DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Metal Gear is created by Hideo Kojima and owned by Konami. Genshin Impact is owned by miHoYo.


METAL GEAR SHOGUN

Episode 14
SOLDIER'S SUBSTANCE


/-\ Fort Hood, March 3rd, 2003 /-\


The Force XXI trainees kept up with their running exercise. As Drill Sergeant Fletcher had promised, he was responsible for not only running them through simulated VR training, but also real-world exercises to keep them physically fit and able to perform with exceptional skill.

"Hut-two! Hut-two!" The Drill Sergeant barked at the trainees. "Come on, maggots! This ain't your morning stroll! Keep running!"

Ei kept jogging along with the rest of the recruits, her chest rhythmically bouncing up and down as she ran. She was slightly winded, as one would expect, but she could not deny this kind of exercise did well to improve her stamina.

"Jacqueline! What is wrong with you!?" Drill Sergeant Fletcher yelled at her. "You are falling behind the group! Pick up the pace, she-maggot!"

Ei tried to comply with Fletcher's order and ran slightly faster to catch up with the other recruits. She was thinking in a long-term mindset, trying to conserve as much of her energy as possible for this run. They had been at this for around seven and a half minutes, right after they had finished with push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups. Fletcher had been pushing them to their limits, trying to make them stronger than ever before.

Ei and the rest of the running group passed the start/finish line for the running track, and Fletcher spoke up once more.

"Last lap, maggots!" He shouted at the trainees. "All or nothing! Make it count!"

Ei kept jogging at her usual pace, keeping up with the rest of the group. A few of the trainees started running faster, trying to get ahead and finish with a lower time than the others. She knew that would probably end with them using the rest of their stamina too soon. Ei stayed at her regular jogging speed for a while, until she passed what she believed to be the three-quarters point of the track.

Then, Ei decided to speed up. Her consistent jog broke into a full-on sprint, and she burst out of the crowd. She ran past the trainees who sped up too soon, who were now exhausted, and towards the finish line. She made it past the finish line, and slowly came to a halt, drained of her energy.


BGM:

Deus Ex – Lebedev's Airfield
By Michiel van den Bos


"Seven forty-nine, Jacqueline." Drill Sergeant Fletcher informed her. "That's another two-second improvement. You trying to butter me up with those scores?"

"No, sir…" Ei responded, winded. She slowly walked over to a bench, resting her body on top of it.

"Hmm…" Fletcher let out a mix between a growl and a hum, putting a cigarette in his mouth and lighting it. "Y'know what I just don't get, Jackie? How you've been doin' this regimen for over a year now, and you still got the body of a stripper…!"

Ei felt embarrassed by Fletcher's remark. She knew she had a somewhat attractive body, but she was not comfortable with being referred to as a mere sex worker. "Sir, if I may…" Ei tried to speak.

"You may not, Jacqueline!" Fletcher interrupted. "I've been trying to shape you into a soldier, a member of the United States Army! But all I see when I look at you is a pair of tits!" Fletcher finished, blowing cigarette smoke in Ei's face.

"Sir…" Ei began, pausing to make sure Fletcher wouldn't interrupt her again. "I have already said that combat skill is what is most important when it comes to being a soldier. My scores in the VR simulations are in the top ranks, sir. Lieutenant Greene agrees that I am exceptionally gifted when it comes to battle. I don't see why you can't accept my talents."

Drill Sergeant Fletcher leaned towards Ei, taking his cigarette out of his mouth and holding it in his fingers. "You forgot to say 'sir,' missy." He spoke. He then turned towards the rest of the group, who had just finished making it past the finish line. "Twenty push-ups! All of you, now!" Fletcher ordered the group. They groaned, getting into position for more push-ups. The Drill Sergeant faced back to Ei and spoke. "Go on, Jackie. You join them. When you're done with your push-ups, meet me and Lieutenant Greene in the VR training facility. I'll be waiting for you."

