Chapter 2

Like Toy Soldiers

(7:30 A.M. Location: Belle Forest IEF Academy)

The Barracks

"Alright, you maggots, I'm your Staff Sergeant, Keith." A sinister smile formed on the rugged man's face. "And for the next 5 months, I'll be your worst nightmare. My job is to mold you into the best soldiers possible. Under my guidance, I will turn you into the best of the best, the elite of the elite. When I address you the first and last words out of those mouths will be 'sir'. Am I understood?" the drill sergeant barked. "Sir, yes, sir!" answered his troops. "Jeez, someone's got their panties in a bunch." Said female trooper next to me. She held out her hand. "Name's Emma." She stated. I glanced at her hand before shaking it. "I'm… err, Blaze." I replied. "Blaze, huh? That's a funny name. How old are you kid?" she asked. "Sixteen." I lied. "Cool, I'm sixteen too." She grinned. "Something you two want to share with the rest of us?" barked Keith addressing us. "Sir, no, sir!" Emma and I answered in sync. "Then I'd shut those pie holes of yours' before I shut them for you!" he warned. "Sir, yes, sir!" we responded. "Alright, dismissed!" he grunted. "Sir, yes, sir" we answered as everyone left, except for Emma and I. "So what LFO do you pilot?" I asked "The Flestnia X, it's a variable of the original Flestnia." She explained. (Flestnia is a LFO from Eureka Seven Vol.2: The New Vision, a video game) "Flestnia?!" I exclaimed. "Didn't that belong to Ruri, the girl who helped steal the Nirvash typeZERO?" I asked. "Yeah," she responded, "I found her abandoned in an old junkyard. Or rather, I'd like to say she found me. So what do you pilot?" she asked "Err… the Vendetta, it's similar to the typeZERO but, it has different weapons and it's blue, not white." I lied. "COOL!" she complimented me "Hey, you want to go watch my little sister with me?" I asked her "Sure I have nothing planned this afternoon" she answered "So what's her name?" she asked as we walked down the hall. "Yuki, she's only 4. She'll be turning 5 in two mouths. I'm the only family she has." I sighed looking down at the floor. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to pry." She apologized. "Nah, it's alright." I dismissed it. "Well, at least your lucky." she moaned. I came to a halt "You think… I'm lucky?" I squeaked. "Uh-huh, you actually have an imouto, I've never had a family, I'm an orphan." she stared down at the floor like she wanted to cry. "Well, we're here." I said as we came to a door. " Room 632, home sweet home" I said with disappointment in my voice " Room 632, aren't the 600 rooms the really derelict rooms?" she asked curiously. "Don't remind me." I grunted "Oh, sorry, Blaze." she apologized "It's O.K." I said.

(2 hours later) (11:30 A.M.)

"She's asleep. Hey, you wanna join me for lunch in the mess hall?" I suggested. "Sure." Replied Emma.

As we sat down the Staff Sergeant announced, "Listen up, the army's only giving you $1,500 for modifications, so use it wisely. You have until 1900 hours to purchase your supplies."

(1:30 P.M.)

"This is so cool!" I cheered. "I know. It's sweet." Emma added. "So, where're you going, Emma." I asked. "Dotti's Garage." she stated. "You?" she wondered. "The scrape yard, it'll be cheaper." I replied. "You what to come?" I asked "No thanks, but, if you find a LR Laser, tell me, 'kay?" she requested. "You got it, remember we have 6 hours till we have to get back. See you in a bit." I said. "Yeah, later." she responded back.

(4:00 P.M. Location: Scrap yard)

"This is pointless." I groaned. "I've been here for 2 and a half hours, and I'm still no closer than when I started." Then I saw it, in the corner of the shop was an old Twin LR rifle. It was kinda beat up but still in decent condition. And the price was fair too. $400. Not too shabby. I picked up the weapon to inspect it. "Something I can help you with?" went an old voice from behind. I spun around to confront the voice. An elderly man with square-framed glasses stood before me. "Are you the shop-keep?" I inquired. "That I am. Who are you?" he asked in a raspy tone. "A customer." I answered wearily. "I can see that but, what's your name sonny?" he asked irritated. "Blaze." I answered. " Then follow me, Blaze, and I'll sell it to ya. Oh, by the way the fella who used to own it forgot to remove a shell, so be careful." he informed me. I cautiously held the weapon. Please don't blow up. "Hey, could you hold on to this for now, I wanted to look around some more." I requested. "Sure, I'll be up front if you need me." he mentioned.

