Quite an amazing sight indeed.
Soldiers working with police officers scrambling to prepare for a large assault.
As their Generals gets confronted with the bone chilling news.
Ah, it brings a smile to my face every time I remember it…
Or so he told me.
After the two Generals receive the chilling news, they sent the messenger away.
The worst case scenario has just happened.
General Sho leaned on the hand rails and sighed.
"So Lieutenant General… what should we do now?"
Albert covers his face in disappointment.
"Yeah… I didn't expect this…"
"Looks like they we're clearly expecting us."
"So it was all a trap huh."
Sho crosses his arms.
"This can escalate into a hostage situation."
"Hm… right."
Albert puts his hand on his forehead and leans on the rails.
He taps the rails as he ponders hard.
"So… What should we do Lieutenant General?"
"Yeah… I don't know, I really just got a little ahead of myself earlier… was it the lack of sleep… was it because I didn't finish drinking my tea? Was it because I didn't give it much thought? Was it because of my lapse in judgment that allowed them to go because of a child's determination? Was it because of my emotions or feelings at the time? I don't know General… I don't know…"
Albert starts to chuckle, but it felt painful to hear.
"Well… if it were a trap set for us… we would've already had contact with their forces directly. This situation is still salvageable if we move correctly.
With a quavering voice, he vents out his anger, fear, sadness, and hatred for himself.
"I… I don't know Sho… I knew I shouldn't have sent them… I've made a mistake… I've endangered them… hahaha! Why have I done such a mistake! Saving lives, that's what the Military Police do. This is happening again… why… not again. Its because of me, my foolish judgments, I am not fit to lead! Its because of me that they all died!!!!"
"Now, now… there's no turning back now-"
"I have made a mistake!"
He slams the rails and cursed out loud.
Anger slowly turns into sorrow.
General Sho saw Albert leaning on the hand rails trembling with an unpaintable look, he was covering his face, hiding his tears.
He was facing a complete meltdown.
General Sho didn't want to see his friend hurt again, not again.
Sho sighs, and steps forward.
"Hey Albert, let's make a deal."
Albert continues to be frustrated, pulling his hair in anger.
Slowly curling in pain.
"I'll take care of the operation… in exchange… you must smile."
Albert briefly stops his rage.
"Huh? What do you mean??"
"I don't want to see you crying again, I don't want you to be hurt again, I don't want you to experience what happened in the front line, so just smile, and ill handle this, don't worry."
He throws a thumbs up and a wink.
Albert's face lights up, as he remembers his childhood.
As a valuable and loyal friend to General Sho since their childhood, they've forged a friendship at home, battlefields, and at strategic war rooms over the course of their lives.
After everything they've experienced and witnessed in the front lines.
Sho never wanted any of his friends to suffer again… not anymore.
Albert sobers up, and is determined to face the consequences of his actions.
"No, it's my mistake. I should be responsible."
"It's alright, just smile. I got this."
General Sho walks over to his Officers and yelled out an absolute order.
"All who are prepared… move out!!!"
Immediately, and without fail, soldiers and Royal Police hopped into jeeps, those who could not enter in time, were left out.
In the end, they left with only 1 thousand troops and officers, the rest will follow suit.
An official order from the General.
"Let the crackdown start!"
The jeeps starts rolling, as the sound of the engines zooming through the city sounds like thunder roaring.
Realizing his mistake, Albert punches himself, and sought to do his job right.
At the last minute, Albert was able to get his composure back and dashed to board one of the jeeps, he was able to grab onto one of the jeeps and moved out with the rest.
Although it took a hot minute, the clock strikes 12, and the operation resumed.
Opening his eyes, Katsu woke up tired and bruised.
He and Bon finds themselves tied up on a stage of sort, with the blinding lights pointed right at them.
Many criminals were present to witness the Ivan assert his dominance once more, although some of them find it too cruel to involve children in their gang.
Looking around, he sees glimpses of Ivan and a hopeless Vin at the back stage.
Vin and Ivan negotiated with each other.
"Please spare them… please!"
"Vin, I'm giving you one last chance to redeem yourself to me, and I give you a choice to choose… it's the boy or the French pig."
"But-"
"No buts!"
Struggling to muster up the strength to speak, he spoke in a broken voice.
