Chapter9-First Deployment

" You were the kid I saw after I beat Niko in sparring a while back."

" Uh. Yea." How the hell does he remember me. That was 5 months ago. . . We were inside the locker room at the far end. 3 other guys stood before me, Niko was a senior with long dark hair and was on the taller end.

" Oh. So you saw that." His voice was dull and he sounded upset. His hair covered his left eye, he was muscular, I could see how big he was even through the uniform. " He doesn't win often so don't think that-"

" Niko, don't lie. I win 90 percent of the time."

" Like hell." He has a little bit of fire in his voice now. He must not like to lose. " I beat you earlier this week Vulco." 

Vulco was the other senior. He was shorter than Niko but a little taller than me. He had short, red, spikey hair. He to was muscular but not like Niko. There was the Junior with us to but he seemed to be watching Niko and Vulco argue like children with a smile on his face.

" That was a fluke Niko."

" What about the time before then."

" I wasn't feeling good."

" Ah." Niko turned away in frustration from Vulco. " Always got an excuse."

" Hm" Vulco smirked, proud of his victory over Niko. He turned back to me before looking back at the Junior who was seemingly lost in some fantasy because he's just starring into nothing. " Luke" At the call of his name. he snapped back into the real world and walked up to Vulco. " This is Luke."

" Hey there Freshy." His voice was full of enthusiasm and exactment, weird for someone who's about to head out to either kill people or be killed. " I'm a Junior so you can always look up to me if you need."

". . . But your shorter than him Luke."

" Ahh. Heights got nothing to do with it Vulco. Also you can't talk, your a senior and you guys are almost the same height."

". . . Still taller than you. . .Shorty." 

" Uh. . . I'm. . Gonna. . Kick. .Your . . Ass"

" Calm down Luke." Niko put his hand on Luke's shoulder gently. " You can't even reach his ass."

"Uh!"

Every one started laughing including people who weren't in our squad but were listening in. The only one's who weren't were me and Luke. I wasn't because I was trying to figure out how I was going to fit in with guys who obviously have been doing this for a while. And Luke was still trying to fight Vulco.

Luke wasn't really that short. Like 5'8 but since he was the shortest out of us he was the easiest to pick on for Vulco and Niko. Luke had jet black hair that laid flat on his head, he was slimmer than Vulco and Niko but still looked pretty strong. Actually out of all of us, I probably look the skinniest, and I thought I was pretty big when compared to the Freshmen. Guess the older kids have been doing this longer.

We sat in the locker room a little longer and Vulco and Niko picked on Luke and themselves, they tried to strike conversations with me but they all fell flat after a while. . . They were all good friends and I was a random Freshmen, how am I supposed to relate with them with over a three year age gap between us.

". . . All right!" Vulco suddenly raised his voice. " Why don't we talk about our goals. Why were doing this." He looked at me. Guess he wants me to answer first.

" Why?" I asked, I didn't really feel comfortable talking about that stuff, vary few people know truly why I am here. They're all looking at me

" I mean you don't have to." Vulco continued speaking. " But all of us here have already shared ours."

" Yea." Luke jumped in. " Mine is to make enough money so my mom can stop working." . . . That's similar to mine. In a way.

" It doesn't have to be that honorable." Vulco walked next to Luke resting his arm on his head, much to Luke's displeasure. " Mines so I can look cool for the ladies." 

" Get you arm off me." Luke smacked his arm of his head.

" Vulco Is a lonely guy so he wants a girlfriend."

" Hey! Niko you don't have to say it like that. I just want a girlfriend, I'm not that lonely."

" Ha." Luke smacked Him on the back," You think if you do good enough out in battle. That Zalane will finally go out with you." Oh. Luke finally gets his chance. " Hilarious."

" Shut up shorty. . . And you know. . . Maybe she will."

" Vulco. Hate to brake it to you. but it's not possible."

" Be quiet Niko"

" But she's. . ."

" Not another word." 

" My dream." I could lie and keep it a secrets, but they all seemed so honest with each other. If this is gonna be my squad. Than I should be honest with them as well. " I want to move my family into a better place."

" Oh, So your like Luke." Vulco walked up to be bumping my shoulder with his fist. " Remember that. In the heat of battle if you ever feel like your done. Remember why you do this and your energy will be summoned back to you. That's why we do this. So we know what everyone is fighting for, so we can fight harder.

Everyone's dreams are equally important. None are better than the others, everyone try's just as hard to achieve them. Whether that's for a girlfriend, for family, or for glory. They will fight just as hard for theirs as I will for mine. . . I have to keep up with them or else my dream will feel inferior.

" Everyone!" A loud voice from the entrance of the locker room. It was Jack. Principle Takons assistant " Get ready and move out." Huh? Move out.

" All right." Vulco stood up and began to stretch followed by everyone else. " You ready freshy."

" Wait. It's my first day. I didn't think I would get deployed."

" Well of course you are." Luke spoke " Your apart of this squad, and theirs a mission today.

" It's just a patrol you'll be fine, doubt well run into anyone." Niko reassured me while tying his hair up into a bun revealing his eyes more clearly. . . They were an ominous gray, soul less.

" Yea we will catch you up on anything you want or need to know."

Guess they aren't going to slowly introduce me, right into the real thing I go. Even if it's just patrol, we could still run into something and if we do, I'll have to prove that I'm supposed to be here. I know I can hang with them, all that time getting my ass kicked wasn't for nothing. . . I'm supposed to be here.

There were vehicles that took us and dropped everyone off at their respective positions. We were taken east of the school outside the major city of Clamity. Tall sky scrapers coated in snow and sound of cars honking in the distance served as our back drop.

" It was middle day now and we were patrolling an outer part of the city. Flat fields covered in snow surrounded by thick bushes. Their was a path to follow that cut into the thick bushes which was part of our patrol. A good place for hiding, if we were to find anyone it would be here.

