(Beware, 8077 words ahead... I'm dieing)
I jolt up, breathless, kicking off my blanket. Suppressing a shout I fling myself from my bed and look around panting heavily. Soft scratching came from my door. I open my door to let Lucius in. I reach over and turn on my light to rid my room of the deceiving shadows.
I made my way to the corner of my room, I sat down and stared at the door with Lucius laying over my lap. He nuzzles into my hand, forcing me to run my hands through his fur. It’s comforting and relaxing. I take a shaky breath. My heart pounds against my chest, making me feel slightly dizzy. I lean back to relax, but my breathing doesn't get better. I close my eyes.
There's no need for an alarm clock.
I'm wide awake now.
Are you okay? Should we get up? Move around, food is great! We could get food, we love food.
Mmm, I'm not ready. I can't, just not yet. I... I don't want to. Lucius kept trying to gain my attention from the open door. The contrast of light in my room and the darkness of the hall made an uneasy feeling of stress shiver up my back.
I felt like if I looked away from that door someone would come in, or be there, watching me. It made me want to vomit. When I heard the front door open I gripped Lucius's collar tightly.
"Hmm? Are you up?" Ludo's familiar accent let me relax a bit. I let go of Lucius's collar "L..T?". He peeked past my doorframe, only his head showing, making it look as if he was completely horizontal.
"You look upset." He said softly, coming in further, taking his coat off. I didn't move from the corner. I wanted to curl up and sleep, but my eyes wouldn't leave that door. Ludo moved closer. "Do I need to wake up Belladonna? She knows you better, or the kid, will he make ya feel better?"
"I just... the door"
"..Door? Let's break it, beat it up, I'll get you a new one"
"No, just not.. I want to be alone"
"Oh.. okay, I'll check on everyone and do some things..." As he left he flicked on the hallway light. Easing my stress and fear of the darkness.
I took in a deep breath. "Off Lucius". He lifted his large head, looking at me carefully before getting up and jumping on the bed and flopping down.
I pet him briefly before closing the door. I grabbed my phone from under my pillow. I had about 5 missed text messages from Bella.
🔔 Bells 🔔
Hey, some girl came up
to us while we were
demolishing Goo's car.
She said she knew us.
She said she's looking
forward to the test
tomorrow.
Oh shit, today, it's 1:22.
You sleeping??? I guess
you are.
Oh I'll feed Lucius when
I get home. The little bread
boy too.
Ooo! And Daniel walked by!
Little Daniel. He was a
BITCH and didn't join but
he said hi.
○●○
I laughed awkwardly. I'm really hoping Goo doesn't know who it was and show up here because of course everyone would show up here when they have a problem. Another knock was at my door. It slowly opened and Naroo peeked his head through.
"You okay?" He whispered, reaching out, beckoning Lucius to come to him. Lucius paid him no attention, turning around, now having his butt facing him. Naroo scoffed and looked at me again, "I heard you wake up but I thought you'd want to be alone"
".... Yeah, sorry. I guess it was a nightmare I think. I can't remember it though"
"Yeah that's fine, uh, you should get ready. Since you needed to sleep after dinner I ended up baking with Pan so there's cookies, we also made bread"
"That's sweet" I went to my closet and pulled out my suit. "Maybe he can start cooking dinner", I take off and fling my shirt across the room. Naroo gasped "Do we have to wear our suits?".
"No but mines easy to move in, one piece and it's black. You can wear whatever, dress like a sexy business man for all I care. Don't wear anything, I'm sure the girls will love that" I winked "Some of the guys too"
He wrinkled his nose, "Only Anne can see my tits l, I'm offended you even suggested it". He turned around so I could take off my pants but kept talking about how offended he was. I slipped the pants part over my my ass and over my chest, pushing my arms through the sleeves. I leaned in my closet and snatched an oversized black button up and pulled it on over my suit. "Now I'm the sexy businessman"
He turned around and laughed, "Good idea on the black, who knows how easily these kids bleed"
"You wear white and it'll be easier to tell"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh! Why is that guy here? Is he like clingy?"
I shrugged "He kinda just came in".
"Well, I think he has a crush on you"
I rolled my eyes and finished putting on my shoes, "Really? Well I can't wait for him to lose it then"
His smile dropped and he frowned "What do you mean? He already knows the big 'secret', it's easier that way. That's why it's so easy with Anne"
"I just don't feel the same" I lifted Lucius uo and started doing a little dance with him "Did you hear about one of the kids? She's in a Psych Ward. She mutilated a bunch of cops apparently"
"Oh! Yeah, K had me and a few guys get her out"
"What!" I dropped Lucius back to the floor.
