Author's Note: Ok so the latest chapter for The Rising Storm is up so go check that out. I'm going to see if I can get this out before Christmas as well. Here's hopping.
Moka: -stomps down a corridor absolutely furious, rips the door off of its hinges and storms in-
Garuda1178: -looks up from the holographic table where he was conferring with his generals-
M: -glares at him, he's wearing the dress uniform of the Sky Marshal from Starship Troopers- WHAT THE HELL?!
G1178: -he nods to his generals and they leave- Can I help you?
M: YOU MADE ME OUT LIKE A WEAKLING!
G1178: Ah, that –walks out from behind the table to stand in front of her- I believe it was a proper reaction.
M: LIKE HELL IT WAS!
G1178: -rubs his ear- You know you don't have to shout.
M: I'M ORDERING YOU TO GO BACK AND FIX IT!
G1178: Really? Before you go about ordering me to do anything read this. –Hands her a data pad-
M: -yanks it out of his hand and starts reading, her eyes widening in shock and horror-
G1178: And that's only Colonel Mateo's story, switch to the next page.
M: -does so, and reads. Slowly makes her way to a corner and crouches down a dark cloud of misery hovering over her-
G1178: -walks over and picks up the data pad- History of Spartan-117. –read the title-
Aide: -walks in and over to him, looking at the silver haired girl in the corner- Will she be alright sir?
G1178: -nods- She'll be fine, she just needed to learn her place.
-him and the aide chuckle-
(If you're having trouble picturing what is going on with Moka, just imagine when Crona shows his 'poetry' to Maka from soul eater)
Even with Moka's blood coursing through him, it still took a good two more weeks for Andrew's wounds to fully heal. Mizore was the only one he would allow to enter his room. Every time she did, he could feel a weight be lifted off of his shoulders. It also helped that since she was a Yuki-onna she could numb the pain in his body. In reality, Mizore hardly left his side at all. She only showed up to class enough so that she wouldn't be expelled. Outwardly, Andrew was slightly put off as to why she would want to spend so much time with him but every time he would ask she would say 'I can and will'. Secretly, Andrew was glad she decided to sped so much time with him, it made it much easier to keep track of her.
Today was the day that he would finally get out of the damn infirmary, and meet this Headmaster of theirs. With Mizore at his side, he swung his legs out from the side of the bed. He gingerly set his feet on the cold floor of the hospital and tried to stand. Without Mizore's help he would have ended up on the floor. "Thanks." he said. She blushed slightly and helped him stand straight. "Is there someplace I can get some clothes? I don't exactly want to be in hospital fatigues when I meet your Headmaster." he said. She nodded and led him to a chair where the uniform of the school rested.
Grabbing the hospital fatigue, he pulled it off and stood completely oblivious to the fact he was naked. Mizore let out an 'eep' and quickly turned away, her face beet red. He looked at her with a slight look of confusion then looked down at himself. 'Oh FUCK! With everything being co-gender in the UNSC, I forgot civilians are different.' he thought, scolding himself for forgetting. He quickly dressed "I'm decent." he said. She slowly turned around to look at him. He had donned the uniform immaculately, a testimony to his years in the UNSC, though green didn't quite suit him. The tie was perfectly in the center of the open top part which was perfectly split down the middle. His gig line was as perfect as his tie (for you non-military types a gig line is the line the shirt, belt buckle, and pant zipper form when the uniform is worn).
Looking down at himself he decided that his old Marine uniform fitted him better than this green excuse for a uniform. At least the darker tones on that uniform seemed to help him blend into the shadows. "I don't think green is your color." Mizore said. "You noticed?" he asked sarcastically. She giggled, to Andrew it almost sounded like her giggling. "Let's go, we don't want to keep the Headmaster waiting." she said in that soft, cool voice she had. Andrew nodded "Yeah let's go." he said. He started walking to the door, but his legs weren't having any of that. They collapsed out from under him and Mizore was too far away to catch him. So instead, she created an ice pillar that caught him instead. He looked at her "Thanks." he said. She blushed slightly and walked over to him. He pulled himself off the pillar and allowed Mizore to put his arm around her shoulders to help him walk to the Headmaster's office.
