"I can't believe you won that SSG, what are you even made of?" said Gold.
Crystal shrugged. "It wasn't that impressive if you ask me, really."
"Like hell, most women I know are lightweight, but you ooh, you're different and I like that about you."
She blushed "Thank you..."
He put his hands on her desk and leaned close until their faces were 10cm apart. "You know we can go right now and have another contest." he said smoothly.
A\N: 10 cm = 3.93 in
...
Blue was in her usual spot behind the counter, but her mind was back at the party. "Did Green want to kiss her? What would have happened if Red didn't interrupt them? Did she want to kiss him?" All those dumb thoughts made her feel like a teenage girl who couldn't control her emotions. No time for that,she was a grown woman and she won't let her emotions get a hold of her, not again.
"Good morning Red, Blue!" beamed Yellow.
"Morning major" said both of them.
"How are you doing?" asked Red.
"I'm doing great, you?" Yellow continued her conversation with Red while Blue smiled fondly at them. At least her ships were going well, now if she only managed to get Ruby and Sapphire to argue less...
...
Gold, Red and Yellow were all summoned to Crystal's office. There she told them that a few forts fell victims to terrorist attacks and they were coming with her to check how the rebuilding was going.
"Soo, which fort are we going to?" asked Red.
"Fort Sandgem, the attack happened 6 weeks ago so the rebuilding already started. We're gonna stay there for one day and inspect." said Crystal.
"Just like Fort Goldenrod did to us?" asked Gold.
"Just like Fort Goldenrod." said Crystal.
"Are there any wounded? Do I need to bring stuff over?" asked Yellow.
"No major it's fine. If there aren't any more questions, then you are dismissed."
They all nodded and left.
...
First thing in the morning after breakfast, they all entered a jeep and drove to Sandgem. Since Red and Gold were the lowest ranking officers, they took the mission of driver. After 4h of driving non-stop they finally reached the fort at 11am. Yellow stretched out and after a satisfying crack from her back she let out a sigh and walked next to Red.
Crystal was talking to the brigadier general of Fort Sandgem, Cynthia Lorice. Yellow looked around and saw cadets helping officers rebuild the obstacle course, while others were fixing the barracks roof. She couldn't help but wonder how many lives were lost.
"Red, I want you to go inspect the infirmary and mess hall with the major. Gold, you're coming with me." said Crystal. They all nodded and left.
"So, major...Have you ever went to an inspection?" asked Red.
Yellow nodded "To a few, yes! But they are mostly boring. You shouldn't really worry, Crystal and Gold took the hard part."
"Well if you say so..." said Red. Yellow notices he's nervous and suggests they check out the infirmary first. He agrees happily and a bit relieved. They entered the infirmary where they meet Second Lieutenant Platina Berlitz, the fort's medic. She stood next to a blonde man and was treating his wounds.
"I said if you need medical treatment you need to wait in liNE!" said Platina
"Actually, I'm here to inspect you, miss Berlitz." said Yellow.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, you must be-" "Major Amarillo del Bosque Verde, but you may call me Yellow and this is Corporal Red Ross." said Yellow.
"I see, I'm Second Lieutenant Platina Berlitz and this is Sergeant Pearl Pohiko." said Platina.
"Sup?" said Pearl.
"Well, I'm happy to meet you two but I need to get on with the inspection." said Yellow. Yellow stepped in and put on a completely emotionless expression. Platina started opening cabinets and opening different machines while yellow was scribbling stuff on a notepad. Red watched her inspect a jar with pills while Platina watched nervously. Yellow looked her straight in the eye before nodding and exiting the infirmary with Red behind her.
"Well, that was interesting." said Red.
Yellow shrugged. "Usually when you do this, you're supposed to show no emotions. That way they'll take you seriously." Red nodded.
They both entered the mess hall where they saw a black haired man behind the counter, putting food in the tray so he can serves the soldiers once they finish. He turned his head towards Red and Yellow and smiled.
"Hello! Are you here for the inspection?"
"Yes, I'm Corporal Red Ross and this is Major Amarillo del Bosque Verde." said Red.
"But you may call me Yellow." added Yellow.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Officer Cadet Diamond Vajra and this is my kitchen."
Red nodded and entered the kitchen. He looked at the stove, some frying pans and pots. Red didn't really know what he was supposed to do... He watched Yellow inspect the infirmary and tried to imitate her, but this was a kitchen for Mew's sake. He and Blue never really cared what stage pots and pans was in and he doubted this guy did. He looked one more time at stove, nodded and left. The entire time he was there, Diamond kept a smile on his face, unlike Platina who looked like she wanted to faint during her inspection.
"Hey, you did good!" said Yellow.
"You really think so? I didn't really know what to look at... It's a kitchen for Lugia's pity." said Red.
Yellow giggled. "I know, Blue used to say the same things when she came with us."
Red was about to say something but the lunch bell interrupted him.
"Guess is time to go." said Yellow.
"Yeah, I wonder what Gold and Crystal did..." said Red.
"Oh I doubt they inspected yet... Fort Sandgem is a northern fort, meaning that they do the training in the afternoon."
"I see..But wait, we do the training both in the morning and afternoon."
Yellow nodded. "That's because we are an eastern fort. Eastern and western forts train in both morning and afternoon, while southern forts train in the morning."
Red nodded.
...
Red and Yellow took their trays of food and sat down next to Crystal and Gold.
"Hey Red! Major!" said Gold.
"How did the inspection go?" asked Crystal.
"It went good, boring but good." said Red.
"The kitchen and the infirmary aren't that interesting to look at..." said Yellow.
