"But it still doesn’t make any sense. You guys seem rather chill so why wouldn’t you let other people sit in your chair?" Austin couldn’t hold back his curiosity.

From what he — and everyone else — had seen, the trip of Awakened wasn’t bad. In fact, they seemed very level-headed... at least enough not to threaten people over basic furniture.

Trevor rolled his eyes but answered. "I honestly don’t know. We sat down here shortly after we awakened. People naturally assumed we would beat them up if they took our seats... even when we arrived late, only this seat was left so we were forced to sit here, sort of cementing the idea."

It also wasn’t like he’d go out of his way to correct them. Misunderstanding aside, privacy was very rare especially when they all lived so close to each other.

The few ears in the cafeteria who had been eavesdropping felt stupid immediately and turned to their tables.

Dale glanced at Trevor but said nothing. He wasn’t going to acknowledge the similarities between the two of them.

Gary smiled at Austin. "So Austin, we’ve seen your ability skill in training already so how about quiet dark hair over there? Have you sparred? What does his power look like in combat?"

Dale’s ears twitched. This was the first time training or any form of curricular activities had been mentioned.

Even though they didn’t show it, the three awakened were clearly curious. It wasn’t every day that a dormant ability user easily overcame his shield.

Austin smiled cheekily, "Oh you wouldn’t believe it... he can— Ha! Like I’ll tell you. Find out for yourselves."

Before the other could retort, Sarah stood and stretched a little, yawning. "Good. Night." She managed to say before dragging her feet.

Trevor stood up and followed her closely from behind, then Gary, then Austin, and somehow Dale.

’How did I end up getting up?’ He asked himself but couldn’t find the answer. He kissed his teeth.

’Must have been peer pressure. Certainly, that’s all it is.’ His dad had always warned him about the insidious poison that was peer pressure.

Eventually, they separated and Dale was alone with Austin in their room. Curious, he asked.

"So why didn’t you guys train today?" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Austin chuckled on the bunk above him. "We did. You arrived very late... our mandatory training and classes had already concluded."

Dale raised an eyebrow, "Mandatory classes?"

His roommate shuffled slightly, causing the bedframe to creak.

"Yeah. Apparently, the military isn’t just explosives and war... they also value intelligence just as much so they have classes to inform recruits as much as they can about the world, politics information cut off to the public, and for the healers, anatomy."

Dale groaned mentally. He had always hated learning. At least there wouldn’t be exams... or so he hoped.

Austin continued in a sleepy voice, "As long as you’re good in either of those, you’ll pass and become a soldier, serving our country on the front lines. Or you could become an assassin. I don’t know." Immediately he finished, his snore resounded through the room.

’So tomorrow, lessons resume.’

Staring at the roof of the bottom bunk, Dale had nothing occupying his mind and so, he drifted off to bed.

****

Dale stood before a set of large wooden double doors. Dozens of other recruits were on either side of him clamouring as they tried to open it.

Naturally, he didn’t participate.

Austin forced himself through the small crowd and stood beside him. He leaned closer.

"What’s going on? Why aren’t you guys inside? Also, why didn’t you wake me?!"

Dale winced at the scream and threw a glare at his roommate but replied. "Firstly, I don’t know. Secondly, we can’t and as for the last question, you’re in the military boot camp, you need to have an internalized alarm. What did you do before I got here?"

Austin rubbed the back of his neck. "I sorta came late to all my classes."

It made sense why he wasn’t punished for his repeated tardiness. As far as the military was concerned, Austin had his uses on the battlefield and as such, a little levity was expected.

Before he could bring the topic to his face, however, the double doors opened, revealing a large hall with seats arranged around a larger table.

The recruits immediately rushed in, trying to acquire a seat. Dale’s head tilted slightly.

"What’s all this ruckus about?"

He tried to ask Austin but by the time he looked, his roommate had already rushed in.

Austin threw a glance at him, "It’s the teacher. He makes sure there aren’t enormous seats so people have to get to theirs first." The explanation was rushed and barely explained anything but it finally fixed everything in place.

The rushing, trying to pry open the doors, the general unease.

’Such a brutal system.’ He reasoned but brutality was something that actually made sense.

And just like the world he had grown up in, there were wolves and dogs.

If a wolf had set its sights on a piece of meat, and a dog went there, the dog would become the wolf’s new meal.

With this idea, Dale knew he had to be the wolf. He’ll set his sights on a goal and if anyone tries to stop him, he’ll devour them instead.

He walked in calmly and stopped beside a chair occupied by a boy who looked to be roughly the same age.

"Get up." Dale’s voice was completely calm and placated yet a shiver ran down the boy’s spine.

He opened his mouth to challenge Dale and the latter glared at him.

"Get. Up." Dale repeated and the boy chuckled nervously but got up.

Dale smiled and sat. Most of his life, he had gone hungry but now...

’I plan to feast.’