"We'll aim for the third marker, here," Sora said, pointing at the black dot on the map spread out between them. "According to Oz, that one should be home to the Trial of Combat which we should be able to pass. Any questions?" she asked, looking around at the rest of her team.
They'd gathered there, in the Central Courtyard they'd come to know so well, early on the morning of their test, with strict orders from Oz to get their hands on some cloaks.
It was either that or they'd be subjected to a week-long training camp, as was customary for the team which failed.
Trials could only be passed once per test, so there was only one chance at each test station. One chance to get a hold of the cloaks and keep their instructor from unleashing hell on them.
The cloaks, according to Oz, weren't much to look at, but they were important – for the future of their team.
Embroidered with a rune for what specialisation they stood for, reaching just a little past their waist, they'd no doubt pull together the image of a team. Well, so long as they got their hands on a set. Sora wasn't sure they would. Not with the glares Silver was already giving Raelynn.
It didn't exactly spell out good intentions.
"We got coats for heading into the forest," Raelynn announced proudly. "I wasn't sure whether we'd all have something warm to wear." She bit her lip, feet shuffling as she held out the bundle of black fabric she'd brought with her. "So there."
"What kind of idiot wouldn't have a coat up here?" Silver snapped, glaring at her, for what Sora was sure to be the hundredth time that morning.
Raelynn bit her lip. "Just put it on." She held out a coat of the appropriate length. "I just wanted you guys to be warm. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"
Sora smiled toothily, placing a hand on Silver's shoulder. "Raelynn was just being nice, so there won't be any problems I hope."
"Get off, peasant." She shook her shoulders, stepping away from Sora, snatching the coat out of her teammate's arms. "It should suffice for this little expedition, not that I needed it or anything."
"Sora..." Eir waltzed closer, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Have you been hanging around with our dear instructor?" she asked.
"Because that mildly threatening statement you just said sounded like it was him talking," Eisa finished off, shuddering slightly.
Sora blinked. "Huh?"
Eir patted her arm gingerly. "Um... Don't worry about it then," she said, turning back to her twin, whispering something which sounded oddly like, "It's started."
Green eyes narrowed, and Sora resisted the urge to sigh. They hadn't even entered the damn forest and she was already exhausted. Today was not going to be her day. She just knew it. "I guess we should make some last minute preparations then."
"Like what?" Callum's voice was small, cheeks bright red as Beatrice squeezed his hand.
"Eir... Eisa..." Sora tossed them the map. "You're in charge of navigation."
"Yay!" Eir grinned.
Beatrice glanced over at her. "What're you gonna be doing then?"
She shrugged. "Keeping the team together," she said, glancing over at Raelynn as the obnoxious blonde attempted to hug Silver.
Attempted.
Silver was oddly adept at dodging all her attempts, an exasperated expression appearing as Raelynn kept at it.
Sora sighed, already knowing she'd have no choice but to pull all the stops out to keep those two from ripping into each other, both with their words and their fists.
Beatrice placed a hand on her shoulder. "Good luck," she mumbled. "I think you'll need it."
"Tell me about it." Sora folded her arms, watching as her team milled about the courtyard, waiting for their beloved instructor to turn up and show them to their test site. None of them had any idea where exactly it was – aside from the fact it was in a gigantic forest somewhere. Surely it couldn't be that hard to miss?
Apparently it was.
A clap of hands pulled them out of their daydreams, or, in Silver and Raelynn's case, the argument going down. "Right, my cute students," Oz said, standing directly behind Sora, and she just knew he was smirking at the slight tense in her shoulders. She hadn't sensed him at all... most likely because he'd just got there, but still...
"About damn time you got here!" Raelynn harrumphed, folding her arms across her nice new black coat, looking rather pleased with herself as their instructor eyed them sceptically. "We've been waiting here for hours!"
"Stop exaggerating, peasant," Silver hissed, elbowing the blonde sharply. "You're just making us waste more time."
