Hello everyone, and how is your Christmas going? We are finally getting to the Christmas part of the fic. Two more chapters counting this one, so enjoy them.

~Naso



"Epi what's with JOO?!"

-Remorse/Infantry-



Chapter 3- The End of The War

Episode sat in the living room of the small house he was renting with his brother. It had been three years since the end of the war between Collective and Titan, and amazingly enough his brother and himself were a large part of that. Originally when Episode had figured out to use Morse Code to send messages at close range to his brother, everything had worked out perfectly. Soon, many of their friends had been wearing a white band on their arm so that they wouldn't shoot each other on accident. One day another trooper had given the group the nickname of 'White Flags', and amazingly enough that name stuck. The odd thing was though, that Episode started to see strangers wearing the white bands. While nursing a wound at a hospital Episode had gotten onto the Internet, and he found a web site mentioning to all what it meant to wear the white band. Checking the site out further he noticed that over three thousand Collective, and four thousand Titan had these bands on across the war zone.

Episode gave the site to his brother as soon as he was out in the war zone again, and his brother had blamed him for the whole deal. He had also scared the piss out of Episode by shooting off his exhaust pipe in frustration. Truth be told Episode didn't know who had started to spread the information to all troopers. The white bands were starting to interfere with the war at some point though. There were times when whole squads would run into each other, only to turn away as they all had white bands on. Episode guessed this was what brought about peace talks, and both his brother and himself were awarded the Military Star of Peace. Personally Episode wondered if such a thing had existed before the war ended. Probably not. Regardless of all that had happened, the original white flags had stayed close after the wars end. That was why Episode's brother Alone was working on a cake as Episode sat on his ass in the living room. It was Christmas, and Episode had envited all of the old gang over for a party.

It was only a small group of people, and Episode laughed as he thought about the looks he had gotten when he had told the lady at the party store who to send out invitations to. There was Luminis She STILL whipped Episode!), Exosuit, Fara, Remorse, Icefox, Smurf, and Gina. Episode had talked one of his best friends into being Exo's date. Her name was Kristin, and he figured she would be the PERFECT date for the restrained old soldier. At least he hoped. He had known Kristin to crack anyone's shell, and he had known Exo to keep even the biggest pests out. He would enjoy seeing that duel. Then there would be Foxy and Remorse coming as a couple. The two had been a couple since near the end of the war, and it was still considered to be the running gag with them, that they fought more than the Titan and Collective. Luminis would be harassing Episode the entire party, and he would refuse to admit he liked it by now. Then there was Fara and the girl he was so hyped up for them to meet. Fara had found her wounded after a fight with the enemy, and a good deal of people had decided to leave her as dead.

Fara had taken her back to base though, and with his help she had pulled through. It was kind of a love at first snipe relationship, and Episode would be glad to meet her. He figured he might be able to pair Gina and Smurf up while they were here. After all they were both klutzes, and more than once they had, literally, fallen into each other's arms. Episode continued his matchmaker revelry for a bit before Alone came up and smacked him upside the head with a spatula. "Hey why'd you do that dickhead?!" Episode barked, and his brother laughed, "I said I'd bake the cake, but I didn't say I'd put up the lights, the tree, or make dinner." Episode growled as he got the point. Episode was a very good cook, and could make a cake better than his brother. Then again he hated cooking most of the time, and he had agreed to split the chores for the party in this manner. This way he could take everyone out to a buffet, and he could hang the lights and crap now. It was a few hours later when Episode was hanging the last of the lights from an eight foot ladder. He was afraid the guests would be here soon, and he wanted to finish quickly. The ladder shook just then, and Episode steadied himself. He heard someone shout, but it sounded like it was in the distance. Returning to his work Episode managed to hang the last of the lights before the ladder was suddenly kicked out from under him completely.

"What the hell?!" Episode shouted as he fell to the ground, and he turned to land on all fours as he caught an attractive girl trying to catch him. He fell on her roughly, and the two both went down to the pavement with him on top. Then he recognized her face. "Lumi-chan?" Episode said, and Luminis grinned. "Sorry, didn't mean to hit the ladder so hard." She said. Episode grinned, and Luminis leaned up to share a kiss with him. That would have been a nice moment if not for the fact that the other guests had shown up right then. "Look at the lovebirds!" Remorse crowed, "So Epi can you only get it up if you're in public these days." Episode groaned as he broke the kiss and got to his feet with Luminis. He glared daggers at Remorse, and he noticed Icefox standing patiently beside him. Smurf and Gina were also there beside the two, and Fara was coming up the front walk with a very attractive long hared girl. "I'm sorry Epi, but after the war he forgot what manner were it seemed." Icefox said, and she smiled as she booted Remorse in the shin, "I almost forgot what to do there sorry." Everyone laughed as Remorse started the 'ow my shin' dance for what would have to be the three thousandth time. Then Fara came up with his date, and all eyes turned to him.

"Hello guys." Fara said calmly, "Remorse hasn't changed, and neither has Epi or Lumi it seems." Episode rubbed the back of his head as he chuckled lightly. Then his brother came out of the house with his handgun. "Hey bro I heard you fall, and some kind of a scuffle what's goi-." Alone started before he saw the crowd. He put his gun away, and slapped himself upside the head. "Should have known it was them and not some gang." He said sarcastically. Everyone smiled, and Episode pointed to the girl Fara had brought. "Hello, and you are?" Episode said, and she smiled as he shook her hand gently. "My name is Jewel." She said quietly, and Episode raised an eyebrow. "That's actually an, um it's a, call sign I gave her." Fara said nervously, "She shouldn't be the only one here without one." Episode laughed as he took in the value of the 'call sign'. "Well that's fine with me. Does everyone want to come inside for some hot drinks before we go out to dinner?" Alone asked, and several heads nodded their agreement. This being ok, the group headed indoors. No doubt they would share many fond memories as they had their drinks.

~Fin.

End of chapter three! Next chapter is the Christmas Eve party! Also the events after the party. Woot, as some of the more ridiculous Infantry players would say!

~Naso