Your Commandant is your superior. Obedience is key to respect.
Chapter Two
Overcast
When she awoke, the rain had stopped.
It was almost an eerie silence to awake to, her head underneath the blanket and eyeing the empty darkness ahead. It had been raining since she had gotten inside of the tram, and possibly the whole time she had slept. She had expected to awake to the sound of something beating against the window violently, or the tram shaking from thunder, or the sight of lightning flashing across the sky...
Instead, all she saw was darkness.
With a soft huff, she lowered her eyelids once more, although she couldn't remember when exactly she had opened them. Silence was the best gift she could ask for, and she would need as much as possible for the next few days of training ahead.
But, for now, she slept.
If the world has stopped...Don't wake me up.
The tram lurched forward at a bump.
The force of the bump sent her off of the seating area, her eyes snapping open and arms flailing wildly as she tried to move the blanket, but instead found herself with her legs tangled inside of it. She winced as her shoulder knocked against the metal floor, a silent intake of air masking her pain that blossomed almost immediately. As the ride calmed, she stopped moving.
Her legs were covered by the blanket wrapped around her, starting at the waist. Her calves were the only part of her body left on the makeshift bed, waist barely touching the steel framing. Her right shoulder was on the floor, right arm extending outwards with her hand curled into a fist. Her left hand was on the ground, side of her fist brushing against the cold stone.
Her body was entirely twisted to be in this position, and it was not comfortable.
She sighed.
"Good morning, world." She spoke grumpily, glaring across the containment room at the window of glass. At least she wasn't facing the damn window above her head.
The tram lurched again, and she fell forward, knees thumping against the metal and landing nose-first on the ground afterwards.
Now, with her eyes seeing nothing but the floor, she grumbled.
"I hate mornings."
..
..
When the tram came to a sudden stop, the girl had been sitting cross-legged on the blanket. The sudden stop spooked her, although she did not move from her seat.
Instead, she waited.
A shadow blocking light from the tram was what caused her to stir, turning onto her knees and pressing herself against the wall. Her hands placed themselves on either side of the window, first seeing her reflection through the darkness, followed by the sharp sunlight as the tram began to roll once again.
Through the window, she saw the world.
Walls that touched the sky, wires and fences crossing along the horizon. There were soldiers clad in armor-like uniforms lurking across the walls, seemingly between the wires, and others in the buildings that lined the barrier. Elites stationed at entrances to the huge buildings, H-Trams being driven in aside her own. The emblem of S.T.O.R.M. was plastered proudly across signs, doors, and the uniforms.
Something giant dashed past the window as they turned a corner past a barren clearing, one soldier on either side and each holding something in their hand. The figure that had gone past her window emerged again, from the left this time, charging to the center of the field and crashing with another shape with a burst of electricity and a loud roar that shook the vehicle.
The girl pushed herself away from the window, nearly falling off of the seat with her legs sprawled out in front of her and hands holding her in place.
Monsuno.
For years, she had heard rumors of the famed creatures of the past. Andrew, during his studies, had come across a passage of ancient history - a telling of the six ancient tribes, a prophecy foretelling the future of the world. Six children, descendants of each of the tribe leaders, would one day bring peace to the world of humans and monsuno alike, or spell doom for the universe.
But the monsuno she saw fighting were not of legends and ancient history.
They were comprised of her greatest fears. And from their sheer size, they could crush her without a second thought. If the lightning didn't electrocute her first...
From what she had remembered, from the tales Lance had told her before leaving for his final assessment, training with monsuno was mandatory. Dangerous, and some were killed, others barely making it out with broken limbs. Lance had earned a deep scratch along his arm, which had fascinated the young twelve-year-old, but nearly made fighting impossible.
"Come on, shrimp."
The voice knocked her out of her spell, tumbling back even further off of the seat. Her back hit the floor for the second time today, earning a muffled grunt of pain.
She had been so focused on the monsters she had yet to register the tram had come to a stop, or that the doors had opened.
"I..what?"
Stumbling to her feet, the girl eyed the soldier standing at the entrance. He wasn't the same soldier that had driven, this man's voice was deeper. Beneath his helmet, two dark blue eyes glowed, his lip curled into a disapproving frown.
"I said, come on. Move it."
Frowning, the girl walked forward, cautiously placing her hand on the door. Her vision faltered as she eyed the ground below, eyes adjusting to the light. Her first steps on solid ground for over a day, by the position of the sun - and her first steps to becoming a soldier. With a small intake of breath, she jumped, trailing after the soldier as he marched ahead.
Her head swiveled from side to side as she took in more of her surroundings, mouth parting from wonder.
