The Transgressions of Corporal Jiyang

"Seriously?" Hernamidos spat on the female commando. "You ordered Sphyraena 2B48 to stand down?"

The orange-haired girl winced, rubbing her face.

"Answer me, Corporal Misuna Jiyang! Do I have to bruise you to make you cooperate?" The general cracked his knuckles.

"Um," She mumbled. "I… I did…"

"And why exactly did you do that?"

Misuna shook with fear. She avoided eye contact with the general. With a moment of dead silence in the room, she tried her best to keep her eyes on the floor.

"Tell me!" Hernamidos stomped on her foot. "What damn good reason do you have to make our Federation look bad?"

Misuna winced, recoiling her foot back. She shuddered at the fearsome height of the King of the Reaper Squad.

"I…" She struggled to explain. "The targets… they were… uh… innocent civilians…"

"Ugh!" Hernamidos kicked the table. "You can't be serious! Why the hell would you think like that?"

"Eh, well…"

"You remember the simulations back at the Kiasiion Academy, correct? I thought they were sufficient enough to mold you into a perfect Reaper Squad commando, Corporal!"

"But, general, why… the civilians attacked us there. Why didn't… why did they not fight back when we came to America?"

"Argh! You can't assume a civilian is friendly. They should be dead than to be a wild card that can backstab you, as displayed in the simulations!"

"But what, what if they aren't? What if they are innocent?"

"No difference! Everything in this freakin global playground is expendable. Innocent is a word people hide behind to escape that reality. The power to kill shows strength within the Kneapexist vision. Our military power crushes crime and our enemies. Our grand power makes people follow our vision. Only then would we be able to achieve world justice where all governments have failed!"

"But can't we do that without killing our flesh and blood? I thought our job was to protect humanity from the Vulpi. Why are we killing people that we're supposed to protect?"

"Dammit, Corporal Jiyang! People only listen when people die!" Hernamidos slapped her again.

***

Poor girl, Calice thought. I feel bad for her, but I don't know if I should do anything. Wait, what the heck is that owl eating?

Calice observed the mechanical owl drone sitting on top of a bowl held by the commando with red spiralling goggles. The owl was shaking its head in an attempt to devour a strange piece of meat. It was a fluffy object with a white furry tip.

Oh my god! Calice gasped. Is that a Vulpi tail?

After swallowing it down, the owl dumped its head into the bowl. Calice held her mouth from puking, realizing the bowl was full of Vulpi ears and tails. She then saw shadows approaching from a hallway junction. Calice jolted away from the window to hide. She spotted Agent Dacos with two Siganus Crusader droids walking past.

"Have you found her yet?" The psychic agent spoke at his earpiece.

Oh, it's that dumb guy, Calice observed.

"No? Double your search! Make sure all exits are sealed!" Dacos yelled. "Crazy! Now that Calice is gone, I gotta go find her before General Hernamidos yells at me again! Seriously, why does everyone yell at me? Does a single person appreciate my efforts here?"

The droids stared at him, saying absolutely nothing.

"Right," Dacos rolled his eyes. "You guys can't talk."

Once the three left, Calice ran back to the window.

***

"May I remind you?" Hernamidos walked to the table, snapping a cigar into his mouth. "This isn't the first time this happened! Do you know that? You are a real pain in the ass!"

Misuna rubbed her bruised face, shedding tears.

"I put up with you because you have the skill," The general took a puff of his cigar. "You and Corporal Liyan are the most talented of our Reaper Squad force. I worked my butt off to cover you from the Supreme Herald, remember?"

Corporal Jiyang made a tiny nod.

"It was hell to beg him to give you chances! I won't be able to cover you next time. Now, he requires me to report your actions daily along with the status of the Ironclad Eagle!" Hernamidos shouted. "This pattern of yours, your stupid inability to kill non-military human targets is getting on my nerves! Don't forget that we were the ones who rescued you from the Waxing Sickle and adopted you. This is how you thank me for giving you a place in this world?"

"But," Misuna sobbed. "We were supposed to kill the Vulpi, not ourselves… I don't understand."

Hernamidos groaned.

"Corporal Liyan," The general turned to the commando with spiraling goggles. "Will you please escort Corporal Jiyang to the simulation center?"

"Wh… what?" Misuna felt the two commandos forcing her to the door. "No! No, please! I need to rest."

"We got to deal with this issue now, Corporal Jiyang," Hernamidos held his cigar. "You need more time in the simulation until your mentality is fixed for combat."

"But, I don't want to, please!" The corporal cried. "I don't want to kill anymore!"

"Either we get this over with, or you can have a nasty merry go round of a chat with the Supreme Herald! Ugh, a runaway Ming is already bad enough. I hope Dacos is doing his job."

Corporal Jiyang continued to weep, struggling against the other two commandos. Calice hid as they forced the orange-haired Misuna across the hall. The owl drone flew about, landing on Corporal Liyan's shoulder.

Should I help her? Calice wondered. No way! I should not do that! She was the commando that separated me from my parents. She dragged me on the floor and shoved her rifle in my face! I gotta focus on getting out! But my parents told me those simulations will turn people into killers. What happens if she goes there?

