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Drip, drip, drip...

Phoebe listened to the stalagtite forming above the upper bunk as she lay on her bed. The mattress had been removed to prevent mold from growing, and so she had the pleasure of listening to water drip on worn wood for an entire hour. The water was only one reason why she didn't claim top bunk. The other was that she didn't want to wake up one morning to a fallen stalagtite gouged in her stomach.

She kept listening, looking at the wood above her and repeatedly knocking her boots against the side of her bed. Clunk, clunk, clunk. They were heavy and a bit too big, but they were all she had. The only clothes in her trunk were putrid orange prison garb.

Phoebe ruffled her hair. She still couldn't get used to how short it was. At least it didn't need to be brushed. There didn't seem to be any mirrors for ladies to "pretty themselves up" in a place like this. In fact, there were many things missing that one might be accustomed to finding at home. And just as there was nothing familiar to see, there was nothing to do since no one was there, so Phoebe kept listening to the water drops and knocking her boots against the side of her bed. Clunk, clunk, clunk...

Drip, drip, drip.

Out of the shadows stepped General Bloodreaver. He stood as always, silent and hooded, towering over both of the girls. His sword was strapped to his back, and he scratched at the hilt with two skinny, pale fingers. He stared at the two girls from underneath his hood, his eyes seemingly burning straight through to their souls. His usually stone-cold face broke into a manic grin for all of two seconds, before being once again replaced with an emotionless mask. Vryce Bloodreaver didn't move, other than leaning against the wall.

Phoebe snapped out of her trance to look at the girl who just made a crack at the general. She was going to answer the girl's question from before, but now that an authority figure was here... it was better to stay quiet. She instead sat up and looked at the two silently.

Phoebe froze. Oh no! He overheard. Now what do I say?! She knew she couldn't tell a full on lie. Lying wasn't one of her habits, and she wasn't going to start now. Plus, this guy was not only creepy, but he looked like he'd be a human lie detector. At least she would be punished for the truth than be caught in a lie to a general.

She thought of what she should say, and thinking of an interesting way to answer, Phoebe finally spoke. But it was then that she learned things tended to sound better in one's mind than out of one's mouth, and the fact that she was stammering didn't help either. "Uh, w-well, it isn't like we were born voluntarily, either. I mean, this life isn't all about what, uh, we want, so w-we sometimes need to do things we don't necesarily want to do, and, uh...

"Plus, many countries used to make involuntary drafts when they went to war, so why can't Maliborne?!" Phoebe quickly added at the end. She tended to add miscellaneous information at the end of failing explanations and presentations. It was one of the habits she wished she had never started in the first place.

Darn it! Phoebe thought as he saw through her rhetoric. If he had punished her there and now, she could have at least defended that she never said, "No, this isn't voluntary," but now she can't. This is why she should never be a politician.

"Um, well, it is a 'yes' and a 'no.' Considering I chose joining Maliborne's army compared to, uh, the other choices I had, then technically I am doing this voluntarily. But if considering what I'd really want to be doing right now, then no, I'm not doing this voluntarily. I guess it depends on how you interpret it," Phoebe answered. It technically was the truth, and hopefully whichever the interpretation the general chose, it correctly answered his question, because there were so many ways Phoebe could be punished here and she didn't want any of it to start today.

For a second Phoebe's heart stopped until she realized the general was headed out of the room. She thought he was going to punch her! But wait a minute, did it just sound like I have something in common with him?! Phoebe shuddered at the thought.

She lay down on her bed again, forgetting about the other girl in the room. Phoebe closed her eyes and tried to calm down a bit, maybe fall asleep, too. At least she wasn't too alone in all of this, but still...

Drip, drip, drip.

They should really fix that leaky roof.

Phoebe was becoming tired of waiting. When were they supposed to eat? And when are they supposed to "attack" the school? She wished to be rid of this place, but it felt like a nightmare she couldn't escape from.

Phebes took a glance across the room. So far there were only girls here. That's weird. Maliborne having an army full of girls. Maybe Aurora High is a boy's boarding school? Well, in that case, I guess this side winning wouldn't be too bad...

But then she had a terrible thought. With all these women, there were two male officials: Maliborne and Bloodreaver. What if this was actually a human trafficking ring?! Although the idea was ridiculous, especially after being told explicitly what this war was about beforehand, Phoebe pulled a worried face that portrayed her dismay...

And would make anyone else looking at her laugh.

((Although there hasn't been a lot of recruitment yet, I'm starting to wonder if we can make multiple characters in the Army, because there needs to be more guys...))