:| Teach a Dog to Bite |: {Axel}

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

To Peacekeeper Laroche—
I had the notice memorized completely the night before, when I had received it. Cruel, they were, for doing this to me when they sent the message. I knew it was time for me to have a change in scenery; they had told me that I would be in District 3 for only a few months. I just didn’t expect to have to—

You will report immediately to District 7—
I didn’t even mind that part. District 7 was a district I had yet to explore...not that that was saying much as I was still rather young for a peacekeeper. It had taken me a while, but I was finally getting the respect that my colleagues at the detention center refused to give me. Still, there were some hard a** peacekeepers out there who viewed me like a child. Otherwise, they would not have said—

—for training under Peacekeeper Forsythe.
I hated training. It wasn’t even the training aspect that bothered me, but that I would have to follow and be belittled by some peacekeeper who thought they were supreme. I respected some of the elder peacekeepers, but I always hated my teachers.

You do not need to bring any extra materials. Be present in a timely manner and in uniform.
Holding the device with the message in one hand, I walked with the escort to the meeting point, dreading the encounter. Still, I made it a point to take in the new surroundings, surroundings I would have to become accustomed to in the next year I was stationed here. Only a part of the year was sectioned for training, but I knew they would hold me there for as long as possible; it was just the peacekeeper way. As I walked down the streets, I found myself minding less and less. I had been debriefed about the district and knew it was one of the larger districts, but the openness of the district was fascinating. Combined with the rather destitute condition of the buildings, it felt different from the interrogation room. I was out of my element, but in a good way. For the first time, I understood why some peacekeepers wanted to move to different districts.

There were a lot of trees and yet there wasn’t. There was something about this not quite paradox that enthralled me, that made me think about how great it was to live in a district where forest was a part of it. “We need to keep moving” interrupted the moment and I turned back on my course, a scowl back on my face. It was always about time with this bunch. Be on time for this. Be present at this time. Time time time. I never rushed things when I was in the interrogation room. I never aimed for punctuality when I had to stare a grown man down and pull answers from his tongue. A part of me had a feeling I would not be given as much time as I would like here.

“You will wait here until Peacekeeper Forsythe arrives.” I had to wait?! All that talk about how I was going to be late, all that hurrying so I could sit here and wait? My scowl deepened as I found myself hating the situation even more. Well, if I was going to have to wait, I was going to make my escort wait with me. It wasn’t so much for the company, but I saw how his eyes were darting in different directions; he wanted to be here no more than I did. And I was going to torment him by making him stay as well. “Well, at least tell me more about this Peacekeeper I’m meeting. Might as well debrief me on the person as well.”

A little smile crept up as I saw the twitch at the edge of my escort’s mouth. Try to run away, boy. You’ll never escape. “Peacekeeper Forsythe is not someone you want to get on the wrong side of.” Fat chance. “He’s brutal and has no mercy for anyone.” Sounds like Papa. “I’ve been told he loves to hunt and take down any criminal.” Yawn, really. “I would advise you to be on your best behavior while training under him.” Thanks for the advice, here’s a finger to express my gratitude. “Now if there’s nothing else, I will be going back.” He’s leaving?

“No no, hold on. You’re not really going to leave me here by myself, are you? I think protocol is the escort must wait until the subject has been transported safely to their next post. As far as I can see, you’re stuck with me until Peacekeeper Forsythe is here.” I looked at the escort amusingly as I saw him flare up. It didn’t take a genius to know that he was about to explode. “And you can’t take care of yourself?” “I’m a woman.” “I think you can do just fine on your own.”

“And that is what I have been trying to tell everyone.” It was always sad when the other side had no good response, and the escort was no exception with his open mouth and tight jaw. Finally, he just let out a loud sigh and turned around, standing there like a good escort he was. To be honest, there really was no protocol stating that the escort had to be with me; it only applied to transporting criminals. I didn’t think the escort would ever catch on, though, and I was correct. I was about to try to agitate him again when I noticed a big figure walking towards us. My whole body tightened up as I realized that it could only be the person who would train me for the next few months—or however long it took—and the person I would hate. From a distance, he really did look like Papa.

[Anna Banana]

Abraham Forsythe, service as a Peacekeeper 21 years, jobs hunting down escaped residents of the district and ensuring that the people don't revolt. No where in my job description does it say that I'm supposed to babysit some pathetic little bitch that needs training. Weren't there better people qualified for this sort of thing, like maybe people who actually liked to train or for that matter liked people. What a surprise it was when I returned to my barricks and found a note on my desk telling me that I had been sent to District 7 for a training assignment. Even more annoying was that it was a reassingment for me, I was in the middle of hunting down an escapee, almost had him actually, but someone would be finishing MY work. What could I do though, I still answered to the Capitol, and that meant accepting my new assignment...at least they didn't force me to be happy about it.

The night before my departure from the barricks I threw everything I wanted to bring with me into a suitcase. I had a feeling this might be a long trip, so no sense in leaving out anything that was at least semi important to me. I threw a few fresh "uniforms" into the suitcase, my uniform being black military grade pants, a black sleeveless shirt, and a bulletproof vest. It wasn't standard Peackeeper attire, but neither was the mask that permanently adorned my face due to an injury I had recieved some years back. Lastly I threw the letter into my suitcase knowing that I would need it to prove my presence in District 7 was in fact authorized. Sighing with slight annoyance I hoped against hope that this training wouldn't take long and I'd be back doing what I normally do. There were few things I hated more then people, and I think training people was the thing I hated most.

