Stepping out of the eatery the trio began to make their way towards the main building.
"Man, I'm kinda excited." Marcus said with a smile, "How about you?"
Felix gave Marcus an affirmative nod. "Of course, I'm excited bro."
Marcus looked down at Luna, who had been rather quiet since leaving the dormitory. "What about you?"
Luna sighed softly. "I'm not really interested, but I'll go nonetheless."
Marcus could understand where Luna was coming from. She didn't have to participate in the exams, so the idea that she would bite at her nails fretting over what the exams would contain, is unrealistic.
Reaching the main building, Marcus was greeted by dozens of cadets standing in line before the front doors.
"Got any idea what this is about?" Marcus asked as he pointed towards the line.
Felix shrugged. "I don't know bro, maybe it's a checking line or something."
Marcus scratched his cheek as he approached the line, he and his group found their place at the end of the line, behind a tall girl with blonde hair, dressed in a white TCS.
Marcus was around six feet even, so she had to be at least 6'2 or 6'3.
Marcus reached a handout and tapped her shoulder, he hoped she'd know what the line was for.
The girl turned around at looked down at Marcus with a frustrated expression, "the fuck you touching me for, boss?" She asked angrily, her lips forming a snarl.
Marcus gulped audibly as he took a step back. "Uhm, my bad, I was just wondering what the line was for?" Marcus asked with a sheepish yet nervous smile.
The girl narrowed her eyes as she turned to face Marcus completely. "You really get in lines without knowing what they're for? Come on boss ya gotta be better than that."
The girl had a thick urban accent and seemed to be of Asian descent.
"But that's why I'm asking," Marcus said with a confused, yet concerned expression.
The girl raised her head up slightly as she looked down at Marcus.
She stared at him for a few minutes before sighing, "Seating arrangements, some kinda big shuffle or sum, I ain't care too much to listen."
"Oh, so they're just organizing us for the orientation." Marcus replied, attempting to make sense of what the girl was saying.
"Ain't that what I just said boss?" The girl said as she uncrossed her arms.
Marcus nodded, "Thanks, but I got another question, do you know how the arrangement works?"
Marcus didn't like the sound of possibly being separated from Felix. He was his only ally in this complex at the moment and he wasn't ready to leave him.
The girl shook her head, "Nah boss, it's like a first come first serve type thing."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Wouldn't that just make the sitting arrangement pointless?" He asked in confusion.
"Not if it's permanent bro." Felix chimed in, "Whatever seat we get we stick with for the entire exam period possibly."
Marcus turned to look back at Felix, "But I'd imagine they'd hold the orientation in an auditorium of sorts right?"
The girl from earlier spoke up, "Nah boss, it might be a group thing."
"A group thing?" Marcus asked, "Like what, we'd be sat in groups or something? What would be the point of that?"
Before anyone could answer Marcus's question, one of the cadets behind Felix spoke up, "Uhm excuse me, can you guys move up please, you're holding up the line."
Marcus turned to look behind the girl in the TCS, they were indeed holding up the line by a fair bit, as only three other cadets were in front of them, leaving a large space between them.
Marcus and his group shuffled forward eventually catching up to the students at the front of the line.
Marcus then turned his attention back to the cadets behind Felix and waved. "Sorry about that."
The cadet nodded. "It's fine, I had gotten lost in your conversation myself if I'm being honest."
Marcus smiled as he turned his attention back towards the front of the line, where now the girl from earlier was talking with a stern-looking officer holding a tablet.
"Name?" He asked as he looked down at his tablet.
"Cho Sang-hee." The girl said with the cross of her arms.
Felix began to snicker at her name.
Marcus turned to look at him with a confused expression, "what's so funny?"
"It's just ironic is all," Felix said with a grin.
Marcus, who was still confused, just shrugged his shoulders.
"Alright Ms. Cho, you're in group E, just head to the auditorium and wait for further instructions."
Sang-hee nodded as she walked into the building, her strides full of confidence.
The officer then turned his attention towards Marcus, "name?" He asked sternly.
"Marcus Fall."
"Alright Mr. Fall, your group is…. E." He said with a nod of his head. "Head into the auditorium and wait for further instructions."
Marcus paused for a moment as he gestured towards Luna, "She's with me by the way."
The officer nodded. "I'm aware." He said as he turned his attention towards Felix.
"Name?" He asked.
"Felix Abel."
"Mr. Abel….. group A, head to the auditorium and wait for further instructions."
Marcus felt his heart sink in disappointment, Felix was his anchor in unfamiliar waters, and now he was being stripped away.
Felix's eyes widened in disbelief at the news. "That's not right, I should be in Group E, with Marcus."
The officer shook his head. "Move along cadet, all groups were decided before I even got here."
Felix sighed as he walked past the officer to join up with Marcus.
"Dang bro, I know I talked a lot of crap, but I didn't think it would actually happen," Felix said in a downcast voice.
Marcus patted Felix's back to comfort him, "It's alright man, we're still roommates at the end of the day."
"I guess so," Felix said softly as they entered the doors of the main building.
As they stepped in Marcus was greeted with a blast of cold air and a holographic sign on the floor.
On the sign was the word auditorium with a white arrow beneath it pointing towards the left.
"How convenient," Marcus said with a chuckle, attempting to make Felix smile.
