Chapter 2
Chapter 2 - Is That a Challange?
"I swear to the Gods, I never get any peace in this damn place."
Automatic doors slid open, granting access to one member of an elite group. She, like the others, possessed special skills, skills that allowed them to become something other than what they seemed to be. She was a part of Project Chronos.
The doors slid shut behind Lyllie, creating a small but needed breeze. Lyllie sighed in thanks; the training room was empty, save for the cameras monitoring movement, a reminder of the tyrannical presence that always loomed over their heads. A towel lay around Lyllie's neck, sweat glistening off her skin. Her tank top and shorts stuck to her skin, seemingly glued on. Running helped clear her head, and was one of the few pleasures she still had in life. Around her waist sat a set of holsters, barely noticeable, each containing one of her beloved pistols, Dawn and Dusk. These were her weapons, ones she used in her everlasting fight against the darkness.
"Finally. I can get a few rounds off without someone jabbering in my ear." She pressed the towel to her forehead, trying to cool her brow. She wiped away the last remains of sweat on her face as she stepped up to the rectangular door that lead to the room used for target practice and simulations. Buttons, switches, and knobs lined the right wall, some flashing while others lay dormant. She pushed three buttons, turned a knob, and flicked a switch. A computer generated voice filled the air. "Training exercise three-delta-six." The room around her dissolved, the scene changing into that of battle.
Winds swept down the dark alley, rusting loose papers and trash not contained in a metal can. Her hair swept from side to side, shading her eyes from view. A short skirt swayed in the wind, showing the skin not covered by her knee high boots. The jacket she wore, metallic green in color, rested just off her shoulders, showing the black tank top she wore underneath. Shadows moved along the walls, adding to the eerie presence of the alley. Lyllie stood alone in the middle of the alley, waiting for her foe to arrive. She had to listen closely, or she might miss him. She heard shuffling, but immediately ruled that out as the small scurrying steps of a rodent. Something else caught her ear, the sound of a tin can scratching across the pavement as if it had been kicked. She turned, hands immediately reaching for her prized weapons. Her fingers wrapped around the base of her guns, ready to draw at a second's notice. A shadow moved along her left side. She turned, her pistols drawn.
Shots rang out in the alley, the only sound to contradict the quiet winds. Silence loomed for a a few precious seconds, followed by a strangled groan and thud. Lyllie smirked, knowing she had gotten her target. The pointed heels of her boots clicked along the pavement as she walked towards her prey, wondering who it was she had 'killed' this time. She kicked at the body, rolling it onto its back. An unfamiliar face, unmistakably that of TOA's latest experiment gone wrong. A predatory growl left her throat, one sounding unmistakably feline. She brushed stray chocolate strands from her face. "Exercise complete," she said in a low, husky voice.
The scene dissolved back into that of the white training room. An involuntary sigh escaped from her lips. Another exercise complete. Usually these simulations helped calm her down, but she still felt restless. She moved her shoulders up and down, trying to ease away the imaginary tension she carried there.
"Nice shot."
Lyllie spun around, searching for the source of the comment. Her eyes narrowed into a glare as she spotted him. He leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his stomach. He was watching her over the tops of his small-framed glasses, a smirk on his face, the one she'd grown extremely annoyed with.
"Dammit, Logan. You know that you're not supposed to come in when someone else is training." She pushed loose strands of hair aside, a habit she'd become used to. "You really need to start following the damn rules." She grumbled as she pushed past him, knocking him from his spot on the doorway.
"Touchy today, aren't we?" He followed her out of the room, hands shoved in the pockets of his dark blue jeans. He wore what he usually wore; fitted black tee, blue jeans, and classic black Converse sneakers, ones from at least a century ago. His hair wasn't set into any style, like most days. It sprawled in every direction, as if he had rolled out of bed, gotten dressed, and left.
"Touchy." She spoke, disgust dripping from her words. "You're the only one I'm 'touchy' with, Logan." At that, he raised an eyebrow and curved his lips into a smirk. She quickly tried to amend her comment. "Bastard. You know what I meant."
"You know you want me." He looked at her, noting the disgusted look on her face. "Oh just admit it, Lylls. You're completely in love with me." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, earning a disgusted "Ugh!" from Lyllie. He laughed at her reaction.
"In your dreams, Moonstorm." Lyllie paced around the main room, gathering her things. Towel... Water bottle, radio. Check. She headed towards the door, tossing the towel carelessly over her shoulder. "In your dreams."
