Britney nodded, slowly agreeing. She sensed his unease but decided against pressing him. "Cats are for only cat people. If someone had one here I can imagine a few people who might be mad about having to live with a cat just because someone else had one." She said trying to not sound mean. She really didn't like cats that much even forgetting everything else.

"Well, I'm not really going to do it. It just has crossed my mind to do it a few times. Can you really blame me?" She said pulling her hair behind her ear. She couldn't believe she was talking this much. She really preferred being quiet and ignoring everyone.



Jules finished setting up and walked down the hall and waited for everyone to notice her and stop talking.

He rubbed the back of his head, looking away. "Yeah, I guess everyone has their own likes and dislikes, right? I mean, that's what makes us human." he said. "Also, some people got allergies, so you have to respect that. I mean, even if you got the cat to just stay on your bed... it still wouldn't be fair to people who aren't cat people. It'd be kind of rude, huh?"

And he knew that smuggling Rei in with him was probably not the best idea. But... he couldn't have left her! Who would feed her and care for her? He couldn't drop her off at the shelter either where she'd get put to sleep due to overcrowding... This wasn't an ideal situation and as doofy as Sy was, he wasn't dumb enough to not realize that. But it'd be over soon enough.

"I guess some people are just dog people anyways!" he concluded with a laugh. He couldn't blame people for that anyways- dog were fun! He chiefly had gotten a cat because they fit more easily in an apartment and well... he stumbled across Rei, not a dog.

He fidgeted with his hair too after, ruffling it a little bit, trying to make the bedhead look a little less obvious.

"I guess... maybe I can't blame you? Some people are into revenge and all. I dunno... I got picked on a little but I never got bullied enough to want any of that myself but I guess if you get picked on enough, it doesn't really give you warm fuzzies about people, huh?" he said, turning the thoughts over in his mind, trying to understand.

Silas had been lucky in that he'd never been horribly teased or bullied growing up- but he wasn't what the meaner kids would call an 'egg head' or 'nerd' either. He got teased more for being 'weird' or being a child of the foster system. Not that the last part was ever really said to his face but... people talked, and you knew. Sy has just elected not to care about much of it, living with the mantra 'this too will pass'. High school wouldn't last forever, teasing wouldn't last forever.

He was very zen at times but... he had to be, lest he become crushed under the weight of his life's stress.

He twisted around slight, looking towards Jules. He turned back to Britney raising his brows. "Hey, probably-a-robot-lady is back. Think it's time to go show 'em what we're made of?"


~*~


Watson had been relaxing against the wall, eyes closed, arms folded across his chest. He had been enjoying the relative silence and a chance to have some time to himself. Though many of the recruits chattered around him, it wasn't hard to drown out the background chatter these days and so the pause in the morning's events gave him time to sneak some meditation in.

One didn't always have to be sitting like a cross-legged yogi to enjoy building some inner focus for the day, after all. It was, he'd found, a good way to start the day off.

When the others began to settle of their own accord, he opened his eyes again, in time to see Silas and Britney moving back to join the group. A normal person might think it suspect that two young adults had snuck off together but just being around the young man for a few minutes made him positive that nothing beyond a stream of incessant chatter had occurred.

He glanced over in the other direction, taking note that the head agent had returned and was approaching. Time for training, then? Good. He liked to start his day with a workout as well, so this would be nice. He was no buff beach hunk, but he liked to think he'd managed to keep in relative shape despite his age.

Like the rest of the group he turned towards Agent Gilder, watching and awaiting further instructions.

Britney was about to say something about the cat thing they were talking about but she turned at Silas saying 'probably a robot' She turned to see agent Gilder standing right there with her arms behind her back in army stance. She got angry at Silas for calling her a robot and couldn't help turning back to towards him and glaring at him. "Don't say that. I've seen this a lot of times." She said bitterly then turned back away from him. She really didn't appreciate him saying that. It was obvious to her that agent Glider was a professional and keeping emotionless couldn't hurt.