***

"Let go of me!" Corporal Jiyang demanded. "Kumiciel! Help me!"

"Misuna, this is for your own good," The commando with spiraling goggles replied. "Hernamidos knows what's best for you."

"No, he doesn't!"

They approached a set of transparent doors. The other commando opened it while Kumiciel wrestled with Misuna.

"Please, Kumiciel!" Misuna begged in tears. "You promised you'd stay by my side!"

She elbowed him, breaking free. Misuna made a run for it, but the owl flew in front of her. It headbutted her at her nose. Misuna felt the mechanical owl slam her onto the ground with incredible force. The metallic owl growled, preparing its sharp talons to land on her.

"Easy, Dowler Alpha! Easy!" Kumiciel ordered.

The owl landed on the floor, staring at Misuna with its big red eyes.

"Just wait with him," Kumiciel pointed at the other commando. "You, prepare the simulation capsule."

The commando nodded. He allowed Dowler Alpha to fly inside the room before he entered.

"Kumiciel," Misuna hugged him.

"Hey, it's going to be alright," Kumiciel took off his helmet and goggles.

As Misuna cried onto Kumiciel's chest, Calice continued to observe at a distance, still debating whether she should help Misuna or not.

Maybe that Kumiciel guy will help her, Calice assured herself.

"Hey, Misuna," Kumiciel stroked Misuna's orange hair. "You will be fine. This is for your own good. We are trying to help you."

"No, I don't want to go back," Misuna shook her head. "I can't kill people who did nothing to us."

"But Misuna, that's crazy talk. You know very well that it's part of our vision. You remember back at the academy? To decrease carrying capacity. What better way to do that than trashing worthless enemies to show our sufficient authority."

"But is it wrong?" Misuna yelled. "Why should we harm those who did nothing to us? It's not like in the simulations at all."

"Why not?" Kumiciel gave her a puzzled look. "Everything in the world is expendable. Fanghui always said that sacrifices must be made. For people to listen and accept our view, our power must be shown compared to those other stupid governments like America's democracy. That's what the simulations train us for, to make those sacrifices for humanity."

"Even our relationship is expendable?"

Kumiciel was silent for a moment.

"Look, Misuna," Kumiciel scratched his head. "I don't know what's wrong with you. But don't you see? We are on the right side! We are making a better world!"

"How do you know that?" Misuna asked.

"I mean, you see how we are eliminating crime? That means we are doing good in this world. Remember that time you were kidnapped by the Waxing Sickle?"

Misuna nodded, placing her shaking hands together. It wasn't a topic she liked to talk about.

"We won't let that happen to you or anyone else in the world!"

"But why do we kill humans like ourselves? I thought we only killed the Vulpi."

"Yes, but some humans like those Mings try to help Vulpi and work with them to destroy us! So we must eliminate them as well."

"Not all humans do that…"

"Come on. Hernamidos said that people listen when they die. I mean like we gotta break eggs to make an omelet, right?"

Misuna tightened her hands together. There was a moment of silence as Misuna recalled her traumatic experience. Before being adopted by the Reaper Squad, she remembered being forced into a bag and dragged out in chains. The psychic leaders of the Waxing Sickle knelt her in front of a white-haired Vulpi. The Vulpi girl was ordered to kill her to prove her loyalty. Misuna even remembered her name. The leaders called her Elysia. She was given a sacrificial blade to kill Misuna. Elysia prepared to strike her down, but she hesitated.

Luckily, the Reaper Squad led by Hernamidos and Kumiciel rescued Misuna before the worst could happen to her. Ever since that experience, she thought the Vulpi were evil. Hernamidos adopted Misuna as a new member of the Reaper Squad while Kumiciel guided her for years. Misuna helped the Reaper Squad exterminate hundreds of Vulpi. Before the grand invasion of America, Misuna knew her duty as part of the Reaper Squad to kill the Vulpi. But now, Hernamidos was ordering the Reaper Squad to kill humans, her kind. Misuna was fine with killing humans that attacked her or other Federation members like in the simulations, but she didn't know what to think when she was ordered to kill those who didn't fight back.

"Please, I just don't want to go back into the simulation," Misuna changed the topic. "I can't right now."

"You got issues, you know that?" Kumiciel said. "You need a world centered view. We are stopping criminals every day! Imagine, once Fanghui dominates the world, we would achieve a world with no murder, war, and crime where all governments have failed. Think about it! You and I can finally stop fighting and live casual lives in a house. You don't have to fear getting kidnapped ever again! Criminals like the Waxing Sickle will no longer exist! There will be no more Vulpi to terrorize us. We are changing this world with the Supreme Herald! Isn't it beautiful?"

Misuna didn't know what to say.

"Come on," Kumiciel patted her shoulder. "I am sure the simulation will help you get back in shape. I can go into the simulation with you if you like."

"No, Kumiciel. I don't want to go," Misuna pushed his arm away. "I am not in the mood to kill right now. I don't know if I am even fit to be a commando anymore."

"Why? Then tell me where would you go? Huh?" Kumiciel yelled. "If you freakin left, where would you go?"