"V-vin… please… come back-"
"Ah, Monsieur Katsu… I see you've awakened." Bon calmly interjected, "I apologies for not seeing through Ivan, it's like staring through a brick wall… Don't panic, the Military Police may be arriving soon-"
"I see that our guests have woke up…" Ivan cuts in. "Well then… let us gets started…" Ivan interrupted.
They cut the light, and focused it on Bon.
Ivan and Vin enter the stage and light were directed at them, many cheered.
Katsu sees the reflection of a revolver at the hands of Ivan.
"Stop! Don't you dare do anything to Bon!"
"Heh, rest assured, I won't do anything to him… He Will."
Vin pulls out his own gun at bon.
"Vin… what are you-"
"I'm sorry kid… I couldn't do anything… no… I can't do anything."
Vin looks down, dark and gloomy, with a scornful grin.
"Now Vin, prove to me, and to everyone else, that my order is absolute. Prove to us, that you swear your life and allegiance to this gang. That you'll repay my act of kindness ever since I found you in the dumps. By pulling the trigger."
Katsu was stunned…
His heart beats.
Faster.
Faster.
And faster…
It's all happening too fast.
Like a scene from his worst nightmare.
A scene he's all too familiar.
And here he is once again, powerless to do anything.
Faster and Faster, His heart beats.
Faster and faster, he runs of breath…
Voices echo in Katsu's heart.
Can bullet really end a life?
A life who you dearly love.
But isn't the one holding the gun someone you also hold dear?
Is he not the enemy?
Will you stand here and do nothing?
Who is it that hurts you?
Who is your enemy?
Will you avenge them?
Isn't he your family?
Is he really family?
What is he to you?
All these thoughts and questions, echoing your mind…
Are you going to wait? Or are you going to stand up, and find the answer.
Katsu yells out to vin, pouring his heart and soul to convince him.
"No! Don't do it Vin! He's your best friend! All your stories of your friendship! Please! Don't do it!"
Ah… here it is again. What's this feeling of nostalgia? Every time I remember it…
Bon smiles a mournful one, betrayed and disrespected, Vin could not even look at him in the eye.
Louder and louder.
Katsu screamed louder
Louder.
Voices echo around the auditorium.
Louder!
Drops of tears fall down from Vin's face as he struggles to aim the gun properly.
Vin angrily grins as he struggles to lift his arms up.
All the words Katsu yelled echoes in his mind, and eventually…
He broke…
He drops the gun.
Vin slowly breathed in and out, and calmed himself down.
"I can't do Ivan… I just can't."
Ivan faces him with disappointment.
"I see… you were useless after all…"
Ivan punched him powerfully down to the ground.
And continued to punch and beat him there.
There, the gang members witnessed firsthand Ivan is rivaled by no other.
Katsu witnessed another horrifying sight, as Vin's face is terribly beaten and bloody by the sheer strength of Ivan's punches.
"After all I've done to you, this is how you repay me!?! You owe me your life, and here I ask is for simple loyalty!" Ivan roars.
"No… no… stop… stop…" Katsu whispers.
Faster and faster, his heart beats faster.
You can't recover from this… stand around and do nothing again… you'll suffer more and more…
Faster…
Faster…
Fight… Fight! Fight! If not for Vin, for your parents! Satisfy your hunger for vengeance and revenge… FIGHT!
Katsu breaks free from the ropes and immediately tackles Ivan.
"You little brat, get off of me!"
Ivan throws Katsu to the wall, and is on the verge of passing out once again.
Ivan walks over but Vin fights him back, and they continued to exchange blows.
The audience are amazed at the strength of Katsu, and are dazed by the roaring strength of Ivan against Vin.
While the others prepares to help Ivan at the stage.
Katsu blinks slowly, with each blink gradually gets harder to open.
Ah, you're weak, do you still want to go fight?
"Yes…"
WHY do you want to?
"To… to change the world…to fight for the ones I've lost… to fight for the end of suffering, to bring happiness and peace…"
Weak and naïve answer… but you'll know it eventually.
"Please… Give me strength, power to fight!"
Learn to get it yourself…
"Please… just this once… one more time… one last time…"
For you not to rely on me, this is the last time I'll give you strength…
"Thank you…"
Faster and faster…
He closes his eyes again.
And he received a burst of strength one last time.
At around 11:29 A.M
In a small apartment far from the city center.
5 Military Police officers heavily armed, stand next to the door of a room whose tenants are members of the Underground Pint.
Eavesdropping in the conversation inside, they heard people betting.
