How much time passed by? 6 maybe 8 years? The conditions had improved but it would be incorrect to say that they were living. They ate, slept, trained together, the two had become inseparable. Since that day they became Solidus' private pet projects. Specialized training, rigorous tests, merciless brutalization. Even now this was another example.
*Slap*
A hand struck across Jack's face, cheek stinging from the aggressive wake up call of the Soldier in charge of their current situation. Locks of white hair covering his vision, dripping with ice cold water. His body stripped of almost all clothing, skin covered in bruises and deep lacerations, adding to the many old wounds already there.
Compared to when he first arrived his body matured, grew, yet even now he was powerless. His wrists tied together with rope, arms forcibly extended above him, body carried by a meat hook. He hung nearly a foot from the ground. With his eyes peering beyond his hair, he saw Yorha in a similar position, her eyes looking at him. When he was awake, so was she.
They were only a meter away in distance. She too was tortured in a similar way. Her hands, abdomen, and feet slashed, gouges of flesh missing, tainting her once pure skin. Blood pooled beneath both of their feet. At first the training they had undergone was simple. Stamina and strength training. Then weapon training, they learned to use guns, learned to properly wield knives. After that was combat, Solidus himself trained them. Beat them down without mercy, the times they returned with fractured bones became too many to count.
Finally for these last 3 months... Torture endurance an area Jack already had experienced. Nearly 24/7 around the clock torture for the past 90 days. Although the previous training was difficult, the two always had a place they could retreat. Now such a luxury ceased to exist within the 9ft by 9ft room they now resided in.
A hand grabbed onto Jack's hair pulling his scalp causing his head to raise. The plain black half face mask the soldier wore failed to show any of the man's features underneath. Whether the man was smiling during the torture was up for debate. Not that it really mattered.
Jack watched the soldier extend an arm to his right. Sitting on a large rolling table were various instruments the pair had become familiar with. Pliers, wrenches, knives, all were used in their "training." The previous torture session ended only an hour ago, by this time both knew what the Soldier's first choice would be. Jack moved his wrists, hands grasping on the back of the hook tightly, body tensing. It took half a second before he was struck in the abdomen with a tire iron. During this not once did Jack's gaze leave Yorha's. Once his turn was done it would be hers. They both knew this...
One swing, two... three... the number kept increasing and so did the strength behind the strikes. At one point his bones would have shattered by the first strike, however, 3 months of this constant pain had it's benefits. Though this resistance still faltered at times, the chuckles that came from his mouth were proof of this. These noises causing Yorha's eyes to narrow, he could see it, the hate hidden beneath her steel gaze.
Soon the soldier's exhaustion had started to show. The swings decreasing before the soldier stopped entirely. Back turning to Jack and to face Yorha. A minute maybe two passed before the tire iron once again found momentum. The metal striking against Yorha's flank. She had gotten much stronger, more resistant to pain as well. Jack's own tolerance in witnessing this, however, had been degrading over time.
The torture carried on like it usually did. 3 hours of punishment followed by an hour of rest. During this time the two would sleep but neither could despite the exhaustion they felt. Yorha wouldn't because Jack wasn't asleep and Jack wouldn't if Yorha was awake. Though that was only part of the reason. For three months not once had Solidus visited them in this room, no, rather the reason for this training was lost on both of them. Combat training was enough to test their limits, raise their pain tolerance, this was something else...
It felt similar to tests of performance administered by Solidus. The one-way mirror that was stretched across the central wall made it clear that people were watching. That Solidus might be watching. Perhaps this was another test?
Neither could come up with an answer but one look at the other told both what needed to happen.
.
.
.
The knife's edge glided against his right bicep, trailing downward and to his armpit, the pressure light. Any harder and the soldier would be skinning him alive, it had become clear after the first month that there is a limit to how much they would hurt them. They would not kill them, that was something both were aware of, but how long would that remain true?
Blood seeped from the forceful separation of his flesh, dripping down his arm and joining the other open wounds on his body. The room baked in an eerie silence, this round of torture had gone by without a noise from either Jack or Yorha. They did not struggle during the torture, did not laugh, did not raise their heads. They had taken their turns one by one, round by round.
Two hours had passed.
Jack's turn was over. The soldier's target switched, knife pointing to Yorha. The man's combat boots splashing in the mixture of water and blood on the floor. The tip of the knife neared Yorha's stomach. For the first time since the start Jack's head raised, saliva and blood mixing into his mouth, before he spit. The mixture hitting the back of the solder's head drawing the man's full attention. A bloody grin splitting Jack's face, a laugh echoing within his throat. The soldier wiping away the spit stalked towards Jack, knife in his right hand.