Never the less I booked the next trip to District 7 and reached there with plenty of time to settle into my new home for the next...who knows how much time. Apparently I would be meeting the girl, Ana Laroche, in the woods for her first bit of training, and all I could hope was that she was prepared for her life to be a living hell. I was her teacher, nothing more nothing less, I wasn't assigned here to be her best friend. I had already ordered some of the younger Peacekeepers to take my belonging to my new place of residence, and took advantage of the spare time to take in the people that I would be keeping an eye on while I was here. There wasn't much to them, well muscled, but they lacked the proper training to do anything with it, most of them seemed to have an addiction of some sorts or even an ailment, probably a result of the living conditions. It wouldn't be hard to keep them in check, and it might be fun to torture them a little while I was here just to have some fun.

I stomped my way through the district mentally taking notes of everything I saw until I came to the line of trees that marked the entrance to my new assignment. Sighing loudly I stepped into the forest keeping my eyes open for the clearing that marked the meeting place with Ana. Turns out I didn't have to walk all that far to reach the clearing, at least it didn't feel all that far for me, I was used to traveling great distances in my line of work. Either way I approached the clearing to find that there were two people waiting for me. Now either the Capitol, in its infinite sense of humor, sent me two trainees or that was the guide stupidly waiting for me to show up before he left. Taking the final steps foreward I sized up the girl that could only be known as Ana Laroche. Thin, not nearly enough muscle, blonde hair that hung past her shoulders, she looked like the typical priviledged recruit that came from one of the Career districts. Of course it was presumptous of me to believe she had joined from one of the Career districts, but no one said I had any manners.

Clearing my throat I glared at the escort and walked over to him without so much as a sidelong glance at Ana. "Are you dumb, stupid, or both...why the hell are you still here babysitting this bitch? What's the matter afraid some bear or wolf will come along and eat her, I'm sure it would have been a pity if that had happened. Get the hell out of here and don't EVER let me see you again." He gave me a sloppy salute in responce and sped faster than I thought possible out of the clearing leaving just me and the girl. I spun around and stood infront of her, my massive frame twice as large as she was. "Well, what's the matter bitch, I AM your superior so show some respect and give me a damn salute."

[/justify]

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

I wasn’t going to admit it out loud, but yes, a wave of terror did wash over me as I saw the massive figure closer. For one, his size alone would daunt anyone. I knew I was small which was why I had always preferred being in the interrogation room, but it never occurred to me that I was really that small until I saw someone outside of my family that was at least twice my size. Second, it became clearer there was a mask on his face which I actually didn’t care about how he got it; all I wanted to know was how much he relied on it. It must have been a lot if he kept that stupid-looking thing on his face. I guess it didn’t bother me that much but it sure as hell freaked out the escort. Third, he was not in uniform. I honestly wouldn’t have minded wearing something else either, but he either had a lot of balls or was just plain stupid to be marching around like that. A part of me was hoping it was the former; I would hate to have to train under someone stupid.

He chewed out the escort first, much to my amusement. How did they even find the escort? Just paid some random person on the street? Even the escort’s salute was sloppy as he did somewhat of a salute and ran off. If only I was given a few minutes to relish the moment. The next thing I knew, he was facing me and giving me attitude. Any lingering remnants of my good mood were gone when he demanded a salute from me. I was aware what the escort had said about getting on the wrong side of this guy, but I could take any punishment. I was raised in a big family of boulders and I had taken every beating possible. It was just a matter of the “respect” I would have to show to a fellow Peacekeeper.

But if he wasn’t going to show me any respect, why should I? I stood up from where I was sitting, stared into his face, and took my time with the salute. It wasn’t sloppy, but there was definitely none of the respect that he demanded. I knew I was going to get hell for it—I had just seen him yell at the escort—and I braced myself for the impact whether verbal or physical. I even threw in some snark. “How was that salute? I know it could do with some polishing, but you see, they never told me that I would be spending my days being respectful to other people.” Which was true. I didn’t sign up to listen to other people; I signed up so other people would talk to me.

“Listen, I can tell you don’t want to be here and really, neither do I. So what do you say we just get through this as quickly as possible? Teach me whatever skills I have to know, sign me off, and I’ll probably eventually be sent back to the interrogation center.” I knew there was no chance he would accept or even take it well. If all my years with the hard-a** peacekeepers had taught me anything, it was they never knew how to just relax. I wasn’t saying I didn’t take my job seriously, but I did better when I didn’t have a stick up my butt and I clearly showed results. Then again, the big guys were sending me to training for something they and I knew I wouldn’t do well in. I was committed to doing a good job and I always strived to prove them wrong; I just wanted to do it my way.

So I would not let him break me down. If he threw a punch at me, I wasn’t going to cry like a little girl. I couldn’t punch him either, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. No, I would have to get these next few months pushing myself back up without so much of a cringe.

