Chapter 27: Welcome to the Military :– 2
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Location: Camp Lehigh.
Omni POV.
Right After the Others Had Left.
"So these are all the Naturals we got this year, huh?" Barnes asked as he looked over the remaining recruits.
Only five remained standing on the training field and compared to the dozens who had just been dismissed moments earlier, the group looked surprisingly small.
"Yes," Rogers replied. "This year we got more quality than quantity."
His gaze swept across the five recruits.
Daniel fou Durland.
Erica.
Martha.
Leon fou Bartfort.
Raymond fou Arkin.
Who unlike the majority of recruits arriving at Camp Lehigh, each of them had awakened a Grace naturally and while that alone made them valuable, they had awakened really powerful ones.
This made them potentially dangerous, especially considering they had only recently awakened their abilities and possessed virtually no training.
Rogers turned toward them. "You already know who I am." His expression remained calm."And I already know who you are."
"So I won't waste our time with introductions."
The five immediately straightened.
"And as you've already been told, you are different from the rest of your peers." He folded his arms. "Does anyone here know why?"
A hand immediately rose into the air. A black-haired boy with dark eyes with his hair tied neatly into a ponytail stepped forward.
Rogers nodded. "Yes, Cadet Bartfort."
Leon took a step forward. "Sir!"
"I believe it's because we possess Graces while the others do not."
"Correct." Rogers nodded approvingly. "Most soldiers in this day and age require years of training before their bodies become capable of receiving Artificial Graces."
His voice remained steady."You, however, have already awakened your own." The recruits listened carefully. "That means your training will differ from theirs."
He pointed toward the training grounds. "While the other recruits spend years strengthening their bodies and learning military fundamentals..."
His finger shifted toward himself. "You will train under me." The atmosphere immediately became more serious. "On top of everything the Artificials will learn, you will be taught how to understand, control, and ultimately master your Graces."
"Is that understood?"
"YES CAPTAIN!!!"
The response echoed across the training field.
"Good." Rogers nodded."We begin tomorrow."
His gaze shifted toward Barnes. "After Sergeant Barnes is done with you."
Barnes grinned. The recruits immediately felt less enthusiastic. "Looking forward to it." And just like that they suddenly weren't enthusiastic for tomorrow.
Rogers ignored their reactions. "You are dismissed."
Then he pointed toward a nearby soldier. "Cadet Harris."
A young second-year cadet immediately stepped forward. "Sir!"
"Show them around the base."
"Understood, sir."
With that, Rogers and Barnes departed. Leaving the five new Naturals alone with their guide.
The second-year cadet turned toward them. "Alright then."
He smiled. "Follow me."
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Later That Afternoon
Location: Naturals Barracks
After Orientation
The tour had took nearly three hours from the training grounds, the mess halls, medical centers, armory, they were even shown the command buildings among the countless other facilities spread throughout Camp Lehigh with the base itself ending up being far larger than any of them had expected.
Now they stood in front of two modest buildings positioned at the far end of a quiet section of the camp.
Separated from the rest of the recruit housing. "This is the last stop." Cadet Harris stretched his arms. "The barracks."
The five recruits looked toward the buildings which were noticeably smaller than the massive barracks assigned to the regular recruits, a bit more private and isolated.
"The boys live in the building on the left."
"The girls live in the building on the right."
"Now any questions before I leave?"
This time Leon raised his hand so Harris pointed toward him. "Go ahead."
"Leon here, I was wondering why we're separated from the other recruits."
The others immediately paid attention as Harris answered, "The short version is that Naturals and Artificials require different training."
He gestured toward the rest of the camp, "For the first two years, you'll barely interact with the regular recruits outside of meals, morning exercises, and a handful of joint activities."
"Why?" Martha asked quietly.
"Because your development paths are completely different." He pointed toward the barracks behind them. "This entire section was built specifically for Naturals."
The recruits looked around with renewed interest while Harris continued. "Unlike standard recruit housing, this area comes equipped with its own facilities."
He held up a finger. "Private training grounds."
A second finger. "A dedicated library."
A third finger. "Specialized Grace training rooms."
Harris noticed. "Captain Rogers takes Grace development seriously." His expression became noticeably pale. "Very seriously."
"How seriously?" Daniel asked.
Harris laughed. "Let's just say, in your first year here younwill come to hate this place."
The recruits exchanged glances, that sounded less encouraging than it was terrifying.
"Anyway." Harris pointed toward the boys' barracks. "Inside you'll find your room assignments."
His gaze swept across the group. "Unpack your things."
"Get settled."
"And get to the mess hall before dinner ends."
Then his expression suddenly became serious. "And whatever you do, don't head into town before the weekend."
The warning immediately caught their attention. "Why?" Raymond asked.
Harris simply shook his head. "Because It's part of the rules, break it and you'll regret it."
With that ominous answer, he turned and walked away and as he disappeared down the path, his final words drifted back toward them. "Trust me."
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Location: Camp Lehigh, 1st Year (N) Barracks
Omni POV (Leon Based)
The moment Harris disappeared from view, an awkward silence settled over the group with N\no one seemed particularly eager to speak first.
