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Chapter 6: Recruitment
Three months have passed since that night, the group went on several different missions and got somewhat good scores on their papers. Recruitment day would be soon and the three were hoping for someone to take them, whether that be H.A.D.E.S, or the freelancers. Tom was sitting in his bunk the day before recruitment day. He had been waiting three months for this, and his scores, but from the look of his scores there'd be a slight chance he wouldn't make it in any group. They weren't so low that he'd go to basic but it also didn't leave him with many options.
"Yo Tom ya worried about something?" Raymond said, looking down at Tom from his bunk.
"Yeah, just a little worried about tomorrow, I'm sure it'll be fine though" Tom replied. His tone didn't have a sense of nervousness but hope as well. Raymond shrugged before sitting back up on his bunk, looking at his own scores. They were better than Toms due to the solo missions he had been on. Someone would surely take him, though he didn't wish to leave his friends behind. They had been on several missions together, the solo missions were boring without them but had to put up with this. The barracks door opened as Kokobiel came in groaning, his face tired and his mane a mess.
"So how's your guys' scores, because mine are pretty decent. I bet ya the freelancer group will take me," Kokobiel gave a small grin as he sat down on Tom's bunk. The bed sunk in as Kokobiel sat down Tom looking over at him, Tom leaned over seeing Kokobiel's scores.
"Those are pretty good, but you're too beefy to be a freelancer, maybe you'd make a good hades troop." Tom joked with Kokbiel's statement of joining the freelancer group, Kokobiel gave him a scowl.
"Oh shut up you, what's your scores!?" Kokobiel snapped at Tom.
"They're okay, could definitely be better, there's a slight chance I make it into any group. Luckily they're not low enough to put me back to basics." Tom said, looking back down at his scores, understandably worried about recruitment day.
"Surely they aint that bad, if anything I'll drag you into a group with me." Kokobiel said, clearly trying to motivate Tom about his scores. Tom shook his head giving a light snicker.
"You enjoy fucking with me don't ya?" Tom asked, humored by what Kokobiel said.
"Nah, you just clearly deserve it" Kokobiel said.
"You fucking bitch!" Tom got up yelling at the large chupa, he knew he was messing with him and he played along. They both laughed after a moment as Raymond shook his head in disapprovement.
"I will be surprised if either of you gets picked, '' Raymond said, unhumored by their joking.
"Guess I'll have to drag you in as well," Kokobiel said, smirking at his retort.
"You will have to fight me to prove that" Raymond said, clearly it was meant as an offer, Kokobiel liked those odds.
"Deal" Kokobiel replied, giving a slight smirk as he grabbed the small chupa, bringing him down to the floor.
"Wait what! I didn't really mean that, I didn't think you would take my offer!" Raymond retorted, regretting all his choices.
"You thought you could win it, i'm basically twice your size, and much more combat trained" Kokobiel said, chuckling as he ushered the chupa to the sparring room, Tom didn't have to follow behind to know who would win. A few moments later both chupas returned, Kokobiel carrying Raymond on his back chanting.
"I win, you're coming with" Kokobiel chanted, Raymond didn't look pleased and looked down in defeat.
"You two are both dumbasses, but good to know he's coming with." Tom said, as Kokobiel set Raymond back down on his bunk.
"You're both jackasses, which make good friends." Raymond said, sitting up and shaking off his defeat.
"What do you think we will do if none of us get the same offer?" Raymond asked, he wanted to stay with his new friends, but recruitment could be harsh towards them and they could be separated.
"Well I can just charm the recruiter." Tom said jokingly, but he really never thought what would happen. Sure there would be tons of recruiters but that also means less of a chance to get the same offers.
"I say fuck it we'll do it all over again, and next time we will demand to group together" Kokobiel said, determined to stay with his group. The other two shook their heads agreeing with his statement.
"What group would we even join?" Tom asked, no one had bothered to mention it beforehand, after all it'd be best to discuss it.
"What about Hades, they got some cool looking armor and I heard they fit really nicely" Kokobiel said, looking at the reactions of the others.