[Anna Banana]

This girl was attitude stuck in a pint sized form, I could tell by the way she looked and the way she was standing before me that she had little to no respect for me. Of course her being a pushover would have been no fun, half the fun with training someone was breaking their stubborn will and defiance and making them yours. She would learn one way or another that I won't tolerate it though, infact on a normal day I couldn't tolerate people, being forced to teach someone made me even less tolerant. I will give her points for at least giving the salute though, even if it was meant to be insulting rather than a sign of respect. Even her words were meant to be insulting, but I found them more amusing then insulting. Sooner rather then later she would learn I'm not a man to be taken lightly.

I chuckled lightly into my mask, and grabbed onto her throat keeping the grip light until I began to speak to her. "Ana, it's apparent to me that you don't want to be here, and I'll be very honest with you, I don't want to be here either. If I had my way I would still be out hunting the pitiful people who believe they can escape me. Instead here I am with some little bitch who doesn't know how to treat her superiors with respect." I tightened my grip on her neck to make my point and threw her backwards with out feeling or remorse. Chances are she was ready for anything I could dish out, she was a Peacekeeper after all and we were all trained to withstand pain and punishment.

I took several paces away from her and took stock of our surroundings to get an idea for the circuit I could run her through for her training under me. She had the frame for light, quick travel which means she would be able to travel through the forest with ease. It would be interesting to see how far I would be able to push her before she broke, or if she would grit her teeth and take each blow and trial with a grim and determined face. "I'm going to test your endurance today, oh, and tomorrow don't show up in those clothes. If you're going to be training under me you will be dressed in MY version of the uniform, you will be dressed like me. The standard Peacekeepers uniform is like a beacon to any and all who see it out on the hunt. We're meant to blend in, track, and capture...dead or alive it makes no difference."

I knelt down briefly to look at the ground and then along a trail leading deeper into the forest. It may just do the trick for todays exercise, nothing particularly difficult, just to see how long she could last. After all, she herself had told me she had one of those comfy interrogation jobs that required little to no skill to execute properly. This was different, this was a hunt, where every move you make could cost you time, energy, and eventually your life should you persist in being an idiot. Standing back up I surveyed the area one last time before turning back around to face her. "Do you know why you're here Ana Laroche? You're here to learn how to do my job, which is hunting down the runaways or the criminals of Panem. My fellow Peacekeepers insists on calling it tracking and detaining, I call it hunting because the people we are after deserve neither mercy nor pity. It matters not it they are men, women, or children they will all be treated exactly the same...like an animal.

Do not take this lightly, a cornered animal fights back, thus the beautiful mask that now permanently adorns my face. By the time I'm done with your training you will be one of the best, no one that trains under me can be any less than the BEST." I moved infront of her again and looked disdainfully down at her and grunted. "While you are training under me you will refer to me as Captain or Captain Forsythe, and I will expect you to work on that salute bitch, otherwise you're in for a hell of a time."

[/justify]

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

I had expected a slap or even a punch to the gut, so when I felt his fingers around my throat, my mind started actively firing neurons in response. I couldn’t hit him back, though; I had to let the hand rest there until he was done. I didn’t spend much effort listening to his words as he was reiterating what I already knew. I didn’t even care that he called me a bitch; I had heard a lot worse. Then his grip tightened and while it was quick, I could feel my whole body tighten and my breath held back reflexively. This response did not come from my training as a peacekeeper—although we did have to learn how to defend our throats quickly—but from my childhood as Mama and Papa were often upset with me. He did not hold on as long as they did, though, and I found myself thrown back. I curled up, hoping the rolling movement would spread out the point of impact so it was not localized at the base. As I sat up, I massaged my throat a little bit, but did not flinch upon the fresh memory.

Standing up as he continued talking, I caught on something about endurance, wear different type of uniform—his version according to his egotistical mind—and something about blending for tracking and capturing. In my mind, I couldn’t help but retort that I was instructed to wear this stupid white uniform. Still, I wasn’t sure when or how I would obtain all those dark clothes. I might have had some articles of clothing on me, but I was certain I would have to find some at the market. I watched as he moved around, his focus at the forest. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but I made sure to take the time to brush off any clinging debris. He was then lecturing me about my job assignment, making eye contact all the while. While I was sure he loved being a “hunter”, I highly doubted that it would be something I found as a potential career path as a peacekeeper.

Regardless, I still found myself giving an ounce of respect when he mentioned his expectations for the training. I didn’t like training, but I was never one to flounce out because I didn’t like something. It was kind of nice to hear that I wasn’t expected anything less either. We were both going into this training, hating the fact that it had to happen, but we were both going to put whatever we could into it. I still hated him, though, especially with that mask of his. I should remember to thank the animal that did this to him. As if to remind me why I hated him, he stood towering over me and demanded I call him “Captain or Captain Forsythe”. Not even sure captain was a rank among the peacekeepers, I grudgingly responded, “Yes, Captain.” It was going to be a bit more difficult to appease him with my salute, because I was sure even if I had it down perfectly, he was going to give me hell anyway. Hell was not going to motivate me to practice hours in front of the mirror; I would just have to take it.

“So what will you have me do for endurance? I assume you have some basic game plan.” The question was genuine; he had not made a mention of what exactly I would be doing that after his initial mention. I saw that he had looked at the forest, but for all I knew, he could have been finding a quick escape route. “Captain,” I threw in, knowing he would have chewed me out—and there was a chance he still would—for forgetting the simple address.

