The Lowly Gate's Guard

Ch. 1: On Duty

In front of a large green swirling vortex, stood a young man. With a skinny frame and slightly hunched over posture, he wasn't intimidating in the least. Strange for a man such as him to have a bright safety vest with security plastered in big letters on the back of it.

He blew his hair out of his eyes, he leant against a make shift barricade that surrounded the green vortex in a large circle. One of the three walls that kept things out. He took a glance at his watch.

"Really? I've still got two hours left" the man huffed. He pushed himself off the barricade and stood to keep watch over the area in front of him.

"How's it going, Dean?" An elderly woman asked. She came from around the side of the green vortex.

"Making the rounds again Mary?"

Mary tapped on her wooden clipboard with a blue ballpoint pen, "Two more hours and I can go home to take care of Tabby."

Tabby was a fat ginger cat. A pampered nightmare that had a strut like she was the queen of England.

"You really need to stop feeding that cat, I don't think her legs will be able to hold the same weight as London." Gestured Dean as he puffed out his cheeks resembling a plum.

Mary gave him a scowl. "Leave my poor Tabby alone, she's perfectly healthy. There's nothing wrong with having a little more of her to love."

"You know I'm joking, she's as lovely as you are beautiful. If you weren't married, I might have tried to pull a move by now." Dean winked at Mary.

"Baaa, students nowadays. All hunter students like you, have pigeon chests. Think you'll become famous for clearing some gates-"

A bit of static came from her belt's walkie talkie stopping her from continuing. "Mary, Mary! Have you finished the checkups?"

She pulled the walkie talkie from her belt and pressed the button on it's. "Nearly done now, got two more people to checkup on."

"Well you better hurry up, you're on the clock and I won't be-" she rolled her eyes as she flipped the power switch, her radio shut off.

"Treating a lovely lady like that, he should be arrested by the law for his heinous crimes!" Dean whined dramatically.

"... yes, we all know he is a bit of a dick, but he does pay us well. Have you had any trouble then?", she asked while she tapped her pen against the wooden clipboard.

"Well there was a gang of orcs seeking revenge against the steakhouses. I would have helped, but I'm not up for doing unpaid ~pork~."

"Ha hah. You should change courses, I think you'll make a wonderful clown. Did you see any 'real' problems happen, Dean?" Mary crossed her arms as she looked at Dean with a very disapproved gaze.

"No Mary, nothing's happened. Not even a peep."

Mary jolted something down on her clipboard and began to walk away, "Thank you Dean, stay strong."

She took a glance at her watch, "One hour and forty minutes and we can go home."

"Tell them Hunters to hurry up, they shouldn't be leaving the F gates for this long, the pay's too low." Dean complained as he put his hands into his hoody pocket. Dean's eyes followed the back of Mary as she disappeared around the green vortex.

"One hour and forty minutes... why couldn't I have had an awakening?" Dean thought. He pouted like a toddler.

"I'm getting frost bite for a course that'll take me four years to finish, plus the two years I tried to get in. You should have listened to mom and become a doctor."