Arc 1 - Chapter 12: The Second Day of Training

(Prominis 20, 56 / 6:00AM)

“GOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOORRRRNIIIINNNNGGGG LAAAAAGEEEEFOOOORRRR!!!!!”

Gwen yelled into the microphone again, her face still recovering from Luna’s punch from yesterday.

Inside Luke’s room, he woke up with drool streaming from the sides of his mouth. His sweat dream being cut off short, he screamed internally from the inside, exhaling out a steam of air.

—I was having a good dream!

Of what, Luke?

Getting ready fast, Luke changed into his black clothes. Upon exiting his room, the rest of the candidates did the same. Similar to the exact same situation as yesterday, there was one person missing…

“Luna’s still asleep? Guess I have to—”

Both David and Jenny grabbed a hold of Gwen’s arms, holding Gwen back with clenched fingers. Even though she was being held by both of them, Gwen moved her body at a snail’s pace as she tried to reach Luna’s door.

“Don’t go in.” Said David.

“Please don’t! You’re still recovering!” Yelled Jenny.

Gwen had a little bandage strip across her nose, followed by her right cheek pressed upon by a white clothed bandage. Along with her right eye being heavily bruised and swollen, she continued to stomp and thunder the oak wooden floor.

“It’s my duty!”

“To wake them up, not give them purple nurples…” Said David.

“Then who should wake her then?”

Gwen, Jenny, and the rest of the candidates all looked over at David, their eyes gleaming with hope. Knowing that it was his job to handle Luna, he started walking over to her room, his face calm.

But the door to Luna’s room was open.

‘What?’ thought David.

Peeking his head from within, he noticed Luke had entered inside.

‘Get the hell out of there!’

Tip-toeing to Luna’s bed, not a creak of the wood beneath him screamed, as he reached his destination. Seeing her sleeping face, shards of drool streamed from her lips, making him remember the line of dialogue from yesterday.

[Once you get to know her, you can understand where she’s coming from]

—Here goes nothing.

Extending his hand out, he gently tugged Luna’s shoulder. His face warm, and eyes relaxed like an old dog-human, he gulped aloud.

—Just hope she’s in a good mood.

Luna opened her eyes. Immediately upon setting eyes on him, her eyes glared at him, leading her to…

“Get out!”

Silenced anger filled every part of her face. Getting out of bed, she grabbed Luke by the back of his collar, leading him to dangle in the air as she stood tall. Turning herself toward the door, Luke also turned with her, while keeping her left hand on Luke’s collar. And by using her right hand, she grabbed the bottom of his shirt, while tilting his body down so that he looked like luggage.

As she positioned a throwing stance.

“Wait! Wait! Wait—”

Using every ounce of muscle within her body, she threw him out of the room like a missile, and because his friends watched with curious eyes …

All of them tumbled to the ground, from the impact of Luke’s tiny body.

“Ow.” Yelp Luke.

His chin lay swollen on the ground, as it was still bruised from yesterday night. Unable to see the inside of Luna’s room, he was able to hear the door slam shut.

He remained motionless to the ground. Not only that, but Luke’s fists were clenched, but in no time, he burdened it down in his heart…

“Looks like we’ll be having breakfast now. Try to catch up with everyone!” Yelled Gwen.

“I’ll wait for her.” Said David.

David stopped by Luke who remained motionless, his body on top of his friends who groaned continuously. Glancing at Luke, he nodded in approval, before walking into Luna’s door.

As the other candidates followed Gwen to the dining hall, Luke’s friends quickly got up from the floor. They then looked at Luke with sentiment, who was still on the floor.

“I don’t know how you do it.” Said Fred.

“If you want Luke, I could buy you a drink.” Said Gary.

‘Lucky’ thought Diego.

Stan extended out his right hand. “Here, let me help you—”

But one of the candidates stayed behind, a girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Slipping past the group of boys with ease, even Stan took a step back with a surprised face, as the four of them looked away nervously.

Luke looked up, noticing her hands quivering.

“D-Do you need something?”

Hope watched him silently. Thrusting her hand out, she grabbed onto Luke’s hand, pulling him up by force. Getting on his feet, Hope’s eyes remained focused on his, causing him to look away blushingly.

“You shouldn’t be dealing with this. I don’t understand why you push yourself for her.”

“It’s okay, really.”

She looked at his chin, still shaded in a hideous purple. Wrinkling her nose, her hand tightened around his, as she turned her body to the direction of the dining hall.

“Let’s go. Hold my hand.”

“Really, I’m fine—”

“Now.”

“ … ok.”

Being dragged willfully, Luke looked down to the floor with a blushing face. Leaving the four of his friends behind, they all darkened their faces.

‘‘‘‘I take it all back…’’’’ thought the four of them.

________________________________________________________________________

(Prominis 20, 56 / 12:02PM)

—Finally lunch…

Getting back from training, Luke’s entire body was shriveled with exhaustion. His arms feeling like noodles, he barely had the strength to lift a feather. His legs utterly sore, every step he took was a muscle on the border of cramping.