[Anna Banana]

I had believed that an endurance test was in order, but perhaps something so normal would bore my poor pupil. I think I'll spice it up a little bit, and give her a taste of what it's like to be one of the people I track and hunt down. At least it would provide me with some entertainment to a certain degree, and it would give me an idea of how experienced she would be in certain situations. After I was finished addressing her she responded with my title of Captain, which in truth probably wasn't even a proper rank, but it appeased my ego. That was one area within the Peacekeepers that I had missed out on with my loner lifestyle, I didn't ever get to rank up officially like all the others. Of course it never hurt to be in a class of your own like I was, but even that wouldn't be quite to important or different after I was finished teaching my new student.

Then she asked me the question that would start it all, "what was my gameplan". If only I didn't have this damn mask on, she would be able to see the look on my face, a look of hunger and perhaps even some excitement. It would be interesting to see what she could do, test her abilities, on multiple fronts. I was interested to know if having that comfortable desk job had made her fighting abilities go soft, or for that matter if she had any fighting abilities at all. Most of the people who were given those comfy desk jobs had shown more promise in the academic portion of things rather then the fight simulations. If that were the case though why would they put her out here to train under me...oh well, not my job to question...my job was to follow orders from my superiors. Following orders meant that this bitch would recieve all the wisdom I had the ability to impart to her.

I will admit the addition of my title, made up or not, pleased me when she said it. Perhaps there was still a chance that this might not be so terrible after all...who was I kidding, this was going to be hell. Better get this thing started though, get through day one of the torture and put this all behind me. "I do infact have a plan for my first training exercise, and it certainly will test your endurance. I intend on hunting you in the forest, I'll give you a head start and give you a chance to find a place to hide or cover your trail. I don't expect you to escape me...yet...but I will make sure that by the time I'm done with you that even I won't be able to track you. Any student of mine is going to be the best, Peacekeepers from all across Panem will know and fear your name just like they do mine."

[/justify]

((OOC:Sorry it's so short I didn't mean for it to be so short))

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

I needed to think of a nickname for this guy. Even if I said the word “Captain”, I would never address him that way in my mind. It wasn’t even the fact that I did not like him or that my respect for him would never be present, but rather his name was just too long and unfitting for him. I had considered “Baldy” but that was weak. “Monster” gave him too much credit; “Brute” was what described my parents. And that was when it came to my head: “Andy”. I didn’t know his first name, but I was very certain he was no “Andy”. However, it was simple and described nothing about him; it was perfect.

As soon as I developed a nickname for him, “Andy” began speaking again. Did he ever realize that his damn mask was preventing him from speaking clearly? He really needed to get that fixed or adapted or something. It wasn’t that bad earlier but as soon as he launched into the exercise we would be doing that day, I found myself straining to hear everything he was saying. Finally, when he finished with how “Peacekeepers from all across Panem will know and fear your name just like they do mine,” I relaxed my body and could feel a retort rising up. Except I never heard your name before the assignment. I knew that it was probably only me as even my escort seemed to know who “Andy” was, but I liked being snarky at times and it was a great opportunity.

Finally understanding what he was expecting from me, I gave a little nod to myself. Running away and hiding was not something I was unfamiliar with. For 20 years of my life, that was all I ever did. Of course, as I became older, the occurrences lessened, but after working my muscles and a few attempts, I was sure that I would be able to slip back to my younger self. I didn’t think I was that out-of-shape anyway, despite the amount of time I had spent in the interrogation room. Still, even if I didn’t take him that seriously, I took his words seriously. I didn’t need the whole face to read people; I had spent enough time just staring into eyes and “Andy”s eyes showed experience and an odd sort of hunger.

He was hunting me now. Already. Crap. Even if I had 20 years of experience, my parents and siblings were not Peacekeepers—although if they wanted to, I was certain they had a good chance at being in the ranks—nor were they trained in tracking. I knew I would have to focus on covering my tracks more than I did before; the brutes I called family were too blinded by anger to ever look at my tracks. But a hunter? He would know exactly what to look for. I was great at disappearing; but disappearing wasn’t enough anymore. It was like having to erase the fact that I was there in the first place.

"Whenever you're ready." This was going to be difficult.

[Anna Banana]

For the first time since meeting this arrogant bitch I thought I saw either a trace of respect or even apprehension after I proposed my training for the day. My skills were known throughout all of Panem, and even those that didn't know of my directly knew of my work. I was a hunter, it had been and always would be my job to drag in the scum that dared to run away from justice. It was unclear if this bitch knew of me, or for that matter of anything I had ever done, but she was used to analyzing people...so she knew that I was incapable of joking about something like that. I walked up to her and reached into one of the pockets on my vest taking out three items, passing them to her. "These items will assist you while you are attempting to evade me, they aren't weapons though, they are trail markers, invisible to the eyes unless you are using this."

I held up a small case and pressed it into her hand, "These are contacts that will allow you to see the trail markers that you leave behind. I will not be using them, it us unnecessary for me to use them at this point, but I would hate to lose my student without even beginning to have soem fun with you." If only this damn mask wasn't on my face...she would be able to see the grin that was attempting to form underneath it. Instead I put my finger under her chin and lifted her face so she could look me in the eyes. She needed to see the hatred, she needed to see the anger...she needed to know that we were never going to be friends. Letting go of her chin I turned away from her towards the woods. She was in my world now, this wasn't so comfy desk job, she was in the jungle now.

