A/N: Another story started, wow I should really stop doing this. Anyway hello to you and welcome to my story on Ace Combat 5 and other things. I just find it sad that this category is so down and the lack of really good AC5 stories made me motivated to write this. Also because I love Ace Combat and all the characters in 5. Ace Combat 5, in my opinion, has the greatest diversity in the main characters and the story line is EPIC and I have wanted to write this for so long so here it is. So I shouldn't have to give you a summary but I suppose I will. So besides the whole story thing I love the pairing of Blaze/Edge and I am really disappointed to not see more of their pairing. And my ultimate goal is to do the game justice by providing a well written story that attempts to contrast perfectly with the characters. So let me know what you think and if you agree or disagree with anything in this story.
Summary: Play the game!
Disclaimer: This is purely fiction and I do not own any rights to the game or the series so please don't sue.
Learn to Fly
When history witnesses a great change Razgriz reveals itself. First, as a dark demon. As a demon it uses its power to rain death across the land. And then it dies. However, After a period of slumber, Razgriz returns.
It is no surprise that my story was told far and wide, and it was accurate, for the most part. The story of flying aces, demons if you will, that came to destroy the world with fire and war only to save it from the true enemy. We had our nicknames, or laughs, our tears, but above all we had the fame. And we loathed it. The fame made us become targets and tarnished our reputation, it tortured us. It was caging us and breaking us piece by piece. If we didn't have each other than we would not have made it.
We all had something to hold on to. Or someone. We all had things to keep us going, to keep us unfocused from the hostility and chaos of war. During the time we all had hit our breaking points. The point at which we snapped but we had each other to help us. The battles, the war itself, and everything in between. This was our story.
Our story started before the fame, before the war, before Sand Island even. Our story wasn't complex or thought out, but it was our story. It wasn't a fairy tale or a movie, it wasn't supposed to be. It wasn't meant to end with a happily ever after or a peaceful walk into the sunset, nothing like that. The happiness was marred by the death and destruction we endured, and created. The only thing I could relate to our story was the one book I knew. The one you know. You may know our story, but you don't know the way we told it.
And to start our story we have to go back to the beginning…
The start of my story.
My name is Blaze. I know what you're thinking; what kind of a name is Blaze? Well to tell you the truth it was probably not my real name but it didn't matter. Besides what is really behind a name? Well I guess there's a lot behind mine. Anyway…
I was born at the end of 1985 in a small town in Northern Osea, or so I have been told. The only thing I know of my birth and past is what has been told to me so I will tell you the same thing. I came from a very poor family as my father was a gambler and a drunk so we didn't have much. When I wasn't even three months old my father was killed in a car accident. I don't remember anything about him but from what I heard was that he was a good person before I was born. So I guess I was the cause of him turning into a bad man, whatever. My mother had died during my birth so I had no one after he died. I was blamed for both my parents' death. As if I was some sort of Demon. Again, if you believe in fairy tales or that sort of thing.
After that I was sent off to live with my grandfather, my father's father. He barely even knew about me being born but he had taken me in nonetheless. My grandfather was younger than most, as my parents were barely twenty when they had me, so he did not look like your typical old man. He was a cold and very demanding man. He was very big on respect and barely showed love. He was verbally abusing and emotionally distant. I never truly felt love from him. Maybe I was just so naïve in my young age. Also living with us was my uncle who was barely seven years older than me. He and I developed a very close relationship, as he was the closest thing I had to a brother or any family for that matter.
My grandfather did not know my name so he decided to name me himself. He decided on a name when I looked at him and he had one look in my eyes. Why were they so important? Well my eyes were not a natural color. They were as red as the setting sun. So naturally he decided to name me Blaze. He was also quite intoxicated at the moment he named me, maybe it was chance. So I was named Blaze Michael, Michael being my father's last name. Some sort of religious connotations behind it but I didn't care about that until much later.
My grandfather raised both me and my uncle on his own. He helped shape me into the man I was going to become. By that I mean that he was a very distant man, usually showed me the cold shoulder, but he did teach me to handle things myself and to never give up. He was a respectable man in his own accord but I never felt love in my childhood. We spent a peaceful ten years in Northern Osea, I was in school as was my uncle while my grandfather worked. He was an airplane mechanic and worked on the engines.
During the early years of school the teachers thought I was something of evil. Maybe I was, my odd color of eyes and cold personality, even at a young age, was a sign of things to come. I wasn't defiant but I wouldn't listen to anyone. I didn't see the point in listening to someone I didn't respect. And few earned my respect. Going through school I never had friends never had someone to confide in, save my uncle, but I learned how to solely rely on myself. All in all this part of my life was the easiest. Then the war came.
