Chapter 3 Getting Acquainted
"Yo, Doc! Where are ya?" Badman and I entered the medic's tent with Karen at my heels. The first thing that greeted me as I entered the tent was the strangest scent. It smelled like rotting flesh, mixed with some kind of air freshener, and hints of gunpowder. It didn't help that the moaning of the wounded steadily grew louder.
"Over here!" There was a man at the far end of the tent waving his hand towards us. It seemed like he was finished tending to one of his many patients. He walked towards us with a brisk pace and a smile.
"What's the matter, captain? You got another dead body for me to bury?" Note to self: never become a doctor if I ever get out of this alive.
"Ha, no need to be so morbid," said Badman.
"Anyway, I want to introduce to you on of my soldiers. This here," he gestured towards me as he was talking.
"Is Coln Einsbark. Kid, this is Doctor Cid Myers."
"Just call me Doc." Cid "Doc" Myers was a middle-aged man in the typical doctor's outfit, complete with a stethoscope hanging around his neck. His unusually shiny bald head was drenched in sweat. Dark pools were already forming under his listless ebony eyes. From my viewpoint, it looks like he was in dire need of a break, or a vacation.
"I was wondering if you could give him a quick check-up. He might have hit his head a little too hard on the battlefield." The doctor kneeled down so that he could start his check-up. He is dull eyes now held a brief fire to them as he focused his attention on all of my facial features. Then, he ruffled through my matted chestnut hair to see there were any bumps. Satisfied with my condition he briefly smiled before turning towards the captain.
"He's fine. Well, as fine as a kid can be in such a stressful environment, nonetheless." Badman seemed genuinely relieved at the news. I, on the contrary, remained indifferent. I don't want to become too attached to these people.
"That's great! Listen, I have to go now. Gotta plan our next move. Oh, before I forget, can you show him his tent for me, Doc?"
"Anything for a friend." He replied. With a swift "good-bye," he was gone.
"Coln, you haven't said a word since you got here. Something wrong besides the obvious?"
"No, nothing's wrong." I lied. I had so much to take in and my brain decided to take its time to soak it all up. It was somewhat frustrating.
"Alright. Look, I still have some wounded to heal so do you think you can wait for me outside the tent?" Oh, I couldn't wait to get out of that cesspool of hideous smells. I nodded in reply to his question. He gave another smile and walked off towards the sea of injured men. I picked up Karen, who was playing with the shoelaces on my boots, and walked off. When I was outside, the clouds had already parted and the sun shone a brightness that betrayed bleak events that happened not too long ago. The camp we secured was getting notably bigger by the minute as more men began setting up tents. Others were creating foxholes here and there just in case the enemy decided to retaliate. I decided to find a secluded area so that I may talk to Karen. Finding a completed foxhole, I jumped in the ditch, took off my backpack, and sat against the dirt wall.
"I feel like I just went through a shit storm. How about you, Karen?"
"The feeling is mutual." We chuckled for a while before relaxing. For an early autumn day, it was pretty cold. I held Karen a little closer to my body for extra heat.
"What's on your mind?" she asked.
"A lot, to be honest. First of all, the story that Badman told us about these two governments is a bit too simple. It feels like there should be more to it than just that tale. I was never comfortable with killing humans. Now that I know I'm in a civil war, I'm killing my fellow countrymen. The fact that Pokemon are involved in our struggles is just shit icing on this shit cake you call life. Sorry if I was ranting."
"Its okay," she said. I just hope I'm not a burden to you."
"Burden? You? That's the most absurd thing I heard all day," I brought her to my face and cuddled her. "I'm just glad to have a friend like you." She gave me a smile. It was the first time I ever saw her give such a toothy grin. I had to admit, she is really cute. Now that I think about, I don't know much about Karen. Who was her previous family? Are there any other surviving members besides her sister? That alone is debatable. Not wanting to ruin this moment, I set her down on the floor next to me. With one finger, I scratched under her chin to be rewarded with soft purr. Then, she began to nuzzle her face into my hand, enjoying the sensation of touching. All was temporarily forgotten as I started to pat her head. No wonder some people keep pets. They really do have the ability to alleviate some of your stress. After a couple of more pats, she started to yawn, showing all of her razor-sharp teeth.
