Date Published: May 9th, 2019
Thanks to yuisaysbi for the words!
Words: Basket, space, glasses, flag, pillow
Name: Cherry

The air around her was tense as she waited for her window of opportunity. The 'trees' swayed, creating a ruckus over her head as their 'branches' and 'leaves' slapped against each other. It was almost real enough to make her forget, but not quite.

Cherry's breathing was fogging up her glasses, making her huff with annoyance in a way that just led to them getting foggier. She focused on the path far below. The dirt trail looked real from this high up, but she knew that if she were to walk on it, the dirt supposedly moving under her shoes wouldn't be real.

The sound of people made her freeze. She focused her gaze on the shimmering red flag that was sticking out of the backpack one of them had on. That was her target, and nothing would deter her from getting it-

"Someone's looking a bit tense."

Her whole body jerked slightly before she caught herself; any sudden movements could draw the attention of the people below. Cherry looked to her right and sent a death glare toward the boy who'd spoken. Well, spoken was the wrong word for it. She didn't need to respond to let him know how much she hated it when he did that.

"Aw, what's the glare for? I thought we were close enough that I could use my powers and you wouldn't get mad!" he said without moving his lips.

Ajaz was gifted with the ability of telepathy, but it was only one way. He could send messages to people and talk in their heads, but they couldn't respond. His trainers explained that some gifts of telepathy worked different from others and that he very well may develop the ability to listen to what others are thinking as well. Cherry prayed that day never came or she'd never be able to get the boy out of her head, literally.

"So what's the plan? Drop down on them from above?" Ajaz asked, surveying the red team's flag squad from the 'branch' beside hers.

She wished she could tell him that her plan had been to steal the flag without them even knowing she was there, but she couldn't speak due to the risk of them hearing her and something told her he wouldn't be game to just watch her take the flag.

If there was one thing she'd learned about boys like him, it was that they adored helping girls they thought needed to be helped. Cherry never needed help, but Ajaz insisted anyway.

The other boy was looking at her expectantly for some kind of response, so she raised her hands to deliver a message through sign language. "Go signal the others to start heading to the rendezvous point, I'll handle the flag," she explained, making him scowl with obvious objection to the plan.

"Why do you always wanna send me away? Is it cause my rugged good looks distract you from the task at hand?" he replied.

Cherry rolled her eyes and sighed, reaching up to tighten her fiery red ponytail. He had this impression that she enjoyed his company, and he'd be wrong about that. She preferred to be alone at the moment. This wasn't the place for romance.

"Just go," she said, giving him a meaningful glare to say she meant it. Without waiting for a response, she silently climbed away, gradually making her way closer to the ground.

Her feet touched the not-dirt on the ground silently and she began to slink along the path like a panther awaiting its prey. In a way, she was the panther, watching as the red flag drew closer and closer. She allowed it to pass by her as she hid and stayed completely still in the shadows of the 'trees'.

"Psst! Cherry Bomb!" Ajaz's voice echoed in her head. She cringed at the nickname and winced at the sound of his voice. "When you see my signal, go for the flag!"

Cherry's eyes widened and before she could do anything to stop him, the boy was launching himself down onto the red team's flag squad with a chaotic scream. The guards of the flag drew their weapons as the carrier dashed back toward her.

"Now! She's heading right toward you!" he called in her head.

She pushed away his voice and sprang from her hiding spot, tackling her to the ground. They rolled and tumbled, and if the dirt beneath them was real, they'd be filthy when they got up. She steered them to roll off of the path and into the shade of the trees as Ajaz fought off the guards. Cherry pinned her to the ground and covered her mouth, knowing that the guards would overpower him very soon and come looking for their flag. Sure enough, they went running past, calling for the girl's name loudly.

She squirmed underneath her, but after a quick apologetic look, Cherry knocked her out. She took the flag from her back pack and made her way back onto the path. Ajaz was unconscious in the middle of the path, but she didn't bother with him. He'd be fine.

Cherry broke into a run, tearing past the 'trees' and making it all the way to the rendezvous point without any trouble. She felt pride rush through her as her teammates cheered for her.

"She did it!" a couple of them cried excitedly.

"Did you doubt her? She's the best of us here, obviously," others replied.

Her cheeks grew hot with the praise, feeling pressure of being the best settle in. As she set the red flag down on the blue team's pedestal, the simulation around them dissolved into the training room it really was. Her eyes landed on the black, star-speckled sky out the windows, feeling tiny at the sight.

She hadn't forgotten they were in space. It was always on her mind; when she went picking strawberries and placing them in a little woven basket in the farming sector, or whenever she laid her head on her pillow at night.

This was her life. Training to be the best, far away from home and the people she loved, trying to learn to love this way of living.