Young Writers Society

Things have calmed in the few weeks that have passed. The Commander hasn’t visited the Jeweloid Sector once since the confrontation, which Kasami says is a sign that he’s recoiled for the time being. Maggie and I have been . . . awkward. While yes, the negative feelings associated with the invite incident have begun to fade off, the discomfort due to that moment in the hallway . . . are just as strong. When we are together, little is said, eye contact is avoided, and we keep a good foot apart. Sammy and Savannah picked up on the situation very quickly, but both of us were very quick to dash their suspicions. Anna, on the other hand, took the awkward situation and turned it into an opportunity to get to know Maggie. She does what she can to hang out with her whenever possible, and it seems Maggie enjoys her company. From the bit of information I do know about her, I assume that Anna reminds her of her sisters.

“Isugoro, are you listening to me?”

I blink, looking up to see Savannah staring at me, hands propped on her hips while Marcus stands behind her, looking annoyed. He sighs, “What is with you? You’ve been zoning out every other minute today.”

“Oh, nothing,” I reply.

“That’s BS and we all know that,” Savannah says, “Seriously, will you or Maggie just tell us what the hell is going on?”

“Nothing is going on,” I answer, “I’m telling the truth.”

Savannah just stared at me, her eyes a bit wary. She glanced over at Marcus, who just appeared confused by everything. She groaned a bit, then elbowed him, causing him to jerk. He shoots her a glare. “What the hell was that for?!” he says.

“You’re male, make him be normal,” Savannah instructs as she gestures to me, “Or figure out what the hell is wrong with him.”

“I’m not a man whisperer, especially for him,” Marcus retorts, shooting me a stare, “Just tell her what’s going on.”

“There’s nothing to be said-“ I say.

“You are such a horrible liar,” Savannah comments.

“I’m not-“

“CODE 86.”

We all go still as a loud voice comes over the intercom. “LAPIS, SUGILITE, QUARTZ, RUBY, EMERALD, TOPAZ, ROSE, KUNZITE, report to Sector Command for further instruction. Partners also to attend; JINTEZ and NAMER.”

“Oh my, it’s been a while,” Marcus comments as he quickly gets his things together.

“Yeah, no joke,” Savannah says, just as hastened as Marcus as she walks over to the wall and grabs some supplies. She looks over at me, her eyes reading uneasiness. “Do you know what just happened?” she asks me.

I shrug, “No, I don’t.”

“C’mon boy,” Marcus says, grabbing my forearm, “It’s your first mission.”

My eyes widen, “Mi-Mission?”

Savannah sighs, “Yes Isugoro, a mission. You didn’t think you’d just sit around here all the time did you?”

“I mean, we haven’t had any calls before so I didn’t know what to expect-“ I start.

“That’s not important now, you need to start getting into battle mode,” Marcus say as we walk quickly out of the training area, “That, and you need to get into defense mode for LAPIS’ sake. She’s never been on the battle ground before, so you’ll need to keep a special eye on her.”

My brow furrows as I catch the seriousness in his tone. I nod quickly, trying to ready myself for what’s about to happen. A minute or so later, the three of us are joined by a few others, all looking tense. Sammy is the first to meet up with us, quickly asking if we know anything. When we each clear ourselves of knowledge, that Katie girl from before shows up. She immediately joins Marcus’ side on the other side of me, asking questions on guerilla tactics. Her green hair entails she must be EMERALD, her vigor entails she’s not a stranger to battle. Then, to my surprise, a couple appear in front of us. I recognize Amber, the peppy pink haired girl I had met with Maggie. Beside her stands a young man around her age, his hair and eyes a dulled light red. His hand is interlocked with her, the two whispering to each other as they hook to the tail of the group. Sensing my confusion, Savannah tells me that they’re ROSE and KUNZITE.

I glance down beside me as I sense another person. Anna (RUBY) looks focused, apparently unafraid by the idea of fighting. It’s strange to see that stone expression on a thirteen year old. It seems almost inhumane.

When we all arrive at the Command Center, waiting is Maggie, Kasami, HERA, another Jeweloid . . . and Cent.

I blink in surprise when I see him, speaking without thinking, “What’re you doing here?”

He shoots me a look, “Hey I can be helpful too y’know.”

“I didn’t say that, I was just wondering why you’re here-“ I start.

“Armasons is a key person to your mission today,” the unknown Jeweloid says. I look over her briefly. Her appearance reminds me of Savannah. Her hair and eyes are a different shade of purple, a bit of a darker shade with a hint of grey in the tone. Her tattoos are spirals with a crossed end, similar swirls appearing on her shoulders that I can see. Her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail, nothing in front of her face except a small bang too short to be pulled back, and on closer look, I see she has a Monroe piercing, a simple stud. “Due to high recommendations and his knowledge of systems and strategy, Armasons will be leading the home base while you all are on the ground,” the same woman explains.

“AMYTHEST, start updates now,” HERA says, revealing the woman’s codename.

She nods, turning slightly as she inputs some kind of code into a screen beside her. Immediately a map outlaying Vesperia appears, zooming in on the west coast. A red dot flashes, and AMYTHEST points to it. “This is Nao, a village in between Gelus and our closest neighbor base. It’s the hub of supply exchange between the two and other west coast military locations. Approximately one hour ago at 13:06, it was attack by a Noxcus guerilla team.”

