After a short while, Hina came stalking back in, the same people who had delivered the food standing behind her.
"We've got somewhere to go, so don't bother resisting my staff. Come on."Each of them then walked towards one of the group, took the child by the wrist, and led them to a chair in another room. The hybrids sat down, and the adults picked up a small box containing a tiny brush and 12 circular holes, each filled with a different coloured powder. Then, they brushed some of the powder onto the children's faces, making their skin glow slightly, and drawing a complimentary colour gradient neatly around the eyes. They coloured their lips a little darker, before handing the group a greyish-green cotton jumpsuit each.
Once everyone had changed, Hina inspected them all, straightening collars and neatening hair, before she nodded and they were lead through a maze of white corridors. Soon, the corridor became a dark grey, and the children were led into a large, oddly shaped room, filled with seats. The group's eyes widened as they spotted the small windows, and took in the tiny snippet of the vast ocean that they were floating on.
"Okay, everyone sit down," Hina's voice rang out from the front of the room, "as you may realise, you are now on a boat, travelling to a lovely little place called Awbston. Our esteemed leader, General Kobayashi would like to have a look at his new soldiers, and so we must deliver. Please try not to be to loud, and keep in mind that we will not baby you if you get sea-sick; it is your own problem to deal with, not ours. Enjoy your journey!"
Aratani gawked at the sea out the window, and resisted the urge to wipe off her make-up. They had tried to cover up her scars - and, from what she could see in the window's reflection, they had done a surprisingly good job - but it was quite uncomfortable. Despite this, though, she couldn't take her eyes off the glittering water, longing to be out there in the sun.