Gender doesn't define me

Chapter 4

(Dipper pov)

We all stand around a totem pole as Bill stands in the center with a bow and arrow. "I need a volunteer." One man, very buff might I add, steps forward. Bill uses the bow to shoot an arrow at the very top of the totem pole. "Go fetch the arrow." The man gets prepared to climb the pole. "Oh wait, I almost forgot something." He holds up two giant medals. "These represent strength and discipline. You will need both to reach the arrow." He ties them around the man's wrists. "Go on. Climb"

The man seems to be doing well at first, about a quarter of the way up until the medals drag him back down to the ground. Bill just does a sarcastic clap. "Very well done. Who's next." He scans everyone else and his eyes land on me. "You."

"U-uh....I don't really-"

"Now, Pines, that wasn't a question."

Gulping nervously I step towards the pole as he ties the medals around my wrists. "You can do this." I mumble to myself as I start my climb.

I do not get far at all. Literally only climb up about 5 feet before the weight of the medals makes me fall back on the ground right on my back. I groan in pain hearing everyone else shouting jeers and laughing at me. Bill just stands over me and looks down at me with a raised eyebrow. "You have any climbing experiance?"

"No sir....."

"Jeez. Maybe your family should have sent your injured father in your place instead." He unties the weights and helps me to my feet. I walk back in line with everyone else as he calls everyone, one by one to try and no one gets very far but they all get much farther than I did.

"Okay, knew you guys would be out of shape but yikes that was just fucking pathetic. Everyone to the archery range."

I follow everyone to the archery range, watching how everyone else nocks the arrow onto the bowstring and aim. I try to copy what everyone else does but when I let go the arrow misses the taget completely and the string hits my arm, making me yelp in pain and drop the bow as those around me snicker.

I pick up the bow and nock another arrow. "Wow you are bad." I look behind me seeing Bill. "I mean seriously bad. At least everyone else hit the border of the target, all you did was hit the tree and yourself. What, you never did this before?"

"No sir." I mumble as I take aim again and once again miss, wincing as the string hits my arm again.

"......why did your family send you and not your father? He has more war experiance than you do clearly."

"He was injured during the first war. He needs to take pain meds and walk around with a cane most days. He would die if he had to fight again."

"So your family decided to send the boy who can't climb and can't shoot a bow."

"Yes sir."

I take aim again but freeze up feeling his breath right against my ear. "The one thing I hate most, is liars. And I can identify a lie a million miles away. Next time I ask why you were sent, either tell me the truth or fucking go home. I have no use for someone who lies to their general."

He walks away and it isn't until he's gone that I let the arrow loose, it completely missing the tree but I don't care. He knows I'm lying, he fucking knows. While there isn't a rule saying someone transgender can't fight in wars, the trans community is still a really new thing so not many people know of it or are supportive of it. Most are traditional towns, like mine, that don't listen if you try to explain it to them. I don't know how he would react if I tried to explain my situation. The best thing I can do is just keep my head down and try to avoid Bill as much as possible.

"Alright that is enough archery everyone. You all really fucking suck. Moving on to close combat. Everyone pair up and go one on one. No weapons. Pines, you're with me on this one."

Oh fuck I'm dead.