1995, you know which war I am talking about. The Belkan War. I was only nine at the beginning of it. It wasn't much to me until the Belkan army invaded our city. Our grandfather took the initiative and moved us to the neighboring country of Ustio. He was among the many Oseans that moved to the neutral country of Ustio, but it wouldn't stay like that. When Belka came to that country as well my grandfather enlisted in the military.
Before the war my grandfather worked in a plane factory for twenty years so he was much needed as a plane mechanic for the Ustio Air Force. While the war waged on my grandfather moved us to southern Ustio away from the war. I do not recall a lot of the war, in fact I don't even remember the news reports that came on during the time. While my grandfather was away my uncle took over as guardian. However, my grandfather came home from time to time to tell us stories of the war. And those stories was all that I remembered. He told us of the pilots he had met and all the daring missions they took on. He would often compare air force pilots to angels and demons. That their battles were like a divine fight, and that the Devil was not always the bad guy.
Out of all the names of the pilots' one stood out to me. Cipher. Or the demon lord my grandfather called him. I learned of the turn of the tide of war that Cipher alone caused. He seemed like a god amongst men. My grandfather said he would single handedly win the entire war. I believed it, I only wish he would have lived to see it happen.
The Belkan's had launched a surprise attack at the Air Force base my grandfather was stationed at. He didn't survive. Cipher had apparently been in the air away on a mission that day. My heart was full of hate over the loss of the only true parent I ever had. Even if he wasn't all that good, but how was I supposed to know that? He was all I had.
Very few showed to the funeral. Most were friends from the war and my uncle and myself. After the reception my uncle and I remained for a long while when I noticed something on the tombstone. It was reflecting from the light of the sun and it had caught my interest. I approached it and looked closely at it. I saw that it was dog tags and I grabbed them as my uncle came over to see what I was doing. I had expected to see my grandfather's name on it but I was shocked to learn it was not his. I stood there stunned while my uncle looked at it as well to see the only name on it.
Cipher.
That was all it said on the dog tag. No number, no blood type, no religion just a name. When it hit me that the ultimate fighter pilot was here at the funeral I tried to remember the faces of the men I saw there. But it was all just a blur and none really stood out as a demon lord of the sky. Maybe that is how he always wanted it. To remain anonymous on the ground and a god in the air. I never did try to find the man known as Cipher, I respected his wish to remain hidden. But I did take the dog tags, it became my most valuable possession.
A few days later Cipher single handedly ended the war and faded in history. I suppose that is incorrect. He was removed from history. All records of the war removed almost everything about him. There was only brief references to him. Only those that were in the war or told of it first hand knew the truth before that reporter exposed his story sometime around 2005 or something.
Since that day I became fascinated by the man and all pilots in general. My record shows that I did normal in school but I was a real nerd. I could have skipped a grade or two but I slacked off on purpose. Anyway, I began to research and study the Air Force and planes, anything to keep fueling my interest. I became obsessed with the art of flying. That was not what motivated me to become a pilot though. It was my entire life experience that led to it. I was always the outcast, by myself my entire life. I felt so out of place in the world, like I would never be accepted. Flying seemed like a way to break free, and seeing how Cipher was able to be no one on the ground then a demon lord in the sky I saw a chance. I wanted that, to be feared and respected in the sky and then fade away to nothing when I was not in the sky. Cipher and myself gave me the motivation to fly with a purpose.
My uncle and I lived together getting money from where we could for the next two years. Ever since my grandfather died I developed an anger problem and was quick to lash out. I was always picked on in school because mostly of my eyes. What kind of a person has red eyes? I guess when your different you get singled out and beat up. But after the war I fought back. I had never cared what others thought and it was added with the loss of my only parenting figure. In doing so I was expelled three times and had multiple problems with teachers. My entire school experience would be summed up with the word isolation. I was anti-social and a dark kid. But not emo or that crap. I was dark and brooding but not stupid enough to inflict pain on myself. My outlook on life was always grim and my personality was nonexistent. I never conversed with anyone and was the quietest one in school. When I did talk it was always to the point, no point in small talk, it got everyone nowhere. I was often labeled as a demon, and I kinda liked it. And I got used to it.
It wasn't until my uncle was eighteen that we moved back to Osea. He wanted to go to college there but after a year he dropped out. He was offered a scholarship at a university in Usea, the other side of the world, when he was twenty and he left but made sure I was financially supported. He was reluctant to leave me but I insisted that he shouldn't feel the need to give up opportunity just because of me. He was in North Point during the time of the war in 2005. I heard reports that he had died, that and he never contacted me again. I was alone after that, though, I suppose I was always alone. Death seemed to follow me like a lost dog. After that I really did feel like a demon. Born out of hate and misery, set to plunge the world in fire. I think I read that in a religious book or something, but I digress. After the war in Usea I was all alone, just me and my demons.