“What?” Katie gasps, “How did they get past security measures?”

“It’s looking like Noxcus spies were able to get in Nao before the attack,” Cent adds, “They gained access to the security areas and figured out when measures are at their weakest, which is around 13:00 when shifts are changing. They’re maneuvers were basically unflawed.”

“How many casualties are there?” Savannah asks.

AMYTHEST doesn’t answer quickly, looking up at us. She speaks calmly, “I think the better question is “How many survivors are there?”

The atmosphere drips with a new sense of doom. I glimpse up at Maggie’s face. She looks absolutely petrified.

AMYTHEST continues, “We are sending in this group as reinforcements, as well as help to find people who survived. There is word that there may still be Noxcus on the ground. Soldiers from our sister base have already reported six missing.”

“Any other objectives?” Marcus asks.

“The only other thing you could do is take record of how much they destroyed or stole. Records from what was shipped in this morning range from flour to top grade military weaponry,” AMYTHEST replies, “So then, I’ll name your positions.” She steps forward, looking among us until her eyes come upon Sammy. She steps up quickly to her, saying, “QUARTZ, you are going to be ground control captain. You will keep the team in contact with Armasons, and will relay back intelligence.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Sammy says quietly.

AMYTHEST looks then to Amber and the man beside her, “ROSE, KUNZITE, you will be patrol of Ground Command. You make sure no outsider gets to the craft or QUARTZ.”

“Yes,” they answer at once.

“SUGILITE, TOPAZ, RUBY, EMERALD, you will be surveying the area, looking for survivors or Noxcus ambushers,” AMYTHEST instructs, before her eyes fall on Maggie. Maggie stiffens, avoiding her eyes and meeting mine. I mouth to her that it’s ok, and she nods slightly. AMYTHEST looks between us as she catches the communication. She turns towards me, eyeing my curiously, “Are you Namer or Jintez?”

“Isugoro Jintez,” I reply.

“Ah, LAPIS’ Partner,” AMYTHEST says, “Jintez, you’re the Team Leader. You will give final word on the ground.”

Of course, I’m in charge. AMYTHEST looks over her shoulder, gesturing to Maggie to join us. She walks over hesitantly, stopping at my side. AMYTHEST looks at her tenderly, “This is your first mission, LAPIS. You’d normally be in charge due to you being the Class Zero going, but considering the intensity of this situation, we’re going to give you the Co-leader position. You may however veto Jintez’ order if necessary.”

Maggie just nods. She’s scared. AMYTHEST catches her unease and looks back up at me. “You keep her safe, understand?” she says.

“Of course,” I say, my voice clear.

I see a hint of disease in Cent’s expression, but he turns away. Sammy grimaces, stepping up a bit so she’s right behind Maggie. Out of the corner of my eye, I see she and Cent share a look, and Cent’s expression becomes clouded.

Maggie looks up at me, and I catch her eyes.

Will we be ok?

I’m caught off guard to hear her voice in my mind. It’s been a long time since she used telepathy with me, she must really be worried. My expression softens some, careful as grab her hand behind my back.

Everything will be ok. Just stay close to me and nothing will happen.

Her eyes widen a bit, and despite AMYTHEST still relaying orders to Namer and the others, she reveals a small grin, squeezing my hand a bit.

I thought you didn’t want this.

My mind halts for a moment as I register her words. Despite telling her what I did a couple weeks ago, I have returned to normal ways of acting without thinking. Well, normal in the sense that my habits have come back. My hold becomes a bit more rigid, but I do make up a reasonable response.

I never said I didn’t want to make you feel safe.

She steps a bit closer.

You do make me feel safe, but that wasn’t exactly what I was talking about. You know that.

Maggie-

I don’t understand you sometimes.

I swallow hard, and don’t answer. Maggie doesn’t say more either, but our hands don’t fall apart, the grip tight despite our strained silence. We’re caught in a quick move shortly after, everyone filing out of the room. Once we move, we release, exiting third with HERA and AMYTHEST in front, and Cent and Sammy right in front of us. I’m amused as I watch them. Cent is fully enthralled with her, smiling despite the topic at hand. Sammy looks relaxed, happy as they discuss technicalities of the mission. Recalling Sammy’s handy work with the clips, I make the revelation that Cent and Sammy basically do the same things. They work technology and intelligence, each very confident in their own areas despite their more carefree attitudes. Maggie looks over at me, and shows a knowing grin. I do my best to stifle my chuckle, feeling the same as she does.

They’re a little too good for each other.

Once we make it to the loading bay, everyone is in a hurry to arm up. I’m readied with AA-12 Converts and a battle saber, as well as a magazine/hand grenade belt and additional pistol arms. Sammy doesn’t take much, considering she won’t be fighting, but still arms herself with a Renew AK-47 and side pistol. She also puts on special gloves, leather except for the pinkies which are encased in a steel chain. Anna doesn’t take more than a sword and some throwing knives, Katie grabs leather gloves and a tracker shade, and Amber and her male comrade both take types of throwing weapons and small guns. Marcus and Savannah get the exact same set; an AK-47, an AA-12 Convert, grenades, and leather gloves.

