NEW SURPRISES

(Tokyo, Hyper-Rail Station, December 2132）

Sean yawned, strolling into the arrival hall, he had caught the first hyper rail from Hokkaido to Tokyo, which is where Squad Artemis is stationed in. He popped an E-cigarette into his mouth and puffed, tidying up his hair that is cut back down to military length.

Sean stepped out of the arrival hall, intending to find a bus to the UNSSD base. Suddenly, just as he is going to step out a tentacle is wrapped around his legs and he was forcefully pulled to a bench.

"The hell is wrong with—" scolded Sean, stopping once he realised who was it.

A woman his age sat there, dressed in a short sleeved grey shirt that hugged her well-endowed body and baggy black pants, with a thin red jacket that barely covered the fins along her wrists that is folded up, if not for her tactical boots, one would have mistaken her for a civilian. The black and white crown that is part of her head puffing along as she breathed, applying moisturiser onto the pair of gills that ran along her neck to prevent them from swelling from not being used for prolonged periods, brushing aside her white hair that is at her shoulder level, the longest length that is permitted for UNSSD female soldiers. Her skin is white, with irregular black spots running along them that formed a beautiful black and white pattern. She is a Lita subspecies of the Sellardraxians.

She looked up, putting her moisturiser back in her backpack. Sean stared into her red eyes as he scanned the familiar poker-faced porcelain-toned face that he had grown up with.

"Frederica…what a surprise…" said Sean sarcastically, greeting his sibling, Artemis 2 "Frederica". Having served as her observer when he was still in Squad Artemis, Sean figured that being the most elite sniper in the ranks, she must had picked him out in the crowd almost immediately hence dragging him over.

Frederica greeted Sean plainly, explaining that she had been tasked to fetch him.

Sean sighed, seeing her familiar reticence and professionalism that oddly brought comfort to him. Despite being the closest to her as her observer, till this day Sean still cannot figure out this peculiar sibling of his whom he sincerely suspects to have an undiagnosed communication disorder.

"So much for being called "The Orca" for her ferocity when she doesn't go with the pack," Sean, recounting how she is always alone apart from training and missions, being a surprisingly good teammate nonetheless thanks to her professionalism.

Yet, Sean still willingly went on the tough route of trying to open up her enclosed heart, learning theatre acting and kept trying to start non-mission related conversations when they are training together or in breaks, though his rationality tells him that he has a better chance at bankrupting a casino when gambling.

"You are staring, something wrong?" she asked, putting on a big hat that is a common piece of Lita fashion to cover up their crowns on land. It resembled a cross of between a human musketeer hat and a deerstalker cap, with a shark fin like protrusion at the top to fit the shape of their crowns. Frederica's hat is ocean blue in colour on the outside and black in the inside. For a brief moment Sean found her beautiful, a trait of her that Sean had not noticed.

"Nothing, just thinking that you look pretty," replied Sean. "Thanks," she said curtly. She reached for Sean's luggage, only for Sean to slap her hand away, startling her.

"What are you doing?" Sean asked, defensive.

"Taking your bags for you, my orders are to make sure you travel to the base safely and in comfort—" she said, reaching for his luggage again. Sean retracted his bags back.

"I am not a child, Frederica," said Sean, irritated. "Let's go," he said, heading to the exit.

Frederica stood in silence behind. Her silent self-congratulation on picking the right outfit that allowed her to show her best self to the person she values the most ended up being short-lived. Her eyes glistened as she softly sniffed, careful to make sure that no one can hear her, especially not Sean.

"You used to call me Freddie…" she wiped a stray tear away before following Sean.

(20 minutes later)

Sean looked at the empty box of fruits filled with watermelon rind in the trash bag in the jeep that Frederica took to the station. Having felt guilty for being rude to her, Sean bought her a small box of sliced watermelon, her favourite fruit as an apology. He reminisced their time together:

"Hey Freddie, after the mission do you want to get ice-cream from the canteen?"

"Hey Freddie, have you ever wondered why watermelons have different colours?"

"Hey Freddie, what are you doing for the talent show next week?" 

All these conversation Sean tried to start usually did not last for more than 10 minutes. But to say that Frederica is a cold, unfeeling person is inaccurate either. He still remembers that when he left, she tried to stuff him a bank chip filled with her all of her savings, though obviously Sean did not take a single cent from her.

"How's your new observer like?" asked Sean, trying to liven up the mood in the jeep.

"I don't have one now," replied Frederica plainly from the driver seat.

"Weird, I guess you're simply too good now," remarked Sean.

It will take 4 years for Sean to realise that the reason why she operated alone was because she only wants Sean to be her observer.