If you only knew. "Hmm. Think what you want, Stardust. It doesn't bother me." He let his body fall into a chair. He pulled a stool closer with his foot, then rested them on it while putting his arms up behind his head. "Seriously, what's your problem? Miss your target in the simulation?" He knew this comment would set her off.
And it did.
Logan could have sworn he heard a growl come from Lyllie's throat. "Me? Miss? How dare you even ask me that. You know as well as anyone that I have perfect aim." She spun on her heels, eyes narrowed. Her breaths turned ragged. "Or do you need a reminder?" Her fingers laced around the base of her guns.
Logan sat up, leaning forward to let his elbows rest on his knees. "Is that a challenge?" He raised both eyebrows. This could get interesting.
"If you want it to be." A devious grin crossed her lips. "If you think you can beat me." She dropped her towel, bottle, and radio on a table, crossing the floor to the simulation room door. "We can try one on one." She noted the slightly nervous look that crossed through his eyes. "Or we can rustle up some dummies, see who can rip 'em up fastest." She pushed a couple buttons, flipped a switch, turned a knob. "What do you say? Or are you afraid to get beaten by a girl?"
The whoosh of the sliding doors cut off Logan's reply. Four more people entered the training room. Tryxi and Johnny came in first, their fingers laced together while Johnny's arm was over Tryxi's shoulder. Lacey and Liam followed, chatting animatedly about some further goings on in TOA and the Project. All four stopped upon seeing the looks that rested on the faces of Lyllie and Logan.
Tryxi was the first to speak. "Er... Are we interrupting something?" She looked from Lyllie to Logan and back, trying to sum up the situation. "'Cause, I really don't want to get in the middle of you two. I still have scars from the last time."
Lyllie looked to Tryxi. "Perfect. You two can judge us, tell us who wins." She grinned. This one was in the bag.
"Uh, all right?" Johnny looked confused. "Who wins what, exactly?" He looked around the room, trying to find the source of the competition.
"Logan thinks he can beat me when it comes to accuracy." Lyllie's eyes narrowed once again, the color flickering from their natural hazel to a golden, catlike state.
"Oh jeeze. You know better than to accept that challenge, Logan! Lylls has the best accuracy in all of Aquia." Lacey shook her head. These two were both stubborn. If only they'd each realize it.
"Please. No one can be that good." Logan stood, stretching his limbs. "Fine. Let's go." He strutted over to the door and opened it. "Ladies first," he smiled. Lyllie rolled her eyes, while Tryxi giggle. The two went in first, Johnny following close behind. Logan looked to Lacey. "See ya." He winked before closing the door.
Lacey sighed and turned to Liam. "Well, let's at least get a good seat and watch." She sat on a plush couch, loudly saying, "Screen on." A screen appeared on the wall, like a two-way mirror. She smiled at Liam. "Popcorn?"
Inside, Lyllie and Logan prepared for battle. Tryxi and Johnny stood off to the side, prepared to watch. Twin dummies appeared. The dummies weren't average, though. The could move and fight back if programmed to. This time, they were programmed to react to their opponent, but not fight back.
Lyllie looked to the couple. "Ok, you guys are in charge of checking who did the most damage with the lease effort. You say go and call out a specific body part or way to attack, and we'll do it. Remember, most carnage with least effort wins." She grinned. "You ready, Moonstorm?"
Logan drew his blade, the 12-inch steel crescent he prized. "Always."
Tryxi took a breath. This was going to be rough. "All right, ready?" Lyllie and Logan nodded. She sighed. "Go. Head: From behind."
Lyllie immediately jumped upwards, twisting herself in the air over the dummy. Her pistols were out in a second, shots firing into the back of the dummies’ head. It didn't have time to turn around. Beside her, Logan attacked his dummy in a similar way: he charged forward and jumped, slicing his blade down as he descended. Both landed on the opposite sides of their dummies, listening for the 'thump' of accomplishment.
Tryxi and Johnny looked over the dummies, trying to decide who would win. They looked at the wounds, circling the dummies as if they were birds of prey. After contemplating for a few moments, they looked towards each other and nodded. They had come to a conclusion.
Tryxi spoke first. "Well, it's obvious who has won this little contest."
Johnny nodded. "Yeah, the clear winner is..."
They spoke in unison.
"Lyllie."
"Logan."
All four stopped for a second before turning to their respective partner. Tryxi and Johnny started yelling at each other, their hands flying wild in over-dramatic gestures. Lyllie and Logan did the same, occasional threats mixed in.
