Dreadlords Big Brothers

[Caeso Diemut]

"No," said Caeso.

The Guard Captain, Warren Odal, smiled thinly to the big Initiate sat before him. "I'm afraid you don't have any choice."

Fifteen minutes ago, Caeso had been walking to the Proctors' Building, a place which once inspired fear in every Initiate. It still did, but not as much, this diminishing of stature brought about by things like what Captain Odal had just gotten through explaining to him.

A "Big Brother" program. It had a more sterile official name, yes, but the informal name of Big Brother had stuck even in the minds of those who had dreamt it up. The idea was that it was something of a mentorship, that a more capable Initiate (in Caeso's estimation) was to be paired up with an Initiate who was deemed to need guidance in some regard.

Caeso had tried explaining to Captain Odal how this was a horrible idea. That the only thing this would do would be to insult the "little brothers or sisters," single them out as weak, and generally create needless animosity and strife. He tried to impress upon the Captain that the Academy was far different from the Guard.

Odal didn't listen. Or maybe couldn't listen.

"But," said the Captain, "you won't be the only one."

Then came a knock at the office door. Caeso made an exasperated face that Odal dismissed.

"We figured that pairs would be ideal."

 

[Soleil Verdane]

Next door to the office occupied by Captain Odal and Caeso Diemut, another office, this one occupied by Proctor Melina. Nicest Proctor ever—gratingly so, perhaps, according to some Initiates. Proctor Melina being the very same who facilitated one of the more recent "Fun" days.

She welcomed Soleil into the office. Told the girl to have a seat.

"So," Proctor Melina began, half-sitting and half-standing on the edge of the desk, the heels of her palms on the wood, "today is going to be a little different than usual."

"Mission?" Soleil asked, cocking her head and smiling blissfully.

"No, Soleil. Not a mission, and not classes either. Something special."

Soleil hummed. The skin across her cheeks opened like gills and then sealed gently shut closed. "Torture again."

"Thankfully, not that either."

Surprise, a gasp, a smile, and then, "My turn to torture?"

Proctor Melina was slightly taken aback. "N-No. It's...think of it like...making a friend."

Soleil trilled her tongue, seemed to track the motion of some invisible thing making a slow arc over Proctor Melina's head, and said, "Friends come. Friends go."

A similar knock at the door.

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi had been sparring when she got the order to go see Warren Odal, the Guard Captain. She was unsure why she was being summoned since she had no dealings with Captain Odal before but even in this new Academy, you didn't say no to the authorities.

Her booted footsteps were the only sounds in the hall as she headed toward the office. Before she lifted her fist to knock on the door, she took a moment to breathe in and out. Everything was fine...she hadn't done anything wrong...it was fine.

*Knock Knock Knock*

Once permission was granted, Cassi pushed the door open to see Captain Odal and another Initiate. She knew him and she had classes with him before but she had never spoken to him.

Caeso Diemut. Force or some shit was his magic. He definitely seemed more on the uppity end than anyone she would ever hang out with.

"You requested my presence, Captain?"

---

Caeso Diemut

 

[Caeso Diemut]

"Yes. Please, Cassi, have a seat."

Caeso noted again the casual use of first names by the Captain. No Initiate Diemut's nor Initiate Azura's from him. He acted as though he were their friends, when they all knew differently.

Caeso watched with only passing interest as Cassi moved. One half of the Azura twins, of House Azura. Well, it seemed as though the one thing Captain Odal and whoever else conjured this scheme did right was select those of noble blood to be the Big Brothers (or Sisters, as it were).

"Caeso," said Captain Odal, "would you like to explain to Cassi the purpose of today's program?"

Caeso gave Odal a thin smile, an almost perfect mirror of the one Odal had given him moments prior. "Regale her all you like, Captain. Is this not your task to tell her how she is going to be given some 'sibling' to manage?"

Captain Odal sucked his tongue against his teeth. "Caeso...you misunderstand." A little glance to the girl, and then to him. "Cassi is your partner in this program. You are to be her Big Brother."

Caeso's brow creased gradually, and slowly with the certain look of hard disbelief did he turn his head to regard Cassi now.

What utter foolishness had Odal and his co-conspirators come up with?

