OK, it wasn't in the plan, but I'm tempted to put Revy as a potential love interest. Heck, so far it seems to work lol.

Anyway, I said I was going to do this...here we go.

Chapter 45:

Breathing time.

Seeing as we had time before the enemy could organise anything, Welkin decided upon prepping for the assault

the enemy knew we were going to hit them after our raid, let's just hope they weren't bringing too much to the party.

But, the most interesting things that concern you when your part of a squad like ours

are the conversations that can occur when your not around.

So...What exactly do you do after engaging in a semi-successful raid and reuniting with your squad, returning with an injured colleague, then having to rearm with your old gun, get ammo and loads of other things?

Why listen to your comrades talking of course. I was sat down with my new clips, nades, mags and just about everything else aside from the uniform replaced with fresh things, leaning against a tree with my eyes closed, trying to get a bit of rest. Fina was nearby, trying to get Revy up and ready for out attack. I heard some chuckling nearby, opening an eye and seeing how things were.

Welkin and Alicia were talking with one another in the background. Largo was with a sheer majority of the squad sharing a laugh and a joke here and there. Rosie was on her own leaning against another tree coincidentally near me, Vyse and Aika were in the background as well and Isara was...well, I don't really know. She was pacing here and there, deep in thought.

I sighed, leaning my head back and looking up, just trying to relax and catch some sort of breath after our stint on the front. They'd given me some ragnaid to heal up my small amount of wounds in comparison.

"Mirror" hmm? That sounded oddly like Rosie. "Tell me something...tell me who's the loneliest of all" I turned towards her, seeing her with her eyes closed, just thinking over the song lyrics. Oddly she had paused, as if she didn't know the next line or something. Alicia walked over to her, apparently swapping with Is.

"That was a beautiful, Rosie" She spoke. Rosie opened her eyes, looking over to Alicia.

"Hmm? Erm...thanks" She replied, looking away. "Used to sing it at this bar I used to work at...place where I got the nickname"

"Must have been a nice place" I commented. Rosie looked over, smiling.

"Place was a bit of a dive if I'm completely honest. The Barkeep was nice though" She blushed, playing with her hair. "People used to come from far and wide to listen to me sing...Heck, before I left the owner dedicated a good amount to improving the place for singers, and the girl who replaced me was supposed to be a good singer"

"What was the pub?" If she says what I think she's gonna say...

"I can't remember...some place in Randgriz, but I think it was given a new name after getting a new owner" OH THANK GOD! I hate the interconnectivity of things at times. It was bad enough that I had links to Lanseal, the Resistance and who knows what else. You know, right now I wouldn't even put it aside that, under the ...(was it)7 degrees of separation (?) rule, I had links to half of Gallia at least. If she had said the bar where I met Revy in the first place...you know, never mind. It hasn't happened.

"Maybe one day you can go back there and see what's become of it" I spoke again. She nodded at this point, smiling.

"Actually, there's something I've been meaning to ask you Craig, seeing as it's kind of old stories" Oh god why don't I like this? "What's with you and that Moonbeam girl?"

"Revy? Nothing, why?" Why the heck am I worried?

"Well, She seems to have taken a shine to you" OK, now the mass of the squad had decided to come over and join in. I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, The girl's been really friendly with you in comparison to the rest of the squad. Even the Boss" Ted decided to join in now. "Give 'em the old Appleby charm eh?"

"What are you guys on about?" I saw some of the grins on the males of the squad, thinking for a bit. A Friendly Revy compared to the rest of the squad...that didn't mean any-

Is this morning saw us near enough naked. I lowered my head, blushing.

"I-I didn't do any-" I stopped, there, shaking my head and looking away. Ted stepped forward, letting his gun hang and doing the old presentation hand motion...thing.

"Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner" He started. I looked around, still blushing. "One of the sons of the legends of EW1 and the leader of a Resistance faction" How in the hell am I meant to respond to that? "I guess Craig likes tough girls" Someone, save me. Please.