Also, growing up I realized I was very different. I would never show off my emotions to others and I almost never interacted well with others. But probably my biggest difference was in my mind. You know that there are some kids who believe themselves bigger than others because they lack a specific emotion like a conscience or happiness. I was not like them. They would fake it until the need arrived. For me, the emotion missing was fear and I couldn't fake that. I had not once in my life experienced fear. I was never afraid, when people asked me what I was afraid of and I said nothing everyone thought I was lying to look tough. It was no lie, I truly did not fear anything. I could die and I still wouldn't be afraid. I suppose it went fitting with my life. The fear of death was never on my mind. Fear of being nothing was not there. Fear of failing didn't exist. Fear of others never happened. And fear for others didn't come to me.
During high school I had often voiced my desire to be an ace pilot and was repeatedly put down for it. Especially by adults. They told me I needed to do something realistic, something that I could actually see myself doing. And yet they got mad when I told them off. I set out to prove everyone wrong.
After I had graduated I had a number of odd jobs while I saved up to go to the Air Force academy. I realized it would take a few years of school in order to fly but that was alright, after all I graduated valedictorian of my high school class. I was a little smart. Probably more than I give myself credit for.
Finally in 2008 I was accepted into the Osean Air Force Academy. I had a hard time getting in, not because of my qualifications but because of my race. My father and grandfather were full blooded Oseans, however, from what my grandpa said my mother was half Belkan and half Usea. FCU, or Federation of Central Usea to be specific. Even though I was only one fourth Belkan it was enough to question my loyalty. I had no love for Belka. I despised them all, they were nothing but cowards in my eyes. But I eventually just left out the fact I was a little Belkan and I got accepted. The starting point to my life as an ace.
After several months of training in a classroom I was sent off to Heierlark Air Force Base. It was a base located in South Belka or North Osea as it was now called. But to me, and most residents there, it was still South Belka. It gave the eerie feeling like it was too.
I wasn't the most favored trainee going through the academy. I was quiet which some mistook for shy and I didn't want to be close to anyone in particular. Again, I was an outcast, but I was used to it. Besides, I was better than all of them at flying. I had natural flying skills, unhuman like reaction timing, and a quick calculating mind that helped in dogfights. The high ranking officers and training staff so my potential but could see the disrespect for leadership I coveted. I wouldn't be afraid to voice my opinion when I felt something was wrong or an order was obviously FUBAR. It wasn't that I hated everyone who gave me an order, you had to earn my respect first. And so far not one person had earned that respect.
Until I met them…
First was her.
It was towards the end of September 2009 and my training unit had a fighter simulation. I was not familiar with the other trainees in my unit as I avoided all social activities or the chance to go out with the group. Also, they had all avoided me like I was a disease. Was it my name? My eyes? Or the fact that I could shoot practically anyone down? I never knew.
We were paired up with a wingman and were put against another pair. My wingman was the loud Alvin H. Davenport. If only I knew I would be seeing him more often. We were all awaiting our turn while he was talking my ear off about the hot trainees that he was going to get with. When the topic turned to music however he caught my interest. I didn't let him know at the time but we both were Rock and Rollers. Instead I sat quietly half listening.
"Alvin Davenport and Blaze Michael." The officer called our names. We both adjusted our gear and got set up in the simulator. Every time I ever got into the cockpit of a plane, simulation or not, I had a sort of good luck ritual. I never believed in luck as I was the most unlucky person in the world. But when it came to this it was special. I would take out the dog tags of Cipher and hold a moment of silence, then I would do the cross symbol as a sign of asking forgiveness, though I doubt I received any, and finally placed it in the pocket over my heart. It was a tribute to Cipher, my grandfather, and God that I would not fail them each time I got into a plane.
I never did catch the names of who we were up against but it really didn't matter to me. In terms of scores I was one of the lowest trainees in our group but when it came to the actual flying and dogfights, I had yet to be shot down and I always won. I had heard that another in our group had the same statistics but I didn't pay attention.
The simulator started and we flew straight on. I had Alvin check the radar while I checked the visuals. We didn't make contact for a few minutes. Then the two dots popped up somehow already behind us. I made Alvin break off and I kept flying straight making take the bait.
Usually when I flew in a group or pairs I never thought about the wingman or other pilots but this time was different. Because of my lone wolf tactics I was singled out by officers as a waste of talent. They said I couldn't be a pilot because I couldn't learn to work in a formation. This time though, I would prove them wrong. My motives for teamwork were not because of that though but because something deep inside me wanted to see if I could fit into a squad.
The two planes flew behind me and got a lock. I hit the acceleration as hard as I could and made simple moves to make it appear as though I was trying to shake them. Over the radio I was telling Alvin when the best time to strike was. I waited until both planes were right on me then I stopped my evasion. Alvin slid in behind them and fired at one. The other then fired at me and I cut the engines making my plane stall.