"Come on, my cute students," Oz said, turning on his heel, striding out through the stone archway leading to their usual meeting point. "You've got a forest to stumble through, and some cloaks to grab... because you're going to get them – whether you like it or not... unless you want to experience the lovely ideas I've thought up for a delightful training camp to bring you all up to scratch."
The twins shuddered, Eisa biting her lip as she stared at the ground.
Sora simply smiled, trudging after Oz, knowing her team would follow. None of them wanted to be forced to endure whatever hell Oz called training and missing the test would be a sure-fire way to ensure that happened.
"We're dead," Callum whispered, Sora's sharp ears twitching as she caught wind of his quiet voice. She'd compliment it too, if only to give the poor boy some confidence, but she had the strangest feeling Beatrice wouldn't like it. Her instincts warned her against angering the taller girl, and Sora trusted them.
Beatrice patted his head. "There, there."
"Come on imbecile," another voice hissed.
"I'm coming, OK!"
Sora sighed. The two idiots were still arguing, and she was honestly surprised Oz hadn't quietened them down already with his fists. He'd done it for less.
"Where is this forest we're going to?" she asked, stumbling to catch up with their instructor – and no, no matter what that Beckett guy might've said, she didn't look like a duckling.
"It's in the West Quadrant – that's the blue strips on the street signs, in case you couldn't guess," he added, pointing at the nearest street sign, which unsurprisingly had a blue strip running down its side. "Most of the forests and training grounds can be found in this part of the city, but there are a few in the Northern Quadrant too... though you're best staying away from those ones. They're far more dangerous for cute little minions such as yourself."
"I look forwards to the challenge," Sora said, scuffing her shoes against the smooth tiling of the street. The stone tiles were worn down from constant use, numerous pale grey brick and wood fences lining the sides of the complex maze of paths they were wandering down. Actual buildings were few and far between, and Sora prayed they contained toilets and other hygiene facilities.
No doubt they'd be using one of those training grounds soon enough, and she didn't particularly want to trek halfway across the city just to use the toilet. She didn't feel particularly invigorated about the idea of peeing in a bush either. That would be far too unhygienic for her tastes.
But if a push came to a shove... she'd deal with it.
Somehow.
"Is that it?" Callum asked, raising his voice slightly higher than what Sora had thought him capable of, his eyes fixed on the trees just about visible over the next set of fencing along.
The fencing surrounding the forest was ridiculously tall from what she could see, almost four times the height of the walls around it, made from that same pale weathered brick. It concealed anything and everything from view. Well, aside from the treetops, and those didn't look particularly inviting – thick and murky, the leaves a surprisingly dark shade of green.
"Of course," Sora muttered. "We just had to get the creepiest looking forest possible."
Oz patted her on the back, guiding her and the rest of his minions to the gateway. "All part of the fun of it, Truant."
"We are so visiting one of those fancy bath houses after this fiasco," Beatrice mumbled, eyeing the muddy grass waiting for them on the other side of the gate.
Sora smiled. "We could even turn it into a team bonding session, you know..."
Beatrice grinned. "Sounds fine with me."
"Baths?" Eir perked up. "Count me in."
"I'll probably need one after this is over," Silver said, folding her arms as she stared determinedly away from them all. "So, I suppose I could tag along."
"Awesome!" Raelynn yelled. "Now that's something we get to look forward to!"
"I'm a guy..." Callum mumbled, face bright red.
Raelynn stared at him blankly. "Your point?"
"Um... you have to take your clothes off to bathe..." he stuttered, ears burning a bright red to match his face. "And... like... they're separated by gender..."
"It's fine." Beatrice pulled his arm into her chest, smirking widely in a way which had Sora worried. "You can be an honorary girl for the night."
"But—"
Eir glanced over at him. "Just say yes."
"Yes."
"See?" Beatrice smirked. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"