"Well she has to be apart of the test. It was easy, as soon as they heard I was a doctor they let me right in, said the guys were my students and they were here to study the patients they had"
I slapped my hansd over my face, groaning. "Why would K have you do that?!" Sliding my hands down my face I glared at him, "And why'd you do it?!!"
"Well, she didn't seem to bad when we got her in the car, she did laugh and flip off as many other patients as she could when we passed them. Also, she can't be kept with the other ones so K is going to be deciding where to put her after the test"
Oh we already know where she's going. How the fuck are we gonna do this? Oo! Don't let her graduate! She'll need to train at the academy again if I catch her.
"Naroo, I get that it has to be fair but do you think she should graduate?"
He leaned on the wall, thinking it over. "If she gets nudged to the correct path right now maybe, but if she keeps it up, well... I'll see. I'll talk to K today"
"Together, he likes me better, after all, he made me a whole Lieutenant and you were in the K.A.A before me"
"I'm glad, less paperwork for me"
"Well let's hope that girl doesn't turn our remains into paperweights, or keep us in jars" I mumbled.
"Oh don't worry, she'll try"
"Ughhh"
I rubbed my forehead, sighing deeply. I walked out of my room after Naroo. He walked past everyone who was sat at the table, except Bella and Pan who I'm guessing are still asleep. They both slept in quite late on weekends. Which is strange for Bella, she usually loves coming along with us to watch kids get their should beat out of them.
I decided to sit in the kitchen, it would be nice to have a quiet day, hopefully eat something before me and Naroo have got to go. My stomach gave me the feeling that it was gonna start grumbling if I didn't eat soon. Ludo appeared behind me with a plate, "Vaughan cooked this morning, it's her day off so she went back to bed"
"Nat? I didn't know it was her day off. When did she tell you that?"
"After I asked if you wanted to beat up your door" He placed the plate down in front of me. "Ludo, why are you here?" Xan yawned as he entered the kitchen, "Oo! Food!" He chided as he snatched a piece of toast off my plate.
A small laugh left my mouth, "You're lucky I'm not Pan, or you'd be missing a finger"
Xan gives me a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever" He turns back to Naroo. "So, what time are we leaving? And who's driving?"
"I am" Naroo responded "I'm just grabbing some food before we go to eat on the way". While they talked I grabbed the toast that wasn't kidnapped and started snacking on it. Poppy sat watching everyone converse, she barely whispered "I'm not ready for this"
"Poppy, everything's gonna be fine. Just stay very, very far away from me, Naroo, and the other kids. They'll toss you to us the second they can"
"You're not supposed to help her" Naroo replied, "It was you who said that she wouldn't survive."
"That's why I'm helping her, and it's not against the world to give her pointers. Poppy, stay away from a girl that looks like Naroo, she'll rip you apart"
Poppy nodded quickly, picking at the crust of her toast. I could see that she had questions but she stayed silent. She pushed her plate away and stood, "Well I'm ready to go" Her expression hardened in deep thought.
"Well, we should definitely go, it's a long drive, you guys ready?"
Xan and Naroo nodded along and Naroo disappeared to go change. I tossed Xan the keys to my car. I don't really feel like driving this early. It's not as fun as it was when I first started driving. "You trust me to drive your car!?" He smiled while holding were his imaginary heart is. "Only because I'm in it, and it's not my last choice"
He pouted at my response but sighed and opened the door for me and Poppy then followed us out. As we went down the stairs Xan hummed a quiet tune as he slowly went in front of me with his long ass legs. "Why didn't we use the elevator?" Poppy asked once we reached the bottom.
"We'd be squished together, it's not very big"
I open the door with my shoulder for Xan and Poppy. Right before I go after them fast footsteps are coming at me. "How dare you leave me. Ludo kept trying to ask if he could go with without asking, I've never run so fast"
He better run fast if we're gonna beat the hell out of some kids.
Don't say that out of context, ever please.
"Oh!" Naroo turned around, a wide grin on his face "You get to meet Cheng!"
I opened the passenger side door and sat down while Naroo got in the back "Who's Cheng?"
"Is that another thing I've never brought up? Cheng is my tiger, Jiva's the panther"
Xan didn't say anything but had a 'WFT?' look on his face, his eyes flickering between the road and Naroo in the rear view mirror.
I laughed awkwardly. I'm really hoping Goo doesn't know who it was and show up here because of course everyone would show up here when they have a problem. Another knock was at my door. It slowly opened and Naroo peeked his head through.
