Cloud Association: Pretty Boy Psycho

Commanality

We sit on chairs in a narrow corridor outside Courtney's office. She's left us waiting at least an hour. A looming gloomy cloud surrounding the four of us tells me we're in for a scalding. What we did wrong I don't know.

Bored I tap against Geordie's shoulder. He's quick to swat me away. I tap my knee instead.

"Play us something." Geordie nudges at his guitar.

"Don't you dare," says Charlie in hushed tones. "We're in a serious situation."

"Why? I don't get it. We haven't done anything."

"We're two years too young to be here, haven't finished our training, meaning we're a problem. Be careful of what you say in there."

"Leave the talking to me," says Geordie.

"Do you think that wise?"

"Yeah. You're ill. Danny will start mumbling. And Al will end up sounding blond. Bearing in mind the amount a time I've been summoned to Clover's office I've had loads a practise with Court's type."

Charlie merely sighs; too tired to put up an argument.

Creak. Eeek, the door's opening. This building's ever so old. Musty. To say Geordie's loads of experience being summoned to offices for bad behaviour he's sinking into the back of his chair now. Danny's paled. As a finger from Courtney's assistant beckons us into the office I lean close to Geordie's shoulder and whisper in his ear. "You've heard of Annie Harlington right?" My mum's had heated arguments with Courtney and won, everyone knows that. "If Courtney knew who I was she'd be the scared one."

Geordie smirks at me as he gets up. We go into the office together. The other two follow behind us.

Hands clasp together on top of a huge oak desk. Steel eyes watch us un-blinking as we stand in the middle of General Courtney's office. The assistant steps outside. My eyes wander over books with titles like: World War One; World War Two; The Cold War. That's not very friendly reading material.

"Master Clover has told me stories about you four. Although it was three to begin with." Courtney's voice has a quiet confidence about it. "Which one of you punctured Yuki's eye?"

I raise my hand.

"Corey West, I assume from the scarf. You should have kept pushing until you finished the job. Thanks to you we have a hopping mad Captain Yuki causing more mayhem than usual."

Okay I take back what I whispered to Geordie. Courtney's totes scary.

"He was doing what he could to get trainees away from Yuki during the massacre on Cloud High." Geordie steps in front of me, in front of all three of us, as though putting himself forward to take the brunt of abuse.

"Geordie Henley you're almost interesting. Your blue streaks do not impress me. You three are from Hackney yes? No successful Cloud Associate field team has ever crawled out of Hackney. Hotaru must be disappointed to be teamed with Chunk and Grey."

"It's Sunshine," snorts Geordie, "get it right."

"Perhaps we could salvage your lives. I have a proposition for you. You may choose new teams to work with. An irregular activity for me to allow but your survival chances would be higher if you were put into experienced teams."

"Split us up?" says Geordie.

Courtney gets up from her chair. "Charlie you're looking off colour." She pats her high backed chair. "Please have a seat. Master Clover tells me you were a promising trainee. I am willing to let you join a logistics team. You're more suited to planning, scheming. Your bright mind would be wasted on swords."