Saddle Arabia...
The day was growing hotter as spring was nearing its end. It was the first day of May. The four Transmutants have been in hiding for over a month since the attack on Ponyville, but it felt like a decade to them. Then, they took in the Sirens a few days ago, both groups unaware of each other's inhuman traits. Junior silently walked through the sand before stopping at a deserted area. He was just a mile outside of the camping grounds with the sword that he had taken from the Changeling that he had killed. He reached for his back and unsheathed the sword; the ebony blade reflected the light from the sun. Junior took a deep breath and slowly swung the sword. His eyes were shut as he concentrated on the air around him. His senses scanned every smell and every sound. He stepped from side to side as he tried to work on his form with the sword. Then, he opened his eyes with a small smile and began to make quick swinging motions with the sword in his grip. His arm moved quickly through the air as the blade sliced through the invisible opponent. Junior performed 180 swings as he walked along the sand, the sound of the blade whizzing through the air could be heard. Unexpectedly, his abdomen was filled with excruciating pain. Junior cried out in pain as he released the sword and dropped onto one knee as he clutched his side.
"Damn, it still hurts." said Junior with a sigh. He then stood up and placed his sword back into its sheath behind his back. He then turned and made his way back to the camp as the pain began to settle. Still, he was worried because, as a fugitive on the run, he would be hampered with his physical feats if his abdomen kept hurting. As Junior made his way back to camp, he found Mosura and Adagio in t-shirts and shorts, sitting on foldable chairs as they drank from water bottles. Junior planted himself on one of the remaining chairs in the camp with a sigh. He placed the sheathed sword next to himself as he pulled the overhead flap of the chair over to shade himself from the sun.
"This sucks." said Junior with a groan.
"Goji, don't push yourself. You might make it worse." warned Mosura.
"But I can't just lie around and do nothing. I'll go soft." said Junior as he pulled on the skin of his arm. Adagio took a sip of her water bottle with uninterested eyes.
"So, where are the others?" asked Junior.
"Oh, they went out into the village for another day of sightseeing. Since they got the day off, they thought it would be fun." said Mosura. Junior nodded.
"Yeah, that seems to be what we do now. It's nice." said Junior as he reached into the cooler and pulled out a cold water bottle. He then noticed Adagio staring off blankly with a scowl.
"Why didn't you go with them?" asked Junior in curiosity. Adagio sent him a glare.
"What? Am I bothering you?" asked Adagio with irritation creeping into her tone.
"Hey, chill out. I was just curious as to why you wouldn't want to spend time with your friends." said Junior with a glare of his own.
"None of you damn business!" retorted Adagio. Junior's brow twitched.
"Why you little-" Junior was nearly about to rise out of his seat but thought better against it. He instead took a deep breath and calmly exhaled. He cringed at the thought of his mother turning in her grave if he were to strike a woman just as his shoulder devil tempted him to do.
"Fine, whatever." said Junior as he turned away from the Siren. Adagio cast a curious glance at him. She had gotten into arguments before with this man, but never had he yield as quickly as he did just now. Usually, it took Mosura and the other two Sirens to calm them both down. Adagio found his pessimistic attitude and his tough guy act as an annoyance. However, there was something about him that didn't have her hate his entire being.
"Well, I'm going to see if the laundry is dry." asked Mosura. She then made her way away from camp and over down to the other side where a set of wood lined up with string wrapped around them. Mosura smiled as she spotted that the clothes that hung from the pins seemed nearly dry.
Junior and Adagio remained in an awkward silence. The Transmutant still felt suspicious about her and her friends. Fortunately for the Sirens, Mosura continued to brush off his worries as paranoia. He just couldn't get over that the girls’ scent was unexpectedly familiar to him.
"So, what exactly brought you out here?" asked Junior in a casual tone. Adagio gave him a look of annoyance.
"Umm...I'm pretty sure that I told you." answered Adagio. Junior cleared his throat.
"Right, right. Remind me again why." said Junior, making Adagio sigh in response.
"We're out here to start a singing career. Since we're pretty good at it, we thought coming out here could get us started." replied Adagio. Junior nodded in response after he had taken a sip of water.
"Kind of a waste of time for you to come to this country for a career in singing." chuckled Junior. Adagio gave him a glare.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I meant nothing by it." said Junior as he raised his hand. "I merely meant that coming out here for a singing career is pointless since this country segregates the hell out of women. I doubt they'd want to help you three make a career." said Junior. Adagio held her glare and turned away. After a few more seconds of silence, Junior began to think of more questions that he thought would be subtle enough to get vital info out of Adagio.
"So, where are you three from?" asked Junior. Adagio immediately turned to face Junior with a quizzical expression.
"Pardon?" asked Adagio. Junior felt a smirk threatening to show, but he kept a neutral expression.
"I asked where you were from." answered Junior.
"R-right. Um..." Adagio tried to think up of a place to use as a former residence. Unfortunately, she hadn't taken the time to learn about the nations or cities of the surface world.
"We're from up north." said Adagio. Junior raised a brow at the vague location.
"North, eh?" asked Junior. Adagio shuttered at Junior's persistence at interrogating her.
"Did I stutter?" asked Adagio. Junior shook his head.
"No, but you seem rather uncomfortable with these questions." said Junior. Adagio chuckled with irritation creeping into her voice. Junior tried to keep himself from sharing a chuckle.
"Of course I am. You're just shooting a bunch of questions at me like it's your business." said Adagio in annoyance. She then gave him another glare.
"You know, it's not attractive to nosey yourself into someone else's business. No wonder you don't have a girlfriend." said Adagio with a smirk. Junior sent her a sharp glare.
"Bitch." scoffed Junior. Adagio's eyes widened. Her face flushed from anger.
"What did you just call me?!" demanded Adagio as she stood up to her feet. She then stomped over to Junior through the sand.
"You heard me. I called you a bitch, you bitch." said Junior as he returned the glare. He then stood up to his feet as Adagio came closer to him as she seethed.
"You are such an asshole!" said Adagio as she stood a few feet in front of him. Her face burned hot with anger. Junior stood his ground against her. He felt adrenaline threatening to reach him.
"Why? Cause I'm asking simple questions that shouldn't be so hard to answer?" demanded Junior.
"No, because your pestering me about my personal life! What is your deal?!"
"I don't trust you, that's what!" retorted Junior.