"Nap time…" I said softly as I placed her on my lap. Then she curled into a tight little ball and drifted off into unconsciousness. I closed my eyes to follow suit. Nothing came. I was still awake, conscious, albeit with eyes closed. Choosing to give up and rest, I pulled out the journal I found in that building.
"Maybe this will pass the time."
Dear Diary,
Wow, it sure feels weird to be writing a diary. Anyway, the tests came back from the doctors. My wife is pregnant! Oh, I cannot wait for the joys of parenthood. Is it going to be a boy or a girl? Will my child get along well with my Pokemon? I do hope that Marduk gets along with him/her. Oh yeah, Marduk is my Luxray, in case you didn't know. He's a really sweet little kitten, despite being almost half my height on all fours! He does look somewhat intimidating, though. Anyway, I'm still so excited about the news! I'll write to you soon, Diary. I have to be there for my wife. Perhaps the subject will be different next time.
What was the diary of a soon-to-be family man doing in that office building? I turned the page to read more about this individual.
Dear Diary,
Its me again. Did I ever mention that I was a scientist? That's right! I deal in the fields of biology and medicine. I do research on all the new viruses, how it affects Pokemon and human alike, and see if I can find a cure. Its really not so bad. It pays good and the co-workers are nice. Maybe it's the fact that finding a possible cure for a disease puts pressure and people. Maybe that is what turns people away from my type of job. The only real problem is distractions. As I do my work, my mind keeps going back to my wife and future child. No matter what, I just can't stop thinking about them. Its only at home that I feel at ease. So far, it has been four months since the news of the pregnancy. Maybe we should get my wife another check-up, just to be safe. Anyway, I have to get work now. I'll write again soon.
I was hoping for something a little more entertaining. Oh well, this will have to do on those eventual sleepless nights. I closed the diary and placed in my backpack. As I began to relax with a content Karen on my lap, I see a teenager approaching me. He looked to be almost twice my age and wore the same army fatigues as everyone else. What intrigued me the most about this guy was the figure following closely next to his feet. It was a Growlithe. Huh, I thought that we don't use Pokemon to fight our wars. I decided to close my eyes and wait for his slow but imminent approach.
"There you are," he spoke in a satisfied tone. "I was looking all over for you."
"Who?" I asked, feigning idiocy.
"You."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You are the new leader of our section, aren't you?"
Now this got my attention. Of course, I kept an indifferent look on my face. "Who said anything about a section leader?" I asked, opening one eye.
"The Captain."
"Who said anything about a Captain?"
"The Commander."
"What Commander?"
"Exactly. Where the hell is our commander that sends the youth to their early graves?"
I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I'm starting to like this guy. I fully opened my eyes to meet his. "Always a pleasure to meet a friend. What's your name?"
"Joseph Damon. Everyone else just calls me 'Sloppy Joe' or just plain 'Sloppy.'"
"I assume you already know my name unless, me being section leader is a joke."
"It's no joke, sir."
"You sure about that? What's my name?"
"Section Leader Coln Einsbark, if I'm not mistaken." Damn it! When the hell was I a section leader?!
"Who appointed me to this job?"
"There is no more time for chat, sir. The Captain has asked for your presence at his tent immediately. He has a plan ready for us."
After I got my things ready and woke up Karen, we departed. The walk to the Captain's tent wasn't exactly long or eventful. But, it did give me time to think. Maybe being section leader isn't so bad. At least, now I have some authority. I'm not just any regular soldier. I just hope I'm ready to take the responsibility of this. Speaking of responsibility, why is this Growlithe here?
"Here we are, sir." Breaking out of my reverie, we opened the flaps to be greeted by a familiar sight.
