She had been woken up early in the morning, a small vestige of her previous lifestyle. After a quick breakfast, she prepared to go out and do something. Nothing had happened yet, so she figured she'd use her time however she please. At the door– however– is a note inked in black, the letters bold and plain to see.
“MEET ME AT FLOOR 27 IN COMBAT ROOM 9.”
Liv furrows her brow, her eyes scanning the page. Who the hell was trying to contact her with this weird message. Couldn’t they just tell her face to face? Still, she was too curious now. With a sigh, she steps out, taking a short walk to the stairwell and the longer, more annoying trek down the endless flights of steps.
After minutes of endless walking, she finally arrives to the floor, her curiosity now hampered by a trickle of annoyance as she pushes through the doors, entering the long, concrete hall. Walking down, she eventually locates the ninth room, pushing it open to reveal a familiar visage dressed in his button up and slacks, a smile on his scarred face.
“Looks like you’re first to arrive, kid.” George says with a smirk, his hand waving to her as she closes the door behind her.
“Guess so.” Liv confirms, looking around the empty room. The floors were barren, the only decoration for the entire room being the Initiatives emblem emblazoned on the wall opposite of her. No more sand, then. “Ya mind tellin’ me what the deal is?”
George shakes his head, gesturing for her to approach. “Can’t yet! Gotta wait for everyone else to get here.”
Liv approaches, her hands falling to her jeans pockets as she takes a spot just next to him. After a moments wait, her eyebrows furrow, a realization dawning on her. “Who’s comin’-?”
The door bursts open as she asks, Charlotte and Donovan pooling in. Charlotte is, once again, dressed in her armor from head to toe with Donovan in a white t-shirt, beige jacket, and blue jeans.
“Apologies for the delay,” Charlotte calls out, closing the door behind the two of them, “we experienced some difficulties.”
“Charlotte couldn’t find one of her bracers.” Donovan clarifies, earning a withering stare from Charlotte. He takes a step away, smiling wide as they make their way to Liv and George.
“You’re just on time.” George says, his eyes still fixed on the door. “Hell, you aren’t even the last ones.”
“I see.” Charlotte says, a respectful smile creeping its way onto her face. “I shall take comfort in that.”
The two walk up, taking right next to Liv. The three engage in pleasant conversation, their voices filling the large, empty room with their shared content. After a moment's notice, however, the door opens once more, a man walking through. Anthony runs a hand through his hair, dressed in a simple pair of cargo shorts with a matching white graphic tee, the Initiatives emblem stamped right on the chest area. His face is a bit red, exertion mixed with embarrassment clear on what's visible of his face.
“H-hi.” He says slowly, closing the door behind him as he looks at the four people in the room. “Am I last?”
“That you are, kid.” George confirms, a smile on his face as he gestures to the small line forming. “Not a problem, though. You all got here faster than I thought! Especially you, Liv.” He teases, his hand coming to clap her on the back.
Liv rolls her eyes, shaking her head as Anthony takes George spot in line, the large man rubbing his arms as he watches George. Liv spares him a glance, his eyes locking with his for a moment before he locks his eyes forward, his face turning just a bit more red. What was that all about? She shakes her head once more, waiting for George to explain himself.
The old man looks across them, his face never losing its smile as he speaks. “Alright. You four, given your relatively good cumulative performance, have earned a one stop ticket to a bit of friendly training!” He claps his hands, rubbing them together, his smile growing more wolfish by the second. “I want all of you to come at me at once.”
The four stare at him blankly before a single hand raises. George gestures for Charlotte to speak.
“As in attack?” She questions, her head cocking to the side. “You wish for all of us to attack you at once?”
“Oh yeah.” George says, his hands flexing over and over, veins erupting from his forearm as he unbuttons his button up, revealing a combat vest underneath. “All of you at once. No holding back. I want to see what you’re capable of.”
One thought was going through Liv’s mind at the current moment. “This geezers lost his mind.” What the hell was he thinking? This is what she woke up for? Did he already lose his marbles? She didn’t know how capable he was, but fighting for people at once couldn’t be good for his health. Still, seeing the tenseness in Charlotte’s shoulders alongside the wary expression on Anthony’s face gave her some cause for concern.
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“Uh, yeah, I have a question.” Donovan says, raising his own hand high. “Is no an option? I know you're the warden and stuff, but Liv's a top contender, and three of us got top spots. Don't you think thats too much even for you?.”
“I’ll be fine.” George starts, causing Donovan to lower his hand. "It's kind, kid– but your worry's misplaced. I’d be more worried about you.”
“Uh, ok.” Donovan says, removing his Tonfa from their holsters on his waist. Charlotte follows, Pierre screeching from its sheathe, glimmering like a beacon of light. Liv, of course, already had her weapons out, her feet planted as she relaxed her body. Anthony reaches across his back, pulling out a hot pink caduceus, light shining from its bulbous top.
Donovan and Charlotte peer over Liv’s shoulder, their eyes locked on Anthony’s choice in weapon. Anthony looks back, sweat dripping down his face. “What?”
Donovan gestures to the weapon, his lips sucked in as he tries, and fails, to keep the quivering chuckle out of his voice. “Why is it… Hot pink?”
