Ghost Shot: New Dawn

Chapter - No Rest for the Commander

Mari’s phone buzzed on the nightstand, the shrill ringtone slicing through the heavy silence of the dorm at 3:45 a.m.

Her eyes cracked open, heavy as lead, and she reached for it with stiff, aching fingers. Every muscle screamed in protest from yesterday’s punishment — her body felt like it had been poured into a mold of cement and left to harden. She swallowed against the dryness in her throat and forced herself to focus on the glowing screen.

CO.

Her stomach dropped. She swiped to answer.

“Sir?”

“Field. Now.” His voice was sharp, clipped — no hint of warmth.

“Yes, sir,” she said, voice hoarse.

“Full gear. No excuses.”

The line went dead.

She sat there for a moment, heart pounding, the ache in her shoulders and back making it almost impossible to move. Every joint felt like it had rusted overnight. But this was the man who had trained her, the one person she could never show weakness to.

She pushed herself upright with a grunt, forcing her legs to hold her weight. Boots laced, straps tightened. The medals stayed on the dresser — this wasn’t for show. Cap in hand, she limped quietly down the hallway, making sure the door clicked softly shut behind her.

---

A few minutes later, Raven blinked at the faint sound of footsteps in the hallway. She rubbed her eyes and checked the clock. 3:47 a.m.

That’s when Serah stepped out, hair a mess, looking just as confused.

“You hear that?” Raven whispered.

“Yeah. Thought it was you.”

They knocked on Mari’s door. No answer. Serah tried the handle — unlocked. The bed was made, gear gone.

Lila joined them, yawning and pulling on a hoodie. “Where’s Mari?”

Before they could answer, murmurs rose in the common room. A couple of Class 1-A early risers were exchanging confused glances.

“She wouldn’t leave without telling us,” Raven muttered, though she didn’t sound convinced.

“She would if it meant keeping us out of it,” Lila replied grimly.

Shoji, watching from the couch, tilted his head. “Check outside. If she’s not in the dorm, she’s on the field.”

The sisters didn’t even need to discuss it — they were already moving, several curious Class 1-A students trailing behind.

---

The moment they stepped outside, the icy air bit at their skin, but it wasn’t the cold that made them freeze.

Mari was already on the obstacle course, moving with raw determination. Her face was pale, and every step looked heavier than the last, but she didn’t falter. Vaulting a wall. Rolling. Springing up. Over and over.

The CO stood in the middle of the field like a stone monument, arms clasped behind his back, eyes tracking her every move with the precision of a hawk.

They were too far away to hear the words, but the tone was unmistakable — sharp, commanding, and unrelenting.

“Shit,” Raven muttered.

“This is bad,” Lila said lowly. “If he’s here this early, it’s not for a friendly visit.”

Mari didn’t look at them once. She pushed through another set of rope climbs, her body trembling with exhaustion. They all knew — every single motion had to be agony for her right now, but she refused to slow down.

“Should we—” Serah started, but stopped when the CO turned his head slightly toward them, giving them a look that froze them mid-step.

They knew that look.

“Don’t,” Lila whispered. “We’ve been through this before. If she’s in trouble with him, getting involved will only make it worse.”

Still… watching their commander — their sister — forcing herself through this while her body clearly wanted to give out made their hands itch to step in. But they didn’t. Not yet.

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