66 DRILL HALL (1/2)
In a random street on the twelfth deck, in front of the room 12F-21.
”How could you use my water for cleaning your foot!” A small-eyed man grabbed Sariyu's shirt under the neck and howled in rage. ”Do you have any idea how long I had to wait in line to get that half liter of drinking water?”
”I-I didn't think it was drinking water,” Sariyu had a stupefied expression. ”My finger was bleeding, so I had to wash it before dressing the wound—”
”I don't care!” the small-eyed man enlarged his eyes and demanded, ”give me my water back!”
”W-What…” Sariyu was at a loss for words. ”I'm sorry.”
”Screw your sorry,” he pushed Sariyu away and let go of her shirt. ”I want my water back.”
”But it's already wasted,” she was still mazed, ”how can I give it back?”
The small-eyed man ground his teeth. ”Are you making a fool out of me? I was talking about you going to a drill hall and fetching whatever the amount of water you owe me!”
”It's not intentional,” Sariyu replied, stepping back once while rapidly blinking, which lead to a wide-eyed look.
”I don't care.”
”Uh, wait, you can have some copper—”
”I don't want your money, rich lass!” His eyes turned red. ”What I want is my water.”
Sariyu was left in a dilemma, and guilt slowly crept over her face thanks to the small-eyed man's growing diatribe. She had requested water from this guy, and he gave her a half-liter bottle and told her to drink half of it, then went into his room and came back a minute later only to see Sariyu treating her wound with the water and she used almost sixty percent, but the man argued that she used three-fourths of it. Having said that, what bothered him, even more, was seeing his water wasted for cleansing the wound, and he couldn't digest what he had seen.
”Is that drill hall nearby?” Sariyu asked with a sorry face.
”To both of our luck, yes,” the man snorted. ”Let me lock my room, and we'll go together.” Saying that he hurried into his room, came out with another bottle and wasted no time in locking the door, all the while smiling to himself. (Hehe, I'm free anyway. If I go with her, I can get extra half-liter water. Two needs dealt with one deed.)
Both of them set out, although only Sariyu showed any haste to reach the hall quick.
The ants roving in the cracks on the wall of the small-eyed man's room took their time to transport bits of sugar into their buried shelter through the ant hills made from tiny pebbles at the base of the wall.
Sariyu and the small-eyed man arrived at the drill hall by the boulevard. The palm trees on either side of the street grabbed her attention, but the other fellow hurried her. Soon as they entered the spacious hall, eyes of all colors and capacities sought for a sight at the stunning sweetheart.
Ensorcelled by the adorable belle, not a soul moved as most of them kept their two eyes on Sariyu while she was captivated by the warm orange glow in the room which was more apparent than in the test hall. It was so easy on the eyes and resembled the dawn of the sun. The lighting inside the ship, in most places, was just too good in creating a pleasant mood, but this was on a whole different level, so she couldn't help but feel appreciation toward it on the inside.
Meanwhile, the small-eyed man walked straight toward the Water Booth where dozens of ten-thousand-liter-tanks stood taller than everyone else. Some occupied wooden cells, like that of cages, could also be seen in the background.
”Wow, so this is where people train their skills,” the atmosphere in the hall enlivened Sariyu's eyes. Seeing so many people practice martial arts in groups scattered across the room reminded her of her school days, ”this is awesome.” If many eyes weren't locked on her, she probably would have jumped with joy.
”Awesome, yes indeed,” the small-eyed man substantiated her impressions with his words. ”Martial arts gets drilled into the folks until the practice of it becomes a practice. Every deck has at least one of these halls, and since the training here is free, many people flock here, but hey, you remember what you came here for, right?”
”Yeah, of course. We are here for fresh wat—” Sariyu looked toward the Water Booth, and all the sprightliness in her face vanished apace. ”Eh? Is that a line?”
”Yep, that's what it is. I'm glad you didn't mistake it for a python,” the small-eyed man said, looking at the long, snake-like queue made of around a thousand men.
”This will take too long,” Sariyu turned to look at him, furious over herself for having agreed to help him, ”and we only get half-a-liter after all the waiting.” Her shoulders slumped down and gloom shrouded her features.
”Not exactly, but now you know the source of my anger,” the small-eyed man frankly said, ”If you think I'm going to fall for your gloomy guise, then please stop.”
”What?” Fury surged up inside her, and she stressed her words, ”Do I look like I'm acting?”
”U-Uh,” the small-eyed felt a sense of dread and raised his palms as if telling her to stop. He also kept smiling, but nothing happened. ”T-The joke wasn't funny?”
”Joke, huh,” Sariyu squinted her eyes, ”Joke again, and I'll leave right away.”
”I won't. I won't, for sure.”
”Hmph,” Sariyu folded her arms across her chest, ”I-Isn't there any other way? A quicker one?”
”Uh, yes, well, there is one way, but I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, surely, not to you. They'd only destroy you.”
”Who's 'they'?”
”Who else? The trainees in this hall,” the small-eyed man said, clutching his shoulders as he looked at some people in the hall, for he got reminded of the time when he got trashed by one of the trainees. ”In the beginning, I used to wait in line like every newcomer, and I didn't have much of a problem back then as when my turn came, I drank stomachful and then took half-a-liter back to my room, but as the days went by, maybe my head grew big, or my eyes grew smaller, I challenged the trainees for water, thinking I could get an extra liter of it for every individual I defeat without having to wait in the queue for hours every day,” he looked gloomy and depressed all of a sudden, ”but I ended up returning home with a sore neck and shoulders. I learned a hard lesson that day,” he was visibly frozen with terror, ”You don't screw with the rabbits here, or they'll screw you up!”
