The Blades and The Gauntlets [Vi x fem!oc]

Chapter X: The Try-Outs

The day of the try-outs was a sunny day, unlike the few that had come before it. Mila hadn't given Caitlyn's suggestion much thought at first, but now, standing in the Enforcer training grounds with recruits from Piltover's finest families, she felt the weight of it. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, the kind that buzzed with nervous energy.

She stood on the edge of the training grounds, arms crossed, watching the others warming up. The other recruits, all clean-cut and eager, looked out of place next to her, their movements too stiff and controlled. They were trying to impress, their eyes occasionally flicking toward the Enforcer commanders standing on the sidelines.

Mila, on the other hand, couldn't care less about impressing anyone. She was here for one reason only: to prove that she could outclass every one of these Piltover elites. If that meant showing them up in front of their commanders, so be it.

Caitlyn stood nearby, already deep in conversation with a couple of the officers. She shot Mila a quick, encouraging smile before returning to the group. She just shook her head. Caitlyn always seemed so comfortable, while Mila felt the sting of every judging glance thrown her way.

"Alright, recruits! Line up!"

A gruff voice cut through the chatter, and all eyes turned to the commanding officer, a tall woman with a steely gaze and an air of authority. Commander Raelin was her name, and she ran these tryouts with the kind of intensity that could make even the boldest hesitate. But Mila didn't waver. If anything, the challenge in the commander's voice only made her more determined.

As everyone lined up, Raelin paced in front of them, her eyes scanning each face critically.

"You've all come here because you think you have what it takes to be part of Piltover's finest. But let me make one thing clear: I don't care who your families are, or how much influence they have in this city. In here, none of that matters. What matters is your skill, your strength, and your ability to follow orders."

Mila smirked at that last part. She'd never been great at following orders, but she figured today she'd make an exception - until they tried to tell her how to do something she knew better than them.

The first round of exercises began with basic combat drills. The recruits were paired off for hand-to-hand sparring. Mila was paired with a nervous-looking recruit who seemed to recognize her. His name escaped her, but his posture screamed privilege.

"Ready?" he asked, his voice shaky as they squared off.

Mila didn't respond. She let him make the first move, which was slow and predictable. He threw a punch that she easily sidestepped, twisting his arm and flipping him onto his back before he even knew what hit him.

The other recruits stared, their sparring interrupted by the sheer speed with which Mila dispatched her opponent. Commander Raelin's eyes narrowed as she watched.

Mila extended a hand to the recruit, helping him to his feet. "Too slow." she said, her voice cool.

The drills continued, with Mila systematically outmatching every recruit she was paired with. Whether it was hand-to-hand combat, agility tests, or obstacle courses, she moved through the exercises with an effortless precision that left the other recruits in her dust.

By the time they reached the tactical exercises, the gap between Mila and the others had become obvious to everyone - including Commander Raelin.

"Alright, Ravencroft," the commander called, motioning her forward with a stern expression. "Since you seem to know what you're doing, let's see how you handle this."

Mila stepped forward, her eyes locking onto the obstacle course in front of her. It was designed to test not just physical ability, but strategy and decision-making. The recruits were expected to scale walls, navigate tight spaces, and disarm mock explosives while under simulated fire from non-lethal projectiles.