I flipped the plane over and darted towards the ground. The missile lost me when I made the daring move to stall. I looked on the radar to see that Alvin had taken out the one he targeted but the other was on him faster than I recovered. I gave the pilot props for not taking me, the bait, again and instead going after my wingman. I floored it and flew right behind the enemy plane as I heard Alvin yelling about how he was locked on. I quickly got a lock and fired just as fast.
I was stunned when the plan barrel rolled narrowly avoiding the missile. I turned off and followed. The pilot was really good. They were mirroring my every move and dropped their speed making it so when I got the plane in a lock I wouldn't have time to shoot before they were gone. Alvin tried to trail behind but he was left in the dust, the way I saw it was that it was me and the other pilot.
After a few tricky moves the pilot was somehow able to come up behind me. When I heard my warning systems go off I broke off and went straight to the sky. The acceleration and height was almost too much but I held my own as the pilot quickly followed but was left way back. When I almost hit the ceiling height I flipped the plane and shot like a bullet for the enemy plane.
It was about to be a high speed collision. In my mind I quickly calculated that a missile wouldn't be fast enough so I disregarded the lock on I had. When I was almost in range I heard the faint sounds of bullets flying past me. The other pilot had already started firing their guns. I squeezed the trigger and let out a hail of my own gunfire. If you didn't know it is very difficult to aim at such high speeds and elevation, it makes the bullets trajectory impossible to guess.
I heard damage systems say my plane was hit but I knew I scored a few hits as well. It was only a matter of milliseconds until one of us broke off or hit each other. But neither of us backed down. We kept the same course straight at each other and firing our guns at full force something had to give, and it did.
Finally, within a few hundred feet off each other, the other pilot's plane erupted into flames but it was too late for me. I was going too fast at the plane and I was too close to move. I crashed into the enemy plane blowing both of our planes out of the sky.
In a way we had both taken out each other but I had always counted it as me crashing instead of getting shot down. The simulator shut down and I exited. When I got out and took off my helmet I noticed Alvin coming over to congratulate me.
"Damn fine flying Blaze! That was a kick ass move!" He said slapping me on the back.
"It was nothing." I brushed off and headed towards the officer for the results. "I died anyway." I reminded him.
"Yeah but you went out in a blaze of glory, no pun intended." He laughed at his own little joke and I just frowned. When I got to the training officer he was already displeased and told me so.
"Blaze, you flew recklessly endangering yourself and your wingman several times. Not to mention that stunt at the end there." I rolled my eyes. Lectures were all the same and I heard them all. "But you did win the match since your wingman survived. Which is a first for you." He grumbled. Next to me Alvin nudged me and laughed. I rolled my eyes and kept my attention on the instructor. He was about to continue his little lecture when the fighter from the other pair walked up.
The pilot still had their mask on and bulky flight gear so I didn't know what was coming. I noted how the pilot was shorter than me though that was normal since I was five eleven, abnormally tall for pilots. Most pilots were usually under five nine. I was the exception along with Alvin. Did you know he had to have his planes specially designed to fit him? Anyway back to the moment. The officer noticed the pilot walk up and he perked up a bit. "Ah, Nagase, you did great as usual. Don't let the loss get you down, this guy is one of the best dogfighters in training." I looked at the officer and raised a brow in confusion. He had never complemented me before this.
The pilot sighed and pulled off the helmet. My eyes widened when the person under the helmet was not male but a woman. A woman with soft kind features who looked like she couldn't hurt a fly. You may have heard that line before. She had the biggest most amazing eyes I had ever seen. Her small pink lips opened for a fraction of a second before she tightened them in her effort to glare at me. She may have had a soft, sweet face but she could turn it into a glare that would make Colonel Perrault cry. Still, I let my gaze wonder over her face in amazement. Would you believe that she was the first girl I had ever taken the time to actually admire? Well, admire her looks that is, face wise.
But her soft features left as she glared at the officer then me. "I guess I didn't do great enough." She said sourly. I tilted my head at her hostility. It seemed like she was on guard due to her being, well, a her. She looked back at me and her face turned into confusion. She was looking at me the way I looked at her until something changed. She was staring into my eyes with a perplexed look. I then remembered my distinct eyes and scowled deeply.
"Good fight." I said angrily. I didn't like how I was acting and wanted to get out of that room. I extended my hand to shake hers expecting her to refuse.
I was surprised when her eyes hardened into a glare to match my own. She thrust her hand forward and we gave a bitter handshake. We still interlocked hands as a small smirk came to her lips. "Next time you won't get so lucky." She said.
I looked at her shocked then removed my hand, roughly, and stormed off. I went off to my quarters to let my anger cool and I went back over that moment. Usually no one would get me all riled up like that but she was different. The way her soft innocent features conflicted with her harsh attitude got to me. The only thing I could compare it to is if I were to become some sort of emotional sap mixed in with my demon appearance.