I was going to enjoy this far to much, and it would give me the opportunity to judge how far I could push her. "I assume you know how to put in contacts bitch, or did they never teach you that at the interrogation center? By the way, I'm ready immediately, so if you don't know how to put in contacts you had better learn quickly...and run while you do it. One...two...three...better run bitch...and remember...I WILL find you." I let out a low, rumbling laugh and leaned up against a tree a few yards away from Ana. Tapping my wrist as if checking the time I looked pointedly at her letting her know that she was waisting her time standing here in the clearing. Of course it didn't matter how much of a head start I gave her, she would still be caught in the end. "Maybe if you do well enough I'll treat you to a drink when this is over...but I wouldn't count on it."

[/justify]

((OOC: I'm so sorry this is short again, I really hate myself for this.))

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

I guess he wasn’t quite ready to let me go yet. My body had tensed when he took a step forward, but when I saw that he was reaching into a pocket, my body relaxed and the gears in my mind slowed to a soft whir. Automatically, I took the items that he had handed to me, taking the opportunity to closely examine the objects. They were supposed to be trail markers, but I didn’t quite understand what he meant by them. Did he expect me to leave a trail of crumbs for him? Or were they supposed to do something more? “Andy” didn’t elaborate and that made me hate him even more; what good of a teacher was he supposed to be if he didn’t bother to explain the materials he was giving out or their purpose?

He did a little better when he gave me the next item: a pair of contacts that were supposed to see the trail markers. And that was when I realized that the trail markers were meant for me. I was about to run in all sorts of directions in the woods, and I was hardly accustomed to the district in the first place. The chances that I would run myself into confusion were highly likely, and the trail markers were the only insurance I had. Before I could put the contacts in, I felt a strong force underneath my chin, forcing me to look up into his eyes. He must have known that I knew what he was trying to say with his eyes, because he was sending me a very clear message: he was not my friend. Well, right back at ya… Everything he was saying with his eyes, I reciprocated. I didn’t understand the hints of anger—maybe he was always angry?—but the hatred? I definitely felt that too.

While “Andy” was mocking me, I hurriedly put in the contacts. Despite his taunts, I managed to keep a calm demeanor—it would take something much stronger to get me riled up. As he made the comment about buying me a drink “if you do well enough”, I turned around and took off. Even if he actually did offer to treat me to a drink, I wouldn’t have accepted anything from him. I wouldn’t even bother going into a bar with him because we had made it loud and clear that we were never going to be friends. Acquaintances would be difficult to say if I ever had to describe him. No, we were definitely not going to get a drink.

I was in the right enough mind to be aware of my steps. I had to move quickly, but was the point of running if I made a mess behind me. I found paths where the ground was solid and the leaves were few—which was difficult in itself. Would it have been too obvious if I was on an actual path? After about a few meters on the first path, I made the most difficult decision at the time—I went through a pile of leaves. Perhaps it was a dumb decision and one that would make a lot of noise, but I had to move off the path and it was the only way I knew how.

Then I made the next most difficult decision: I started taking off my uniform. I was going to murder whoever sent the notice and told me to wear my glaringly white Peacekeeper uniform to the meeting; the uniform was basically a beacon saying “I’m here!” The act of removing the uniform slowed me down a bit, but after what I was going to do next, I figured I had the time. I had already calculated the chances I would be found and the odds were not in my favor. However, I knew from experience where the good hiding places were; bushes were not one of them, although I had used them often as a child. Finding a tree with a relatively low branch, I began climbing. Yes, he would probably find me and yes, he would probably punish me for being so stupid, but I also had an advantage by being in the tree. For one, I had greater mobility in a different sense. The leaves were not enough to cover my pale skin, but they were enough to slightly cover my movements. Second, I was far lighter than “Andy”. If I had to, I could reach smaller branches and have greater range of movement. If anything, I could keep moving farther.

But he was going to find me regardless.

[Anna Banana]

She was ready the instant I turned my back to her once more, for when I turned around she was gone. No sense in following her yet though, she was still a rookie in unfamiliar territory, and that meant there would be the typical running around blindly until she found a spot that was "safe". I would allow her a few minutes to hide, and in the mean time I would allow myself more time to think about why I was given this job. Initial thoughts on the girl was that she had an iron will and a pretty iron back bone considering she didn't flinch when I did my best to intimidate her. Her muscle mass was low though, usually suited to one of those comfy desk jobs or interrogation, so it didn't make any sense to me that they would send her out into the field. It made even less sense considering she was sent to train under me of all people, my job required a certain amount of durability and strength.

Oh well, no sense in thinking to deeply about it right now, especially considering I didn't have any say in who I trained and why. Now was the time to begin the hunt and see just how pitiful her attempts were to conceal herself from me. A rookie mistake that was commonly made, they never used the markers or the contacts on their first attempt, instead relying purely on the scenery around them as a cover. They never took into account that false trails could be set, that proper foot placement could lead me in an entirely different direction. While none of those things would be able to fool me at this point she would have scored some points for at least ATTEMPTING them. That would be asking for to much though, she was a rookie and she was bound to make rookie mistakes, and it was my job to teach her how to do it the right way.