"Good to see you can make it, soldier." There was something notably different about Captain Badman this time. He wasn't exactly his cheerful self and no longer referred to me as "kid."
"What's going on?" I asked.
"I've got some good news and some bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"The bad."
"We are running a little bit low on supplies. Of course, we have plenty of guns and ammo. I'm talking about fuel, rations and medicine."
"What's the good news?"
"The good news is that there is an enemy facility not too far from here. Look at the map." I stared intently at the map on the table. It was a small map of the general area between Sandgem Town and Jubilife City. According to the map, we are quite close to Jubilife City. We were situated about a little over the halfway point. To the Northeast of our area, there was a building marked "Supplies Area." It was buried deep within the forested area. There were red arrows with elongated bodies pointing here and there. Most likely, those red arrows showed the path of the enemy.
"We can raid it and get the supplies needed for the mounting assault on Jubilife City. However, there are a few setbacks."
"What are the setbacks?"
"Are casualties are steadily growing. We can't afford to lose anymore men. We still have Canalave City and the southwestern towns but that's it. The enemy is growing stronger. We have to reclaim Jubilife."
"What are you trying to say?"
"We can't really send a whole army in there and get the supplies. We already sent scouts over there to see their strength."
"Wait, are you trying to say that you are only going to send one section in there?"
"To put it bluntly, yes. I have read up on you and your squad's performance in boot camp. It seems you specialize in Stealth the most. But, because you are prodigies, you excel in almost every other area." What the hell? I didn't even get a chance to talk with my squad yet! I don't even know those people!
"Do you really expect us to succeed?"
"I haven't told you your objectives yet. Here are your orders: First of all, this is going to be a Stealth mission. Try your best to sneak inside the facility. Second, fill your backpacks with all the supplies it can hold. As of right now, medical supplies are your top priority. If you can find the food, that's great. Fuel can wait at the moment. If anyone spots you, take them out immediately before they call the alarm. I will specially equip all of you with silenced weapons and smoke grenades. Six of you will be infiltrating the building. I'll give you more details when the scouts return with their report. Is that clear, soldier?"
"Yes, sir!" I saluted. I didn't want to question him any further out of fear of being branded as a traitor.
"Good. Now let me show you your tents and your squad."
"Before we leave, captain, I need to ask you one more question."
"What is it?"
"Don't I have to be a junior-NCO (non-commissioned officer) to lead a section?"
"As captain of 'Bad Company,' I hereby announce you as junior-NCO. Is that better?" I nodded. This man sounds like he knows what he is doing.
"Good. Now follow me." I followed Badman out of his tent with Sloppy and Karen at my side. I wonder if Karen will be able to help me on this mission. Her limp is nearly non-existent by now and she seems eager to follow me. I'll just have to ask her later about this matter. We arrived at a small campfire that was surrounded by kids and teenagers alike, talking animatedly about subjects I knew nothing about. It also looked like I was the youngest of the group. When they saw us approach, they immediately saluted the Captain.
"At ease, soldiers." They spread their legs apart by a fraction and relaxed their right arm while standing straight. They didn't look like at ease.
"Allow me to introduce you your new section leader, Coln Einsbark. He may not look it, but he's a damn good sniper and he knows his stuff. I expect all of you to treat each other with respect. He will give you the briefing on your next mission. Is that understood?"
"Sir, yes sir!" They yelled.
"Good. I will give you more details about the mission later. For now, just relax and get to know each other." He walked away with an air of authority I had not felt before. I looked towards the group that stood in front of me. There was a kid about 10 years old. He had glasses that seemed to magnify every feature behind it. Freckles adorned his somewhat chubby face. If it weren't for that gun and uniform, he would have looked like a nerd. The other guy next to him seemed to be older by one year. There was nothing especially striking about him except for one thing: his RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) in his left hand and a pack of C4 in his right. I had a feeling that this is our demolition man. On the other side of the fire were two teenagers. They looked exactly alike, even their hair color dared not to differentiate between each other. Were it not for the weapons they were carrying, they would have been a carbon copy of each other.