Cassi Azura

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi took the seat next to Caeso and give him the smallest of smiles as a hi.

Program. Sibling. Manage. Partner. Big Brother.

Oh, fuck no!

"Listen, I appreciate you thinking of me, but I already have an actual big brother and I really don't want another. Hell, he would be irritated with me even thinking about hanging out with a guy, and then you are going to add his title to it...no, thank you."

Cassi wanted to stand up and leave but, at the same time, she was afraid to upset the Captain. She also didn't understand why she needed a mentor. Her grades were fine, she was excelling in her magical learning, and she wasn't rude. So...she kinda wanted to know.

Her curiosity won...this time.

---

Caeso Diemut

 

[Caeso Diemut]

Caeso needn't even say a thing—Cassi summed it up beautifully. All he did was hold his hands palms up and snapped them Cassi's way, perking eyebrows at the Captain, the gesture the wordless exclamation of: See??

The Captain, undeterred (and with admirable composure, Caeso grudgingly had to admit), simply said, "You can rest assured, Cassi, that your brother's worries will not bear out. This program is not meant to be anything of that...nature."

"Captain, I will stress again that this is insulting. For both myself and Cassiopeia. To our records you have access, readily available are our histories of training and service for your eyes to gorge themselves upon." Despite himself, Caeso flung a frustrated hand upward. "Both of us are younger even than the minimum age for conscription into the Guard and yet we have seen and done more than an entire company of one-year-term Guardsmen combined. All this, and yet you insist on treating us as though we are children!"

Captain Odal held up his hands for peace, and kept them aloft until Caeso was finished.

"Both of you have something to gain out of this."

Cassi Azura

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi made a face when Odal said that nature.

"Ewww, I wasn't even thinking about anything of that nature," she said with a curl of her lip. "No offense meant, Caeso..."

She listened to Caeso, nodding along with his very good points. They were young but they had more life experience than many adults.

AND

It was insulting!

"Both of you have something to gain out of this."

There was a scoff from the black-haired Initiate. She was sure she had nothing to gain from him and vice versa. She just needed her brother and that was it. Everyone else just sucked.

"Could you elaborate, Captain?"

---

Caeso Diemut

 

[Caeso Diemut]

The Captain indulged her. "Your brother is Corvus Azura, yes? Proctor Melina—"

Of course it was Proctor Melina who was likewise involved in this, thought Caeso.

"—notes that the two of you spend a fair bit of time together. This is good, we're not saying it isn't. However, learning to be a little more independent would also be good."

Cassi Azura

 

[Cassi Azura]

Proctor Melina. Why did it not surprise her in the slightest? Oh, right, because Proctor Melina was seriously the nicest woman in the entire world. It still made zero sense to Cassi how the Proctor had come to be a Proctor.

"I am not sure if you know this, Captain, but Corvus and I are twins..."

There was definitely some mocking in her tone like the Captain was a fucking idiot.

"We kinda have a being together thing going on since before birth..."

Cassi smiled sweetly but she worried she had crossed that delicate line.

---

Caeso Diemut

 

[Caeso Diemut]

Caeso smirked in appreciation of Cassi's delivery of the words being together. It was his kind of humor. Dry, cutting.

Yet Captain Odal had the patience of a saint. He looked neither angry nor offended by Cassi's tone. It completes this whole charade, Caeso thought. That he would be something of a father figure here.

"I am aware of your histories," Captain Odal said softly, looking to them both.

At this, Caeso became very solemn, the smirk gone and a slow rigidity petrifying him into a stolid statue of formality. His eyes was deeply securitizing of the Captain.

Odal, though, spoke further to Cassi, "I understand the connection between twins is very strong. I've been a line sergeant to two pairs of twins myself. Fine soldiers, all four of them. But, when it was necessary by orders that they separate for a time, they did."

Odal spread his hands. "We're only asking that you give this program an honest try."

Cassi Azura

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked very much like a petulant teenager who hadn't gotten her way...which was appropriate since that is exactly what she was.

But Odal had issued a challenge when he mentioned being in charge of two sets of twins. There was a slight respect for the Captain that hadn't been there a little bit ago.

