"Normally pick-up drivers use the Praga V3S model to do their pickups. They can do a ton of things with their trucks and pick a lot of different models but, overall, the Praga V3S is the most commonly used. Now, believe it or not, they use teleportation to transport us around."
"What?! How?"
"They use a material called Coruantic."
"Oh! I know what that is! But, how is that transporting us along with the vehicle?"
"Well, they create a portal."
"What do you mean?"
"Coruantic is a type of hollow crystal. Normally we crush them down to dust and put in our own materials to keep it stable. We use the dust by infusing it into things like our suits and weapons. At its purest crystal form, it can create a portal if the edge is broken off, allowing the inside of the crystal to release. Crystals all do different things depending on what color they are. These are the blue crystals. The front of these trucks are filled with these crystals and it takes about five minutes to place the portal and set coordinates. It's all automatically done with a single push of a button after you set your coordinates. However, it takes time to do it right. When it's done properly the portal should be shot right in front of the vehicle. Then they drive right through it and then, you should be at those coordinates. Of course, it's very dangerous as it can take you right into their realm if you don't do the proper procedure. I'm not exactly sure of what it is since I'm not a driver."
"Geez. That's very complicated, haha."
"Yeah, but it pays extremely well. A lot of people want the job so it's always filled. Once they accept you, you then have to go through some immense training. They get assigned a squad to pick up and in the end, it's well worth it. They also have a Shotgun and no, not the gun. It's a job title and, similar to roommates or normal partners, they're permanently partnered with drivers. The Shotgun protects the driver and the pickups in a worst-case scenario."
This place is really well built up. Everything has a system and everyone is dependent on it. I wonder how long has this place has been around?
"Of course, that's very unlikely to ever happen. As I said before, they go through immense training for this job."
.......
James gets out of the truck, I believe it's to get the next soldier. I look around and everyone here is talking having a good time. They all seem so comfortable and at ease. The guy next to me is sitting down, his face covered by a cap, probably meaning he's asleep. I shouldn't bother him but, I have questions and honestly, I need to get to know more people. I think it's easier if I ask him of all people because he's not in a conversation already. So, here goes nothing.
I tap his shoulder a couple of times. He groans and takes his hat off to look at me.
"What do you want?"
He's calm, thank goodness. I was sure he would get mad because I woke him up.
He has dark skin and he's buff. I can't say for sure, but, he's probably five foot, eight inches tall. He has black cornrows and a short beard. He has what looks to be golden yellow eyes! Weird.
"Sorry. I'm new here and I just wanted to ask a few things... If that's alright."
"Ight man, what's up?"
"Well... I guess I just wanna know how everyone's so comfortable with this? Like, our lives are in danger here. How are they allowed to do this?"
He chuckled and stares for a moment...
"You realize we protect the world, right? It's kinda something we can't just ask people to do. Nobody wants too... As for why everyone's so comfortable, is because of how they treat us. It's a rough system and a lot to learn but, whether you realize it or not, they try to give us the best life possible."
"What do you mean?"
"If you haven't noticed, this isn't a normal military. They aren't strict and they even have a fucking mall the size of a town. The shopping district. They have tons of entertainment and, hell, you can do anything you want. A ton of shit here is for fun and they make you feel like you're living a full life. They have rules and can be hella blunt and dramatic about shit. Like punishments going as far as death. They recognize we are risking our lives unwillingly."
"Damn. I guess you're right. Normal militaries don't have this kind of freedom. If you don't mind me asking, you wouldn't happen to know how this all happened, would you?"
"Look, man, I don't really care to give you a history lesson right now, so how about ya go to someone else. I'm trying to get some rest today before my match."
"You're match?"
"Hey, Nathaniel! You met Marcus."
"Oh, hey James. Yeah, sort of."
Marcus? Rosalin had mentioned this guy before. She mentioned him while she told me about the story of the old champion. He was there for that whole event...
"Yo Liz, is that you?"
Fuck! That was who James went to go get. She probably hates me again.
"Hey, Marcus! Long-time no see."
