"The only reason you were declared dead was because of politics getting in the way, and the EDC was insistent for some reason as well"
(Sighs) "I'm afraid you have me to blame for the EDC being insistent, they developed that policy when I left them for the terrorist group because I caused a lot of damage and destroyed bases with people in it, for a long time no one could get access to those areas so everyone was thought dead. Eventually they learned that everyone was actually alive but by that time emotions were worn thin and some had attempted suicide. As such the EDC developed the policy that for any explosion that has no immediate access everyone is declared dead until proven otherwise, as such there are ways to easily reactivate someone's status within the EDC, unfortunately I have no clue what's going on with police politics"
"Okay, by the way PTSD?"
"I hate it even more now and it's worse too"
"Punished?"
"Oh yeah, very inventive punishments too I might add"
"How bad did your temper get?"
"Don't ask, it was made worse by the escape attempts made before I got involved, as it is we're lucky the ultimate defense system was never activated"
"Right then, won't ask again, but what's going to happen now?"
"I honestly don't know, as of now I have no clue if I am going to be going back to being a police officer and EDC officer, one or the other, or find a whole new career to do"
"Oh there's a story you have to hear about your brother"
"Oh?"
"Yeah, the EDC decided that he should get some experience in a cockpit in case of an emergency or he decides to take up flying, they decided to go with training pilots due to the fact that it's the best and safest place to learn. During one of the flights he was in two near collisions, one was far enough away that the trainee was able to avoid the problem without any warnings, however just after the first avoidance the pilot turned and suddenly the TCAS (traffic collision and avoidance system) went off and told the pilots to descend while the other pilot suddenly climbed, once they avoided each other each pilot checked on their near miss partner and everything was okay, but it was still startling enough that the trainer grounded the trainee for the rest of that day and the next with orders to talk to someone before going back into the air to make sure that they were okay"
"And just how did you hear this story?"
"I was in the other plane and found out when I landed, and the reason why is because the Captain was demanding one of us get a pilots license for both planes and helicopters, something about how it's weird that the EDC didn't make this a requirement when there's a possibility of it being needed and that your adoptive father focused too much on sailing with you even if it did make the most sense at the time"
"Okay, well I have to get back to base since I have no home at the moment and we need to figure out everything in regards to work and other stuff, besides the paperwork to have me declared alive again is going to take forever"
"True enough, but first I think you would benefit from a visit to the graves of our Captain and Chief"
"True, take me there?"
"With pleasure"
Clair visits her former Captain and Chief and then spends the next two weeks simply starting her recovery period in earnest and waiting for the paperwork that stated that she was alive again, fortunately because of EDC policies it wasn't as long as it could have been but it was complicated and during those two weeks she and her family had long hard talks about her future and she ultimately came to the decision that she would go back to her old job after going through a modified academy experience, however there would be permanent changes in regards to how her work was managed, during those two weeks the Japanese branch had also come to visit Clair and there had been changes there as well, a new member had been added a year earlier after Hisako had been seriously injured one time and needed a long recovery period, both she and the new member now switched undercover duties back and forth between them and sometimes worked at the same time depending on what was needed
"Okay then, I report to the academy in a month to start with the new recruits, though since things are going to be modified I will go through the training faster than most will"
"Most?"
"Yeah, there are a few other recruits on the fast track like I am, something about a special unit that requires fast training"
"From raw recruits?"
"Erm, not quite, they're former military police that are being trained for the civilian sector from what I understand and they're the first of a new unit designed to take those with military police training, put them in a civilian setting and let the training of both groups work as one, a step up from SWAT as far as I understand, but I could be wrong about that"
"Okay we understand, Daichi will remain with us until you're on your own two feet again"
"Thanks, and thanks for taking care of him these past three years, even though it's partly because of my last will and testament I know that it's also because you genuinely care about him like you care about me"
"And Masaki-san your father"
"I know, but at the same time it was different with you guys, not entirely sure how but it was different"
"For now you two get to have time together since we're following academy rules"
"Agreed, the only time we didn't last time was because Daichi needed me at a home thus the exception that was made"
"Only until your father returned, but yes that was an exception that was made at need"
The two siblings spent a good amount of time together but also spent a bit of time apart deliberately and then Clair was off to the police academy once more for the modified training that was needed and after the first week everyone in the modified training realized just how intensified it was
"Move it or lose it buster!"
