hey! sowwie for not updating. lost hope and went to a small depression when finding out that the 'StreetBlader' fic will be a INCOMPLETE fic. was planning to delete this fic too, but since one person ask nicely to continue, we'll try to finish this fic at least.
Chapter 10: ROTC
"Left! Left! Left, Right! Left! Move it!"
It's only been one hour and Brandon has already soaked up his t-shirt. It started alright, they did some small stretches and warm ups.
A few bend-&-reach, a couple cheery-pickers, then it just...how can you describe it? Like a treadmill that was on slow then switched to full throttle!
It was like Brandon was doing some small aerobic moves and when he was finish with the stretches, his arms were already feeling a bit numb, then Randall call them to a stop.
"Alright, now that we're down with the warm ups," he said.
/Warm ups?/
"Let's start the real training." Suddenly his plain, expressionless face turn dark and fierce. "Drop and give me fifty!"
/What?/
Everyone dropped to the ground and started doing push ups while Brandon just stood there, confused.
"Wha-" he started but was cut off when Randall marched right in front of him, making him jump back and look up at the older teen.
"What are you waiting for, Cadet?" he demanded in a cold, hard, commanding voice you hear in the movies with a general. But it was scarier. "I said I want fifty NOW!"
Instinct made Brandon drop to the ground and he pushed his arms, lifting his body as much as he can.
"One. Two." he counted in a strained voice as he pushed up.
"Wrong! Start over!" Randall ordered, his voice sounding angry and annoyed.
"What?" Brandon said, very confused and scared, losing his balance in his arms and slip down.
"I said, do it again!" Then Randall crouched down, glaring down at Brandon.
"But- why?" Brandon ask in a tiny voice.
"Cause you did it wrong."
/huh?/
Turning his head to look at Kent and the others, he watch them continue doing push ups as if it wasn't a problem and listen to them count.
"One, two, three, ONE! One, two, three, TWO!" the chanted at the same time, moving up and down with each count. (it's like two pushup 1 pushup)
/You have got to be kidding!/ he thought in shock.
"Well?! Get started!" Randal yelled and counted as Brandon sloppily started. "One, two, three, ONE! One, two, three, TWO!"
After they finished, waiting a while for Brandon to finish last, they all remain in the up position and stayed like that. Brandon doesn't know why they're just standing like that but he tried to hold it up like them, but his arms were tired, sore, and burning. He was able to stand, but barely and was shacking, sweat pouring from his head to his shirt.
"Permission to recover, sir!" they all shouted, except Brandon who was still catching his breath.
"Recover, except Rusaki!" Randall said as every got up and Brandon was the only one on the ground. "I didn't heard you, cadet. Maybe you want to stand like that all day."
"P-permission to recover, sir." he said softly, barely a whisper.
"What?" Randall demanded.
"Permission to recover, SIR!" he said a little louder.
"I can't hear you!" he continue to push.
"PERMISSION TO RECOVER, SIR!" he growled loudly in pain and annoyance.
"Excuse me but did you say something?" Randall mocked him but holding a hand to his ear.
"PERMISSION TO RECOVER, SIR!" he shouted out loud, his anger pushing his voice.
Randall hid a satisfied smirk and got back in front of them. "Recover, cadet."
Breathing a sigh, Brandon drag his body up, his arms dangling numbly at his sides. Not getting the chance to catch his breath, Randall was already calling another exercise drill.
"The next exercise will be 'Jumping Jacks'." he told them.
"Jumping Jacks!" the rest repeated.
"For those who are new, we'll demonstrate how it's properly done." he gave a pointed look to Brandon.
Then Gakki march up to Randall's side in front, facing the group, his gface flat, but his eyes are shinning with mirth.
"Demonstrators, and demonstrators only, position to start move!"
"HUH!" both Randall and Gakki grunted and stand in a ready position.
"Begin now! One, two, three, ONE!" he counted as they both start doing jumping jacks at the same pace. (again, 2 JJ1J)
After doing a couple, Randall shouted, "ONE, TWO, THREE, Huh!"
And they came to a halt.
"Squad, attention!" Randall, ordered.
They all snapped into position.
"Position to start MOVE!"
"HUH!"
"You will continue until I tell you to stop." he warned Brandon. "Now BEGIN!"
And he didn't call them to a stop until they reached 200, which is about 400 jumping jacks. The hour goes the same with the curl-ups, squats, arm-rotations, tree-climber, left-to-right.
After that, they now move to the mile run. Which is about a 4 mile run around the alley.
"Come on, Rusaki! Pick it up!" Randall yelled, jobbing to Brandon's side, who is the end of the group. "What the matter, tired?"