"What rank are you now? Second Lieutenant?" asked Sean. He knows that all of his siblings should have become commissioned officers by now, making him the only non-commissioned officer of Squad Artemis.

"Yes," replied Frederica.

Sean chuckled, "Well you better take care of me ma'am. I am stuck with you."

Frederica's knuckles tightened slightly on the steering wheel as she tried to suppress the mix of emotions bubbling inside her—joy, and frustration.

"Stuck with me? Oh, Sean, you act like I don't have other options," she replied, her tone laced with faux exasperation, though her heart was basically a tsunami.

Sean smirked, leaning back in the passenger seat like he owned it. "Other options? Like who? Meari can't double task."

Frederica shot him a sidelong glance, her voice dangerously calm. "Maybe I just have standards. Ever thought about that?"

Internally, she is contemplating whether she should stop the jeep, go to the back seat, restrain Sean with her tentacles, and give Sean a piece of her mind for daring to mention another woman in front of her after ghosting them, no, her, for 2 years and mark him as her own, making sure they are never separated...

Sean laughed, his voice bright and carefree. "Guess I'll have to do for now, huh? Lucky for you, I'm excellent at playing second fiddle."

Frederica stole a quick glance at him, her heart skipping a beat.

Second fiddle? Sean, you idiot, you're the whole f***ing orchestra.

Soon they arrived at the base. Frederica checked in her ID at the guard gate and the vehicle's autopilot drove them in, stopping in front of a large, familiar 20-storied building which housed the dormitories and administrative offices. In the background military aircraft landed and took off, sending loud booms to everywhere around them.

"I will put your things in your old room, in the meantime, report to Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Xiao Tian's office," said Frederica as they disembarked and she grabbed his suitcases and immediately walked into the building before Sean can protest.

Exasperated, Sean headed in, turning in the opposite direction of Frederica to the administrative block. His rugged civilian clothes drew curious stares from the UNSSD personnel all around him in their uniforms, evidently out of place. Hiding his awkwardness, Sean boarded the lift to the 10th floor, where Xiao Tian's office is located at.

Sean gulped nervously as the door opened, heading out to his office. Xiao Tian, formerly a member of the PAP Falcon Commandos, is a legend among the UNSSD, being a master strategist and tactician in his own right, while also superb in his skills as a Special Operations operator. His rank also outranks Sean's former Master Sergeant First Class by a lot. In the military where ranks denote power, Sean could not help but to be nervous meeting him for the first time.

He stopped in front of his office, breathed in multiple times to calm himself down, readying himself. Just as he is going to knock, he realised the door is open. Puzzled, he pushed the door open, an action he immediately regretted, as he wants to delete what he saw from his memory bank.

Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Xiao Tian sat at his work table, trying to do his work, though that is evidently impossible when a familiar Draco is sitting on his desk, wearing her service uniform, and tugging his arm with her serpent tail.

Xiao Tian froze as Aya's mischievous grin widened, her tail wrapping a fraction tighter around his arm like a particularly affectionate pet snake. Her emerald scales glinted in the sunlight streaming through the window, and her eyes sparkled with an impish gleam.

"Sir," she purred, leaning just close enough to invade his personal space without completely shattering it, "you work too hard. Surely you can spare a moment for a... little break?"

Xiao Tian's mind raced as he looked up from his device, trying to make sense of her. Is she flirting? Or is she trying to get more budget for Squad Artemis? Both seemed equally possible.

"Aya," he began, his voice steady but betraying a hint of weariness, "I am trying to finish this report. You are not helping."

Aya tilted her head, her expression one of mock innocence. "Helping? I'm simply concerned about your well-being, sir. Stress is terrible for your health, you know."

Xiao Tian chuckled. "I am 32, not 72," he said, reaching for his cup of tea. Aya's tail gave a playful flick, grabbing the cup holding it just out of his reach.

"You already had too much caffeine today, sir!" she said.

"Give that back," he said, his tone firm but not unkind.

"Only if you promise to take a break," Aya countered, her smile turning sly. "We could go for a walk, or..." Her voice dropped to a teasing whisper. "...you could let me guess what your favourite dessert is…"

Sean immediately looked away, deciding that he has to stop things before they escalate. "Report!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. Hearing this Aya immediately slid off Xiao Tian's desk, sitting down at the sofa in the office.

"Come in!" replied Xiao Tian. Sean stepped in, giving a salute, trying his best to control his laugh.

Aya jumped from the sofa and rushed to Sean, "Sean!" she exclaimed, extending her arms.

Sean quickly moved out of the way, causing Aya to hug the air. She pouted and turned to Sean again, "what, you don't love your Big Sis anymore?"

Sean relented, standing still. "Welcome back!" she said, giving him a bear hug.

