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At the Ooarai hanger the street lights were just starting to switch on automatically once the sun was starting to disappear over the horizon, the shadows starting to enlarge, and merge together. Soon the breeze from the ocean gently brushing against the leaves began to pick up, leaves tearing off from their branches, and being whisked away by the wind. Nearly every small shop was close and it seems as though everybody has gone home, no one around to see an old Bristol Belvedere touching down on a open park pushing the blades of grass down by sheer wind.

The door on the passenger side swung open and jumping out was none other than Daulton.

"You know we could've gotten here faster if you just let me control the stick," Daulton shouted back back Assam sitting on the pilot seat, pestering her on her flyig.

Stepping away Assam soon lifted off into the air rotating still in the sky and flew off where they last came from.

"Well, it's getting late so better head on home," Daulton told himself and started walking down the lit street, "They have no idea, but no one wants to listen to a crazy pilot boy."

\Saunders' Dorms/

"Alright, girls, time to hit hay," Alisa sounded off in the halls.

"Lights out in twenty-one hundred hours," Naomi gave the orders, "So get in some much needed rest because we'll be waking at O-nine-hundred."

"Geez, guys take it easy our match isn't until after Oorai's and Anizo's match," Kay try to ease the tension, while everyone was heading to their room she personal went off to check on their newest member.

She cracks the door open peeking to see George unpacking the rest of his clothes into the dresser, dropping the duffle bag to the floor to kick it under his cot, and then proceeds to pull off his own boots, sitting down in the bed didn't lay down. Not just yet. A small object laid beside him on his cot, it was stiff and old Kay can tell, when being picked up in George's hand the shape was more clearer. It was in a shape of a cross, but instead being made of wood it looked to be woven from straw with a single strain of wheat tied to it. He held so gently in his grasps, gracing his thumb across on top, he then pulled open the nightstand drawer settling the cross inside.

Sliding it close George pulled off his boots than laid back onto his cot resting his shaven head onto his pillow, but continued to stare straight up into the ceiling what Kay can only assume he was in deep contemplation and so deciding to come in now knocking on the door to let her presence known.

"Hey there, just checking up on ya."

"... I'm fine..." George stirred shifting his body for better comfort.

"Great, see you in the morning," Kay bid him goodnight, gently closing the door with the soft click of the of the knob going off.

Deep breaths George didn't even bother changing onto his pajamas as he reaches over to turn the lamp off on the nightstand leaving the shadows of the room to consume him whole.

The sounds from outside his window carried on despite all the occupants turning in, George laid completely still the only movement made was to blink his eyes maybe pointing towards the ceiling, but that not what his focus was. As time seems none existent in the darken hours his ears drew in the noise that surrounded him from every direction imaginable.

Crickets chirping, owls cooing, the wind whistling, and the floor boards moaning.

These are the sounds that sing to him throughout the night.

\Next Morning/

Waking up to the light touch of the sun coming through his window George rose from his cot stretching out his arms to wake his still sleeping bones, hearing his joints creek and pop to his satisfaction. Slipping his boots back on George tied his laces and exited his room however not without bumping into the one of shorter girls he met earlier, Alisa. She looked so tiny compared to him as he looked directly down onto her, her eyes wide in surprise from the run in they almost seem to glimmer, before running off George noticed a file folder held tightly in her arms.

"Not even a pardon," he retorted, but it didn't sound like he was serious about it.

Walking down the steps George saw that the living area was much more lively than yesterday with the rest of the Saunders' tankery club taking notice of the only boy in their team. They all stared at his way, but for the first time they didn't see him with his devious grin instead he was calm and collected, the girls almost assume that he was different person entirely. Scanning across the vast room George unintentionally interrupted several of their activities.

Small groups were occupying various spots of the living area, some were enjoying their breakfast, others were just trying to trade fashion tips to one another, and a group sitting at a table in the corner of the room were playing cards with Naomi visibly present. There was only two spaces George saw that had room for him to settle down, one spot on the couch with two girls taking up the corners as they watched t.v, and a wooden bench seat with a cracked leather cushion in front of a piano that was gathering dust and cobwebs.

Naomi trained her sights on him, staying silent to George's presences as the girls were just now adjusting to him. George finally took his steps the floor boards moaning under the weight of his boots til he lowered himself onto the couch. The springs and cushions flattening as he sat down between the two girls who were trying hard not to glance his way keeping their heads straight towards the screen. He tried to act like it was normal, trying to watch the t.v, but it's not common for a boy to be sleeping in a girls only dorm especially in a foreign one, he can easily sense the awkward-ness emitting from the room.

"How about you leave," Naomi thought to herself wishing for George to leave, not just here, but from this carrier altogether.

He looks back towards the piano stationed at a lonely wall, begging for attention, it looked as if it was their for ages, and no one has even bothered to keep it clean, he pulled himself off the couch relieving the springs from him then proceeds to approach the forgotten instrument. George stood over the piano rubbing off the dust that had built up for some time, lifting up the fall-board George found all the keys were kept safe from the passing time.

The girls looked on with interest and other just now realized that there was a piano in the room this whole time, George dusts off the aging seat and sat down, he blew off the dust that had matted the keys, then cracked his fingers, and starts off playing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" which suddenly got the girls in a pleasantly surprised mode, and as he played long enough he switched mid-song to "The Entertainer" a song that they were all too excited to hear.