Britney wasn't sure why Silas was talking like that about revenge. She didn't want that at all. She just wanted the kids who tried to hold her back know they hadn't succeeded in the least. She shook her head and tried paying attention to agent Gilder to have an idea as to what was going on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jules looked on at her recruits as they quieted down and looked at her. "Now that I have you attention. Today is your preliminary tests. I want to see what you are capable of and it's my choice if you are or not. And if you're not you're out." She said it bluntly, her face blank, and waited as the group shared the normal, 'is she kidding' words. "Something that I usually wait to announce until you have finished your breakfast." She looked down at her watch and muttered. "that went rather late..." She continued louder. "Is that no one is to ever and I mean ever walk the halls without me. You may go anywhere in between the barracks and the mess hall, the bathrooms are in between, but everywhere else is off limits."

She looked at them with a hard look in her eyes. "The first one is the defense test which is mixed with the physical tests. They will go until lunch, then come the programming tests, I usually do it the other way around but I'm feeling nice today." She said her lip almost curving up but not quite. She noticed Watson in the crowd and stiffened her lip. She really didn't like it when anyone older then she was tried to size her up on her own turf. Especially a man, it made her furious that anyone might think her so easy to defeat and that she had no idea what she was doing. She knew perfectly well what she was doing, being young had nothing to do with it.

"Now follow me to the training room and we'll see if any of this batch make it to lunch." She said turning and walking down the hall toward the gym that she had set up for them. She heard them walking behind her muttering and knew half of it was about her most likely not being human, or something similar. They always did and she couldn't care less.

(XD Haha. I actually hadn't thought about that angle that Watson thought of. 'A normal person might think it suspect that two young adults had snuck off together' It makes sense though XD)

Sy shrunk back a little, wincing a touch at her words. He hadn't meant anything... he hadn't really been thinking of anything when he said it he just... said it. As per usual. Aside from missing the point, he also seemed to sort things somewhat extremely too- equating and grouping boasting with revenge. But when you were scatterbrained and had a mind that ran at a very fast pace and jumped around from thought to thought all the time... these things tended to happen. He just... needed to control them better if he wanted to succeed.

He drew himself up into his best serious stance after, watching nervously as the head agent moved towards the front of the group, thankfully not noticing what he'd said (or at least not tearing into him again). It was good because... Silas would not have improved the situation any by trying to defend himself again. It probably would have either gone with a) him trying to explain it wasn't a bad thing since robots were cool or b) trying to awkwardly gain favor by saying 'you can't be a robot cuz they don't have the technology to make robots so pretty yet'. Either way would not have gone favorably for him, if breakfast's events were anything to go by...

He listened to the boss-lady's speech, trying to draw himself up into an even more serious stance. So... this was it, then? He either passed, or he failed. He followed along with the group readily as they all started to file towards the gym. He... was good at the tasks in school gym class that involved sustained energy. Things like the mile run, jogging, track (minus hurdles, which he tended to trip over)... he was pretty adept at that sort of stuff. Other things? It varied. Sit-ups were easy. Push-ups he did well at first until his arms got tired and he gave up.

But it would be different here anyways, right? This wasn't high school gym class. This was law enforcement training. This was serious business. This was... making him slightly nervous to be honest.

~*~

Watson couldn't say he was surprised by her announcement. The first day usually signaled the start of basic training and if you couldn't even manage that... being cut was no surprise. They were running an organization here and to maximize efficiency, you couldn't baby people through training. You selected the best and moved on with the best for the purpose of crafting the strongest and most useful group possible.

He didn't necessarily like it... but he understood it. It was entirely logical, to be fair.

He moved along with the group after the speech, hands in his pockets, eyes straight ahead- respectfully (no need to chance an errant glance that intensified the wariness already on him). He couldn't help but wonder what defense and fitness testing entailed... probably standard military basics, though. Or something similar, anyways. Regardless of how basic or not-basic it was going to be, though, he suspected he'd have to work harder than the average recruit to make the grade. The head agent still likely had a bead on him from the event only scant hours ago... but he always attracted that attention (no matter how he behaved) and probably would until he was old and gray.

He liked to think, though, if he kept his head down and limited his observations, the focus would eventually shift to some other recruit. Not that he wished unpleasant attentions on his comrades or anything- it just got tiring after a while, having eyes on you. Plus, being watched for so long tended to encourage one to... perform and he was too old to be acting out and starting that game again.