"Oh sure! Use that as an excuse to disrespect a girl like the barbarian that you are! I feel sorry for your mother." spat Adagio. Junior's heart skipped a beat. His eyes slightly widened.
'Don't you dare go there.' thought Junior in anger. Adagio laughed mockingly.
"Actually, I think she's the reason why you are acting this way." said Adagio with a shrug. Junior's emotions began to run rampant as she continued to speak.
'Shut up. Just shut up.' thought Junior as he clenched his fist.
"That whore obviously did a poor job at raising you. She probably didn't even take the time to raise you at all." mocked Adagio. Junior's mind suddenly snapped. He felt a torrent of rage swirl inside of him. His eyes hardened and his muscles tensed. With a flare of his nostrils, he reared his arm back and opened his hand. He swung his arm towards the Siren. His mind went blank as his rage had clouded it in a storm. It felt like an eternity before his hand could reach the Siren. As he regained his senses, his eyes widened. His hand hadn't connected with Adagio's cheek. Instead, she had blocked his slap with her own arm. Her eyes burned with rage.
"You just dug yourself a grave." said Adagio in a low tone. She shoved his arm aside and sent a punch into Junior's gut. The pain of his abdomen was connected with the pain given by the surprisingly strong punch that she had given. He staggered back as he clutched his stomach as he tried to catch his breath. Adagio gave an angry cry as she tackled Junior to the sand. She began to send punches at his face as she sat on his chest. She even began to claw at his face with her nails. Junior growled as he shoved the Siren off of his chest. As he rose to his feet, he was met with another punch to his face. He then growled in anger as he began to fight back. He sent quick jabs at her stomach with enough force to incapacitate her without causing serious injuries. The Siren grunted as she clutched her stomach and nearly fell to her knees. She then took quick breaths and then began to charge back towards the Transmutant. Junior's eyes widened in shock at her physical resistance. Adagio sent a kick towards Junior's chest and sent a right hook against his face. His face was beginning to bruise from her attacks. Junior backhanded her away, causing her to yelp. As she landed on the ground, she began to breathe heavily as she lied on the ground. She then turned to face Junior with a hateful glare as a bruise formed over her right cheek.
"I am going to kick your ass!" growled Adagio as she stood to her feet and charged towards Junior. The Transmutant broke off into a charge as well, nearing the Siren that had angered him so. Suddenly, a figure suddenly came in between him and the Siren. Junior felt a strong kick against his chest, knocking him back a couple of feet. He crashed into the sand with a grunt as he breathed heavily. Adagio was immediately put into a headlock by the figure. Junior raised himself and found Mosura restraining Adagio. She wore an angry look on her face.
"What the hell do you two think you're doing?!" demanded Mosura. Junior flinched at her tone and how her glaring eyes pierced into him.
"Mosu, I-"
"What is wrong with you?! I thought I’d never see the day where you would hit a girl as you have right now!" shouted Mosura. She was appalled at the fight that she had witnessed and the way that Junior had backhanded Adagio. "This isn't something the Gojira that I know would do. You should be ashamed of yourself!"
"Let me go! I still need to-" Adagio struggled under Mosura's strength.
"And you! What were you doing antagonizing him like that?!" demanded Mosura as she roughly shook Adagio. The Siren looked to her with an appalled expression.
"Are you kidding?! Look at what he did!" said Adagio as she pointed to her cheek.
"Yes. But he wouldn't have if you didn't anger him. Neither of you are guilt free!" said Mosura. She then pulled Adagio aside and looked to Junior in disapproval.
"Go take a walk and cool off!" said Mosura as she led the Siren away. Junior sent her a harsh glare. He then stood up to his feet.
"Fine!" said Junior as he turned and walked away from the camp. He seethed as he walked through the sand under the scorching sun.
"This is such bullshit!!" shouted Junior as he continued to walk away. Mosura slightly turned to find Junior's figure shrinking in the distance as he continued to walk. She turned with a heavy sigh and a shake of her head.
"Adagio, take a seat in the tent. I'll get you some ice." said Mosura in a tired tone. Adagio silently made her way into the tent with a scowl plastered on her face. She sat down at the far end and picked up a small mirror. She began to stare at the reflection of her bruised face and slowly reached for her cheek, but hissed as it stung from her touch. She immediately pulled her hand away and stared at the bruise that began to swell. She turned as she heard Mosura enter the tent.
"Here you go." said Mosura as she handed the ice pack to Adagio. The Siren took the pack and placed it over her cheek.
"Thanks." said Adagio in a low tone. Mosura frowned as she looked down.
"I'm...I'm sorry about Gojira. He normally physically restrains himself when it comes to arguments." apologized Mosura.
"Not your fault. He's a jerk." said Adagio as she held the icepack to her cheek. "Actually, I'd say he's psychotic."
"No. He just needs to learn how to control his emotions." said Mosura. Adagio looked over to her curiously.
"Say, why do you hang out with someone like him? Is he like your boyfriend or something?" asked Adagio. Mosura's cheeks brightened up from her blush as she looked away.
"No. We're just friends." said Mosura in embarrassment.
"He'd probably abuse you from the way he acts." scoffed Adagio. Mosura gave her a look of disapproval.
"Hey, he may not be a prince in shining armor, but he isn't all that bad." said Mosura. Adagio looked to her in disbelief.
"Not that bad? He's such a barbarian! I don't think I have ever met a guy with that kind of attitude or who fights as a recreational activity!" retorted Adagio.
"Adagio, there's more to him than you think. I overheard your argument. He was in the wrong as much you were. But what you said about his mother was uncalled for." said Mosura in disapproval. She then looked away with a solemn expression. "His mother passed away when he was a little boy."
"What?" asked Adagio with wide eyes as her heart skipped a beat at the realization. "I...I had no idea."
"I know. Listen, I'll talk to him later when he's calmed down. Just cut him a bit of a break, alright?" asked Mosura. Adagio nodded to her slowly. Mosura stood up from her spot and made her outside. Adagio sighed as she placed her hand over eyes. In the heat of her argument with Junior, she felt the need to get him to shut up. Though, now that she looked back on it, it was wrong of her to bring family into a heated argument. She felt worse now that the revelation of Junior's mother demise. Adagio then removed her hand from her eyes and lied down on her back as she placed the ice pack back on her cheek.
Meanwhile...
Angirasu, Rodan, Sonata and Aria walked through the streets of the village near the kingdom. The sun bathed them in its light and the small breeze did little to relieve them of the scorching heat. Angirasu sighed as he wiped sweat away from his brow.