"How can you even say he won? Lyllie's got the best aim in the entire WORLD here!"
"She obviously had to work harder to execute her shot! Logan did it with no effort!"
"You think you're so smart. There's no way you could've beaten me, Moonstorm. You took longer!"
"I may have took longer, but my attack was far easier than you think yours was!"
The arguing continued for a long time. On the outside, Lacey and Liam shook their heads. Their friends were all the same: always fighting about something. Lacey sighed. "When'll they ever learn..." She questioned. Liam laughed. "Never?" He smiled, shoving more popcorn into his mouth.
Shouts still filled the simulation hall. The dummies had long since been removed by computer, the scene changed back to that of the white room. Female and male voices clashed. Lyllie and Logan were all but ready to turn their argument into a physical fight when they stopped. A thud, a muffled screech, and a soft moan diverted their attention to the formerly fighting couple. Johnny and Tryxi pinned up against a wall, kissing her breathless. Lyllie and Logan stared. How...? What the...? Lyllie dared to speak first. "Uh, guys? Hello?" The two stepped closer to the couple, hoping their presence would jar them.
"Er... Tryx? Johnny? You guys... uh..." Logan was at a loss. How could two people go from fighting to passionate kisses in a matter of milliseconds? "You guys... decide who won?" He dared to ask.
"Mhmm!" Tryxi mumbled from under Johnny's mouth. She pushed him off for a second and panted. "Uh, yeah. Er..." It was hard to speak with her ragged breaths becoming faster. "Sure. Tie. It was a tie." She turned back to Johnny and resumed her previous activity.
Lyllie turned to Logan with a glare on her face as she stuffed her pistols back into their holsters. He didn't look to pleased, either. She huffed out a breath. "This doesn't prove anything, you know. I am better than you."
"In your dreams, Stardust." He mimicked her words from earlier. "You know I could win any day. We just need better judges next time." He grumbled, twirling the handle of his blade between his fingers.
"Next time? Please. I'm done with you." She flicked her wrist and walked out of the room, never glancing back.
Logan huffed. How dare she act all high and mighty. He was as much a part of the team as her. What a bitch. He sheathed his blade, stuffing his hands back in his pockets. She's no better than the others. Unless you count her accuracy. And skills. And experience. ... And charm. He sighed and followed her out, not saying a word.
"I swear to the Gods, I never get any peace in this damn place."
Automatic doors slid open, granting access to one member of an elite group. She, like the others, possessed special skills, skills that allowed them to become something other than what they seemed to be. She was a part of Project Chronos.
The doors slid shut behind Lyllie, creating a small but needed breeze. Lyllie sighed in thanks; the training room was empty, save for the cameras monitoring movement, a reminder of the tyrannical presence that always loomed over their heads. A towel lay around Lyllie's neck, sweat glistening off her skin. Her tank top and shorts stuck to her skin, seemingly glued on. Running helped clear her head, and was one of the few pleasures she still had in life. Around her waist sat a set of holsters, barely noticeable, each containing one of her beloved pistols, Dawn and Dusk. These were her weapons, ones she used in her everlasting fight against the darkness.
"Finally. I can get a few rounds off without someone jabbering in my ear." She pressed the towel to her forehead, trying to cool her brow. She wiped away the last remains of sweat on her face as she stepped up to the rectangular door that lead to the room used for target practice and simulations. Buttons, switches, and knobs lined the right wall, some flashing while others lay dormant. She pushed three buttons, turned a knob, and flicked a switch. A computer generated voice filled the air. "Training exercise three-delta-six." The room around her dissolved, the scene changing into that of battle.
Winds swept down the dark alley, rusting loose papers and trash not contained in a metal can. Her hair swept from side to side, shading her eyes from view. A short skirt swayed in the wind, showing the skin not covered by her knee high boots. The jacket she wore, metallic green in color, rested just off her shoulders, showing the black tank top she wore underneath. Shadows moved along the walls, adding to the eerie presence of the alley. Lyllie stood alone in the middle of the alley, waiting for her foe to arrive. She had to listen closely, or she might miss him. She heard shuffling, but immediately ruled that out as the small scurrying steps of a rodent. Something else caught her ear, the sound of a tin can scratching across the pavement as if it had been kicked. She turned, hands immediately reaching for her prized weapons. Her fingers wrapped around the base of her guns, ready to draw at a second's notice. A shadow moved along her left side. She turned, her pistols drawn.
