Chapter 7: A March to the Training Grounds

"So, what's your name?"

The question came so suddenly that the girl hesitated, her golden eyes blinking up at the taller blonde. Riven leaned in, hands on her hips, waiting expectantly.

"I don’t know," the girl finally answered, her voice flat.

Riven tilted her head, then burst out laughing. "What do you mean you don't know? You hit your head or something?"

The girl simply shrugged.

Riven wiped a tear from her eye, still grinning. "Alright then, Mystery Girl, since I don’t have a name to call you, how about Hard-Working Chibi?" She smirked down at the shorter girl. "I mean, with the way you carry yourself, I was expecting someone big and tough, but look at you! You’re tiny!"

The girl’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "That sounds awful."

"Then give me a name to call you," Riven shot back.

The girl said nothing.

"Fine, Chibi it is."

Before she could argue, Riven threw an arm around her shoulder. "Anyway! Since you're so hardworking, you’ve gotta be strong, right? You ever seen the training grounds?"

The girl hesitated. "No."

"Then let’s go!"

"I..."

Before she could finish, Riven grabbed her wrist. "March!" she declared, pointing her wooden sword forward like they were heading into battle.

The girl sighed but didn’t resist, letting herself be dragged along.

---

As they made their way through town, people greeted Riven cheerfully. Some nodded toward the girl with curiosity.

"Riven, who's that?"

"An unusual pair."

"A new recruit?"

Riven grinned, puffing out her chest. "Nope, just showing Chibi here what real training looks like!"

The girl glanced up at her. "I never agreed to that."

"Too late," Riven laughed.

The training grounds were massive, almost like a town of their own. Wooden dummies stood in neat rows, warriors practiced swings with heavy swords, archers lined up at distant targets, and instructors barked orders over the clang of weapons. There were specialized areas for spear training, shield defense, and even dagger combat.

The girl’s gaze flickered with interest as she observed the organized chaos.

"See? Impressive, huh?" Riven nudged her.

The girl simply smirked.

Riven suddenly brightened. "Oh! There’s someone you should meet!"

Across the grounds, a white-skinned hobgoblin woman stood tall, overseeing a group of archers. Her blonde hair, styled neatly yet effortlessly cool, added to her commanding presence. She wore a well-fitted combat uniform, a bow slung over her shoulder, exuding an air of authority.

"That's Annie," Riven whispered. "Vice Captain and Archer Commander. She’s a real big deal."

As they approached, Annie turned, sharp eyes scanning them. She raised an eyebrow. "Riven. And... The Girl?"

"Yep," Riven beamed. "I’ve heard she’s guaranteed to be strong, so I brought her here to see what we do!"

Annie’s eyes flickered toward the shorter girl, taking her in with silent evaluation. "She doesn’t look like much."

Riven laughed. "Right? I expected someone more... built."

The girl merely smirked, her eyes glinting with something unreadable.

Annie crossed her arms. "So, are you interested in training?"

The girl didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she took a slow glance around the grounds, watching warriors spar, archers nock arrows, and trainees struggle under their instructors’ harsh commands. Her lips curled slightly, not in arrogance, but as if she were studying everything with amusement.

Annie narrowed her eyes. "You’re a weird one."

The girl met her gaze without flinching.

Riven chuckled. "Yeah, but she’s our weird one now."

Annie let out a rare smirk of her own. "I suppose that makes three of us, then."

She was smirking because of her own goals, Riven was smirking because she thought that the girl was a true warrior, Annie was smirking because she's Annie, she just goes along whatever's happening.

And so, with three idiots smirking like dum dums, the chapter came to an end.

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