"September 12th 2007 6:00 A.M. (Military Calender)
"WHAT WENT WRONG?!" Councilor Harridge demanded as he slammed his fist down on the table.
"I don't know councilor. The two battleships exploded from some new enemy weapon or magic. Maybe we have been going about this the wrong way. Maybe we should try a different tactic." General Basil replied. "Yeah, something that is a lot smaller, quieter, like a surgeon. In and out without being noticed."
"And what exactly do you have in mind General?"
"A strike at the heart of Tristian. A strike at their queen. Getting loyal troops into the country unnoticed is easy enough, so long as they have proper covers. Yes, I think that a team of 40 or so loyal troops, trained and equipped to sneak into the Royal Castle and either take their Queen hostage or kill her, would be able to complete their mission."
"What? Are you insane? We can't attack a member of royalty!"
"Why not? If we take or kill her then Tristian will be a headless country, invading it would be easy!"
"Because its, its, its never been done before!"
"There's always a first time for everything, right?"
Tristian Academy of Magic
"Pull!"
Crack! Crack! Crack!
"Pull!"
Crack! Crack! Crack!
"Ok thats enough for today. Whats the kitchen serving for dinner tonight Saito?"
Steve pulled the empty STANAG clip from his M16 rifle. He put clip in his back pocket and started walking towards the mess hall.
"Something with fish I think. " Saito said as he grabbed the remaining clay pigeons that weren't shot.
"So its some type of fancy smancy noble food? Remind me to head to the kitchen and teach Marto how to make a cheeseburger and french fries. I'm dying for a taste of home right now!"
"Come on, the food here isn't that bad."
"No, its not but still, I would kill someone for a Big Mac and a Coke right now."
The two entered the mess hall which was just beginning to fill with students. They both took a seat at the end of the far left table, closest to the door.
"God damn, this gets boring." Steve said.
"What gets boring?" Saito asked as servants started putting food onto their plates.
"This place, this world, everything. I am a trained soldier, I should be out defending my country."
"You did, you helped stop and invasion like only a week or so ago."
"I meant MY country, the United States of America."
"Yeah yeah, quit bitching about it Do you think I don't miss Japan?"
"Well, you did give up your like one and only chance of going back. So probably not."
"I do miss Japan, but I made a sacrifce for Louise, who really-"
"- doesn't treat you the way you deserve to be treated. I mean really, up until a few days ago we weren't even allowed to eat at this table, and the only reason we are eating here is because Henrietta wrote down on a sheet of paper that we were "worthy" of eating with and like nobles. Whoopee."
"Can't you ever say anything positive?"
"Positive? Ok, how about, umh, lets see, umh, oh! Montmorency has a very nice bow in her hair. There, that positive?"
"That's the same bow she always wears, man."
"Now who's being negative huh?"
"Interesting conversation as always lover." Kirche said as she sat down next to Saito.
"Um, Kirche, I don't think what you are doing is a good idea." Saito said in weak protest.
"Why not?"
"Because, well, I don't think Louise would appreciate you sitting next to me."
"Oh come on, nothing will happen, my love."
Ok, Steve thought to himself, this has gone on long enough.
"Kirche, can you please leave, if not for the sake of Saito but for my own."
"Why would what me and Saito do affect you Steve?"
"Because I have to share a room with Louise and Saito, a small room. And when Louise gets pissed and tries to blow Saito up I get caught in the blast as well. I didn't survive 6 months in Iraq and the invasion of Diminity just to get blown up by a really short, temperamental 16 year old girl."
"Who is a really short, temperamental 16 year old girl?" Louise hissed behind Steve's back.
"Oh! Umm, Louise, how long have you been standing their?" Steve said nervously. He knew this wasn't good.
"Long enough to hear you insult me."
"Yeah well I, um I was explaining to Kirche that... Hey look! Dinners here! Lets eat!"
Steve was saved by the fact that the servent who was tending their table had finally reached them and started serving their dinner.
"God damn that was a close one." He thought to himself. "I wonder why she gets pissed so easily? Genetics? A bad upbringing?"
Steve turned his attention back to the dinner, Salmon Filet something or other. Whoo hoo.
"Taste good enough. But it still don't compare to burgers or steak on the grill" He thought after he took a bite. "Maybe I can show the chef hear how to make it but God knows these nobles would shout in protest if they found out they were eating commoner food."
After dinner everyone was free to do what they wanted, most people hung around their friends in little clusters in the main hall. Saito was of somewhere with Louise.
"Hmm, so boring here. All I can do is sit and watch children talk amongst themselves, woo hoo." Steve thought to himself. "This is what people did for entertainment in the old days? Fuck this. Jack has Halo on his laptop and I never beat it on Legendary."
So Steve pulled the little Alienware laptop out of his back pack and started up the game. In ten minutes he was shooting Elites in the head with the games overpowered pistol and tearing through groups of Grunts with the assault rifle. Things were starting to feel more like home. Except that feeling was interupted when he noticed that there was a small crowd beginning to form around him. They had never seen a computer or a video game before. Under the pressure of watchful eyes and Halo: Combat Evolved on Legendary Steve finally snapped.
"Da fuck ya'll lookin' at?!"
This was followed by a period of awkward silence, until finally one member of the crowd broke it.
"What did you say?"