"Man, how could these guys stand the heat out here?" wondered Angirasu. Rodan was busy looking around the area to pay attention.
"I wonder how the guys out here can tell the pretty girls from the ugly girls. It's hard to tell when most of them are completely covered except for the eyes." said Rodan as he spotted a couple of women with beautiful eyes. Angirasu shook his head while Aria rolled her eyes.
"Is that really important?" asked Aria. Rodan shrugged in response.
"Hey, I'm just curious. What if you take one of these girls home one night and all that you have seen were pretty eyes and when you remove that hood and mask, you got yourself a tragedy?" asked Rodan.
"What kind of tragedy?" asked Sonata.
"You know, what if she has like a really big and gross mole with hair coming out on her cheek or something? What if her teeth are missing?" asked Rodan. Sonata's face contorted into disgust.
"Yeeeaaah, that would be pretty bad." said Sonata. Rodan gave her a smile.
"But, at least you don't have to worry about those things. You are one of the prettiest girls that I have ever seen." said Rodan and he flirtatiously bounced his eyebrows. Sonata placed her hands on her cheeks and looked away with a grin plastered on her face.
"Hihi! You think so?" asked Sonata as her cheeks glowed from her blush. Angirasu sighed in annoyance.
"There he goes again." said Angirasu as he shook his head.
"Oh for crap sakes." said Aria as she watched Sonata giggle to herself. Rodan turned to face her with a smile.
"You jealous, babe?" asked Rodan. Aria grabbed Rodan by the collar of his shirt and brought his face close to hers. Her eyes held a hard stare as she locked eyes with him.
"Keep dreaming. Also, don't call me babe." spat Aria. Rodan chuckled in amusement.
"Ooh. Feisty aren't we? I like that in a woman." said Rodan. Aria scoffed as she shoved Rodan away. The Transmutant chuckled as he stumbled back. Aria turned and continued walking. Rodan stood to his feet as he dusted himself off.
"Why do you need to keep flirting with her? You know how she hates it." said Angirasu.
"Hey, I just like to compliment the ladies." said Rodan. Angirasu sighed.
"I wonder how you have yet to be beaten to a pulp by a girl that have flirted with." said Angirasu with a deadpanned stare. Rodan flexed his muscles.
"Cause the ladies can't resist me!" said Rodan, confidently. Angirasu shook his head as he and Sonata continued on to catch up with Aria. Rodan stopped flexing and proceeded to follow the group. Sonata watched the people around her and how they interacted with each other. She wanted to know how to interact with humans just like a normal human being. But, she mostly wanted to know how to interact with Angirasu. She snuck a glance at him as he stared off ahead with a neutral expression. Sonata quickly looked away. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted a man and a woman. They appeared to be a talkative couple. Suddenly, the man flirtatiously slapped his hand against the woman's rear, causing her to yelp and then to giggle in response. Sonata raised a brow at this interaction.
'It must be some kind of friendly high five. But on the butt.' thought Sonata. She then looked to Angirasu and then slowly began to fall behind him. She then looked to her hand and then to Angirasu's rear. She then swung her arm and slapped her hand against Angirasu's rear. Smack! Angirasu yelped in surprise and jumped as he felt the hard slap. Everyone in the group all stopped and looked to Angirasu. Rodan's eyes were wide as he stared at Sonata. He then began to stifle his laughter. Angirasu turned and looked to Sonata in confusion. Sonata looked at him innocently.
"Um...sup guy?" asked Sonata with a smile.
"Um....fine?" responded Angirasu as he rubbed his behind. Aria looked at Sonata incredulously. Sonata then walked past Angirasu as she hummed to herself. Angirasu followed her with a puzzled expression on his face. Aria turned as she began to whisper to Sonata while Rodan walked up to Angirasu and stood at his side with a look of amusement.
"Did she just slap your ass?" asked Rodan.
"I...I think so." answered Angirasu. He then looked down in thought. "I don't understand. Why would she do something like that? It kinda hurt."
"Dude, you seriously don't know?" asked Rodan in a surprised tone. He was denying the idea that Angirasu could be so naive. Angirasu looked to him as he tilted his head.
"Do you know?" asked Angirasu. Rodan snickered in response.
"Wow. You're more clueless than Goji." said Rodan. Angirasu gave him a look of annoyance.
"Hey, how about telling me what you know?"
"Don't worry about it. You'll be fine." said Rodan in reassurance as he patted Angirasu on the shoulder. He then rushed over to the girls and led them down the street while Angirasu was left alone and confused.
"But I am worried!" said Angirasu. He then looked down, feeling concerned. 'Did I make her mad or something?'
Junior sat at the edge of the plateau. He sat cross legged near the edge as he looked down at the village. The sun was high in the sky during the noon. He had slightly calmed down a bit, but he was still angry at Adagio for insulting his mother. Junior could tolerate being insulted, but he couldn’t stand anybody insulting his family. He sighed in frustration as he leaned his head into his hand as he slumped forward.
"I can kick the ass of any one who pisses me off. I can heal from a stab wound. I can probably kill a man with one good punch, but I can't interrogate someone without trying to kill the one that I'm interrogating." said Junior. He then thought back to his actions after Adagio had ignited the ball of rage that threatened to scorch his entire being. He attacked a girl while unprovoked. Technically she did provoke him, but Junior usually attacked when he was attacked first. He actually began to feel bad for attacking her now that he began to calm down.
"God, what would Celestia say if she were to find out?" muttered Junior as he ran his hand through his hair. He then thought back to Mosura's reaction, which made him feel worse. Junior sighed as he looked up to the sky to find crows soaring in the air.
"I wonder how the guys are doing with the other two girls." said Junior to himself. He took out the picture of himself and his parents. He stared into the face of his mother. Her kind eyes stared into him, filling him with sadness.
"Junior, I need to go out to buy some herbs. Could you check on your mother for me?" The voice of Junior's father echoed into his mind as he thought back to his past.
Neighpon. 13 years ago...
The morning sun hung in the sky over Neighpon. The sky was clouded during this winter. Snow would soon be falling upon the island. Junior walked through the halls of his home on the cold wooden floor. His footsteps echoed in the halls as he took light steps. Junior wore a light grey sweater to keep himself warm from the winter air that plagued their home. He turned down the hall and found a door that was shut. Junior made his way over to the door and slowly opened it to peak his head inside. He found a woman lying in bed in the bedroom of his parents. Junior opened the door and slowly made his way inside.