I stepped into the heavily wooded area, and took a deep breath, the filters on my mask making my breath sound awkward and broken, but I relished in the familiar smell and taste of the outdoors. Cooped up in a train and then the barracks here had taken a lot out of me, I wasn't used to being indoors all the time. Considering most of my life was spent outdoors I preferred to be out in the wild, the air indoors was...stifling to say the least. Out here I saw things with more clarity, I was in my element, right now the hunt could begin. Kneeling down I closed my eyes and did the first thing a hunter should do...listen. The natural sounds of the forest gave away most people whether they knew it or not, after all, nature was the worlds greatest alarm system, and she had made a rookie mistake. She had crossed through a patch of dense undergrowth, the leaves were dry from the heat, and they had made an easily detectable sound as she went through them.

With the speed that came with years of the hunt I sped forward in the direction of the sound, and found exactly what I was looking for. The broken branches of movement and the hastily brushed aside leaves...and...well what do you know...a Peacekeepers uniform. Suddenly things got a bit more interesting, I had a mostly naked Peacekeeper attempting to hide from me. Chances are she was around her somewhere, she wouldn't risk straying to far from her uniform, that was unless she had no pride, but I knew she had far to much of that. I scanned the area around me for any more signs of movement, but didn't find any. Either she had suddenly gained some skills or she was no longer traveling on the ground, and that meant only one thing. I looked up into the trees, carefully looking into each shadow for anything that was out of the ordinary, she was intelligent enough to take to the trees, but not skilled enough to hide herself.

Removing the pistol from the holster on my thigh I began talking as if to no one, but I knew she was there, I knew she was just above me. "A pity you didn't find a better place to hide Ms. Laroche, also a pity that you had to leave your uniform behind. Maybe next time I should send a message ahead asking that you not have something so obvious to wear. Though I fail to see how stripping down was any more affective, after all your life indoors has made you pale and easy to spot, almost as easy as the uniform." With barely a glance up into the branches I raised my pistol and fired, knowing the bullet would pass by her hand with barely an inch to spare. "This chase is over my dear, and while I'm sure you'd find it most amusing to watch me climb up after you I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come down now."

[/justify]

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

As if I wasn’t already so certain that he was going to find me, a brush from the wind tugged my uniform out of my hand down on to the ground. At that point, it was safe to say I had given up. My tree climb had been my last resort, and as if to taunt me, my peacekeeper uniform was now lying there. Even if I was good at hiding my tracks, there was no way I could fix that mistake. I contemplated on going back down to retrieve it when I could hear heavy footsteps coming my way. Crap.

His mask was so damn loud that if I was actually running away from him, I would have left my spot 7 paces ago. Instead, I watched as he looked around the area. Yes, I’ve finally stopped hi—. And then he looked up. I was glad I had the right mind to wear a tank top and tight pants underneath my uniform, but as I looked at my undeniably pale arms, I knew the game was already over. If I didn’t already stand out, I definitely was now. Still, he had yet to aim the pistol at me so maybe I had a chance?

Yeah, a message would have been great. Assholes. To add insult to injury, “Andy” noticed exactly what I had realized a few minutes ago: my pale skin did not conceal me. Perhaps I should have added debris or just been out in the sun more—and then I heard the shot. The asshole shot at me and while I was pretty sure that he missed on purpose, I definitely held my suspicions. Even then, I felt the heat from the speeding bullet that would inevitably bury itself in a tree and moved my hand quickly in reaction. “Andy” was definitely crazy. I was still determined not to flinch under any of his attacks, but I wondered if I would be able to survive at all.

He was right: I would have loved nothing more than to see his big, bulky frame climb the tree. However, if that bullet wasn’t warning enough, I wasn’t going to tempt fate. Gathering a few breaths to compose myself, I made the climb down—on the other side of the tree. He wasn’t going to be dumb enough to shoot me with my back to him, but just as I wasn’t giving him a reason to use that gun again by staying in the tree, I wouldn’t expose myself as an open target either.

The climb down was quick; the tree was fairly stable and my boots provided a better grip than I had expected. Giving “Andy” no satisfaction, I calmly walked over to where my uniform was lying, picked it up, and slung it over my shoulder. There was no way in hell I was going to put that back on, especially if he was going to send me on another exercise. “So what’s next?” I asked “Andy”, raising an eyebrow. I pictured a beating was going to happen next, and then some exercise or lecture on how to do better covering my tracks. “Captain.”

[Anna Banana]

There are the people who say that the bond that forms between master and apprentice is unbreakable, like a chain that binds them together until the end of days. Then there are the people like me, I don't believe in bonds like that, I believe that the only bond that should form between master and apprentice is one of respect and fear. I wasn't going to play around with this bitch and go easy on her, it was for that reason that I had shot at her. While my bullet could easily have ended up in her hand I CHOSE to have it miss her, letting her feel the heat of the bullet as it flew by her. It would not be that difficult to tell what that bullet meant, especially for her, she was a smart girl and knew who her superiors were. There would always be that lingering thought, wondering when or where I'd pull out my gun again...that was fear...whether she would admit it or not.

