of horror. She gave Cedion a black look.
Davenport shrugged. "Either of you will do, neither of you are anything like the weight I used to carry – but you'll do"
Cedion grinned sympathetically at Erin. "Sorry lass,"
Unable to think of an excuse, Erin sighed and clenched her fists. "Alright then, sir. Your... rucksack is ready."
The sergeant stooped low enough for Erin to jump onto his back. She sprung onto him, barely making it. The joys of being short. She reflected that it was a worse punishment than being locked in the brig, and made a note to avoid Davenport whenever possible for future reference.
Cedion excused himself and left the Gym, while Erin glared daggers at his retreating back.
Erin endured this indignity in silence, glowering venomously at anyone who entered the Gym and gave them strange looks.
When Davenport had finished submitting the sullen Phoenix girl to this degradation, he let her down and absolved her of her fitness training for the following day.
Erin quickly scorned this offer, lifting her chin to inform the Sergeant haughtily, "I do it for myself, not you."
Unfortunately, the Ex-Marine only expressed approval and thwarted Erin's attempted to ruffle him. She glared, saluted, and -- before he could give her another piggyback-ride -- fled.