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Post by Jules on Sept 1, 2008 23:48:23 GMT -5
Even if she hadn't held ever had a job, and that could constitute as laziness to some, no one could argue that Zizzy did things half way. From unemployment to applying to the L.O.S in one fell swoop. Hopefully she got accepted. She hadn't told Armand about it because he'd probably try and stop her and maybe if she was accepted before she told him he would just have to be okay with it.
It was calculated danger she was putting herself in, really. She'd get trained and it wasn't like she'd make it through the curriculum if she wasn't good enough.
Maybe that was the bigger reason she'd held off on telling Armand. If she wasn't accepted she didn't want him to know. She couldn't truthfully say that she was doing this out of the goodness of her heart, her desire for justice, etc. Not that it wasn't some part of the attractiveness of the job. But it was also about herself. Wanting to make sure she could mete out justice to the one person she thought deserved it most.
Besides, it was high time she got a job, her savings were running pitifully low and she did not want to have to go to Armand for money. She was sick of being poor, of living in the craptastic apartment, Zizzy was looking for a change in quality of life.
And this kind of job seemed perfect for that. Enriching, challenging, satisfying. Not some minimum wage gig waiting tables or something equally soul-draining. Something she truly believed she could get passionate about.
Which didn't mean she wasn't a mess of nerves as she approached the front desk and offered a shakey smile to the off-duty officer seated there.
"I'd like to apply to the training program?"
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 2, 2008 0:01:05 GMT -5
The 'off-duty officer' glanced up, bored and vaguely amused. He studied her up and down with no shame, before giving a careless shrug. "Sure."
He rifled through some papers at his desk and gave three to Zizzy. "Fill out this paperwork, and then go down the hall to arrange an appointment for your physical."
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Post by Jules on Sept 2, 2008 0:13:24 GMT -5
She decided that his blatant examination had been purely professional and picked a pen off his desk without asking and leaned over the desk to begin filling them out. There were waiting room chairs but her lap wasn't a solid enough surface to write on. She filled them out carefully, not wanting to have to ask for another one should she make a mistake.
Once she was done she replaced the pen and headed down the hall, walking through the open door at the end of it that led to another person at another desk, but here there were more people walking around, more desks, phones ringing, people talking. The desk marked "Incoming." seemed like her best shot so she approached it and handed over the papers. "I was told to set up an appointment?"
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 2, 2008 0:17:08 GMT -5
The receptionist nodded and without so much as a glance took Zizzy's paperwork. She scribbled on several different papers, and then said in a flat voice, "Okay. The doc'll be in tomorrow. Your appointment is at three thirty. Don't be late."
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Post by Jules on Sept 2, 2008 0:30:29 GMT -5
~*~time skip~*~
Zizzy arrived at three, anxious but calmer then the day before. She knew she was healthy, there wasn't a reason she wouldn't at least get past this part. She waited, flipping through a pamphlet but not absorbing any of the content until she was ushered into a small examination room. There stood a familiar looking woman who looked a little harried.
Camilla smiled at the girl and bid her to close the door. "Sit up on here." She said, patting the bed/table. The girl hopped up with ease and she checked the basics first. Her temperature, her blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate.
When it came time to way the girl, Camilla frowned. "You're a touch underweight. How do you eat?"
Zizzy wasn't about to explain that she'd just gotten over a drug habit that had ruined her appetite so instead she shrugged and told not a lie, but another, not-so-associated truth. "I'm not the richest person in the world."
Camilla sighed and continued a thorough examination, some parts left Zizzy blushing but Camilla never faltered from her friendly but professional demeanor. When it was over she filled out a slip of paper and handed it to her.
"You've passed, as long as you promise to put on more weight."
Zizzy thanked her and looked down at the slip of paper. Only two things were written under 'notes of concern', A. her weight and B. her abnormally slow breathing rate. She'd just have to explain she didn't need as much oxygen as the average bear. "Take that back and they'll tell you when the next training day is."
She left the room and headed back to the Incoming desk, showing the piece of paper, "When should I come back?"
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 2, 2008 0:38:33 GMT -5
For the first time, one of the harried office workers paid attention, a deliberate smirk crossing his face as he looked over Zizzy's physical.
