Chapter 56 - To the Present (1/2)
”Students! Finish your preparations quickly, those who are injured come to the cubicle with a red rim on the top. That is all!”
Just as it disappeared three more walls rose up from the floor. Red lights lining the top. Without a word Bennox and Bianca carried Owen over, one arm around each of their shoulders.
Javier looked at them spitefully but, he would let them go for now, missing out on opportunities because of a petty mutt would be his greatest regret. Out of the corner of his eye Javier saw Senri limp to the red room, pathetic. But, Senri still had her uses.
Trudging to his cubicle Javier saw a white uniform lined with purple thread. An overcoat that reached his knees, trousers pressed to firmly they retained their original shape even after he put them on. As he leaned over to reach for his black boots the bruise on his chest from Owen's knee began to sting. Vengeance flashed in his eyes. Inaudible to anyone else, Javier's silent vow of revenge raged in him.
At the red room four nurses dressed in a light grey color welcomed Bennox, Bianca, Owen, and Senri. During their walk there Bianca had wanted to beat Senri senseless again but Bennox's hurried warning helped calm Bianca.
”Welcome. We'll have you patched up in a moment, it shouldn't take took long.”
One of the nurses with light brown hair picked up Owen like a he was a sack of potatoes. Owen struggled a tiny bit but the nurse gave him a frighteningly sweet smile. Submitting to his embarrassment, Owen complied with the nurse and sat down obediently as she cleaned and bandaged his hands. As she started to roll up his shirt Owen resisted the urge to pull it down and run away. From one of the various drawers in the room the nurse took out a clear paste. Rubbing it on his bruised back and arms.
Bennox was led to a bed next to Owen's and had his face thoroughly washed and cleaned. The nurse didn't even say a word but Bennox could tell that she was nervous. Every now and then he would catch her quickly fumbling with tools and the drawers.
The nurse that took Bianca was the tallest of all of them. Her waist length blond hair shimmered whenever she walked. She motioned for Bianca to come closer and when Bianca did the nurse pulled curtains out from the walls, concealing them from the others.
”Take off your shirt.”
Although Bianca was a bit hesitant she still complied with the nurse's orders. As she took off her shirt the nurse frowned at the big bruises littering her chest and arms. The hits from Javier had begun to swell and rise into nasty purple bumps. The deep violet popping out against her pale skin.
”When you spar, you should stay calm. When you defend you should be patient. Bruises like these can be easily avoided yet, if you don't these can be the reason you fail as a soldier. Although I hate to admit it, the male body is more durable in taking hits but, the female body is more flexible. We are more adept at adapting to strange circumstances but that in turn has it's downsides... ”
The nurse took a long pause before continuing to rummage through the drawer for the medical supplies she needed.
Bianca nodded at the nurse's words and silently replayed her fight with Javier in her head. Thinking back, she had noticed a few moments when she had made bad actions, especially towards the end of their fight. As Bianca continued to think about her fight the nurse quickly bandaged Bianca's arms and applied multiple layers of the clear paste to her bruises. Winding around Bianca with bandages, the nurse had finished patching Bianca up.
Senri was the last to be attended to since the last nurse, a short lady with pale blue hair, was busy marking down all the materials used for the others.
”Come.”
The nurse motioned for Senri to follow her with her finger.
”Y-yes!”
As Senri followed the nurse she saw the injuries of the others, Bennox's scratched face, Owen's large bruises and bloodied hands, and through a crack in a curtain, Bianca's bruises over her body. Senri had though about complaining that the nurse attending to her had been negligent but seeing the severity of the other's wounds Senri decided to keep quiet.
Sitting down at another bed the short nurse wiped Senri's face with a warm towel and applied a thin layer of greenish paste. The smell of the paste was heavy with chemicals and it stung the back of her nose slightly. As soon as the paste was applied it turned from light green to transparent.
”You're done for now. If anything comes up feel free to seek out nurses in the clinic.”
”W-wait. Is that really all?”
The nurse's eyes narrowed a little but Senri didn't catch the slight shift in the nurse's tone.
”Yes. What I just applied was a numbing-antibiotic. It should help the swelling go down temporarily. Now go, I have other work to do.”
Senri was nudged out of the red room by the short nurse. Behind her she could see the other three exiting around the same time as well. Not wanting to waste another moment or be beaten by Bianca again, Senri quickly scanned the large training room to find her cubicle. Without a second thought, she sprinted off.
Bennox, Owen and Bianca all met at the entrance of the red room, an awkward silence surrounding them. Just as Bennox was about to speak the walls of the red room fell back into the floor and the room itself disappeared instantly. Bianca took this chance to speak before Bennox could shut her down again.
”Bennox, Owen, I offer my sincerest apologies. Maybe if I hadn't intervened Owen's injuries wouldn't have been so severe.”
Bennox pulled Owen in front of him and whispered into his ear.
”This time you can handle it.”
Owen opened his mouth to protest but Bennox had already turned away. Loud enough for Bianca to hear, Bennox said over his shoulder.