It didn't take much for the distance to close, once it did Jack's head moved again. Forehead colliding with the bridge of the soldier's nose. Knocking the man backward. Stunned the Soldier could not resist when Yorha's legs wrapped around his neck in a position similar to rear naked chokehold, her limbs constricting against the man's windpipe.
Taking the opportunity, Jack's knees raised, his entire body jumping upward as he grabbed the chain attached to the meat hook. Swinging back and forth, Jack gained momentum before hoisting his body over the hook. Landing on the floor Jack's strength failed. Falling face first into the floor, the boy struggled to his feet, having been strung up had caused his legs to cave under his sudden weight.
Still the struggles coming from Yorha gave enough reason for him to find his footing, wrists still bound together his option were limited. Going over to the rolling table he grabbed the bloodied scalpel that sat nearest to him. Weapon in hand he rushed the soldier, the tip of the scalpel pointed towards the man's eye. Raised upward Jack brought the scalpel down, stabbing the man in the eye. However, the torture done to him caused several problems. The power behind his attack was significantly lessened.
"GAAH!" Screaming in pain, the soldier broke loose from Yorha's hold, fist crashing backwards into Jack's face. Turning the soldier than struck the girl in the stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs. Grabbing the grip of the scalpel the Soldier pulled the blade out. Eye closed he flew into a rage. Tossing the scalpel to the side, with his free hand the Soldier grasped Jack by the neck, the man's combat knife pointed towards the boy's eye. Knife driving down, Jack protested with his own movements, hands grasping the man's advancing arm, ignoring the pressure being applied to his neck by the other.
Faintly he could hear Yorha's chain rattling wildly. Teeth gritting he struggled against the man's strength. Before the tip of the knife could touch his eye however, Yorha's arms went over the man's head, with the rope the girl used her entire weight choking the man once again. The Soldier's hand left Jack's throat, instead it grabbed at the girl's hands trying in vain to get some separation between the rope and his throat.
Once free Jack rushed towards the knife, hands grasping at the weapon, as he currently was, his strength would quickly fail to rip the knife from the man's iron grip. Mouth opening, Jack's teeth latched onto the man's middle finger, teeth sinking through the glove and into the flesh. Pulling his head backward Jack tore the appendage away from the rest. Finger gripped with his teeth, Jack wrestled the knife away. All before he drove it into the man's chest. With Yorha supporting the man's body Jack plunged the blade in and out, hands becoming slick with the soldier's blood. The floor becoming coated in yet another layer of liquid.
Even when Yorha's hands left and the man's body dropped, Jack's attacks failed to cease. Slashing wildly through the military fatigues, through flesh, through muscle. Breathing growing rapid, mind replaying the last three months, the groans of pain from Yorha... Another chuckle coming from his throat... only to stop.
Yorha's body pressed onto his. Even the small separation in these three months had been too much...
.
.
.
"Perfect." That had been the only word to leave Solidus's mouth as he watched from behind the one-way mirror. Witnessing as Jack's attacks ceased once the boy felt Yorha's presence. These past years had been enlightening in many ways. The other pairs in the program failed to exhibit what he had seen with these two.
Perhaps that was the reason that he pushed these two harder than any of the others. This torture endurance? Well this was something only these two had gone through, the others were still only given basic training. By far these two were the best soldiers he had. Broken, beaten, yet together they survived. It was exactly what the older man wanted. It was exactly what the two would need in order to survive.
Looking to his subordinates in the room, Solidus barked his order, "Go in and clean the mess. Bring those two into the medical bay and clean them up." No hesitation was to be found in the soldiers. Scratching his beard the old man spoke quietly to himself. "It's nearly time."
.
.
.
Bodies still pressed against each other, they waited, hearing the door to the room open slowly. Three other soldiers had walked in, all of them armed, yet their weapons not drawn at the two. Rather one carried a large black body bag, while the other two gestured for them to rise. Doing so the pair walked forward, the knife taken from his hand, Jack and Yorha's bound wrists were freed. Hands falling to the sides they followed the commands given. The hierarchy of military having been taught by Solidus himself.
Led into the all too familiar med bay, the two were placed in small area just a few feet away from the medical officers. The area featured almost nothing of note, only a single large drain along with a hose. Said hose currently in the hands of the main soldier who had led them. With a small valve being twisted, the two were drenched once more in freezing water. The blood on their bodies being washed away.
It was during this that Yorha's left hand grasped Jack's right. It had become habitual, so much so it would have been odd if she hadn't. Once hosed clean the pair was finally taken by the medical officers. Their wounds burning as fresh anesthetic was poured, disinfecting them.
Only then did their exhaustion take hold. What they were going to do next was unclear, the only thing they did know was that their lives would serve the purpose given to them until they died or were no longer needed. Both not knowing that soon war would become their home.