"Yep. Looks like you're good to go. The first batch of newbies starts on Monday." His smirk blossomed into a full on grin. "Lucky you. Vince always does the first batch himself." He snickered, as did several of his associates, though a few were kind enough to send Zizzy looks of pity, not just 'oh-boy-are-you-in-trouble' grins.
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Post by Jules on Sept 2, 2008 0:48:02 GMT -5
Zizzy froze. Vince? Maybe it was a different Vince. Please let it be a different Vince. Although the Vince she'd met seemed all to perfect for the job and left her more deserving of their piteous glances then they could know.
~~~~MORE TIME SKIP~~~~
She showed up early again and was directed out of doors since the weather permitted, to a large track field. It didn't take too long for the rest of the group to arrive and even less time for them to start exchanging rumors about Vincent Delano.
"My cousin says that if he doesn't like your face you get kicked off the squad." "Your in some trouble, ain't ch'ya then, Maury?" "Shutup Rick." "Well I heard that he's got an actual death glare. He looks at you the wrong way and bam! You're dead." "Whatever you do, don't touch him."
Zizzy opted out of mentioning that she'd met him before, shared a couch with the man and even dined with the family. Or that although he appeared grouchy he was obviously a good person, if not nice, per say.
She was more worried about what he'd say. Would he pretend not to know her? Oh she kind of hoped so. Would he think she was just joining up because she thought she'd get special treatment now?
She'd given up on hoping it was different Vince by now. Zizzy in fact, was the only one to remain quiet, holding onto her Medical Slip and tapping her foot anxiously against the ground.
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 2, 2008 1:10:26 GMT -5
Vince took his time getting to the training field. Several of his commanding officers trailed behind him. They would watch his training techniques, assist him, and then run the same program in his absence. The only person he'd ever trusted to take the first batch other than himself was Mary. He'd had to re-delegate a lot of things, he'd realized, in her absence.
When he stepped onto the field, it fell quiet, not that he said anything. He smirked to himself. Good. A line of new recruits faced him, and a few were obviously scared, but most attempted to appear straight-faced.
"I won't introduce myself, because I assume you know who I am," he began. "If you do not know, you'll find out. This training course lasts a minimum of six months, though I doubt any of you will be ready by then. You'll be paid during that time because you are now, for better or for worse, a part of the League of Shadows."
He paused, eyes sweeping over each of them. He faltered, once, as he saw Zizzy. Several people noticed that he lingered on her, an almost amused expression on his face, though it was undeterminable if she was envied or pitied for it.
He moved on and continued his speech. "You will report at five AM every morning, if you are not fifteen minutes early, then you are late, and if you are late you will suffer for it. I am your master, your dictator, your very reason for living while you are in this training program. I play favorites, I'm unreasonable. I'm never impressed, and I'm never happy. I hate slackers, overachievers, show-offs and teamplayers. In fact, I hate every last one of you, and nothing gives me more pleasure in life than to see you crawl, weeping, from my field.
"If any of you dare to do anything than exactly what I tell you, then depending on my mood, I will either bodily remove you, or I will kill you. And I do mean ending your life. L.O.S. enforces punishment upon us, and I am the L.O.S." He grinned darkly. " If any of you wish to leave, do so now, while I'm feeling charitable."
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Post by Jules on Sept 2, 2008 17:29:43 GMT -5
That little speech, in an incredibly odd way comforted her. Sure he'd obviously noticed her, but he didn't call anymore attention to it and he didn't mention it. Although she hadn't really been expecting him too. His spiel had a different effect on a few others, two bowed out and hurried across the field, tails tucked between their legs, but the rest of them tried to put on a cool face and stand up just a little straighter.
Zizzy still oddly happy that he'd hate all of them equally looked a touch more genuinely calmer than the rest, although far from sedate. 5 AM was a ridiculous hour and completely against her moral codes but she'd been expecting something like that anyways. At least she'd get in the habit of waking up pre-dawn.
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Post by redtopaz on Sept 2, 2008 17:59:42 GMT -5
Mercedes slipped into headquarters and took a moment of stunned amazement to look at all the people. Right. New recruit day. She remembered now. It might be fun to hang around and size up the potential agents. First, however, she had a report on a high-profile robbery to deliver.
