1st POV
- 2 weeks later-
I have undergone thief training at V.I.L.E. academy before my defection.
Learned how to drive like a professional with Zack, how to maintain my own gear with Ivy, how to pick an electronic lock with Player, and how to uses a bladed weapons with Shadowsan.
But nothing could have prepared me for what happened these past two weeks. At first it was training I expected for pilots; endurance, stamina, and concentration. The instructor took each of us into the air in a biplane, to get accustomed to the wind in our faces.
My experience with a glider helped me a lot here. One of the other cadet's fainted when the instructor did a loop. She was immediately dismissed.
But the craziest part was the instructors demonstration of magic. One minute she was standing there with a broom in her hand, the next she went straight into the air as if she was using a grappling hook.
She then handed each of us a broom. Told us to release our magic into the broom and make it levitate off the ground. Then she had us sit on the brooms, release our magic, and hold our positions.
But what happened when she took us to the port three days later was at a whole other level. She told us to fly over the water to a pillar 35 feet offshore and then return. Keeping your magic steady while you are hovering is so much easier compared to trying to move. I flipped upside down twice during my attempt and failed to stop, flying right past the instructor and almost hitting a cargo container. Still I never fell into the water, which is a good thing and it is still a work in progress.
Today the instructor is teaching us how to activate our magic shields/barriers. She explained how the shield size differs for each witch and that some witches have learned to adjust their shield sizes, depending on the situation. It helps to save magic for prolonged combat or other situations.
She first had us project and maintain our shields for a period of time. Then she would throw rubber balls at our shields to show how anything fired at the shield is either reflected or bounces off.
She told us that the rubber balls would be switched out for metal ones by the end of the week, then arrows, then small caliber rounds, and large caliber rounds.
The goal is to maintain a shield while under continuous fire at a minimum of three minutes.
... Now when someone is firing at me, my instinct is to dodge. So to just stand there and be shot at is making me anxious.
... but to become a witch this needs to get done so... bring it on.
- 2 months later-
I passed, but Oooo girl was it nerve racking.
The instructor decided to mix the final shield test with our shooting practice. So each of us had to stand in front of our fellow cadets and deploy our shields as they fired at us. granted it was small arms fire so... no real concern for the shields, but that changed when the instructor brought out her own weapon, a Panzerbüchse 39, also known as the PzB39.
... That is a god damn ANTI-TANK RIFLE!!
...
Two cadets immediately dropped out when she came back with the rifle. I myself was having second thoughts.
Still I went through with the test when she said all we needed to do was withstand 3 shots from her rifle. Scariest minute of my life as I stood in place, feeling my magic drop after each rifle shot.
But now we come to the part that every witch squadron is known for... the striker unit.
Finally after rigorous training, studying, and surviving, I finally get the chance to put on the unit.
Something I realized when studying the different units is that some correspond to famous fighter planes used back home during WW2, like the Spitfire or P-51.
Normally a witch uses a unit manufactured by her country of origin, but because Hispania doesn't have its own unit developed I get to pick one.
Flight Lieutenant Takei Junko came by and spoke to me about my decision. She advised that I should pick a unit model that is already in service among the squadron. That way there is no need to order new parts for a new unit and I can learn tips from members who already have experience with a similar unit.
I decided to go with the North Liberion P-51D.
All that is left is a month and a half practicing with the unit. Learning how to fire while using the unit, and how to maintain formation.
I'm close... so close to becoming a witch. I can't wait.