”So, sparring with the trainees quickens things in this hall, huh,” Sariyu's eyes scanned around. Many men paused their work and looked back at her, but still, some men were focused on their work. A few though shouted excessively to attract her attention, but her gaze stopped at a tall, gray-haired man with a long face who was walking from one group to another, teaching them things. ”Who's that?” Sariyu pointed her finger at him.
”Who, you mean the one with the bayonet rifle on his back?” the small-eyed man's eyes widened.
”Yeah.”
”He's the hall monitor, Sir Sean!” he hurriedly said with fear overflowing through his words, ”Don't even think about challenging him. He can beat anyone in this hall with just one hand.”
”So, he's the supervisor. Let's meet him then,” Sariyu walked in Sean's direction.
”Didn't you hear what I just said?” the small-eyed man clutched his head not knowing what to do. If he followed her anymore, the trainees might think him as her friend, and he didn't want that. (There must be hundreds of trainees in this hall. No one would want to make enemies out of them. Just what is this stupid girl thinking?) He just watched as she walked away, but still, some men had their eyes locked on him. ”Oh crap, we shouldn't have entered the hall together. I didn't think she'd be so short-sighted!” he frowned, ”What the heck should I do now?”
As Sariyu approached Sean, he was tutoring one of the new trainees, a shy-looking boy, while also sipping eggnog. ”Stop chicken-winging your arms and rotate them around your core, or you'll punch won't even break your granny's tooth.”
”Y-Yes, sir.”
”Don't 'yes' me. Answer me back with your moves!” the more Sean intimidated the shy boy, the more his movements lacked determination. ”What's up with these regressive punches? I see no purpose behind them. None whatsoever. Throw them like you mean them, you spineless snail! Didn't your parents teach you 'fear'?”
Tears streamed down the shy boy's face, but he kept on punching through the air. His parents had always given him everything he wanted and said 'no' to nothing. It was because his family got into trouble which introduced him with the reality of the world, he then decided to embark on a journey to strengthen himself to be able to steer his family through to a peaceful and happy lifestyle once more. Just imagining everything that happened in his past made him boiling mad, and he threw punches viciously while trying his best to not over-extend his arms.
”Yeah, now we're talking. Keep punching like that. Turn all your fears into strength,” Sean said and snorted as he walked up to the next trainee with his arms placed on his back. ”Fear is a fool's foe but a wise man's friend.” He punched the trainee in his stomach, making him spill a mouthful of saliva. ”Where's the intent, huh? I see none of it in your punches. I don't care what problems you have at your home, but don't bring any of that to this hall. Don't step in here without making up your mind, understand?”
”Yes, sir,” the trainee painfully replied, still frowning and bowing from agony.
Sean continued to walk toward the next trainee, causing him to be extra active in his practice. He addressed the nearby trainees in a loud and confident tone, ”Growing strong isn't easy. Those who need help, don't shy away from asking it, but at the same time, train yourselves to ask for help only if it's absolutely necessary. Straighten out your thoughts, and fix your mind on just what you want. Such resolve is the key to stepping into the rabbits plane. Those who lack it, forget about fighting, they can't even look at their enemy in the eye.”
”Excuse me,” a feminine voice reached Sean's ears, causing him to look to his right.
”Mm?” Sean glanced to his right and asked in an irked tone because someone interrupted his speech. ”What?”
”I've come for water, but I can't wait in a long queue like that,” Sariyu said, rubbing her chin, looking all hesitant. ”So…”
”So what?” Sean didn't move an inch. ”Do you want to dare a duel?”
”I do,” she replied, holding in a breath, ”but only if it's absolutely necessary.”
Sean's feet turned toward her, and his eyes also showed some light. ”Miss, the upper belts have a perennial supply of fresh, drinking water, but that's not the case for this belt. Here, one must earn every drop of water that goes down their throat. I wish there were different rules set for women, but I can only do so much with my power. It seems like you've have come prepared for what you're asking,” Seeing him face her, the nearby pupils started to gather around. ”So how much water do you want, miss?”
Sariyu's lips parted to speak, ”Just a liter.”
”Oh… then a first-degree copper rabbit should do,” Sean looked around at the gathered trainees, but his eyes stopped on someone who was at a corner, doing something strange. ”Just wait a minute, miss,” Sean said and walked toward a corner of the hall without making any noise.
”Lord, I need a sign. Please show me something,” the trainee at a corner, a blonde-haired youth, was on his knees, begging for a change of things in his life.
”On your feet, you musty, little fool!” Sean's voice that came from behind startled the heck out of him.
”S-S-Sir!” he stood and bowed.
”Prayer without practice wouldn't get you anywhere,” Sean turned around. ”Follow me.”
Meanwhile, the men gathered around Sariyu numbered close to twenty, and most of them had their arms crossed across their chests.
”Hehe, would you look at those delicate hands!” One man sniggered. ”I bet she never lifted weights.”
”Forget about weights, brother. Has she ever been out in the sun? I wonder.”
”If you're so thirsty, I will give you the water you need, but would you may be willing to becoming my girlfriend?”
”Oi, someone's getting way ahead about their future. What about us then?”
”Hahaha.”
Sariyu calmly stood right where she was, even though their laughs kept growing on her. She breathed audibly through her nose.
”Why aren't you saying anything, girl?”
”If you are that afraid to talk, then why bother challenge, huh?”