56 To the Present

"Students! Finish your preparations quickly, those who are injured come to the cubicle with a red rim on the top. That is all!"

Just as it disappeared three more walls rose up from the floor. Red lights lining the top. Without a word Bennox and Bianca carried Owen over, one arm around each of their shoulders.

Javier looked at them spitefully but, he would let them go for now, missing out on opportunities because of a petty mutt would be his greatest regret. Out of the corner of his eye Javier saw Senri limp to the red room, pathetic. But, Senri still had her uses.

Trudging to his cubicle Javier saw a white uniform lined with purple thread. An overcoat that reached his knees, trousers pressed to firmly they retained their original shape even after he put them on. As he leaned over to reach for his black boots the bruise on his chest from Owen's knee began to sting. Vengeance flashed in his eyes. Inaudible to anyone else, Javier's silent vow of revenge raged in him.

At the red room four nurses dressed in a light grey color welcomed Bennox, Bianca, Owen, and Senri. During their walk there Bianca had wanted to beat Senri senseless again but Bennox's hurried warning helped calm Bianca.

"Welcome. We'll have you patched up in a moment, it shouldn't take took long."

One of the nurses with light brown hair picked up Owen like a he was a sack of potatoes. Owen struggled a tiny bit but the nurse gave him a frighteningly sweet smile. Submitting to his embarrassment, Owen complied with the nurse and sat down obediently as she cleaned and bandaged his hands. As she started to roll up his shirt Owen resisted the urge to pull it down and run away. From one of the various drawers in the room the nurse took out a clear paste. Rubbing it on his bruised back and arms.

Bennox was led to a bed next to Owen's and had his face thoroughly washed and cleaned. The nurse didn't even say a word but Bennox could tell that she was nervous. Every now and then he would catch her quickly fumbling with tools and the drawers.

The nurse that took Bianca was the tallest of all of them. Her waist length blond hair shimmered whenever she walked. She motioned for Bianca to come closer and when Bianca did the nurse pulled curtains out from the walls, concealing them from the others.

"Take off your shirt."

Although Bianca was a bit hesitant she still complied with the nurse's orders. As she took off her shirt the nurse frowned at the big bruises littering her chest and arms. The hits from Javier had begun to swell and rise into nasty purple bumps. The deep violet popping out against her pale skin.

"When you spar, you should stay calm. When you defend you should be patient. Bruises like these can be easily avoided yet, if you don't these can be the reason you fail as a soldier. Although I hate to admit it, the male body is more durable in taking hits but, the female body is more flexible. We are more adept at adapting to strange circumstances but that in turn has it's downsides... "

The nurse took a long pause before continuing to rummage through the drawer for the medical supplies she needed.

Bianca nodded at the nurse's words and silently replayed her fight with Javier in her head. Thinking back, she had noticed a few moments when she had made bad actions, especially towards the end of their fight. As Bianca continued to think about her fight the nurse quickly bandaged Bianca's arms and applied multiple layers of the clear paste to her bruises. Winding around Bianca with bandages, the nurse had finished patching Bianca up.

Senri was the last to be attended to since the last nurse, a short lady with pale blue hair, was busy marking down all the materials used for the others.

"Come."

The nurse motioned for Senri to follow her with her finger.

"Y-yes!"

As Senri followed the nurse she saw the injuries of the others, Bennox's scratched face, Owen's large bruises and bloodied hands, and through a crack in a curtain, Bianca's bruises over her body. Senri had though about complaining that the nurse attending to her had been negligent but seeing the severity of the other's wounds Senri decided to keep quiet.

Sitting down at another bed the short nurse wiped Senri's face with a warm towel and applied a thin layer of greenish paste. The smell of the paste was heavy with chemicals and it stung the back of her nose slightly. As soon as the paste was applied it turned from light green to transparent.

"You're done for now. If anything comes up feel free to seek out nurses in the clinic."

"W-wait. Is that really all?"

The nurse's eyes narrowed a little but Senri didn't catch the slight shift in the nurse's tone.

"Yes. What I just applied was a numbing-antibiotic. It should help the swelling go down temporarily. Now go, I have other work to do."

Senri was nudged out of the red room by the short nurse. Behind her she could see the other three exiting around the same time as well. Not wanting to waste another moment or be beaten by Bianca again, Senri quickly scanned the large training room to find her cubicle. Without a second thought, she sprinted off.

Bennox, Owen and Bianca all met at the entrance of the red room, an awkward silence surrounding them. Just as Bennox was about to speak the walls of the red room fell back into the floor and the room itself disappeared instantly. Bianca took this chance to speak before Bennox could shut her down again.

"Bennox, Owen, I offer my sincerest apologies. Maybe if I hadn't intervened Owen's injuries wouldn't have been so severe."