"Come on! I've already lost my entire year's savings! And I've got a family to feed!" One man said.
"Another round hehehe, winner takes all." Another one teased.
"Don't worry, we'll return everything, let's just for fun."
After confirming there are people inside.
The team leader yelled.
"Breach!"
They knocked down the locked door and found four middle aged men playing cards on the floor.
They immediately stopped playing and reached for their guns.
Reacting fast, the police officers shot and killed all four of them.
Not knowing there was a fifth member hiding in one the other room.
He scrambles to send a message to Head Quarters.
He was only able to send a short message before the police found him.
"Captain! I found one over here!"
"I won't go back to prison!"
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Pulled out a gun, but forgot to switch the safety off.
The police shoots his head, blowing a huge hole in it.
His brains scatter all over the machine that was used to transmit the message.
All over the city, the same thing happened, capture if they comply, kill if they resist, as the crackdown on Underground pint members and leaders enters its final stages.
In this way, The Royal Military Police reigns with terror, punishing all those who defy and oppose its rule…
At the city center, a band of gangsters grows suspicious with the number of officers on the streets directing traffic.
Suspicious cars gets pulled over and inspected, which annoyed civilians.
One after the other, a mob formed in protest on the streets of the marble city.
They've already arrested so many in the streets.
An officer pulls over a car and knocks on its window signaling the driver to open it.
The window rolls down, to reveal a gun pointed at him.
He was shot point blank.
Two others at the back dismount and starts shooting at the police officers.
The mob breaks and everyone tried to escape, pushing over and trampling themselves in the process.
Fire fights occur in the city as the police clash with small gang forces.
The people and the media, catches wind of the crackdown operation.
Underground Pint Communications Headquarters gets bombarded by the number of messages getting sent to them.
All of them were short and brief.
Making it hard to decipher and understand them.
"Sir, we're getting too much messages!" a decoder reported.
"What does this all mean!?"
Jones assumed the worst.
"Get everyone to prepare! We're ditching this place, but we'll give them a fight before we go!" Jones commanded.
"But sir, nobody's here."
"HUUUH?"
"Ivan called all of them to go to our mini auditorium."
Jones got very bewildered by this, he could not even utter a single word from his mouth.
"Sir??? What are we supposed to do???"
After rebooting his brain, he snaps back.
"Well call them back you idiot!"
The messenger rushes outside to warn the others.
Outside at the front entrance, two guards are playing chess on empty oil barrels while chatting.
"Hasn't it been a few hours since the visitors arrived?"
"Yeah, Ivan called everyone to go to the mini auditorium at the back. So I think they have something to do with there." The two guards questioned.
"In any case, I hope they finish up soon. It's starting to get really boring out here."
"Yeah. Oh, checkmate."
"Ah, good game."
"Do you want to switch to another game?"
"One more round."
"You just want win against me eh?"
"Heck no! It's… it's uhh… chess is fun…" He pouts.
"Alright, one more round."
He rearranges the pieces.
But he noticed the pieces vibrating, soon it fell down, and many more followed.
"What is happening?"
Then, the loud roars of engines echoes from down the street.
They grab their riffles and stand before the main door.
Soon later, many trucks filled with dozens of armed military personnel arrives.
Knowing that they're out numbered, a guard drops his gun and runs over to the soldiers.
"Hey! What are you doing!?!"
The soldiers dismount and instantly aims their rifles at the guard.
"Wait, wait! Wait! Stop! We surrender!" The guard begged while running towards them.
"They've got weapons! Shoot them first before they can shoot us!"
"Wait stop! We surrender!"
Bang.
The sounds of Ivan's fists reverberated around the room.
Now Go!
The gangsters cheered for Ivan.
Go fight for the ones you've loved!
Katsu got a sudden burst of energy, and sprinted with the speed of light and punched Ivan in the stomach with great force.
It caused Ivan to throw up onto the floor.
"Heh… see, I told you that you were strong."
Filled with wrath and rage, he charges once more.
"Hehehehe… do it."
A gunman behind Ivan fired…
Katsu was shot.
His eyesight instantly blurred, his feet began to tingle, he slowly begins to fall, as all his memories come back to haunt him as his life flashes before his eyes.
He stiffens on the floor as he bleed out from his right shoulder.
No matter how fast or strong or powerful you are… you're no match for the faster, harder, more powerful punch of a bullet.