The buildings looked so much bigger up close, and the soldiers all the more intimidating. As they walked, more and more battlefields came into view, either elites or monsuno clashing as if wolves battling for dominance. Weaving in and out of the many areas between buildings, she could only imagine how large this training camp was, or where it led to. Of course, she would find out over the next few years, but the sheer thought of this entire facility being one of hundreds...
"We're here."
Once again, she had lost herself in her thoughts and disappeared into her own world.
She was dumbstruck when she stepped out from behind the soldier, staring at the field ahead.
The two had weaved through a series of buildings to reach this spot, which was surrounded by trucks with partially closed doors. The field was full of dust, the entire ground coated in sand. There were markings on the ground much too dark to be footprints, and too messy to be tire tracks. The area opened up to be over a football field across,from what she could guess, and the more she walked it just seemed to get bigger.
Center field, a group stood.
"Go." The rough voice of the soldier, accompanied by the glances of the group ahead, alerted the girl the time for moving had come. Summoning her courage, the female rolled her shoulders, stepping forward to greet those who awaited her arrival.
She stumbled.
Ouch!
Wincing, the girl recovered from her near-fall, brushing off her solid black pants and rolling her right ankle awkwardly. Thankfully, those in the center field did not notice her fall, as another figure had joined the line up of three, rounding them to four with another two being walked over from the north exit. She would be seventh in line.
"I'm coming," The collar of her uniform muffled her voice as she looked down at what she could have possibly tripped on, an inaudible gasp escaping her.
Only one species was big enough to make a mark in the ground this deep and dark, spreading twice her size and hooked near the south as if claws had dug into the sand.
She was standing in a monsuno footprint.
Oh god, oh god...
Her breath caught just past her lips, she quickened her pace, nearly running into one of the people in the line.
Thankfully, with a small mumble and a step to the right, there was now a place for her in line. Squeezing into the now-open space, she exhaled, slouching forward as to catch her breath.
"You..uhm..." There was a voice to the right of her.
Shifting her gaze to her peripherals, she scanned the two figures to her right.
Farthest from her was a blonde. His hair was wild and stuck up as if he had a massive, permanent bed head. His hand was raised and inside of his lips, as if trying to get something out of his teeth. She couldn't see his eyes, as his hair was parted to cover the side of his face. He, like her and the other children, wore the classic black uniform of a trainee. There was a golden lightning bolt on either shoulder, as well as on the palm of their gloves.
The one directly beside her seemed to have been the one who had spoken. His lips were parted, and his face was turned to her with a soft glint in his eye. His right hand was raised to wave at her, level with his chest as if he was afraid he was doing something wrong. His eyes were a vibrant shade of gold, with hair a crimson red. It fell into a ruffled mess over his ears and down his neck, and the way it fell across his cheeks made him look like a lost puppy. His eyes were drawn back as if frightened.
Her tongue was dry - this was the first person of her age she had spoken to in months. It wasn't like school was worth a damn anyway, becoming a soldier and all - her education was over with, and she studied with Andrew at home. Who were these boys?
Her breathless response came out as a rasp more than a response.
"I...uhm...hello?"
The words seemed to calm the red haired boy, his gaze softening.
"You're...ah...hair. It's sort of...uhm...messy..."
Instinctively, her hand flew to her hair - wrapped in a messy low ponytail falling just above her shoulder blades. She could feel the individual hairs sprouting up in tangles, curling around her fingers.
The obvious mess of golden hair that she hadn't brushed in hours - of course, the first person she had talked to would be the one to point it out.
"Oh." Her almost silent reply escaped, her lip curling into a deep frown.
It wasn't like she brought a brush or a comb with her onto the tram. The blanket had been over her head for hours and she had moved quite a bit in her sleep...
The boy beside her noticed his comment had been taken offensively, and his left hand joined his right in a dismissive wave.
"No, no, that isn't what I meant! I...I..It looks...uhm...I..." His cheeks flared a color close to his hair, lowering his gaze as if he had been hit.
"It's fine," She responded, listening to the quake cease in his tone. The natural color returned to his face and his hands were now by his side, causing her to copy his stance.
Now at attention, she waited for him to speak again.
The boy was silent, gaze focused ahead of him.
Well, fine, she thought to herself, somewhat displeased over the fact she felt ignored.
The sound of someone breathing to her left sparked her curiosity.
The girl turned her head, observing the rest of the line.
Farthest from her was another blonde, lighter than his opposite on the right. His skin was pale, although it was clear there was a faded tan as if he was permanently out in the sun. His hair was sun-bleached it seemed, brighter and more defined than her own or the other boy's. His expression was bored, his eyes trailing to the ground and observing the ants that crawled along the edge of his boot.