Maggie just stares at everything. I walk over to her as people start to board, my brow furrowing as I watch her. Gently, I put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump a bit. She looks up at me, and I can see the panic in her eyes. I lean over, saying calmly, “Hey, it’s ok. You’ve trained for this.”

“Training is different than the real thing,” she replies, her voice shaky.

“Yes, but remember when we went on that trial mission? It won’t be any worse than that,” I say, reaching for the throwing knives, “You’re really good with these, take them.”

She watches the set I hold in my hand, then gulps slightly as she takes them, attaching them to her belt. I reach out and grab a few hand grenades and attach them for her. She looks on edge. “I don’t need those-“ she starts.

“You never know, Maggie. You have to be ready,” I interrupt, not giving her a chance to second guess herself. I reach for a pistol holster like mine, holding it up to her, “Here, put this on like a jacket.”

She doesn’t say anything, just doing as told as I ready a belt holster with a .22 caliber rifle and an AA-12 Convert. With that, I click it around her waist, then meet her eyes again. She’s shaking a bit. I cup her face without thinking about, not paying attention to anyone who may be watching, “Everything will be ok. I will be right there if you need me. You aren’t alone.”

She just searches my eyes, hers glossy as she does all she can to keep herself composed. She whispers, “I’m scared, Goro.”

A knot ties in my stomach as I watch her. I can’t do anything to keep her from going. I wish she didn’t have to be a part of this war. I shush her some, “It’s ok to be scared, everyone is. But hey, look at me. . . . I’m right here. I’ll keep you safe.”

With that, something comes over her. She grins despite her obviously nervous countenance, and sighs roughly. She nods as she lifts her hands to hold mine, “Ok.”

“Hey, weirdos!”

I jolt, looking up to see Cent staring us down. Immediately, I notice Maggie go oddly rigid, her eyes tracing the ground as she moves away from me and toward the craft. I look between her and Cent, and sense a strange balance between the two. What just happened?

Cent walks over to my side, his expression serious as he whispers harshly, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“What?” I say, “She’s scared to death, I was trying to calm her down-“

“That doesn’t mean you have to get all touchy with her,” Cent comments, “There’s a difference between comforting and flirting.”

My eyes narrow a bit. “What the hell are you talking about?” I ask, my tone flatter.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he argues quietly, “You’re not thinking. You’re getting closer to her and you’re throwing away yourself to keep her safe.”

“I’m her Partner, I made the decision to protect her,” I answer, “Now it’s my job to do so.”

“It’s not your job to forget your own safety,” Cent says bluntly.

Suddenly, I make a strange correlation. He sounds a lot like Maggie did the day before I went to the capital. She seemed really worried despite acting fine the days prior. I look over at Maggie, who’s standing by the entrance of the craft. She meets my gaze, and in a moment of weakness, she accidentally lets me see a flash of a memory.

Cent glaring her down in her living room. I hear her heart beating rapidly.

“I don’t plan on burying my brother.”

Her eyes widen, and she gasps. A burst of anger rips through me. “Are you shitting me?!” I yell as I glare back at Cent. He looks surprised by my expression, obviously not expecting me to be mad. “Did you really threaten her?!-” I shout as I start to close the distance.

“Goro, stop!”

Maggie pulls me back. I whip around, still angry as I stare down at her, “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Because I didn’t want this!” she says, “The last thing I want is for you two to start arguing!”

“Maggie, stop.”

The three of us are all caught off guard as Sammy appears, taking Maggie’s wrist and pushing her towards the craft.

“S-Sam-“ Maggie starts.

“Go to the craft and sit down in one of the cabins,” Sammy orders, “I’ll take care of this.”

Maggie just watches for a moment, before she gives and runs to the craft. She’s overwhelmed.

“YOU DAMN MORONS!”

Suddenly, I feel a sharp slap to the back of my head, then a thud against my forehead. In unison I hear Cent and I grunt in pain, both of us holding our heads. We’re both pulled by the ears, grunting as we’re dragged to a corner. With release, we both open our eyes to find the normally happy Sammy mad, her eyes narrowed and stabbing into us like daggers. Cent and I exchange a glance, both apparently a bit on edge.

“Um-“ I start.

“What are you, five?!” Sammy shouts, “Since when is arguing right before you leave for a mission a good idea?! And about something so stupid? Really?!”

“But-“ Cent starts.

“But nothing!” Sammy snaps, anger raging in her eyes, “I don’t give a rats ass about whatever shit you have against Maggie, but that girl is my best friend, and god dammit, you better show that girl some respect!”

Cent pales, not sure what to do. Sammy keeps going, “That girl is terrified out of her mind! She is about to go into battle for the first time in her damn life and you have the audacity to try and intimidate her?! What kind of man are you for being angry that he wants to give a shit about someone other than you?! That’s as selfish as it gets!”

Cent looks like he’s about to fall apart, Sammy giving him space as her fury is aimed at me, “And you! You’re as bad as him! Trying to start a fight right before we’re supposed to leave?! His argument is flawed as hell, but still, you need to protect both of you! He’s right that you can’t just turn off your mind! Think like a man, not like a child! If you’re going to protect her than at least have the decency to take care of yourself first! She needs a protector, not a kamikaze!”