"No." he panted, weakly.
"What?"
"Sir, no, sir!" he yelled out and continue to pushing his legs.
He hasten his pace a little, wanting to get away from Randall encouraged him more. He soon joined Kent and Randall was back in front, leading.
A few minutes later, he came to a halt. "Squad, halt!"
Brandon had his eyes closed as he was running so he bumped into Kant's back.
"Kent, what's-" he started to ask but Kent cover his mouth,
"Shh." he whispered to him. Then pointed to the front with a nod.
Brandon follow his direction to see another person there in front of Randall. Tipping his head a little to the side, he almost fell over from surprise when he got a look of who it was.
/Papa! Pandon, It's papa!/ Brandon yelled excitingly.
Now, just wait, Brandon.
But he was already on the move.
"Shadow Blader." Randall said calmly to the other older teen.
"Chuong." the other return.
Even though they are two years apart from each other, Chuong was about the same height as the other but about a inch shorter, maybe.
"Aren't you late on your schedule?" the Shadow ask as he raised a curious brow at the gray-eyed boy. "Because usually we never see each other during training."
Randall just crosses his arms and calmly responded, "Yes, our schedule has change today because we're having a test for the new members of our team."
"'New Member'?" he repeated and look behind him to see the same old people in his group. "You better not be lying to me, Chuong. You know how I feel about liars."
Randall stood the same way he has, but there was a small flicker of what might be fear with challenge in his gray eyes. "I assure you, Shadow Blader, there is a new member if you look...down."
Then all of the Shadow Blades turn their head down to see a mop of black hair.
"Is that a puppy?" Kristy, a member of the Shadow Blades question, pointing to the hair.
The other team rolled their eyes, sweat drop, or laughed when they heard that. Hearing the snickers and question, Brandon lifted his head to look up at the same green eyes of the leader of the Shadow Blades. Then he smiled very brightly.
"Hi!" he almost yelp.
The leader blinked at the adorable 4 year old. Confuse and lost of what to do. Instead they just stare at each other, with Brandon still grinning up at older teen, his eyes sparkle.
/It is. He is Papa./
Now hold on, Brandon. Just wait a minute!the bit beast shouted in exasperation. Don't do anything to rash, kid.
Brandon barely heard what his panda was saying cause he felt too happy to see his father again.
Seeing his tough older brother struggling against the cute little boy, Nanashi decides to take over.
"Hi, what's your name?" Nanashi ask as he crouch down to Brandon's height and hold out his hand, smiling friendly.
It took a while before Brandon blinked out his daze from Vincent and turn to a pair of friendly teal eyes on a red-haired boy about 12.
"Hi. I'm Brandon." he said and slowly reach for the offer hand. When they shake with was light and friendly. Brandon trust him.
"Brandon. How old are you?" Nanashi ask.
Again Brandon look down at his fingers and started to his struggle of counting and reached his limit.
"twee. Four!" he answered proudly, holding up four fingers.
The girls giggled at his innocence, the guys just smirk or look bored.
"Wow. You're four?"
"Uh-huh." he nodded.
"You're recruiting a four year old?!" the Shadow Blader demanded. "Did you steal him off a carriage?"
Randall eyes flared with outrage and anger, he opened his mouth to comment but Brandon spoke before him.
"No, he didn't steal me. The other big man did." Brandon said aloud, not noticing until last minute that he let out an important information that was suppose to be kept to himself . "Um."
"WHAT?" everyone gasp, looking at him.
With all attention focused on him, Brandon felt his body heat rising and want to shrink smaller but kept standing there in the center of their attention with his head down.
Oh no. Brandon, don't.his bit beast said in a panic voice. I know you hate big crowds staring at you but you have to fight it. Just ignore them.
/I-I-I c-can't./ Brandon started to whine again and he bit his lower lip from quivering.
Uh-oh. Nanashi. another bit beast spoke to his master.
Huh? What is it Azul? Nanashi ask.
I think the poor boy's about to cry. the angel bit beast said.
"hm?" Nanashi bend his head a little lower and saw the younger boy sniffing. Then he reach his hand out to the little boy's head.
He flinched but allowed it. Then Nanashi move his hands to a soothing pat on the head and said quietly, "Shh. Sorry if we scared you. It's ok. Don't be scared."
Then Brandon lifted his wrist to wipe the tears in his eyes. Kathy and Stephanie gasp and look at each other.
"Oh, it's just like last time." Kathy whispered.
"Except instead of his bit beast, it's the one of the Shadow Blades who happens to be Nanashi." Stephanie said and they both nodded as if agreeing to a discussion.
