Training started right off the bat. As soon as all the trainees arrived Hanuman handed each apprentice a wooden rod then clapped his hands to gain everyone's attention.
"Let's get down to business, to defeat the Huns." Aru was not really sure what 'Huns' meant but it seemed to be associated with the Sleeper.
Hanuman then told them to throw a bunch of clay pots at him while grabbing a pole himself. Huh. There was a pile of those vessels made from the earth a little ways away and as she trudged over to grab one, someone tripped her with their pole. Aru hit the ground and looked up to see a Marut with '21' on his breastplate. He smirked at her and went to the pot pile whistling. She scowled, got up, and dusted herself off while taking deep breaths and muttering 'What goes around, comes around' under her breath.
Once everyone grabbed all the pots and the pot pile was no more, they circled around Hanuman. He gestured for them to bring it on and Aru was the first to comply. She sent one of her cauldron-looking things sailing straight towards the trainer with all her might. Hanuman turned around and smacked it with his pole making the vessel shatter into a couple of pieces. Everything was silent until all the trainees started chucking their pots at the General. He hit each and every one of them.
"Now it's your turn." He stared each of them down and then pointed to Aru. "Arjuna, come forward." Just her luck. She trudged over groaning. Aru caught Aiden looking at her and he winked. She stuck out her tongue. She blew a couple of strands that had come undone from her man bun and said:
"Right, I'm ready." Hanuman grabbed a nearby bucket filled with water and placed it on Aru's head. Aru looked on, dazed, as he then went on about how they would use stones instead of clay pots because they had run out of them. Great. The Maruts all smirked and then as one, flung rocks at her. The other trainees joined them, laughing the entire time. It took Aru all her stamina to not get hit by the stones, flailing her rod uselessly through the air. The bucket on her head had long since fallen on the ground, seeping through her boots and drenching her socks, along with her whole body. She really needed to work out more, and how much water was in that bucket?. She glanced at Hanuman, who was pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons?" That shut up everyone real quick, Aru stopped dancing like a deranged monkey. The General glared at her. "You're the saddest bunch I ever met, and you can bet before I'm through," He briskly walked over to Aru and grabbed her pole. "Mister, I'll make a man, outta you." He whisked around and clapped his hands. "Training is over for today. Tomorrow we'll start archery."
Aru rubbed her eyes and shivered, she was soaked to the bone and her stupid socks were wet. She couldn't go back to her tent otherwise the ugly brutes she shared a tiny home with had kicked her out of the tent because she may or may not have been playing with fire. Suddenly Aru felt a warm towel wrap around her. She whipped around to see Aiden standing there.
"You seem cold and you can't catch a cold on the first few days you are here." Aru smirked. He sounded like Mini.
"Thanks... Wait, I need a nickname for you!" She mentally smacked herself for not thinking of this sooner as Aiden raised an eyebrow.. "What about... Ammamma!" He did act like a Grandma and 'Nani' didn't suit him. Now it was Aiden's turn to smirk.
"Already taken by my best friend." Aru groaned.
"What about Wifey?"
"How does that even make sense?"
"Well if you prefer 'Snob'..."
"I prefer neither you Troll!"
"Wifey suits you perfectly! I'm not sure why but it just does, so it's a keeper!" Aru grinned. Aiden grumbled.
YOU ARE READING
Arundhati Shah (An Aru Shah+Mulan AU)
Action"It's not hero....It's heroine!" Arundhati Shah is the grandaughter of Lord Indra, a prestigous noble. She is the second born in the family and has five sisters. She never knew her father. Aru is also about to get married off to Rudy, the cousin of...
