Night Thirty Six...
Age 1991
Hero and Ken walked down the halls at a slow rate. They had no idea what awaited them on the other side of the hallway. A monster? An army? An entire room full of nude cultists? They had no idea what they were getting into...
"So..." Ken said quietly. "This is it right?" She asked letting out a sigh. "This is where it all goes huh..."
"Yeah... I guess this is it." Hero said shrugging slightly. "We're Enforcers now I guess... Huh... Weird?" He said giving a second shrug.
"I kind of thought something big would happen? But apparently, we just walk down this hall and head to the room?" Ken questioned. "Kind of a big let down honestly? Wish we had to fight something."
In front of the two teens set a large metallic door with the number six carved into it. Beyond that door would be the sixth squad common room... The room where they would be staying at... The two stood in front of it as they slowly reached out pushing it open. "Here we go..." Hero stated as he finally pushed the door open. "Please don't be nude cultists!"
"Wait! What?"
"Oh sweet you guys got in too," Kitsune announced when the door was pushed open and he saw who walked in. Hero and Ken looked around the room they just entered. "Welcome to the sixth squad!" The Noble Fox Teen announced.
They found themselves in a large open room with a few couches and a large T.V... It seemed like this was the lounge. Towards the back, they spotted several doors all of which would lead to different rooms. On the left side of the room, several rows of staircases went up. On the right side of the room was a single lone staircase.
Inside the room itself, Kitsune, Light, and Irene all set around on the couch as they looked at Hero, and Ken.
"Do you think we will be getting anyone else?" Kitsune questioned snapping Hero and Ken out of their daze.
"Nah." Hero said as he shook his head. "There was just us two left when we left... Things got boring in there pretty fast being stuck in that room and forced to wait on them to call us... Speaking of rooms? What is this room exactly?" Hero questioned.
"This is a simple room we'll be staying at for the day. We'll be heading to our actual base tomorrow. That's the building you'll all be living at for the next few years. Or rather the building you might be living at for the next few years..." A feminine voice announced out surprising everyone. Everyone in the room jumped slightly as they turned to the door finding it wide open, with three people standing in the doorway. In the doorway, Jackson and Dawson both stood. Dawson had a blank face as he crossed his arms. Jackson gave a little bit of a wave and a slight nod to Hero. In between the two boys stood Katrina. The Sixth Squad Captain, and from this day on their new boss... "Of course I haven't decided if you will be allowed in or not? So you might not be living in here?" Katrina stated as she gave off a simple shrug.
"W-What do you mean might be living there..." Kitsune asked nervously as the woman turned to him. The woman in front of them had a way about her. It was like watching a train wreck, or a hurricane? None of them could turn their heads away from her. All of the kid's eyes we locked onto her. "We passed the test and got in right..." Kitsune questioned slowly. "We're Enforcers now... Right?"
"Not quite." Katrina barked out causing the teens to all jump. "That Bestia Macht might have selected all five of you out of the pile of Enforcers it could have chosen from, but that doesn't mean I have accepted you into my squad yet. At any moment if I feel like any of you are a waste of time I will kick you out. I don't care about your title or your ability. All I care about is that you can show me that spark..."
Everyone seemed to freeze up at that as the three full-fledged Enforcers all stared at them with a serious expression. Dawson gave a nod as Jackson simply shrugged.
"She's not lying," Jackson commented causing everyone to turn to him finally breaking the eyes off of the woman. "Squad Six is currently the smallest squad... Not counting our Captain there is only six of us... Although with you guys that brings the number up to eleven."
"Wait so there is only twelve members of this squad!" Irene said in shock.
"That's right," Katrina announced. "And the five of you only got in because of recommendations and luck..."
"We have a certain initiation test you are required to take to prove to us that you really are dedicated members and are deserving to be on our team..." Jackson said with a slight grin.
"A-And what's that..." Ken asked narrowing her eyes.
"You'll have to wait and see!" The white-haired Vice-Captain announced out as he gave a slight smirk. "Right now we need to head to the main hall. It's time for the big speech..." He announced out as he suddenly spun on his hills turning around. "Follow me!" He yelled out as he turned around and began to skip out of the room.