She stabs her index finger into my chest, staring me down, “You are her Partner. No matter what shit Cent says, your job is to protect Maggie. I can’t do it, I’m not strong enough, even though I want to with all my heart. That girl from those clips, that girl is in that craft right now about to have a mental break down. You made a promise to her, and to me.”

I swallow hard, completely taken back as she steps behind me and gives me swift and hard kick to the ass. “Now go and do your job jackass!” she yells.

I don’t look back, I just do as told. I hear her continue to rant, still not done with Cent. It seems that like Cent, Sammy doesn’t take too well to people messing with her best friend. Hell, I think she’s worse honestly.

I step onto the craft and look around, finding Maggie sitting in one of the private cabins. I walk in quietly, and to my surprise, she doesn’t notice me, her eyes focused on the floor. I look more closely at her, my eyes widening. She’s crying. I don’t say a word, I simply do what Sammy told me to do. I sit right beside her, and carefully I pull her into me, angled so she can lean against my chest. She shakes, and in response, I rub her back, shushing her gently as I rest my head on hers. Her arms wrap tight around me, ignoring the bulky supplies as she nuzzles against my neck. The embrace calms her quickly, and to my surprise, I also relax, my heartrate going down as I hold her.

We both look up a bit a few minutes later when we hear a click, Sammy standing in front of the closed door to the room. She’s breathing hard, but says nothing as she sits on the opposite side of Maggie. Her expression still reads anger, but it’s cooled since I last saw her. She glances over at me, and when she reads my eyes, her expression softens. She sighs, exhausted in a way, “You both are too thick-headed.”

I grimace, “Sorry. . . . We kinda grew up like that.”

Sammy chuckles, “I can tell.”

Maggie nuzzles against me again, catching my attention as I hear her sniffling. I run a hand through her hair, whispering, “It’s ok, I’m right here.”

Maggie replies by giving a slight nod, closing her eyes as she rests her head on my shoulder. I watch her a moment longer, then look back at Sammy, surprised by the small smile on her face. I blink, “What?”

“. . . I can understand why he’s worried,” Sammy says, “But honestly, I’d rather not try and make her feel happy than try your hardest and make her feel alone.”

I’m a bit confused by her words, but I try not to think too hard on it, at this point more concerned about Maggie’s safety as the ship takes off. No one says another word as the flight ensues. Maggie does calm some, but she still rests against me, her breathing in time with mine as she falls asleep for a little while. Sammy leaves the room halfway through the flight to join the cockpit, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Without thinking, I nuzzle her some, calmed by Maggie’s presence. My fingers glide through her sapphire curls, the soft texture relaxing. For the first time, I pick up a faint scent, something like jasmine. I lean over slightly, and realize Maggie’s wearing some kind of perfume. I grin; it fits her.

Her expression softens to a content countenance, a small smile on her face. I look over her, before I’m distracted by a sudden beeping. I glance up at the room’s GPS. We’re about to land. My gut churns a bit, and I turn my gaze back to Maggie. I watch her for a moment, before I lean over slightly, and kiss her gently on the forehead. A warm sensation jolts through my body as I make contact with her skin, calming me somehow.

I’ll keep us safe.

After another minute or so, I hear another sound, looking up to see that a notification has been sent to Maggie and I. Sammy wants us to come to the cockpit for some reason. I sigh, but give to the request. Gently, I adjust Maggie’s bangs, whispering, “Hey, wake up. Sammy wants us up front.”

Maggie grumbles some, shifting in my hold before I hear her breathing return to the deep defiance of consciousness. I chuckle as I sit up some, shaking her a bit. “Maggie, c’mon. Don’t be stubborn,” I say louder.

“I’m not being stubborn,” Maggie mumbles, “I’m being comfy.”

I laugh, “Maggie, get up.”

As I lean over her, her face passes only centimeters from mine, her lips catching my cheek with a soft kiss. My eyes widen, and immediately, I hear giggling. Looking back at her, Maggie is watching me, her face a bit pink as she smiles. I give her a look, but it doesn’t deter her at all. She laughs, nuzzling her face against my neck. Her actions are definitely flirtatious, but despite my inner rejections, I outwardly open them. I actually laugh, tightening my hold on her with one arm as the other slips under her arm. She squeals as I go for her armpit, obviously a weak spot. Giggling, she innocently slaps my chest in protest, meeting my eyes with a warmth that further concretes the peaceful mood between us. I catch her hands in mine, and naturally our fingers interlock. She lifts herself up slightly to meet my face, our foreheads touching. We share a smile.

It doesn’t last.

“Three minutes ‘till we land in Nao.”

As soon as Sammy’s voice comes over the intercom, reality seeps back into our minds. Her expression falters, the fear ebbing back into her eyes as she remembers that we’re on a mission to a battle ground. Immediately, I lift my hands to hold her shoulders, searching her gaze as I say calmly, “You’re going to be ok.”