"You okay?" He whispered, reaching out, beckoning Lucius to come to him. Lucius paid him no attention, turning around, now having his butt facing him. Naroo scoffed and looked at me again, "I heard you wake up but I thought you'd want to be alone"
".... Yeah, sorry. I guess it was a nightmare I think. I can't remember it though"
"Yeah that's fine, uh, you should get ready. Since you needed to sleep after dinner I ended up baking with Pan so there's cookies, we also made bread"
"That's sweet" I went to my closet and pulled out my suit. "Maybe he can start cooking dinner", I take off and fling my shirt across the room. Naroo gasped "Do we have to wear our suits?".
"No but mines easy to move in, one piece and it's black. You can wear whatever, dress like a sexy business man for all I care. Don't wear anything, I'm sure the girls will love that" I winked "Some of the guys too"
He wrinkled his nose, "Only Anne can see my tits l, I'm offended you even suggested it". He turned around so I could take off my pants but kept talking about how offended he was. I slipped the pants part over my my ass and over my chest, pushing my arms through the sleeves. I leaned in my closet and snatched an oversized black button up and pulled it on over my suit. "Now I'm the sexy businessman"
He turned around and laughed, "Good idea on the black, who knows how easily these kids bleed"
"You wear white and it'll be easier to tell"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh! Why is that guy here? Is he like clingy?"
I shrugged "He kinda just came in".
"Well, I think he has a crush on you"
I rolled my eyes and finished putting on my shoes, "Really? Well I can't wait for him to lose it then"
His smile dropped and he frowned "What do you mean? He already knows the big 'secret', it's easier that way. That's why it's so easy with Anne"
"I just don't feel the same" I lifted Lucius uo and started doing a little dance with him "Did you hear about one of the kids? She's in a Psych Ward. She mutilated a bunch of cops apparently"
"Oh! Yeah, K had me and a few guys get her out"
"What!" I dropped Lucius back to the floor.
"Well she has to be apart of the test. It was easy, as soon as they heard I was a doctor they let me right in, said the guys were my students and they were here to study the patients they had"
I slapped my hansd over my face, groaning. "Why would K have you do that?!" Sliding my hands down my face I glared at him, "And why'd you do it?!!"
"Well, she didn't seem to bad when we got her in the car, she did laugh and flip off as many other patients as she could when we passed them. Also, she can't be kept with the other ones so K is going to be deciding where to put her after the test"
Oh we already know where she's going. How the fuck are we gonna do this? Oo! Don't let her graduate! She'll need to train at the academy again if I catch her.
"Naroo, I get that it has to be fair but do you think she should graduate?"
He leaned on the wall, thinking it over. "If she gets nudged to the correct path right now maybe, but if she keeps it up, well... I'll see. I'll talk to K today"
"Together, he likes me better, after all, he made me a whole Lieutenant and you were in the K.A.A before me"
"I'm glad, less paperwork for me"
"Well let's hope that girl doesn't turn our remains into paperweights, or keep us in jars" I mumbled.
"Oh don't worry, she'll try"
"Ughhh"
I rubbed my forehead, sighing deeply. I walked out of my room after Naroo. He walked past everyone who was sat at the table, except Bella and Pan who I'm guessing are still asleep. They both slept in quite late on weekends. Which is strange for Bella, she usually loves coming along with us to watch kids get their should beat out of them.
I decided to sit in the kitchen, it would be nice to have a quiet day, hopefully eat something before me and Naroo have got to go. My stomach gave me the feeling that it was gonna start grumbling if I didn't eat soon. Ludo appeared behind me with a plate, "Vaughan cooked this morning, it's her day off so she went back to bed"
"Nat? I didn't know it was her day off. When did she tell you that?"
"After I asked if you wanted to beat up your door" He placed the plate down in front of me. "Ludo, why are you here?" Xan yawned as he entered the kitchen, "Oo! Food!" He chided as he snatched a piece of toast off my plate.
A small laugh left my mouth, "You're lucky I'm not Pan, or you'd be missing a finger"
Xan gives me a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever" He turns back to Naroo. "So, what time are we leaving? And who's driving?"
"I am" Naroo responded "I'm just grabbing some food before we go to eat on the way". While they talked I grabbed the toast that wasn't kidnapped and started snacking on it. Poppy sat watching everyone converse, she barely whispered "I'm not ready for this"
"Poppy, everything's gonna be fine. Just stay very, very far away from me, Naroo, and the other kids. They'll toss you to us the second they can"
"You're not supposed to help her" Naroo replied, "It was you who said that she wouldn't survive."