Ivan maniacally laughs.
"Did you ever think you all can defeat the Underground Pint!? You are mentally disabled if you even thought of opposing us!"
Katsu feels the hard cold floor, as the chilly cement climbs up to his spine.
But oh? It doesn't hurt? Don't worry… you won't die, your determination has sealed your fate.
The crowd claps and cheers, for Ivan once again has demonstrated his power.
And that they, are reassured that with Ivan's lead, their safety is insured.
Ivan, nose broken, face beaten and bloody, faces the half dead Katsu.
But Vin blocks him, bleeding substantially and breathing very heavily.
With resolve in his eyes, he sincerely said.
"No more please… you've said your message, you've set your example, Leave us alone now."
"Hmpf, Vin… before I remove you from the Underground Pint for disobeying my command… do you have anything else to say?"
He gulps, he responded.
"Yes… it's that… I've stalled long enough."
"What~?"
Soldiers bash the doors down, as they barged in guns loaded.
Having no time to prepare, the gangsters were all unarmed.
Counter Terrorist Division quickly identifies the man on the stage as Ivan Hanzai.
Overwhelmed and in denial, Ivan couldn't even speak a single word.
The gunman behind him reveals himself and aims at the soldiers.
SACF Marksmen shoots the gunman down.
All of the gangsters surrounded in one room, the lights shifted back to the stage, as the two Generals dauntlessly walk on the stage along with several police officers.
"POLICE!?!??" Ivan snarled.
Ivan Hastily looks and turns around to find the dropped gun, he sees it and immediately reaches his hand out.
A Police Officer quick draws a pistol and shoots the gun farther away from the stage.
Sweating and out of breath, he looks around to see all his members hands up to the Soldiers surrounding them.
His mouth shakes as his face turns to a hopeless one.
General Albert stomps the floor and yelled out.
"In the name of His Majesties Royal Military Police, you, Ivan Hanzai of the Underground Pint, along with all of its members, are all under arrest for various crimes against His Majesties Empire."
"I… But…"
With his gang overwhelmed and cornered, Ivan decides to keep his promise of ensuring their safety.
With a heavy heart, Ivan announces.
"Everyone! This gang is disbanded! Those who are still not captured, leave! Leave Landon immediately, it is not safe for you anymore!"
At exactly 12 AM, the operation reached its peak, with Underground Pint's leader, Ivan Hanzai, and their stronghold captured, as well as the arrest and execution of 3,000 members.
Albert personally walked forward and arrested him.
Ivan complied and said nothing.
"We've been tracking you for months, I could only dream of this moment, it's an honor arresting you personally hehehe." Albert whispers.
Ivan gets handcuffed and is led to the stage's right hand side while CTD and SACF inspects the entire warehouse.
"You know you're not getting out of this alive right? Treason is punishable by death, so you better prepare your neck." He whispers again.
Meanwhile, Bon is freed from the rope by army soldiers.
"Monsieur's!"
He runs over to the Vin but is stopped by General Sho.
"Oi, let me see him!"
"Don't worry Mr. Bon," Albert interjected, "Our medical team will be here any moment now, as for you… We'll have to escort you for your own safety."
"But Katsu is-"
"Your concern is heard and appreciated, but you must vacate this building for your own safety. We'll talk later."
Bon is lead out of the building by soldiers, as well as all of the gang members inside.
Their medical team arrives and head directly to Vin.
"Eh, so that's the guy nobody wants to fight?" Sho asked.
"trust me, he's strong."
"So? Where's this kid?"
"I don't know, let's ask that guy."
While the medics prepare their bandages, Albert and Sho walks up to the panting and bleeding knelt Vin.
"You must be the "Vin" the pair were trying to rescue. So? Where's Katsu?"
Vin takes time calming down.
Vin took a deep breath…
"He's behind me."
The Generals' eyes' widen, the sight of the boy shaking and stiff on the ground on his own blood.
Albert covers his mouth to prevent him from vomiting after seeing the horrible sight, with flashbacks of the battle field fill Sho's mind.
"I'll leave him to you." Vin muttered.
Vin falls to the ground unconscious.
"If he told us earlier, then we would've seen it earlier!" Albert reasoned.
"Hey! Med team! What are you doing!? Get yourselves here quickly!" Sho yelled.
Medics rushes over and tends the two.
Vin's face was bruised and bloody, but after washing his face, wounds are small and manageable.
