𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐇 || ʜᴀᴡᴋꜱ

15➟ In which I remember.

Training. I forgot about that one.

The incessant nagging from some sort of superior.

I hadn't missed it.

Well- I hadn't missed any part of the commission, but training was one thing that took the cake.

The guy who trained me when I was a kid went by the name 'John'. Just like the name, he really wasn't anything special.

I remember the rules he made me follow:

1. Don't interrupt, or you'll train for longer.
2. Don't stop training, or you'll train for longer.
3. Don't complain, or you'll train for longer.
4. Don't disobey, or you'll train for longer.

I don't know if you noticed, but he was very creative with his punishments.

I hadn't liked him, he hadn't liked me. There was nothing special about our dynamic, although he did give me a birthday present once; an extra hour of training.

I loved the guy, I really did.

I felt bad for Hawks back then though, training was one of the only things that he gained my sympathy for. He had this woman, 'Ms Anders' I think her name was.

Because of his quirk, they made Hawks train for longer hours. He was what they called their 'perfect soldier'.

Funny thing that, they started calling him that when he was seven.

Ms Anders was a young woman, probably twenty-something, with long black hair that she always tied into a tight bun- at least that's how I remembered her. I wondered where she was now, whether she'd made her way up the ranks, or even quit.

Maybe Hawks had made her quit. If I worked with him nearly 24/7, I would.

"Ephialtes, stand in the square."

My head snapped toward the new voice in the room, she stood in front of the door, arms crossed and long black hair, tied into a sharp bun.

"I'm your new instructor-"

"Ms Anders, I know," I stared at her, mentally cursing my poor luck. Why did it have to be her?

Who am I kidding? Of course, it would be her, it's not like the universe was looking down kindly on me. That was evident from the events of the past few days.

"Oh? You know, do you?" Despite her seniority and acclaimed abilities, her face was easy to read. She didn't like me interrupting her. I get it, I'd be mad too, but considering that I was going to get the brunt of her anger, I can't say I was over the moon about it.

"Then why don't you tell me the training regime you'll be doing today? Hm?"

I shrugged, "don't know."

She smirked, turning to double-check that the door was locked behind her and then stalking closer toward me, "I'm not surprised. You've got no manners."

Her face got closer to mine, so close I was able to see the red of her eyes.

"You've got no skill anymore either. What a waste. Your quirk would do well with someone more dedicated to the Commission," her breath was on my face at this point, heavily encouraging me to back away, "but I'm going to change that, yes?"

Ms Anders' eyed me up and down, tilting her head when I made no effort to respond, "yes?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought it was a rhetorical question."

She laughed one of the fakest laughs I'd ever heard before her whole expression suddenly went deathly still, "funny," she clicked her finger next to my ear, "step in the square and assume an active fighting position."

"An active fighting position?" I stared at her blankly.

"Are you that idiotic that you've forgotten such a simple fighting stance?" 

I didn't reply, I didn't feel the need to, the question really answered itself. Of course, I didn't remember the specifics of something I did over 10 years ago.

"Of course you are," she snapped, stepping away from me and picking up what I believed to be some form of training equipment, "And I imagine you've forgotten our training methods then."

That's a lie.

Specific moves, yes, but not the training methods.

If they got out- well, they wouldn't, would they? The HSPC were too discreet in their methods, the only way it would get out was if someone escaped and told the media.

But I was a child, who would believe me? That and I didn't want to risk the HSPC finding me.

They did though, and here I was.

Stuck in the training facility, in one of many training rooms, with no one else here but HSPC supervisors and a kid who asked way too many questions.

"Yes," I looked at her, taking my place in the square and trying to form some kind of ready position, "that I remember."

Aaaaand we're back after a weeks break! Sorry that this chapter wasn't too long <3