Fletcher then turned away and walked off, taking another drag of his cigarette. Ei joined the rest of the trainees, getting on the ground and commencing with the push-ups. As she got back into the rhythm of the exercise, she wondered why Fletcher was being so hard on her. Many Drill Sergeants were known for berating the troops they were responsible for training. Yet Ei had performed exceptionally well when it came to the combat simulations and physical exercises. She had previously thought that Fletcher would go easier on her, considering her high marks.

However, Fletcher kept pushing her with the same intensity as he had when she first joined Force XXI. It almost seemed as if he was even more intense with her than usual. Ei thought about why he was doing such things. After a few seconds of thinking, she wondered if he was being hard of her because he didn't want her to fall out of practice. It seemed logical at first, but Ei remembered what Fletcher had just told her.

"I've been trying to shape you into a soldier, a member of the United States Army! But all I see when I look at you is a pair of tits!"

Was it her physique that offended him? Did he have reservations about women serving in the military? Or was he trying to make it so other members of the military wouldn't sexually harass her? It was confusing to Ei, and she couldn't fully decide on one answer. She finished her twenty push-ups and relaxed for a short bit. What reason did Fletcher have to keep pushing her to this extreme a level? Well, she wouldn't find out by sitting around lazily like this. Ei got up and walked over to the VR training building.


BGM end


/-\ Fort Hood, VR Training Facility /-\


Ei walked through the doors of one of the training rooms. Entering the room, she saw Drill Sergeant Fletcher and Lieutenant Greene in the middle of a conversation.

"And I am asking for you to tell me why you're pushing her this hard." Lieutenant Greene spoke. "It's not a complicated question, Fletcher."

"I have my own reasons, Lieutenant." Fletcher responded. "And it's up to me whether I wanna tell other people about those reasons."

"Oh, Jacqueline?" Greene said, noticing Ei enter the room. "I suspected you would be showing up again today. Fletcher's been talking all about you."

"Fletcher, sir?" Ei asked the Drill Sergeant. "May I ask what this is about?"

"Of course, Jacqueline." Fletcher answered. "Since you've been going on and on about how 'combat skill is the most important thing,' and 'your scores are top-notch,' I'd like to do a little test on you. Lieutenant Greene?"

"Yes, Drill Sergeant Fletcher?" Greene asked.

"Load up exercise 'Atlas Beta Tango.'" Fletcher responded. "Set it to the maximum difficulty."

"Ah… I see. As you wish." Lieutenant Greene then typed a sequence into a nearby computer station. Fletcher then approached Ei once more, a cigarette held between his teeth.

"Here's a little history lesson for you, Jacqueline." Fletcher began. "Back in '98, when Force XXI was first founded, we instated the VR training system. Almost one year later, I set the record for the lowest time on one of the most difficult exercises devised thus far. To this day, I remain undefeated in this exercise, sitting comfortably at the top of the leaderboard. You have the option to agree to a little wager of mine: If – and I cannot stress this enough – if you are able to surpass my time, I will consider giving you a little breathing room."

"And if I don't succeed?" Ei asked the Drill Sergeant.

"Then I will intensify your regimen, as well as that of your fellow trainees." Fletcher answered. "You and the other trainees will be facing a severe increase in difficulty in your training if you fail to top my time. I'm not forcing you to take this wager, so just consider it 'all or nothing.' So, do we have a deal, Jacqueline?"

Ei pondered Fletcher's offer for a moment. She obviously knew her way around the VR exercises at this point in time, but this exercise was unheard of by her. That, and it was set to the hardest difficulty setting. She would be going in blind, against overwhelming odds.

"Will I be able to see the exercise beforehand, sir?" Ei asked.

"Of course." Fletcher replied. "But you won't be able to practice. One strike, and you're out."

After a few more seconds of considering the offer, Ei reached a decision.

"I accept." She said. "But if I succeed, you have to tell me why you were being so harsh to me."

"Then we got ourselves a deal." Fletcher spoke.

"Well, Jacqueline." Greene spoke up. "Please enter the simulation."

Ei complied with the instruction, changing into the haptic suit and letting the VR headset cover her eyes. As the light shone into her eyes, she felt determined to show what she was capable of.