Shots rang out in the alley, the only sound to contradict the quiet winds. Silence loomed for a a few precious seconds, followed by a strangled groan and thud. Lyllie smirked, knowing she had gotten her target. The pointed heels of her boots clicked along the pavement as she walked towards her prey, wondering who it was she had 'killed' this time. She kicked at the body, rolling it onto its back. An unfamiliar face, unmistakably that of TOA's latest experiment gone wrong. A predatory growl left her throat, one sounding unmistakably feline. She brushed stray chocolate strands from her face. "Exercise complete," she said in a low, husky voice.
The scene dissolved back into that of the white training room. An involuntary sigh escaped from her lips. Another exercise complete. Usually these simulations helped calm her down, but she still felt restless. She moved her shoulders up and down, trying to ease away the imaginary tension she carried there.
"Nice shot."
Lyllie spun around, searching for the source of the comment. Her eyes narrowed into a glare as she spotted him. He leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his stomach. He was watching her over the tops of his small-framed glasses, a smirk on his face, the one she'd grown extremely annoyed with.
"Dammit, Logan. You know that you're not supposed to come in when someone else is training." She pushed loose strands of hair aside, a habit she'd become used to. "You really need to start following the damn rules." She grumbled as she pushed past him, knocking him from his spot on the doorway.
"Touchy today, aren't we?" He followed her out of the room, hands shoved in the pockets of his dark blue jeans. He wore what he usually wore; fitted black tee, blue jeans, and classic black Converse sneakers, ones from at least a century ago. His hair wasn't set into any style, like most days. It sprawled in every direction, as if he had rolled out of bed, gotten dressed, and left.
"Touchy." She spoke, disgust dripping from her words. "You're the only one I'm 'touchy' with, Logan." At that, he raised an eyebrow and curved his lips into a smirk. She quickly tried to amend her comment. "Bastard. You know what I meant."
"You know you want me." He looked at her, noting the disgusted look on her face. "Oh just admit it, Lylls. You're completely in love with me." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, earning a disgusted "Ugh!" from Lyllie. He laughed at her reaction.
"In your dreams, Moonstorm." Lyllie paced around the main room, gathering her things. Towel... Water bottle, radio. Check. She headed towards the door, tossing the towel carelessly over her shoulder. "In your dreams."
If you only knew. "Hmm. Think what you want, Stardust. It doesn't bother me." He let his body fall into a chair. He pulled a stool closer with his foot, then rested them on it while putting his arms up behind his head. "Seriously, what's your problem? Miss your target in the simulation?" He knew this comment would set her off.
And it did.
Logan could have sworn he heard a growl come from Lyllie's throat. "Me? Miss? How dare you even ask me that. You know as well as anyone that I have perfect aim." She spun on her heels, eyes narrowed. Her breaths turned ragged. "Or do you need a reminder?" Her fingers laced around the base of her guns.
Logan sat up, leaning forward to let his elbows rest on his knees. "Is that a challenge?" He raised both eyebrows. This could get interesting.
"If you want it to be." A devious grin crossed her lips. "If you think you can beat me." She dropped her towel, bottle, and radio on a table, crossing the floor to the simulation room door. "We can try one on one." She noted the slightly nervous look that crossed through his eyes. "Or we can rustle up some dummies, see who can rip 'em up fastest." She pushed a couple buttons, flipped a switch, turned a knob. "What do you say? Or are you afraid to get beaten by a girl?"
The whoosh of the sliding doors cut off Logan's reply. Four more people entered the training room. Tryxi and Johnny came in first, their fingers laced together while Johnny's arm was over Tryxi's shoulder. Lacey and Liam followed, chatting animatedly about some further goings on in TOA and the Project. All four stopped upon seeing the looks that rested on the faces of Lyllie and Logan.
Tryxi was the first to speak. "Er... Are we interrupting something?" She looked from Lyllie to Logan and back, trying to sum up the situation. "'Cause, I really don't want to get in the middle of you two. I still have scars from the last time."
Lyllie looked to Tryxi. "Perfect. You two can judge us, tell us who wins." She grinned. This one was in the bag.
"Uh, all right?" Johnny looked confused. "Who wins what, exactly?" He looked around the room, trying to find the source of the competition.
"Logan thinks he can beat me when it comes to accuracy." Lyllie's eyes narrowed once again, the color flickering from their natural hazel to a golden, catlike state.
"Oh jeeze. You know better than to accept that challenge, Logan! Lylls has the best accuracy in all of Aquia." Lacey shook her head. These two were both stubborn. If only they'd each realize it.