"Eh, maybe but I think a few of the other groups are cooler with better tech, but what about you Tom?" Raymond asked, looking over at Tom.
"Freelancers seem like the group for me, they get to go about anywhere if hired for it" Tom replied, the other shook their heads in acknowledgment, neither of them have been to many places. Tom himself had barely ever left Simpa before joining the blue army.
"I do wanna see more of sirca myself, see who's just the strongest of them all" Kokobiel said, a grin upon his face.
"That'd probably be Omega himself, have you seen that dude?" Raymond said. Tom had heard about Omega but never seen him before, word didn't get around very fast in Simpa.
"From what I have heard its probably true, never actually seen the dude before" Tom said.
"Well most people haven't but a few have and they all say the same thing, so you're probably right" Kokobiel said. The PA system came on with a loud buzz before someone spoke into it. "All reports have been given out, please report to the canteen for food and announcements about tomorrow" a voice said over the PA before it went off with a click.
"They got those out pretty quickly, but food sounds good" Raymond said, getting up and going towards the barrack door. Tom nodded in agreement standing up from the bunk.
"Of course you agree, you're constantly hungry" Kokobiel said, he pulled Tom over and messed up his hair putting him in a chokehold. He let go after a while as they both walked out the doors, Tom rubbed his head as he glared up at Kokobiel.
The canteen was busy as people grouped up and got their food, the three found a spot to sit as a grey colored chupa paced the stage back and forth waiting for everyone to settle. The chupa seemed nervous about something, maybe stage fright or the announcement they were about to make.
As the rest settled down the gray chupa stood to the microphone.
"It has occurred to the recent council that some of you have exceptional talent, from those people they will be assigned to a group not by choice. I will now read off the group then those who are going to them." The gray chupa said into the microphone this need caused a murmur among soldiers.
"Surely they won't do that," one chupa said.
"I came here so I can choose, we should have the choice," another said a little too loudly.
"There's no way they picked one of us," Tom said, looking over at the other two who seemed a bit nervous.
"Please quiet quiet, I understand that this isn't normal procedure but due to recent events and the extraordinary soldiers we have here," the gray chupa put his arms out to the crowd before widening outward. He returned his arms to his side, he reached into his pocket, as he pulled out his hand from his pocket it could be seen he had cards. There were about 15 in total give or take a few.
"Amy Leinhorn, Doug Johnson, Jade Hues, Kokobiel Clayton, Raymond Bout, Tom Greinger." The gray chupas voice faded out as thoughts ran through Tom's head, he was chosen for this, his scores were so low there was no way he heard that correctly. The other two were also surprised as they talked to each other, Tom couldn't hear what they said as he continued to stare off processing the info.
"Tom. Tom. TOM!" Kokobiel repeated his name before Tom had snapped out of it looking down to see his face; he had been staring at a back wall for some time now.
"Huh? What?" Tom said caught off guard as the other two were starting to stand.
"Get up man, we have to go to the stage," Kokobiel said as he got up heading towards the stage. Tom got up following, a few others from the crowd were already up the stairs or heading towards the stage, the gray chupa was greeting the few chupas that had already made up on the stage, he handed them a folder before sending them off to the side. Tom reached the gray chupa as he handed over a folder before sending him to the side. He began to open up the folder reading through it, he was being sent to the freelance group saying he was meant for the task of group work and special operations. Raymond showed Tom his paper he was going to Hades, Kokobiel showed both of them his own paper, Kokobiel would actually be joining him in the freelance group.
"Damn, was the only person that's not going, hope you guys have good luck with that," Raymond said in disappointment looking down at the paper as he put it back in the folder.
"Yeah it sucks, I'll make sure to send you letters good buddy," Tom said as he ruffled Raymonds hair.
"Don't worry we'll keep you up to date on me kicking his ass," Kokobiel said with a chuckle. Grouping began, anyone going to the same core were put into small groups. Tom, Kokobiel, and two other chupas were put into a small group before being ushered outside and onto a transport ship. They had no idea where they were going but soon they'd find out, very soon.
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