Bennox pulled Owen in front of him and whispered into his ear.

"This time you can handle it."

Owen opened his mouth to protest but Bennox had already turned away. Loud enough for Bianca to hear, Bennox said over his shoulder.

"Owen, I'm going ahead so hurry up!"

All alone, Owen was left with Bianca, the look on her face was surprised relief. The silence continued for a moment until Owen spoke up.

"A-about the fight with Javier… it wasn't your fault and even if you didn't help, I still would've pummeled him regardless…" Owen's voice trailed off as he shifted his gaze from Bianca's eyes to the ceiling.

"I'm glad to hear that I wasn't a hinderance. If time allows, I would like to do more to repay you and Bennox."

"There's no need… um, I should go now, you as well…"

Owen turned and ran after Bennox. Bianca chuckled and waved at Owen's back. Somehow, that short exchange of words eased her heart. Feeling renewed, Bianca quickly found her cubicle and began to get changed.

Just as Bennox was about to enter his cubicle, which happened to be on the other side of the room, Owen slammed into his back.

"What the?"

Owen slung one arm over Bennox's neck and proceeded to rub his knuckles into Bennox's head playfully.

"Traitor! Coward! Deserter!" Owen's fuming words quickly told Bennox what was going through his friend's mind then. Owen's knuckles dug a bit deeper into Bennox's head and began to hurt slightly so Bennox did what any good friend would do. Releasing the muscles on his legs, Bennox allowed himself to only be supported by Owen's strength.

"Ah! My head, the pain! I think my wounds have opened again! The pain! I think I'll die at this rate!" Just as Bennox's award winning acting ended Owen had already stopped and had a look of worry mixed with sudden regret. Bennox noticed Owen's quietness and saw that Owen resembled a large lost puppy. His head hung low, eyes wide in fear and his shoulders slumped so close together that he looked smaller. Feeling that his joke had gone too far Bennox stopped pretending and gave Owen a hug.

"Sorry, I'm not dying and I don't plan to die anytime soon, so you'll still be stuck with me for years to come!" Bennox tried to cheer up Owen and it did work except for that fact that Bennox knew his careless joke had touched a sore spot for Owen and he knew it.

Although Owen would never admit to it, his mind had blanked. Stuck in his past memories for a second had felt like years. His eyes began to sting and fill with tears but Bennox's hug had brought him back. Owen secretly wiped his eyes as he stared at the ceiling.

"Who would want to stay with someone like you for years?"

Returning Bennox's joke, Owen began to resemble himself again. The shadow of pain fading from his face.

As each student finished changing the man in the screen appeared in the training room, his tall stature and stony face that seemed like it was forever carved into a displeased frown instantly drew all the children into a circle around him. Dressed in a dark grey uniform with gold cuffs, his hair slicked back into his military cap and the way his eyes seemed dead infused some form of fear in the children.

"Line up in the order given and then we will practice how to walk in line! Marching is a reflection of discipline! Those who do not obey will be excused immediately!"

Although all of them flinched at his abrupt order they did as they were told without complaint. As he read the names out loud one by one the line of thirteen formed, from Javier as the head to Tuen leading the end. As they stood there the tall man glared into each and every one of their eyes.

"I am assistant instructor Adrian Law, you will address me as 'sir' and only 'sir' do you understand!? You will answer with 'sir' and end with 'sir', am I clear!?""

""Sir yes sir!"" Adrian's stone face didn't even twitch as he stared intently at the line. Pacing up and down the line Adrian stopped in front of Illya whose celestial mark was Sagittarius. Leaning close to her face, his mouth barely inches away from her forehead.

"What is a soldier!?"

"Sir! A soldier obeys all orders without thought or hesitation! A soldier is a tool for the Empire, made by the Empire and will die for the Empire! Sir!"

Adrian nodded his head slightly and moved on down the line. Eventually he stopped at Javier. This time he stepped close enough for his feet to be touching Javier's, a few centimeters separating the two. Craning his neck downwards, Adrian let out another crude shout.

"What is your duty!?"

"Sir! A soldier's duty is to kill and slaughter the enemies of the Empire! To protect and claim glory in the name of the Empire! Sir." At the end of his reply, Javier lifted his head to look Adrian in the eyes. His wild gaze almost impressed Adrian, almost.

"Guts and bravado will only get you killed on the battlefield! Survive and return to fight again! The winner is not who killed more but who lived the longest, remember this lesson well."

""Sir yes sir!""

Pleased with the replay and answers he got, Adrian began to teach them how to march in time. After about five minutes of practice it was time for them to ascend the stairs leading to the right side of the main auditorium's stage.

Just as the announcer was announcing the twelve earthly animals Adrian appeared before the group.

"This is the time to prove to everyone who the true elites at the school are. March together! Lead with pride and strength! For~ward march!"