"Please. No one can be that good." Logan stood, stretching his limbs. "Fine. Let's go." He strutted over to the door and opened it. "Ladies first," he smiled. Lyllie rolled her eyes, while Tryxi giggle. The two went in first, Johnny following close behind. Logan looked to Lacey. "See ya." He winked before closing the door.
Lacey sighed and turned to Liam. "Well, let's at least get a good seat and watch." She sat on a plush couch, loudly saying, "Screen on." A screen appeared on the wall, like a two-way mirror. She smiled at Liam. "Popcorn?"
Inside, Lyllie and Logan prepared for battle. Tryxi and Johnny stood off to the side, prepared to watch. Twin dummies appeared. The dummies weren't average, though. The could move and fight back if programmed to. This time, they were programmed to react to their opponent, but not fight back.
Lyllie looked to the couple. "Ok, you guys are in charge of checking who did the most damage with the lease effort. You say go and call out a specific body part or way to attack, and we'll do it. Remember, most carnage with least effort wins." She grinned. "You ready, Moonstorm?"
Logan drew his blade, the 12-inch steel crescent he prized. "Always."
Tryxi took a breath. This was going to be rough. "All right, ready?" Lyllie and Logan nodded. She sighed. "Go. Head: From behind."
Lyllie immediately jumped upwards, twisting herself in the air over the dummy. Her pistols were out in a second, shots firing into the back of the dummies’ head. It didn't have time to turn around. Beside her, Logan attacked his dummy in a similar way: he charged forward and jumped, slicing his blade down as he descended. Both landed on the opposite sides of their dummies, listening for the 'thump' of accomplishment.
Tryxi and Johnny looked over the dummies, trying to decide who would win. They looked at the wounds, circling the dummies as if they were birds of prey. After contemplating for a few moments, they looked towards each other and nodded. They had come to a conclusion.
Tryxi spoke first. "Well, it's obvious who has won this little contest."
Johnny nodded. "Yeah, the clear winner is..."
They spoke in unison.
"Lyllie."
"Logan."
All four stopped for a second before turning to their respective partner. Tryxi and Johnny started yelling at each other, their hands flying wild in over-dramatic gestures. Lyllie and Logan did the same, occasional threats mixed in.
"How can you even say he won? Lyllie's got the best aim in the entire WORLD here!"
"She obviously had to work harder to execute her shot! Logan did it with no effort!"
"You think you're so smart. There's no way you could've beaten me, Moonstorm. You took longer!"
"I may have took longer, but my attack was far easier than you think yours was!"
The arguing continued for a long time. On the outside, Lacey and Liam shook their heads. Their friends were all the same: always fighting about something. Lacey sighed. "When'll they ever learn..." She questioned. Liam laughed. "Never?" He smiled, shoving more popcorn into his mouth.
Shouts still filled the simulation hall. The dummies had long since been removed by computer, the scene changed back to that of the white room. Female and male voices clashed. Lyllie and Logan were all but ready to turn their argument into a physical fight when they stopped. A thud, a muffled screech, and a soft moan diverted their attention to the formerly fighting couple. Johnny and Tryxi pinned up against a wall, kissing her breathless. Lyllie and Logan stared. How...? What the...? Lyllie dared to speak first. "Uh, guys? Hello?" The two stepped closer to the couple, hoping their presence would jar them.
"Er... Tryx? Johnny? You guys... uh..." Logan was at a loss. How could two people go from fighting to passionate kisses in a matter of milliseconds? "You guys... decide who won?" He dared to ask.
"Mhmm!" Tryxi mumbled from under Johnny's mouth. She pushed him off for a second and panted. "Uh, yeah. Er..." It was hard to speak with her ragged breaths becoming faster. "Sure. Tie. It was a tie." She turned back to Johnny and resumed her previous activity.
Lyllie turned to Logan with a glare on her face as she stuffed her pistols back into their holsters. He didn't look to pleased, either. She huffed out a breath. "This doesn't prove anything, you know. I am better than you."
"In your dreams, Stardust." He mimicked her words from earlier. "You know I could win any day. We just need better judges next time." He grumbled, twirling the handle of his blade between his fingers.
"Next time? Please. I'm done with you." She flicked her wrist and walked out of the room, never glancing back.
Logan huffed. How dare she act all high and mighty. He was as much a part of the team as her. What a bitch. He sheathed his blade, stuffing his hands back in his pockets. She's no better than the others. Unless you count her accuracy. And skills. And experience. ... And charm. He sighed and followed her out, not saying a word.