They grab each other's right hand and pulls toward each other, half hugging...
"How ya been, girl?"
"Could be better. I'm ight though."
"That's good shit."
"Lizzie, Nathaniel's here as well y'know."
"You know this guy, Lizzie?"
"Yeah... He's my new partner."
"No fucking kidding... Ey! You better hold yo own weight, ya feel? Lizzie ain't partnered with no bitches."
"Yeah, he a bitch, Marcus."
"Nah, for real? What's a little bitch-boy done, Lizzie?"
Oh god. Now he's going to hate me. Fuck! It's happening here too. No matter what I'm either hated or a loser or, hell, even both!
"Wait, did I miss something or what? Nathaniel's a good guy. He's just been given a bad hand. C'mon Lizzie, this ain't about him being a cripple, is it?"
"..."
She sighs...
"I just don't like him, James."
"Well, I think he's alright. Just give him time, Lizzie. He is, after all, still alive for someone who isn't supposed to be here."
"James, whatchu talking about?"
"You guys know I'm right here, right?"
"..."
"He's not supposed to be here. His blood, organs, and skin tissue are too weak for the endoskeleton. For whatever reason, he's perfectly fine however, General thinks his body will give up any moment. General also said that he won't be nearly as strong as any of our soldiers. Then, General went on about how his dad used to tell him shit and that he thinks Nathaniel's special."
"No wonder you ain't like him, Lizzie. He a damned mistake!"
"James, can you fuck off and take Nathaniel with you. Y'all are pissing me off."
"What did I do?"
"Fuck! Off!"
James grabs my arm and takes me to the back of the truck...
"Geez. So James, how do you know Lizzie and Marcus?"
"It's kinda personal."
"Oh okay, sorry I didn't mean-"
"An ex of mine. She's best friends with Lizzie."
"Rosalin?"
"Yeah. How'd you know?"
"Well, I'm training with the Warriors and I guessed her because she's close with Lizzie. Rosalin hates me."
"Woah, really? Lucky you, but, I guess I understand with your circumstances. Wait, Rosalin hates you!? She doesn't hate anyone except me! How did you manage to do that?"
"I was saying bad things about Lizzie and she completely changed. What happened between you and her?"
"Nothing really... I just wasn't good enough. One day she was offered to be a Warrior and at the time partners had to be ranked together. Eventually, we were doing a mission and I messed up pretty bad. She got hurt and, well... She left me behind. I lost my rank and had to restart. Ever since Lizzie had to restart, she's been more open toward me. I guess because I'm the only one who understands what it's like."
"Damn, I'm sorry. Uhm. Thanks for sticking up for me, James."
"Of course, man. We gotta stick together around here. Plus, there isn't a reason to hate you. They are very judgmental people... Mostly Lizzie anyway. If she doesn't like someone then nobody likes them. Obviously, I'm exaggerating but, hell, it practically is that way."
"Yeah, I'm well aware of her social status. It's fucked me for years."
"Years?"
"I've known her forever, basically."
We chat for a while until we make it to the base.
.......
"I'll see you later James."
"See ya, Nathaniel."
"Hey, Nathaniel. Come here."
"Lizzie, I'm-"
"Shut up! Just come here."
We walk in silence... Where is she taking me? We aren't heading to our barracks. Are we already going to train?
"Where are we going?"
"Normally, first training day, everyone waits till 05:00 to get assigned their group to train with. Besides the fact that we already know who we are training with, they will be training us extra hard and also for nearly the entire time we're here. So be prepared for the next two months of living hell."
"Two months? I thought it was just one!"
"Dumbass, think about it. For every real-time day, we're here for two frozen days. So one real-time month of training means two frozen months of training."
"They should've clarified that."
"You shouldn't assume. Especially since you don't know shit about this place."
"..."
"Lizzie, I'm sorry. For everything. I shouldn't have said any of that, it was wrong."
"Forget it. You don't want me in your life. I shouldn't have given you a chance to know me. We aren't friends or anything. I'll find a way to get a new partner. You're just an asshole and now, I know who you really are."
