Lost Dreams (Barrett Wilbert Weed x OC Spy Kids AU)

Chapter 2

There are those movies that show people waking up early in a situation that slightly correlates to that of a military-grade boot camp. Raising of the flag in the dry, early hours of the morning while someone blares a trumpet through a loudspeaker. Then the moans and groans of people who had apparently never woken up early in their life as they slump over on the side of their cots, groggily putting on boots. Well, it wasn't like that at the OSS.

Instead, there was a siren. A siren so loud that you'd think an airstrike was happening, and it scared everyone. Kids lept out of bed and yanked on their day clothes so quickly that it could actually rival the military. Barrett, however, was one of the more calm ones in the sleeping quarters. She had heard about the Wake Up Call from her parents when they told her stories of their own training. That's how they met, actually. Barrett's mother and father were paired up for the last, big stimulation after Donnagon Giggles had dropped out of what's known as the Final Few. In record time they beat the simulation without any error. The OSS was surprised at how well her mother and father worked with each other and they became Level 1, given the best and most important missions within the Spy Kids program. Now, Barrett wasn't aiming to be a Level 1 Spy Kid, or any level at all for that matter. But she already had a leg up, and was willing to put in some effort in case she did make it past boot camp, that way she'd at least get to do some interesting spy work.

Barrett was the first one completely dressed, walking into the mess hall like it was nothing. She grabbed a tray with some helpings of fruit and eggs and sat at a table. She precariously used her fork to pick at her cantaloupe when Aceand plopped down in front of her with an identical metal tray.

"Heya!" they beamed.

Barrett offered a polite smile. Guess this is how it was now. A friend to have meals with. Much to Aceand's joy, though. They were on top of the world being here.

"Ready for the first day of boot camp?" they asked.

Barrett studied Aceand's uniform in question. "I am, but it doesn't really look like you are," she said, gesturing the fork to what they were wearing.

They looked down and pinched the shirt to show it off, saying, "Oh yeah, I do my own kind of training. Since I won't be going on missions like everyone else who wants to be here, I work on the more technical side. Mr. Machete is going to work with me on inventions I already have made and also he's going to help make new ones for you guys to try!"

A noiseless laugh came out of Barrett. "Sounds like you've already got your life put together."

Aceand's face fell for a brief moment. They sighed, "Not exactly. My parents didn't really believe I had enough talent for my inventions to make it into the Spy Kids program. It was only when I sent in an application and a portfolio for this boot camp and got accepted when they only semi-supported what I wanted to do."

Barrett looked almost disgusted. "They didn't help you get here at all?" she asked.

"No," Aceand shook their head, "It was hard, you know, doing it all by myself."

"I know what you mean," Barrett muttered, "Kind of the opposite, though. I wanted to be on Broadway, but my parents forced me into this instead. My father said my mother would resent me too much if I didn't."

Aceand pressed his eyebrows together like that was the most absurd concept anyone has ever told him. The two of them weren't so different. Polar opposite linear stories, but still, kind of similar.

The two of them ate their food and put away their trays on a conveyor belt that leads to the kitchen. On their walk back to the table, Carmen Cortez came up to the front of the mess hall to make a speech about what the day was going to look like. Each age category was handed an itinerary that had their name at the top. Minus Aceand, who would just be dismissed to go upstairs into the gadget lab. Carmen said how these would be an everyday thing, with something new to learn every session.