Her violet eyes left the Captain's face and traveled over Caeso's. He wasn't any more pleased about this than she was so, perhaps, they could agree to make some shit up to report in with.

"Fine," Cassi finally said, exasperated.

---

Caeso Diemut

 

[Caeso Diemut]

Captain Odal gave a humble nod to Cassi.

"You've yet to illuminate what I have to gain out of this," Caeso said. No shortage of iciness in his tone, and, as he crossed his arms, that earlier rigidity was shown to have indeed loosened.

Odal looked to him, that interminable patience of the Captain's both admirable and aggravating. "The same thing that I stood to gain when first I was promoted to line sergeant many years ago: development as a leader."

"And you found Cassiopeia Azura, a noblewoman, unworthy of this?"

"Not in the slightest," said Odal. "Opportunities for such will come her way in the future, and I trust she'll do well. Today, however, this is the arrangement. You've spent much time as a follower, some time as a de facto leader I imagine, but now, Caeso, it will be official. And I think you'll learn that leadership is quite the multi-faceted concept."

"You liken it to a diamond, whereas I see the simplicity of its essential nature, a granite rock shaped to smoothness by a relentless river."

"I know that you two are used to the Academy's missions. Battle, warfare," Captain Odal said, catching the drift of what Caeso had said. "This is the primary goal of your training, yes. But these next few days will be a little different."

"Those missions come with marks," Caeso said sternly. "Tangible results."

"Yes, of course. For this program, a special result. Engaged participation will see your lowest mark dropped completely and replaced with a perfect score. As you can figure from your mathematical studies, this will do wonders for your averages."

Captain Odal looked between the two of them, his wan smile lifting slightly his cheeks, gauging their responses.

Cassi Azura

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi had zoned out as Caeso and Odal spoke to each other. She heard something about her being a noble but that wasn't enough to come back to paying attention.

"...Engaged participation will see your lowest mark dropped completely and replaced with a perfect score...."

"Corvus can fuck off, I need my mathematics grade replaced. It isn't great," Cassi said with a shrug and a sorry look to Caeso.

---

Caeso Diemut

 

[Mieri]

Soleil Verdane

The knock was a precursor to a loud crack as the door which had so helpfully kept Proctor Melina's office private was kicked open. "Alright, kiddo!"

Mieri's voice bolstered out as she swept into the room, a wide grin already on her face. Arms spread apart as though she were the third coming of Kress himself.

"I heard you need a big sister, and let me tell you." A single finger pointed at Soleil. "You've scored yourself the best one."

Unlike everyone else, apparently, Mieri had already been told what all of this was about. Mostly because she'd asked incessant questions when Proctor Melina had first come to her about the idea. It was a bit of a hair-brained scheme, but then again so were half of the new things the Republic had brought to the Academy.

And she'd loved most of those.

"Ain't that right, Proctor Mel?" Mieri said, having long since taken the liberties this 'new' Academy allowed her.

 

[Caeso Diemut]

Caeso cradled his chin in a considering hand, rubbing with his forefinger and thumb. When he and Quinctus were first enrolled, Caeso, admittedly, did not take History very seriously. There was some hubris in it, thinking at the tender age of six that he knew precisely all he needed to know. A fine lesson to learn young, at least, that he at times needed to temper his more headstrong tendencies.

Now though was the chance to correct that mistake from a decade ago.

He caught sight of Cassi's brief look. Well. No need to apologize. They were both keen on giving this program "engaged participation" now.

Caeso spread his hands slow and wide. "Speak our language, and we listen."

"I'm glad we've come to an understanding," Captain Odal said, small smile showing itself again. He stood up from his seat. "I will return shortly. We're just getting everyone rounded up and briefed on the basics, and then we'll all get into the specifics together."

Captain Odal left the office then.

And Caeso looked to Cassi. "We are absolutely going to game this system for all that it is worth."

Cassi Azura

 

[Soleil Verdane]

Soleil watched with a kind of detached fascination as Mieri made her grand entrance into Proctor Melina's office. Her eyes kept shifting from Mieri to the door and to Mieri again.