On Katsu's case however…
Albert and Sho moves away to give space for the med team.
Albert was once again clenching his fists.
Sho immediately notices and tried to calm him.
"Hey, be calm, this is why I assigned you to the Military Police, if you went any longer in the army, you would fail to live a happy life… Things like these happen, so don't worry, stay calm, and just hope for the best."
"Yah, I know… but…" He grumbled.
Albert calms himself down once again.
"Sho, if you can make the world a better place at the battlefield, then I will do so as well back here at the homeland." He proclaimed.
Sho taps him.
"Very good!"
"SIR!" a medic called out.
"What is it!?"
"The man is ok, minor wounds and bruises only, but the child."
"Yeah? Is he okay?" Albert asked.
"We've managed to stop the bleeding but…"
"But what!!?!"
"He's dead."
"What!?" the two Generals exclaimed.
"We we're too late, he had lost lots of blood-"
"AND YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO SAVE HIM!?" Albert shouted.
"Even if we did, it would be impossible, what child could survive a gunshot?"
Albert runs towards Katsu.
"Hey albert! What are you doing!?"
Sho followed suite.
They saw Katsu's pale body, not moving, not breathing, Lifeless. Right there and then, his shell is truly empty.
"No, this can't be happening. Another person died because of me." Albert mumbled.
"My incompetence, my mistake led to another death…" he mumbled even more.
Albert mumbled to himself more and more.
"It's because that dastardly gang leader shot him!!"
Sho tries to calm him.
"Hey buddy. Are you alright?? Snap back to reality mate!"
"VEANGANCE!" Albert yelled.
Albert pulls out his gun and aims it at Ivan at the side of the stage.
His teeth was grinding, with a hard stern control over his gun, his eyes filled with burning flames.
Ivan across the stage could only stare and smirk.
Albert sweats as he tries his best to hold himself back.
Ivan continued to stare, and smirk, with no regret.
Tempting the Lieutenant-General, he mouths "Go ahead."
Albert had enough, he could not contain his rage anymore and turns the safety off.
"Hey albert! Stop it!"
In the blink of an eye, Sho steps in and grabs Albert's arms, throwing it upwards making him miss.
"HEY! Why did you stop me-"
"Get yourself together and put your emotions aside! Have you not learned from everything we've experienced for the past 10 years!?"
Albert gasps and takes a step back from Sho.
"Are you going to commit a crime while you're a police officer? A high ranking one at that!"
"The Military Police has been doing that for a long time now! Besides! He's a criminal! He has committed treason against us! He's going to die anyway!"
"Crimes begets crimes huh! You've forgotten about this Kingdom's constitutions. If that's so, then you don't deserve to be a police!"
Can you hear them fight over you? Two best friends getting torn apart by a boy's dead body who they don't even know hahaha…
Hey… Hey…
Are you awake?
Katsu?
"Who are you?"
Hm? Me? I am you.
"You are me?"
Yeah… or… I just exist to help you live.
"What!? What even are you!?!"
Like I said. I exist to help you live, I'm your sub-consciousness, and you created me to remind you…
"Remind me to what??"
To remind you to fight.
"What!? Wait… where am I?"
At the deepest parts of your brain.
Oh don't worry, you're not dead, like I said earlier, your determination has sealed your fate.
"Are you the voice I keep hearing??"
Hmm. Yes…
"So… if I remember correctly… you'll never give me those bursts of energy again?"
Yes… for now at least… after you wake up, I'll be gone.
"Huh?? You'll leave me because I won't die anymore?
Something like that… Hmm… You're going to wake up any moment now, I'm going to give you something before you go.
"Huh? What is it?"
A reason to live.
"What!? Why??"
Right now, you've got no reason to wake up, no one is waiting for you…
"Vin is!"
Yes, sure, he will, but then what? What will you do? Spend the rest of your life filled with longing for vengeance? Just to fill this hole in your heart?
You were supposed to die, when you're mother blocked the bullet, you live, but it still hit you.
With that hole in your heart, it won't be long before you break from the enormous pressure holding your heart down.
"H-how do I know what you're saying is true?"
It's fine if you don't believe me, it's still your choice if you're going to go through with it…
"T-then what do I do?"
You must fight the Katz Reich, it may be a hard journey, but I assure you, once it is over, you'll look back, and thank me.
With that, your life now has meaning, a new goal.