"Mom?" called Junior in a soft tone. The woman stirred as she heard the voice of her son. She drowsily looked over to Junior. Her face then brightened into a smile.
"Hi, baby." said the woman in a soft tone. Junior slowly walked over to her side with a small smile on his face. The woman ran her hand through his hair.
"Where's daddy?" asked the woman.
"He went out to buy some...herbs or something. He wanted me to check on you while he was gone." answered Junior. The woman gave him a small smile.
"Oh, he really doesn't have to in this weather. I told him that I would be fine." said Junior's mother. She then broke into a coughing fit. She turned away from Junior and coughed into her arm. Junior wore a worried expression.
"Mommy, how come you're so sick?" asked Junior. His mother cleared her throat as she lied her head down.
"It happens Junior. We all get sick sometime. It's just a cold." said the mother. Junior lied his head down bedside her as he looked into his mother's eyes.
"Did dad ever get sick too?" asked Junior. His mother lightly giggled.
"Of course he had. I just said that we all get sick sometimes." said the mother. She then scooted away from Junior and patted the bed side that she had made room for. "Come lay down with me. I'm so tired."
Junior obliged as he climbed into bed with his mother. She took the blanket and placed it over the little boy and herself. Both were wrapped in its warmth from the cold. Junior scooted closer to his mother as she ran her hand over his head. Junior leaned his head against her as he felt her hand gently caress him. He yawned as he snuggled up next to her.
"Every day, you look like your father. I'm blessed to have him as a husband and you as my son." whispered the mother. She kissed Junior on her fore head as she wrapped him into a hug. Junior looked away in sadness.
"Mom, I'm sorry that I was fighting at school. I didn't mean to make you upset." said Junior.
"I was only upset because I was afraid for you." said his mother.
"But...dad fights, doesn't he?" asked Junior as he looked to his mother.
"Yes, he once did. But that was a long time ago. He fought to protect, not to hurt others." explained his mother. "It's wrong to fight if it's to hurt people that have just made you angry with words."
"But...the other boys said mean things. They were talking about you." muttered Junior. His mother frowned as Junior wore a dejected expression.
"I know it's hard to not fight when people make you angry. Your father still has a bit of trouble with that." said the mother. She then giggled in amusement. "I always had to check him when we were first together. Kinda like how I do with you."
"Hehe. Dad got in trouble?" asked Junior. His mother nodded to him.
"He did. But, he tries to resolve certain problems without fighting." answered Junior's mother. "Junior, anybody can just fight when it comes to solving a problem. But, that's only a short-term solution."
"Short-term...solution? What's that mean?" asked Junior, curiously.
"It means a problem that is dealt with but only for a short amount of time." answered Junior's mother. She then raised herself out of bed and looked towards the window. "Fighting won't always solve problems Junior. Sometimes, it takes more than that. It takes peaceful actions."
"Like what?" asked Junior. His mother turned to face him with a smile.
"Forgiveness." His mother answered. Junior cocked his head in confusion.
"What's that?" asked Junior.
"It's when someone does something that hurts you, but you don't hold onto what happened. You don't actually approve of that person's actions, but you decide to move on from it." answered Junior's mother. The boy looked down in thought.
"But, what if someone does something that makes it hard to forgive? What if I don't feel like forgiving the people that make me mad?" asked Junior. His mother ran a comforting hand on his head.
"Son, forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a choice that you make. You can choose to not forgive someone, but you'll end up hurting yourself just by holding onto the weight that has made you sad or angry." Junior looked to his mother as she said those words. His mother turned to find an old picture sitting on a shelf with her and her husband during their wedding. Both were wearing traditional kimonos. "You're not forgiving someone for their sakes; you're doing it for yours. You'll be free when you choose to forgive."
"Mom, does dad forgive?" asked Junior. His mother sighed solemnly.
"Rarely, he does. I wished that he would more often." answered the mother. Junior looked down at the blanket around him. Junior then placed a determined smile on his face.
"OK! I'll try to forgive people that make me mad or sad more often!" said Junior. His mother gave him a smile.
"That's good. Maybe your father will learn a few things from you."
"Maybe!" said Junior. The sound of the door opening reached their ears. Both mother and son turned to find the father walking into the room. Gojira Senior wore a small smile as he entered.
"Miwa, did he wake you up?" asked Senior. Junior's mother waved her hand dismissively.
"No. I was having a hard time sleeping anyway." answered Miwa. Senior made his way over to the bed and lied down with his family.
"Well, I got you some herbs. Hopefully, they will help you get well soon." said Senior. Miwa gave him a frown.
"Oh, I'm sorry that I haven't been able to take care of dinner. Now I have you working harder while I lie down in bed sick." apologized Miwa.
"Don't worry. I am honored to provide for my beautiful and loving wife." said Senior. Miwa blushed as she smiled at him. Senior looked over to his son with a smile.
"Son, when you get older and get married, you treat your wife like a princess. Because she may have to put up with you when you mess up." said Senior jokingly. Junior stuck his tongue out in disgust.
"Gross! I'll never get married!" said Junior as he crossed his arms. Senior and Miwa shared a laugh.
"Well, one day you might change your mind and might want to." said Senior as he looked to Miwa with a small. She returned his smile with her own. Junior moved away from the bed and walked out of the room.
"I don't think so." said Junior with a chuckle. He then left the room, leaving Senior and Miwa alone. Miwa shook her head in amusement. She then began to break into another cough.
"Oh, are you getting worse?" asked Senior as he placed his hand over her forehead.
"No...no I'm fine." said Miwa reassuringly. Senior frowned.
"I think we should take you to a doctor." said Junior.
"Gojira, you worry too much. I'll be fine." said Miwa. Senior looked down with worry filling his eyes.
"If you say so."
Present day...
Junior stared at the photo with a frown. His mind replayed the day in his head repeatedly. He remembered the talk that he had with his mother. Though, a few things were missing from his memory, he still recalled much
"Forgiveness." said Junior aloud as he looked to his mother's face. He then sighed solemnly as he placed the picture back into his pocket. "I guess I am an asshole."
The Transmutant remained silent as he stared off into the village. His eyes wondered along the area.
"Sorry mom."
Meanwhile...
Angirasu, Rodan, Sonata and Aria continued to roam through the village. Angirasu noticed that Sonata was scanning the area in fascination. He then noticed a vendor serving ice cream further down the road. An idea formed in his mind.
