Of the initial 19 people, our class is down to 9 people. We are furthest from the entrance, which is likely why only four of us got killed by the Strain. I assume Somnia, Sputnik and I killed the five that were assigned to our branch.
Even so, three people couldn't take the pressure and managed to get their core removed, vetoing their service.
It's a shame I couldn't convince Toko to quit as well; her stubbornness is going to get her killed.
"Alright, that's it for class today, try to get some practice in; we'll be having your first evaluation on Friday."
"A test?!"
"You haven't even told us what it will be on."
"Oh...I didn't? Elemental fusion, firearm capability-"
Ekstacy and I turn to one another with an expression of pity.
"And I think physical aptitude? I'm not sure; ask one of the other instructors."
The class nods as though we've come to expect only disappointment from her teaching.
"So, study up and have fun."
The class packs up as they leave.
"Hallo-" Looking to my left, I forgot he is dead.
Without him around, I'm not sure how I'm going to spend my free time. Oddly enough, the only other person I seem to get along with is Ekstacy.
As he begins to leave the class, I attempt to catch up with him.
Somnia fires her gun, the bullet whizzes past my face. "Coffin, come over here; I need to talk to you about something."
Turning with a neutral expression, I sigh.
Giving up on making friends, I walk over, knowing she is just going to make me do free labor.
"Yes? What can I help you with, instructor Somnia?"
"I wanted to say thank you for yesterday."
"Thank... you?"
"You helped me kill that Strain."
"All I did was take a blind shot; I simply got lucky."
"It wasn't much, but sometimes a split second could decide the rest of your life. That could have just as easily been me biting the dust."
That was oddly profound of her.
"It was nothing. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt."
"Aw, how thoughtful; and here I was thinking you were just an incest loving brother."
(-_-) "She's not my sister."
"Whadever you say. Anyway, this is what I need your help with." She guides me to a pile of boxes in the corner of the classroom. "We need to move these, and unpack those."
*****
Grunting, I push the box up on the shelf.
While I'm breaking my back, Somnia is sitting on one of the other boxes, inspecting her hand cannon.
"So as a thank you, you're having me doing your manual labor. You're far too generous."
"Think of it as extra training."
"Could you at least try to make it actual training? Wax on wax off?"
"Alright fine, imagine you're in the middle of a war zone and your footsoldiers. Those boxes are ammo containers, the pro pioneers need ammo and they need it fast, so you'd better hurry up and get it done so I can go."
"Calling me a transport grunt is more degrading than motivating."
"I dont know, I was starting to feel pretty motivated."
"Motivated enough to help me?"
"Hmm... not that motivated." She states, lying back.
"I've been meaning to ask you-"
"D cup, Next question."
"That's- I was close." Tapping on my core, it faintly glows white. "When you first inspected my core, you made a very judgmental reaction. So, what's the deal with 04?"
"04? It's because of that bum that we're in this whole newbie mess. The terrorists were only able to break in and obtain the cores because they had a mole workin' for 'em. That was 04; his code name was Trash Man. What a fitting title."
Her eyes narrow as she pokes me. "Hey, wait a minute... how do you have his core? Did you work for him?"
"If I did, would I be asking all these questions?"
"...Oh, yea."
"I ran into him, he tried to kill me, moments away from being killed, his core unlatched itself and decided to claim me as its new owner."
"Huh... that robot guy, Spud...ick? He said something similar."
"There was also a woman named Salem there; she was really the one who saved me."
"Salem? You are just a magnet for bad people, aren't you?"
That would explain why I'm currently talking to you. "So, what's her sentence?" I sigh.
"Killed a bunch of her teammates- which isn't unusual for the Raze Breakers, as berserkitry is their speciality, -but she destroyed their cores, which is only possible if done consciously as they're mechanisms are specifically created to be accidental suicide proof."
"And she is still allowed to be a pioneer?" I question.
"Government gave her a pass for some reason. Apparently it was above my paygrade, cause' they kept it under wraps."
"And Why did this, Trash Man betray the government?"
"He once was a pro Luminary, but after a few false accusations from some unpleasent women, his career fell apart. Guess this was his form of revenge for the government that abandoned him."
"So I have the core and number of a terrorist, and I assume the alligations weren't for tax evasion."
"Yeah, they certainly wouldn't go on a resume."
After an hour of eating dust bunnies and indecisive directions, we- I manage to move all the boxes.
"Is that all?" I ask cautiously.
"Yep, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
"Hmm.."
Violently patting my back, she scoffs. "Well, as a real thank you, I'll invite you out for dinner."
"Like a date?" I question.
"I was thinking more like a business dinner with your boss..."
I will never see her as a person of power. Like giving a baby gun; they aren't better than you, but you still have to listen to them.
"...But if you do well, I'll give it some thought."
"As pretty as you are. I find it hard someone of you caliber would give me their time. So what's the real reason?"
Somnia pauses before crossing her arms as she turns away and mumbles under her breath. "They threatened to downgrade my license if they caught me publicly intoxicated again; so they required that I have someone with me."
('_') "So you need a babysitter?"
She grabs my shoulder, then she violently shakes me. "PLEASE! Those suits always have a skyscraper sized stick up their ass!"
Recoiling backwards, I give her an expression of disgust. "hhhmmm..."
"All you have to do is sit there; I'll even pay and I promise I won't get drunk."
"Can drunk you keep the same promise?"
"I know her very well, and she said yes."
I wince and scratch my head. "well-"
As though waiting for my moment of weakness, she lunges at me. "That's a yes! So...we shall seeeee!"