"Um…"

"What if you get kidnapped again? Especially by another fox demon!"

Misuna couldn't answer. She didn't know where she would be without the Reaper Squad.

"That's what I thought," Kumiciel dragged her by the shoulder. "I am doing this for you. I promise the simulation will help you get back in shape!"

"Stop it!" She wrestled with him. "I said no! Do you care about me? Am I expendable?"

"It's just a simulation. Just-"

"Am I expendable? Answer me!"

"Yes!" Kumiciel shouted impulsively, losing his patience. "If I must, I will lay you down for the Kneapexist glory!"

Misuna gasped. Kumiciel looked down, realizing he said something he shouldn't have said. At the same time, Kumiciel couldn't tell where to place his loyalty, to Hernamidos who saved him from being tortured by the Chinese Communist Party, or to Misuna as her boyfriend.

"Misuna, wait… no, that's not what I, um..." Kumiciel mumbled.

"How can you? I thought I could trust you! You always told me you would stay by my side!"

"Misuna, I am so sorry," Kumiciel punched her on the head.

Misuna fell on the hard floor, unconscious. Kumiciel rolled his eyes, dragging her on the floor to the simulation center.

***

That guy is so bad! She trusted him! He doesn't care about her at all, Calice clenched her fist. Ugh, I don't know what to do! Should I save the commando that separated me from my parents?

She looked through a window of the simulation room. Kumiciel was dragging her to a large cylindrical device. The machine opened, releasing steam.

But I feel bad for her! Calice banged her head on the wall. Wait, what would Shien do? He would… right. No, no, don't do it, Calice. Don't do it! Don't think, argh! Fine!

***

Dowler Alpha sat on the rectangular control pad as the other commando pressed buttons on it.

"All systems are operational," The commando said.

"Good," Kumiciel dragged Misuna to the device.

He threw her into the metallic cylinder.

"Activate the-"

The commando flew across the room in a ball of electricity. Calice launched a thunderbolt at Kumiciel.

"You!" Kumiciel blocked the attack with his cape. "Dowler Alpha!"

The mechanical owl made an electrical hoot. Its big red eyes blasted lasers at Calice. She fired shocking spheres against the lasers, disintegrating the red particles. Kumiciel drew a protonet crossbow, launching an electric net at Calice. The net coiled around her, forcing her on the cold floor. She screamed, expecting a painful surge of electricity. However, she felt nothing. It felt like her powers protected her from the net's electricity. The owl opened its bladed wings, dashing towards her. Calice tore through the net, rolling away from the mechanical owl's trajectory. She then jolted at Kumiciel, who blocked her attack with his cape.

"Aiya!" Calice bounced off the cape, falling.

Kumiciel took out his thunder trident, slamming it at her. Calice fired lightning from her hands, trying to force the weapon away. Kumiciel growled, forcing his trident against her electricity. The collision made a growing lightning vortex.

Dowler Alpha zoomed back for Calice only to get shocked away by the vortex. Soon, the vortex exploded, making Kumiciel roll on the floor with lightning power. He got back on his feet, throwing the trident at Calice. She backflipped off the floor, letting the trident stab the ground. Kumiciel ran towards her, throwing thin arsenic needles at her. Calice jolted across the room, doing her best to evade the speedy darts.

The machine owl flew up, opening its belly to reveal a large cannon. A flying napalm canister popped out of the cannon. Calice electrified the canister, launching piercing lightning through the explosion at Dowler Alpha. The burning catastrophe forced the mechanical owl on the hallway floor. Calice looked to see the owl paralyzed on the ground, with sparks of electricity and fire jolting about its metal feathers.

She looked back, gasping to see Kumiciel lunge at her with two magenta-colored scythes. Calice frantically dodged the spinning curved blades. The scythes looked like pink blurry spirits within Kumiciel's control.

She soon felt a cut on her face followed by another on her leg. Calice jolted away from Kumiciel, launching crackling thunderbolts at him. He spun his scythes at the lightning, walking closer to her. She looked up to see a rectangular light fixture above Kumiciel. Calice redirected the lightning at the fixture. The light exploded as the fixture slammed Kumiciel on the head. He was knocked out cold onto the ground with the heavy light fixture on his body.

"Are you okay?" Calice bent down to Misuna.

She was still unconscious.

"Misuna?" Calice shook Misuna's head.

She didn't answer.

"Okay, what to do?" Calice sat down for a moment to think.

She looked at Misuna. Calice could see the bruise marks under her closed eyes.

Misuna, Calice thought. I don't think you will be happy if you stayed with the Reaper Squad. These people are unsupportive of you.

Calice felt stings from her two cuts. She looked around for anything to cover up her bleeding. She saw a little box along with a few arsenic needles and other strange blades slip off Kumiciel's holsters. The box flew open, revealing a set of bandages, small bottles of alcohol and medicine onto the floor. She took the bandages and placed them on her face and leg. She then carried Misuna.

I am sure Shien would do the same, Calice smiled. After all, that shortie was my inspiration to be a social worker. Maybe Misuna would be happy to be a part of our fam! Alright, gotta get out of here fast.

She then ran out of the hallway in search of the hangar.