Britney walked in the back of the group. She was starting to feel a little bad for telling Silas off. She quickly recovered for classes though and stood straight as she walked following agent Gilder. She was honestly a little nervous, she know that because agent Gilder knew her aunt that her expectations for her would raise a bit above everyone else. She just hoped she wouldn't choke last minute or anything. She really wanted to work here and wasn't about to quit.

She had appreciated agent Gilder's honesty about the whole thing. It might have made some people nervous but it helped her to know that the expectations would never stop. She just hoped to make the cut.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jules didn't have to look back to know the recruits were following her. Even though they think their walking might sound quiet, all her years of experience told her exactly were everyone expediently behind her was walking.

She stopped in front of the double doors to the gym and turned back to the group. "You are the third group who has come here. Out of the seventy-six of the two groups before you, three have joined the White hat. I hope you shall be more impressive, also I hope you shall keep that at the front of your mind during training."

She sighed. "This is your last chance to quit and run home to mommy before I have to kick you out." She said looking blankly at them. "And we do not allow second chances here if I kick you out."

The young man listened intently to Jules' second speech, and took a deep breath, huffing it out (still trying to look serious and still looking more like a caricature than anything). He wasn't going to give up now! Who would? How was that even an option? If you tried, you might make it. Maybe the odds were... kind of low, given the numbers but there was still a chance! But if you left now, you were guaranteed to lose.

For Sy, it was a no-risk gamble. What did he have to lose? He didn't have a reputation to worry about or family to disappoint, really. If he failed... well, at least he tried. At least he was good enough to make it this far- and that was still something! If he lost, he'd just go back home and... try to figure out where to get a job so he could pay rent and stay fed. He wouldn't be any worse off than before, at any rate.

Man, I don't want to go back to being hungry again... that'd suck. Better do my best, then! he thought to himself. Let's do this! For Syntax, for Rei... and for my tummy!

~*~

Watson too was listening to the second speech. It was the standard scare speech most authoritative figures (drill sergeants in particular) gave to new recruits. And to be fair, if anyone was scared off now, they clearly were not made for this lifestyle at all- it saved everyone some time, at least.

But a brief glance around told him that while the other recruits were nervous, no one was moving away too fast. What was the worst that could happen, though? Getting sent away in shame, he supposed. While embarrassing, it wouldn't kill anyone- at least this group was smart enough to realize this and hang in there for now.

Still, 3 out of 76 were not great odds. That was... just under 4 percent, wasn't it? He found, though, that the numbers did make sense- the elite team was the best of the best and that typically was reflected in low passing percentiles. He felt the slightest flutter of nerves in his chest and smiled faintly to himself. Now, this is no time to be anxious. That won't do you any good in training, he chided internally.

So this was it then? So be it. He was ready for whatever rigorous training might wait for them.

Jules was already more pleased with this group then the other two. At least five of each left then when they were here and no one from this group was even turning.

She turned around and opened the doors to the gym and walked in. It was a simple room with weights and a few treadmills shoved off to the side by the walls. The floor was covered in five or six wrestling mats. She walked to the middle one and waited for everyone to file in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Britney elbowed her way to the front of the group. She looked down at her heels and decided no shoes would be better then these. She lifted her foot and pulled them off one at a time. She opened her bag and quickly shoved them in hoping no one would notice her bare feet.

She looked around the room and took in a deep breath. Now she was nervous. She wasn't the best in gym, but maybe 'Miss Nightwalker's defense' class she had done in middle school would be enough to pass,

Asylum squiggled his way to the front of the group as they assembled in the gym, trying to get a good look. He wasn't super short for a guy but he wasn't tall either... certainly not tall enough to see anything if he got stuck behind everyone!

He surveyed the room, head canted slightly. There were... gym mats. A lot of them. Well, okay, six but still... that was close enough to 'a lot' than not, anyways. He wondered what they were going to do... probably not tumbling exercises like they used to do in school.

They were going to be tested on defense, though, right? That's what the boss-lady said, anyhow. Maybe they had to fight her! Oh man, he'd get his******kicked if he had to fight her. She looked tough, even if she wasn't actually a robot. He looked around at the others. Maybe, they'd just have to fight each other instead until only best were left... like the martial arts tournaments in Dragon Ball Z! Or, on a cooler note, like the Thunderdome!