Those of you who know the story shut up, it is not foreshadowing. Maybe…
She had the looks of an innocent girl yet she could turn her face into a scowl that would scare off most men. She even stared back at me and was not intimidated in the slightest. Lastly, she shook my hand and even squeezed it with great strength. I could tell she was a fighter and that she didn't take anything from anyone. And from then on she had a little respect from me.
That, and my curiosity.
Kei Nagase
I remember that day.
I had grown up in a family of military. My father was an officer in the army and my mother was a pilot as well. They both had retired by the time I was fourteen and expressed their dislike for me to join the military. But I defied them and strived to become a pilot.
I had always found peace in the sky. Even in battle there was harmony in the way of flying. He taught me that.
I had entered the Air Force training and was met with mixed feelings. People always looked down on me because I was a girl or they looked at me too much because I was a girl. I had something to prove and so I did. I had developed a harsh personality due to the excessive attention I got. If anyone was going to be my friend or at least be around me than they had to get through my strong defense.
So far none had. I was constantly reminded how I was good to look at but impossible to be around. I liked to keep it that way. I wasn't looking for some wannabe tough guy to tell me sweet nothings so I would give the cold shoulder to all that tried. I guess it worked because after months at the academy I was left alone.
Though I did have something to prove. That beneath the sweet looks and tough personality that I could be a great pilot. And I proved just that. On almost every test I was placed at the top. That is except for the flight simulation and real flight tests. There was one name that was always above mine on those. Blaze. It confused me because on all the other tests he was dead last.
I had yet to fly against, or even with, him yet until that day.
I was angry as I exited the simulator. Frustrated that he had beaten me. Well, by a couple milliseconds. He did crash into my already wasted plane. In my mind I had taken him down, no matter what he said.
I was about to take off my helmet when I saw the other two pilots approach the training officer. I smirked and kept my helmet on, thinking this would be funny. When I walked up I noticed the scolding that the one in front was getting. That must have been Blaze. I heard how most of the officers never really liked him.
When I walked up the officer saw me and tried to give me praise. Underneath my helmet I was disgusted. Most officers did that since I was a girl and they had some weird fantasy or whatever.
I sighed and took off my helmet shaking my hair out a little. When I opened my eyes I saw the faint expression of surprise on Blaze. I turned to the officer and frowned. "I guess I didn't do great enough." I said. I was pissed that I had lost and the fact he was giving me false praise. It was worse than a lecture.
I turned to Blaze and really looked at him the first time. He was five eleven, a little tall for pilots, his face was hard from him scowling all the time. His jet hair was a normal length for men and it was in a perfect mess look slanted over to one side, looking like he kept it up with gel but it wasn't greasy. But the most notable thing about him was the eyes. His eyes were bright red like the color of a hot flame or a cherry on a cigarette. I guess I was staring for a while because his scowl became deeper. I guess he didn't like people staring at his eyes. I could sympathize with that.
"Good fight," he said in a way that meant he didn't think it was a good fight. I saw the fire in his glare and I returned it full force. He had his hand outstretched for a handshake which I grabbed quickly. I squeezed his hand and was disappointed when he didn't even flinch.
Then I let a small smirk form on my lips. "Next time you won't be so lucky." He was stunned by my blatant insult and withdrew his hand. He quickly turned and stormed off.
I tilted my head as he left. It was weird for him not to gawk or say smart remark. To be honest I was used to that sort of thing. And the assumption I made that day was, in fact, correct. He was not angry at me for being a woman but angry at himself for losing to anyone. And I noticed he did stare at me. But not in the way I thought at the time. He stared at me in confusion and interest. Like I was a puzzle to him. For the longest time I thought he had just stared at me like the others and it was what fueled or little rivalry during our time training. I found that our little meeting left a lot unsaid but perhaps that was for the best.
Blaze,
Then there was him.
A couple months had passed by since that small interaction I had barely seen Nagase. Which didn't matter to me at the time. In my mind she was a good pilot but she was probably too hard on herself, wanting to best everyone else like she had something to prove. Since that day we both went neck and neck with each other in every category. It was like we were top class rivals. Actually, because of her I shot to the top, or second place, in all aspects of the training next to her. We were both top class and everyone knew it. No one could touch us. We were our only competition.
Anyway I had been in the mess hall eating lunch in the dark corner of the room and alone, as usual. I had overheard that everyone was going out to a local bar to celebrate the small week leave we had.
I didn't have any plans but I wasn't going to go to some bar. So I was going to probably going to hang back as usual. That was until him…
I hear movement to the side of me and look over. Big bad boy Alvin H. Davenport had decided to grace me with his presence. Alvin had a tendency to shoot his mouth off when he felt something shouldn't be going on. It wouldn't even have to be about him. If someone was being unfairly treated by an officer Alvin would be the first to voice his opinion, quite loudly too.