She holds my eyes a moment longer, then grimaces, mouthing a thank you. With that, we separate, stand up, and leave the room, walking down the narrow aisle toward the cockpit. I sense Maggie getting nervous again, and feeling it safe, I openly take hold of her hand, my grip tight. Her reaction is one I appreciate, her fingers locking again with mine and she moves closer to me. I grin to myself.

The atmosphere fades as the door to the cockpit opens. Before us lies a grey sky dotted with clouds of black smoke, the glow of fires lighting the lower parts of the windows. Walking closer to the views, I’m shocked to see the devastation before. The large village has been almost completely leveled, the buildings that are still standing eerily stripped of any signs of use. Maggie whispers beside me, “It’s like Nagasaki. . . .”

My brow furrows as I look further at the decimated landscape. Spring should’ve already started to take hold around here, but the striped trees and lifeless surroundings read of a winter that may last years. The only sign of life are the groups of soldiers that dot the destroyed areas, probably looking for civilians.

This is a war zone.

“You guys ready?” Sammy asks, looking over her shoulder at us. Her expression loses confidence when her eyes land on Maggie, who looks drained of life as she watches the world below. She stands slowly and meets Maggie’s eyes, her facing falling to a saddened smile. “Hey, sweetie, look at me,” Sammy says with a tender tone, “This is just a scouting mission. There’s very little chance you’ll run into trouble out there, ok?”

Maggie’s voice trembles a bit, “Sammy, that town-“

“I know, I know, it’s terrible, but you can’t freak out Honey,” Sammy shushes, “You need to try to be objective about all of this. I know you’re scared, but you know that all of us are here for you. Isugoro won’t leave you, you know that.”

“You can’t come?” Maggie says, her eyes showing her fear.

Sammy’s expression contorts sadly. I can tell she really does want to keep an eye on Maggie, but known to both of us, she cannot do it. She has been given orders that she can’t break, not to mention her role is important in this mission. She glances up at me, and I immediately understand. I gesture to her, and she pulls back some. Maggie shutters, but keeps her eyes glued on Sammy. Sammy speaks quietly, “I can’t Honey. But if you want to keep contact, just hook up with my waves and I’ll talk to you as long as you want.”

Maggie seems unhappy with her response, but agrees anyway. It seems she understands that Sammy can’t freely come, yet she had clung to some hope that the outcome may be different than what she expected. I put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look back at me. Her eyes are a bit glossy, but she’s doing well at holding herself together. She sighs, though luckily is distracted as the doors to the cockpit open, revealing a young woman standing in the doorway. She’s human, dark skinned, around 5’7”, and probably a few years older than me. She wears an expression of calm, her eyes finding Maggie’s quickly. She grins, and steps inside, “You should know, your reaction is perfectly normal. All soliders, Jeweloids and Humans alike, all act like this during their first mission.”

Maggie’s expression relaxes a bit, her shoulders falling some as she eyes the woman, “You’re Namer?”

“Cecelia Namer, I’m Katie’s Partner,” she replies with a smile.

“Katie is EMERALD, correct?” Maggie asks.

“Thaaaaat’s right!”

We’re all surprised as Katie pops her head out from behind Cecelia, a bright smile on her face as she glances at each of us. When her eyes meet Maggie’s her expression bursts with happiness, running through Cecelia straight towards us. Maggie drops her hold on my hand quickly, though it’s quickly gripped by Katie, who seems to just be oozing excitement. “Hi! I haven’t seen you since the memorial! I wanted to say hi during the meeting, but I know Fei would’ve murdered me,” Katie says, her voice quick, “You nervous? I was nervous too, but look at me now! I’m totally fine! I hate to say I’ve gotten used to this, but, well, yeah, I’ve gotten used to it! Haha!”

Maggie looks over at me, apparently unsure what to do.

Help. Me.

“Ok, EMERALD, calm down-“ I start.

“You can call me Katie,” she interrupts, her bright green bob bouncing as her eyes turn to me, “My full name is Katarina Evender, but I prefer Katie because it’s shorter and I’m not a big fan of cats. I’m a dog person- no, I’m a bird person. Does that exist?”

I just stare at her. Dear God-

Is she high?

Without meaning to, I laugh, before I quickly cover my mouth. Maggie bites her lips together, trying to smother her own chuckling. Katie blinks, angling her head slightly in a confused manner. Sammy smiles, aware that Maggie and I probably had a back and forth.

“How long until we land?”

The atmosphere is broken by Marcus, who walks up behind Cecelia with a serious expression, Savannah close behind. Katie’s energy cools some, but somehow she looks even happier than before, skipping over to Marcus with a bright smile plastered on her face. “We’ll be landing in about two minutes Marc, don’t look so scary,” Katie comments.

My eyes widen as I watch the two. In response to Katie’s comment, normally Marcus would’ve snapped or given a glare of some kind. But, instead, he does the complete opposite. He actually smiles, chuckling some in fact! He meets her eyes with a kind look, “Don’t be so carefree Kate, this is a real mission.”

Kate? Marc? What the hell is going on?

Savannah rolls her eyes, slapping Marcus on the shoulder, “Focus. You too Katie, you’re our leader, you shouldn’t be acting like a child right now.”

