Anima

by Jae Choguk

hall, which was in the inside the school. The head master sat in the middle of the row of teachers behind a long table. The all had unreadable expressions, except for Mr. Z of course, he was smiling as usual.

  “I hope you have trained her well Jeremy,” Headmaster said “After all this will determine if she can go on missions from now on.”

  “Of course sir.” He said pinching me when I laughed under my breath.

  “Now are you ready to show us what you have learned Lydia?” He asked turning to me. I stopped rubbing my arm and smiled.

  “Definitely.” With that I launched my attack on Jeremy. I knew he would be disappointed in me if I didn’t give everything I had, so that’s what I did.

  I did a powerhouse kick to the side of his neck, which he neatly dodged. I knew it would be a lot harder beating him, since he literally taught me everything I knew about fighting. We went through a series of hits and kicks, showing that I would at least be able to defend myself against the hunters. He landed a hard kick to my stomach, which luckily was all healed and I stumbled backwards. He didn’t hesitate to charge again, and landed another blow to my leg making me fall to my knees. He seemed like he was a completely different person when he was fighting. He was strong and unbeatable, unbearably intimidating and unfortunately…really handsome. I shook my head of that thought and sprung off my hands onto my feet, swinging my leg around catching him off balance.

  I took that split-second to knee his side, spin, and kick his other side. He flinched, giving me one more shot to knock him down. Unfortunately he knew that too, and as I came at him he did what I should have easily avoided. He grabbed my arm and I fly over his back landing on my back, knocking the breath out of me. I saw sparks fly in front of my vision and knew he would put the finishing blow on me if I didn’t do something. I waited half a second before rolling over onto my stomach and summersaulting forward. I whipped around to see him aiming for my pressure points, so I did exactly what he did to me. The classic self-defense moves of flipping them on their backs. He looked up at me with a smile; it was so close to a genuine smile that I completely lost my focus. His almost-smile then turned into a smirk that made me clear my mind, a little too late though.

  He twisted my arms viciously behind my back, and knocked me down on my stomach, putting his knee on my back. I knew that one split-second of losing control caused me to lose. I could only blame myself I guess, because in that split-second I could have died. I almost gave into the mindset of giving up, but I realized that I had something he didn’t know about.

  The element of surprise; he wouldn’t expect me to transform. What I haven’t told anyone was the fact that after being trained brutally and thoroughly one day, I was so pissed that he took his bad mood out on me that I lashed out; literally by slashing one of my t-shirts to shreds as I tried putting it on.

  I didn’t plan on transforming, but I really wasn’t on the same level as him, after all he has been on countless missions and could fully transform. I on the other hand only had 3 months. I willed my claws to unsheathe with desperation, anger, fear, the will to survive, and the courage to win.

  “Give up.” He snarled in my ear, and I knew he really didn’t want me to succeed.

  “You should know by now that I have never given up, and I don’t plan to start now.” I snarled right back.

  With that being said I felt my claws powered by my will to overthrow him unsheathe themselves. He tensed and knew something was off, his keen sense of hearing should’ve recognized that sound anywhere. He released me a little too late and got cut across his stomach since I couldn’t move my arms anywhere else. I snapped up, all my senses heightened by the transformation. I took his confusion and surprise and used it against him by jumping up and hooking my knees on the tops of his shoulders and doing a back handspring launching him over me and landing harshly on the ground. I put my knee on his neck and held him down, showing that I had won.

  The look of disbelief and anger was definitely there, but I was elated when I saw a small flicker of approval cross his face.

  “That’s good for now.” Headmaster said breaking the silence that stunned the room. I felt my claws retract as I helped Jeremy up. As I helped him up I realized how much damage I had done, and received. I had claw marks all up my arm, and across my stomach just like him. I didn’t even realize that he transformed as well, I was focused so much on the fight I didn’t even feel the pain.