Proctor Melina fed off of Mieri's energy, clapping her hands together into a delighted bundle and holding them up by one cheek. "Right, indeed! Mieri is going to be your Big Sister for a duration, Soleil. And I think you'll like what we've got planned for you all. Not only will it build teamwork, but it'll be fun! Even the most stalwart of soldiers needs some rest and relaxation every now and again."

Soleil mimicked Melina's smile.

Proctor Melina stood fully then from her half-seat on the desk's edge. "Mieri, stay here a moment. If you could answer any of Soleil's questions, that would be great! I won't be gone long, just conferring with Captain Odal, and then we'll all get started."

Melina crossed the office and gingerly picked at the door by the handle, as if afraid it might fall off of its hinges with too much jostling. On her way out she decided to just leave the door ajar.

Soleil grinned as a fissure elegantly drifted across her neck and closed at her nape.

To Mieri she said, "Break door again?"

Mieri

 

[Mieri]

Her hand raised in a brief salute as Proctor Melina bade her to stay there with the little eccentric. "Will do, ma'am."

She offered, not a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Unlike some Initiates, Mieri really didn't have a problem with most of the changes. Less beatings, better food, and a little bit more freedom. What was not to like? Sure, it wasn't as tough anymore, but she still got plenty challenge on missions.

That was enough for her.

A self satisfied smile lingered on her face as Melina stepped out, leaving the door ajar. Her arms crossed over her chest, eyes flickering to Soleil as her neck seemed to split. Her eyebrows raised, and immediate assessment came to mind.

The kid was weird.

But then again, most of them were all weird in one way or another. The Academy made weirdos, Mieri had learned that fact a long time ago. She was pretty sure that there were really only about five normal people in the whole place, and she was one of them.

"This door?" Mieri said, gesturing towards the now rickety slab of wood. A wide grin slipping on her face as she uncrossed her arms and stepped over towards Soleil. "Better idea, Kid."

She said, ignoring the fact that she was probably only a year older than the other girl. "You break it."

Mieri was really nailing this big sister thing. "See that crack right there? Kick it as hard as you can."

 

[Soleil Verdane]

Soleil stood from her seat. Turned to regard the door and the crack pointed out by Mieri. She seemed uncertain, saucer-like eyes big and swallowing every detail of Mieri's expression.

Then she looked to the door. Cocked her head, as if staring at it from a nearly sideways view would reveal some secret weakness.

She pawed at the skirt of her thin dress and hiked it up as if unsheathing a sword and then swung her leg far too hard to be advisable and kicked the door. The door shuddered and creaked, yes, but it was nowhere near as impressive as Mieri's effort.

And also Soleil's leg snapped off. It had broken off at the knee and just lay on the floor now after spiraling about in the air for a second. A sparkling haze of sand drifted from both openings of her severed leg and what was still attached.

"Oops," she said flatly.

Then she looked to Mieri.

"Why so strrrrrong?"

Mieri

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi agreed that Odal had finally spoken their language. The carrot was always better than the stick and it seemed that this new Academy liked the carrot as much as the teens did.

Her violet eyes watched the Captain leave the room and then they moved to Caeso when he spoke.

"We are absolutely going to game this system for all that it is worth."

"What do you think they are going to have us do together? Fingerpainting and braiding each other's hair?"

She had absolutely no idea where that had come from but it made her chuckle lightly.

---

Caeso Diemut

 

[Mieri]

Huh.

Well that didn't quite go as planned. Though from what Mieri gathered Soleil wasn't really all that worried about the fact that her leg had just come off. "That's what my magic does."

Mieri explained while nudging the girls leg with her foot. Pushing it ever so gently towards the stump of her knee.

She might have been a boisterous braggart, but she wasn't a fool either. It didn't take a genius to figure out Soleil's magic had something to do with the sand now floating in the air. Plus the fact that she wasn't screaming bloody murder was a good clue she would be alright.

Though then again, most of them had been taught not to scream.

"Don't worry about it, Kid." Mieri said with a wide grin. "Stick with me and we'll have you kickin' in doors in no time."

 

[Caeso Diemut]

Caeso tossed his head back and barked out laughter.

He spoke his words upwards to the ceiling, "Such would not surprise me, Cassi. There exists now a dichotomy, as astounding as it is baffling, within these walls, wherein the Proctors treat us like adults and our ostensible masters in the Guard treat us like children."