Overhearing part of their discussion, the Shadow Blader look down at the sniffing little boy and ask, "You have a bit beast?"
Brandon stop wiping his eyes and look up at him, his eyes a little puffy but clear green.
"Mm-hmm." he nodded then reach in his pocket to pull out a green and white blade. "Pandon."
Everyone look at the clean, sharp blade. Then at the picture of the metal panda.
After a while of inspection, the leader turn away. "Let's go. We wasted enough time here."
"A moment, Shadow blader." Gakki said, stepping in front of him. Knowing how strong the older teen is compared to him, he bravely gave him a challenging smile. "Since we're here and done with out ROTC, why not practice our little friend here on a battle?"
The Shadow Blader was about to reject it but his younger brother stopped him.
"Vincent," he said softly to him. "We could cut today's training today for a few minutes for blading. Please? You can't back down in a challenge anyway."
Cringing at the truth of his words, Vincent knew he can't fight it. "Fine, let's see of kid could hold up in a real battle in the alleys."
Brandon brighten and followed them to the nearest beydish.
In the city
In a tall building, inside a fancy silver/black office, an evil uncle look out his window at the city.
The was a knock on the door.
"Enter." he said coldly.
"Mr. Rusaki?" a nervous little secretary ask timidly. "T-the forms of the w-will arrived."
"Put it on my desk and get out." he ordered.
She did what she was told as fast as she can in high heels. "Yessir."
When she's gone, he slowly turn his chair around to his desk. His eyes at the single sheet of paper on the surface of his glossy black desk.
Reading the top line, he smirk when he found the 6 months changing to 3 months.
He was able to convince the lawyers to agree that 6 months is too long of a wait and the company would surely fall if they are unable to find Brandon, who's in a vote that could be dead by the time, in time of the due date. So they cut it in half.
Then he picked up his phone and push some numbers, waiting patiently for the phone to be picked.
After the third ring, a gruff voice with a slur answered, "Yeah?"
"I believe you're finished with the little pest." he said, his voice as cold.
From the other, he could hear someone falling down.
"R-Rusaki! Um, not yet sir. But I got someone good that will take care of the job with no problem." the other said in a nervous hurry.
"That better be true, because if that does not happen in the next 3 months and the police found the brat still alive, then I have to be sure you'll be in Hell." he threatened and slammed the phone.
Picking up the form again, he reread the will over again, he started to smirk, then a grin, suddenly he was laughing out loud, his cold, evil, menacing laugh flowing the room, darkening the atmosphere.
/Soon, 'Rusaki's Metal Animals' will be mine and I will change it into the biggest weapon factory for war./
He laughed again.
Back at the Alley
Brandon was next to Kent when he felt a cold shiver shoot in his back that had him shacking and teeth chattering.
"Hey, Brandon, you ok? Cold?" Kent ask as he saw his little friend wrapping his arms around himself.
"Just now." he said. "I felt weird."
"Here. Stay in the sun." Kent said and push him to where the sunlight was.
Then Brandon thought of something earlier.
"Kent, what's ROTC?" he ask.
"Hm?"
"I heard Gakki said it. What does it mean?"
"Oh, ROTC, it means: Randall's Operated Training Course."
"Huh?" he tilt his head.
Kent shrugged. "ROTC actually mean Reserve Officer Training Corps, but we nick-named it after Randall, since you just know how his training is."
A little confuse, Brandon nodded before turning to look at the dish in front of him. Then he look up at Vincent.
"Do I battle you?" he ask innocently.
He wanted to laugh but hid it in a cough.
"No, you'll battle with Nanashi." he said and was surprise to see the boy looking a bit disappointed, and added. "Maybe next time." and he brightens.
Odd.
Looks like you have an admirer, Master. his devil bit best, Arashi said humorously.
Shut up.
Looks almost like you too. he continued thoughtfully.
What did I just told you? he ask annoyed followed by silence but he can still feel his bit beast's humor.
"Ok." Brandon said and took out his green launcher and attach his blade on it. "I'm ready."
Nanshi nodded and set up his own blade. "I won't go easy on you, alright?"
Shocking everyone, Brandon smiled slowly that it might be s miniature Vincent with black hair. "Good."
Whoa! Nice copy.
Surprisingly I have to agree. he thought with a strange warmth of pride in him. This is weird.
Nanashi hesitated for a second before tightening his launcher.
"3. 2. 1."
"LET IT RIP!"
That will be all at the moment. Hope you enjoyed it. Make it long for the New Years.
Y&Y-HAPPY NEW YEARS! 2005 WHOOO!
thanx & PEACE OUT!