Certain Requirements [ 1 ]

"Tatiana Caelia Winters."

The voice was loud, clear and the girl who owned said name flinched physically. A quick look around the room and no one else made to stand.

Which meant she was certainly in the spotlight now. But the icy chill that shot up her spine couldn't be deterred.

Everyone was dressed so elegantly, so professional and here Tatiana stood in her red sneakers and her grey College hoodie. Hastily, she pulled up her dirty blonde hair, at least trying to look the somewhat presentable. Large blue eyes scanning the crowds of people, all locked onto her as she stood from her leather seat.

The silence was boring into her and she heaved her black backpack up onto her shoulders, adjusting the straps before stepping out into the isle where the sea of people parted.

Focusing down on her shoes, she tried not to focus on all the accusing and serious looks from her onlookers. This all just made her seriously uncomfortable. Her heart hammering against her ribcage as she moved like a ghost, trying not to let her sneakers squeak against the flooring. Black tiles so shinning that she could easily see her form reflected right back up at her.

A poor excuse for a human being is right..

Weather stained, dark blue jeans scuffed the floor as the cuffs slowly began to unroll. Her hands stayed firmly clamped around the straps of her bag as she headed her ways towards the announcer, standing straight at the microphone. She bit her lip nervously, the hard eyes of the woman seemed like they could stare right through her if she looked hard enough.

She then held out her hand. "Come along now, Ms. Winters, don't be shy."

Hesitantly, Tatiana accepted the hold and she was pulled forwards, the young seventeen-year-old gazing into a sea of unhappy faces, all masked with the same disapproval she saw on the faces of her parents.

"Here we have young Tatiana Winters, a young woman born into the proud Winters' family. She stands here under regulations by the family and the Cooperation to be sentenced to the Co-Ed Boarding School of Ehrin."

Two men appeared from the shadows behind the speaker and Tatiana knew what that meant. She was about to be led away. She'd said her goodbyes to her family, but they certainly didn't leave a warm impression on their daughter. Quick kisses and hugs and then there was nothing more.

If anything, it left a gaping hole inside her.

The two men, dressed in white suits adorned with one small rose in the left breast pocket. She eyed them both carefully before they took their positions behind her and nudged the girl forwards. If anything, this looked more like a prison tour.

Being hurried forwards only proved to provoke the girl, but she kept her mouth quiet. Saying something irrational would only get her sentenced to more months in that Boarding School. She let out a deep sigh, trying to deter their concentration; long story short, it didn't happen.

The walls were a blinding white, and the flooring was just as shiny as the tiles were out in the main room. The girl squinted briefly before being nudged once more, barely noticing that her pace had slowed a tad. The sharpness of their actions didn't go unnoticed and she focused her gaze downwards, trying to decide what to do. She could make a break for it, but that would only end so well. She could try and trip up the guards, but that'd end in more and instead of leading her, they'd probably drag her instead.

She was in a rough position, and there wasn't anything she could do to get out of it. She kept walking, red sneakers squeaking against the quiet of their steps. The men had their black shoes, primed and cleaned and only tapped against the flooring like they had sawed off high heels.

She grimaced, getting another sharp push and she saw the large train car slowly coming into view. It was a slick, pristine white, with pitch black windows preventing anyone from catching a look inside. She pursed her lips, knowing that the ride wouldn't last long. Not on one of these trains.

Tightened her hands on her straps, Tatiana was welcomed by a thin man. His cheekbones shone clearly through his skin, as if he didn't have enough to cover his entire face. He was boney, that much was clear, and his teeth were slightly yellowing. The grey, slowly receding hairline was telling her another story though. If she was easily deceived, he could've said he was just over forty. She knew better than that.

His boney fingers than grasped her wrists as the men stopped her in front of him.

"Dear, young Ms. Winters," he began, she could feel those fingers pressing against her very pulse, almost as if he pushed to hard and he'd burst the vessel in her wrist. "We do hope that your travels will be delightful. Quiet and most certainly hope that you get along with the other passenger."

She smiled tightly, trying to show how unpleased she was through the very notion. "Thank you kindly Sir," he released her wrist with a snakelike smile and turned away from her. Her eyes dug into the back of his head before her neck was forcefully turned to face the front.

Stepping up onto the platform in front of her, the human girl kept moving. Trying to keep a steady pace to avoid being shoved for the third time. She blinked, eyes roving around the interior. It was furnished, most definitely and there was one other passenger, sitting at a square table heavily. Arms forwards as his shoulders were hunched. He was sort of scrawny, he actually somewhat reminded her of her younger brother Hollen. He liked to look in the mirror and pretend he had muscles, when in reality... he was sort of barren of any of them.

Before the man on her left could shove her, she shot him a sharp look and he reciprocated it simply. Rolling her eyes, she stepped into the main area and moved to take a seat a couple away from the young man currently sulking.

Pulling out the chair next to it, she slid her pack over her shoulders and onto the free seat. All her belongings were currently in that bag and if she ever lost control of it.. she wouldn't be a happy camper.

Tatiana then sunk into the chair right across from the boy, her eyes curiously roving what she could make out of his features. Hair colour was obvious. It was a bright, firetruck red. Cropped and styled well, she took time to admire that he seemed to know what he was doing.

"Stop staring at me," he finally spoke, his voice jolting her from her thoughts. "I can feel you watching me, go find something more interesting."

She paused, the girl watching him once more. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed as she sat more open. "And why would I do something like that?"

The boy didn't answer and she grinned in triumph. He was just trying to scare her off. She was a girl, not stupid or easily intimidated. She was a hockey player back in her old High School. Before her parents decided to ship her off to the Boarding School.