Katrina let out a sigh as she turned following after he Vice-Captain. "I suggest you follow him..." The recruits all jumped in surprise when Dawson spoke. His voice was quiet but calm. "The big speech is about to happen." He stated. The man turned as he began to walk out of the room. The others quickly followed him.
Hero jogged slightly as he ran up to Dawson. "Yo... Mr... Umm?"
"Blight."
"Mr. Blight." Hero said nodding. "I have a question."
"What is it," Dawson asked calmly as they walked down the halls and back to the room, they took all the exam tests in.
"Where are all the other squad members of squad six?" Hero asked. "You guy said there was six not counting Katrina right? That means four aren't here?"
Dawson let out a low hum. "Away on missions... Squad six is almost always full of work. We barely get any days to rest. Hannah is away on a mission right now... I know that for sure... Fulminous is with her as well as she stole him when Jackson wasn't looking... I'm sure Clause, is down in the basement back at our base... And Silky... That asshole has probably slithered off somewhere again... I don't really pay attention to them all, their all a bunch of assholes."
"Well just between you and me..." Hero said as he whispered to the man. "How strong are you?"
Dawson simply hummed. "Strong enough to protect what I hold dear..."
"Is that a lot?"
"Maybe... Time can only tell."
"Cool..."
The two weren't able to continue their conversation as Katrina literally kicked the door to the room open. They all marched into the room that just early today they had all tried to kill themselves in. There was still an air of hostility that was still in the room...
"Line up with the other recruits..." Katrina said calmly as she walked off.
In the room, there were around twenty people all in a circle. The people who all passed the exam. In front of the lined-up Recruits, the Captains all stood. Katrina, Dawson, and Jackson both walked up taking their place next to them.
"Darn... Still no first Captain..." Hero muttered when he only saw the Vice-Captain to the first squad standing off by herself. Seems like the Strongest Captain really didn't show up... "I really want to see him..."
"Or her..." Irene said.
"Nah their a guy." Hero said. He walked off getting into line with the other recruits. "I can smell shame and beer around their Vice-Captain, who has been around the First Captain."
Everyone went silent as the room once more began to shake. Although this time the shaking was small... Barely even noticeable... Thankfully someone pointed it out... "Guys!" Light stated. "The room is shaking!"
"Never change Light... Never change..." Hero said patting the boys shoulder.
"Yes Big Brother."
Off in front of the Captains, the ground split open as a large stage began to rise up confusing all the recruits. On this stage, a single elderly man stood. The man wore what looked like extremely baggy robes. His long white beard dropped down touching the floor. His electric blue eyes seemed to shine with a power. The old man cleared his throat as he seemed to get ready to speak. He was frail looking, but still had some power about him.
Kitsune took a quick intake of breath as his orange eyes widened. "That man... That's Master Storm. Leader of the Enforcers, and the oldest living Storm family relative... Some say he is actually apparently two thousand years old!"
"Storm?" Hero said raising an eyebrow. "That's the family that Jackson is a part of, isn't it? Jackson Storm right... Guess that means the two are related?" He said shrugging. "Suddenly he's a lot less cool now that I know he probably got his position from being related to the boss... Bummer?"
"Psst!"
Hero stopped as he turned finding Emma. The girl frowned as she stared at him. "Emma?" Hero said backing up slightly. "That's right you got in..."
"So you got on squad six huh... I'm sorry." The girl said shrugging slightly as she whispered to the teen.
"For what?"
"Didn't you hear." Emma said chuckling slightly. "Squad six is considered to be the worst squad you can end up on..."
"I've already heard that they kick out most Enforcer members-"
"It's not just that, that makes them bad..." Emma said as she reached out slightly patting Hero on the shoulder. "There is a lot more to it than that." She stated calmly.
"What do you mean?" Hero questioned out in confusion.
"I just heard about it earlier today but... Turns out squad six is cursed... Or at least that's what the other Captains believe?" Emma said quietly.
"Cursed?" Hero gulped slightly as he let out a sheepish smile. "Aww come on. No such thing as a curse exist, magic isn't real... But just out of curiosity? What kind of curse are we talking about? Like the death kind..."