"That's why I'm helping her, and it's not against the world to give her pointers. Poppy, stay away from a girl that looks like Naroo, she'll rip you apart"
Poppy nodded quickly, picking at the crust of her toast. I could see that she had questions but she stayed silent. She pushed her plate away and stood, "Well I'm ready to go" Her expression hardened in deep thought.
"Well, we should definitely go, it's a long drive, you guys ready?"
Xan and Naroo nodded along and Naroo disappeared to go change. I tossed Xan the keys to my car. I don't really feel like driving this early. It's not as fun as it was when I first started driving. "You trust me to drive your car!?" He smiled while holding were his imaginary heart is. "Only because I'm in it, and it's not my last choice"
He pouted at my response but sighed and opened the door for me and Poppy then followed us out. As we went down the stairs Xan hummed a quiet tune as he slowly went in front of me with his long ass legs. "Why didn't we use the elevator?" Poppy asked once we reached the bottom.
"We'd be squished together, it's not very big"
I open the door with my shoulder for Xan and Poppy. Right before I go after them fast footsteps are coming at me. "How dare you leave me. Ludo kept trying to ask if he could go with without asking, I've never run so fast"
He better run fast if we're gonna beat the hell out of some kids.
Don't say that out of context, ever please.
"Oh!" Naroo turned around, a wide grin on his face "You get to meet Cheng!"
I opened the passenger side door and sat down while Naroo got in the back "Who's Cheng?"
"Is that another thing I've never brought up? Cheng is my tiger, Jiva's the panther"
Xan didn't say anything but had a 'WFT?' look on his face, his eyes flickering between the road and Naroo in the rear view mirror. The silence stretched for awhile until Naroo spoke. "He won't bite, if you're wondering. Jiva will, she doesn't like many people other then me, but she won't be at the mansion so we are all good".
The conversation carried on as Xan drove down the streets of korea. I kept glancing back towards Poppy in the back seat.
She kept taking not so hidden glances.
Xan noticed the look and sighed, "Do you want to talk, puppet?". She shook her head no and scooched closer to the window, "Not to you, and my names not puppet". Xan looked appalled, "Wow, I hope Y/n gets your ass"
Poppy crossed her arms, focusing all her thoughts outside her window. Xan looked to me, then looked back to her again, "Oh I know who you want to catch you" He practically purred, grinning like he just won the lottery.
Poppy's face turned bright red. "Stop it! Stop that right now!"
Xan started laughing loudly, "Oh man! What happened!? How did that happen!" He tried holding his breath to stop laughing but broke after a few seconds. "Oh, this is too good" He wheezed.
"Shut up!! Shut up! Just shut up!" Poppy screamed, her eyes squeezed shut and face beet red.
Naroo scrolled on his phone, "Don't let it bother you, he does it to everyone, even though he doesn't really know anything"
Poppy looked at me, "Tell him to shut up"
Xan turned around and looked at Poppy, "Oh yeah go and tell mom on me, little bitch"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU BASTARD!!" She yelled, lunging forward to try and grab him, Naroo grabbed her arm, stopping her from getting any further. Xan continued chuckling, turning back around. "You're worried about surviving the other kids but oh this guy that's been there for 14 years, I can take him" He wiped his eyes that appeared when he began laughing, "You're funny Piper".
Her face was flushed woth anger, "Just shut up, please. Please just...". Xan was about to retort again but I smacked the back of his head, "She's going into a scary situation Xanadu, if you're.... If Kovik heard you talking like this to Isaac O'Sullivan's daughter he'd have your goddamm tongue"
Xan glared at me. He knew I was about to say girlfriend. He sighed, leaning back with one hand on the wheel, his free hand started opening the middle compartment in my car, "No car wine? Not even tequila?"
"What the hell are you talking about, car wine and tequila? Do you need to schedule another therapy session with Naroo?"
Xan rolled his eyes, his happy mood squashed. He turned the radio on, playing his favourite music. We drove along, only the sound of the music filling the silence between everyone in the car.
About 20 mins passed. Everyone had dozed off on the way as a way to aviod boredom or talking to each other which also avoids arguments among us all so I didnt mind. We were close to the mansion now, not to far, this is where i kidnapped that guy, I haven't checked to see if he's still alive.... eh, what ever, I'll call the cleanup crew to check, or Bella. It'd be a bad idea to call them and have them come over when I'm not there, Bella hates the people who work in clean up, 'They're to quite and somethingalways goes missing when they clean up, they remind me of the Jawa's from starwars, the fucking gremlins".
