Lovely Lady Nagant (IzukuxLadyNagant)

27: Oath

Monday. The day of the re-initiation exam has arrived.

An exam that Lady Nagant most certainly was not planning on ever taking in her life, but a misfortune of circumstances happening didn't seem to show any sort of mercy. The exam was a collection of several tasks including swimming, running, hand to hand combat against multiple opponents with handicaps pitted against her, a firing range trial, breaking free of a chained restraint within a certain time limit, crossing one side of a room to another without causing noise over a certain decibel level, and a written exam pitting her mathematical skills to the test while constantly being asked a series of riddles to answer. Physical endurance, patience, skill, knowledge and soul are all going to be tested as failure to fall below a 95% satisfactory score will result in termination of the re-entrant's application. Failure however, is non-existent in Nagant's vocabulary.

To be frank, this was a sickening day for the woman as the thought of her name being under the Safety Commission's roster again was an unwelcome thought. It's a necessary decision yes but the mental exhaustion, the physical burn out, the emotional despair, the combination of all three proves that there are fates much worse than death. One fate being a 'hero' who works to uphold the 'serenity' that is the lie of their society. Shedding blood and causing chaos in order to stop the shedding of blood and causing of public chaos? Some way shape or form somebody had to suffer just so others could sleep peacefully, and unfortunately for Nagant she knew very well a peaceful sleep is a surrendered gift when it comes to her job, or any form of sleep for that matter as naps were the norm when it came to working for the Commission.

She is a bit worried though, Nagant wouldn't say she's outright fearful or shivering in her boots at the idea of failing but there is a nugget of concern at the back of her mind when it came to how she might perform during the exam. Sitting in a jail cell for years upon years doesn't exactly prepare somebody to be thrusted into a test that pits every aspect of their body against a series of trials. Indeed she held her own against 39 first years but those 39 first years didn't prove even the smallest of challenges for her, they were an uncoordinated group of amateurs that needed thousands more miles of training and experience should they ever wanted to pose a real threat for her. But first years weren't enough to give her a real warm-up for what's to come, it was a nice attempt though.

Regardless of whether or not she was prepared for the exam Nagant knew deep down that quitting or failing isn't an outcome she can afford to produce. To rot away in her cell at Tartarus while Midoriya continues to suffer on his hospital bed without answers? That is unacceptable, she'd much rather die than to accept the result of failure. The road ahead is dark and perilous, no doubt her mentality is going to be pushed to be a brink that no sane person would ever dare push their mentality to. Her best friend will be her own self, trust is a scarce resource, and wits must always be in stock and at the ready. But before any of that,

"Kainaaa deaaaaaaar!"

Groceries.

Seven in the morning sharp, just a few hours before the exam will take place, Nagant stood at the eastern gates of the U.A campus where a drop off had been arranged for her equipment to be delivered. Said drop off being conducted by an elderly woman that was a 'tailor' with a shop not too far from U.A, wheeling a large baby blue luggage case behind her with extendable handle. A beautiful and large sun hat bounced with every step the elder woman took as she joyously strolled up to Nagant who had her hands stuffed in the pockets of her U.A track jacket, the elder rolling the suitcase to a stop and tipping it onto it's back wheels. "Kaina sweetie, good morning! Ready for your big day?"

"Good morning Maho, ready yes. Willing?" Nagant scoffed into a chuckle. "Absolutely not. But it is what is, nothing much I could do about it. Is that everything?"