Chapter 3

Morning. The sun shining merrily, the blue sky, the fresh green grass, the birds twittering cheerfully and…"YOU ANNOYING…ANNOYING THING! GIVE ME MY SHOE NOW!"

"Not until you say sorry for waking me up so early!"

"I told you I woke up at 6:00! Was it my fault that I crashed into your bed and dragged off the covers?"

"It's your fault for being a klutz!"

"Why you...!"

1 hour later

"Whoever's in charge is going to kill us!"

"They're going to kill you! After all it's your fault we're late!"

"Excuse me? I'm not the one immature enough to steal my roommate's shoe!"

"At least I can see where I'm going and avoid crashing into big objects such as BEDS!"

They were still arguing as they ran out the door of their room. Earlier Mimi had managed to claim the bathroom first and get changed quickly while Yamato banged on the door complaining about being woken up. Then Matt hadn't given her, her shoe and then he had wasted time getting changed and 'losing' the key so she would be stuck too! "Now," Mimi thought irritably. " I'm going to get into trouble on my first day because of this idiot! I can't believe I thought I was falling for him!" She had finally managed to get away from Mr. Annoying and not looking where she was going she crashed into someone who was hurrying the opposite way.

Getting up with a groan she saw a hand come into her view. With a sigh she accepted it and pulled herself up only to be met with a pair of handsome brown eyes and a warm smile. "Not again!" she thought.

"Sorry 'bout that! See I was in a hurry and I ran out the door as usual not looking where I was going and then as I pulled on my socks I realised they were odd so I had to go back inside and find one that matched and then I was even more late so I had too…"

Mimi put a hand on his arm to stop the ramble of conversation coming from his mouth.

" It's fine. I wasn't looking where I was going either. You want to walk to wherever we're supposed to be going together?"

The boy gave her a good-natured grin. "Sure!" Sticking out his hand (this time for her to shake) he gave a wide grin and added. "I'm Tai by the way. What's your name?"

"It's Mimi…err I mean Mike!"

Tai raised his eyebrows looking a little confused. "Oh that's cool. Lets get going now shall we?" He pulled an extremely crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket. "OK. On this map it says we go straight, then right, then left, then left again, then left again, then right, then straight on till we come to a sign that says, " New Trainees get your butts inside!"

Mimi looked a little surprised. "Well if we're lucky we'll get there in time for lunch," she said with a smile. Tai smiled back his face filled with renewed energy. "Yes! Lets hit the track!" Grabbing Mimi's hand he dragged her off behind him.

10 minutes later

"Finally! Thank for dragging me painfully along Tai."

" No probs," said Tai totally oblivious to the sarcasm.

Slowly and cautiously they pushed open the door and…

"Ouch! TAI!"

"Sorry my fault!" Tai said wincing. "I can be a bit accident prone."

A tall man with a long black curly moustache looked over. A small smirk crossed his face. "As I was saying we get absolutely pathetic candidates like these, who can't walk without falling over, and we turn them into the best fighters you've ever seen. Now this might involve pain, discipline, long arduous hours of continuous training and moments when you want to give up but you won't! Why? Because if you do you'll be punished! Like these two!" the man said flicking the riding crop he was holding in the direction of Mimi and Tai. "For being late applicants you will miss out on lunch and you will be washing the dishes. For everyone else today is a day for you to get accustomed to the layout of the place and our schedule, tomorrow the real training starts." He looked at them expectantly and at once everyone saluted him with a "Yes sir!" Smiling rather cruelly he walked away throwing Mimi and Tai another map as he walked by. "That should show you where the riffraff works. You'll be joining them for a short while today and don't even try sneaking any lunch because if you do…there'll be dire consequences." He strode away, his black polished boots giving Mimi an uneasy image of her father. She turned to Tai to find him almost crying, "No food! I can't believe my first day here will have no food!"
Mimi patted him on the arm. "Don't worry Tai there's dinner."

Tai looked up at her gratefully. "You're a weird guy Mike but I like you. Let's go find where the riffraff work!" he said with a wink.

Mimi laughed. "Let's go!"

As they walked down the hallway Mimi looked curiously at Tai. The boy was in good shape and he looked great but he didn't seem the type of person to go to a training camp. Personally she wondered why he came. Tai turned to her with a weary smile.

"If you're wondering why I came it's the same old story. A father who wants his son to be just like him in every way. I sometimes wish I was born a girl.

Mimi shook her head sadly. "That would be a stupid thing to wish for. At least this way you know your father actually cares about you." Seeing Tai looking at her curiously she kept on talking hurriedly. "It's the same story with me too. I had to get up at… " Soon she and Tai were chatting away again, with a few minor adjustments to her life history Mimi found that she had lots of things to talk about. Maybe this year wouldn't be too bad except for her roommate, speaking of the devil…

"If you're looking for the riffraff quarters they're down there. I'm sure you'd fit in very well there Mike."
Mimi stuck her nose in the air. "There's nothing wrong with cleaning or cooking to earn a living. You should be ashamed of calling those people riffraff. I doubt YOU did a decent days work your whole life!" With her head held high she walked past him hoping Tai could manage himself. He must have because he came running up to her breathlessly a few minutes later.

"Do you know that guy Mike? He seems like bad news!"

"He is, believe me! Besides that he's my roommate!"

Tai gave a long low whistle. "That's got to suck! Don't worry anytime you need cheering up have a look for me!"

Mimi smiled. " I'll do just that!"

2 hours later

"My hands are killing me!" Mimi groaned. "I'd much rather have done a 1000 push-ups then all those dishes!"

Tai was holding his stomach and moaning. "Mike if I don't get some food in me soon I won't be able to do one push-up"

Looking sympathetic Mimi said, "You go rest Tai. I'll finish these last few dishes and then go to my room."

Tai smiled gratefully but looked too tired even to speak. As soon as Mimi looked at the mountain of dishes left she regretted her words. "Stupid father, stupid man, stupid school, stupid stuck-up roommate…"

"I guess I won't offer to help you then." Came a voice.

Mimi looked up in shock. There leaning on the doorframe looking perfectly at his ease and Mimi couldn't help noticing looking perfectly handsome was Matt.

"I don't need your help anyway!" Said Mimi turning her face away. "Not after the way you acted this morning."

"I think you should be grateful for anyone's help considering the amount of dishes left. Anyway if you're expecting an apology…" he strode across the room and leant down to meet her eyes. Mimi automatically recoiled. "…I don't give them." He said with a smirk. Then with perfect calmness he sat down and began to wash dishes. Mimi looked at him in utter bewilderment. What in the world did this mean? On the one hand he was rude to her, mean to her and seemed not to care how much trouble he caused her on the other here he was helping her wash the dishes. Mimi sighed and put it out of her head. Life was confusing this way…