  The look of approval was radiating off Mr. Zander and the rest of the teachers were stunned, but pleased. Headmaster looked happy on the outside, but there was sadness in his eyes that never seemed to leave.

  “Our next part of the assessment was how much you could transform, but I suppose we just saw it,” One of the other teachers said “The last part of the assessment will be your ability to retreat.” I thought the assessment was only my combat skills, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

  “How can you test me on my ability to retreat?” I ask and I see Jeremy smile; now I know it can’t be good.

  “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  “I understand.” I said before bowing to show my sarcasm (probably a bad idea) then walked out the door. I was worried that I may have gone too far, but then I heard a low rumble of chuckles and I let my breath out.

  “I wouldn’t be relieved just yet Blondie.” A voice that I hated every time I heard it called out. I whipped around and glared at him.

  “Just wait, once I’m done with assessment, then I will be done with you and your training from hell.” I said dripping resentment, but it was mostly frustration with the fact that I couldn’t prepare for the last part of the assessment. I had hoped today it would be all over, but now I have to be afraid something’s going to happen to me anytime, anywhere.

  “You wouldn’t have beaten me and passed any of the tests if it was anyone else, and you know it.”

  “I don’t need to rely on anyone to help me here. I can pass the tests myself, no matter who my trainer is.” I retorted even though I knew he was partially right.

  “Right, well I guarantee that if you had Lucas as your trainer, you wouldn’t have passed.”

  “Oh and why is that?” I cross my arms to keep myself in check.

  “He would go easy on you.” He said simply and I didn’t have a good response for that, because I really couldn’t see Lucas being very violent. He smirked and turned back around walking away, leaving me venting to myself all the way back to the dorm.

  “So how did it go?” Alice demanded as I walked through the doors and Mai hopped on my back, being small like a child had its advantages. I put my arms around her legs and carried her as I talked about the assessment. We got to their room (they’re roommates) and lied down on Mai’s bed. She flopped off my back and snuggled into her many stuffed animals. I gave her a lion one for her birthday last week. She said she would sleep with it every night; Alice got her candy that she did not need.

  The way that we get supplies for ourselves is interesting. We have weekly trips to a secluded town that’s only occupied by Anima’s. We would never be able to escape there, with so much security and older people, but that didn’t stop them from watching our every movement.

  No contact with my mother yet either, and I miss her like crazy, since it has always been us against the world. I also know that she wouldn’t want me to miss her, and take away from my experience here so I tried not to think about it too much.

  “So you’re on the third part of the assessment, man that sucks.” Alice said messing with my hair as I lied down on her lap.

  “Yeah” I say staring at the ceiling full of stars that glow in the dark. “I have no idea what to expect, so I guess I’m going to be paranoid for a while.”

  “It’s not so bad, but then again I don’t know what the circumstances would be for you.” We pondered that for a while, and in the process ended up all falling asleep together.

  I woke up every morning on edge, waiting for something to happen. I just wanted it to be ov
er with; luckily my prayers were answered when I was on my way to shower after my extra training class. I was taking off my shirt in the locker room and was slammed into the locker. Pain shot through my shoulder and they aimed for my legs this time. I realized that they were only trying to immobilize me so that they could capture me. Hunters were known not for just killing Animas, but for capturing and torturing them until you gave them the information they wanted. I learned that in my anima history class. My first instinct (like all other animas) was to fight back, but another animal instinct is the power to predict. I knew this was a test, but also judging from the ability and build of the offender, I wouldn’t be able to beat them.

  I jumped onto the bench to avoid getting hit and vaulted over the offender. I heard them behind me, so I knew this must be the last part of the retreat assessment. I left my bag there, so hopefully they don’t like sweaty sports bras and wet towel. That made me realize I was only wearing my sports bra, and sweatpants. I have only been here for a little over three months, so I didn’t know that layout as well as someone who has been here since they were little. If you showed signs of being an Anima, then you were taken here right away. Which could be from the age of 6 is the youngest one that’s come here. So there is a little problem with me being hidden away until