Next was a darker skinned boy. His hair was neatly shaved around his ears and back of his head. He was taller than the others, and looked older in the sense of more mature. His lips were drawn into a creased frown, eyes narrowed. His arms were crossed over his torso, his leg moving as if he was squishing something beneath. Maybe an ant?
Closest was a brunette. He was shorter than her, his head level with her eyes. He had curly hair sticking up as if he was just crawling out of bed, one hand raised to rub his eye. The other hand held a pair of glasses with red framing, but something about the glass itself seemed odd. Foggy, almost, with the right lens cracked down the center. The boy seemed frail, his hand trembling as he pushed the glasses back onto the rim of his nose. His arms hesitated lowering, as if he was afraid his glasses would fall if he moved too much.
The voice of the boy to her right echoed in her ears, but it was an incoherent mumble. She turned to face him again.
"I...uhm...I'm..." The rest of his sentence was unheard, as another voice came from beyond the trams.
Peering over his head, she watched as two figures emerged from behind one of the trucks that was pulling away into what she guessed was a garage. One seemed to be the same soldier who had marched her over earlier, while the other was a child.
And a girl.
That fact caused her lip to twinge slightly.
Another female recruit.
Females were rare in S.T.O.R.M, even more so as soldiers. While most worked as engineers or scientists, many opted out of combat training as many were considered disposable pawns against organizations such as the underground battle zones. Those without extensive training against monsuno were easily defeated during expeditions against said zones, as nine times out of ten the guards were equipped with monsuno.
Recently, it had been decided children would be recruited at a young age for training over the course of the next few years to prepare them for the possibility of spy work or extreme monsuno controllers. Only after weeks of various testing and hours upon hours of supervision had the few children been decided... And it seemed only eight had made it through.
The new girl came to a halt just beside the boy with the messy blonde hair. Her hair was short, not cleanly cut, hanging in different areas as if she had tried cutting it herself with a pair of decorative scissors. Her skin was fairly pale and her eyes were slanted into what seemed to be a forced glare. Compared to the others, she seemed to be the angriest about being forced into this position.
The boy next to her raised his chin to be level with her eyes, as to block her gaze from seeing the other female.
"Did you hear me?"
"Uhm," So it was her turn to be embarrassed, having not paid attention to the rest of his sentence. Adjusting her right glove, she looked ahead at the building at the end of the field, refusing to make direct eye contact with the golden-eyed boy.
"No, I didn't."
She forced herself to swallow as she waited his response, noticing a familiar shape emerging from the building ahead. The soldier that had been with the other girl was now entering as a tall man emerged, a gray and black jacket lining his shoulders. He had cropped black hair and a small amount of hair on the center of his chin, shaved to barely line the area beneath his lips. His arms were behind his back, and he was followed by a set of four common soldiers.
The boy next to her didn't seem to notice, as he instead repeated what he had said before.
"I said, uhm, my name...my name is Faolan."
Faolan.
She repeated the name a few times in her head, sounding it out and debating on how to respond. This Faolan seemed rather timid. If she said the wrong thing, it could be catastrophic. She would be with him and the other six for the next few years at the least...
"Faolan," She tasted the word as it rolled off her tongue.
"I'll remember that." She nodded, watching him out of the corner of her eye.
She could see a small smile.
"And I'm -"
"So, you eight are the ones Charlemagne hand picked to be her new soldiers?"
The abrupt voice caused the girl to jump slightly, watching the man in front of them anxiously. He was much taller than any of those in line, and the scowl he held on his face gave an air of displeasure at having to greet them. Many times, she had seen that scowl - including when she had been picked up less than two days before.
Captain Trey.
Oh, look, it's you. The girl bit back a sharp remark towards the man, bunching the muscles in her eyebrows.
The tall man glared sharply at each as he prowled and paced ahead of them, looking them over as if he was going to send whoever he didn't see fit back home. He halted in front of her, his dark eyes skimming over her drawn back features.
He did not look happy.
A wicked smirk formed as he continued his walk, hands behind his back and chin raised. He knew he was superior - and that these rookies would be unable to snap back, as this was not their place.
"Your Commandant is on the way. From this point on, you seven will be specially trained to be the next generation of high class soldiers. You will suffer through days of starvation and sleep deprivation, forced to fight monsuno and controller alike, and go through training for extreme conditions. You will be thrown into the bitter cold and dragged through flames. Your fears will be brought to life and your strengths will be tested. Loyalty and obedience will get you far in this agency. You will be expected to give your life for the greater good should the time come."
He halted somewhere behind the line, the four soldiers on the south side of the field.
She could hear his boots clicking as he paced behind them.