"I said, da fuck ya'll lookin' at?"
"I would appreciate it if you didn't use words such as that commoner."
"Ok, first of all I can say whatever I want, its my God given right as an American citizen, second of all you can kiss my ass, this game is hard and its pissing me off!"
"You have the courage to disrespect a noble?"
"Damn right I have the balls to disrespect a noble. What are you going to do about it?"
"I, I challenge you to a duel."
"A duel? Listen kid-"
"Guiche de Gramont."
"What the fuck ever. I don't duel. Besides I wouldn't want to hurt you."
"Are you all talk and no bite commoner?"
"Ok thats it, where and when?"
"The courtyard, ten minutes from now."
The kid left and Steve snapped the laptop shut violently, he was pissed. He decided to walk straight to the courtyard. He didn't need his rifle, he didn't want to kill the kid. Steve started stretching in the courtyard while he waited for the kid, what was his name? Oh yeah Guiche to arrive. After two minutes the kid arrived and stood about ten feet away, faced him and said.
"Are you prepared?"
"Just say the word."
Steve bent down into a boxing stance. The kid Guiche just laughed and waved his wand, causing the dirt to form a suit of armor. Steve just stared at the thing, then, with lightning speed it was in his face, its hand ready to bash his skull in. He fell backwards onto his ass becuase of the surprise but, however ungraceful it was it did save him from a nasty hit because the mass of steel missed by a few inches. Steve rolled to the right, drawing his pistol while he did. After rolling far enought away he jumped to his feet and aimed his pistol. But the armor was too fast, in less than a second he had to dive to the left to avoid a hard knee to the chest. Guiche laughed as Steve squirmed like an ant under a magnifiying glass.
"It seems you are all talk, I haven't even been trying and you still haven't been able to attack."
"Your ass is mine!" Steve yelled as he dove under the armors legs. His plan was to run straight for Guiche and put his size twenty four foot up Guiche's ass. But before he even got close the armor was in his face again and this time delivered a hard kick to the chest, sending Steve flying backwards, breathless.
"If you give in now I will stop. Embrace your cowardice and give up." Guiche taunted.
"Screw you!" Steve yelled as he stood up. This was getting ridiculus. Steve raised his pistol and fired three shots as fast as he could into the armors head. The armor however, continued to walk slowly towards him.
"My valkyrie is unable to be damaged by such a puny attack. Please, give up before you get really hurt."
"Up yours!"
Steve decided to end this once and for all. He ran as fast as he could away from the armor, but it kept catching up. He took a punch the the kidney, and one more to the side of his head. But he kept running until his back was up against the courtyard wall.
"No where to run. How about giving up before I have to kill you?"
"Go fuck yourself."
The armor raised its fist and then threw it as hard as it could. Steve closed his eyes, but opened them. For some reason everything was moving in slow motion when he opened them. He could see the fist coming slowly closer. He let his knees buckle and give way and he dropped, in slow mo, to the ground where he raised his pistol yet again. This time he aimed for Guiche's arm and fired the remaining three rounds in the magazine. Again, everything proceeded in slow motion, he could see the slide of the pistol cycling back in forth, the empty cartridges flying through the air, and then finally, Guiche grab his left arm in pain. After seeing Guiche grab his arm things started running normal speed again. The armor quickly collapsed into a pile of dirt and Guiche was screaming bloody murder. Steve sat on the ground for a minute then he got up and went to Guiche.
"Let me see your arm."
"No!"
"Let me see it or I kill you"
Steve pointed the pistol at Guiche's head. Guiche, finally realizing that he had lost, complied. Steve grabbed the arm and looked at the wound. All three shots had passed throught the upper arm, missing the bone.
"Its only a flesh wound, you will be fine." He then turned to the crowd which was still watching in awe. "One of you go get medical attention."
He then turned his attention back to Guiche. He ripped the arm of Guiche's coat and tied it tightly around his arm above the wound. He then ripped some more fabric from his own shirt and tied it tightly around the wound itself, putting firm pressure on it. After a few minutes an nurse finally arrived. Steve explained what had happened and how Guiche was hurt. The nurse then levitated Guiche and took him to the infirmary. As the nurse left, Louise and Saito entered the courtyard.
"What happened here?" Saito asked.
"Oh nothing, me and Guiche had a disagreement. Its settled."
"Guiche? When did he get back, he was in the military wasn't he?" Louise asked.
"Well apparently not" Saito said "What did you two get in a disagreement over?"
"Oh its nothing. Its all settled. Anyways, where were the two of you? Off doing something special together?" Steve said smugly.
"For your information we were at the Principals office. We have recieved orders from the Queen to be a part of her royal gaurd when school is suspended for the summer."
"Ok, and when is that?"
"Actually, I don't know. Louise?"
"School will be suspended in two weeks."
"Two weeks? That would make it, lets see, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, September 26th. You get out of school during the fall?" Steve said in astonishment.
"September? What is this September?" Louise asked.
"Its the name of a month in our world." Saito answered "So it must be September back home in my world. Normally I would be in school right now but, thank god for that. So far thats been the only benefit of being here. No school."
"You know what, its been a long day. How about we all head to bed?" Steve finally said after a period of silence.
"Yeah, I am a little tired too." Louise said. "Besides, we might need the rest, I got a feeling tomorrow is going to be a big day."
