The next morning Clio woke up before the sun, her nerves keeping her awake. Instead of stewing in the thoughts she dressed and walked the few blocks to a cafe. The little bell above the door chimed as she entered. She claimed her small table in a corner facing the window after ordering her usual large iced caramel latte and almond croissant. The only sound was the coffee machine whirring. A slight rain began painting the window in opalescent drops. Clio closed her eyes, enjoying the banality of it all.
“Clio, Are you ok? You didn’t come back to class yesterday?” Asked Mike as he expertly slid her order onto the table; before glancing around and taking a seat.
“Yeah, it’s just you can’t tell anyone about this ok? But my hunter test thingy results came back and it turns out I’m awakened. I got my guide yesterday, but they didn’t assign me a division because like my stats are all weird. So now I’m stuck failing at something I didn’t even wanna fucking do, but no matter how odd my stats they’ll never let me go back to a normal life, and I’m just so lost. Like how the fuck am I a hunter.” By the end of her monologue, her head was buried in her hands.
“Oh wow, that’s a lot. I’m sorry this is happening. Do you want space, vent, advice, or don’t know?”
“Like he never said an exact time, but like I was planning on heading over when they open at 9 am. I’m sorry, but I think I want space. Like this is all just so much and like why the fuck is the world doing this to me.”
“That makes total sense! I’m here whenever you need me. If you wanna call or hang out tonight I get off work around 5 pm, so I’m free after that. We could even go check out the used book store you’ve been wanting to go to.” With a warm smile, Mike stood.
“Thanks,” Clio smiled back.
“Of course. You’ll get through this! Ms. 4.0 gpa will figure out how to fucking obliterate this obstacle” He removed the drink and plate from his black tray and returned to the counter.
Clio stared at the falling rain enjoying the comfort, every once in a while, Mike would check in, and see what she needed. He even gave her favorite thing, free food. She even played around with her guide a little. She discovered how to open the [Inventory Screen] which was well just an empty inventory. Before she left she bought another almond croissant, today was not a calorie-counting day and spent longer than she would ever admit figuring out how to store it. With her prize safely put away she departed for the NHA office.
When Clio arrived she discovered it wasn’t Hunter Harmon waiting for her in the lobby, but someone significantly less friendly. Without pausing for a greeting he ushered her to the same room they had used yesterday.
“I apologize for the lack of greeting, but I am afraid we have to get straight to business.” Hunter Harmon frantically searched through his desk trying to local something; Clio couldn’t tell what. “I talked with the higher-ups yesterday and it has been decided that you will be joining the active division. It was briefly discussed that you join the passive and that still may happen because you don’t qualify for the reserves, but here I am getting ahead of myself.” He straightened. “I should probably start with a review of the divisions. The Reserve are people who technically qualify as hunters, but their stats are barely above those of a normal human they are required to do a limited number of tasks a year, but for the most part are normal members of society. They do not count as full NHA members. The Passive is for those with limited combat potential, but high charisma. Like myself, they serve more of a managerial role. The Actives are the Hunters who actually enter gates and protect people when gate breaks occur. It has been decided that you will serve as a part of the Actives for a year in hopes that your ability to use mana unlocks. Having someone with a high intelligence score and their ability to use mana locked is exceedingly rare. There have been cases where individuals who experience intense situations have unlocked their ability to use mana”
Clio gave the still-not-introduced hunter a weary glance she didn’t like the way intense situations sounded.
“Normally, we would not subject a person to these types of experiences; however as you are aware 75% of all hunters are melee hunters making this an opportunity we can not afford to lose a mana user with intelligence at C rank. The powers that be have decided that you will be in the Active division for 1 year, if you do not unlock your mana abilities within that time frame you will be transferred to the Passive division. Any questions before I send the assignment to your guide system?” Clio shook her head. No matter what questions she asked it wouldn’t change the fact that it sounded like she was in for a year of hell.
UPDATE to GUIDE SYSTEM via ADMIN#F2DFFF
[User: Clio Josephine Nowak] has been placed in the division [Active]*
*NOTE: that there are special conditions to Clio Josephine Nowak’s placement. View document [RGB242223255] for details
“With that out of the way, I’ll need you to follow me. We have to get you briefed for your departure tomorrow.”
“Excuse me, What! My departure tomorrow! I still have a couple of weeks left in school! And what about my family?! Am I supposed to just go home tonight and say welp looks like I’ve been drafted to god knows where doing god knows what oh and I leave fucking tomorrow!” At this point, Clio was out of her chair anger burning in her eyes.
“I hear your frustrations, however, it’s already been arranged. You’ve already finished classes for the year, so it has been agreed upon that your diploma will be sent to your family over the mail. As for what to tell your parents that is entirely up to you. The NHA will send an official note back to you explaining the situation. I’m afraid your failure to arrive for your scheduled departure will see you heavily fined and a warrant placed for your arrest.” The unknown hunter answered coldly as he pushed a folder of papers towards her. “Meet at the lobby of this building at 6 am sharp tomorrow. Review the contract and sign it.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
It was clear that it was not a suggestion. The contract was vague only saying that she would serve as a member of the Active division, she would dive three times a week and have the rest of the time to herself, she would be provided with health care, meals, and housing, and she would also earn 13k a month and would receive 3% of any revenue made off the dive loot her team recovered. All in all, it was far from a bad deal, but the unknown location and sudden departure made it hard for her to see any upsides.