The car slowed down and stopped, causing everyone in the back to jolt awake. When we pulled up outside the gates of the Mansion. Naroo jumped out, pulling out a blue face mask and putting it on. I put my hood over my head to cover my eyes and majority of my face, and walked to the gates of Koviks mansion. "You look like a secret evil witch about to offer me an apple" Naroo joked, "You don't need to do that, people are usually to afraid to bombard us with questions".
"I guess, it doesn't matter, they'd know either way cause Xan's just walking through like a model" I pointed ahead as he pushed open the gates. He looked back and shouted "Get you slow asses up here, fucking SLUGS!".
"Who the fuck are you guys?" A young girl sat on top of the walls that surrounded the mansion gave us a disgusted look. "I'm the hottest guy is the world, they're a close 2nd" Xan pointed his thump at me and Naroo. The girl grinned and took a drag of the cigarette in her hand, "If we're making up shit then I'm the Lieutenant" She flicked her cigarette ashes as Xan.
Xan wrinkled his nose just barely, trying to show how disgusted he was with the smell. I know he drinks but he's not big on smoking, I think he's done it only once the entire time I've know him.
"Oh its snowing" He grinned and held his hands out. The girl rolled her eyes and scraped the lit area against the concrete wall, "You look good below me"
"Aww, Ti ammazzo cazzo" Xan grinned madly. Naroo sighed. Am I the only one who didn't catch that? "At least I know you're lieing about the Lieutenant thing"
The girl perked up at that, only in a more offended sense, "Why's that?". Xan opened the gate all the way and let Poppy through, waiting for me and Naroo to get past, but me and him didn't feel like walking to fast.
"Because you look like you've never been in a fight in your life, you knuckles have no scars and today is the test, you'd be right next to Kovik. Not out here smoking" He droned on, bored out of his mind "Oh, and that's the Lieutenant" he pointed at me as I finally walked past him so he could close the gate.
I already was dreading having to talk to people today, I glared at Naroo from the side of my eyes. He said people wouldn't talk to us. When we got up to the doors Poppy was waiting for us, frozen with fear. "Come on, go find the other kids and stay with them, blend in and don't speak" Naroo opened the door for us, though neither him or Xan kept them open for the girl behind us.
The place was filled with people, all from the KAA or from another ally organization. I tensed up with the amount of people in just this room alone. Probably no less then a few hundred in the house part alone. "Where should I go Y/n?" Xan mentioned "I don't feel like seeing all the other assassin's, I've been a little MIA since I came back from Italy"
"Oh you're fine, if anyone has a problem then tell me, you lost someone important to you while in Italy"
He nodded. "Xan no drinking though". He mumbled a 'fine' and walked away amidst the large crowd of people. I could never walk into a group of people that large without being more stressed fish as it watches its friends get yanked out of the water.
"Relax, we just have to find K"
"Right, right" I checked behind me. Poppy had already gone of to fine a group of people she knew or at least was in the same rank as. I passed several familiar faces will I made my way to the stair so I could go to Koviks office. Walking past several rooms filled with, I kept going unbothered until I went by one with a bunch of yearlings in it talking, drinking and just fucking around. I nudged Naroo with my elbow and showed him the room.
"Oh how times change" He laughed. I leaned against the doorframe and looked at them with a bewildered expression, only changing it to look shocked when they started singing in their buzzed state. The funny thing is Kovik never supplies the mansion with real alcohol because of this exact situation, they're drinking a mix of orange and apple juice right now. A young guy noticed me, his hair was reached just barely to the back of his neck, he had dyed light green on the edges of his black hair and wore a baggy t-shirt and long black jeans. He smiled. "Do you want some?" He offered his glass to me.
I shook my head, "What are all of you doing?".
They all looked to me. "I haven't seen you round here before" a girl spoke "Are you a traineeee too?" she started laughing "Go get us more beer, I know the Lieutenant, He'll kill you like" She snapped "That"
"Oh really? I didn't know I got switched out for the role of Lieutenant, who would've taken my place, I mean, no one's taken my offer of 'Knock me out and it's yours' yet, so where do you know me from?"
Her confidence dropped, along with the cup in her hand. "Also none of you are drunk, you're all drinking juice, you think you're baby mouths would be able to down the whiskey and brandy that Kovik likes"
"I'm gonna go look for K" Naroo smiled and backed out of the room "You've got this". I let him go. A girl abruptly stood and accused another "This is your fault, you just have to try and be all superior!" She quickly dropped her empty cup and just decked the other girl. It turned to a small brawl, only ending when a small splatter of blood landed on the wooden floor.
Before one could throw another punch I grabbed them both by the ear and forced them to the floor. "Whose blood is that?". The girl on my right lifted her hand before it dropped. Both of them were breathing heavily.
