Norok gazed up at the dark blue tapestries hung all around the mess hall. While hoards of bright-eyed cadets scarfed down their plates of dried meats and potatoes, the Fable insignia bore down upon them, a silver blade rising from a stone and bordered off by a thin circle. Norok adjusted his stolen glasses with a reserved sigh.

“Can you not?” Will chided, glaring at Norok from the side.

“I thought you didn’t want them back,” Norok replied with a sneer. Will may have had the upper hand before, a fluke even Norok was impressed by, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t itching for a round two.

“I don’t,” Will said, eyes looking out over the sea of figures hunched over tables. “But watching you flaunt them around like you won them off me is pathetic, given that we both know how that little exchange ended. Or do you need a reminder?”

Norok’s hand twitched at his side. “Doesn’t sound much like discipline when you put it that way, sir.”

Will huffed, crossing his arms and looking over his shoulder at the buffet line. There was Daimona, darting back and forth between each silver pot, ignoring the distressed servers as she piled on more and more food onto her plate.

“Merlin’s teeth, does she always eat like that?!”

Norok shrugged. “Not always. Usually she eats more.”

Will groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. After several more minutes of awkwardly standing around, Daimona finally emerged victorious from the line, her eyes the only thing visible above her heaping mountain of potatoes, stewed carrots and endless layers of roast beef.

“You didn’t wanna eat?” Daimona asked, following steadily behind Will as he began to lead them to the back of the room.

“Not hungry,” Norok answered, shaking his head. Then, with a quieter voice, “Do you think that’ll be enough for you?”

Daimona nodded, her food shaking with the vigorous movement. Norok rubbed at the back of his neck, and thought wearily, That’s all I can really ask for.

Will came to a stop in front of the furthest left table in the mess hall. There sat two figures; the first was a young man, with a shock of scruffy brown hair protruding from his cap. He jumped up, his hand already outstretched to Norok. The freckles on his peach-pink skin stuck out wildly as he grinned.

“Hi! You must be Ukon, right? I’m Kell, I’m your new bunkmate.” Before Norok could reply, Kell had already taken his hand in his own, squeezing firmly. For a moment, it seemed as though Kell’s palm was buzzing with warmth, a strange static feeling overtaking Norok’s arm. “Oh, uh, I’m also a fire specialist, just like you! Though, I’m more on the offensive side, with Irina. Irina, say hi!”

The woman still sitting at the table was tall, that much Norok could gather. Her pale white-blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun, her uniform easily the most immaculate he had seen so far. Despite Kell’s call, she remained silently hunched over, her attention solely on a pair of long daggers in her hands. She sharpened them slowly against one another as she glanced up to briefly glare at Kell.

Kell, however, did not seem put off by this. Instead, he offered an even warmer smile to Norok. “She’s just shy.”

Will cleared his throat, patting Kell on the shoulder. “Actually Private Prodikor, there’s been a… Change in recruitment. Private Ankh will be joining a different squad. Instead, we have…”

Will gestured for Norok to introduce himself. Norok slowly shook Kell’s hand. “It’s Norok. And this is my sister, Daimona.”

Daimona had already begun shoveling food into her mouth, balancing the plate with one hand and plowing into her meal with the other. Oblivious to the introduction, Daimona sat herself at the table without a word to the rest, focusing all of her attention on the meal.

Norok moved to sit next to her, with Will and Kell settling back across from him. Irina’s eyes were eerily locked on to Daimona, her hooked nose angled down much like the birds of prey they had seen cavorting about the woods.

Will folded his arms, leaning forward. “Now that we are all officially together, I’d like to go over our expectations.”

Irina made a low groan, while Kell whined, “Aww c’mon Will, we just sat down!”

“And no time like the present,” Will lectured. “Let’s set a good example for the new recruits and show a little respect for our squad leader.”

“A meaningless title,” Irina muttered. A thick accent Norok couldn’t place clung to her words, making her t’s sound harsh and definite. She used the end of one of her knives to start carving into the table, eyes following the blade. “Earned by your name and nothing more.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“The board still disagrees with that observation, Private Smirnov,” Will replied through gritted teeth.

“Hard to disagree with Daddy’s money in the pocket, no? Tch,” Irina clicked her tongue, digging her blade deeper into the wood. “It is a sick joke, this institution--”

“--Sorry, she’s uh, cynical,” Kell interjected, elbowing Irina.

“Thought she was shy,” Norok snorted.

“She can be both!”

“She can hear you both,” Irina hissed. Then, motioning bitterly at Will she added, “Get on with it then.”

