“Stop following me,” Gadina warned the girl sitting across from her.

“I’m not following,” Hanister retorted. “I only spotted an empty seat here.”

“As if.”

It has been a week since Hanister joined her term to start training. The life living inside the base is more regular than she would have thought. Everyday has its own schedule. The general training was to improve stamina, sometimes the sessions are held outdoors, sometimes indoors. Undoubtedly, there were also classes that didn’t require moving in between, like some sort of campaign or lectures. The topic mostly surrounded their common enemy in the future — the Star Creatures. Like their body structures, weakness, or habits; though some of the content was already common sense for the Sheerians.

She also finally understood why Joel was so familiar with the course of how the S.D.A formed, because that was also part of the lecture. Those lectures forced them to learn the purpose and stories about the S.D.A’s establishment.

Hanister did not hate this kind of life, but the part she’s looking forward to the most is to learn how to wield the shells yet. Also, she’s starting to miss the times when she could chat with her mother.

“Did you see the schedule for the afternoon?” Hanister tried to change the topic of the conversation.

“Hey, did you hear what I said?” Gadina picked up a fry from her plate, but instead of putting it in her mouth, she used it to point at Hanister’s direction. “I’m not interested in some country folk like you.”

She widened her eyes, at the same time waving the fry in her hand around. Unfortunately, her threat didn’t seem to be working.

“You haven’t told me why you joined the S.D.A,” the girl sitting across from Gadina batted her lashes, snatching the fry away from her. “You said…”

“Hm…”

“You called me an idiot before. Mind explaining your season behind that statement?” She asked while chewing on the fry.

Gadina did not bother to answer. She stared intensely at Hanister, fire burning in her eyes. A week ago, she thought that her unfriendly attitude would make Hanister at least wanting to back off or quail, but obviously it didn’t. For the past week, Hanister’s actions had been completely out of her expectation.

She wasn’t as silly or easy to trick as Gadina had imagined her to be. She’s also not timid, quiet, or living alone amongst a group like some other people. Her way of doing things was unpredictable, and Gadina hated it when she didn't have control over things.

Rodenzel’s crime world was like the survival of the fittest, everyone was scheming, trying to outwit each other. Gadina’s used to guessing someone’s motives, weakness and vulnerability, in order to find the vital point when needed. But this strategy was clearly not working on Hanister.

Gadina couldn’t read her thoughts, or more like, she couldn’t even try and read. Since everything Hanister did seem to have no clear ‘purpose.’

“What do you want?” Gadina tried to suppress her anger.

“What do you mean what do I want?” The green-haired girl couldn’t help but ask. “I just want to find someone to have lunch with.”

“I’m not talking about this. I mean why are you trying to ‘approach’ me.”

“Aren’t we in the same term?” Hanister looked confused. “And we’re in the same dorm, the same bunk. Are we not supposed to…”

“Watch each other’s backs?” She wiggled her brows.

“You can find someone else for that.”

“But I think you’re perfect for the role,” Hanister pouted.

No fucking way.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Gadina thought after Hanister had spoken. She’s definitely scheming some shit. She told herself.

“Let me remind you, Miss Hanister,” Gadina’s face was sullen when she spoke as she started to eat.

“Why are you always speaking in an adult manner?”

“Why are you always clinging on like a child?” Gadina glared back, but her cheeks were full with food.

“Aren’t you the same age as I am?”

“I’m 20 already.”

“Only two years older than I am,” Hanister said, playing the mashed potato ball in her plate around with her fork.

“But you look like you’re ten years younger than I am,” Gadina swallowed her food. “Don’t think you can tell yet.”

“Tell…what?”

“Tell that you’re weirdo,” Gadina answered. “People who come here were either recruited, or forced for living,” she paused.

“For money.” She stabbed the diced beef with a fork and ate it.

Hanister nodded, starting to eat as well.

“I know. Mr.Joel had mentioned it to me.”

“Joel? Who’s Joel?” Gadina looked puzzled. “Never mind, I don’t care,” she immediately corrected herself.

“What I’m trying to say is, no one’s throwing themselves at the front line just to fight those monsters, Hanister,” she stated seriously. “This kind of thinking is gonna get you killed one way or another, or the people around you killed.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do.”

“So are you also like that then?” Hanister lifted her head to ask. “Joining the S.D.A for the money?”

“Of course,” Gadina answered. “I’m planning to just make it through the first three years, then ask to be transferred to the service unit.”

“Because we need to stay with the Wielding troops for at least three years?”

“Yes,” Gadina nodded. “Basically, no one would want to be at the front line consistently, unless they don’t care when they’re gonna die.”

“So we’d still get a chance to run errands together, right?”

“Yeah, not happening,” Gadina licked at the sauce at the corner of her lips.

“My goal is to survive over the course of the first three years, and you should go look for someone who’s as ‘mad’ as you are,” she asserted.

Yup, she’s a maniac.

She thought, and was certain about it. Others would laugh, but only for a short amount of time. They laugh to forget about the upcoming events in the future.

The entire training is long and tough, but they are still under the S.D.A’s protection for the time being. Once it’s concluded, everyone will then become Chasers and step to the front line. They are going to face the real challenge, they’re gonna face death.

To Gadina, joining the S.D.A was a choice, and also a stake. As long as she makes it through the first three years, then transfers away from the front line. By that time she would probably have saved up quite a fortune already. The life in the past might not have been life-threatening, but she didn’t know how much longer she could hold on.

Only three years.

She told herself. After that, she wouldn’t need to live her life in fear, neither would she need to be uptight and try to hide from law enforcement all the time. It was most definitely high-stakes, but the price will be worth it.

Obviously, Hanister wasn’t like that.

Gadina finished her whole juice box, then glanced at the girl sitting across from her.

She didn’t want to leave this kind of life.

She made a conclusion. Hanister seemed to be enjoying this, even believing that this is where she belongs. She’s happy, but isn’t trying to trick herself into avoiding the fact that she might stand at the front line one day. She’s happy, because she knows that one day she has to do that.

She’s truly a maniac.

Gadina warned herself. Also definitely not the kind of person she would like to get involved with during her career in the S.D.A.

“I’m leaving,” Gadina lifted her plate and stood up.

“This soon?” Hanister’s head shot up, her hand still holding the spoon. “But I haven’t—”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ve said anything about waiting for you.” The girl who stood up answered coldly, then turned around and walked to the exit without looking back.