Sigma/Star

Chapter 125: Purification

"I was only trained my whole life," Raul muttered, not wanting to draw much attention to the fact that he didn't seem to have many interests outside of fighting. As an orphan, he hadn't been taught much other than basics in education, and then Reaver had taken him in. He really had few outside interests, other than the metalwork he had done from time to time. The rose he had created for Nami so long ago seemed like a distant memory compared to where he was now.

"My family always wanted me to work for the Ministry of Science in the space development programs." Ardwen tilted his head back, staring up into the blue sky that hid the darkness beyond the Earth. "I only enrolled at Saint Maurius because of my brother. If he hadn't been here, I never would have." Adrwen smirked, sliding his glasses off and rubbing one of his lenses with the edge of his shirt. "Years spent in advanced engineering classes, going to Junior Space Summer Camp, all to hear my brother had disappeared and jump on the next shuttle to the Academy. What a strange life."

"Well I would've worked in the fashion industry as a famous designer," Nami shouted out, rather proudly, ending Ardwen's emotional moment of reflection abruptly.

"Do what?" the rest exclaimed at once, shocked by the studious Nami's intentions to do something completely unrelated to the Goliaths she so loved.

"Ah, Nami, my love, beacon of hope among these desolate sands," Rex began, before getting smacked aside by the tiny girl.

"I'm not interested in boys! I'm only interested in men!" Nami leaped to her feet, stars in her eyes as she began to fantasize, leaving Rex tasting dirt, and the rest snickering. "I would design clothing for men, suits for them, dress clothes, casual apparel, everything! And it would be Porter who would have served as my ultimate inspiration and model, for his lanky, half-useless body is perfect for a model. You can mold him into anything you like, when they're so plain and thing like that."

"Wait," Ardwen said, cutting through the girl's dreams as he scratched his chin. "Aren't you the Kaiser's sister? Wouldn't you have government duties to be doing if you hadn't enrolled in the militar-" A swift kick in the face from Nami ended Ardwen's thought before it could finish, sending the boy tumbling across the beach.

"A princess? A member of royalty?" Rex scrambled back up to his feet, trying his best to brush himself off before bowing back down on one knee. "But of course I would feel my heart pound at the sight of such flawlessness, for the likes of you is too great for the common folk, a diamond in the rou-" Another unfinished thought. Another foot in a face. Another boy sent mercilessly soaring. Nami spun around, glaring at the rest of the group, who shrunk back a little out of fear and to show respect.

A slow clap interrupted Nami's rage, as Shotuku and Chandana approached. It was the elderly man who was giving out the applause, admiring Nami's work at pummelling miscreants. He withdrew a black slipper from the sleeve of his robes, holding up in front of his face. It flopped over to one side, undramatically. "It would be my hope that perhaps, one day, you choose to take upon you the art of the Black Slipper and the potential it holds."

Nami gave a slight bow of respect to her elder. "Thank you, master."

* * * * *

Porter was sprinting through the hills outside Easley, doing his best to keep up with Reaver's insane demands. He grabbed a set of weights, throwing them over his shoulders as his pace slowed. He would have to trudge onwards from here on out, under the watchful eye of Reaver, who kept pace and followed him every step of the way.

The young boy froze, a chill rushing through his spine, spreading into his entire body. He nearly dropped the weights, shaking for a moment before regaining his composure. "What is it, trainee?" Reaver's blank tone took some getting used to, as he wasn't asking out of concern, but just curiosity as to why Porter had stopped.