He was tall and had the natural shape of a body builder. His face reminded me a little of Elvis Presley, the hair too. But one thing I liked instantly about him was the fact he never said anything about my eyes. Because of that I could listen to him all he wanted to talk.
Which is why he always hung around me. After the wingman simulation he always came to me for tips on combat maneuvers and strategies. I didn't mind giving advice since he was almost kicked out several times. Other people often told him off for hanging around me, that it was bad luck or something. But I will quote him on this one. "Man, I don't give a damn what anyone says!" Classic.
"Blaze, can you stand this shit they feed us?" Alvin went off. He had the uncanny ability to complain about everything. He could make you depressed on a bright sunny day, his true talent.
"It's alright." I said simply. Continuing my meal.
"Yeah whatever," he said. "Did you hear about the party at the bar all the trainees are having?" He said picking at his food with his fork.
"A little." I said not looking in his direction.
"Yeah they didn't say anything directly to me either." He said leaning back. That struck me as odd because he seemed like the guy you always want to make the party go. "Bunch of jackasses." He muttered looking around. A smug grin crossed his lips and he leaned in close to me. "We should totally go and crash it."
I stopped eating and turned to look at him. "Why would I want to do that?"
His grin only got bigger. "What got something better to do?" I frowned and looked away. "Don't tell me it wouldn't be fun to just drop in and get hammered?"
The image didn't seem appealing to me but I figured that I did have nothing else better to do so what the hell? "Alright whatever."
Alvin blinked at me. "What, you serious? Damn, and here I had a list of ways to try and convince you." That was when he took out a literal list of things on a piece of paper. "I was gonna start off with showing those assholes who can really party and then final close with Nagase would be there." He said shoving the list in his pocket.
I scowled at him as he simply smiled. "Why the hell would that matter?"
Alvin laughed. "Well because that is the only female you really talked to, so unless you got a girl back home than I would say that you gotta go for the one that catches your eyes." He said looking across the room to see her at a table with other pilots.
I, however, ignored his suggestive action and looked down at my plate. "She is nothing more than another pilot in our group. That and my only competition."
He looked back at me. "Really? Sweet, then I can go for her." He said putting on a cocky smile.
I suppressed a laugh. "Yeah you wouldn't get a within a foot of her without being taken out by her fist."
"Yeah I guess you're right. Eh, whatever."
Later that night we went to the bar and everyone was pretty much shocked to see us. Well that and Alvin insisted that we wear leather jackets. We looked like a 50's movie in real life. At least Alvin did with his neatly combed hair. Alvin went off to talk to someone and I found my way to the bar. After an hour, and two beers, Alvin came back over with a giant wad of cash.
"Blaze man look what I won in a game of poker!" He said gloatingly. Funny thing about Alvin was that he was good at darts of all things. But then he couldn't hit anything in the air even with his radar. I never did quite get that.
"What are you gonna do with that?" I humored him a little.
His smirk was big as he threw the cash down on the table. "This. Bartender, keep giving us shots until this cash runs out."
The bartender quickly came up with a giant bottle and two shot glasses. Alvin took off the cap and poured two shots. He handed me one and grabbed one for himself. "Bottoms up." He quickly took the shot and downed it like nothing. He then stared at me waiting.
I looked from him to the small glass in my hand. I sighed then held it up. "Bottoms up." I repeated throwing my head back. I felt the liquid run down my throat and it burned. I wiped my mouth and coughed a little.
"Whoa Blaze, you're first shot?" Alvin asked already pouring another round.
"Yes, actually." I said reaching out for my glass.
Another hour passed and another ten shots and we found ourselves in a table at the back corner and in a drunken stupor.
"…and she broke my heart man! Totally ripped it out." Alvin went on about his high school girlfriend. I was listening while trying to keep my head straight.
"That's the second time I heard that story. But you're right, girls can be messed up." I said taking another shot. I lost count after that one.
Alvin laughed and reach for the bottle. "Yeah dude most were. Then again I don't have the best taste in women." He frowned when he found the bottle was completely empty. "Damn, well I will grab another bottle." He said trying to stand up and walk ever so slowly to the bar.
I sat and tried to find a bearing but found nothing. This was the first time I had gotten drunk in my life and it felt pretty damn good. Besides all the weird thoughts racing through my mind and the fact that I couldn't focus worth a damn. I had barely registered the person that sat down next to me by the time she started talking.
"Blaze right?" The sound of her voice made me sober up a little. Not really.
"Yeah?" I said trying my best to not look drunk. I sat up and smoothed out my wrinkled shirt. I looked over to see Nagase sitting next to me. She was wearing some normal attire just a hoodie with the Air Force insignia on it and a pair of jeans. I looked at her face and she seemed slightly flushed. Must have been drinking too. "Nagase, the only pilot to take me down. Even if it was your plane." I failed at not looking drunk. I said that mostly slurring while I waved an empty glass around in the air.
