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Chapter 16: Morning
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Early that morning, everything was as usual in the mess hall. Forced from his sleep by Tristan’s unapologetically abrupt wake-up call. Allen and Tristan arrived in the canteen earlier than most other Hunter recruits.
Morning drills guaranteed Twilight Gate trainees to be among the first to rise in the dorms. Training often running well into the early afternoon for Hunters, it resulted in the first meal of the day becoming a riotous free for all. Allen had unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way in his initial week. After discovering the canteen practically stripped clean on multiple mornings; he had suffered through drills, sustained on less than a glass of juice.
Occupying their customary corner of the canteen, Allen was sipping a second cup of coffee when Morose entered. Waving to her from across the room he signaled for her to join them. Spotting Allen’s gesture, she made her way towards the two men. Gingerly shuffling past a burly group of Hunters ensconce
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“The Banshee did that?” Lance Armistice said contemplatively from across the cluttered desk. The hard-nosed trainee captain, after listening patiently to Allen’s retelling of Morose’s story, roughly stroked the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. Although not the giant that Frank Brunes was nor as beefy as some of the other Hunters, Lance possessed an appearance of constant agitation, which made him difficult to approach. Anxiously reporting the incident with the Mare. Allen, Tristan, and Morose had arrived at the Captain’s office late within the afternoon. Standing in front of him now, they were made all the more uncomfortable by the fact that Captain Lance’s office appeared to be the obvious den of a hoarder. Crammed with curious objects, artifacts, and documents there was barely enough space to accommodate the four of them. The chairs occupied by his collection of oddities; all were forced to stand while they conversed. “You did well to report this.” Lance s
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“Chi Chi?” called a familiar voice “Hey Chi, wake up!” Chiri’s eyes fluttered open. Blinking away the sleep, she stared directly into the bright energetic blue eyes of her brother in bewilderment. Propping herself up, Chiri found herself sitting on the floor of what appeared to be a very well stocked closet. The size and form vaguely reminded her of somewhere she recognized, Chir thought for a fleeting moment of the Night Gate. Although, she was uncertain as to why. “Honestly, how could you fall asleep in such a place?” Horus reprimanded. Standing tall over her, he was dressed smartly in a crisp white and sky-blue Day Gate uniform. The Alliance crest emblazed proudly in gold thread on the breast of his jacket, evidence of his status as a full Guardian. It filled Chiri with an odd mixture of pride and sadness, which hung heavily in her chest. “We’re going to be late.” He urged again, taking Chiri by the elbow and lifting her to her feet. Exasperated, h
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Frantically looking around in the dark, Horus leapt into a defensive stance. Alarmed when he did not immediately see Chiri, he called out “Chi?” The sound of his voice pulled Chiri from the daze of her ruminations. Realizing she had fallen behind. Chiri paused, momentarily stumbling as if the lack of light had only just begun to affect her. Separated by some seven or eight paces, Horus stepped in her direction. Only to freeze mid stride, too terrified to progress further. The gap between them remaining, Chiri turned slowly to regard what had provoked such an extreme reaction from her brother. There, like floating lanterns, were two angry yellow eyes. Its pupils, merely thin slits, they darted between the intruders. Decidedly, coming to rest on Chiri, its eyes narrowed with a threatening hiss. Becoming painfully aware of her heart rate quickening, the giant serpent was very near to Chiri. Careful to take a few calm breaths in order to slow its tempo, she star
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Still slung over his shoulder. Chiri cursed between pained grunts, “Cazer, you rotten son of a bitch, put me down!”Ignoring her complaints, he kicked open the doors to the Director’s quarters forcefully to reveal a surprised Amelia. “What- “she suppressed a shriek upon their sudden and unconventional entry. Although Chiri could not see Amelia from her ungraceful perch atop Cazer’s shoulder. Chiri could easily imagine her expression as she began to take in the situation. She could sense the change from bewilderment to disgust the moment Amelia identified her.Composing herself, the swift modification in her voice as she addressed Cazer notable, it became sweeter than sugar. “Director, you’re injured!” she cried. “How dare someone hurt you.”“It’s just a scratch.” He replied dismissively, progressing further into the room.Putting the pieces together, she began “That
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