When she climbed down the tree, as I had asked, I appraised her pale body with a critical eye. Thinner than I had thought, not without a certain amount of muscle to it, but still nothing to the other Peacekeepers I knew that worked out in the field. They had let her grow soft sitting at a desk all day, and it was fairly obvious from her pale complection that she didn't get out much. I liked her stubborn attitude though, intent making sure I couldn't decide if she was being respectful out of fear or because she was mocking me. I respected that in a way, I was used to just fear, seeing it in there eyes or the way they acted, but this girl was adament in showing nothing. I walked away from her as she asked me what was next on todays training, barely aware that she had used the title I had asked her to use, and shrugged off my coat.

I wouldn't be telling her what we would do next, she would realize what it was as soon as we started. I flexed my arms letting them strain against the vest, the familiar sound of the stretching leather like music to my ears. It had been quite some time since I had been able to fight, and who better to fight then my new protege. I stood up to my full height and turned around walking towards Ana, I made no move until she was within arms reach, and brought the back of my fist across her face. My fist stung from the blow, I had let myself go soft unable to fight for so long while I was hunting, but that little sting would be nothing to the pain she must feel in her face. She was still awake though, which is more than most people could say after my fist collides with them, I wonder how much punishment she could take from me though before she was just like everyone else.

I advanced on her again and drove my fist into her side, letting out a rumbling laugh as I began to enjoy myself. She stood her ground like the bitch she was, unwilling to grant me even a little bit of satisfaction in knowing that she was afraid. Perhaps some of that irritation translated into my next blow because I brought my fist up under her jaw, snapping her head back and knocking her to the ground. Still there was no fear in her eyes, only a defiance that made a hatred begin to boil in my heart. I hated this girl for not being afraid I hated her for not showing me the fear that all of my other enemies did. I hated her for it...but I also respected her...because I may have finally met my match...I may have found someone that was actually worth my time, someone that deserved to live. Maybe there was a chance after all if there were more people like her in the world.

I walked over to her again and picked her up, whether she would like it or not, hauling her to her feet. I looked her over again with a mix of curiosity and resentment. So this is the future of the Peacekeepers, this is the next line that will replace me when I die. If so I was going to teach her everything I knew until she was capable of beating me, capable of grinding me under her heal and come to see that look of fear that I knew so well...in my eyes. She would take my place, she would fill in the void that would be created by my death and it would be like I had never left."Welcome to hell Ana Laroche, you've made it past your first day of training, I hope to see you make it through all of them."

[/justify]

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

I watched with bemusement as he walked away and removed his coat. Alright, don’t tell me what we’re doing next. Keep it to yourself, why don’t you? The bemusement quickly left when I saw that arm raised and then a second of darkness. The next thing I felt was immense pain that I hadn’t felt in…well, not a while, but it felt like a long time. I had not been hit by the back of a fist for at least ten years, but the sensation was one I remembered very clearly. It didn’t make it hurt any less, but it reminded me that more was to come and the worst thing I could have done at that point was tense up. For the first time I ever, I was considering going back to District 4 to thank my Ma and Pa for preparing me for that moment.

I barely had enough time to read “Andy” before I felt the next blow. The minute I heard that damn laugh, I knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to break me, to make me show that I was weak. Well, ------, that’s not going to happen. The blow to the side was enough to cause me to cough, but bring out the fear in me? It would take more than that. I stood up straight and spit out the saliva that had collected in my mouth. I made it a point to stare at him straight in the eyes, and I took that opportunity to read him.

He either wasn’t very good at masking his expressions, he wanted me to see how he felt, or he was simply slipping while in the rage he was in. I could see the hatred in his eyes, no doubt from the fact that I was still standing, but I could see that there was some twisted sense of respect. Just as I had an ounce of respect for him, it seemed he had an ounce of respect for me—but I was better at hiding it. I didn’t have time to say anything before he made his next move. If I thought the previous hits were painful, the next one was on its own scale. His fist connected with the area under my jaw and as much as I wished I could have stood my ground, I could feel the impact of the ground with my back and gritted my teeth with it.

No, he still hadn’t broken me down…yet. A few more blows like down would have either left me dead or barely hanging on to life, but while I was definitely afraid of him, I had the willpower to take more blows and the sense to not unmask anything. And he hated that. I was on the ground, spitting out blood, and he hated that I could still stare into his eyes and look like I didn’t give a damn. It didn’t faze him, though, as he pulled me up to my feet. I prepared myself for another hit, but it never came as he just kept looking at me with those damn eyes. With some annoyance, I pushed his arms away from me, not caring if it provoked an attack.

His “welcome” made me want to smile and I’m sure a part of it showed. He might have said he hoped to see me “make it through all of them”, but I didn’t believe him. I remembered the hatred that went into those hits. And that was what motivated me more. I was going to survive this training just so I could squash any moment of doubt “Andy” had. I would take any beating without so much as a whimper, because he doubted I could take it. “Captain, if this is hell, you won’t see me trying to escape it.” While I could do without the being shot at and being beaten into a pulp, I had made a promise that I would do whatever it took to make it through the training. Oh sure, I was going to go back to my quarters and give my body a nice ice treatment before the next day’s torture, but “Andy” didn’t have to know that.