Guilt fills my stomach making me sick. I don't know what to say. Maybe she's right.
We finally arrive at the Warrior's barracks. Siberius is waiting at the front door for us.
"Ah, you two made it. Let's get you two settled in."
"Wait, settled in?"
"Hasn't Z719 told you? Both of you are going to be living here throughout your training."
"Really!? Well... I-It's an honor!"
"Heh. Well, let's get into it."
.......
We get shown to our room and we receive a few things to keep inside. We have separate beds and it's pretty big compared to our other room. We have two of our own bathrooms and two floors. The top floor is our bedroom and the bottom floor is our living room. There's a kitchen, living room, game room, bathroom, and more throughout the entire building.
"Alright you two, join us in the living room and we'll get started."
We follow Siberius into the main living room where all of the Warriors are lined up together.
"So we've decided as a group, considering this situation, that it's best to train you two separately. You will train with each of the Warriors for a week. On each of the weekend days, we will train both of you all together as a group. So, Z719 you will be training with N471224. Z237, you'll be training with P120. As for everyone else, get prepared for our mission today. R024117 and H0117, you two will be partners for today while your real partners are training. Alright, everyone, you know your job. Let's get to it!"
Pico comes up to me and wraps his arm around my neck.
"Entonces, ¿te gusta Lizzie?"
"Dude! I don't speak Spanish."
"Yeah, I get it, amigo. So I hear what's up between you and Rosa. You speaking shit about Liz, hmm?"
Shit! He's going to kill me! Lizzie said he always looks out for her. Fuck!
"Look, man, I just wasn't thinking straight. I said shit I didn't mean and I just fucked up."
"Look here, amigo. You don't need to talk no shit on Lizzie. Also heard what you do to her yesterday. But ey, reason I ain't beat the fuck out of ya, amigo, for the simple vibe the hermosa chica given me about ya."
"Who?"
"Lizzie... Ya see, she with Zand and she still talking of ya more than her novio. Hell, she be talking to you more than she talk to him, amigo."
"What are you getting at, Pico?"
"Listen. She likes you. She's a weird one. Don't tell her I told you, but, she naturally hates most guys. That don't seem like it make much sense but, lemme tell you, she doesn't let any guy near her. She knocked out a couple of dudes for coming to close. She ain't do you that way. She ain't nearly as aggressive toward ya and she be lightly flirting."
"Dude. Shut up, man. None of what you said is true. She's hated me forever. Lately, she's just been confused."
He sighs.
"She talks to me on the regular whether she buying food or just texting, she always talking about you. Even before recently. She used to talk about Zander always getting distracted to hurt you, as I quote, Nathaniel has become more important to Zander than I am to him. Slowly, she talk less about Zander and more about you. Recently, she be texting the fuck outa my phone. Always about you, saying she stuck with you on an assignment and she had to meet ya parents for the assignment. Then, I see you two together at my shop, holding hands and shit. Then later the same night, she complaining, how she don't understand you, and complained about you more... What I'm saying, amigo, is she don't complain about her worst enemies or anyone this way. It don't seem good, but, she hiding how she feeling. I can tell, amigo."
I kinda blank out. Does she really like me? But, she told me we wouldn't work.
"I'm out of her league. She can't be with a loser like me. She said so."
"Love always finds a way, amigo. She will follow her heart. After all, she's never felt this way about anyone before. Not even with Zander. I've never seen her so passionate before, amigo."
"Well, I don't like her anyway."
"If ya say so. She a perfect Hermosa chica. Any guy would die for one like her. You one lucky guy for her to like you. But, believe what ya want, amigo. I'm just telling ya how it is."
He tells me to follow him and that he has a special place to go train me today.
.......
As we walked farther and farther, the poorer the areas around us looked. We started going through alleyways and eventually came across this cemented slope going underground. I tried talking to Pico to ask where he's taking me but, he kept on walking onward.
I'm starting to hear chanting and screaming, metal being clanged, glass breaking, and what sounds like loud slow drum patterns. My heart starts racing with adrenaline. I'm honestly kinda scared and anxious...