"Oh so you can finally admit it." She could have been joking, or not. I was seeing two of her at that point. One looked angry and one looked happy.
"I admit that you know how to position your plane after you got shot down. That's all." I said attempting to take another shot but remembered there was nothing in my glass. I put it down and reminded myself it was empty.
She tried to glare at me but her eyes showed the humor in them. I think. "Well I did take you out."
I laughed at that. It was an honest laugh too and it felt good. "Because of physics." I pointed out.
"Well yes but that aside it was a tie." She said giving a small smile.
I couldn't resist the urge to argue with that. "If I hadn't shot you down first."
Her smile didn't waiver. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
I found myself wanting to admit something to her but I didn't know why. Maybe it was the drinks again. I looked down at the ground and rubbed the back of my head. "Hey Nagase, I've noticed you're the only girl in our training group."
That was when the Nagase on the left glared at me. Or both of her glared at me. I don't remember, I was seeing two of her. "So?" I may have hit a touchy subject. But that meant she was strong about it. Another admiring quality.
"So, you sure know how to make all the boys here cry." I laughed a little at my own joke but saw her confusion through all those bright lights. I swear it was like someone brought the sun in that bar. Too bright. "I mean you can kick all their asses in the air or on the ground. Bet they don't take that too kindly."
Her lips twitched until her glare was gone and replaced by another small smile. "I suppose. I'm not one to pay attention to other pilots though." She said keeping her calm tone. Her voice sounded so soft too.
"That's good. You're better than they are. All of them. You have more of a passion for flying. I've seen it." Okay so the drinks made me reveal that I notice her a lot more than I let on. But hell, she was my only true competition here.
"What?" She said not quite getting what I was saying. I'm not sure if I understood it at the time.
"You fly perfectly. Everything is perfected and smooth. No jumpy movements or overcorrected turns. You are by far the best pilot I have seen. Well besides myself. I don't think you could ever beat me in the combat simulation." I was still kinda there so when I realized what I said I turned my head away from her and scowled again. I was revealing too much.
A long silence occurred and I couldn't see that she was thinking hard on what I had said. I was too busy trying to control my senses and get back my sanity. That was it no more drinks. I turn into the opposite of what I really am. After a while I heard her speak up. "Well, thanks. I guess."
I turned to her and blinked trying to see her clearly. "Don't mention it."
She was about to say something when a commotion occurred at the other side of the bar. I looked over to see Alvin in the middle of it. I shook my head and stood up. "Sorry Nagase, but I got to go see what's up." She nodded but didn't say a word.
I walked over to see Alvin surrounded by a few other trainee pilots. One I recognized as someone Alvin constantly quarreled with. This was not going to be good. "You know you've got a real mouth on you Davenport. If you're not careful it will get you into a situation that you can't get out of." He said. Alvin just smirked at him.
"Hey at least I can put actions behind my words. All you guys just act like you're back in high school with all you're gossiping like a couple of cheerleaders." He turned to another one. "Didn't know you girls can be out on a school night. Does your dad know you guys are out late?"
Oh no. Alvin was getting deeper. I made my way to stand next to him. "Hey guys back off." I said standing in between Alvin and the other pilots.
"Yeah you heard the man back off." Alvin assisted. I looked at him and frowned.
"Yeah watch out guys he brought back up. We're scared now." One said feigning fear. Oh these guys were going to get it.
"Why don't you come over here and then you'll be scared." Alvin said taking a step forward. I held up my hand and pushed him back a bit. I thought I could still avoid this from happening.
"Why don't you shut your mouth Chopper?" One guy said.
Alvin and I stopped and looked at each other. We looked back at the guy who said that. "Chopper? What was that supposed to be an insult?" He said laughing. He laughed.
"I've had enough of your stuff Davenport!" The other said as he began going at Alvin. I stepped in front and the guy grabbed my shoulder and pushed me out of the way. I was still drunk and didn't anticipate this so I flew into another guy who pushed me off him and threw his fist in my face. Then it was over. I saw red, blood red.
I recovered quick and swung across my body hitting him square in the jaw. The guy was huge too, he must have been six foot three, but he dropped just like that. Alvin saw this and advanced on the guy that was coming at him and started swinging. And I have to admit, for his size he had quick punches.
It turned into a full brawl. It was Alvin and me against five, not including the guy I knocked out in one hit. It started turning ugly as I had taken out another and I had one on the ground and kept smashing my fist into his face. Someone started to grab me from behind and yelled my name. I barely registered it until that same person grabbed my shoulder hard and planted a fist on my cheek. I fell over from the blind sided blow but jumped back up to see that it was Nagase. "What the hell was that for?" I asked rubbing my cheek.
"Do you want to get thrown out of the academy? The bartender call the cops and they're on their way. Go and I'll cover for you." She said giving me a hard look.