I let the girl who raised her hand go, pulling the other up, she tried staying on the ground. "You could stand or I could rip your ear off in front of you're 23... 22 friends, I won't count the girl you attacked"
She shakily stood up. "Clean it" I told her, walked to the wall, leaning on it. "W-what?" She looked at the splatter of blood and pointed to it "Cl.. clean it?"
"Yeah, who else would? What'd that do? I mean, I could ha e everyone clean the entire lot that the mansion is on but that's literally a war crime because you're the only one who caused this problem"
"With what?"
"You have a jacket, use that"
"Bu-" I shushed her before she could try and avoid the punishment "If you say another word ill make you clean it with you're tongue" I pulled out my phone, "You're wasting my time. I know your face girl, if after the test this isn't clean I'll fail you"
I left to go talk to Kovik. My phone beeped. Naroo texted, "The test is starting in ten. Get outside, me and Cheng are waiting". I replied with a simple "okay", then put the phone back inside my pocket and began to push myself forward towards the stairs, I wasn't going to wait around for them to finish cleaning it up. I glide down the stairs railing, passing all the people who lounged around on the stairs talking. I did my best to glare at the air in front of me while I shoved past everyone in my way until people just started stepping out of my way without me forcing them.
It was bright outside. The day light shining through the many windows my the glass backdoor. I walked out through the glass door and saw Naroo sitting in a lawn chair with sunglasses on and a large tiger laying down beside him, also wearing sunglasses. "There's no way you were waiting this long Naroo, you called me like 30 seconds ago".
"I'm so old now, you took YEARS! How could you do this? Now I'm old and ugly and useless"
"Are you kidding?"
"Of course, I'd never be an ugly old person. I'll be the sexy old man at the end of the street"
"Ew, that's creepy!" I slapped his arm, "Get going to the field, it takes awhile to get there and someone has to make sure they can't get the... you know"
He made a hand puppet to mock me before he got up and walked to the field where the test would take place, Cheng followed behind him woth long strides. If Pan would be here he'd want a tiger.
"Y/n!" Kovik smiled when he saw me. He walked over do me and gave me a quick side hug "How's my kid doing lately? I heard about you little outburst at the cabin"
"Of course, if I wasn't 100% all the time I'd refrain from doing things that could put us in jeopardy"
"I know, I've never doubted that but I am doubting that you're telling me the truth about whether you're okay or not"
"Sir, this may be out of line but I'd rather not speak about this anymore. I think it's time to set the rules, hmm?"
He sighed and shook his head. "Okay its time!" He shouted. Only people outside with us heard his shout but it quickly spread to the inside of the building, people started walking out in two lines.
How many of these people are actually in the test? So many people look to young to be a full member. Last time there was only a few hundred and that was tiring, I'd say from that group only 14% passed, how many were in that test?
There were about 424 yearlings in the last test that we did. Since on 14% passed thats about 59 kids that passed to be an assassin.
How many are still alive?
I'm not sure, probably 10, usually they pass but that doesn't mean they survive the real thing. They usually think it's easy then get murdered on their first job.
I'll use that so they take this seriously. I want their best, it was so boring last time.
I watched everyone crowd in front of me on the grass. The young men and women that would be participating in the test were lined up in rows before me. Separated by a few feet were all the older more experienced assassin's and hit men mixed with some of the handlers and trainers.
Kovik slapped by back. "Go on, they're listening".
"Ok" I cleared my throat to grab the attention of everyone. I felt everyone staring, it was so obvious.
"Ok" I spoke, "The test will start when we all go to the field, it is 100 acres of land exactly. It has flat ground and a forest. Each of you will be given wooden knifes and a bright colored powder, if you mark me or Naroo 3 times you pass, you each were given a small bag with your names stitched in so that you have an advantage with what ever you brought, it could be a real knife it could be a gun" I caught Poppy's eyes, she nodded "Me and Naroo will have wooden knives as well, we also have to mark you 3 times. If you fail you'll be sent back ti the academy until the next test which only happens every 4 years when the brand new 'trainee's' have completed training. It's highly suggested that you come into this full force blah, blah, blah. Let's go... Oh! Everyone but the kids stay here, no distractions. Okay, good"
I stride past everyone to head to the field, all the potential killers following behind me. In the middle of the field Naroo sat waiting with Cheng, rubbing his belly 6 large crates next to them. Cheng got up and flopped on Naroo. "Noo, no, get off me"
"Naroo get up, I know you like to deceive people but I have a feeling you're not doing this on purpose"
"I'm just a master at mischief, you wish you were me, I get to have fun, how do people always think I'm the old one when we're together"
"Whatever, send him off, the test is starting"
"Right" He sent Cheng back towards where we came and stood by all the crates "Okay! Grab you knives and run away or try and kill me!"