The silence stretched, then stretched some more and when it threatened to become even more awkward.
A silver orb suddenly drifted into view beside Leon's shoulder. "Sir." Luxion's mechanical voice broke the silence. "Aren't we supposed to go inside?"
Several of the others visibly jumped, while Leon immediately pinched the bridge of his nose. "Come on, Luxion."
"Where's your tact? Can't you see things are awkward right now?"
"I'm an artificial intelligence." Luxion's eye blinked. "I possess no tact."
"You know someday that excuse isn't going to be enough."
"I highly doubt that."
Before Leon could continue arguing, a voice interrupted them. "What is that?"
Leon turned.
The question had come from the blonde girl standing near the front of the group.
Who, unlike everyone else, didn't look surprised or impressed nor even particularly confused; she simply looked curious in a detached sort of way.
The girl possessed short blonde hair cut neatly around her face and sharp blue eyes that drew in all who stared into them with her expression barely changed.
In fact, Leon wasn't entirely sure she had shown a single emotion since they met. "What is what?" Leon asked.
She pointed directly at Luxion. "That."
"Oh?"Leon looked at Luxion then back at her "the floating metal ball?"
"Yes."
The girl stared. Waiting.
Patiently.
Silently.
Without any intention of elaborating further.
"...And you are?" Leon asked.
"Erica." That was about all she said, no family name, no explanation, just Erica.
Leon immediately got the feeling that these were probably the most words she had spoken all day. "Right." He pointed toward Luxion. "This is Luxion and you can think of him as my familiar, or something like that."
The silver orb floated forward, "Greetings. I am my master's Artificial Intelligence Assistant. Designation: Luxion."
"I told you never to call me that, what happened"
"I'm sorry, sir. But I do not know how else I was supposed to introduce myself."
Leon sighed."You know what? Forget it."
The group stared as the two went back and forth in silence.
Until finally Raymond adjusted his glasses. "Artificial Intelligence?"
"Correct."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I am significantly smarter than all of you."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Egotistical much?" That response caused everyone turned toward Erica.
To which the blonde girl just shrugged.
Leon couldn't help laughig meanwhile Luxion feeling somewhat personally offended, he couldn't help but retort, "I merely stated a fact."
"Come on, buddy." Leon smirked.
"No need to get grouchy. I thought you said you didn't have emotions."
"Your criticism has been noted and subsequently ignored." Luxion stated still in his grumpy tone.
Meanwhile another member of the group had quietly approached Luxion.
A girl with shoulder-length chestnut hair and large brown eyes who compared to Erica's cold demeanor, she looked much softer bordering almost on timid.
Carefully reaching out, she poked Luxion. "Pardon me." Her voice was so quiet everyone had to focus to hear it."Is... is he supposed to be here?"
Luxion rotated toward her. "Last time I checked, yes."
The girl immediately withdrew her hand. "S-Sorry, it's just you could get into trouble"
Leon laughed. "Don't worry about him"
"My father gave me a letter of recommendation asking for permission for him to be here, Captain Rogers approved it personally."
"Oh." The girl visibly relaxed. "That's good."
Before the conversation could continue, someone loudly cleared their throat.
"Cough." "Cough." Everyone turned and there a large boy stood there awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He was easily the biggest among them broad shoulders, tanned skin, messy blond hair, green eyes and built more like a young bear than a ten-year-old child.
Yet despite his intimidating appearance, he looked surprisingly gentle. "Well..."
He smiled sheepishly. "If I don't introduce myself now, I don't think I'll ever get the chance."
A few chuckles spread through the group. "Sorry," Leon said.
The large boy waved it off. "No problem." He extended a hand. "Daniel fou Durland. Nice to meet you everyone." His smile warm and genuine.
Immediately making him seem approachable despite his size.
Leon shook his hand and instantly regretted it, Daniel's grip felt like being caught in a steel trap. "Oh!"
Daniel immediately let go. "Sorry! I forget my own strength sometimes."
"You think?" Leon muttered while trying to regain feeling in his fingers.
Daniel laughed awkwardly.
Meanwhile Erica spoke again.
"I'm Erica. No family name."
A boy stepped forward next, he was the smallest of them all there, blue hair blue eyes and glasses.
Compared to Daniel, he looked physically unimpressive and yet there was a sharp intelligence behind his gaze, the look of someone who spent more time thinking than talking. "I'm Raymond fou Arkin."
He adjusted his glasses. "It's nice to meet everyone."
Finally everyone's attention shifted toward the last member of their group.
The quiet brown-haired girl immediately froze, like a rabbit realizing all eyes were suddenly on it. "M-Me?"
"Yes," Daniel said gently.
"Oh." She fidgeted nervously. "My name is Martha."
Everyone waited patiently for more, "...That's it?"
"Yes that's it."
Daniel smiled. "Nice to meet you, Martha."
How response got her to visibly relax. "Nice to meet you too."
Finally all eyes turned toward Leon, he pointed at himself. "Guess that leaves me."
Straightening slightly, he smiled.
"Leon fou Bartfort."
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