Katie pouts, “I’m not a child, Anna is-“

“I heard that,” Anna says as she walks in through a different door, her expression more mature than usual, “Besides, we need to figure out perimeters and so on.”

“Ugh,” Katie groans, “Act thirteen.”

“Act twenty-two, then we’ll talk,” Anna comments, her voice lacking its normal happy tune.

“Ouch,” Cecelia says as she gestures to Katie, “C’mon Katie, be serious.”

Katie crosses her arms, but gives, her expression becoming calmer. She glances at Marcus, and he shrugs, his expression honestly sorry. I feel like everything I’ve known has been a lie.

“Ok, let me call in to home base,” Sammy says as she starts pressing buttons and symbols.

Maggie and I immediately look at each other, aware of how Sammy left Cent. Maggie steps forward, “Um, Sammy-“

“He’s a grown man, he shouldn’t let his butt hurt emotions come in between him and his work ethic,” Sammy comments, her tone a lot less lovely, “Besides, I gave him warning enough.”

Savannah clicks her tongue, “What did Cent do?”

“Nothing,” the three of us answer at the same time. Immediately, we look to each other, then small grins rise on our faces.

Sammy lets out a small chuckling as she puts in the final information, “Oh my lord, none of us are mature.”

With that, she sends out the signal, putting in a head piece as it makes connections with Gelus. Before long, the screen shifts, Cent appearing. He looks a bit on edge, paler than normal. When he sees Sammy, he gulps slightly, opening his mouth, before Sammy cuts him off, “We’re on sight, are we cleared to land in one minute, six seconds at coordinates given?”

Cent looks a bit put out by Sammy shutting him down, but doesn’t linger on it too long, his eyes fixing on another screen. “You are cleared to land. Soldiers from a “Squad Tye” will be meeting ground squad to transfer any remaining information,” Cent replies, his voice almost robotic, “Your area of search and recovery will be three square miles around the craft landsite.”

“10-4,” Sammy says before she presses a button to turn off the transmission. All of us, well, the ones that know both Cent and Sammy, are taken back by the strange interaction. Sammy’s shoulders fall, sighing as she turns in the chair. Her eyes meet Maggie’s then mine, her hard expression cracking to reveal her inner regret. Savannah and Anna step forward, eyeing Sammy curiously.

“That was odd,” Anna comments.

“Yes, normally you and your boy-toy are-“ Savannah starts.

“Cent’s not my boy-toy,” Sammy snaps, her eyes flickering with a small fury. Savannah and Anna fall silent, their eyes moving from each other to us. Maggie and I look away. It’s not our place to say anything. Sammy relaxes, looking to each of us as she speaks, “Alright, he will tell me when you are to report back to the craft. Each of the Jeweloids already have some intuition of distance, so you’ll know when you leave the perimeter set up. Isugoro has a pair of data shades that can track distance, as well as keep tabs on where everyone is, so using that he’ll keep in contact with everyone. Cecelia will be backing Katie, and everyone else already knows their assignments. As soon as we land . . . be prepared to set off.”

Everyone nods, and with that, we all start to file out of the cockpit. I look back as I’m about to turn the corner, surprised to find Maggie still standing beside Sammy. I pause, watching as Maggie begins to speak, “. . . You really did let him have it, didn’t you?”

Sammy rests her chin on her fist, her eyes focused on the floor. After a moment, she replies quietly, “I don’t understand either of them sometimes.”

“Cent and Isugoro?” Maggie asks.

Sammy nods, “They can both be such great guys. Then things like today happen and I begin to get nervous.”

Maggie’s expression falls some, “Nervous about?”

Sammy looks up at her, “Both of us.”

“What do you-“ Maggie starts.

“I was debating . . .” Sammy starts, her voice trailing off as she loses confidence. Then, she continues with a hushed tone, “I was debating . . . asking Cent to be my Partner.”

My eyes widen. Cent, Sammy’s Partner?

Maggie looks just as surprised as I do, her voice a bit higher, “P-Partner?”

“Yes,” Sammy replies, her cheeks reddening some, “I don’t have one, I never met a human soldier than I was totally comfortable with. Then I met them on their first day . . . and Cent clicked with me. Yeah, I could tell from later conversations that Isugoro would also be a great candidate, but he was already hooked on you.”

“I wouldn’t say it like that,” Maggie says, her expression a bit clouded as she looks at her hands, “Goro and I may flirt some, but trust me . . . there’s nothing there.”

A strange sensation shoots through me, my brow furrowing as I swallow her words. My gut knots, and I’m unsure how to respond, distracting myself with Sammy’s voice.

“Heh, ok. . . .” Sammy trails, “But yeah, I feel really comfortable with Cent. Talking, we have a lot in common, like a lot of the same things. He makes me really happy . . .”

“. . . There’s a “but”, isn’t there?” Maggie says, her tone different than how I normally hear it.

Sammy doesn’t reply for a moment, her eyes glossing over. She puts a hand to her mouth, and looks away. Maggie’s expression becomes pained, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around her neck, leaning her head on hers. Sammy shutters a bit, then says quietly, “I’m scared of him.”

Something in me falls as I hear her torn words. I don’t know the exact reason she feels this way, but I’m sure there’s a good reason. “Sammy, not all guys are like that,” Maggie shushes her, gently patting her head, “There are good guys, like my daddy, and Charlie-“

“And they’re gone too.”