Grabbing his tray of food, he found two wooden tables on the far end of the dining hall. Reaching toward one of them, he settled himself down, waiting for the others to arrive.

Luke clenched his metal spoon, once his stomach started growling, leaving him no choice but to devour the plate like an animal. Mash potatoes, miso soup, he left a mess in its wake. Halfway upon finishing his tray, two boys sat on the opposite side of him. Resorting to a more classical way of eating, he tilted his head up at the two beast-humans.

“H-Hey Cameron, hey Ryan…”

Both boys were considered beast-humans.

Cameron was a horse-human, looking to be a year younger than Luke. Having more human characteristics, he had brown eyes and dark brown hair, his hair straight and long. Along with having a big nose and long ears, he was a lot taller than Luke, but had the same slim build as him.

Ryan was a bunny-human, and was a year older than Luke. Contrast to Cameron, he had more bunny characteristics, followed by having small beady black eyes and medium black hair. Having a short nose, long floppy ears, he looked shorter than Luke. Similar to Cameron, he had the same slim build.

“I saw your fight with Luna yesterday. Surprised you’re still alive.” Said Ryan.

“The way you pulled out that perfume was such a cool play! I should have a perfume bottle with me!” Said Cameron.

“It’s nothing really …”

“You’re smart, you know that?” Said Ryan.

“I get that a lot.”

“Looks like we’re expanding the friend group.” Said Fred.

Fred, Gary, Stan, and Diego sat at the table near Luke, Ryan, and Cameron. With all seven of them eating their lunch trays, Fred gazed his eyes all around the room, until he settled them on a table full of girls.

He noticed a girl with blonde hair, staring at Luke, which made Fred smug out a grin.

“Hope’s looking at you.”

“W-Where!?”

Luke frantically looked around, as sweat began to puncture his pale body. Sure enough, she saw her eating with two other girls. Once Luke caught a whiff of her staring, she spun her head back to her plate, munching her food and reddening her face.

—Looks like she’s eating with Gemma and Loraine. I know Gemma is in our age group but why is an eight-year-old signing up for the Dark Angels…

Luke turned his attention toward a table of three teenage boys, who were none other than Miles, Jack and Sean. Focusing his eyes on the ginger-haired elf, Luke clicked his tongue, as his eyes narrowed evermore.

He could forgive Gary, but Sean…

“Out of all the candidates, Luna’s the most antisocial of the bunch.” Said Diego.

“Not antisocial, crazy. She almost killed Luke, the bitch.” Said Stan.

“Quiet, she might hear you…” Said Fred.

“I’m just saying, she isn’t normal.” Said Stan.

“Maybe she can’t express herself properly…” Said Luke, his voice as meek as a mouse.

Luke looked down toward his hands, his palms becoming more clammy the more he thought of a ‘certain’ girl. Sweat trickling from his temples, he felt like somebody was watching him in the shadows.

As the rest of the boys continued to eat their lunch, Gary had a thought sprung to his head. Gulping down whatever miso soup, mixed with potatoes, into his stomach, he placed his knuckled fist underneath his chin.

“There are a lot of weird candidates.”

“Except for that Sean dude. The most he did was prank Luke, but Luke had to go to the infirmary room again because of it.” Said Diego.

“What?”

“Didn’t you hear Stan? Luke had a bad encounter with—”

Stan sprung himself out of his seat, stomping through the floor toward Luke. The rest of the boys continued eating, with Cameron and Ryan averting their eyes from the friend drama. Towering over Luke, Stan had his hands lowered to his waist.

“Is this true?”

Luke released a slow nod, which caused Stan to look over where Sean was sitting. Curling his fingers, Stan’s hands resorted themselves to fists, his eyes twitching underneath his freckles.

“That pointy-eared bastard…”

“You're an elf too.” Said Gary.”

“Hold on Stan…”

Just as Stan was about to walk toward the table, Luke’s hand grabbed on his wrist. Letting go of his glaring eyes, he turned toward Luke, his cheeks already pushed down and softened.

Gary, Fred, and Diego let their trays nestle on their tables, as they barricaded Stan so nobody sees his rage.

“How can he and that crazy psycho be called elite soldiers if they treat you like shit? This is disgusting.”

Despite the difference in strength, Stan didn’t want to push them out of the way. Instead, Stan turned his stare at Luke’s fingers, which were pinching the sleeve of his long sleeve shirt. Eyes filled with confusion, he pushed up his right brow.

“So why? Why do you let people treat you like this? It’s not ok.”

Luke’s heartstrings were stunned, but weren’t enough to make him cry. Gripping the fabric of Stan’s shirt even more, he just wanted the brother he never had to sit back down…

Even Stan’s heartstrings were stunned as well.

“Your mother died for you, right? She wouldn’t want the person she sacrificed to be someone’s toy—”

“Please … just please …”

Water formed within Luke’s eyes, but he forced them back down. His eyelids enacting like a dam, he wouldn’t dare to show his pain, he couldn’t. Once both of their eyes were locked onto each other.

“Just please sit down …”

Stan submitted to Luke’s decision. Carefully, he went back to his seat, letting his butt slam on the hard wood bench, without looking at anyone.

