Today was the day. Today was the day Tia would start training to become a real starship ranger. What she had always dreamed of becoming. She tied her long, jet black hair back into a loose pony tail and neatened it up with a red bandana. Then put on her uniform and saw that it completely drowned her. Tia rummaged through her clothes and found a white tank top. She ditched the camouflage top and put on her tank top instead, then found a belt for her ridiculously loose bottoms. That was better, it was more her style. Tia knew that she was the youngest person ever to be taken on my the training academy so she wanted to make an impression. Tia wasn't just some stupid little girl who wanted a cute little adventure in the stars, she was a tough son of a bitch. The little Mexican girl headed over to the Hall where a ceremony was being held to introduce the new students. The hall was massive, how on earth was she meant to find her way around? Thankfully, as if on cue -
"Would all new trainee students please report to the stairs" Tia looked around to find the stairs and found a small set of steps leading up to a platform where she figured they would be introduced on. Numerous people glanced in her direction as she walked by, she silently swore that if any looked at her the wrong way she would stab them. She looked sideways to a group of people who seemed to be staring at her. They looked about 4 years older than Tia but she was probably strong enough to fight them all. Just as she was about to turn back and carry on, she found herself lost. Surrounded by a lot of tall people who she couldn't see past. Tia spun around frantically trying to find a way out was she almost fell over but was steadied by someone.
"Woah, careful. You don't wanna get lost now." A thick southern accent was presented in this persons voice. Tia turned around to be met by saphire blue eyes staring back at her
"Uh, si. Lo siento señor." She was a little nervous, this never happened to Tia, she was the toughest hijo de puta on earth. But her first day was getting worse and worse. She was so nervous that she forgot English.
"What? Sorry, I don't speak umm...whatever you're speakin' in." Tia had to think hard to find the words.
"Of course, sorry. I'm a little lost, it's my first day." The fair haired man raised his eyebrows.
"You're a student here? Dead God, how old are you?"
"Quince - sorry, I mean fifteen."
"Fifteen?! You must be one tough son of a gun! Tell me, whats your name?" Tia was pleased that she didn't receive some sort of pep talk about how difficult it was at the academy because she knew. She had always known.
"My name is Tia. Tia Ariella Ziera." The man, who looked around 18, processed her name and repeated it under his breath but Tia could still hear.
"Well there's hardly a chance that I'll remember that so I think I'm just gonna call you Taz. That alright with you?" Taz. She liked that name. It was less girly than Tia, it had a bit more character in it.
"Si, mucho. ¿Y tu? What is your name?"
"My name's Walker Up but everyone calls me Up. So now that we know each other, I think its time the rest of the academy did too so you'd better go on up to the stairs." Up smiled at her.
"Um, wait. Could you show me where dey are?" Taz hated feeling this vulnerable, it was stupid and small but she couldn't help it, for the first time in her life, she was surrounded by people who were probably just as tough as she was.
"Oh of course! Yeah, follow me." Up lead Taz through crowds of students, all who looked at least 2 years or older than Taz. It gave her a sense of pride. She was younger than all of these people but clearly just as able or she wouldn't have been accepted into the academy.
"Here ya'are. Well, I guess I'll see you up there then Taz!" Up waved as he walked off through the mounds of people. Taz turned around to see two girls who looked a few years older than Taz. They looked excited which made Taz feel edgy.
"OMG. Were you with Walker Up just then? He is so gorgeous. I am toats jel of you!" Great. Needy girls who fancied Up.
"Si." She blunty replied. She girls just stared at her for ages which pissed Taz off as she hated being stared at which wasn't ideal seeing as she would have a whole academy looking at her in a few minutes. Even so, she still reacted reasonably passive which was absolutely massive for Taz.
"¿Que pasa?" She asked in an irritated tone.
"What?" The blonde girl with way too much make up on for her own good asked. The other girl with light brown hair tapped her friend quickly.