"Anyone care for some ice cream?" asked Angirasu.
"Oh, hell yes!" said Rodan with a grin. Aria and Sonata looked to each other in confusion. Never had the heard of something called ice cream. But, Sonata's curiousness began to increase.
"Sure!" said Sonata. Aria gave her a raised brow. She then leaned in to Sonata's ear.
"We don't even know what that is." whispered Aria.
"Who cares? If they like it, then it must be good! Besides, I wanna try more human food!" Sonata whispered back. The group had made their over to the vendor. Angirasu had decided to order for Sonata and Aria since they were indecisive. Sonata had actually asked Angirasu to suggest a flavor for her. After paying for their orders, the group made their way over to a stone bench where a few other people were as well with their own ice cream. Angirasu and Sonata sat next to each other. Angirasu had a cup filled with vanilla ice cream while Sonata held a cone of strawberry ice cream. Rodan sat with a spoon and a cardboard tray with a banana split in his hands. Aria sat with a chocolate ice cream cone in her hand and eyed it uncomfortably. She slowly sent a finger to the frozen dessert and pulled away as she felt the cold pierce her finger tip. Rodan looked to her with a raised brow.
"What's wrong? You don't like chocolate ice cream?" asked Rodan.
"It's just...I never had ice cream. Or chocolate for that matter." answered Aria as she eyed the dessert uncomfortably. She then looked to Rodan, hesitantly. "Is it good?"
"Words cannot describe the glorious taste of ice cream." said Rodan as he took a bite of his banana split. He moaned as he tasted the sweet dessert. Aria looked back to her ice cream cone with a wary glance.
"It'll melt if you don't eat it. Just have a lick." said Rodan. Aria gulped nervously as she slowly brought the cone close to her face. Then, she slightly stuck her tongue out and took a small lick at the ice cream. She then smacked her lips as she analyzed the taste.
"Hmm. Not bad." said Aria with a surprised expression. She then felt eyes staring at her. She turned to find Rodan staring at her with a small blush on his face.
"What?" asked Aria in annoyance.
"That was the cutest thing that I have ever seen." said Rodan. Aria recoiled from him, breaking into a blush.
"Sh-shut up!" said Aria in embarrassment. She then turned away with a scowl as she continued to lick her ice cream, less timidly. Rodan stifled his laughter at how he managed to get this woman to blush. He then went back to eating his banana split. Sonata was about to take a lick at her ice cream until she spotted a couple sitting together. She began to analyze them as the woman began to hold her ice cream to her boyfriend. The man leaned down to take a lick of her ice cream, causing the woman to giggle. Sonata looked down to her strawberry ice cream as an idea formed in her mind. She thought she could get closer to Angirasu if she were to act more romantic with him.
"Hey, Angirasu. Do you want a taste?" asked Sonata as she held out her ice cream cone to the Transmutant. Angirasu turned to answer but his face was struck by the cold desert. He jerked back with a gasp as his heart jumped at the sudden cold that struck him in the blistering heat. Sonata gasped in response and pulled her ice cream back as she placed a hand over her mouth.
"I'm so sorry!" cried Sonata as she reached for a napkin and dove for Angirasu. She began to frantically wipe the napkin across his face. But her frantic movements merely caused discomfort to his face as his skin was stretched and forced from all directions. Angirasu nearly dropped his ice cream as he used his hand to stop Sonata's hand.
"It's...it's alright. Just please stop ‘cause my face is starting to hurt." said Angirasu with a nervous expression. Sonata turned away with a frown as she looked down at the ground. Angirasu began to feel unnerved at how her mood had suddenly deteriorated, especially when he noticed the looks of disproval that Rodan and Aria were giving him. He looked away to avoid their stares and then saw Sonata's sad expression as she timidly began to lick her ice cream, making him sigh in response.
"Hey, Sonata." called Angirasu. The Siren slightly turned to face Angirasu, who wore a warm smile. He then pulled out a small plastic spoon that he had gotten back from the vendor.
"Want a taste?" asked Angirasu. Sonata looked to him surprise as he held out the spoon to her in one hand and the ice cream cone in his other hand. Sonata took the spoon with a smile and stuck it inside the ice cream and scooped a small piece of vanilla. She then brought the spoon into her mouth, giving a short and small moan. She then gave Angirasu a small smile.
"Thank you."
"No problem. I'm sorry if I made you feel bad." said Angirasu. Sonata nodded to him.
"It's OK. I'm sorry I hit your butt earlier." apologized Sonata. Angirasu tilted his head in confusion.
"Yeah, why did you do that? Did I make you mad earlier?" asked Angirasu. Sonata gave him an appalled expression.
"No! No, I thought that was what people did to each other when they were friends!" said Sonata frantically.
"Friends?" asked Angirasu in surprise. Angirasu thought that it would be nice if she actually considered him a friend, but he was fearful of having humans as friends again unless he wanted to relive the attack on Ponyville. Sonata nodded her head.
"Where did you hear that's what people did?" asked Aria in confusion. Sonata rubbed the back of her head.
"Well, I didn't actually hear it from anyone. I saw a guy slap this lady's butt earlier as a friendly way. I thought that's what friends did like a high five or something over here. I think I slapped Angirasu too hard." answered Sonata. Angirasu tilted his hand in confusion and wondered why a man would hit a woman in her rear. Rodan was meanwhile laughing to himself.
"No, that's not why he slapped her butt!" laughed Rodan. Sonata, Aria and Angirasu all looked to him in confusion, much to Rodan’s surprise. "No way. Don't tell me that all three of you don't understand the purpose of a man doing that?"
"I don't know because I didn't go out much back in Ponyville. You're more savvy with how people interact with each other." answered Angirasu. Rodan sighed as he shook his head.
"You're so innocent Aang. I hope you at least know about the birds and bees." said Rodan. Angirasu blushed in embarrassment as he looked away.
"Of course I do! I'm just not familiar with a double entendre like you are!" spat Angirasu.
"Oh, what? You think you’re better than me because I can comprehend a double entendre like, 'Hey girl, are you ready to-'" Rodan was about to finish the sentence before Angirasu interrupted him.
"OOOOK! No need to demonstrate! I already know that one!" said Angirasu. Sonata tilted her head in confusion.
"Wait, what was he going to say?" asked Sonata. Angirasu went stiff at the question.