With that, Sammy and Maggie fall silent. Maggie continues to hold Sammy, and with that, I leave them. I walk away down a hall towards the hanger door, and before long, I feel the craft make contact with the ground. It’s a bit of a bumpy landing, but otherwise it’s not too bad. I quickly find the rest of the group, and do well not to pull attention to myself. Maggie needs time alone with Sammy, I don’t want to make her leave Sammy just yet. I distract myself by adjusting my data shades, putting in the ear piece as I click the power button. Instantly, the hologram shades appear across my eyes, flashing stats and other information as I ready myself.

“Goro, come in.”

I’m caught off guard to hear Cent’s voice, but calm as I recall he’s also connected to my channel. I say as I reply, “We really screwed up, Man.”

“You’re telling me. Did you see her just turn me off?” Cent says, his voice perfectly capturing both his frustration and guilt.

“But you know she’s right,” I reply, “And I still can’t believe you actually did that.”

“Hey, I never see you anymore, what chance do I have to ever say anything of what I told her directly to your face?” Cent says, “I knew if I told her, she’d take what I said and made sure you didn’t make this a suicide mission-“

“No one was trying to make this a suicide mission, Cent,” I interrupt, “I’m not sixteen anymore, Cent. I’m not going to just throw myself away.”

“Bull crap. Goro, you’re becoming the exact same way you were with Maggie that you were with you know who,” Cent says, “I get being protective. I mean, it’s because I’m protective in the first place that I got my ass yelled at. But Goro . . . Man, I know you hate to hear this, but you have to at least consider what I’m saying is true.”

I tense some, unsure how to respond to him. Cent seems to sense my mood, and sighs, not speaking a few seconds before he changes the topic. “Is she still mad at me?” he asks, his tone now translating concern.

“Yeah, a little bit,” I reply, “. . . Though, from what I gather, she’s just upset.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Not exactly,” I reply, picking my words wisely, “I think she’s upset because she thinks you hate Maggie . . . and other things.”

“I mean, no disrespect to any of you, but at this point I can say Maggie and I aren’t on good terms,” Cent admits, “She lost my trust. She’s gonna have to earn it back before I can say we’re friends.”

I groan slightly, “You’re being difficult.”

“Who is?”

I blink, surprised to find Maggie standing beside me, her eyes reading confusion. Immediately I click off my shades, ending my conversation with Cent. “N-Nothing, just the shades being annoying is all,” I reply.

She watches me a moment, then shrugs, her mind more focused on what’s about to happen than any nonsense I’m talking to myself about. With that, the hanger door suddenly opens, and immediately the groups moves out into the colorless world beyond.

We’re quickly intercepted by other soldiers, on guard as they look over all the Jeweloids. I move through them, and they look a bit more relaxed when they see me. Though, when they spot Maggie right behind me, they look nervous. I don’t blame them, without meaning to, Maggie puts a really strong aura, and if you don’t know her, she can be pretty intimidating. Though, I ignore it, and address the first soldier, “Gelus squad, what do you have for us?” I ask.

“We’ve found some civilians on the north side, no one has yet reached east or south side. Those are your areas,” he says, “We have been notified that Noxcus may still be on the ground, but no one knows how many.”

I nod, “Alright, thanks.”

With that, he salutes, and quickly walks off, followed shortly by his comrades. I sigh, then look back at the group. Savannah shrugs, “It happens. C’mon, let’s spread out.”

Marcus, Anna, and Katie nod, Katie taking Cecelia’s hand as they suddenly flash. Maggie and I blink, looking at each other. After a moment, Maggie sighs, scanning the horizon at the destruction. It smells like gun-powder and ash, mixed strangely with the salt of the nearby ocean.

“Why is it that towns are still turned to ash?”

I turn, seeing Amber walking off the craft with KUNZITE. Her brow is furrowed as she looks on, and KUNZITE sighs, “I’m starting to wonder why we applauded ourselves when we leveled those towns to end the war. . .”

“The war?” Maggie asks.

“Yes, the one the ended right before our accident,” Amber replies, “We destroyed those Japs-“

“Wait, Japs? . . .” Maggie says, “So you’re talking about World War II.”

“Oh yes, that’s what it came to be called,” KUNZITE comments, “It seems the entire world was numb to the idea that the United States killed so many people. . . . But then again, who knows how many more would’ve died.”

It goes quiet, and soon enough, Maggie tugs on my sleeve, gesturing that we set out. It seems she doesn’t want to make things worse for anyone involved in the conversation. I meet KUNZITE’s eyes by coincidence, and he shows me a knowing grin. I gesture a thank you, and with that, Maggie and I start on our own route. I start back up my shades and see that Marcus and the others went to the east and south east, meaning Maggie and I are left to the south. I ready one of my guns, and glance over to see Maggie’s eyes darting back and forth.