/-\ Virtual Reality /-\


Ei awoke in the familiar environment of virtual reality. Standing on a platform, she walked forward to get a good view of the exercise area. It was a long rectangular area, with box-like obstacles scattered throughout its length. It was surrounded on all sides by walls, and two tall, rectangular obstacles lied in the center of the left and right sides, giving the course an infinity shape. She noticed about a dozen polygonal humanoids patrolling the course, making sure to study their patrol patterns. She then looked for the starting point and ending point, located on the far left and right of the course, respectively.

[Is this thing on?] Drill Sergeant Fletcher's voice echoed from the real world. He cleared his throat before speaking further. [The objective of this exercise is to eliminate all soldiers present and reach the finish point. If you are killed in the exercise, it will be considered a failure. The only weapons available to you will be a silenced pistol and an automatic rifle. Which one you will be using is up to you. Good luck, Jacqueline. You will need it.]

Ei looked at the table and saw a FAMAS rifle and a silenced SOCOM pistol. She took both of them, loading them with their respective magazines. She chose to hang the FAMAS on her back, as using a silent weapon would give her a sizable advantage. If she would be spotted, she would use the automatic weapon to eliminate the soldiers who came, since her chance at stealth would be ruined.

Ei paid a few more seconds of attention to the soldiers' patrol routes one last time. She planned her own course of action to complete the course as quickly and efficiently as possible. She then stood in the glowing waypoint, which transported her to the starting point.


BGM:

Deus Ex – Airfield Action
By Michiel van den Bos


Ei materialized at the starting point of the exercise, pistol at the ready. She moved to the wall to her left, pressing her back against it. A few seconds later, one of the patrolling soldiers walked out from behind one of the larger obstacles, exposing himself. Ei took aim at the soldier's head and fired, landing the shot and killing him. The soldier collapsed, the polygons comprising his body dissipating soon after.

Ei then vaulted over a box, viewing the other side of the wall. Three soldiers were there, patrolling around some of the obstacles. Ei aimed at the closest one and shot his head, killing him. She then looked towards the other two, getting a little closer for a better shot. She peeked around the corner, seeing one soldier check behind one of the obstacles. She shot and killed the one left, quickly sneaking over to where the other soldier had gone. Arriving behind the remaining soldier, Ei instinctively reached to her belt for a knife, but not finding one. So instead, she grabbed the soldier in a headlock, dragging him behind an obstacle. She then proceeded to snap his neck, eliminating him.

Moving back to the center of the course, she saw where the right side split in half. One soldier was on each side, but before she could get there, there was a soldier patrolling the center area, with another stationed in an elevated position. Ei decided to knock on a wall to lure the center soldier close to her. It worked, and just as he arrived, she snapped his neck just like the previous soldier. She peeked out again and took aim at the elevated soldier. Ei fired, missing once before nailing him in the head. It seemed shooting at a distance with a pistol was somewhat difficult.

Ei turned her attention back to where the path split, mainly towards the lone soldier patrolling the left side of the wall. She was easily able to take him out, and moved to the right side of the wall, where another soldier joined the one she saw earlier. Ei couldn't take them both out at once, as she would be noticed, so she performed the same luring tactic to bring one close. Unfortunately, it worked too well. Both soldiers began approaching her position, and she retreated to the other side of the wall.

Looking ahead, Ei saw a soldier patrolling outside a small structure ahead – the one she noticed was where the finish point was. Ei moved a little closer, hiding behind a box from the soldiers she lured towards her, and aimed her pistol. The soldier began moving to her right, out of her line of sight, so she decided to deal with him later. The two soldiers she lured arrived, checking around for any intruders. One soldier walked right next to her, unfortunately not noticing her. Ei grabbed the soldier and snapped his neck.

Immediately standing up, Ei took aim at the second soldier and shot him multiple times, caring more about killing him silently than about accuracy. The soldier died and collapsed, disappearing into a flourish of polygons. She reloaded her pistol quickly, moving forward towards the structure. Ei peeked around the corner, the soldier from before facing away. Perfect. She quickly snapped her aim towards his head and fired, blowing his digital brains out. Looking to the left, she saw a soldier exiting the structure, scanning the outside. She did the same with him, killing him quickly before she made her final approach towards the structure.