"Well I for one can't wait to start my inspection! I wanna scare them!" said Gold maniacally.
"Gold! Were supposed to be professional, if you want to scare someone do it on our cadets when we come back." said Crystal
"Soooo, what you're saying is that I can scare our cadets, right?" said Gold.
Crystal rolled her eyes.
...
"Ok Gold, the trick to those things is having a poker face. No emotions, a tank can drive past you and you're still not supposed to have any emotions. Got it?" said Crystal
"Yes ma'am!" said Gold.
"Good, first is the fire aim division, we both suck with a gun so just nod every now and then and give em a 8/10."
"Pff, ok."
"Dont laugh, it's what I do every time when Silver is not available..."
They entered the building where they meet Major White Hisui, the fire aim supervisor. She was a pretty tall woman and the grin with cig in the mouth remind them of Blue.
"Hello, I'm Major White Hisui." said White.
"Nice to meet you Major, I am Corporal Gold Hanamura and this is Colonel Crystal Suisei." said Gold.
White nodded then blew in her whistle and the officers took the guns and started shooting. They were really good at it and Gold was tempted to give them a 10/10, but he thought it was better to listen to Crystal and give em 8. After the officers finished he gave a nod and left with Crystal just behind him.
They walked to the hand in hand combat division where they were greeted by a really loud man with brown hair.
"HELLO! I AM CAPTAIN BLACK LATES!" he screamed.
"You didn't have to scream you know..." said Crystal annoyed.
"Oh, sorry..."
She sighed "It's ok, I'm Colonel Crystal Suisei and this is Corporal Gold Hanamura, we're here to inspect you."
"Right this way." said Black.
They entered a corridor which led to a stairway, at the end of it there was a door which had hand in hand combat wrote on it. Underneath the sign was scribbled " Captain Lates' hell hole".
When he entered all the officers scrambled in a line and saluted. Crystal started examining them, nodding from time to time and writing something on a notepad. An officer tripped and fell on the mat first face. Black sweat dropped and looked nervously at Crystal who probably had the best poker face Gold ever saw.
After the inspection was over, the 4 amigos meet in front of the mess hall to leave. Crystal was about to say something when a sound interrupted her. But not any sound, a gunshot sound.
"What was that?" asked Yellow.
"Gunshots, this isn't good..." said Crystal.
"That came from the mess hall." said Gold.
"What should we do colonel?" asked Red.
"We need to check it out, someone might be wounded..." said Crystal. They all entered the mess hall where they saw Diamond clutching his stomach and a man running through the other side.
"Damn it! Yellow, Red you take Diamond to the infirmary. Gold you're coming with me." barked Crystal.
Gold and Crystal left the mess hall leaving Yellow and Red behind.
"Red, flip him over, I need to stop most of the bleeding before we carry him to the infirmary." Red flipped Diamond and Yellow started tying a wet cloth around his torso before he told Red to carry him. They ran out of the mess hall and straight to the infirmary where Platina was cleaning her tools.
"What happened?" asked Platina.
"No time to explain, we need to clean his wound before it gets infected!" said Yellow.
"Right..." Platina went for the painkiller and morphine and they started treating his wound. Red watched amazed as the two women cleaned the bloody wound and neatly wrapped it in a bandage.
...
Crystal and Gold were following the figure. It were a cape which covered most of him and since he was running they couldn't identify him.
"Hey what's going on?" Gold turned his head and saw White watching them confused.
"This man shot Diamond." said Gold. When he said that the figure did a 180 and tried to shoot Crystal, but Gold saw this and tackled Crystal just in time to get grazed by the bullet. White took her pistol and shot the man 2 times in the legs. The last thing Gold remembers is hearing Crystal call his name.
...
Gold woke up to the white ceiling of the infirmary. He tried remembering the last thing he did before getting here. He was following the criminal and there were gunshots and Crystal screa- Wait a minute, Crystal, CRYSTAL! What the hell happened to Crystal!? Gold was about to get up and search for her when he saw Yellow and Platina enter the infirmary.
"Oh! Gold! You're awake! I'm going to tell the colonel." said Yellow. So she was ok...
"Uhhh, What happened?" asked Gold.
"You passed out from the shock of being shot, you're lucky the bullet only grazed the back of your neck." said Platina.
"You sure have it better than me..." said Diamond.
Gold was about to say something when Red burst through the door with the colonel and gave Gold a crushing hug.
"Gold, I'm so happy you're ok, you scared me!" said Red.
"Uh...Red...I'm happy to see you too... but.. I... c-can't breathe..." said Gold. Red released him from the crushing hug and said sorry. Gold looked past him and made eye contact with the colonel. She didn't speak but her eyes showed relief and... maybe love?
"Sooo, uh what happened? After I passed out?"
Yellow was the first to speak. "White shot the man in the leg and he was captured, he is interrogated right now."
"That was really brave of you soldier!" They all turned their heads and saw Brigadier General Cynthia in the doorway. "Not everyone has enough courage to take a bullet for someone else."
"Oh, it was nothing. I just acted on impulse." said Gold
"Oh, Crystal did you give them the good news?" said Cynthia.
"What good news?" asked Red.
"Oh! Red, you and Gold are getting promoted." said Crystal.
"WHAT?" they both said.
"For your acts of bravery I decided to speak with General Oak so he can give you a promotion. He was thrilled to do it, so im proud to name you two Sergeants" said Cynthia.
"Wow, it's an honour, thank you ma'am." Cynthia nodded and left the infirmary, the group talked a bit more then left gold to rest, since tomorrow they were returning to Fort Viridian, not as Corporal but as Sergeants.