The girls soon rushed over to George hanging over his shoulders to watch his fingers dance along the line of keys while others attempted a dance of their own, however Naomi was the only girl not sold on it, but rather confused to the musical talent George suddenly revealed. She couldn't understand why, so while everyone was busy having fun she slipped out of the dorms.

\First Match/

Jumping to the match between Ooarai and Anizo the Federation has set up for opening game for their guests, the sun was out bringing warmth for everyone eager to watch the tank battle. Canopies aligning the street with food and all tank related merchandise everything in the town was lively as it ever was before. Strolling through the excited crowd Daulton never thought he'll be going to these games personally, but after experiencing past events he now found himself loving the things he was growing to hate, but he will not be alone watching Ooarai's match.

"Hey, Daulton!" a familiar voice caught his ear, turning around Daulton then recognized the short grey-haired girl in a red skirt.

"You're gonna shake me down some more?" Daulton remarked, but Naomi just brushes it off.

"I wanna talk about George..."

There was no vocal response instead Daulton just pondered for a moment before commenting back.

"let's find some seats so we can see the game better," he offered leading Naomi onto the bleachers.

Climbing up to the very top row Daulton and Naomi gotten themselves an aisle all to themselves, perfect for an one-on-one conversation as the spectators waited patiently, with Naomi drawing all focus on Daulton while he kept his eyes on the leader board.

"So... what do you want to know about your new best friend?" he asked.

"I don't know. Anything!" Naomi requested.

"Well for starters. He likes to press people's buttons," Daulton started off.

"Yeah, I noticed," she confirmed, "He's a classic scumbag."

"Don't let that fool you," he warned her, "He might seem like a cocky shit now, but trust me. Once he gets in his tank he gonna raise hell," he told clearly, "I tried to tell that to Miho and her team, I tried to tell Darjeeling, but none of them took me seriously."

Naomi took in what was said, the fact that Daulton tried to warn two different groups before meeting evident to her.

"Is he really that good or is he just dangerous?" she pressed on.

"Both," Daulton gave her.

"So how do you know him?" she then asked.

"The dude used to steal from me and my old team," he answered and started listing off various items, "Tools, machine parts, broken proppellers, wings, he even stole entire engine to my plane. In short he half the reason my plane, Delta, was a piece a crap."

"Sounds like he's a piece of work" Naomi commented, "How about the rest of his team- wait, scratch that. How'd he even get into sensha-do?"

"Beats me, from what I know George came from a family of poets and musicians, mother, father, sister all of them are artist with delicate hands. I'm pretty sure they hated violence."

"So he's raised by a bunch of pacifists."

"Strangest thing though... " Daulton lead on, but the expression Naomi saw him used made him look unsure he should say it, "He's family doesn't like him."

"... What... ?"

"I don't know why and I don't think any knows why. His parents... hate him."

*BANG!*

The sound of the starter gun echoed off the crowd's cheered followed suit to the singling of the tanks rolling out, but the sounds felt muffled to Naomi's ears compared to the news that was relayed to her.

"After he was sent off to juvie his family cut off all ties with him," Daulton continued, "Parents divorced, sister living on her own, the family home burnt down, and all fingers point at George, but no knows why it went down the way it did... He might seem like another run of the mill punk, but take this seriously. Deep down George is an angry kid."

Putting all focus back on the board the screen read out that the first shot was fired, the crowd roared from excitement as they can hear the faint thunder of gun from a far, but the thought still lingered within Naomi's mind. In fact it boggled her. It bothered her. But still did not feel pitty for her new teammate anymore than before.

\Saunders' Dorms/

After a few songs the girls have now all warmed up to their only male member of their team, showering him with compliments and applause however the small concert had to end when George excused himself to use the restroom. Finding no response when knocking on the door George let himself into one of the more privet facility, single toilet, single sink with a mirror hanging above. But George didn't sat down on the toilet or even unzipped his pants instead he steps in front of the sink planting both hands on opposite sides of the counter, and stared intensely into the glass.

There was no visible response made, at least not vocally, as George seemingly had a staring contest with himself before finally breaking off to wash his hands, making it seem like he used the restroom. As he was about to reach for the door George froze in place as he suddenly heard the familiar voices of Kay and Alisa from the other side and so he listened closely.

"For the last time I do not want to read what you got!" Kay exclaimed.

It sound like she was arguing with her sub commander, he cracked the door slowly peeking through the slit to see the two girls bickering with Alisa trying to convince Kay to take a look inside the file George saw her with earlier.

"C'mon Kay! I almost got caught trying to get-"

"And I told you, I want you to stop resorting to dirty tactics," Kay told her firmly snatching the file from Alisa's grasps then chucking them into a recycling bin.

"I just want to help us win," Alisa pleaded.

"Sportsmanship! how many times do I have to keep repeating it to you?" Kay reminded before storming off.

Disappointed, Alisa, hung her head, and walked out leaving George to emerge from the bathroom with no one in sight. Walking up to the blue bin George reached in to retrieve what caused such a heated discussion between the two. Flipping the file open George mentally read the first sheets without distraction, but something like this probably isn't a good idea to be seen with, and thus stuffed the file into his jacket walking off before anyone notices him.