Everyone lined up and grabbed a knife and a pallette of bright dye to line it. Naroo tapped his fingers along his side while he waited, biting the inside of his cheek. His impatience was amusing but I was bored too. "What are we supposed to do? You're gonna come after us as soon as the the timer goes off!"
"We'll let you run, Naroo prefers the hunt"
He spin and flipped his knife, searching for the weakest link in the group in front of him which one he'd go for first. The young teens talked to each other, some making plans others keeping to themselves. My eyes looked for the most dangerous kid but i found the snarky girl we had met at the gate, she looked like she might be tough but she's not who I'm gunning for. Now, where's the killer.
"Hey! So how does this work? Are we allowed to sabotage others?" Someone spoke from the crowd. Idiots "Yes, you can fight amongst yourselves and we will not stop you whether one is dying or not, but one person alone will not beat us. Last year 424 teens were tested and only 59 passed, many of those 59bdied on their first real mission, me and Naroo will be attacking woth intentions to hit your vitals and kill you, good luck"
A loud booming gun shot sounded signaling that it what go time. I flipped my knife and held it in front of me in defense, "Run". A young teen girl in the crowd ran towards me, I stood straight watching her as she tried to mark the wooden knife across my arm.
I grabbed her wrist and twisted the knife out of her hand, once if fell I grabbed her by her face and slammed her into the dirt. A girl behind her stopped in her tracks and turned around running towards the forest. I frowned, was bad at fighting.
Taking my knife I marked the unconscious girl three times. I looked to Naroo and he was gone along with 95% of the kids, I watched them all retreat to the forest and Naroo well, was gone. I stepped on and over the girl, still flipping my knife waiting for one of the young guys or girls to attack.
Kill them
○•○•○
I slowly stepped to them, relining my knife with dye, I couldn't help but grin at their faces studying me as best as they were taught.
One charged at me full speed so I was glad when I side stepped, marking them as they went flying past me.
I moved past the two in front of me while they were distracted with the fall of their friend. I side kicked the girl in the back and shoved the dull wooden blade into the back of the guys knee.
I grabbed his weapon as he toppled to the ground and turned it around to point at her face, but she didn't even try to run away or fight back, she laid, frozen in shock. I marked her like I did the first girl, "Go back and take him with you". I bent down and marked the guy and went to head off to the forest.
I stopped in my tracks. A young, purple headed girl stood with glazed eyes while she looked at me. Her knife wasn't wooden, the small black bag on the floor, it was more of a doctor's knife, one used to cut people open. My lips curled into twisted, sick smile.
"You're the one I want" I pointed the tip of my harmless knife at her. She shared my smile with me and started running to the forest, I followed.
"Faster!" She shouted back to me. I slowly ran behind her, the chase was my favorite. I could feel the excitement bubbling my my head and chest. The best part is I don't know what'll happen.
I sped forward and past her, marking her arm once before I jumped over a dense bush and up a tree. I watched her look around below me, she was laughing and chuckling "you cut me" I listened to her broken up voice as she laughed harder.
I dropped down silently and snuck behind her. She swung around and tried to stab me in the neck but I stopped her before she could graze me, I slammed my fist into her face with a loud smacking sound, the force knocked her down.
"Run, run, I'm getting bored" I requested as I marked her leg with my knife. I went to walk away but her stumbling footsteps behind me alerted me. I reached behind me and grabbed her, I lifted her over me and slammed her to the floor. Her fingernails dug into my palm. I grimaced and stepped on her hands, "I can't have anyone asking about that".
You would be mad at me if one of the normal kids asked because I wasn't careful.
She grinned and smiled while a small line of blood trailed out of her nose. "That hurt" her tongue cleaned the blood off her upper lip "I only have one more chance?"
"No" I reached down to mark her for the final time but stinging pain slashed across my palm
"One" She chimed, she shot up from the ground, ruthlessly slashing at me, trying to get another hit in.
Her merciless advance forced me back a few steps. I put my foot on her stomach and shoved her back. "Faster, you're so fucking slow" I groaned.
She pushed herself forward, right into my fist as I punched her across her face.
Before she could follow the force striking through her body I grabbed her hair and yanked her back and hit her again. A spurt of blood flew out from her mouth.
I held the back of her head with both my hands and smashed her down onto my knee.
Shaking my hands from the blood I crack my knuckles against my jaw and stand, waiting for her to stand again.