"Don't worry about it!" said Angirasu with a nervous laugh. Sonata shrugged in response. Angirasu sighed in relief. 'I must protect her innocence. It's already too late for me.'
"So, what does it mean when a guy hits a girl in her ass like how Sonata witnessed?" asked Aria. Rodan cleared his throat.
"Well, it’s a form of flirting. But it's more related to..." Rodan went onto to educate the clueless individuals that needed his wisdom in the way of actions not approved by every single person. Angirasu, Sonata and Aria all blushed in embarrassment as Rodan continued to explain what the action meant. Sonata lowered her head in shame.
"Oh...I really don't go out much, huh?" asked Angirasu as he analyzed the information that he had received. Aria looked to Rodan with a glare.
"I hope you don't slap me on the ass!" spat Aria. Rodan raised his hands up defensively.
"Hey, I don't do that! I just flirt with my words! I know which ones are OK and which ones are not OK!" said Rodan defensively. Aria sighed in response.
"Good. Let's keep it that way." said Aria.
"So, you like it when I flirt with you?" asked Rodan.
"Of course not! It's totally annoying!" retorted Aria. Rodan chuckled in response.
"Better than sexual harassment." said Rodan. Aria sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Well, that's true." said Aria as went back to licking her ice cream. Rodan then suddenly had a thought. It was something that he wanted to do. He then stood up from the bench and rushed over to the vendor. Angirasu and the two Sirens watched Rodan in wonder. Rodan returned with small plastic bags in his hands filled with odd contents.
"What are those?" asked Aria.
"Sprinkles, chocolate syrup, berries, and chocolate bits." said Rodan as he held them out. "You guys want any on your ice cream?" asked Rodan.
"Ooh! Can I have the chocolate syrup?" asked Sonata. Rodan nodded as he handed her the bag. Angirasu offered to help her open the tiny bag for the Siren and began to squeeze it onto her ice cream. Aria eyed the contents in confusion and shrugged in response.
"Any recommendations?" asked Aria.
"You can put some chocolate bits into the chocolate ice cream." suggested Rodan.
"Isn't that redundant?" asked Aria with a deadpanned stare.
"Kinda. But who cares?" asked Rodan. Aria sighed in response.
"Alright, let me see them."
Later that night...
Junior was making his way over back to the camp. Mosura had recently scolded him for attacking Adagio earlier during the day. He didn't try to defend his actions since he realized that he wasn't justified for attacking her. He sighed as he made his way over to one of the chairs that sat around the fire pit. Junior picked up a couple of stones that he had been using to ignite flames onto the wood. He checked the fire pit and noticed that there was nothing to burn. Junior sighed in response as he stood back up to his feet.
"I guess I should go gather some stuff to burn." said Junior in annoyance. He then began to walk away from the camp.
"Hey." called Adagio. Junior stopped and turned to find Adagio standing outside of a tent with a neutral expression. Junior held a neutral expression as well.
"Hey." greeted Junior. There was then an awkward silence.
"So...what are you doing?" asked Adagio. Junior cleared his throat.
"Um...I was just about to go get some stuff for the fire." answered Junior.
"Right. Say, mind if I tag along and help?" asked Adagio. Junior looked to her in surprise. Adagio never offered to help, let alone him.
"Uh...I guess it's fine. Come on, it'll get cold soon." said Junior as he turned around. Adagio took a deep breath and sighed in relief. She then trailed behind the Transmutant into the night. She followed him out from the plateau and onto the vast land where multiple plants lied on the stoned and sandy ground. There were a few plants capable of lasting in a fire pit, mainly bushes. Junior pulled out his sword and swung it to the base of the bush. As it fell over, he made his way over to the bush and began to drag away from the stump. Adagio began to gather the sticks that she was able to find. Junior then noticed a small, dead tree lying down on the ground.
"Hold on, there's something better than these." said Junior as he ran over to the tree. Adagio watched as he began to swing his sword at the thin wood of the dead tree. She watched as the blade chopped at the branches.
"Man, Changelings made a sword that's more convenient than an axe!" said Junior. Given the sword's shape and its durable composition, it allowed a chopping motion. Later, the pair walked back to camp in silence with wood in their grip. As they reached the camp, they set the pieces of wood down into the pit. Junior crouched next to the pit and picked up the stones that he had left.
"Gojira." called Adagio. Junior stopped as she called his name and looked to the Siren. She rubbed her arm as she looked away.
"What?" asked Junior. Adagio sighed.
"I...I want to apologize about earlier. Especially for what I said about your mother." said Adagio. She then looked down shamefully. "I'm sorry."
"Oh." said Junior, a look of surprise was plastered on his face. He didn't believe it at first, but he recognized the sincerity in her eyes and her tone.
"Well, yeah that was kind of a dick move for you to pull." said Junior. Adagio's shoulders slumped as she lowered her head further. She clenched her hands. Junior frowned as he saw her slightly tremble and then noticed the bruise on her cheek. He sighed.
"But...I shouldn't have reacted so violently. It was wrong of me to force my way into your business in the first place. I'm sorry for all of that," apologized Junior. Adagio looked to Junior as he went back to clashing the stones together. She saw the frown that he wore and noticed that his bruises and scratches seemed to have faded.
"Can you forgive me?" asked Adagio. Junior thought back to what his mother had told him before she had died. He then looked to her with a small smile.
"Sure, I forgive you." said Junior. With that, he felt the anger that he held toward the Siren lift its weight off of his shoulders. He recognized this as the feeling of moving on. Adagio sent a smile back to him as well.
"And I forgive you as well." said Adagio. Junior clashed the stones once again, causing the sparks to ignite the wood. The fire then began to build up as its warmth embraced the two. Junior sighed as he sat himself down on the chair. He then noticed Adagio approaching him from the other side of the pit. She walked around the pit and sat on an empty chair that was next to Junior. The two remained silent as they watched the flames.
"Remember when you asked me about why we were out here?" asked Junior.
"Of course." answered Adagio.
"Well, care to hear my story?" asked Junior. Adagio nodded.
"I like stories." answered Adagio. Junior lightly chuckled.
"Well, you might not like this one." replied Junior. He then leaned back into his chair. "You see, I was once living in Equestria. I was raised by a close friend of my father's for years. One day, I moved out to live in Ponyville. I spent most of my time alone without a friend. In fact, I did that my entire life."
"But...weren't you lonely?" asked Adagio.