"Of course, you can back out now."
The girl bit the inside of her cheek, forcing a snarky comment back down.
And shame my entire family? Fat chance, Captain Ratface.
She had come so far to make it to this point. Being a soldier, being a female soldier for that matter, was a high honor with low-class families. She was one of six to join the agency in her family. She would be the third of her direct line, and the first female.
One wrong comment, and it would all be for nothing.
Captain Trey circled back around to the front, not facing the group. He bore the same scornful scowl as he stood directly center ahead of them, as to where each could see him and not have to turn their heads.
"Good. You passed your first test."
A collective breath escaped the seven preteens.
"Your second... making an impression on Charlemagne."
The boy with the glasses hiccupped awkwardly as if he had seen a ghost.
So I'm not the only one scared of training. Good to know. Thought the blonde female, swallowing with some difficulty as she eyed the building ahead. The name of her commandant struck fear into enemies and her subordinates - truly terrifying. The click of her boots, the crack of her whip, the smallest twitch of her frown...
It was admirable.
Even if she was a terrifying woman, she was strong and commanded her troops with ease. She had them all tamed without even trying. Something about the woman was inspiring.
One day, I'll be Commandant Marshall. One day.
The girl remembered telling her parents over and over as the days went on. It was a dream she held above anything else. The highest of ranks, she would settle for being a lowly élite, but being commandant marshall would mean she would have the entire agency to her disposal -
"Commandant Marshal m-ma'am!"
The three words sent a shiver through the preteens. One by one, those beside her straightened out of sheer terror, and she herself traced her palm with her index finger as if to try and calm herself. The last thing she needed on the first day of training was to break down... Although, how luck would have it...
"You may go now, Captain Trey."
Charlemagne.
Gulping, the girl dared shift her gaze to beyond the captain's shoulder. As the black haired man dismissed himself, the highest ranking member of S.T.O.R.M approached.
Her whip positioned on her hip, her head raised parallel to the ground, her eyes locking on the group in front of her, Charlemagne looked ready to strike. Three black and gold objects - cores, were they called? - were along her belt, and her jacket hovered over her shoulders. Her lips were pursed into a frown.
The girl's head spun. Her vision blurred as Charlemagne drew closer, going to the end of the line and speaking something to the blonde. After a few seconds, she moved on to the tall boy, then bringing herself to the trembling boy with broken glasses. He seemed to have hiccups now.
Calm down, calm down...What would Mother think? What would Father do?
She repeated, over and over, into her head. She tried breathing steadily as possible, black spots clouding her vision. She could feel her body swaying slightly and her heart quickening its pace. What was Charlemagne saying? What if she was asking questions? What if she didn't know the answer?
What was she even doing? She couldn't be a soldier if she panicked like this! She had no chance! She'd break her leg, or her arm, or lose an eye...Or lose her life. She needed to leave. She needed to get out of this camp, this agency -
"Royal?"
The girl shook herself out of her panic, giving a small nod and an airless, "Yes, sir" as a response.
Her voice was steady, but as Charlemagne moved on, her mind shifted.
Royal.
The word was so foreign, but now it would be her name. Every soldier, when entering the agency, would be given a field name. Each was unique, and simple enough to be remembered. Some had more to their name, like Elites. Her's was now Royal.
Swallowing, she straightened her shoulders, allowing the name to process in her head. She had been given the name when she had been recruited for training a few days before by the Captain, although someone within the technology area of the agency would be the one handing out names. Someone with more experience and creativity.
When she finally got used to the name, she wouldn't be herself anymore.
She was no longer a child.
Nor was she a girl anymore.
I am not myself. I am Royal.
From the moment she took that name, she was a soldier. She had no choice in the name, but she wouldn't have any other. The name was strong, yet elegant - graceful, regal. She knew not what was to come of her and this newfound world of soldiers and monsuno. She never would guess.
There was one thing she was sure of, however.
It was her dream to be commandant.
And that was no longer her dream.
She now knew, this...
This was her destiny.
Wow, second chapter out so late! Sorry for the delay everyone, but I can say it was worth the wait.
Well...two of six chapters done already. That's an accomplishment! Thank you so much for the kind messages and reviews, they mean so much and let me know I have people reading my work c: I would love to hear your opinions! It always helps with further chapters.
Incase anyone is curious, yes, those children lined up with our protaginist are the infamous Storm Strike Squad. As well as an OC, who you will all know as Shark, or Carlos.
And this lovely girl is Royal, or, her birthname, Caroline c:
Ah yes, Commander Trey is currently Captain Trey in this. Looks like within four years he'll get a promotion.
Next chapter ::
Strength.
-Scarlet signing off!