The cafeteria had somehow become their regular meeting spot. Something about the smell of grey blobs and vegetables had grown on them. Or perhaps it was the sight of higher-ranking rebels enjoying better food that excited them.
Either way, they liked being there.
Kiah made Eden order a mountain of chicken wings and carry them over to their table.
Three pairs of curious eyes turned toward Kiah, flickering briefly to Eden, but her intense red gaze quickly sent them looking away again, intimidated.
Eden's eyes studied three of them carefully with a scowl.
"Hi," she muttered.
Naya let out a small squeak. Whether it was excitement or nerves, no one could tell.
The whole table froze in silence.
Eden shuffled slightly, then dropped the tray of hot, spicy chicken wings onto the table. She gave a quick nod to Kiah and slipped away.
Kiah chuckled to herself at the sight of Eden flustered. She knew how much her group admired her and figured this was a nice gesture.
Besides, Eden desperately needed social interaction, so it was a win-win.
Kiah stood proudly, hands on her hips.
"Aren't I nice? I even brought us some congratulatory chicken."
Naya's eyes were huge as she stared at the spot Eden had just vacated.
"I-I wasn't dreaming, was I? She just spoke to us. She knows who we are. She knows what I look like." She clutched her head in disbelief.
"No, you weren't," Wayne confirmed with a contented smile of his own.
Suddenly, Naya jumped up, spun around, and threw herself onto Kiah in a tight hug.
"Kiahhh! Thank you so much! I can die a happy soul now after being greeted by a legend. Just wait till my sisters hear about this. They are going to die of jealousy! This is definitely a sign that I'm going to live a long, prosperous life."
Kiah struggled to free herself from the iron grip before finally sitting down.
"You should eat. The chicken is getting cold."
Everyone paused, gazing at Kiah for a second. When they saw she was serious, their eyes lit up, and they all discarded their trays of sadness to dig into the feast.
"Thank you for that," Kira muttered.
Kiah glanced up, and a silent understanding travelled between them.
"You're welcome."
"Thank you for blessing my mouth with this goodness," Wayne said gratefully.
Kiah smirked.
Naya added. "I don't need to say anything more. You know I love you."
Kiah rolled her eyes but joined in
The tray of chicken didn't last long between the four starving teenagers. After they ate their fill, they all slumped back in their seats, satisfied and a little lethargic.
This was the best meal they'd had in months, and Kiah didn't know when she'd get to eat this well again. She hadn't tried the food outside the base and wasn't sure if anything would suit her palate, though she doubted anything could be worse than the usual grey blob. Still, she was curious to explore Duskworn a bit.
Kiah straightened and glanced around the nearly empty cafeteria. It felt odd to see so few people at this time of the day.
"Where is everyone?"
"Didn't you hear? The others are planning to throw a party tonight. They are in the lab synthesizing alcohol." Wayne explained.
Kiah's brows shot up in surprise.
She'd never imagined people throwing parties in a world like this. But of course, people found ways to have fun despite the gloom. It was nice to glimpse a thread of normalcy now and then.
"The higher-ups actually allow that?"
Wayne shrugged.
"Who knows? It's our last day here, and many of us might not make it back. The least they can do is cut us some slack."
The table went silent. The reminder of the dangers ahead settled over them. Finishing training wasn't just a happy event; it also marked the beginning of a grim future. One filled with uncertainties and bloodshed.
Kiah found herself staring at the faces of her companions, the people she'd spent the last two months struggling alongside with.
'They might not make it back,' she thought. Or maybe she would be the one to die first.
She shook her head, trying to banish the dark thoughts. A part of her hoped they would share many more meals like this one. Even though they weren't that close, it would be sad to see them die.
Naya clapped her hands, breaking the silence.
"After my mission, I'm going to visit my town. I heard the organization pays pretty well, so I'll rent a house in a nice neighborhood for my parents. That way, they won't have to live in constant fear of degenerate attacks."
Kiah's head snapped up.
"We get paid?"
Why hadn't she known that?
Kira snickered. "Did you think everyone lives in the dorms forever? After every mission, you get paid enough to get your own place. The townspeople also donate a lot of money to the organization as gratitude. Why do you think people join despite the risks?"
Kiah scratched her forehead. "I hadn't thought of that."
The others chuckled.
Kiah was more pleased now. Who didn't like money? Going on the mission didn't seem that bad anymore. Even though she had nothing to do with her money right now, she was sure something would come up in the future, especially if she wanted to find the overseer. That was bound to get expensive.
She sighed, feeling a flicker of hope. Suddenly, her future didn't seem so bleak.
"That's good." She muttered.
Wayne heaved a tired sigh and stood up.
"We should get some rest. We leave tomorrow, and it's going to be a long day."
The others agreed and after bidding each other farewell, they all went their separate ways, thinking of what the next day held in store for them.