Anthony looks down at the caduceus, then to Donovan, his face the exact shade as his weapon. “I didn’t choose the color. It came like this!” He says, shaking it in his hand. “If I could’ve chosen a different color, I would!”
“Hey, I don’t hate it.” Donovan says, unable to keep the hint of teasing out of his voice. “Pinks your color, man. Maybe you can also wear a frilly skirt with some fairy wings to tie the look together.”
“S-Shut up!” Anthony cries, his face flushing further as he clutches it closer to his chest. “It’s not funny.”
“Is somethin’ wrong with it?” Liv questions, her eyebrows furrowing as she peers over at the caduceus. It’s a general shape she’s never seen before. “Looks normal to me-.”
Liv’s sentence is abruptly cut short as a hand wraps around her face, her feet stolen from under her as she hurdles toward the wall. She doesn’t have time to react before she’s slammed straight into the concrete, the immediate wall erupting with shattered concrete dust and flakes. Pain shoots through Liv’s body, her vision swimming as the hand ceases its grip on her face, taking a quick step back.
“Don’t ever take your eyes off an opponent.” George chastises, his arms crossed as Liv falls to her knees, coughing violently.
George dodges to the side suddenly as a blade arcs just where he was, Charlotte's blade crashing into the ground with a loud clang. He rapidly backpedals, Charlotte approaching at top speed, her blade primed for a stab. As she gets in range, however, George vanishes for a moment, appearing right behind her, primed to strike. She barely has time to whirl around and raise her blade before a fist crashes into her guard, shattering it completely. Her eyes widen as another fist careens toward her chest faster than she can react, sending her flying back.
George smiles to himself before instinctively ducking, Donovan sailing overhead, his feet primed in a dropkick. If he had hoped to get the attack off in the confusion, it was futile. George’s arms shoot up, his hands wrapping around the younger man's ankles. Donovan yelps as George spins him around, launching him toward Anthony. Anthony doesn't make a move to dodge, Donovan's crashing form sending them both sprawling to the ground. Anthony's weapon clatters away, metallic plunks sounding out as it escapes his hands.
Liv slowly stands, her aching body healing at a steady pace. She growls, slamming her fists into her chest three times in quick succession, an orange glow burning in the fault lines of her gauntlets. If he wanted a rough fight, he'd get a rough fight. She turns, clapping her hands together as a large explosion rips from her gauntlets, sending her flying forward at top speed.
George turns, his arm reaching out to grab her by the arm. Liv gasps, her momentum used against her as she's slammed into the ground once, twice, then thrice. Liquid hot pain flashes through her body each time, her form bouncing off the concrete. This was just a bit too familiar.
George takes a break from using Liv like a living mace to use her like a living projectile, winding her back before hurling her at Donovan's near standing form.
“Waitwaitwait-!” Donovan cries, waving his arms wildly as Liv crashes into him, sending the pair sprawling out right on top of Anthony.
“OK, this may be a bit worse than I expected.” George says, wiping his fist off on his pants with an almost disappointed look “I know you kiddos are new to fighting together, but you have no sense of rhythm together! How the hell are you supposed to fight as a team like this?” He questions as they all begin to rise, each of them regenerating rapidly. Liv reaches up to wipe off her lips, her eyes glaring at the older man. If she could just...
“You cannot win that.” Her boss comments. “If you rush at him again, I am not healing you.”
Liv glances down at her gauntlets before scoffing, her heart pounding in her chest. There had to be a route to beating him, she just had to find out the how before putting it into practice. George looks at the group one last time before shaking his head, a chuckle escaping his mouth. “We’ll call it here. You all got your first assignment soon, so we’ll see what lessons you pick up from that. Best of luck to you, kids!”
With that final proclamation, he vanishes, leaving the four to recoup their bearings. Charlotte and Anthony slowly make their way to Liv and Donovan, a look of contemplation and embarrassment respectively on their faces.
“That was an… Embarrassing display.” Charlotte comments, clearing her throat.
“You guys did pretty good.” Anthony comments, not needing to add the lack of contribution on his own end.
“We got rag dolled.” Donovan mutters, rubbing the back of his head. “I didn’t know someone could throw me that hard until now.”
“I reckon we coulda' beat em.” Liv mutters to herself, her arms crossed tight on her chest. “I know it…”
Charlotte hums herself, tilting her head. “I could see openings, I just couldn’t exploit them. As much as it pains me to say, I couldn’t keep up.”
“I thought you were supposed to be fast.” Donovan teases, a smile returning to his face.
“I’m sorry, how did you do again? My eyes were so painfully clouded at the moment, so I suppose I couldn’t see your monumental performance.” Charlotte shoots back, a tight smile on her face.
“Touche.” Donovan admits, a snickers escaping his mouth as he looks to the door. “Well… I’m gonna go lick my wounds. See ya.”
Charlotte follows as Donovan leaves, Anthony sparing a glance back at Liv before exiting as well. Liv continues to think, following only after they all left, her mind rumbling with thought. What had she done wrong? She had some semblance of a plan, but she had never been dominated so utterly before. It was food for thought, something she would have to think on. She had a mission soon, and she was determined to learn.