As we turn down a corner, Maggie pauses. I stop, turning to see her expression has broken into a saddened torment, and she walks ahead down a side street. Hesitantly, I follow her, and before our eyes opens a horrible scene. The smell goes rancid, an eerie hint of burned flesh and wood embers. It appears that this used to be a residential area, the foundations and some lower levels of decaying homes the only remains. Thick smoke wafts from the broken windows and open doorways, and in the street piles of debris are littered throughout, made up of burnt furniture, clothes, and what looks to be children’s toys. Drying blood paints the walkways, directing the eye towards the hidden homes of corpses. The only noise among the crackle of dying fire is a music box somewhere in the ruble, playing a melancholy tune that fits the atmosphere almost too perfectly.

Maggie holds her breath as she takes in the scene, and before long, she begins to shake. The gun she took out at some point falls from her grip, and she looks back at me. Her eyes are cold, causing a lump to form in my throat. “This . . . This shouldn’t still be happening,” Maggie breaths, running her free hand through her hair, “Why couldn’t you guys have figured things out by now . . . ?”

I simply watch her, not able to say anything as she stares at me a moment longer, then turns away, walking away down the cracked sidewalk towards an intersection. My eyes trace the wreckage, and I ponder why I’m not as distraught as she is. The spark of nostalgia starts to form in me, and I move my gun to my left hand as I grip my left forearm with my right, rubbing my arm slowly to calm myself down. I don’t use this method often, but in situations like this when the past are trying to break into my thoughts, it seems to keep them at bay. I look up at the grey sky, and sigh. Why does life have to be so imperfect?

Without warning, I hear something moving. It’s not Maggie, I’d recognize her instantly. My shades are depicting anyone else from the team in our area, and immediately, I ready my gun, propping it on my shoulder as I turn. I hear rustling coming from one of the houses, spiking my caution. It may be a survivor, but considering the destruction in this section . . . I find it unlikely. I cock the gun, and step forward some. But, I’m caught as a sudden alarm starts to go off in my mind. It’s not one of the alarms of my shades or anything, it’s internal, and it’s serious. It’s Maggie.

I forget whatever it was I heard and hurry in the direction I saw Maggie go, keeping my gun ready. I turn the corner, running a bit longer until I catch a glimpse of Maggie in one of the alleyways. I pant in relief, as she looks uninjured. I walk up to her at a slower pace, though I can see by the look on her face that I shouldn’t drop my guard. She’s dropped her gun again, her expression blank with shock as she stares down an intersecting alley between two larger buildings. I come to her side, panting as I look at her, “Maggie, what is it?”

She doesn’t reply, her eyes focused on something. I turn my head, and immediately, I go cold as I see what she does. I myself drop my gun, feeling numb as I try to comprehend what I’m seeing.

“Isugoro, I sense Maggie’s gone offline, has something happened?”

I don’t register Sammy’s voice coming over the mic in my shades, and after a moment, I hear Cent, “Goro, Sammy says you’re not replying. You ok?”

I gulp, and press the button so I can send a message to everyone, “Guys, we got something serious over here.”

“Whoa, you sound freaked out,” I hear Savannah say.

“What is it?” Marcus asks.

I can’t reply immediately, still trying to come to some terms with the sight so I don’t cause Maggie to break down.

“We’ve got a sacrifice.”

Immediately, both Sammy and Cent start sending out coordinates, and I can sense the atmosphere go still. I turn off the shades, and step closer, looking over the mess. Ahead is a wall, a dead end, and on it . . . is a girl, no older than ten years old. Her clothes are ripped apart, stained with blood. She’s been blindfolded and a gag hangs around her neck, her arms and legs tied up and she hangs from broken brick under her arms. She looks beaten pretty bad, scratches and gashes all over. Though, what’s worse . . . is the method they used to take care of her. A metal stake, about four inches across . . . is stabbed into her gut, and beside her, probably in her blood, is a message, written in the Noxcus language.

“Innocence dies first.”

I stop midway as I decode the message, trying not to be consumed by anger. I clench my fists, and mutter curses, “Dammit.”

“Wh. . . .”

Maggie and I are caught completely off guard by a weak voice. I look up, and to our horror . . . she moves slightly. She’s still alive.

Quickly, I move closer, and I see she’s terrified. “P-Please, no more-“ she croaks, blood spilling over lips.

“No, no, shush,” I say, “We’re human, we’re here to help.”

The girl seems relieved to hear my voice, and falls, blood still falling from her lips. Slowly, tears form and slide from under the blindfold. “Wh-Where’s Mama?”

“I don’t know, but she’s probably worried about you,” I say.

“I’m tired, Mister,” the girl says.

My breath catches. The girl raises her head some, “I can’t see still . . . will Mama come get me when I wake up?”

I do all I can to hold down emotion as lift my hands to undo the blindfold. As soon as it falls, her eyes open. They’re cloudy, the life almost drained completely from the mint green. I’m caught by the sight, and do my best not to see images. The girl looks over me, and oddly enough, she smiles at me. “You’re a nice guy, I can tell. Mama’s happy you took care of me,” she says weakly.

“She is?” I ask, bit confused.

“Yeah, she’s happy . . .” the girl trails, her eyes falling dim, “Mama’s gonna take me home now. . . . Mama . . .”

With that, her eyes goes still and blank, and she goes limp. The last of her smile remains eerily as the last breath fades away, leaving Maggie and I with the blackness of her death.