//------------------------------// // Chapter 25 // Story: Angel of Gold // by Magna85 //------------------------------// Tim and I were walking around close to the barracks to find the four guards that I had met. A quick question to a commanding officer directed us to a small building that was a little bit away from the main place where most of the guards were. As we got closer I was able to hear the whispers of some other guards. "What are they doing?" "They're going to get themselves killed!" "No, that's Berserker and Celedon! They're the guys that had the battle yesterday!" "Why are they going after the C Squad?" C Squad? An interesting title. Then I heard more whispers that I would rather have never even thought about. "Man, Celedon's hot." I shuddered as I walked. Either way, we reached the front door and we heard shouting from inside. "Come on, put your back into it!" a female voice. It sounded like Jade Hunter. "It's not my back that I need to put into it, it's my arm!" a male voice. That sounded like Snow Lance. "Oh don't be so literal." The same female voice. "Guys, do you really need to do this right here?" a different female voice. Probably Star Saber. "Let them have their fun, Star. Besides, we need to practice. You saw how Berserker moved out there, he used a sword during the last moments before that Gilgamesh guy tossed a meteor on them." A deeper male voice, Rock Breaker. "Wait, what?! Ow!" Jade's voice cried out. "Ha! I win!" Snow shouted before we heard a chair move back. "Wait, stop! What are you doing?!" By then we had heard enough, so I knocked on the door. Everything went silent in the building. I heard a few whispers about who was going to answer the door before I heard Rock sigh and heavy footsteps stomped on the floor. Then he opened the door, his massive frame taking up the whole doorway. He didn't have an ounce of hair on his head, but he had a well-trimmed brown goatee on his chin. "Yes, wh-...oh. Celedon," Rock started to say in an annoyed tone before he caught himself. His soft brown eyes stared at me in surprise. "Hi Rock! How've you been?" I asked sweetly. Or what I hoped sounded sweetly. "I've been good, though I didn't expect you to be out and about so early after being thrashed like you were yesterday." It looked like my attempt at small talk worked and he relaxed a little, though he immediately noticed Tim standing next to me. "Wait, Celedon's at the door?! Lemme see!" I heard Jade's voice call over from further in the building. A hand grabbed at Rock's right shoulder and pulled him away from the door. Slightly unkempt two tone medium length green hair framed bright emerald eyes that gazed at me in something approaching awe. "You. Two. Were. So. COOL!" Then she was suddenly hopping all around us, her green wings buffeting us unintentionally with air. "I mean, when you spun around and blasted at him like a bullet but then stopped in mid air, or the time where Berserker tossed him up in the air and you did an air combo! And when you just straight up flew into a flaming tornado! It was so! AWESOME!!!!" Jade was fawning over us when previously she had been more than a little cold towards me. I almost heard a switch click before she stood straight and shook her head. Probably her guard training kicking back in. "Jade, while I agree that their battle was quite spectacular, maybe you shouldn't be standing around Berserker like that." I heard Star, the voice of logic and reason, speak from the doorway. Her eyes were pink and her silver hair was cut in almost the same way as Jade's, though quite a bit more ordered. Military regulations most likely. "Right. Excuse my outburst," Jade said as she backed away from us. "No, it's fine. We just, uh, never had that happen before," I answered. It should have been obvious to me before, but walking into a place where battlefield prowess is something to be desired would obviously lead to getting some fans. "Also, I'm not that unstable as to lash out at someone like that," Tim crowed indignantly. Star raised an eyebrow before sighing and said, "Of course, how could I be so bland as to not know this, Berserker." A flat stare told Tim what she meant. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. It seems Star Saber has a sharp tongue. "So, what did you guys come here for?" Jade asked me. "Well, Princess Celestia has enlisted you for a mission to escort the Elements of Harmony, myself, and Berserker to the Mer-kingdom," I replied. The three guards blinked before looking at each other. Then they all looked back inside, where Snow Lance was standing with his chin in his hand. His hair was an icy blue while his eyes were an even lighter shade of blue. Judging by their looks, Snow Lance was the squad leader. "You hear that Snow? We got an escort mission," Jade yelled. "I heard. I have only one condition," he voiced before he stepped out to join us. "Let's hear it," I said. "Make sure you pull your own weight. The Elements I can believe needing extra support for a long trip. But you two, after what I saw yesterday..." he trailed off. "Was it seriously that entertaining?" Tim questioned. "Not as much entertaining as enlightening to your abilities. I know that you both can handle yourselves in a fight, so I would expect you to be able to carry a little bit more than the average person." Snow was looking at us with a critical eye, Tim more than me for obvious reasons. "Don't worry about that, we're more than capable of handling whatever you might ask of us for the travels,” I answered confidently. "Alright then. C Squad, get your equipment ready for a three day journey." His squad-mates piled back into the room where I heard clanks and voices asking for a piece of missing armor. "I'm assuming we're leaving soon?" Snow asked. He was still standing in the door, leaning on the doorpost with his arms crossed. "This evening, actually. If at all possible. We're meeting up with the Elements after dinner in the throne room." He frowned slightly at that. "Squad, double time! We're to be in the throne room by twenty-thirty, let's go, let's go!" Snow gave orders to his team as he walked back inside, closing the door in the process.