Pico finally stops at this metal door then turns to look at me.
"You don't talk to nobody, ya hear?"
"Uh, yeah. What is this place?"
He ignores me. He turns, makes a fist, and bangs on the door three times...
A rectangular metal peephole slides open with a guy staring toward us.
"Ey! Pico!"
"Hola, Jesus! Lemme come in."
"..."
"Woah ahora, quien es este?"
"Un nuevo luchador. Solo para agregar un poco de sangre fresca a este viejo basurero."
"Ah, then welcome, carne muerta."
"Uhm... Pico, what were y'all saying?"
He, again, ignores me as the metal door opens and we walk inside. This place is full of people. Some people are covered in piercings and dressed in black clothing some with spikes. Some women are half-naked and probably drugged. Some of them are dressed in either biker gang clothing or no shirt at all. Almost everyone is tattooed and some have crazy hair. Everyone here looks bad and rough...
Suddenly I see this huge cage the people are surrounding. Some people are on the second floor above the cage too. In the cage is this huge sweaty muscular guy with long black hair and there's a not so big guy getting pummeled into the cage wall. There's blood all over the cage floor and also on the smaller guy's face. It seems smushed in. Why did Pico take me here?
We head toward this bar area...
"Ya want anything to drink, amigo?"
"No thanks. What exactly are we doing here? What's the training?"
"..."
"Look, amigo. Tell me ya gonna learn from our training today, ya hear?"
"Well, that is the point of you training me. Tell me what we are doing here!"
He takes a shot of some alcoholic beverage and walks away. We soon go into this small room where there's a formally dressed guy at a desk with security guards around him.
"Who's fighting and for what division?"
"This guy. He be wanting to fight the Champ."
What!? Pico is sending me in there to fight!?
"Hmm, he doesn't look like much."
"Trust me, amigo. It be the fight for ages!"
"Mhm... What's his fighter name?"
"Zsen!"
What? How does he know about that? Why is he signing me up for this? I don't know how to fight! But, he's my trainer and I don't think I'm in a good position to get out of this.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
"Alright, sign here. Here. And here... Good! Y'all are set to go. Just follow my assistant here, he will take you both to your side of the cage. Good luck! You'll need it."
We follow one of the security guards and he leads us to the corner of the cage. There is a part of the cage that's locked up with chains. I guess that's the entrance. It looks like it can be opened to go in. Those two guys are still fighting. The black-haired guy just tossed the other guy over his shoulders. He grabs the poor guy by the hair then puts his other hand at his neck...
Oh my god! He just ripped his head off! Fuck! I'm so dead!
Hey! The guy regenerated! He just appeared outside the cage in a regeneration field. It's just an empty area with a light green fog in it. There are metal beams spaced out in the field which I'm pretty sure it's dangerous...
"Pico I can't do this! What are you thinking?"
"Ey, you gonna toughen up. Ya proving me and everyone here you ain't no cripple. Give you a better name for ya-self. Give people down here a good fight, win or lose, they'll love ya. Word will spread and you gonna get popular in a good way rather a bad one."
I pause for a moment. I'm worried but, this isn't a completely bad idea. Who I'm going up against is my biggest concern.
Suddenly they open the cage door an-Gahh!
I got pushed inside the cage! They locked it behind me. I guess there is no going back now...
"Welcome, underground dwellers!"
*The Crowd Roars!*
This announcer guy has a very scratchy voice. Damn, this place is like the ghetto of the military.
"If yo fools enjoyed that last match, then prepare for this next one! We got that fucking cripple here today for all yo bloodthirsty asses. Over here to the right, our reigning champion... Cleaver!"
*The Crowd Cheers and starts Banging metal pipes against the cage and poles!*
"And on the left, Zsen the Cripple!"
People start booing... Hey! I hear a couple of people cheering! I hear a few people yelling, you better win or I'll kick your ass and about how they bet on me or something of the sort.
So this guy is the champion of the ring. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
I open my eyes, stare straight toward him, and put my arms up...
I have to try!
For my reputation!