The morning bell rang out, its harsh clang echoing through the stone corridors, waking Moxie from a fitful sleep. She blinked against the dim light filtering through the small window of her room. For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming, reliving the whispers of rebellion, the haunting images of last night's secret gathering. But the cold, heavy weight on her chest reminded her that this was real.
I have to act normal, she told herself as she got out of bed. Her movements were sluggish, as though her body resisted the day that lay ahead. She grabbed her uniform, glancing briefly in the chipped mirror on the wall. There she was—Moxie, a girl who had become far too aware of the world around her.
Pulling on her uniform, she noticed how much more mature her figure had become in the past year. She adjusted the fit, trying to hide her curves, knowing that soon it might be something that marked her as different. They're going to notice. They're going to pick me. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought, but she steeled herself. Today, she would learn more about the emperor's plans, and somehow, she'd have to find a way to fight back.
"Moxie! Hurry, we're late!" Elara's voice echoed from the hallway, snapping her back to the present.
Moxie pushed her fear down, forcing a smile. "Coming!" She took a deep breath and stepped into the hallway. Students bustled around her, their faces a mix of drowsiness and apprehension. The atmosphere was thick with a tension that no one dared to speak of. Everyone had heard the rumors—the emperor's decrees, the ominous separation looming over them—but speaking it out loud seemed to make it more real, more terrifying.
The assembly hall was packed, and Moxie felt the weight of hundreds of eyes as they filed into place. Her heart thudded in her chest as she took her spot, her gaze drifting toward the podium where the headmistress stood. The headmistress's expression was unreadable, her eyes hard and cold.
Moxie glanced around, searching for Aria. There she was, standing in a far corner, her arms crossed, eyes narrowed with defiance. When their eyes met, a silent understanding passed between them. Whatever happened next, they were in this together.
The hall quieted as the headmistress raised her hand. "I have an important announcement," she began, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "By order of the emperor, a new decree has been issued. Effective immediately, all students will undergo an evaluation. Those who are… fully matured will be separated from those who have yet to complete their development."
A ripple of shock passed through the room. Moxie felt her stomach drop, her hands turning cold as ice. Mature? Her gaze fell to her own form, hidden beneath the fabric of her uniform. She knew what they meant. The emperor was targeting the girls who had grown into their full physical maturity—the ones he could shape into his servants.
"This separation," the headmistress continued, her tone growing sharper, "is necessary for the stability of our empire. Those selected will be trained to serve directly under the emperor's command, upholding the values of our great society. The rest of you will remain here to continue your education."
The room erupted into low murmurs, fear and confusion etched on every face. Moxie clenched her fists, her mind racing. This wasn't about stability. It was about control, about the emperor's need to mold them into tools for his power. The headmistress's words were laced with the same rhetoric the empire had always used to keep them in line, but Moxie now saw through it all.
The headmistress scanned the crowd, her gaze piercing. "Evaluations will begin tomorrow. Prepare yourselves. Dismissed."
Moxie turned to Elara, who looked pale, her eyes wide with fear. "This is bad, Moxie," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What if they choose us?"
"They won't," Moxie replied, though doubt gnawed at her insides. "We have to act like everything is normal. We can't give them any reason to suspect we're not going along with this."
Elara nodded, but the terror in her eyes didn't fade. Moxie gave her a reassuring squeeze on the arm, but her own fear lurked just beneath the surface, threatening to break free. I need to find Aria, she thought. She'll know what to do.
The day passed in a blur of tense silence. The students moved through their routines like ghosts, haunted by the uncertainty of what tomorrow would bring. Moxie could feel the eyes of the school staff on her, scrutinizing every move. Her every step felt like walking a tightrope, and one wrong slip could send her tumbling into the emperor's grasp.
Late in the evening, Moxie lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She replayed the headmistress's words over and over, dissecting every nuance, every hidden implication. Her mind drifted to thoughts of her parents—their voices, their laughter, now just distant echoes. They had been taken from her by the emperor's cruelty, and now he was reaching for her too.
A sharp knock at the door jolted her. Moxie's heart skipped a beat as she sprang out of bed, creeping toward the door. "Who's there?" she whispered.
"It's Aria," came the hushed reply.
Moxie opened the door, quickly ushering her friend inside. Aria's face was set in a grim mask. "We need to talk," she said, her voice low and urgent. "The separation is the emperor's way of filtering us. He's picking those who can be easily controlled, the ones he thinks are ready to be molded into his servants."
Moxie swallowed hard. "I know. But what do we do? We can't just stand by and let this happen."
Aria's eyes gleamed with a fierce light. "We don't. The rebellion has been preparing for this. Our only chance is to get inside, to become part of the group that's taken."
"Infiltrate?" Moxie asked, her heart pounding in her chest. "You want us to be the ones chosen?"
Aria nodded. "It's risky, but it's the only way we'll have a chance to gather information and find a way to disrupt his plans. If we stay here, we're just waiting to be picked off one by one."
Moxie felt a swirl of fear and excitement. This was the opportunity to strike back, to take control of her fate instead of waiting for the emperor to dictate it. "Okay," she said, her voice steady. "I'm in. But we have to be smart about this."
Aria's lips curled into a thin smile. "We will be. Tomorrow night, after the evaluations, we'll meet again. For now, keep your head down. We can't let them know what we're planning."
As Moxie crept back to her bed, her mind whirled with the implications of their plan. Infiltration would be dangerous, and they would be walking right into the lion's den. But it was the only way to turn the emperor's twisted game against him.
The next morning, the school was a hive of nervous energy. Students whispered in corners, their faces pale with worry. Moxie moved through the corridors with a calm exterior, masking the turmoil inside her. Every step brought her closer to the moment of truth.
They gathered in the great hall, where the headmistress and a line of stern officials waited. The air was thick with tension, every creak of the wooden floor echoing like a drumbeat. One by one, names were called, and girls were pulled aside for evaluation.
"Moxie," the headmistress finally called, her gaze like a spear piercing through the crowd.
Moxie's heart skipped a beat. She squared her shoulders and walked forward, every eye in the room boring into her. This is it, she thought, pushing down the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She met the headmistress's gaze with steady defiance, refusing to show any hint of her plan.
"You have been selected for further training," the headmistress declared. Her voice was devoid of emotion, but Moxie could sense the underlying satisfaction. "Report to the west wing immediately."
Moxie nodded, her mind already racing ahead. She glanced back at the line of students, her eyes meeting Elara's. She forced a small, reassuring smile. We'll survive this, she vowed silently. We'll find a way to bring the emperor down.
As she walked towards the west wing, the enormity of the task ahead loomed before her. Every step was a reminder of the danger they were stepping into, the risks they were taking. But it was also a reminder of why she had to do this—to fight for those who couldn't, to reclaim the future the emperor sought to steal from them.
The heavy door of the west wing stood before her. She paused, taking a deep breath. With a final glance back at the school she had known, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, ready to face whatever lay beyond.
This is just the beginning, she thought. The beginning of the end for the emperor.