My anger started to slowly release and I looked over at Alvin. He was currently fighting his second guy as the first was on the ground with a broken nose most likely. I looked back at Nagase and gave her a nod. She returned it so she knew I was thanking her.
Still to this day I don't know why she helped me out. She could have just let the cops get us and then I would have been kicked out of the academy and she wouldn't have to worry about competing with me. At the time it made even less sense. Why would she help me of all people out? It was not like I deserved it. I haven't done anything worthy of being saved by her. And that meant all the times in the future too.
I rushed over to Alvin and stopped the fight he was currently in. "We gotta go. Cops are coming." I told him quickly. The guy he was fighting heard that and quickly bolted out. Alvin looked unsatisfied but turned back to me.
"Alright let's head out the back." He said rushing out. I quickly followed.
We went outside into the freezing cold and ran down the street until we were out of breath. We sat on a bench waiting for a cab Alvin had called for. We were still a little drunk and laughing about the fight.
"Yeah man he got a few good hits in before I dropped him." Alvin said wiping the blood from his jaw. He had a cut lip a swollen eye and a big bruise on his cheek. I had gotten pretty beaten up as well. My eye was hurting, and would probably be black tomorrow, a fat lip and a big cut on my cheek from Nagase. Damn she could hit. "But hey we won the fight!" He said proudly.
"Yeah," I agreed. "Hey you're pretty quick with your fists." I said leaning back. "And your mouth." I added.
"That's what everybody says." He laughed. He looked at his swollen knuckles. "I just love talking you know? When someone else isn't then I guess I will." He let out a sigh. "I just hate silence."
I looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Good, because I'm not one for talking."
He looked at me and grinned. "See, we were destined to be friends."
I smiled. "Yeah, even if we get kicked out now."
He frowned and nudged me. "Come on Blaze, nobody is gonna tell on us. We're cool." He said.
A moment of silence passed and it was only a matter of time until he broke it.
And he did. "Chopper? Was that really all they could come up with?"
"I guess, they didn't do a whole lot of thinking tonight."
"Yeah, they should have never crossed us." He said.
"I suppose."
"But what do you think about that name? Seriously, Chopper, wouldn't be a bad call sign."
I turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Call sign? What are you talking about?"
"You know, when we get our wings and are assigned to a squadron we get call signs in place of our names. What's yours gonna be?"
I shrugged. I hadn't really thought about that. "Blaze I suppose. It's already a nickname in its own right and I don't really liked to be called by anything else."
"That's a good one. Blaze is a lucky name. Rare, but lucky."
"Whatever you say." I looked back out at the road and smirked. "Chopper."
But he smiled and nodded. "Chopper, I like it. Hey Blaze call me Chopper from now on." He said as he extended his hand to me.
I looked at it then him and smiled. "Alright Chopper." I shook his hand.
From then on me and Alvin, or Chopper, were friends. I never really had a friend growing up and I always needed to watch my own back but now, I knew he had my back and I would have his.
That was how I met them.
That is the beginning of our story.
Fin.
A/N: So this chapter was backstory mostly. It was really hard for me to craft a character we all know nothing about. But from thinking gamewise I started with Blaze's personality. Which is he is smart but does not agree with those in command of him. He probably did have a thick wall over himself that took time for the squad to break through but judging from the game Chopper really gets along with Blaze in the first missions so I thought it would be fun for the two to have a history dating back to training. Also through the game Blaze seems to be emotionally unattached to everyone but his squad, then again he doesn't talk.
Oh and yeah if you didn't guess there may be a future pairing. But don't worry it won't happen for a loooooooooooooooooooong time. In the meantime Edge can't really count as Blaze's friend, the two will share a complex relationship er, friendship in the beginning that only solidifies when Blaze is captain or before that. Until then it will be sort of respect out of a rivalry sort of thing. I will explain later.
And I thought it be best for Blaze's name to be well Blaze. After all it fits and his red eyes are an added bonus to his personality and past and to his demon status. As for Blaze's past I needed it to be… tragic. As for his meet with Cipher I find some fics that involve his direct bloodline relationship with Cipher, not believable. So I had a small meet between the two Aces of Aces very motivating for Blaze. Basically a small cameo for him if you squint hard enough. Blaze's last name is a reference to the guardian angel Michael as I see Blaze as a contrast of a guardian angel and a demon. If you don't like his back story or anything about Blaze please again let me know in the kindest way possible. There is a difference between constructive criticism and insulting. Oh, and if you didn't know I said that his hair was jet which means black. People that say jet black hair are basically calling it black black hair so I dropped it and just put jet. So his hair is black or jet. You learn something new everyday.
And always reviews are appreciated and welcome because if you don't let me know if it's good or bad I don't know how to fix it or leave it as is. Thank you for reading and be ready for the next chapter.