‘You can’t do this on your own…”

Continuing along with their lunch, the air around them all only grew a painful silence. Making both Ryan and Cameron feel awkward, both beast-humans went back to their lunch, as Ryan took a huge spoonful of mashed potatoes.

‘My foot got cold’

But in the shadows near the trash bins, there was a certain someone wearing a gray hoodie. She ate the rest of her food in peace, her mood relatively more positive than average.

As she finished the rest quickly, she remained in the shadows.

________________________________________________________________________

(Prominis 20, 56 / 6:01PM)

“Class dismissed!”

After finishing up his lecture, Jerry signaled the class to be let free. Packing his things, he ignored the teens and kids who pushed in their chairs, as he daydreamed on a particular lady…

‘I hope Jenny will go out with me this time. She’s always around David…’

As the 14 candidates saw their instructor leave the room first, half of them thought of sleeping in their own rooms. Considering they trained till their bones ached, they were completely and utterly exhausted.

Which left Luke to be one of the last few people in the classroom, except for two girls.

—They left me behind…

Being late in packing up his stuff, he saw his friend group leave without waiting for him. Turning his eyes to a teen near a window, he felt her eyes gaze at him like prey, as she sat down with her boots on the desk. Peering into his very soul, Luke let out a hardened shiver, as her glare was filled with a combination of ice and metal.

—And what does she want? Does she really hate me that bad?

While Luke tried to ignore her glares, he laid eyes on another girl looking at him. Immediately blushing, his body filled with butterflies, it was a far cry to a certain girl…

Remaining silent, he tried to walk normally out of class. But just as he was about to exit out of the door, a slight tug grazed his elbow. Turning around, he saw that hope had stopped him, her cheeks red and her eyes averted.

“Uhm … d-do you want something …?”

His whole body felt heavy. Blushing even harder, he felt his cheeks burn and swell, which in return made her cheeks pan hotter.

“A-Actually … Do you mind if we could walk through the garden?”

“The garden? Uh … sure, I don’t mind—”

Luna stood up in an instant, her cold glare being replaced with rage. Going pale, he closed his mouth. Furrowing her brow to Luke’s sudden fear, she turned around to look behind…

Luna was walking toward them.

Like a cockroach, she scurried away, her face plastered a ghostly pale from just seeing her. With no other option, he had no choice but to deal with her, but how?

—What do I do!? What should I do!? I don’t want to get beat up!

Luke started to walk backwards, leading Luna to walk more quickly. With each step, he calculated and analyzed every plan or action within his witty mind.

He couldn’t fight, and he couldn’t outsmart his way out like yesterday, so what can he do? Being in the center of the hall, he gulped down whatever saliva stuck between his gums and teeth; before sprinting with all his might.

Letting his calves and thighs sore and bulge with every push of his muscles, he swayed his arms and hands repeatedly like a maniac.

—Just why me?!

“Get back here!”

She may be strong, but his legs were stronger, in terms of running.

Managing to outpace her, he huffed and puffed out air like a water pump. Circulating and swelling his pink lungs, he managed to make even Luna, trail out batches of sweat from her forehead.

Noticing the door to his room, there was already a huge gap between him and her.

Pushing, pushing, using every ounce of muscle within his chicken like legs, he felt his breath go dry. Feeling like his lungs might explode, he clamped his hands down onto the handle of his door, swaying it open to let him in.

And close it shut.

“Hey!”

She banged the door with her right fist.

Her strength was harsh enough to dent the wood, shivering the door like an old man getting out of the shower. Sending another bang on the door, both of her jaws were locked onto her teeth, her eyes narrowed evermore at the sight of him locking himself up from her.

And she banged her fist again, but this time, it was soft.

‘Fucking coward’ thought Luna.

The door already dented and damaged, Luna lowered her fists and took a couple of steps back. Still having veins popping out of her forehead, she still wanted to see Luke.

‘Why did he have to run?’

As Luna continued to wait for Luke, she saw from her peripheral vision Sean, who was about to get something from his room. Barely opening the door, Luna clamped her hand onto his shoulder, her anger still swelling every ounce of her soul.

“Uh … hey beautiful?”

“Is it true you pulled a prank on Luke?”

“Yeah, why? I mean, it was pretty funny right?”

Luna’s anger quickly rose, leading her to dig her fingers into his shoulder. Feeling her nails stab and pierce into his body, his face started to clam and whiten under her growing wrath.

“You know what would be even more funnier?”

“N-N-Now hold on! I didn’t mean for him to bite his—”

She thrusted her fist into his face.

Striking straight toward his nose, he let his back slam harshly alongst the floor. His nose launching a river of blood, it stained the wood a hideous crimson, while his right cheek swelled and bruised a dark purple.

Leaving the elf to wallow in his injury, she began walking toward her own room. Once she reached her door, she opened it wide and closed it shut, allowing only herself to feel the darkness of the blinded windows.

Being alone, she placed her back against the wall, and let her body slowly drag to the floor. All the while she looked up at the ceiling, letting the humidity blanket her.

‘Why was he talking to her?’