"Ted, d'ya mind?" Catherine spoke, stepping forward and pushing him away with the butt of her rifle gently. Oh thank god. "I'm sure if they are a couple they'd tell us all when they were ready"

That's not what I was looking for Catherine...nice try, but...that probably made things worse. I saw James in the background shaking his head, obviously not amused by this whole situation. The group started splitting up, still talking about the 'revelation' that apparently me and Revy were an item after one night...A revelation to all including me.

"What the- Hey! I think she's coming to!" I heard Fina call. I turned, seeing Revy slowly starting to move. I slowly pushed myself up, heading over to the pair, Welkin, Alicia and James following me quickly.

"Took her long enough" I spoke, shaking my head. She slowly opened her eyes, looking at the four of us.

"Miss Moonbeam?" Fina spoke, Revy looking at her after she spoke, Fina holding up three fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?" Revy did the ever so classy move of holding her hand out and giving her the finger. Fina recoiled a bit, I shook my head chuckling.

"She's alright" I told them. Fina took a tube out of her, quickly putting a plaster over it and throwing the Ragnaid crate over her back.

"Well, I guess she knows how to say thanks"

"Just the girl I am blondy" Revy commented. I held my hand out for her, letting her pull herself up. She was on her feet in no time, just swaying unsteadily once before letting me go. "So...what the hell did I miss?"

"Your group retreating" Alicia told her. Revy smiled at this point. "They were supposed to be supporting our assault, not leaving us to fight this alone"

"I gave 'em the order to get the refugees who can't fight back to Randgriz. Thought it'd be better sending the 50 back instead of having 24 unsteady shots fighting with us" Alicia sighed.

"If you had just told us..." Welkin sighed, putting a hand on his hat.

"Miss Moonbeam, if you had let us know, we could have planned accordingly for the retreat of the resistance group" Revy shrugged.

"Not gonna apologise for what I felt best...besides, I've got the feeling you'll get this dealt with even without the Dead helping you out" She stretched herself off, getting a bit of space as she did so. "So, Nature boy. You got any clever tactics we could employ?" OK, step too far. Welkin choose to ignore it, turning around and walking.

"We were just discussing it...as I think I've found a way around..." He commented. Alicia quickly waved her hand around, as if she had touched something she didn't want to.

"Yeah, something about animal droppings led the way" Ted spoke, getting a chuckle from some of the guys. Well, guess that's a tale for another time.

Welkin led us to one side just away from the Edelweiss, stopping near a load of tall grass and pointing to it. I raised an eyebrow, hanging behind Revy as we both looked down it. It...didn't look like much...just a grassy route. I shook my head.

"THIS is what you came up with Welkin?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at him. He smiled.

"That's almost what the others came up with" He commented, then moving a hand to his chin. "Animals have a natural instinct of finding the most efficient route, Eating plants, grass...anything in order to get through" I saw where this was going.

"An animal trail?" Revy asked. Welkin nodding. "Davros was on about using them during our raids, but...well, he bit it too early to point them out to us"

"Good thing we're with the-" I started.

We all heard a rustle in the grass, Revy and myself getting our guns ready. Something was there...Alicia and Rosie came over as well, both armed, both having heard it. We kept looking, trying to find it, but still hearing the rustle.

"Well someone's gotta go check" I spoke, looking between the girls. "Not doing it this time"

"Just finished healing" Revy spoke. We looked at Rosie and Alicia, seeing the pair quickly doing a game of Rock Paper Scissors in order to decide it.

I didn't even have to see it to tell that Alicia lost, hearing sigh as she grabbed her weapon again. She moved slowly into the grass, staying low as she advanced, heading towards the rustle. I went close behind her, making sure that she was supported, even though Revy might have been a better choice. Alicia got right next to the centre of the noise, pulling the bolt on her rifle. The rustling charged at her, knocking her over into the grass. She made a weird noise...and then an...oink?