At least under the old way every Initiate knew what they were.

He looked back to her. "So here we are, by circumstance thrust into a position to which our forebears would arch the highest of brows upon witnessing." A resigned smirk. "For my part, if it is fingerpainting and hair braiding, I will nevertheless throw myself with vigor to the task."

He sucked his tongue against the back of his teeth.

Then justified, "My marks in History could use some repair."

Cassi Azura

 

[Soleil Verdane]

Soleil glanced down at her own severed leg like an afterthought. There was a little shimmer in her eyes and all of the loose floating sand in the air started to flow backward, almost as if time in their instance was reversing. Her severed leg stood itself up and all the loose sand came back together and, like new, her leg was reattached.

If there was pain, she kept it concealed.

She did, however, trill her tongue again.

Soleil took an awed interest in what Mieri had to say: That's what my magic does, we'll have you kickin in doors in no time. She dropped down, sitting on her haunches, examining briefly Mieri's legs as if there were some secret available to be found to explain her magic and her strength.

Then Soleil stood again and said excitedly with a wide and wondrous smile, "Kick me!"

Mieri

 

[Mieri]

Mieri watched the little gremlin with a slight smile on her face, starting to get the picture as to why Melina had thought she'd needed someone a bit more...mature around.

Unfortunately the Proctor had horribly misjudged Mieri's maturity.

A rather dubious expression flickered over the Initiate's face for a brief moment, studying Soleil as she considered. Then her shoulders rose in a sudden shrug. "Sure!"

The Kid just regrew her leg for Kress' sake! There was no way Mieri could really hurt her with just a simple kick. Right? Probably. Besides, from all the books she'd read a big sibling was supposed to do a little bit of ribbing, and this was a good start.

So, without further ado and with lighting quick speed Mieri raised her foot and kicked Soleil directly in the chest.

The strike landing with a force that seemed to reverberate, easily strong enough to break the ribs of a full grown man. Though far from the hardest Mieri could manage.

She didn't want to kill her new little sister after all.

 

[Soleil Verdane]

Soleil's chest exploded outward in a plume of sand, spraying the wall behind her. A tidal wave of little scratching sounds issued forth when the sand went plummeting down, scraping against the wall as it went, and then the a kind of wheezing whoomph as the sand all (well, mostly all) came to settle down on the floor and the chair and the little table over there.

This left Soleil without a torso, and unceremoniously did her arms and her head collapse to the ground each with their own separate little thuds. One leg was still standing by some exquisite circumstance whilst its twin slowly toppled over to one side. Even her dress was in tatters. There was a thin haze of the lighter particles of sand in the air.

Soleil's head had rolled and stopped just so to make her expression visible. She was shocked.

And awed.

And happy. She started laughing as all of the loose sand and loose body parts began to reverse themselves and it all came back and coalesced again, reforming her dress and her body. Within a moment the haze of glittering sand was gone from the air and Soleil was back.

She doubled over, holding her knees as her laughter soared. "Wow! You are strong!"

She stood up straight again, little aftershock giggles here and there. Soleil touched Mieri's chest with her palm, "Strong!" She touched her own chest with that same palm, "Not strong!" Another go round like this: "Strrrrrong! Not strong!"

Then she grinned with open joy and said with amazement, "You kill well, don't you!"

Mieri

 

[Mieri]

She was really nailing this!

The sound of Soleil's laughter brought a wide grin to Mieri's face. Her eyes lighting with genuine joy as the disturbing sight of the girl's head practically rolled on the floor with laughter.

It was a sound that had been preciously devoid in the Academy before the Revolution. A chime which she had worked so hard to find throughout all those perilous nights and oppressive days. Now that it was so out in the open Mieri couldn't help but join in.

A giggle escaped her as Soleil reformed, her hand finding it's place on her chest just a second later. "Oh you're plenty strong, just in different ways!"

Mieri encouraged, remembering what Melina had told her about being a 'positive force'.

"I do! When I have to." She said with a smirk, though truthfully she'd never much liked that part of the job. "This is gonna be fun, huh?"

She asked with a smirk, though she was starting to wonder what was keeping Melina.