Will straightened up. “Thank you. Now, as we all know, we are a Foreign Counter Operations team--”

“--Technically not officially, but we will be,” Kell whispered to Norok.

“--And that means it is essential that we do well in this upcoming bootcamp so that we can--”

“--Beat Squadron 57--” Irina sighed.

“--Cement our standing as a top-ranked squadron and use first place as a stepping stone, could you two please,” Will huffed, “Please not talk over me? You said I could get on with it.”

“Yes, but you bore me,” Irina replied. “You tell me and Sparkboy every day how we are to climb the mountain, best our enemy, and here we are. Shoved in the corner like rats.”

“Irina, I asked if you wanted to sit somewhere else,” Kell argued. “You said this was your favorite spot!”

“Shut up!” Irina plunged her second dagger into the table. “The point is, Mr. Leader sir, two newbies will not change our odds. No matter how… Pink they are.”

Daimona pushed her empty plate forward with a satisfied sigh, wiping her hand on her pants. Her eyes moved from Irina to Will, then to Norok.

“What’re we talking about?”

“Camping, I think,” Norok replied. “Or how we’re ‘pink.’”

“Oh.” Daimona stood, patting her stomach thoughtfully. “I’m gonna go get more.”

“Girl,” Irina barked. “Hold on.”

Daimona tilted her head at her. “Yeah?”

Norok felt slightly anxious watching Irina look over his sister. Before when they had approached, Irina was predatory, something feral and natural in her gaze. But now, there was something softer. Something curious.

“I have seen bears that eat less than you,” Irina said simply.

“I’ve probably eaten them,” Daimona replied.

“Do you have the strength to back it up? Your appetite, that is.”

Daimona grinned. “What’s it to you?”

Irina grabbed Kell’s arm, slamming it down into the table before him. He yelped, glaring at Irina with his mouth open in shock. “Wrestle Sparkboy.”

Both Will and Kell began to protest. “Smirnov, please, we have more important matters to discuss…”

“Irina, I don’t really wanna arm wrestle in the middle of the cafeteria, that seems very… Childish…”

Irina pinched Kell’s wrist, getting another yelp from him as she held it out for Daimona to take. Daimona looked to Norok. He shrugged back.

“Go easy on him,” Norok said.

She pouted at that, but settled into the space across from him anyways. She took Kell’s hand, nodding intently.

“Count us off, lady.”

Irina nodded, letting go of Kell’s arm. A trail of red sparks followed her hand, causing him to shoot her a confused look. She gave him a cold, thin smile.

“Make your squadron proud now.”

“But--”

“Go,” Irina interrupted, clapping her hands. At first, Kell and Daimona were locked at the hand, neither tipping in either direction. Though he was apprehensive at first, Norok could see a strong determination in Kell’s eyes. Norok wondered if the friendly, easygoing man from before was another facade hiding another difficult opponent. Could he best them like Will and Sergeant Cowell did? Was this another hurdle he’d have to deal with during his time here?

Then, as if answering his question, Daimona pushed Kell’s hand back with such force, the table cracking under. As she pulled her hand away, Kell’s arm remained motionless below, as he rubbed at his elbow trying to get the feeling back. He offered her a pained smile.

“G-good one,” he said shakily.

Daimona shrugged. “If you say so.”

“Me next,” Irina said, almost shoving Kell off of the bench entirely. The wild look in her eye mirrored Daimona’s own, Norok thought, and the longer they looked at each other like that the more it made his stomach churn with brotherly dread.

“No!” Will shouted, rising to his feet. Irina and Daimona flicked their heads towards him, in a sort of perfect predatory unison. Will grimaced at the sight, shuddering lightly. “I mean, no. There are better places to do… Whatever this is.”

Irina jumped up, her face lit up with excitement. “For once, you’ve said something worth my time, Mr. Leader. Come, girl. I will take you.”

“Where?” Daimona asked, watching with giddy eyes as Irina twisted her palm over in Daimona’s and pulling her around the table with a more friendly tug.

Will started to speak, “Outside, to our grounds--”

“--Simulation room,” Irina interrupted. “We will test you there. Fight fake elk and punch sharks. Whoever can kill more wins.”

Daimona gasped, bouncing on her heels as they walked. “Wins what? And what’s a simulation? Or a shark?”

“Hey, wait! Irina!” Will clambered off the bench, chasing after them.

Kell gave a solemn nod to Norok as he stood, gesturing to the two girls weaving through the leaving lunch crowd. “Well. Guess we should follow.”

Norok returned an awkward smile before turning to watch Daimona’s retreating back. “I guess so.”