"Are there more?" He spoke again, his tone a little less hostile but he still kept his head down. As if he were afraid to show something.

"More what?"

"More students."

Tatiana paused, she could have sworn she was the last one to board the train. Seemed there would only be two. As if those very thoughts sparked the door closing, she watched as it slowly began to close. Sealing her off from her only way back home. She sunk farther back into her chair as there was a release of air and the train pulled out.

The blonde eyed the redhead once more, trying to decipher his personality. "Why won't you look up?" No, she wasn't opposed to asking questions. She'd happily question someone till they dropped. Her arms were crossed and Tatiana shifted to lift her sneakers up onto the table, tilting her head to keep her eyes on him.

He heaved a shrug before tilting his head to reveal one sharp green eye. "What's it to you?"

She actually found herself grinning at the snark she got back in return. So, he wasn't a pushover. Interesting. "Just curious." She tilted her head to match the way his green iris was peering out at her. "What? Is it hard to show or something?"

After a good amount of hesitation, the boy began to shift and he lifted his head finally. What really caught her eye wasn't the sharp green eyes, but how one eye was completely swollen shut, a dark, nasty bruise surrounding the socket. It looked like he'd gotten into a fight and lost. Terribly. She sucked in a sharp breath at the realization and he rolled his good eye. The only one she could see.

It was then did she notice the quickly cleaned bloody knuckles that he kept on the table, and she righted her head. Bright blue eyes surprised at this whole thing. "Who beat the hell out of you?"

The redhead pinched his shoulders into a shrug, not really bothered by the fact that he had a bloody face. "The same guys that brought you in."

Furrowing her brows, she broke into another smile. Overlooking his swollen bruises, she held out her hand to him in a friendly gesture. "Tatiana Winters," it was only polite to be open.. somewhat. Introductions were completely fine.

"Mackenzie Alders," he reached across the table carefully, almost giving off the aura that she was going to lash out and give him a fat lip or take his sight away by giving him another black eye. When nothing but a firm handshake happened, he relaxed back into his seat, trying to get a little more comfortable with her.

At least from here, they might have an odd friendship on the rise.

---

The ride was quiet from there, the two of them had actually sunk into a comfortable silence. Mackenzie didn't seem to be self-conscious of his black eye around her anymore, which was actually kind of nice.

The girl had kicked back, keeping her feet up on the table, her hands relaxed behind her head. The train came to an unnoticeable stop and talking suddenly became a lot louder than the entire trip.

It didn't take long for the doors to slide open and two different men dressed in the same outfits that the others wore came into the car. She stood up instantly and reached for her bag before either of them could even think of it. Pulling it over her shoulders defiantly, she watched as instead of getting up, Mackenzie made them heave him to his feet. Well, one at least. The other took Tatiana by the arm and led her outside and into the..

"Holy shit," her voice was laced with awe. They'd been taken to the giant territory. That's where the kids like her and Mack were taken. That and students with other problems; like phobias, disorders, all that fun stuff. She was tugged along again and she nearly stumbled as they trudged through blades of grass stretching higher than she was tall.

To be honest, Tatiana had never really seen a giant before.

But the thunderous rumbling in the ground was surely about to change that for her.

It didn't take long a young man, unfathomably tall stood over them. The girl closed her eyes, knowing that they only meant well. It was for their own good. Mack and her were here to get better. But putting two bruisers together probably wouldn't end well.

The fun part was though, that Tatiana looked like a good girl and turned out to be the complete opposite. She'd gotten into her fair share of fights. She'd had her blood drawn while drawing the same thick liquid out of others.

"Welcome," the loud rumbling voice from above suddenly stated, and Tatiana flinched backwards, nearly bumping into the man holding Mack by the arm. "Tatiana Winters and Mackenzie Alders. We're sure you'll find this place homely. Our Co-Ed School is very well suited to our human comrades and you should find yourselves comfortable." The titanic being then began to kneel down, a gigantic hand stretched out in front of the girl and boy. Tatiana's eyes widened at the very sight of it.

Fingers that could easily take away her freedom, or her very life. Those thoughts, of course, were irrational. This school was supposed to be run by professionals.

When she didn't move immediately, the smile on the bespectacled man's face grew a little calmer. "No need to be afraid, you two, I mean you know harm. It will just be easier than having the both of you walk to the School," he turned his attention to the men dressed in white suits, "thank you gentlemen, I can handle it from here."

Probably because two tiny seventeen-year-olds can't do anything to stop you.

Running, they'd only get so far. And if anything, the giant man would give them a head start just to have a laugh, before easily clearing the distance and snagging them both into his grasp.

Tatiana felt the threatening loom of the man leave from behind her and she let herself relax a touch, but her eyes were still locked on the huge hand in front of her. Waiting patiently for her to make her move.

Scuffing a sneaker against the dirt, sucked in a sharp breath and stepped forwards. She noticed movement from behind her and could only assume that Mackenzie was closely mimicking her actions. That and his sight was limited. Pushing forwards, she laid two hands against the side of his and was startled to see the size difference. Blue eyes wide, she tried to ignore it and heaved herself into the man's grasp, her heart slowly rising into her throat. Adjusting herself on the rather plush surface, she turned to see Mackenzie trying to decide how to do this best.

Shifting herself around completely, Tatiana held out a hand for the other boy, offering him a small smile. He accepted her hold, after placing one of his own on the massive being's hand and, with her help, heaved himself upwards.

"Fantastic," he rumbled, the voice vibrating through the air and the hand they were currently situated on. "Mr. Alders, I'll be handing you off to Mrs. Walters, and Ms. Winters, I'll show you to your room."

Great. I'm gonna be stuck all alone with a giant. Just my luck.