(5:24 P.M.)

"Cool an entire rack of boomerangs. Lets see what they have." I continued to browse the wares. I glanced at my watch. 5:36, I only have a little over an hour left. Maybe I should… "Hey, what's this?"

(6:57 P.M. Location: Belle Forest IEF Academy)

"I'm getting worried. Blaze hasn't come back. There's only 3 minutes till time is up." She said to Matt, a fellow teammate. She clutched her stomach in worry.

"Hey guys. Emma, I found that LR Laser for you." I called out to my comrades. Emma's face lit up when she noticed me. Why's she so happy? "Blaze! You made it!" she said enthusiastically. "Well yeah, of course I did. You didn't actually think I'd let my new comrades down, did ya?" I replied wearing a smirk.

"Alright, times up everyone." Came a voice over the loudspeaker. SSG Keith entered the room. "Hope you got what you needed because tomorrow you'll be assembling those weapons. Time to hit the bunks and get some shut-eye. Dismissed." He barked.

I said goodnight to my comrades and returned to my quarters. I opened the door and Yuki greeted me with a big hug. I smiled. "Welcome back, nii-san!" she said. "I'm home." I replied lifting her up. "Were you a good girl today?" I asked with a kind smile. "Uh-huh." She nodded and grinned. "Can you keep a secret?" I whispered to my imouto. She nodded. I reached into my pocket. "I bought you some pocky with my money. Don't tell anyone, 'kay?" I said giving her the candy. "OK, Hi nii-san." She happily opened the box. Yuki, I'll make the world a safer place for you, I promise. Once she finished I wiped her mouth with a damp cloth and tucked her into bed. I crawled into bed next to her. "Good night, sleep tight, Yuki." I gently said rubbing her head. "Good night, Hi." She cooed shutting her eyes. I hope I won't be haunted by those ghastly images tonight. I closed my eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

The next day…

The Staff Sergeant had us lined up in a row. "It has been brought to my attention that some of you have been spending your money frivolously." he said in a calm voice. I swallowed hard. Oh, crap. I'm dead. He strolled back and forth. "Susan Kimbley, Dimitri Josa, Hillary Jaasen, Dan Marshal, Jill Caraway. Front and center!" he barked. "Sir, yes, sir!" they all said in sync. He started reading off a list of items. "Shoes, dresses, makeup, cheese burgers, movie tickets, a spa?!" he burst. I saw a vein throbbing in his forehead and an eye twitching. The ones called Susan, Dimitri, Hillary, Dan, and Jill cringed. "In all my years of military service I have never seen such a blatant WASTE of MILITARY MONEY!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Pack your belongings, effective immediately, you five are hereby expelled from the academy. Now get out of my sight, I never want to see your faces again!" he screamed at them. "But…" the one named Hillary tried to protest. "Did you not hear me?! I said leave, now!" Keith exploded. I heard the expelled mumble amongst themselves as they marched off. "This sucks." Complained Dan. "Tightwad." muttered Dimitri. The Staff Sergeant heard him. Keith punched him in the face. "Any other wise remarks you want to add?" he glared down at him. "No, sir." Went Dimitri rubbing his jaw. "Good." Said Keith. "The rest of you, get to work on installing your weapons. On the double!" he ordered us. "Sir, yes, sir!" we responded.

I was paired with Emma and Matt again. "Looks like fate has brought us together again, doesn't it?" she remarked. I looked at her. "Fate?" I repeated. Just what did she mean by that? Meh, whatever.

(30 min. later)

"Good, I see that all of you have finish your assembling your LFOs. That will be all for today. Tomorrow you'll begin your foot training. You'll be equipped with paintball guns and your goal will be to capture the flag. I'll fill you up on the details tomorrow, dismissed." he shouted "Sir, yes, sir." we all said in sequence.