|Izunako|

"Izunako..." Someone spoke my voice. The voice was female and soothing. "Izunako." The voice was harsher. "Wake up!" my sister said to me, shaking me so i would wake up.

"Oh. Hey Remi…" i said sleepily to her agitated face.

"You're 15. I shouldn't have to wake you up. Get ready and meet me outside in 5 minutes." Her voice still had its edge.

"Fine. You don't have to be so pushy about it." I quickly got ready and put on leather gauntlets. I walked outside with a half-awake Mari trailing behind me. "Alright, what is it?"

Remi had both hands behind her back and was grinning. She held out a light broadsword to me and said, "Cobalt-infused steel. Light broadsword."
I took it with its sheath and put it over my shoulder. "I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say a thing. You're my younger brother and I love you." Remi hugged me warmly as Mari lazily did the same. Remi let go and handed me something else. It was an application for the MDF.

"The MDF? Don't you work there?" I asked my older sister.

"Yeah. It pays pretty well too, depending on your rank. I'm a rank 3 Medic."

"What about Callie?!" I asked quickly.

"She's applying too. I heard that some people have to share rooms together…" Remi said playfully, winking at me. I turned away with my face red.

"Whatever. I don't even like her." These words hurt to say. "When can I start?"

"You can start whenever you can." Mari seemed to have fallen asleep on my shoulder and I held her. "Eh…"

I went off and completed the application for the MDF. I met up with Callie a week later.

|Callie|

I had to get ready quickly and join my brother as we walked to Izunako's house. "I don't know how I'm going to say this to him…"

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Tell him what?"

"That I didn't make it into the MDF…"

"Don't worry. He won't mind. He doesn't really like you, so why would he care?"

I blushed and said back, "Yeah… he doesn't…"

I saw Izunako with his back turned to me. He turned slightly and I saw the glint of fire in his eye. I launched myself into the air using a weak ice platform. It drained me and I waited for the familiar feel of the ground. It never came. I opened my eyes and was met with the fiery orange of Izunako's. His expression was cold externally, but I could feel the warm happiness in the way he held me. "How's it going, Cal?" He set me down gently.

"Good I guess…" I turned away, blushing furiously. I looked over at Joshua. He seemed to be flirting with Remi. "Izu, I think Josh is trying to flirt with your sister…"

"Hell no!" He snarled, running over and attempting to tackle Joshua. Joshua stopped him and flung Izunako into a tree. Remi ran over to him and picked him up. He moaned slightly.

"Get out of here, Joshua." Remi told my brother coldly. "You hurt him." He left quickly.

"Izunako…" I called to him quietly.

"Yeah?" He replied faintly.

"I didn't make it. I'm not in the MDF." His face went cold.

"I knew it. I knew you were too soft to make it." He laughed harshly.

Remi took him to be healed, as Joshua broke a few of his ribs. She carried Izunako back to his room, where he slept for a few hours. I laid with him and made sure he was safe. I needed to protect him, even when I wasn't there. I traced the scar on his jaw with my finger and shuddered at the memory of it.

|Izunako|

I woke up late at night to find Callie's sleeping form next to me. I smiled. She seemed to be having a pleasant dream, as she smiled throughout her sleep. I reached out and cupped her cheek with my hand, and she looked towards me. "Hi Izunako…"

"H-hi…" I could feel the warmth creeping into my face. "I have a question for you Callie…"

She lifted her head slightly and said, "What is it?"

"Callie…" it was hard to say it. It was hard to say what I wanted to say for a year. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

She stayed silent for about 15 minutes until she told me. "No… It's not that I don't like you… I kind of do… It's just that keeping this together will be kind of hard with us being apart so much…"

I flipped into my side and turned away from her. "Damn it…" my voice was filled with restrained anger.

"You have to go in tomorrow to get your rank… I'll come with you." Callie placed a hand over mine. "It will be a last goodbye. Maybe you'll meet someone special while you work there."

I sighed and tried to fall back asleep, terrified for the moment when we have to leave each other forever.

"The adventure begins…"