Metanoia

The tests

Looking up at the man who looked as if he was trying too hard to look authoritative and yet looked as if any longer he would become the very thing he gets rid of. He looked at me and scowled, "What are you wearing?"

"If you want me to work for you I will be wearing this whether you allow me to or not", staring him dead in the eyes as I said this.

His scowl looked as if it may never come off his face now that he had heard this, "I'll have to see if you're worth the trouble first. Tell me what you can do."

"I have great sight and am an amazing listener. Been able to do both since I was born, or so I'm told," I sneered while I said this, not that he could see but it made me feel better. I watched his face as he contemplated if I was worth it, watching it change from surprise to a variety of emotions before deciding on a plain expression.

"Well, as long as your clothes don't get in the way of doing your job I'll allow them." I merely smirked as I knew that it was rare for a person to have more than one gift and if they did they tended to be pretty weak.

"You'll see." He glared before standing up and leading me back to the door. Opening it he gestured for me to follow him as he walked back down the hallway over to another door which was already open, showing the children practicing with their rapier inside.

"Well go on then, get inside. Alessia shows her her bed, locker, and how to put on the uniform." A brunette girl looked at Jacobs and nodded before grabbing my left hand that didn't have my suitcase in it and dragging me over to an iron door that was in the corner. She opened it to reveal rows of lockers.

"Your locker is next to mine and will be the one you keep until you leave," she looked at me, "if you can survive that long." She opened the locker and pulled out an ugly yellow uniform that I would never wear if I had the choice.

"The uniform is straightforward, put it on as if it were an American jumper, then zip it," she once again pulls me in another direction over to another door that I never would have noticed at first glance, "and this is where you will be sleeping, again right next to me. I've already had many come and leave," glancing at me she looks up and down before smiling, "I doubt you will last as long as they did."

Looking around the room it looked a lot like the room from a book I once read as a child called Madeline. The beds were in neat rows lined up against the wall. The only difference was instead of looking pretty and full of color this room was entirely gray. Surprising once you think about what the uniform looks like. I walked over to the bed she had previously indicated was mine and placed my suitcase on top before moving back over to her and waiting for whatever came next.

"Normally right now we'd be practicing our seals with our rapiers, which you'll see on the schedule on the back of the door as we leave. However, and this happens with all new hires, Jacob wants to test your skills since on the application it says you have been trained." Alessia talked so fast that most would have trouble comprehending what she said.

I nodded to show I understood and grabbed the uniform again this time to put it on. Looking a little uncomfortable I took off the clothes I was wearing leaving only my mask and underwear on. I rushed to put the jumper on so that she couldn't look for too long. She merely shrugged and pulled me off in the direction we just came from.

"This is where you will need to wait for Jacobs. I will warn you that no matter what you get nobody but you and Jacobs will know." I shot her a grateful glance before taking a seat at the random lone chair in the room.

As I waited for Jacobs all I could do was think on what exactly he was going to test and how. Would he test my sight or listening or was this strictly a test on my skills with the rapier? Although I do wonder if he knows I already have my grades 1 and 2.

Just as I was starting to get anxious with the thoughts running through my head, Jacobs appeared and jerked his head, silently telling me to stand up.

As I did so I noticed he had a bag in his hand. Just as I was about to ask he sat it down and unzipped it pulling out a rapier and what appeared to be a source. Please don't let this man do what I think he's about to do. As he hands me the rapier my hope diminishes by the seconds. The source, which was a doll wrapped in a protective silver container, made me more anxious the longer he held it. Jacobs turned around and started walking to the door and just as he went to close it he threw the doll without its case back into the room and slammed the door shut behind him. The door locked, trapping me inside with a dangerous ghost. My only saving grace was the ghost was only a type one.

A weak gray haze, now I understand why he was so confident in my survival. Anyone with sight would be able to see that it was a gray haze and anyone experienced would know that it can't ghost touch you. Someone who wasn't in the know would most likely panic and use the rapier assuming the ghost was much worse. All I need to do would be to grab the doll and put it back in a container. Very simple and nowhere near as dangerous as I expected.

Even though I knew the gray haze couldn't do any substantial harm, I still avoided it when I went to pick up the doll. Grabbing it, I turned to the bag which was still left on the floor. I opened it to see what I expected, a silver net. Wrapping up the source, I calmly placed it in the bag and walked to the door and knocked.

"Mr. Jacobs the gray haze is in the net and back in the bag. May you unlock the door now?"

Hearing the lock turn I sighed in relief knowing I passed his test. He walked in and made sure what I said was the truth before grabbing another rapier and turning towards me.

"Now all we need to do is test your abilities with the rapier. As long as you are where you claim, which if I remember correctly is a grade 2 and are working towards a grade 3, I will allow you to be sent on missions."

Nodding to show I understood him I got into my fighting stance, assuming I was to fight him. The fight was a blur but I knew that I had once again passed his test. Now I just need to spend a few more years until I get my grade 4 before I can leave for London. 

I hate this.