...he'd still probably get his******kicked, though. There were some tough people here. Unless he was quick and wily enough. He just hoped that maybe there would be some other activity involving the mats. Something he wouldn't get wrecked at...

~

Watson stood patiently at the front of the group, hands folded behind his back at ease, watching carefully. Right now, he was trying not to form too many assumptions about their training- it was easier, he found, when you didn't have preconceived notions. Have notions that were disproven could throw you off, and having your focus offset could mean the difference here between pass and fail.

Plus, the mats could be for many things. Stretching before the exams, sparring, used directly in the training exercises... or they could be there to throw them all off and given them the false idea they were central. It could be anything, so he elected not to stress his mind over it all, instead choosing to wait patiently for what Agent Gilder had to say on the matter.

Jules looked upon the class not glaring persay but not smiling either. "Today I'm going to demonstrate some self-defense drills you will be using tomorrow. After which you may get on will your endurance tests." She pointed at the treadmills, pull-up bars and weights. "You will work in teams of two and sign off on eachothers work. And no just signing off and 'hanging out' waiting for equipment. I'll know and will kick out any one doing so."

She looked over the group and thought of something she might like to do before hand. "Now, before we begin I'd like you to answer one simple question. What is the most important part of my name?" She said knowing it was cheesy but that most actually didn't get it right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Sorry it was killing me and I had to make one more trainee to make even numbers.}

Veronica smiled and her hand shoot up as she started speaking from almost the back of the room. "If I'm not mistaken it would be that part that comes before everything else in your name, no matter the order it goes in. The part you had to earn." She smiled mischievously. "In a word, Agent Gilder, the most important part of your name is agent."

She was glad she had gotten to answer the question. She knew that anyone in this room besides her that was a super hero kind of person would have gotten that if they had forgotten to write their own name.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Britney would've gotten that question right but the other girl had her hand up first. Britney was glad she didn't have to test her fighting skills that day. She'd like to warm them back up a bit before they tested on it.

She looked at the girl ho had answered and was amazed that she was that tall. She was even wearing a dark green and black leather suit that you would have thought had come right out of a spy movie it's self.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jules smiled nodding. "Thank you Miss Hector." She said as she looked out on the crowed as most of them stared blankly at the girl and some in the back of the room actually stepped away.

[Haha, no problem! I think it's interesting... if I wasn't barely managing two characters, I'd have likely made a third at some point too!]


He relaxed a little bit as she spoke. Oh! So they were just doing a demo on self defense before launching into normal workouts, then? That was... less intimidating than having to fight each other. Less awesome, but less intimidating (and less likely he'd get his******handed to him).

Silas watched her as she continued, still trying to look as serious as he could (and still failing at it). He almost blurted the answer when she asked her question- it was obvious right? The letters! No letters, no name! But... he was glad he didn't and that someone else sniped the answer. Half because he was sure blurting out was frowned upon and half because... his answer was apparently not correct. Or rather, it wasn't correct in the way the boss lady wanted it to be correct. It was simple, too- just her title. No trick questions there like he had been anticipating. Maybe... he should hold off on answering things unless asked and really think about what he said first.

Easier said than done, though. He lacked a brain-to-mouth filter at most times and usually just verbally dumped out whatever his brain crafted. No matter- they were here to train, right? So he'd have to train his brain along with his body, then!

He tried to turn and check out who'd answered, wanting to get to know his "classmates". Whoa... she was tall, wasn't she? And she was dressed super cool too! He wondered if she was friendly... she seemed like a cool kind of person to be friends with. But then again, Sy found most people to be pleasant to be friends with.


~*~


It was an obvious answer- for those with rank, their honorific was often the key part of their identity. It made sense, though, especially in a caste system based on rank and experience. It was more than just pride too; it was a show of years of experience and skill.

Or nepotism. He highly doubted that was the case here, though.

Still, Watson had made no move to raise his hand- it would have probably been ignored anyways given his lack of favor at the moment- instead standing at ease and continuing to just watch for now. He didn't even move to turn around to spot the source of the answer... he was sure he'd see her eventually so rubbernecking and gawking around when you should be paying attention was unnecessary.