((Sorry, I didn't give you much dialogue to work with D:))

[Anna Banana]

She was bold, very bold, the look in her eyes betrayed only the slightest of emotions, an emotion that told me she was ready for whatever I would give out to her. Above her high and mighty attitude though, she was no more than a girl, she was human and she would learn to fear me. Today's training was over though, I had my fun with her, I had left her with enough bruises where she wouldn't soon forget this day, whether she would admit it or not. She was ready though, her stubborn reply to my statement about this being hell made that very clear, but the gates of hell will not open until tomorrow. I let the anger out of my body, feeling the wave of adrenaline that had coursed through me free, and the rasping of my breathing behind my mask slowed down and became more regular.

Spinning away from her I walked back to my coat and picked it up, slinging it over my shoulder. I didn't bother to tell her to keep up, I simply assumed she would, after all, this forest wouldn't be a fun place for her when nightfall came. I took in everything I saw, everything I heard, nervously my eyes scanned the woods. As strong as I was, a brutal as I was, there was something that could be in this forest that could even make me know fear. Involuntarily I reached for my mask and ran my fingers over the pieces of metal that were now the only thing keeping me here in this life. Quickly I returned my hand to my side and began to speak, knowing full well that Ms. Laroche was behind me. "Ms. Laroche, you would do well to listen to everything I have to say from now on because it may eventually save your life. I said earlier that we would never be friends, but I'm looking out for you now kid, you're my responsibility and under my protection."

I glanced back at her to make sure that she was still following and continued on. "Don't give me any of the shit about not wanting or needing the protection I offer. Even among the Peacekeepers I have my enemies, very powerful enemies. You aren't here to make friends, you are here to serve a purpose, you are here to follow the orders of our superiors." I rolled my neck and cracked my knuckles, remembering a time when I had a few friends. Friends that had told me that they would be there for me, through thick and thin they would be there for me. It was all a lie though, they weren't with me for any reason aside from the fact that I offered them protection, that I was the muscle that helped them. The minute I showed weakness, the minute that I needed them they betrayed me.

"Friends do nothing but leave you on the roadside to die, friends are for the weak. There is no one you can rely on more than yourself, you can only rely on yourself to carry out things without hesitation or regret." I spun around and grabbed her shoulders holding her still. A strange mixture of loathing...and compassion...for the girl that would be my student. If I trained her properly she could be everything that I couldn't, she would be able to exceed my level of skill, she would take my place. I wouldn't last forever, I was not immortal, and my injuries would eventually take their toll on me. How long could I survive with a steal contraption attached to my face, basically the one thing that was keeping me alive now, I would need someone to take my place. This girl...this student...she would be my legacy, she would take my place.

I relinquished my grip on her arms and turned away from her again. "I'm moving you to my quarters Ms. Laroche, you'll be in the same barracks I am. I want you close so I can keep an eye on you. No complaints though, I outrank you, so even if you filed a complaint it wouldn't do you any good. I'm also treating you to a drink when we reach the interior, it's on me and you WILL be there, whether you like it or not."

[/justify]

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

I didn’t know what to do next as he retrieved his coat, but once I saw him walking in a different direction, I pushed myself to catch up to him. Even if I used the markers that I had left behind, getting myself out of the forest would have taken a much longer time than if I followed “Andy”. When he resumed talking, though, I began to regret my decision. I already hated him enough; did he really have to give me some damn lecture about how he was doing everything to save my hide? Whenever he glanced back at me—probably to make sure I was still following him—I hoped he was able to see the grimace on my face.

The lecture was becoming even more pointless as his muffled voice wouldn’t shut up. He mentioned something about having enemies within the Peacekeepers, and I knew exactly what he was talking about. Most people would have thought that we Peacekeepers worked together as a group, and while that was true at times, there were definitely a large number of those who were ambitious and would stop at nothing to get to a higher position. “I wasn’t planning on making any friends,” I muttered. It was true: I didn’t enter this training with the mindset that I was going to be buddy-buddy with a fellow Peacekeeper. I barely got along with my coworkers at the interrogation center, and I liked that job.

“Andy”s lecture made a turn to the subject of friends and how useless they were. I didn’t quite agree with that, and I was about to ask what would have been a personal question when he turned around quickly and grabbed my shoulders. He did that thing again…that thing with the staring with those rather expressive eyes. Does he really not know how to hide emotions from his eyes? After what felt like forever, he finally released my arms and turned around. What soon followed made me grimace even more. Instead of living in separate quarters like I had hoped, he was moving me to his. To make matters worse, we were going to be in the same barracks. I knew he gave me all that bull about making sure I was safe and that he was there to protect me, but wasn’t this too much? It was as if I became a pet—a hated pet. I wasn’t going to be able to sleep easy during my time there, and that night, I would sleep with one eye open. I didn’t trust him enough to believe he wouldn’t continue his “hazing” in the middle of the night; he had just beaten me up.

While I really didn’t have a reason to protest a free drink, I wanted to protest the fact that he was making me get a drink. I didn’t want a drink with him regardless of whether I had to pay or not. He did have a good point, though: who was I going to report it to? I was sure the superiors didn’t find him remarkably charming, but he did have more authority than me and it would affect their decision. So I was stuck with having to move—good thing I didn’t bring much with me—and getting a drink with “Andy”. Crappy day was starting to feel a lot worse. I swallowed my pride, though, and responded to his orders. “Well, I wouldn’t turn down a free drink anyway, so sure.” What I didn’t tell him was I was going to keep my eye on my drink the whole damn time.