transcendental ° a.o.t

CHAPTER II: THE NEXT DAY

Chapter 2: The Next Day

There I sat, on a makeshift bed that required me to be as slow and cautious as one can be in all my movements so as to not disturb my neighbors, just staring at the wall in front of me. I don't recall how long I sat there, in fear that if I moved I'd be rejected from this reality just as I had in a few other experiments. A knock on my door is what broke me out of my hypnosis and soon walked in a familiar cloaked silhouette.

"Good! You're up, it's time to start your training." Maria stood in the doorway with her fists firmly planted on each hip, as I rubbed at one eye in confusion, not exactly sure what she wanted me to do. "Come on, get up, get dressed. We're going on a run!"

"What? Why are we doing that, it's only the second day?" I groggily got up and out of bed and walked over to an old and practically falling apart wardrobe, where a few pairs of clothes resided for me.

"I don't want you getting too used to the high life, of course" Maria laughed at her own joke and I just stared at her, yet again. "But seriously, while we do have some physical training back at the origin point, most of our time is spent lying down. The training here though is especially grueling, considering most people die right off the bat in our line of work. Obviously I don't want that happening to you, so let's go~!"

Soon enough we were doing exactly as she said, except we were running around the entire Underground. I hadn't even made it halfway when I started feeling winded and got a cramp in the side of my waist that made me stop to catch my breath, clutching my side, bent over from the pain.

"What's wrong!?" I heard Maria call for me from farther up, she was quite a distance away from me at this point.

"Cramp!"

"Oh come on! I saw you run that race during training a year ago, you were amazing!"

"The track wasn't the circumference of an entire city back then! And I was speeding through it to get it done faster!" I yelled back, exasperated.

"Then do that! Speed through it!" Maria continued running, not taking my excuses as answers. "I know a good fruit stand a little bit past the halfway point!"

I sighed as I stood up again, stretching my waist and legs, pushing through the pain. I put one foot in front of the other and began running. True to Maria's word, a quarter of the way through the "track" we stopped at a small, run down, fruit vendor with few varieties of fruits for sale. Apples, pears, cherries, raspberries, and only a couple more that I couldn't name.

I got a few apples and a pear, not wanting to spend a lot of Maria's money. When the sound of what I could only call ziplines, along with laughter, and yelling, as people seemingly flew overhead us being chased by a group of men crying out thieves and pointing at them. Maria put a hand on my shoulder excusing herself as she walked over to the men, she spoke to them as I leaned against the nearest wall chowing down on one of my apples.

Once she was finished with them we resumed our run around the city, all the way back to the apartment. Soon enough we began the next exercise, pullups, then push ups, then we went back outside where she took me to a place to practise my parkour skills. After all that Maria decided to take me out to dinner to celebrate our first day of training, where I effectively passed out in the middle of the restaurant and Maria had to drag me back, luckily she did choose a restaurant in the Underground and not in Mitras.

The next day I once again lay still in bed while already awake, however this time I was frozen because everytime I moved pain shoots through me. Just like yesterday Maria knocks on my door and then enters, however this time I close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. I hear her shut the door behind her and let out a low exclamation at the sight of me still in bed. It's quiet for a moment until I hear her step over to the side of my bed and just stand there.

"I know you're awake" Maria suddenly whispers in my ear and I shoot up from the shock, I unwillingly let out a grunt as every muscle in my body rejects the sudden movement and I fall back down. Maria laughs at my misery and clutches at her stomach "Oh my god you should have seen your face!"

"Ughh, how'd you even know I was faking it?" I slowly sat back up in fear that my own body would strike me down again.

"Your eyelids were shaking" Maria responds as she wipes her tears away. "Anyway, are you really that sore? I didn't realize I went so hard on you yesterday."

I sigh, contemplating my answer as I get out of bed to get ready. "No, I'm just a pussy that hates being sore."

"Well, I guess we can stretch here first before we get started" Maria scratches at the back of her head and my face slowly turns to look at her wide eyed, she laughs once again at the look on my face. "Don't worry we're only gonna run half way this time since I have something else planned for us today."

After stretching a little, then once again heading to our starting point and slowly increasing our pace until we were running along the walls of the city until we reached the halfway point. By the time the point was in sight for me Maria was already standing there waiting, once I caught my breath she led me back to the stairway into the city again but this time she had a destination in mind.

"Tada~! A clothing store!" Maria stood in front of the store with her arms wide open and a huge grin on her face.

"Right, I don't have many clothes, do I?" I walked to the entrance and into the store, it was obviously very old timey with beautiful maroon detailing, there were rolls of fabric along with premade clothing. I got a bunch of multicolored button ups, vests, maxi skirts, and pants with a couple pairs of shoes.

Then Maria informed me she had another place she wanted to bring me as she wrapped her arm around mine and pulled me along. Soon we were entering a furniture store so I could spruce up my apartment and tailor it to my tastes.

"How long will I be staying here, I know eventually I have to sign up for training, correct?" I questioned as we walked along and through the many isles.

"Next year you'll be able to enroll in the Training Corps." Maria was actively pointing out things for me to buy but if I wasn't staying there long I didn't want to get a lot.

"So I only have a year here, what about after?"

"Once you're in, you'll live in the barracks with your cadet section, then since you'll join the Scouts you'll be assigned a squad and you'll live in their barracks; but the Scouts move around and.. die a lot." I come to a halt so I can process the information I just received, Maria gave me a sad smile. "It's a lot, I know. But I'm sure you'll meet nice people and form tight bonds with all of them."

I just nodded my head and set in motion again, I was determined to survive and fulfill my purpose in life and in this world. I also continued to reject Maria's apartment decoration advice and suggestions until we found a couple items we both agreed on, including a welcome mat that says 'no trespassing: we are tired of hiding bodies.'

And then with a schedule set in motion, the days seemed to pass like every single one was all a fever dream, especially with Maria's antics and the training regiments along with the occasional criminals flying through the streets on, more than likely stolen, Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear, being chased by the Military Police. Yet with each passing day I grew stronger and smarter than ever before, and

I was ready.

AN: i'm pretty sure next chapter we'll see the cadets!! :)))