"Honestly, I kinda was. I normally said that I didn't care to have any friends, especially when people would ostracize me from being from Neighpon. My accent and my ethnic background were things that other kids would make fun of." said Junior. Adagio frowned as she heard of Junior's past. She was familiar with ostracism and prejudice of another ethnic group. Sirens did that with certain clans that they disliked. She had a bit of a prejudice towards humans herself, but that was different. She felt that her reasons of prejudice towards humans were justified.
"Anyway, while I was in Ponyville, I made two friends. Both were girls that had tried to get me to be more open with other people. I didn't think I needed more friends. But, that thought began to change as I got to know their friends. We had disagreements and arguments before. Sometimes, I was the one in the wrong. But, the two girls looked past that and helped me along with a couple of others. They were something else." said Junior.
"Was one of them your girlfriend?" asked Adagio, curiously. Junior chuckled in embarrassment.
"No. But I did like one of them. Anyway, I met Mosura and the guys as well during this time. We eventually became friends, but I think we had more of an understanding of each other." said Junior. He sighed solemnly. "One day, that all changed."
"What happened?"
"Well, there were some...guys that were attacking people. My friends were threatened with death. So, Mosura, the guys, and I fought these guys without mercy. I was even going to kill one of them." said Junior. Adagio's eyes widened. He nodded. "Yeah, I know. You can say that it's barbaric, but I don't care. If it's barbaric to protect your friends, then I'll gladly accept the title."
"So, what happened?"
"The guys escaped. I didn't kill the guy that I found. But, my friends were afraid of me for trying to take his life. Mosura and the others weren't accepted either because they refused to stop me. So, I made my decision to leave to avoid the ostracism." answered Junior as he stuck a stick into the fire. He moved the wood around with the stick to allow the flames to spread. "Mosura and the others joined me and we all left to live out here."
"But why would they leave? They still had a home, didn't they?" asked Adagio. Junior sighed.
"Yeah, but I guess they were worried about me and wanted to come." said Junior. Adagio looked down. She knew that it was hard to lose friends.
"Since you told me your reason for being out here, I guess it's only fair that I tell you more about why we're here." said Adagio. "You see...I haven't been completely honest with you. We aren't exactly out here for a singing career. We came out here for our friend, Sarila."
"For what?" asked Junior.
"You see, she owes a mobster a lot of money from when she borrowed it to pay off some debts. Later, he came to her and started demand his money back. Unfortunately, Sarila didn't make enough to pay off what she borrowed. This later led to the mobster and his gang to terrorize all of her friends and family. So, she asked for our help to raise money." said Adagio. She sighed as leaned forward. "We weren't supposed to come out here, but we ended up not having a choice when we lost our stuff and tickets to get to home."
"You know, if I were in your shoes, I'd stand up to them. You ever thought of standing up to the mobsters?" asked Junior. Adagio looked at him incredulously. She hadn't anticipated the question and tried to think up a reason to keep her twisted truth a float.
"But, we can't possibly stand up to them! We don't know what they are capable of!" argued Adagio.
"Some people are fueled by the fear of others, but if you stand up to them, they are powerless. Something my father used to say." said Junior. Adagio stared at him in wonder. She wondered if she and her people were dealing with the situation incorrectly. A threat did loom over not only on Sarila, but also the entire clan of Sirens. She was afraid of this threat, but she began to ponder if standing up to it was the true solution
'What if...our mission will only be a temporary solution?' thought Adagio, feeling sick to her stomach. She then leaned back into her chair with a frown.
"I guess you're pretty scared, huh?" asked Junior. Adagio lazily looked over to him.
"What was your first clue?" asked Adagio. Junior chuckled in response.
"Well, since we're cool now, I suppose I could back you and your friend up if you decide to stand up to them." said Junior. Adagio looked to him in surprise.
"You...you would?" asked Adagio. Junior nodded to her.
"Just tell me when, and I'll tag along and drop them." said Junior with a smile. Adagio lightly smiled as she looked away.
"Thanks. I'll think about it." said Adagio. Junior nodded to her and went back to shuffling the wood in the flames with his stick. Adagio snuck a glance at Junior and frowned.
'But, I think you'd only get yourself killed with what we're up against.' thought Adagio. She then heard footsteps approaching. Mosura made her way out of one of the tents with a smile on her face.
"Good to see that you two made up." said Mosura. Junior smiled back.
"Yeah." said Junior. He then noticed Angirasu, Rodan, Sonata and Aria approaching. Rodan sat himself down on a chair and sighed in exhaustion. Sonata sat next to Angirasu while Aria sat next to Rodan. Aria then noticed the bruise on Adagio's cheek.
"What happened there?" asked Aria as she gestured to her own cheek. Adagio shrunk back as she avoided eye contact.
"Oh...just a bit of an accident. Nothing to worry about." said Adagio. Aria raised a brow at her.
"If you say so." replied Aria. Rodan looked to Junior in confusion.
"Where did you get those scratches?" asked Rodan. Junior cleared his throat as he rubbed his forehead.
"Um...a cat scratched me." answered Junior. The rest of the Transmutants and Sirens all shrugged in response. Rodan reached into a bag and pulled out marshmallows, gram crackers and chocolate bars. Mosura looked to the two in confusion as to why they would lie about the origins of their minor wounds. She then noticed Junior wink at Adagio. Mosura slightly smiled.
'I see.' thought Mosura.
Okinawa, Neighpon...
Hayato Yoshi walked through the base that he was stationed at. It has been a few days after the truth of MONARCH was revealed. Although he vowed to rebel against the organization, he needed to be smart about it. So, he kept in contact with the soldiers that he had been present during the mission. For the moment, they would all pose as MONARCH's loyal pawns. Yoshi made his way over to a room where no one was around. Inside was a set of computers that were connected to the walls. The consoles were lit by lights and the screens were dark. Yoshi made his way to the closest computer console and began to activate it. As he waited for the system to boot up, he fished for a flash drive that was hidden in his pocket and stuck it to a slot. He placed a finger into his ear to his COM earpiece.
"I'm on one of the computers and I'm in the process of turning it on. Where are you Sparkplug?" whispered Yoshi.
"On my way, boss. I needed to get my laptop." said a man over the COM. Yoshi took deep breaths as he waited for the computer to turn on. He then heard the sound of the door opening. He turned and found a thin and tall Equestrian Earthbound with a laptop in his grip.
"About time." said Yoshi with a sigh of relief. The man scoffed in response.