"Good to see you, Aya," greeted Sean.

She pinched Sean's ears. "You promised me that you'd quit smoking last year in September!"

Sean groaned in pain at the gargantuan strength of his Big Sis that far surpassed his.

"I am sorry!" muttered Sean in pain as he tried to break free. "Damn it, that snitch Phineas must have ratted me out!" Sean cursed in his mind. Even though Sean had effectively ghosted the entirety of Squad Artemis when he left, Aya had somehow found Phineas and managed to spam Phineas enough that he became her channel to Sean.

"Alright, leave the poor kid alone, he is an adult after all," said Xiao Tian, looking at their dynamic with an amused smile. "Frankly, I think Sean and the others should call you mommy instead of Big Sis."

Aya turned to Xiao Tian with an exaggerated gasp, her hands on her hips and her serpent tail curling indignantly. "Mommy? Excuse me, Sir, but I am clearly the cool, approachable Big Sis, not some overbearing mother figure!"

Sean, still recovering from the ear-pinching, muttered under his breath, "Evidently not…"

"What was that, Sean?" Aya's eyes narrowed, her tail flicking ominously.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Sean raised his hands in mock surrender, trying not to laugh.

Aya huffed dramatically, turning her attention back to Xiao Tian. "And you! What's with throwing mommy into this conversation? Are you saying I'm old? This is damaging to my image!" 

Xiao Tian smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Your image was already damaged when you were coiling me like a python"

Aya's face flushed a deep shade of crimson, and she stammered, "I-I was just making sure you weren't overworking yourself! It's called team bonding, Xiao Tian!"

"Is that what we're calling it now?" Sean quipped, earning a glare from Aya and a chuckle from Xiao Tian. Aya buried her face in her hands for a moment before rallying her energy. She spun back toward Sean with renewed vigour. "Fine! Enough about that! Sean, you didn't answer my question earlier—why are you still smoking?"

Sean scratched one of his Chinese dragon horns. "You see Aya, it's…a process."

"A process?!" Aya crossed her arms, her tail coiling slightly in anger.

Xiao Tian couldn't resist chiming in. "Careful, Sean. She'll probably do spot checks in your room now."

Aya gasped, her face lighting up as though she'd just had the best idea in the world. "Xiao Tian, you're a genius! Sean, from now on, I'll personally do surprise checks!"

Sean groaned. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

"Absolutely," Xiao Tian said with a grin, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

 Knowing that Xiao Tian needs to settle administrative work with Sean, Aya excused herself. As she sashayed toward the door, her tail flicked one last time, grazing Xiao Tian's table top. She glanced back over her shoulder with a wink. "See you at dinner, sir. My treat—if you dare." She bid Sean farewell, leaving.

 Sean turned to Xiao Tian. "Sir."

"Xiao Tian will do," he smiled, looking at Sean with an interested stare. His sharp, keen eyes seemed to drill a hole straight into his mind, though it does not feel intrusive at all to Sean, instead feeling a calming friendliness, an aura of interest and understanding.

Xiao Tian guided Sean to the sofa, and he sat on a chair opposite.

"Didn't know Aya is finally looking for a guy to screw over," Sean joked. This trip back home has been full of new surprises. "And that technique of hers? Straight out of Nanami's playbook," he remarked.

"So, are you giving her a chance?" asked Sean, folding his arms.

 Xiao Tian raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair with an amused smirk. "A chance? For what exactly?"

"You know," Sean said, pointing his dragon tail suggestively. "Dinner, dessert… a future of being tangled up with her for life."

Xiao Tian chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Aya's enthusiasm is… endearing. But I don't know. In fact, I still don't know why she even like me in the first place. But now that you mention it, my mom is pestering me to get married. I will see how things go."

"Typical Chinese parents," laughed Sean.

Both laughed.

"Let's talk business regarding your re-enlistment," said Xiao Tian.

Sean is puzzled, asking what is there to talk about. After all he is simply returning to Squad Artemis.

"Well, Squad Artemis, being the group of specifically created super soldiers, is a Tier 1 unit, that means we can't just let anyone in. You were a civilian for 2 years," replied Xiao Tian.

"Hence, we need to retrain you before re-deploying you back in Squad Artemis," continued Xiao Tian. "You will be sent to the South Africa camp with this year's cadets that are applying for Tier 1 units on the selection course. If you are successfully selected, you will go back to Squad Artemis," he said, sending the necessary materials onto Sean's device.

"And if I don't?" asked Sean. Xiao Tian shrugged, "then I guess you go back to building Mechas, but this time as a military mechanic in our hangers, not the factories."

"Confident?" smiled Xiao Tian.

"I will do my best," replied Sean.