It didn't take her long to spot Vince, as he was loudly tearing the newbies a new hole. She watched with satisfaction as two of them ran off. Ah, she remembered the early days of her own recruitment. She'd been torn between wanting to make a good impression and wanting to sock Vince right in the bandages.
She moved to the side, nodding to Vince when he glanced her way. She wouldn't interrupt.
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 2, 2008 22:41:47 GMT -5
Only two? Well, he'd remedy that. Give or take an extremity, only 27% of recruits in his program made it to the end.
His eyes fell on Mercedes and he smirked. "To your immediate right, banes of my existence, is Detective Mercedes de Zorro, a rare few of you may have the privilege of working under her. You will not pass this course unless you can shoot as well as she can and none of you will ever shoot as well as she can." He afforded her a brief nod and then turned a hearty glower on the line of newbies. He jerked his head in the direction of the nearby track. "Run. And don't stop until I say stop."
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Post by Jules on Sept 2, 2008 22:51:25 GMT -5
If no one could decided whether to envy or pity Zizzy the choice was quick for Mercedes---the obvious respect in his tone was cause for instant jealousy. She looked over at the woman and was glad that at the very least she wasn't some kind of she-hulk, which meant that Zizzy had hope because she wasn't ever going to really 'bulk up'.
This wasn't a problem for Zizzy. She wasn't the strongest amongst the bunch, but physical activity just didn't get to her like it did most people. It was like the electricity she constantly housed kept her charged and only really when she spent that did she start getting tired.
The down-sized pack hit the tracks, she didn't try to be first---some muscle head was over-exerting himself to keep that position, but she didn't fall in last either. Five minutes passed, ten, fifteen. People began to lag. Zizzy still wasn't in first, but she'd kept up a continuous speed.
After twenty minutes though, she was in the lead. She hadn't noticed---hadn't even changed her speed in fact. At this rate she could keep going for hours (think energizer bunny), but if she pushed to go a little faster she might tire out quicker, but Vince hadn't said it was a race.
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Post by redtopaz on Sept 2, 2008 23:02:50 GMT -5
Mercedes smiled at the compliment. Like all the members of her family, she was deeply susceptible to them. She would have done the stands-up-straighter thing if it hadn't seemed so recruit-like.
She caught the firey look from the little sparkplug in the group and couldn't resist a smile. She remembered what that was like, too. Wanting to be the best as quickly as she could. The girl would likely make it with determination like that.
As the recruits took off, she stood and walked briskly over to Vince.
"I just booked the two robbers from the Headless St. heist," she reported. Vince had been the one to tell her about it, so she'd figured he'd want to know the outcome. "They were moved to Rissa this afternoon." She looked at the new recruits hoofing it across the muddy track. "What a sight," she said, not really expecting an answer. Vince wasn't the chatty type.
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 2, 2008 23:10:28 GMT -5
He nodded in response to the robbers. Most reports back from Mercedes were of the 'just-letting-you-know-I-took-care-of-it' kind; far preferred to the, 'it's-not-going-well' kind, which he seemd to get an irritating amount of.
He gave a semi-grunt of amusement, eyes following them as they ran around the track. How long had it been, twenty minutes? About two miles. "I usually let them run until they've all collapsed," he said.
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Post by Jules on Sept 2, 2008 23:20:54 GMT -5
If he was going to let them run until they all collapsed, he was going to have to wait a while. At the forty five minute mark, three recruits had stopped. At the hour mark there was one jogging, red in the face and each step a little slower than the last and than there was Zizzy, still going at the exact same pace, barely looking like she'd broken a sweat. When it came to fighting, she had no technique and anyone could see there that she was very likely the runt of the group, strength-wise.
What she did have an overabundance of was stamina and determination to do well. She was going to do this. It wasn't really a question for her. After the hour and half mark she was on her own, running at the same speed, over the slumped and sweating bodies of her comrades.
Zizzy vaguely wondered if Vince was really going to wait the two more hours it would take for her to start getting tired, and kind of hoped not since this promised to be one of the easier things she'd have to do.
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