Out of the 80 trainees that arrived at orientation, 30 of them failed. Slug, Jolie, and Priar included. For as terrifying as it was, Priar had been happy to finally see the nightmare over. A crazed first and last day he'd surely remember for the rest of his life.
He laid on his cot in the med-bay beside the other failures. While some thrashed and fought for their place in the school, a peaceful smile rested on Priar's face. He wouldn't need to worry about grades or friendships, only what it was going to be like to confront his parents back home.
Beds filled the room top to bottom, but surprisingly none of them held Jolie. Slug pulled back Priar's privacy curtain, the bed closely packed beside his. Despite what the hunter had done to him, Slug seemed excited. He held a genuine grin watching his friend. Priar went to sit up but struggled with the aching soreness quaking throughout his body.
"I heard what you did, you know." Slug said. Priar immediately felt a wave of guilt drain the color of his skin. He'd selfishly left his friend to save himself. Slug had only ever helped him since they met and he'd so easily abandoned him. This wasn't something he had ever done before, even in the most dire of situations. So why now? It only made sense that he'd be confronted for it and he was more than ok with getting bashed. He'd deserved it.
"I'm sorry Slug, I didn't know what else to do." Priar pleaded, "With everything going on I didn't have any other choice-"
"You took out our fuckin' corporal, man!" Slug cheered, "you must've let the wolf out on him, huh?" he joked imitating a howl. Priar should've known better, of course he doesn't remember, and even if he did he would've understood. Priar released a deep sigh of relief, the weight on his chest deflating to nothing.
"I don't know what happened to be honest. Everything was really just a blur- wait, that Malcolm guy was our corporal?"
"Yeah man, he's like one of the highest ranked dudes in this grade." Slug rested his head back against his pillow, still sore from this morning's wake up call. "So tell me about it. What happened while I was out?"
Priar groaned attempting to sit up in his bed, his body aching awfully, but a smile found itself in the midst of that pain. He'd been reliving the fight, that rush. He didn't feel fear in a single moment and to him it felt amazing. He'd wondered if Jolie felt the same when she fought-What happened to Jolie?
"So tell me about it. What happened while I was out?" Slug prodded.
"Maybe when I get back, I need to check on something." Priar shot out of bed, pushing through the pain. He didn't get far, having to rest against the wall.
"Huh? C'mon man, lay back down. I can tell by just lookin at yah, you're messed up." Slug pleaded. He could've gotten up and chased after Priar, but his legs wouldn't have been able to keep up with him anyways.
Priar hobbled his way to the open door leading out of their room. If the med-bay was packed, the hallway even moreso. Visitors, staff, and discharged patiences all clumped together into one grand hall. Priar recognised the same gold trimmed pattern from before. They'd never left the building, only it almost felt warmer now. The atmosphere of everyone together again, looking after one another, it felt like he was back at the orphanage. They were all lost children looking for guidance. Priar would hope that one day the right pair would come along to save him, but more so he didn't want to leave behind the children he'd spent months with, but much like the peaceful atmosphere, all things come to an end.
"You did this to me you bitch!" a thunderous boom broke the chatter amongst the crowd. Priar snapped his head in the direction of the voice and saw Jolie, her arm in a sling with her gaze locked to the floor. Another girl, slightly taller than her, had yelled in her face. Her hair was tied back neatly in a bun, her shirt tucked into her pants. She obviously made the effort to look her most professional, but her actions did not match, "We were supposed to pass that test! Now I'm stuck with losers like you!" she screamed. Jolie stood still, allowing herself to be bitten by this venomous woman.
Jolie's fist tightened at her words. As much as it pained her to admit it, she was right. It had been her fault they were caught by hunters. Had she'd never gotten involved with them in the first place, maybe they would've passed. "I apologise, Esme… truly." She could not look her in the eyes. Others around began to whisper to one another. Esme smiled, she had won. She'd gotten the princess herself to bend the knee to a commoner, but that wasn't enough. She wanted more- needed it. Otherwise how else would she feel better. Esme raised her hand and with an open palm, swung at Jolie.
Priar pushed through the cluster, hand outstretched. He caught her by the wrist just in time.
"Leave her be." Priar's voice, like a beam light breaking through a storm cloud. Jolie opened her mouth, but Esme spoke first.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be? Her knight in shining armor?" she laughed. "I had no idea that the big-faced bitch had a fan-boy."
"Doesn't matter what I am. She said she was sorry-" He tossed her hand to the side."Now keep walking."
"Whatever, you can fall for her trap too, just don't come crying to me when you're stuck in a pile of her shit." she annouced, turning and disappearing in the crowd of onlookers. In moments like these he'd never known what was the clear path. What he should or shouldn't do, but for some strange reason his body moved without thought- as if someone was stealing control of his telling him to Just do it.
He felt a rough hand on his shoulder spin him around. It was Jolie's, only she held a frustrated expression. "What the hell are you doing?"
Priar confused, said "I- I thought she was being a little rough with you, so I wanted to help is all-"
"I don't need your help." she paused, scoffing at Priar. "I don't even know you! We aren't friends, or battle buddies, or whatever fantasy you have in your head. So please, next time you think about what's going on with me, mind your business." she stomped away, the crowd parting for her.
Priar looked to others around him, baffled by the display she'd shown to her savior. No one had even talked down to him in such a way. Especially not someone he'd stuck his neck out for twice. He laughed to himself, realizing people would now only look at him and think "Boy wonder!" He'd made a fool of himself. Jolie was right, he should've let her get smacked.
Sounds like the brat needed it.
The crowd formed around him once again acting as if nothing had even happened. Soon he'd be clogged in the hall, but he didn't care. He needed time to think. Time to cool down.
Slug, having heard the commotion, stepped to Priar's side, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Well you can't catch 'em all I guess." Priar sighed, hiding his face. Slug smirked, noticing a smile rising on Priar's face. "I see that." he poked at Priar's side. "C'mon, let it out!" Slug began violently tickingling Priar, finally letting a laugh escape him as he pushed off his aggressor.
"Quit it!" Priar shouted with a smile. "You got me, alright!"
"Good, and you didn't want her anyways, she looks a little-" he pointed to his temple and swirled his finger.
"Maybe, still- I feel kind of bad for her. No one deserves that kind of treatment." Priar said, rebuking his thoughts from earlier.
"Well, maybe you should take her advice. Don't think about her anymore." Slug suggested. "Instead, think about how much better it's gonna be to get outta this place!" he'd shouted into the crowd, others looking at him in confusion.
"That would be nice." The two paused, wondering what AM I going to do? Neither had thought that far into the future. Priar had an uncomfortable home to return, and after that? Would he still skip his classes? Would his dad see him as a son again? Or would he continue to disapprove of him?
"Mr. Witt, and Mr. Andrews?" an older voice yelled from the Med-bay door. Both of the boys perked up at the sound of their names.
"Andrews huh?" Priar teased.
"Shut the hell up" Slug pushed.
The pair strode through the hall with a naive confidence. The "nightmare" Priar had lived through was only the beginning. Failure never meant the end, not at Bramblewood.