"I'll take point." Niko walked up front following the path into the bushes. Watching him walk was like watching a cat hunt for a mouse. His eyes darted and he walked with strong steps but they seem silent even in the snow. He seemed different, everyone else seemed honest and straight forward but him. Seems like he's hiding something. Wait. He never told me his goals.

" Hey." Vulcos voice broke through my thoughts as he needed to tell me something " I'm not saying this for any particular reason but. If we get into combat, if were equal in number we all try to isolate one on one matchups. . .Do you think you can do that."

" Yea." I have to be able to do that.

" Good. and if were out numbered we will all stick together. Watch each others backs."

" Okay." Seemed easy enough. What about if theirs less of them. . . Guess we could all just gang up on one of them.

" Hey" Luke spoke from behind us. " Wanna hear something cool."

' If it's another one of your stupid geological history things than no." Geological history?

" Come on just listen. . . Apparently. Over 300,000 years ago. Our nation use to be connected to one massive one. On a piece of land called a continent."

"Why is this important." Vulco asked in a tiered tone.

" It's not, I just think it's cool. Anyway. Apparently that nation was Called America, and it was made up of fifty countries. Do you wanna know which one we were."

" No." I'm actually kind of interested

" We were a country called Florida or something. . . Kind of a lame name. I like ours now way better." He seemed really enthusiastic about this.

" Hold!" 

Suddenly. Niko stopped. His eyes darted around like crazy, was he looking for something, a sign. I see. Theirs someone here. My shrine energy detection isn't that great but even I can sense it. There multiple targets, I can't pinpoint where from but

" BEHINDE!" A rustle in a bush back to my left alerted me. Something wearing all red lunged out at me but I ducked it and landed a kick sending it the direction of Niko. 

The sound of a kakugan clashing rang. Niko and this man or woman were locked in a clash. I didn't even see them form their kakugan, or was it already. Niko broke the clash with his strength and flipped over the person blocking another strike mid air. After landing he ducked a swing and swiped his kakugan along it's stomach. The sound of medal came as the thing went sliding back. . . Armor.

" You good Sho." Vulco asked walking past me to Niko. . . There's more of them. Then two more people wearing all red landed next to the one already here. We outnumber them. These are real shrine users. Trained to kill, their speed is about the same as what Burke had been. I don't know how strong they were so I should make sure to keep my distance until I can gage that. Plus that armor comes into factor.

" Luke, Sho. Me and Niko will take the most left and center ones. You two take the most right." The center one had been the initial attacker. The two on the outsides were new, they all looked the same size at least and weren't much taller than me.

" Okay, we got this." Luke responded to Vulcos ordered and formed his kakugan. " Sho. These guys are from Hubal. Their armor is weak at the joints but, their known for their overall strength. Their not slow either so don't let your guard down." . . . I can't let my self be beat.

Snow kicked up from the floor as Niko and and Vulco engaged. Niko clashed his target with his kakugan but his target was swift. They swung at each other with little connection. Niko blocked all of his moves and his target dodged his. Until Niko landed a kick sending him off into the bushes which Niko chased.

Vulco didn't form his kakugan. He was barehanded landing strikes in between his dodges. Even though the things are wearing full suits of armor helmets and all. Each landed strike carried significant impact. The thing swung it's kakugan which like the rest were simple swords, aiming for his chest. Vulco stepped aside letting the blade pass. Before it was pulled back. Vulco grabbed it pulling the thing in and landed a gut punch sending it flying in the same direction as Niko.

Now it was just me and Luke facing off against this lone one. It hadn't moved, didn't try and help it's partners or anything, just stared at us.

" Get ready." Luke said his kakugan, a small battle axe, held at his side. I had my cross guarded sword in hand as well. We shifted are weight to are front foot. . . I have never fought with him before or even trained. I'm gonna have to do my best to fight in rhythm with him and not get in his way.

The snow flew from under our feet as we closed distance. Luke went right so I went left attacking from both sides. I'm close enough, I took my kakugan and swung for the waist of this thing. The dreadful sound of my kakugan hitting something that was not it's target rang through my ears.

On the other side the same thing, Luke had been blocked the same way. . . This guy had duel wielding kakugan!

He pushed us off with such strangth I could barely keep up right. Once I fund my footing he charged at me, swinging for my head which I barely dodged followed by a kick which I was able to avoid as well. . . I can hang with these guys.

 Luke attacked from the other side, the thing jumped over him blocking his swing. Me and Luke went for another attack taking swings at different times to try and throw this guy off but nothing worked. We then swung at the same time both aiming for his head. It blocked and spun kicking snow into our eyes. 

I forced mine open and blocked a swing, so did Luke. It then jumped up and landed a split kick directly on both of out chests sending us in opposite directions on both sides of him..

 We have to regroup. This guy is tough, we can't fight him without a plan. . . Luke had the same idea as he charged at him and right as he swung launched himself over landing next to me.

" You good." Luke asked

" Yea. This is nothing." He shot me a suspecting look but it was the truth. Burke hit harder than this dude, I'll be fine.

" You guys are good." It spoke. From within the armor a deep voice range out, the armor made it sound almost mechanical but it was the voice of a man. " But you guys are mismatched, those other guys should have taken me. He began to drag his blades on the ground like some horror movie killer.

" Don't get so confident. We will figure you out soon enough." Luke spoke twirling his axe in his right hand. The man stopped walking and I could hear a slight laugh come from the armor . . The helmet had a little slit in it, probably for his eyes but I couldn't see a thing in it. Like there was nothing their.

" You wanna know why their is only three of us." He brought his swords up in front of him, switching one into a reverse grip. 

" It's because I make up the last two on my own."