A/N: This chapter will be presented in different people's POV. Names in [ ] denote this change, for character development.
[Lara]
I slowly opened my eyes to look at the clock sitting on my nightstand. 9'oclock a bit too late for my tastes. There was supposedly a major operation that was supposed to take place today. I sluggishly got up and walked to the window. What a beautiful sight. Probably one of the nicest mornings ever on this island. I wonder how little Kei is doing? Or everyone else back home in Trinity?
My mind has been running laps ever since I arrived here. David and Angelwing's constant feuding is pretty funny. Lorianna and David's relationship is blossoming but they have more of a student-teacher relationship than anything.
Günter is easy going and follows Wolfgang around like a puppy dog. Two veterans of a very nasty battle. I never really asked Gunther about his duties in the Belkan War, perhaps I may just ask him in a bit during breakfast. I am so glad that war is over, but now the victors are going to debate about who gets the biggest piece of the Belkan pie.
Wolfgang is an interesting person if I do say so myself. I even find him to be attractive. I fell so sorry for him. Getting backstabbed when he became a hero of Belka. Now sentenced with dishonor from a crime he never committed.
After I got dressed in a white dress uniform, I made my way to the kitchen. Yuck, Sotoan base food. Total garbage, but it's better than nothing. Gunther sat by himself, enjoying what appeared to be scrambled eggs.
"Oh hi, Lara. How's it going?" the blonde man said as he stabbed a sausage link and ate it.
"Nothing really Gunther." I said as I buttered a piece of toast.
"Want some jam?" he asked, offering a plastic container of jam to me.
"No, I like my toast with nothing but butter." I replied as I dropped the toast and picked up a fork to start eating my eggs. "So how did you meet Wolfgang?"
He froze before he answered. "June 6, during the nuclear bombings of the seven cities. I defected when I learned he was with the Oseans. You see I am from Sudentorbelk also known as South Belka and when we learned that Rald was planning on nuking the south lands, my squadron took off to engage the bombers with nukes. But before this, I and a pilot called Annette Zweig. She had the idea of defecting to the allies when we found out about the nukes. So we raided the base commander's office and got a bunch of information of which cities were being demilitarizing and which ones were being heavily guarded. We managed to escape, but got separated when the nukes went off. Wolfgang then took me in and I have been following his leadership ever since. He is my best friend."
"Wow, you have an interesting story, Gunther." I replied, "Do you have any brothers?"
"Yeah, one and his complete asshole. His name is Michael; he was a member of the SS in Belka. He treated us like lesser fools."
"Yeah, Wolfgang told me about him and Bernitz. He told me last night about them. Michael was the leader of Ofnir, while Ashley was leader of Grabarc."
"Yeah, I am a disgrace to my family for defecting."
"How can you say that?" I was shocked to hear that, Wolfgang and Gunther did have a terrible experience during that war.
"I supported my nation and turned my back on It." a small tear dripped from his right eye.
"But you did support your nation. When you defected and tried to shoot those bombers down, you were defending your homeland, South Belka. You defected out of love, not out of being a traitor. Gunther." I stopped before continuing to find the best way to put this. "You are a great person and it hurts to see you like this. You are a hero to South Belka and you are a hero to the local population."
He stopped crying and smiled, "Thank you Lara. Just like Anne, you're like a mother figure."
"How old are you anyway?" I questioned, he looked like a teen, with youth like qualities on his face like no wrinkles or facial hair.
"I am seventeen." He responded quietly.
He is nothing more than a child! Why would the Belkans send an innocent kid to war that is still attached to his parents? (Even though some kids aren't quite attached to their parents as they should be when they are this age.) But he seems so alone, what can I do to help him out? I know, he needs a family, I guess I can adopt him and provide the support he needs to become successful.
"Well Gunther. I just put some thought into it and I've decided."
"What Lara?" He was puzzled.
"I'll be your older sister."
[Gunther]
I looked back into her brown eyes and I could tell she was being serious. Ever since April, I have had this feeling of loneliness and when Anne came into my life everything was great, even though it only lasted a day. She guided me and told me what needed to be done for the good of Belka. My brother, Michael, never did that for me. He had everyone's support from Truinich and I was branded with 'Oh he's Michael's younger brother, he inherited all of his bad qualities that Michael didn't have.' It feels good knowing that Lara and Wolfgang, well hell everyone here in this base supports me. I never had great friends like them. Ever.
"Th… thhanks Lara." I barely managed to say as I got up, wiping the tears from my eyes and feeling her warm embrace. Through the embrace I heard her say, 'Gunther, Wolfgang and I will always be there for you, through thick and thin. Never ever forget that.'
"Thanks sis."
[Wolfgang]
A knock on the door woke me up from my deep sleep. It felt like an eternity before I opened my eyes and took a look at the alarm clock sitting on my nightstand. Eleven o'clock. Damn I slept late. I got up and put a white t-shirt on and made my way to the door and opened to find Lara standing there.
"Guten Morgan!" Lara said as she wrapped her arms around me,
"Guten Morgan to you too." I could feel a warm feeling in my cheeks. Blushing.
"I just adopted Gunther!"
Did I just hear what I thought I just heard? Gunther was a fully grown man, not a kid. She has to be pulling my leg. Then again, full military conscription was in place so their might've been a chance that he was drafted.
"Adopted? Gunther?" I said puzzled.
"Yeah, he is seventeen and I told him I would be his older sister." Lara said as she sat down on my cot.
I chuckled, it was a bit funny but I knew she was serious. She rubbed her hair through her brown hair. "What will your parents think?"
"I hope they see me doing the right thing. He needs a family now, sure he is 17 going on 18 but you know his story. He needs us." Her brown eyes met mine and I felt connected to her.
"Yeah Lara. He does." I said as I sat down beside her began to lay my head down on her shoulder. I wonder if she would let me…
The base commander walked in the room and I quickly straightened up. "The frontlines have been expanded. Phoenix One, you and your squadron are being relocated to Darnet City. That's going to be your new home for a while. Thanks for everything Scarface. The people of Sotoa are indebted to you." He finished off with a salute.
"Looks like it's time to go to the Sotoan mainland and goodbye to this rock." I said as I got up and walked to the door. I didn't have any real possessions except my BAF uniform, my Great Grandfather's Iron Cross (2nd Order with Oak Leaves), and some clothes. She left and went to her room, and I was falling in love as she walked away.
