Ch1 - Hide and Seek

To hide from your fears is to let them consume you.

"Welcome, children."
The woman spoke with a calm but fear inducing tone.
The group of children, watched her intently.
"Now that your physical exams have been completed.
We can properly welcome you to the academy.
You were given a short tour before joining, so I expect you to not need help getting around.
Follow."
She turned about and began to walk.
The entire group of children followed.
The children had various characteristics.
Ranging from a perfectly human appearance...
To scales, feathers, strange markings, animal eyes, and generally odd hair coloring.
Though most appeared about 10 or 11.
The woman stopped at a three-way crossroads.
"To your left is the advanced students, nearly ready to graduate.
The middle is students whom have recently passed their main exam, and now must master their craft."
She paused for a long moment.
"To your right, is where your classes are held.
Do be sure, not to bother the older students.
They are all trained to kill you, and have no problem eliminating future competition."
She went down the right corridor, and the children all followed.
"Each morning will begin with rigorous physical training, until lunch.
After lunch, you will have various lessons on both the world, and other species.
After dinner, you will play a game."
The children looked exited, getting to play a game at school? What luck.
"Don't look so excited.
These games are meant to challenge you both physically and mentally.
Just remember, you were brought here for a reason.
Be it racial, a natural talent, or simply a strong desire.
You are here, because we believe you have the ability to become great assassins.
You only leave when you are truly a great assassin, or in a body bag.
There is no in between."
The woman opened a door.
"Since it after dinner time, this will be your first game.
Do have fun. The first is the easiest."
She walked away, as the children went inside.
It was a maze of a room, a small open space at first but it delved into many corridors.
Standing inside was a man.
"Welcome.
I am, Mr Hernzing.
You will refer to me, as sir.
Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir" the group said in unison.
"Good. Now, we are going to play a game of hide&seek.
An easy enough game, you all likely know the rules.
Do be aware we will be playing this game a lot.
As assassins, you must be able to hide from anyone.
And you must be able to find anyone.
Now, as an entire class you will hide.
An older class in this same category will attempt to find you.
You will have the entire arena to hide in.
Be aware the older students have had a year to learn the area, inside & out.
They are at an advantage.
But that is the point.
Targets will naturally know the area they are at.
You will always be at a disadvantage in this regard.
Do you understand so far?"
"Yes, sir." the group replied again.
"Good, good.
Last bit of into, when you hear..." a loud chime rung out.
"The game is over.
If you were not found you will be given a point.
Now, you will have five minutes to find a hiding spot...
If found, your seeker will return you here, thru force.
That is how they gain points.
Be aware, they will likely find all of you, rather quickly today.
Hopefully, you will all improve."
The man was quiet, "Your time begins now."
The children quickly scattered.

Hurrying to the left, was a male.
He had bright purple hair, and small matching cat-like ears protruding from the top of his head.
A thin matching tail trailed behind him, as he ran.
His eyes, and tail matched his hair and ears, all the same shade of vibrant purple.
He looked around, wide-eyed, unsure where to hide.
Perhaps in a forest, like where he'd grown up, he'd have a good idea.
But this was essentially a cave maze.
Suddenly, the boy stopped.
There was a hole.
Perhaps the older children knew of it though.
It was worth a shot though.
The boy moved and climbed the rock, until he reached the whole.
It wasn't very large, but big enough to crawl thru.
He moved in, and crawled until it ended.
Perhaps he'd be lucky and the older kids would be to big to reach him.
He curled up into a little ball, then pulled his tail over with his hand.
He sat and waited, there was a ding, likely a sound to alert that the older kids were now seeking.
The boy sat, patiently waiting.
He felt his heart beating rapidly.
He was both nervous and excited.
Suddenly he was grabbed, not by a hand but by some sort of claw device.
It dragged him out by his arm.
Once he saw the older male, it was to late.
The rope, attaching the claw device was quickly wrapped around him to bind him.
"Are you a neko?
Geez, they'll let anyone in the academy."
The older boy, perhaps 13 had various gadgets and gizmos attached.
Given that the academy rules stated they could not buy such equipment...
It could only be guessed that this boy created it himself.
Or simply claimed to.
It was a school for assassins, not everyone could be expected to 'play fair'.
The older boy just slung the purple neko over his shoulder.
"Know where anyone else hid?" he asked.
The neko said nothing, though he did actually see a couple other children go into hiding spots.
"You know, if you gave me a couple other kids, I could let you go.
Give you another chance to hide.
I just want max points."
The neko shook his head no, and the gizmo boy shrugged.
"Whatever, should be easy enough."
The older boy walked along, with a small device that beeped.
"First hunt is the easiest, all your little heartbeats going crazy.
So easy to pick up with my life detection."
The neko hung there, thinking about what the boy said.
Heartbeats...
His had been going crazy.
He could hear people's heartbeats.
An annoying trick, he'd managed to learn to ignore.
But perhaps it would be useful, at least for seeking.
However, it wouldn't help future games of hiding.
Unless he listened for the heartbeat of the seekers.
But to move to a new spot without being detected?
He wasn't good enough for that.
The neko took a couple deep breaths, as the gizmo boy collected two more classmates.
They were bound just as the neko.
The gizmo boy kept following his life detection device.
The other boys were fidgeting about.
If they could get free, then the older boy couldn't turn them in.
The neko didn't care, the teacher didn't expect any of their class to make it to the end.
Instead he would learn from this older boy how to play.
He heard the other boy's hearts racing, as they struggled.
Was it possible to slow his own heartbeat?
He took a few deep breaths, focusing on calming his heart.
Suddenly he and the other boys were dropped.
The gizmo boy had turned them in, for credit.
The teacher made marks on a clipboard.
The neko looked, most of their class was already here.
The teacher spoke, "There's only three kids left.
And you have twenty minutes to find them."
"Thank you, sir." the gizmo boy then walked away.
Twenty minutes?
How long was this game?
It didn't really matter, the neko decided to practice trying to slow his heartbeat.
Perhaps it would aid him next time they played...

Within a few minutes the last class mates were found, and brought over.

The older class left, with parchment from the teacher.

"Your main teacher will be here to collect you soon."

He finished writing something down, and looked to the group.

All the children were bound, or tied up in some manner.

"Who here thinks them self, 'class leader'?"

Quickly various students claimed strength or prowess.

Others meeked away, not wanting to be class leader.

The teacher watched the group, before pinning the note to the neko boy.

"Do make sure your teacher gets this." he said, before walking out.

The other children made very vocal protests.

But none could even stand, all they could do was complain.

The neko looked at the note, he couldn't see what was written.

They just had to wait for their main teacher.

Reviews

[Fireyphoenix]

Very intensely captivating! I'm intrigued as to the rigors of such a calavicade of children under such a dark path! I will continue to read!