They finally arrived at the doors to his office after what seemed like hours of walking, though in reality it was only 20 minutes. He looked at Mizore and she nodded, he pulled his arm back from her and stood straight. He knocked on the door and it opened, giving him a look inside. They slowly entered the office and made their way to the desk at the very back of the office. Three years in the UNSC had trained him to check everything, as he looked around he noticed that the entire room was covered in equipment that probably was used in astronomy, though he had no idea. 'For God sakes Jim, I'm a soldier not an astrologist.' he thought to himself. He chuckled inwardly at his own joke (I just had to put that in, Kudos to who can tell me what it's from).
At the desk an ornate high backed chair was turned away from them. The chair turned around to them and he could see the person who occupied it. It was the same man in white that he had seen talking to the people who had killed him. Knowing that he was technically the highest ranking person in the school he fell back on his training. He snapped to attention, though it pained him some, and saluted. "Sir, Corporal Andrew Sampson reporting as ordered, sir." he said. The man waved his hand "At ease." he said. Andrew dropped the salute and entered parade rest. "You've caused quite the uproar since you arrived, Corporal." he said matter of factly.
He pulled out some pictures and threw them on the desk. Andrew stepped up to them and looked at them. They showed that bastard Okuto attempt to rape Mizore and then him standing in his ODST armor then the plasma grenade that killed him. "And from what I've heard, you broke Inner Moka when she saw your memories when she saved your life." he said. "So, what are we going to do with you?" he asked, leaning back in his chair and folding his fingers. Andrew looked at the pictures again "With all due respect sir, I have nowhere to go. No family to take me in, hell not even a place I can call home period." he said. He left out details, though he knew that this man would want and get them eventually. "What are you getting at young man?" the Headmaster asked, his glowing eyes twinkling. "I'd like to enroll in your school." Andrew said simply.
Mikogami leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. Mizore, however, reacted differently, she was in shock. "You do realize that your life will constantly be in danger. If anyone was to find out about you, you would be killed." Mikogami said. Andrew pointed at Mizore "She knows, as well as 4 others and you too and I'm not dead yet." he said. "Besides, I have obligations here that can't be ignored." Andrew continued. Mizore cocked an eyebrow "What obligations?" she asked. He glanced at her "Someone down here needs me." he stated simply as though it was obvious. She blushed, guessing what he meant. "Of course, I'm going to need a few things." he continued, looking back at Mikogami.
Mikogami turned his attention back to the youth in front of him. Something was different about this one, something that set him apart from Tsukune. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was but it intrigued him. "And that would be?" he asked. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I would like my sword and grenades returned, my SMG and armor repaired, and your permission to where a larger coat to conceal my weapons." Andrew said. If Andrew could have seen Mikogami's face he would have seen him cock an eyebrow. "Why would you need all that? Tsukune has done marvelously and he doesn't have any of that." he said. "With all due respect sir, he has a harem of women who would gladly fight for him. I don't, I'm going to need my equipment if I intend to fulfill my obligation." Andrew countered. Mizore blushed again; Andrew was facing off against one of the Dark Lords without so much a shred of power to his name.
Mikogami chuckled "I'll give you that one, very well." he said. He motioned for Andrew to step forward. He handed Andrew a key with a room number on it, as well as a map of the school. Andrew snapped a salute "Thank you sir." he said. He took them with a nod and turned to leave. "One more thing Corporal." Mikogami said. Andrew turned his head to look at the headmaster. "Try to refrain from lethal force against my students." he said with that maddening grin on his face. "No promises but if they come at me, I'm going to defend myself." Andrew replied. Andrew walked with a limp to the door with Mizore right beside him and the two of them left.
Mikogami returned to his seat and turned so that he was facing the window. Things were going to happen at his school, and only Andrew had faced them before. He grinned 'This year is going to be interesting.' he thought.
Andrew and Mizore walked to the dorms, Mizore ready to assist should Andrew look like he's going to fall. Eventually they arrived and found Andrew's room. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. The room was larger than what he was used to, but that wasn't saying much. He was used to sleeping on the ground trying to stay alive. He couldn't really remember the last time he slept in a bed. He walked over to it and found his equipment and a black trench coat. He picked up his helmet and looked at it. The scratches from Kurumu's attack were gone. He set it on his head and the HUD came on line. He smiled, took it off and set it back on the bed. He picked up his SMG and smiled as well. It was all in one piece. He ejected the mag and looked inside. Even the damaged rounds were repaired. He set it down then picked up his chest plate. It was no longer crumpled where Moka had kicked him and all the other damaged from three years of fighting Covenant were gone as well. 'Well, not all the damage.' he thought as he touched his face.