"I hope you have dental insurance... PFF I'm joking I don't care" I put my hands up and jabbed her in the face again.
She stumbled back and held onto a tree for support, she spat out a mouthful of blood to the grass and mixed her mouth. "So cutthroat, no wonder you're still alive"
"Yep" I threw another punch her way and I heard the satisfying sound of flesh connecting with flesh as my fist collided with her face again. I went for another but she narrowly dodged it. My hand kept flying but instead of her it indented the tree behind her.
"Man, one more and I really might die" She sputtered, a crazed grin on her face. It's almost like she doesn't realize the situation.
I readied my knife again. Sadly I could feel myself getting tired and bored. It wouldn't be long till I slept again.
My anger was boiling inside. I wanted to rip her apart then and there. I knew I was capable enough to do so, so why shouldn't I? Why am I just playing with her? She's not very fun, barely amusing at most but that's only because she laughs when I hit her.
I kicked her knife from her then tackled her to the ground, I punched her repeatedly across the face only stopping to back kick the person trying to sneak up behind me.
A male teen staggered back, his knife on the floor while he coughed and held his ribs, "Shit!". I turned my attention to him, his breathing hard and his face scrunched up in concentration and pain. Idoit, trying to surprise me, an assassin.
I quickly snatched up my knife in my right hand and marked him three times.
I let out a low grumble, "This game is getting boring". I turned to give the girl her last mark but she was gone. Lazily looking around I shrugged and walked back to the clearing where Naroo sat on top of the green haired teen from before. He struggled and tried to punch Naroo but he quickly grabbed both his arms and held him down. I noticed a gun a few feet away from them. I skipped over to them to mark the kid while he was down but I had to step back when someone launched out to tackle me.
The same girl that was smoking on fence rolled after I dodged and quickly got back to trying to mark me with the knife. A sharp weighted pang of discomfort rung throughout my head.
Ugh, already? Moving my hand so the handle was facing out instead and lunged out to hit her temple but missed.
Another one 1came charging towards me, this time I blocked him andq punched him in the throat. His eyes widened in horror as his hands shot to hold his throat. I shook my head violently as my eyes slowly went to black.
●°•○•°●
"You're fast" she said, her voice was hoarse and raspy.
"What? I guess" I replied, I took a deep breath and rubbed my temples. How long was I out, what happened?
I shake my head from the fog that clouded inside. Mark, mark them, that's your job. That's right.
Me and the girl circled around each other for a bit, "Whats your name?" I asked, watching her shoulder for any flinch of potential movement.
"Ven, it's short for Vendetta. My last names Blanc"
"Interesting, made up your own name?"
She took a slash at me and we switched places, "should you be talking?... How'd you know I made it?"
"There are more like you that did the same. Like Outlaw, we call him Lawrence, he graduated a year before me". I threw my knife at her arm, marking her as it flew past her.
She quickly ran to me and threw her arm up to stab down at me.
I put my arm against her wrist and stopped the swing down. She dropped her knife but I grabbed it before it landed in her other hand and marked her again.
"Who cut you already?" She groaned. I glanced at the knife and my blood was dripping down in small lines down the handle. "I think I know who".
I tossed the knife away and put my fists up I'm a defensive position, staying on my toes. She threw a jab at me but I dodged to the side and hit her hard in the side. I waited for her to through another hit and she did, I let it land and I pulled her forward, her own force of her punch helping me throw her to the floor.
"Hit harder" I winded my foot back and kicked her in the stomach repeatedly. "I won't mark you, but I'll beat the shit out of you until you fight back, do good and pass for me"
I walked over to Naroo and the green haired kid along with a surprise running towards Naroo from behind, Poppy jumped on his back and used her weight to try and pull him off, only she weighed nothing with her small stature compared to Naroo.
It did work when he stood and stepped on the young man to yank Poppy off and slam her down next to him. Poppy reached down and threw her bag at him and yanked the boy up and ran off.
Naroo growled at the rules not allowing him to go after them till the abandoned bag was opened. He waved it in the air and began opening it. I heard a quick "What the.. FUCK!" He threw it in the air as high as he could and almost at its peak it set of an explosion, a small one but enough to injure someone, maybe not kill them.
Well at least she figured out how to do it. I elbowed an attacker on my right and smashed the heel of my foot into the one on my left
I miss Pan.... and Jay. I haven't been away from them for this long in a while. Not that I can remember at least. I kept fighting and knocking them back. I do feel bad for kicking Jay out so fast yesterday, he just wanted attention.
I know! I'll make it up to him when I get back with so much affection!..... Now how do I do that?