"I think she is from like, Canada...or wherever they speak spainlandish." Taz could not believe what she was hearing. These girls where total dumb shits. How the hell did they get into to the academy?
"No no! I think you mean Spanish! And don't they speak it in like, Spain? Is that where you're from?" The blonde on asked in a patronizing voice.
"OK, numero uno: I do speak English. Numero dos: No I'm from Mexico. Now. You're in my way so get out of it por fa vor." The girls looked a little shocked but moved so that Taz could get through. She wondered on up to the steps and waiting to be registered. After that, she was told that she would be the last to go on seeing as she was the youngest. This was literally her worst nightmare. More and more people had been up onto the platform to be welcomed and her turn was coming quickly. A tall and slightly plump man walked over to her.
"Hello, Tia. My name is Mr. Miller and I will be your headmaster whilst you are at the academy. Now, are you ready? Its your turn after this young lady." He pointed to a tubby girl who had just waddled up on the platform.
"Si." Mr. Miller looked at her before remembering that she was a foreign student from Mexico.
"You do speak English, don't you Tia?" She didn't want to be called Tia anymore. That was her old name. She wanted the name that Up gave to her but she figured that they would have to use her real name for the ceremony.
"Yes I do."
"Good. Right let's go then!" Taz huffed and walked up the stairs confidently. She felt her knife that was strapped to her belt dig into her hip which wasnt a great feeling.
"And finally, we have Tia Ariella Ziera, who has joined the academy at just the age of 15 making her the youngest ever student to be accepted." Everyone fell silent and just watched Taz. Then she heard mutters and whispers such as 'she's so young!' And ' She'll get crushed, she's way too small.' Which really pissed Taz off then she to her relief -
"Whooo! Go on Taz!" She recognized the voiced and scanned the crowd to find Up, smiling and clapping. A lot of people around Up joined in and soon enough the academy was cheering.
"Yes. Congratulations Tia." Taz walked off in the direction of the stairs. She was just about to escape back to her room when she was caught by a hand on her shoulder.
Up found Taz amongst the rest of the students and caught up with her. He didn't know why but this little girl meant something to him, she wasn't all girly and excited whenever he spoke to her, he liked that.
"Hey Taz!" Up watched her spin around and grin.
"You did great up there ya know!"
"Gracias for the cheers. Some hijo de putas were about to get a broken rib for what dey were saying." Her face dropped and she had a hint of rage in her eyes.
"Man I wish I took Spanish now. But um, what were they saying?" Up was in his second year at the academy and knew that most feared him, fancied him or were friends with him so anyone who was insulting Taz would get a punch.
"Saying dat I'm too little or young and dat I won't be able to cope. Dey don't know a god damn thing. I will throw a knife at them." Up laughed.
"Well your a feisty little thing, clearly and yeah, I did notice the knife you tucked into your belt but thankfully I don't think anyone else did."
"I always have it on me somewhere." Up just smiled. She was strange, a good strange but unlike any other person he had never known before.
"So, where you stayin'?"
"Room 23 down de corridor from here, I'm trying to escape dis estupida ceremony." Room 23 was 2 rooms away from Up's, he was in 25.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Up didn't particularly enjoy the academy get togethers so he was all for leaving.
"You are coming too?" He looked at Taz who had a mischievous glint in her dark chocolate eyes.
"Yeah, this just reminds me of being up on that damn platform last year, boring and stupid." Taz gave him a looked of shock and disbelief.
"Your only in your second year?"
"Uh huh! I was accepted underage too ya know, I was sixteen when I got in and seventeen this year. Now come on, people will start to be suspicious if we hang around the doors for too long." They sneaked out through the side doors and wandered down through the corridors.
"Right, your at 23 and I'm at 25 so this should be pretty easy. When does your first class start and what is it?"
"Its combat fighting at 11."
"Oh good, I'm in the gym till 11.30 so I might just go see how you are. No pressure."
"I work best under pressure." She smirked.
"Well then, I'll see you then!"
"Hasta luego, Up!"