Felix smiled as he nodded."I'm glad it's there, otherwise, I'd have been screwed bro."
The boys followed the sign's directions and turned down the left hall.
As they walked Marcus thought back to the time when Felix snickered at Sang-hee's name.
"Why'd you laugh at Sang-hee's name Felix?" Marcus asked as they continued down the left hall.
Felix grinned. "Her name is Korean bro, and I picked up a little Korean when dating my last girlfriend, so when I heard her name, I knew that it meant pleasant one or something like that and I found it funny."
Marcus smirked. "Ahh, now I see, she isn't exactly pleasant is she?"
"Not in the slightest, but she is a cute girl bro, wanna shoot your shot?"
Marcus rolled his eyes. "She's outta my league man, I'm not stupid enough to even try."
The boys chuckled in unison as they reached the end of the hallway, where they were greeted by another sign, the arrow was pointing left.
Turning his head toward the left, Marcus saw a few cadets entering into a room near the center of the hallway.
"Looks like we found our destination."
They continued down the hallway and turned to enter the room, where they were greeted by a small yet cozy auditorium.
There were several dozen rows of seats leading towards a large stage at the front of the room where there was an empty podium in front of a large screen.
On the side of the seats that formed each row was a large letter, from A to E the last rows of seats held the letter A, while the first row held the letter E.
"I guess this is where we split ways, bro."
Marcus nodded. "It is, but it's only temporary, remember?"
Felix nodded as he turned to find a seat with his assigned group.
Marcus sighed as he began to walk down the stairs leading to the first row. His steps are heavy not just because of his departure from Felix, but also because of the anticipation for the orientation itself.
As Marcus reached the beginning of the E rows, he began to scan them for an optimal seat. He eventually spotted two empty seats next to Sang-hee.
"How convenient," Marcus mumbled under his breath sarcastically as he began to navigate down the row towards her.
When he eventually reached her, she turned to look at him with an annoyed expression. "Watcha doing boss?" She asked.
Marcus sat beside her and helped guide Luna into her seat. "Do you want me to move?" He asked in response.
Sang-hee stared at Marcus with a contempt expression, she then sighed as she turned her head back towards the stage. "It's whatever, just don't get comfortable."
Marcus nodded. "Of course."
He then looked over to Luna with a knowing smile.
Luna rolled her eyes in response, "I am not like her."
Marcus smirked as he leaned back in his seat. He then closed his eyes as he tried to calm his nerves. Listening to the faint whispers of his fellow cadets, all wrapped in their personal affairs.
After a while, a tall man with long white hair began to walk up to the podium. He had deep green eyes with a long scar across his right cheek.
He was dressed in a uniform similar to that of Elissa or Kenji, but it was completely black, with white buttons and zippers.
When he reached the podium auditorium quickly fell into hushed silence, signaling the beginning of the orientation.
"I am Commander Evert, head officer of the entire anomaly correction office core." Commander Evert's tone was deep and it held a heavy Swedish accent.
Marcus' eyes widened in realization, this was the same commander Evert Elissa had mentioned during his training, the man who controlled eight Ether implants.
"You all are here because you have been recommended by field officers, they saw something within you that could be used by the organization."
Commander Evert then frowned as he looked out upon the cadets. "But all I see are a bunch of useless kids that hold more confidence than they have brain cells, which is why out of the three hundred of you that are here, only seventy-five of you will gain the status of officer, the rest of you will have your memories wiped."
The atmosphere in the room turned grim while hushed whispering began to circle around.
Marcus wasn't surprised by the revelation as both Kenji and Dr. Fletcher had told him the consequences of failing the exams, but with how blunt commander Evert was being, it still sent a shiver down his spine.
"Over the next two weeks, you will be competing against the other cadets within your group. The tests will be both physical and psychological. The top 15 cadets in each group will move on to the second round of exams."
Commander Evert then paused for a moment as his stern gaze swept through the room. "The exams will begin tomorrow at 0600 hours. In the meantime, each group will be assigned to an instructor."
With those words, five ACOs walked onto the stage with their hands behind their backs and stern gazes on their faces.
"Group A, you will be assigned to Lieutenant Revia."
One of the five ACOs stood forward. Her demeanor oozed authority she was a woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties. She had long red hair and deep red eyes.
"Group B, you will be assigned to Lieutenant Charlie."
A man on the shorter side stepped forward. He had long black hair and well-defined muscles. His demeanor was relaxed and calm, and his stance seemed to radiate confidence.
"Group C, you will be assigned to Lieutenant Natsuki."
A man with short black hair and golden eyes stepped forward. He had a relaxed demeanor and a confident smile.
"Group D, you will be assigned to Lieutenant Satou."
A rather shady-looking man stepped forward. He had short brown hair and emerald-green eyes. He also wore a black jacket over his shoulders.
"And lastly group E, you'll be assigned to lieutenant Lance."
A tall man with sandy blonde hair and deep brown eyes stepped forward. He had an exhausted expression, his stance was loose, his hair was unkept and eyes were sunken in.
"This concludes your orientation." Commander Evert then turned his attention towards the lieutenants, "You're free to do as you will with your newly assigned groups, just be sure they're trained."
The lieutenants all nodded in unison.
Commander Evert then stepped away from the podium and disappeared behind the stage.