I considered trying to explain that I was actually weak, however I really didn't know if I wanted them to consider me weak or not.
"Look I'm not that talented, I got help from 3, she is the actual monster. Have you seen her punching bag thing?" I explained
"Who is 3? Wait you mean the girl with black hair and those weird coloured eyes?" 49 asked
Responding I said. "Yes, also what's weird about her eyes?"
"The colour is a normal blue sure but if you actually look at them it looks like its flowing. No that's beside the point. You know her and even got her to teach you? How did you do that?" 49 astonished expression was very clearly mirrored by the other two.
"I just went up and asked." I said making it clear just how confused I was as to why they were so shocked at this.
7 was the one to speak this time. "Right, other people have tried talking to her but most people she didn't even bother responding to. Let alone actually helping them with anything like what happened with you."
"What did she teach you?" 13 asked while leaning slightly towards me.
"Not really anything, just corrected a misunderstanding I had about how to use roh." I answered, but continuing in slight anger I said "Look guys stop badgering me about this, lets just move on."
13 was again the one to speak. "Alright then, here's a question. where were you at lunch?"
7 and 49 clearly wanted to know the answer too.
"I thought they would call us when it was time, but they never did. I mean I realised that it was because its a time table but still by the time I found it out lunch was over."
13 gave a small chuckle and said. "Idiot."
49 immediately gave him a strange look and then said "You didn't know it yourself until we dragged you out of training room B."
13 coughed awkwardly.
"How is your progress in roh by the way? All of you, I mean."
49 responded first. "I couldn't get the pain from the training suit to get reduced but I did manage to get my ability to work... Slightly. Here look." She put her hand forwards and then after a moment I noticed the sleeve of my shirt started curling on its own as if someone was folding it over and over. "Its not powerful but I just learnt how to get stuff to spin so I'm pretty proud of myself"
'I know we are all weak at the start but that's just sad. I can't really judge though can I?'
"We all have been able to manifest our abilities, but only 7 has been able to reduce pain on the suits." 13 said while sounding like he wanted to get the conversation over with as soon as possible.
'Why is he even here if he doesn't like conversations.'
7 looked very proud of himself and said "Yeah like he said, I've been able to-"
"Attention, go to the lecture hall immediately." Blared through the speakers and at the same time 49, 13 and I all got notifications on our phones saying the same thing.
"We never get to talk long do we? Seems like whenever 4 over here enters the room we always have to go do stuff." 49 said then turned to me. "Are you cursed or something."
7 chuckled before saying. "I mean like yeah we all are technically."
"Imagine that was your curse, you just never get to spend time with people." 49 said while giggling and pointing at me.
We walked over and sat down in the lecture hall, this time we luckily did it quick enough to snag some good seats.
"Axmon isn't here. Isn't he normally where we need to be when called for?" 13 Questioned.
7 was the one to answer him. "I mean he didn't last time when we were called for roh training."
"Yeah but that was different he was handing out all of our clothes." 13 rebutted.
"We honestly don't know what to expect, don't be too worried nothing bad could happen." 49 responded.
Axmon walked through the door and slowly walked up to the podium.
He stood there a moment before chuckling slightly. "You are most likely the most unlucky year in existence. A 'memory' fit for first years has been detected to appear on earth, on top of that its in a mission area. Circumstances this perfect only appear once every few years, well it would be perfect if you had a little more time. You all will be diving to earth completing missions and then beating the memory."
I heard someone a few rows in front of me say "Oh god."
49 turned to 13 and said "I was wrong, something bad definitely could happen. We are so fucked."
This was early, far too early. It takes nearly half a year for most people to get read to leave the station and go do missions on earth, we had barely a day.
"Don't worry too much, it might be early but you will learn a lot down there. Plus you are the most talented generation I have ever seen. So what, about half of you will survive?" Axmon said, looking almost like he enjoyed telling us news of our impending doom.
My blood went cold at his words.
Axmon continued. "Everyone ensure you have you phone, if you do not have it go and get it now then come back. You have four minutes, everyone else wait here for these four minutes."
A few people stood up and almost ran out the rooms.
The rest sat anxiously for the next four minutes while those people quicky got their phones and came back. Not a word was said the entire time. There was no argument anyone gave to save themself or shouting at Axmon, they all knew better after all. They would be executed if they did.
'I've seen it one too many times, they just get stripped down, put in the airlock and released.'
That was the horrifying truth here in the station.
"You will all be diving to earth at once, everyone follow me." Axmon commanded everyone did.
No one spoke, the creeping horror everyone was dreading had come far sooner then they thought it would.
We arrived at the ascension tube which by all means just looked like a curved indent in the wall with a hole in the ceiling.
Axmon stood in the intent and clicked a button on the wall, then the floor which was looked seamless had a disk underneath where Axmon was standing which made him rise to the inner station quickly.
I was all too familiar with these things because of the sheer amount of times I had used them in my work prior to all this, but the others had likely only experienced it when coming here.
The platform arrived at the bottom and the first group stood on the platform. It was large enough to fit maybe six people on it but Axmon's assistant commanded us to only go in groups of three.
more and more groups stood on the platform only to be whisked away.
I eventually went on the platform with two others which I didn't know. After the platform started moving I felt the horrible nausea and disorientation it caused which was made no easier by the fact we were all being pushed towards the wall.
After a few moments the platform begun to slow until by the time we reached the top it was a snails pace.
The zero gravity environment was not unfamiliar to me but still had some wonderous sensation, due to the situation I could hardly enjoy it though.
Axmon directed us to simply stand by and so that's what we did.
Platform after platform came up eventually brining up 13, then 49, then both 7 and 9.
We did not greet each other, just floated in solemn silence.
In one of the next platforms I noticed 1 arrive, and soon after the last of everyone arrived.
"Follow me." Axmon said plainly.
Eventually our large group arrived at the entry pod section.
"These each pods are for six people, find yourself a group and go into one then lay down and attach the harness around you."
Who I was going to go with was obvious, I met up with group. We all gave each other nervous glances showing the full depth of how we felt without otherwise expressing it.
Noticing 3 looking around with no group alongside her I went up to her and asked. "Want to come with my group, we have five so we need another one." She simply nodded.
We found an empty pod all entered it one by one. When it was my turn I looked in to simply see a platform and harnesses, showing clearly the arrangement we would be in was in two rows of three pressed together very tightly with a slot for our phones next to it, likely to ensure no damage.
When we were all in I had 3 to my left side and 49 at my feet. Axmon came over to check on our harnesses and ensure we had all the preparations needed.
then eventually Axmon left and closed the door to the pod causing the room to go to utter darkness. The minutes of waiting next were agonising.
Eventually I felt a slight click and then we were pushed, but surrounded by darkness all I knew is what I could feel in my bones.
"See you on the other side." 7 said from across the pod.