Gray Feathers

Chapter 2: Settling In

It was a crash that woke me up. I looked around, blurry eyed to see that Cathy had fallen out of her bed. There was a moment of silence before she mumbled a small apology, and got back up on the bed. I waited a moment for her breath to even out. I then threw off my covers and stood up to stretch.

My wings were so sore from yesterday's training. Excuse me, I mean collecting flowers. I sighed. I could never get a full night of sleep. I looked out my window to see the bright colors of the city. The glow it gave off, even in the night. An idea popped into my head. It wasn't the smartest idea but it sounded fun.

With a careful hand, I opened the window, stepped out onto the windowsill, opened my wings, and took off. I flew over the wall of barbed wire and into the forest. I took a sharp turn to the right and flew towards the Golden Gate bridge. I flew under the bridge and soared over. The wind helped to blow me around, and I followed it. I whooped as loud as I could. I didn't care about the stupid school behind me, I was flying! I was free. I passed over confused drivers and waved at the excited kids.

******

By the time I carefully landed on the windowsill to go back in, it was fully light out.

I looked at the alarm clock by my bed stand and froze with fear. It was an hour after my first class had started! I checked my schedule, and dread glued me to the floor. The first class was personal training, which means I had my first class with Nine, and I was missing it! My fear was the best motivator that day. I threw on my clothes, brushed my teeth, ate some food, and bolted out into the courtyard.

I reached the outdoor gym with fifteen minutes to spare. Nine was waiting for me, his back turned toward me, arms crossed. I took a deep breath, and said, "Sorry I'm late."

Nine stayed silent. There was an awkward tension between us. Finally, he said in a deep voice, "Any monster, alien, or anybody really, would have destroyed a whole city if you were this late to any fight." I waited for him to continue. "There is no saying sorry in that situation," he was deadly calm, and that scared me all the more.

"I'm sorry, really, I didn't see what time it was, and I was so tired from the trip-"

"You think an enemy would care?" he hissed at me, turning sharply. "My job is to teach you to be a soldier. To train you with your Legacies, or in your case, Legacy."

"Oh-"

"Do you know about Doom's Week?"

"The time where Mogadorians almost destroyed humanity and Earth? Yeah, everyone knows about it."

"The Mogadorians were led by a former Loric, named Setrakus Ra. If we were late to that fight, it would be known as Dooms Month, or even The Great Purge because he would have won," Nine looked me right in the eye. "From now on, you will be thirty minutes early to this class. Everyday. If you are late, the punishment will be severe." The bell rang, and Nine waved me off. I fled for my life. In the halls, I had to shake out my shaking hands, while walking to my next class.