"Well it all started way back with the original Sixth Squad Captain. The first-ever one." Emma said. "Apparently he and his squad mates fought a talking Bestia Macht. Before the Bestia Macht died he announced a curse was placed on the squad."
"That sounds totally fake?"
"Yeah but wait until you hear this next part..." Emma hissed out quietly as she pulled the teen closer to her. Several people glanced at Hero in confusion as they saw Emma whisper into his ear quietly. The two of them looked like a strange sight. Ken, and Irene seemed annoyed as they watched them, Hero and Emma were really close together as she was whispering to him. "From that point on Squad Six has been filled with death, and disaster. They suffer from betrayal, death, and failure more than any other Squad. And as it turns out the last Captain, Captain Roshi was killed, along with the Vice-Captain, who was his wife, and their newborn baby, around fourteen years ago... The entire town they were in was destroyed by a rampaging Bestia Macht. That town was Dandelion, the city that has been destroyed at least ten times in history... Squad Six is a dangerous squad to be on... They are constantly held back and have to do missions more than any other squad... No squad six member has ever survived more than ten years..."
"Th-Thats awful..." Hero said shocked. "But it could all just be a coincidence. I don't think it's cursed." He said in an attempt to reassure himself. "I hope... I like living."
"Well. Curse or not. Be careful. Captain Katrina is considered to be one of the worst Captains, and has on numerous occasions hurt her allies..." The girl stated. "She hasn't taken on a squad mate in four years and has failed every mission she has gone on... If you aren't careful..."
"Oh..." Hero gave a sly smile as he nodded his head. "You're worried for me..."
"I-I am not! I just thought you should know so you could tell your team mates... K... Ken is a fellow sister and a kid so I was hoping you'd warn her and keep her safe."
Hero snickered slightly. "Sure..."
"Shh... He's starting..." Irene hissed out punching Hero on the shoulder and pulling him away from Emma.
Everyone stared up at the old man as he stared back at them.
The old man cleared his throat as he looked out among the crowd... "Good evening..." He said softly, yet his voice echoed out like thunder. All eyes were on him. "I'll make this brief as I know many of you are probably tired from working all day... I'm sure many of you are excited to finally be an Enforcer... But what truly makes an Enforcer? It isn't their power... Nor is it their weapons. It isn't even their will to do good. No. None of that makes an Enforcer. What makes an Enforcer is the will to live. The will to keep on fighting. The will to get back up. The will to improve your powers, your weapons, and the will that allows you to save others..." He announced out his voice almost seeming to explode like a massive crackle of thunder! A wave of power seemed to be coming off of him. All of the recruits seemed to buckle under it and only the Captains were able to remain standing. "In this dark, and frozen world we live in, we may fight against the monsters and our own kind alike, but we will stand and defend the hearts, and lives of our people, from all sides. That is the sworn duty that we the Enforcers uphold." He took out a deep sigh as he smiled slightly. "Have a good day!" Then he turned around and simply disappeared. One second he was there the next he wasn't.
"That... Was... Awesome..." Hero said calmly with seemingly no emotion to his voice. "I have got to ask that man to train me!" He announced as his emotion came back in full force. "I bet I could become strong enough to save everyone!"
"That power was incredibly over the top..." Irene sighed out as she let out a brief gulp. "And that was just him giving a speech... I felt like I was gonna pass out..."
"I felt small..." Ken said quietly. "Absolutely insignificant in his presence..."
"So that's what a powerful Noble can do..." Kitsune said letting out a nervous laugh as he fell to his knees slightly.
"I have a long ways to go before I reach even a fraction of that..." Cloud said letting out a sigh.
"Yeah, my grandpa is pretty cool right!" Jackson said nodding. "Anyways. Come on. Everyone's leaving. Katrina had to go off on a mission and left me in charge of you guys..."
"She left me in charge of them..." Dawson said crossing his arms.
"Details..." Jackson said rolling his eyes. "Anyways come on..."
"Where are we going?" Irene questioned.
"To the training room..." Jackson stated. "Its time to prove your worth...