“As you can see,” The cold hunter taking the signed form from Clio, “You will be fairly compensated. Should something untoward occur your family will receive ample compensation. Hunter Harmon will assist you in your pre-departure briefing tomorrow morning. Since you are the only one from our branch who is assigned to this specific mission you will fly to a port and journey with a supply ship to your destination. You are to stay out of the crew’s way am I clear.”
“Yes. But wait a boat? Where am I going?” Clio’s brow wrinkled with confusion.
“I’m afraid that is classified at the moment. You will be filled in on the details during the briefing tomorrow. Now if you will excuse me.” without another word the unknown hunter left the room. Clio’s anger fizzled out into disappear. She had wanted to leave home at some point, and go off to University, but wasn’t ready for it to be tomorrow. It was all happening too soon. She felt like someone else was in control of her body over the walk home. When she passed the cafe again she caught a glimpse of Mike still behind the counter. The cafe was nearly empty, that weird time just after the lunch rush, so she took the liberty of sitting at the counter.
“How’d it go?” Mike tossed the dish rag over one shoulder and leaned forward.
“Well, I got placed in the Active Division.”
“You? In the Active Division that doesn’t seem to fit.”
“Yeah well take that up with the NHA.”
“Well still congrats, that’s amazing! We’re gonna have to celebrate tomorrow!”
Clio had a fleeting battle with herself, although she knew it was selfish to not tell Mike about her emanate departure, she didn’t want their last moment together for a while to be spoiled by it. “We’ll have to see. Anyway enough about me. Did you finish the homework for Mr. Bets’ class?” She would call him tonight and tell him.
When Clio finally arrived home, Cali was lounging on the couch. Though Clio couldn’t see what it was, she smelled her dad cooking something heavenly in the kitchen.
“How did it go?! What division are you?” Cali vaulted over the back of the couch and practically dragged Clio to the kitchen island.
“Is Mom home? I don’t want to explain this again.” Clio’s voice was remarkably calm despite the panic attack she felt mounting.
“I’ll go get her.” As Cali ran towards the stairs, Clio focused on stopping her hands from shaking. She would have time to break down later, but if this really was her last night with her family for a year, she couldn’t spend it in a spiraling abyss of anxiety.
“OK, so what are the results? I can’t handle the suspense!” Cali’s demanding voice entered the room before she or their mom did. As Clio explained the conversation she had had with the inhospitable agent, her family’s faces morphed from glee to horror. When she handed over the official letter, Clio swore she saw tears in her dad’s eyes.
“You leave tomorrow?” he said, his voice cracking. “Do you know where?”
“No, the agent said it was classified. The only information I got was that I would be taking a boat.”
“Ha, if only portal specialists weren’t monopolized by the bigwig guilds.” Her mom started on her usual rant against the privatization of portal users. “When I was a girl, portal users set up the groundwork for public teleportation systems, but then…”
Clio tuned the rest out. She had heard it hundreds of times before, and now that she was forced to leave, she hoped she would be able to hear it a hundred more.
“Yes, Mom, we know; guilds are evil and all that,” Cali said, rolling her eyes. “Back to what’s important: we need to celebrate! Let’s party the night away until Clio has to leave!” Cali reached for a bottle of brandy on the counter, but Mom deftly batted her hand away.
“Oh no, you don’t. I know you drink with your friends, and I won’t stop you from doing that, but you will not be drinking in my house until you are 21. You hear me?”
“Come on! Clio leaves tomorrow. Surely this is an exception!”
Their mom just raised an eyebrow.
“Fine,” Cali relented. “Clio, come on. If you leave tomorrow, we need to hold our last secret meeting. I declare, as the older twin, that we are going to buy cake, chips, and soda and then talk for hours!”
“You’re only 1 minute older!” Clio retorted but followed Cali out the door anyway.
A few hours later, both girls were in Clio’s room, music blasting and food strewn around.
“Since you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll want to bring something for both cold and warm weather,” Cali suggested, rummaging through Clio’s dresser for suitable clothes. Trying to decide what was worth jamming into the lime green duffle laying open on the floor.
“The NHA provides clothes to all recruits. Why should I bother packing my own?” Clio asked, sipping a cherry Coke as she watched Cali busy at work.
“Who knows? Maybe you’ll find someone special and want something cute to wear.”
“Come on, this isn’t a vacation. I don’t think there’ll be time for dating.”
“There is always time for dating if you make it. You’re going to meet a whole new pool of possible boyfriends. And they’re hunters—there’re bound to be a couple of cute ones.”
“I’m about to go who-knows-where, doing who-knows-what, and you think I should be thinking about cute boys?”
“Come on, you can try to be a bit more excited. Do you know how many people would kill to be awakened, let alone as a D-rank hunter? You get to leave this shitty town and go on an adventure!”
“This is your dream, not mine! I never wanted to be a hunter, let alone in the Active division! You can think this is going to be a perfect adventure when you're not the one who has to give up everything!”
“Wow, I see how it is! I try to help you, and what do I get in return? Screamed at!” Cali, still holding the lime green duffle, stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Clio put her head in her hand the fight serving as the tipping point, releasing the dam of emotion she had been holding in all day. Soft sobs escaped her as she started to rock back and forth.