He suddenly remembered that Mizore was standing in his room. He turned to her. "Thank you for all your help Miss Shirayuki." he said, giving a small bow. "I really appreciate what you've done." he continued. She blushed at his formal use of her name "It was nothing. See you tomorrow?" she asked. Andrew gave her a nod and she left. After the door was closed, Andrew set to work on his equipment. He worked late into the night, setting his leg armor into place on his pants so that he could carry his sword and SMG where ever he went. By the time he was finished it was 1 in the morning. "Just like basic." he mused to himself. He set his alarm to 4 then lay down to sleep.
Not two hours later, he awoke in a cold sweat, screaming. His hand lunged for his SMG and rolled out of bed. He leveled his SMG at the door and loosed a barrage of bullets tearing through it. Thankfully it was silenced, otherwise he would have had to deal with some very angry dormmates. Of course if they hadn't woken from his scream, then he doubted they were going to wake from some gunshots. He lowered his SMG and rubbed his temples. They had finally come, the nightmares. He had been running off of adrenaline, and his mind had been too preoccupied the previous few weeks. But it had finally caught up with him. He had been fighting on a colony that had ultimately been glassed. Even while he was awake, he could still hear the screams of the dead and dying. The worst part had been the end, he watched his family get cut down and his sweatheart's ship destroyed. Then he found himself in the middle of a black room. They had started arriving then. The bodies of his parents, his sister, and his sweatheart, all surrounding him. "Why didn't you help us?" asked his mother. "You could have saved us." said his father. "What are you if you can't even save four people?" asked his sister. "Your promise must have ment nothing if you let me die." accused his sweatheart. They continued in that manner for some time.
Andrew eventually curled into a ball and wished that they would stop, after he had tried many times to convince them that it wasn't his fault. That was when he had screamed, vaulted out of bed, and shot his door. He walked over to his door and examined it. He had put about six rounds through the door and it was almost torn in half. He ran his fingers over the holes and sighed. Dropping his hand he walked back to his bed and sat on it, his head in his hands. He spent the next ten minutes crying into them. Finally he fell back on his bed and passed out.
His alarm went off two hours later and he jumped out of bed. He dressed in PT clothes, made his bed, and then set to the routine that had been ingrained into him at basic three years before despite the horrifing night before. He set into it with a will to help drive away the images and the voices, starting off light with 500 pushups. After that 500 sit ups then 500 jumping jacks. After the warm-up, he set into his 10k run. As he was leaving he didn't notice a certain violet haired girl hiding behind a tree. Eventually he returned to his dorm room, sweat pouring off of him in great waves. He slowly walked around the building to cool off, when he felt the temperature suddenly drop and his senses alerting him to someone elses pressence. He tensed and mentally berated himself for leaving his dorm unarmed. Of course no soldier was truely unarmed but he really didn't think his feet and fists were going to help him much here. Though if they stayed in human form then he might have a chance. "Show yourself!" he called out.
Mizore stepped out from behind the tree that he was leaning up against. "How did you know I was here?" she asked. "The temprature dropped, and I felt like someone was watching me." he replied. He was still tense, but he wasn't about to attack the woman he was sent back to protect. Unless she struck first of course, then he would have to defend himself. "How long were you following me?" he asked. "Since you left your room." she replied like it was nothing. Andrew paled, 'If she can follow me for ten klicks and only now I sense her...' he didn't finish the thought. He swore then that he was never going anywhere without his armor and helmet. Even if she didnt' attack him, it made him uneasy to know how easy it was for her to sneak up on him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and he walked back to his dorm.
He had just entered his dorm room when he heard the soft patter of feet behind him. He gimaced to himself 'She just can't leave me alone can she?' he asked himself. "Well since you've attached yourself to my hip, why don't you come in." he called behind him. She started when he talked to her. She had thought that she was being far more stealthy than that but she didn't count on his constant awareness. He walked into his room and left his door open for her. She peaked her head around the door frame and was slightly dissapointed. She had hoped to gain some insight into what type of man he was by how he decorated his room, but what she saw was nothing more than the same room she had left him in. Though she really thought nothing of it as this was just his second day at the Academy.