"Erm...Welkin?" She just appeared, her head coming up before anything else. "Hey little guy"

"Alicia..." I started, before she started standing up, her rifle hanging from it's strap as she held...something. I couldn't make it out, only holding my gun ready to fire. "What's wrong?" Oink!

"Hey little guy"

She turned around holding what looked like a piglet in her arms, the creature looking quite sombre...for a pig. Alicia was holding it as best she could, giving us a good look at the beast. Definitely a piglet...but with...wings.

Yeah, that sounds weird. I'm the guy telling you it has wings and I think it's weird, but they aren't...wings so to speak. It looks more like a sort of mutation just to make it look like it has wings. No feathers or anything to make it look like it could fly in anyway, shape or form but...well, let's just say I'm not going to be using the phrase 'When pigs fly' at any point in the near future...for safety reasons of course.

"Is that...a Porcavian?" Revy asked. We both lowered our guns, hearing mumbled oink in response.

"It is..Porcavian pigs are uncommon, especially out here in Kloden" Welkin confirmed. Revy put her guns away.

"We used to rear some of them in Tanaba before the attack...from the looks of things...this ones a wild" Alicia lifted it a bit higher.

"Hey little guy...where's your mother, huh?" She was starting to sound like a mother. I started walking into the grass, going past Alicia after hearing it make some kind of noise in response. "Do you want to go home?" I saw a trail of blood the other side, pausing and grabbing my gun once more, slowly moving forward and around the corner.

Wish I hadn't. As I got closer I could smell...something was off. The blood was steadily pooling, as if it's owner was slowing down. It was about a second before I actually saw it. A large boar...another Porcavian...with a bullet wound in it's chest. I lowered my rifle, sighing.

"Welkin" I spoke, turning to him. He looked confused, walking over to me slowly before looking over to the body.

"That's...a female" He confirmed. "I would say it's the mother but..."

"Stray bullet" I commented, standing where the blood trail started and looking over towards where I knew the checkpoint had been. "From...our earlier op"

I couldn't help but feel so overwhelmingly guilty, looking down and away. Because myself and Revy had fought, there must have been numerous tiny casualties. Because of our fight, that Porcavian had no family any more. Welkin put his hand on my shoulder, and giving me a reassuring look as I turned to him.

"You've been affected by the war...haven't you little guy" Alicia spoke. It gave this weird...low pitched groan.

"Who hasn't these days" Revy chipped in, sighing. "Imps can't do anything if it don't involve taking innocents in the crossfire..." ….I'll ask her later, now isn't the time. Welkin took his hand off my shoulder, both of us turning to Alicia.

"Hey, Alicia...we'll take him with us" We all looked at him as if he had lost a brain cell...or in Revy's words as 'if he was out of his fucking mind'. Alicia perked up at this.

"Welkin, really?" Welkin nodded.

"Sure, we're the Militia right. Every Gallian has a right to join" ….That's one hell of a loophole. But considering the matter...I'm happy. The way Alicia lit up she agreed.

"You hear that buddy. Your an official member of Squad 7 now" I couldn't tell if it was happy or panicking, but the pig made another noise. I shook my head.

"So..." Revy asked, interjecting. "What's the plan with the Op?"

"We're splitting into teams once more. I want you to stick with me Miss Moonbeam...Craig, your going with the team on this side. We'll take their attention, you sneak around and take them down" Well that was easy. I smiled.

"Been there once boss. A second times going to be a breeze" I spoke.

Me and my big mouth at times.

A Porcavian piglet joining the Milita...well I've heard Crazier ideas.

A world hopping 16 year old soldier and his brother. That's definitely harder to believe.

But he was something I guess. A mascot at the very least. A messenger at the most.

I just had to make sure I was ready. We had a battle to fight.

Yeah, Two in one. Sorry but I couldn't think of a way to actually have the pair of events in two separate chapters without having one being short involving the Kloden Op.

So, with that. Next Chapter will be the attack on the Kloden Supply base.