"Don't have to tell me twice...just how long has this been going on anyways?"
"About thirty minutes I think"
"Correction Carlos two hours, I've timed it with my watch"
"Right after breakfast, ouch, how did I lose track of time?"
"Think about it for a moment and you'll know"
"Oh...true enough and you've been up even longer than us Kerenai-Masaki"
"Just be glad the instructors didn't wake you guys up too or you'd be even worse than you are now in regards to energy and mood, and that's with breakfast"
"Except we're military trained"
"True, but trust me you wouldn't be able to handle it like I can, and that's for me to know and you to possibly find out in the future in regards to clearance levels"
"Understood, is this some kind of endurance test for us then?"
"Who knows with these instructors"
"For now though we have a good position I think that we can hold for a while"
"Possibly what this test is all about, for now though let's start shooting back and we'll ask our instructors about what's going on later"
"Agreed"
Ten minutes later one of the instructors called a halt to the shooting and the group came together to discuss what was the point of the exercise
"So as I'm sure you're aware we had a reason to do this particular exercise now instead of later"
"Indeed, so what was the point of the exercise, besides seeing how well we shoot?"
"As you have already partially guessed the test was about finding and holding a position at need, but there was another part of the test that was subtle, so subtle that you would never notice it on your own, at least most of you wouldn't be able to recognize it on your own"
With that the instructor looked directly at Clair seeing if she understood what he was talking about and by her facial expression he knew she did
"Trust and leadership"
"Yes, trust and leadership"
"What do you mean?"
"The instructors were testing to see if you trusted each other to lead in certain situations and follow properly and to see if you trusted someone you virtually don't know. You guys know and trust each other because of shared military background and the fact that you all have served together at some point in the same unit, brief though it may be, but for me all you know is that I basically needed my family's approval to come here, the instructors needed to see if you would trust and follow me if I took over for whatever reason"
"We know that you wake up even earlier than us for whatever reason and that the instructors seem to know and trust you"
"That's true, you still don't have full clearance to know about me but I am authorizing you guys to know that there are reasons behind why my family is so protective of me and that I am not normal in that I already have training that you might not have. I am not going to be part of your unit once this is all over with but at the same time we may come in contact again thus why you need to trust someone you don't know with your life, in case it comes up in actual practice which considering what you guys are going to be doing has a very high chance of happening"
"That actually makes sense then, what else is on the agenda for today?"
"More drills and some class time actually, and yes Kerenai-Masaki you need this class as well, but you're going to have to figure out for yourself just why I am requiring it"
They did shooting and hand to hand drills and then went to the classroom and Clair quickly realized why she was required to take this class, because it was a medical class and that day was specializing on how to talk someone down from a PTSD episode or something similar if it was at all possible, and with her first hand experience with PTSD it was a good idea to see what updated practices there were depending on scenarios
"Now then you can't always talk someone down from a PTSD episode, sometimes it will take another person but you can mitigate damage by keeping everyone as far away from the person having the episode as possible, and never and I do mean never back someone having a PTSD episode or similar into a corner, that will only make them even more dangerous"
"You're making this up"
"No he isn't, in fact he's downplaying just how dangerous someone having a PTSD episode can be, if they have any police or military training...well let's just say it won't be pretty if you can't talk them down or something similar"
"Kerenai-Masaki I wasn't expecting you in this class"
"Yeah well...you know why I am here even if you weren't expecting it"
"First hand experience of course, you're getting the updated procedures then?"
"Oh yeah, in fact I have a video you should see"
Clair brings up the competition she was in where she was acknowledged as a master of her specific martial arts and the cadets heard the referee say something, though they weren't sure what and Clair just stopped, though it was obvious that it still took a few moments for her to truly come back