"Let me introduce you to the section, sir." Said Sloppy.
"Go for it." I mumbled.
He pointed towards the geeky kid. "His name is David Smith. We just call him 'Calculus.'"
"Why?"
"Take my word for it, this guy is godly with grenades. He'll measure everything to get the perfect grenade throw."
"Doesn't talk much, does he?"
"Nope. The one next to him, on the other hand, won't shut up."
"Hey! I resent that and the dirt you walk on! I have enough explosives here to blow this whole damn camp all the way to Kanto! I warn you, I will do it one of these days and all of you will rue the day you made fun of Dmitri Uspensky!"
"Around here, we just call him 'Mouth.'" I couldn't help but snicker at his nickname. Hopefully he won't be causing too much problems during the mission.
"What about the twins over there?" I said trying to ignore the rant that "Mouth" yelling out to anyone around him.
"Ah, you mean the Camilleri brothers. They refuse to tell anyone their first names. So we just call them 'Tweedle Dee' and 'Tweedle Dum.'"
"Alright then. We now know each other's names, more or less. How about we tell each other our strengths and weaknesses? I'll start first. I suppose I'm mainly a sniper but I know how to fight up close. I'm not that great with handling explosives. What about you, Calculus?"
"Grenades," he mumbled. "And sub-machine guns." He definitely belongs on the frontlines. If the team ever gets separated, I hope I end up with this guy on my team.
"And you, Mouth?"
"Isn't it obvious? Explosives! I'll admit, I'm not really that great with automatic weapons. However, I know how to kick ass with handguns! Give me a Desert Eagle or a PMM and I can handle myself easily out there." With the knowledge I have of my teammates so far, I'm the only long range fighter here.
"What about you two, the Camilleri brothers?"
"We provide covering fire with our machine guns." They both said simultaneously.
"And last but not least, Sloppy Joe. What's your main weapon?"
"Well, assault rifles are my forte. But, I could use everything else with relative ease."
"That's good to know. Well, don't we make a motley crew? I have a feeling we'll make through this war as long as we stick together. What do you say, fellas?" We placed our right hand over the fire as a sign of our newly formed brotherhood. We then howled in pain as the heat got to us.
"No son of a bitch is gonna kill us! We'll live forever, or die trying! Am I right, men?!"
"Sir, yes sir!!" Wow, it feels so amazing to be in control! I feel powerful. I feel I can make difference now. I feel… alive!
"So," Mouth started. "What's the plan?" I began to explain everything that the Captain told me and Sloppy. Needless to say, they were stunned.
"Let me get this straight, he wants just us to infiltrate an enemy base, raid their supplies, and slip away into the shadows as if nothing ever happened?!"
"That about sums it up, Mouth." I replied.
"How the hell does he expect us to succeed? Why can't we just blow the whole place down?"
"The risk of destroying the supplies along with the base is much too high. Also, this is a Stealth mission. Have you ever heard of the concept before?"
"Of course I did," he retorted.
"I just can't believe he would send only us into the Beedrill's nest." I had the same sentiments not too long ago. But now that I am this section's leader, I have to act like one. I cannot show weakness in front of my men, my newly-found friends.
"We will get out of this alive and well," I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Why are you so distraught? I guess you really do live up to the name 'Mouth.'" He merely looked at me. His eyes showed such a bright dullness that cannot be seen even within a pitch black pit. His face was contorted with depression and hopelessness. However, I didn't have time to ponder as I heard heavy footsteps approaching from behind. I turned around to be greeted with the sight of Captain Badman himself.
"Glad to see you guys acting so chummy with each other." Everyone else glared at him that would make an Arbok squeal in fear. He ignored this reception and continued talking.
"Anyway, the scouts have arrived. I hope you boys are ready for your first stealth mission!"
Captain Badman, who are you? Better yet, what are your true motives?