"Hey, I needed to sneak past a few C.O.s to get here." retorted Sparkplug. He then sat down on a chair close to Yoshi's occupied computer console and placed his laptop on his lap. He then pulled out a cord and connected one end to the laptop and the other end to the computer console.
"OK, we're going to have to make this quick or else MONARCH will be on our ass." said Sparkplug. He then began to tap rapidly at the keys on his laptop as he began to enter the system of MONARCH. He worked through the information that was hidden inside and the protocols of the organization. He then stopped at a coded area that caught his attention.
"There we are." smiled Sparkplug. He then began to access the area in the system. "Get that flash drive inside. We're going to download a ton of MONARCH's dirty secrets."
"On it." said Yoshi. The two waited as the files were downloaded.
"Boss, you better wrap it up! We got some staff nearing the area." warned a woman on the COM. Yoshi cursed under his breath.
"Try to stall them! We need more time to download the files!" said Hayato. He then rushed over to Sparkplug. "How much longer, Spark?"
"Almost. Just need a few more seconds." said Sparkplug as he continued to type. Yoshi continued to tap his foot anxiously as he turned to the door. His ears listened for a sound that would signal the compromise of their mission.
"Almost done. Just a couple of more files." said Sparkplug.
"Sir, you better hurry up! They'll be there in ten seconds!" warned the woman over the COM. Yoshi cursed under his breath again. He then watched as the screen on the computer console began to flash as information was downloaded into the flash drive. The screen suddenly flashed a text that read, 'Download Complete'.
"OK, we're good! Get the flash drive and shut the computer down!" said Sparkplug as he closed his laptop and unplugged the cord that connected his device with the larger device. Yoshi removed the drive and placed it in his pocket. He then rushed to the computer console and began to shut it down. After that was accomplished, both rebels made their way out of the room and closed the door. They both casually walked down the hall, finding a few men in uniform walking past them. The staff members made their way into the room to their jobs. Yoshi sighed in relief.
"You think they'll suspect anything?" asked Yoshi.
"They might later find out that a device had been accessing certain files. But if we hurry, we can expose MONARCH's high command. But we might not have time to broadcast the truth to multiple bases at once like we hoped. We're going to have to start locally." said Sparkplug. Yoshi sighed in disappointment.
"Damn."
"Yep. Has the C.O. asked about the so called, 'Trasnsmutant'?" asked Sparkplug.
"Yeah. He wanted to know if we've killed him. I told him that we lost him." said Yoshi. Sparkplug looked to him in confusion as they continued to walk.
"Why didn't you just say we killed Caesar instead?" asked Sparkplug.
"Because the C.O. would be expecting a body for confirmation. Also, if a Transmutant is on the loose, this may allow us an excuse to leave the base and to meet with the Shisa." answered Yoshi. Sparkplug nodded in understanding.
"Good idea."
The two soldiers continued on into the base. They later found themselves in the barracks where the soldiers were housed. The two split up and made their way inside. Yoshi passed a few soldiers that were present when Caesar had revealed himself. He gave them nods as he passed them and received nods in return while they went back to their game of cards.
Meanwhile, in the women's barracks, a Neighponese woman walked alone as she removed her COM ear piece and placed it into her pocket. She sighed as she lied down on her bed while other soldiers that were off duty conversed amongst themselves. She then noticed one of the Equestrian women that had met Caesar approach her.
"So, what's the plan?" asked the Equestrian.
"First, we need to figure out a way to show the others the truth. The files that we downloaded should be enough to convince them that we're working for monsters." answered the Neighponese woman.
"But wouldn't MONARCH have booby trapped the files or something?" asked the Equestrian.
"Yes, but Sparkplug is well experienced with computers. He knows his way in and out of the system. He's even learned how to extract the files safely. We just need to hope that MONARCH isn't quick to figure out that unauthorized personnel have been snooping around the files." replied the Neighponese woman.
"Man, we're seriously going to do this?" asked the Equestrian.
"Yes. Because we must stop the head command of this organization while we still can." answered the Neighponese soldier as she placed her arms behind her head. "Our comrades have to know the truth."
An older man on the base in uniform stood in his office. It had been a few days since the order to kill the alleged Transmutant in the mountains had been given. Apparently there was no luck in killing it. Hayato Yoshi claimed that they found the creature but managed to escape capture. However, he felt some sort of tension coming from the soldiers that had been assigned to the mission, which he found suspicious. The commanding officer made his way over to a door and opened it. Behind the door was another room that was dark. He entered it and pulled out a small crystal, which he placed in the center on a metal disk that radiated with magic. The gem shot a beam of light as it began to glow. The gem projected an image of Onyx with his back turned.
"Director Onyx." called the man. The Elf turned to face the voice. He noticed the man that spoke to him.
"Ah. Good day Colonel." greeted Onyx. The Colonel nodded in response.
"Sir, I have contacted you to inform you of the status of the mission. The Shisa has yet to be found by Sgt. Hayato Yoshi and his team." informed the Colonel.
"Hmm. Unfortunate. Caesar first destroyed our research facility of our experiments and now he's trying to turn our own men against us." replied Onyx.
"Yes. But sir, what if the creature has already told them?" asked the Colonel.
"Look, do not worry about that. Just keep an eye on the soldiers that were assigned to that mission. We can't risk them discovering our involvement in the creation of the Transmutants and our plans. If they already know, have one of my agents that’s stationed there to kill them. But tell him that he must be discreet about it." commanded Onyx.
"Understood, Director." answered the Elf. Onyx nodded in approval.
"Your loyalty is doing us a great service. You shall be rewarded when this is over." said Onyx. Then, his holographic image faded. The crystal stopped glowing, becoming nothing but a clear stone. The Colonel picked up the crystal and placed it back into his pocket. He turned to leave the private room. As he returned to the main office, he sat at his desk.
"I swear, if I were leading this organization, I'd order the extermination of all of these beasts." spat the Colonel. The Shisa posed a problem to their organization. Certain Shisa were known to have some sort of ability where they gain visions of the past or future. The attack of Caesar allowed the Colonel to hypothesize that he knew about MONARCH's dirty secret. There was more to these creatures than they knew, so it was dangerous to pursue him recklessly. So, they needed the best soldier to exterminate him. But, there was no luck so far. Or perhaps there was information being upheld from the commanding officer.
"I have no proof to accuse them of such. So I'll just have to watch." sighed the Colonel.