Andrew walked over to the closet that he had forgotten the previous night and opened it. Inside was more school uniforms. 'Ok seriously if I ever find out who thougth green was a good idea for a uniform I'm going to beat them into a pulp.' he thought as he grabbed them and threw them out the window.
At that moment the Headmaster was going over some paper work when he sneezed. He shook his head in wonderment "I think green is a great color for a uniform." he said to no one inparticular.
Andrew began to strip down, and Mizore had to surpress an 'eep' as she turned around quickly. She was a stalker by trade, but that didn't mean that certain lines were not crossed. When Andrew got into the shower he couldn't believe it; he got to take a long shower while the water was on! And a hot one at that! After savoring his long, hot shower of 3 minutes, he left the bathroom drying himself. Remembering that he was amongst civilians before he could kill Mizore from embarrassment, he rapped his midsection with a towel, though it did nothing to an conceal his upper body. He left the bathroom and made his way to his bed where his uniform was. Mizore looked up as he passed her. She blushed when she discovered that his torso was uncovered and she got a good look at his finely developed chest and back. Then a look of shock and horror crossed her face when she got a good look at his back. The ugliest scar covered his entire back, as though someone had taken a bucket of molten metal and splashed it onto his back. She stood up and walked over to him.
Andrew was just finishing putting his pants on when he felt someone walk up behind him and a cool hand touch his back in the center of his scar. He wasn't expecting it and the added coldness of the touch completed his shock. He tensed 'It's only Mizore, it's only Mizore, it's only Mizore…' he repeated in his head many, many, many times to keep himself from doing something he would regret. "How did…?" she started. "I don't want to talk about it." he quickly said before she could finish her question. She lowered her head and silently nodded. She removed her hand so that he could finish dressing. He pulled on his UNSC issued shirt, then started snapping on the armor for his legs, and getting his combat boots on. He had contemplated his upper body armor as well but then it would have made it impossible to where the trench coat to hide his weapons. So he settled for putting it in his duffel bag, as well as his helmet. He holstered his SMG and the sword on his right thigh, SMG above the sword for easy access, then donned the black trench coat. He then put all his books that he would need for classes in his backpack and pulled its straps over his shoulders. Finally, he put the strap of the duffel bag on his shoulder and turned to Mizore.
She looked up at him and smiled. This look fitted him much better than the green of the academy. "Will you join me for breakfast?" she asked. He nodded his assent and motioned for her to lead the way. As they were leaving his dorm room he glanced at the clock. '0715, not bad at all.' he thought.
As they walked Mizore somehow wormed her way around his arm, he didn't mind her being so close. It was actually better that way; he could twist her around and put his body inbetween her and anything that tried to hurt her. He happened to look down and his breath caught and his eyes widened in shock and horror. "What?" she asked when she noticed his expression. He shook his head "Nothing, you go ahead, I'll catch up." he said. She didn't want to but she knew there was no way she was going to change his mind. "Don't be late." she said as she left. He nodded then turned his attention to what had caused his reaction. It was a footprint, but this footprint he had seen many times before. The footprint looked more like a hoof from something like a goat, only it was much bigger, and the way it was shaped, it was wrong, and the weight that had been put on the foot to cause the footprint was much too heavy. There was only one race that he knew of that produced footprints like these. 'But how in the hell did they get here?!' he asked himself, his mind already formulating plans to counter the possible threat. 'The same damn way you did.' he answered himself. He had crouched down to get a better look at the print, so he straightened and blew out the breath he had no idea he had been holding. 'Calm down Andrew, maybe you're just overreacting. I'm sure…' his thoughts were interrupted by a scream and he tore off running, his hand going for his SMG.
Author's Note: MUAHAHAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger! So now we know that Andrew is having just a little bit of trouble adjusting to the living conditions at the academy, but after spending three years in fox holes and cryo, can you really blame him. Mizore found a large scar on his back. How did he get it? You're going to have to wait and see. Don't expect an update for either this or The Rising Storm until after Christmas. Review as you see fit.