Ei decided to swap the SOCOM for the FAMAS on her back, since there was only one soldier left based on her counting. As such, there was no more need for stealth, since everyone else was dead. Ei rushed into the structure, noticing the final soldier and unloading the rifle's magazine into his body. As he died, the finish point lit up, prompting Ei to step into its light, ending the course.


BGM end


/-\ Fort Hood, VR Training Facility /-\


As Ei exited VR, she felt some strange feelings. When she "killed" the virtual soldiers, she felt a profound sense of satisfaction. Perhaps it was just the adrenaline of the battle, but she definitely felt good whenever she killed one of them. She was worried not only from this fact, but also about how familiar it felt.

"Well I'll be damned." Drill Sergeant Fletcher's voice greeted her as she came back to. "You beat the whole thing in fifty-four seconds…! My record was one-oh'-three!"

"Impressive, Jacqueline!" Lieutenant Greene congratulated her. "I suppose this makes you the winner. Good job."

As Ei changed out of the haptic suit, she noticed the Drill Sergeant was looking a little disappointed. She walked over to him.

"Sir…?" Ei asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Fletcher responded. "Just… come outside for a bit, and then we can talk." He then exited the room, leaving Ei and Lieutenant Greene alone.

A few minutes later, Ei walked outside. She noticed Drill Sergeant Fletcher sitting down on a bench, watching a group of soldiers performing exercises. She walked over to him and stood nearby.

"Fletcher, sir?" Ei called for his attention.

Fletcher noticed her, looking over to her. "Oh, it's you." He spoke. "Here, sit down." He said, offering the seat next to him. Ei accepted his gesture, sitting down next to him. Fletcher then pulled out a pack of cigarettes, putting one in his mouth. He then offered one to Ei. "Want a light?" He asked.

Ei thought for a moment, eventually taking the cigarette. Fletcher lit his and hers at the same time, and Ei placed the cigarette in her mouth. She inhaled, the tobacco smoke entering her lungs. After a second, she blew the smoke out, coughing a tiny bit, but feeling somewhat more relaxed.

"Anyways, Jacqueline," Fletcher began. "I just wanted to say that I don't hate you. I know I've been sayin' all that crap about you being skinny, or looking like a stripper, or…"

"I understand what you mean, sir." Ei finished for him.

"Right." Fletcher spoke. "Well, it's just 'cause you're exceptionally gifted. You've got the potential to be one of the finest soldiers Force XXI has known, and I'm just tryin' to make sure you're always up to the task. And that includes keeping you in peak physical condition."

"I see, but are all those derogatory comments necessary?" Ei questioned him.

"How else am I s'posed to motivate you?" Fletcher commented. "Tell you what, I'll drop all that crap, and just call you a maggot like everyone else. How's that sound?"

"I would like that very much, sir." Ei answered. "Thank you, sir."

"Ah, it's nothin'." He responded. "Here." Fletcher placed the pack of cigarettes in Ei's hands. "You can have these. I'm starting to get tired of this brand." He then stood up, walking off to his other duties.

Ei pocketed the cigarettes, blowing out some more smoke. She wondered how her training here would continue from this point onwards. She then thought back to her original reason for coming to this world: her desire to obtain Eternity. Even after so many years, she had not found herself any closer to finding the answers she needed. Though she reflected on what may come in the future. Eventually, Ei would find out how to achieve Eternity, returning back to Inazuma and making sure the nation she treasured so much would never fall.


And that's the end of that chapter. I recently had a bit of a rough patch at work and needed a bit of time to cool down, but I'm alright now. I'm going to try and write a way to get Ei to join FOXHOUND in the future, but that'll still be a few chapters away. For now, here are the reviews!

Zairaaquino: It'll definitely be a long, long time until Ei returns to Teyvat, if she ever does.
Gabrielito: Thanks! While I was thinking about Titanfall 2's simulation sequence while writing, the actual reference is to "The Pit" from Modern Warfare 2's campaign.

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next chapter!

-Azzy Asbourne

Music:
Lebedev's Airfield: watch?v=6PCeKu4zxh8
Airfield Action: watch?v=0nUQWdOsN3g