Strive to achieve this goal, and you will achieve happiness.
Don't worry, you won't forget your goal, I'll always remind you.
Oh, looks like your body is restarting, you'll wake up now.
"Agh, I just got a terrible headache!"
Side effects I guess, looks like this is a goodbye.
"Wait! Will I see you again??"
Yes, you will… you will find me at a certain place… Katsu, in the future you'll discover lots of things. But the most important one you'll find, is your past…
you are special, but I know you knew that already, of course, I won't spoil anything more, I'm the story teller after all, so I want you to enjoy your story. Follow everything I've told you, and you. You will change the future… see you in a few years!
Sho and Albert ends their heated argument and reconciled to focus on the task at hand.
"Be professional, toughen, think straight, be mature, be calm and collected, and do your job properly, I don't want to cover you up in front of the General Assembly for a second time."
Albert sighs.
"You're right, I'm sorry. I guess today is not my day I guess…"
Once again, Sho talks him out of mental destruction.
The auditorium falls silent.
Sho clapped once.
"Alright! Nice talk, let's move on."
Sho walks over to Katsu's body.
"Your PR team could alter the story, if anyone finds out that a child was killed, then we would…"
He saw Katsu's hand flinching.
Sho immediately checked his pulse.
"Woah… he's still alive!"
"What!? Impossible." A medic said.
But when he checked…
He was still alive.
The medic stumbles down in shock.
"How could this be!? He was shot! How is he still alive!?"
"Well what are you waiting for!? Get them to a hospital!" Sho commanded.
The medics put them on stretchers and they were immediately sent out of the warehouse…
After that, everything went DARK.
…
…
…
Katsu struggles to open his eyes.
Open…
It was too bright to see, but he felt the cool air, soft bed, and fluffy pillow.
He could hear the radio from across of where he lays.
He concentrates to hear it better.
A reporter's voice…
"It has been 3 days since the joint special operation by the Army and Military Police on the infamous criminal organization known as the Underground Pint, and we're already feeling the new levels of safety that the Military has brought upon us…"
Flashes of memories flood Katsu's mind, as he stares at the ceiling.
"The Police Chief, Albert Wilson, denied the chance of being promoted to the Head General of the Military Police Corps of Landon, he said that He was not worthy of taking the position, and that he has much more to learn on what it means to be a Military Police Officer, since his reassignment 2 years ago, he is still far behind of what being a true leader of the Military Police, so he could not accept." The reporter continued.
He opens his eyes slowly, and got used to the bright light.
He looks around and finds himself in a relatively small room, his shoulder is bandaged and he's close to a window.
Looking around a bit more, he finds that he is in a big elevated bed on wheels, and outside the window he finds himself at a high place…
Go.
A familiar voice whispered.
Katsu sinks into the bed as his eyes widen.
Memories had come back…
He squints his eyes, he couldn't remember what had happened after his conversation with the voice in his head.
He smells the cool air of air-conditioning, and with the comfortable bed, he lets his mind feel at ease.
Then, he hears slurping.
He looks around once more to the far corners of the room, he saw a door and a couch and a table with the radio on top of it…
"It's been three days huh." He thought.
Slurping… again…
The sound of noodles getting slurped…
"Wow, these are some delicious noodles they've got!" A familiar voice mumbled.
He slowly turns his head, and saw a silhouette of Vin eating cup noodles.
Katsu lets out a deep sigh knowing that they are safe, and the hard part, is over.
Around 72 hours earlier.
At 2:43 the crackdown operation came to an end.
Its result was the dissolution of the Underground Pint and the arrest of the infamous criminal leader, Ivan Hanzai.
He relaxes himself and smiles.
"Oh, Katsu, you're awake!" Vin called out.
Vin pulls a wooden chair and sits beside him.
Katsu looks at him smiling with his eyes filled with joy.
"Vin-"
Vin stops him.
"Before you say anything, I just wanted to say…"
"I am sorry."
"Eh?? What for?"
"For endangering your life, for hurting you, to make you do all you did for me…"
"umm… you don't have to apologies Vin."
"I have to, because I cannot live with you with guilt."
Vin bows his head.
Katsu smiles and tears up…
"Then… rest assured… I forgive you…"
"Thank you."
After a quick apology, they chat happily once again.
"So everything is over?"
"Yah, that Sho guy told me everything that had happened."
"Oh, so you've met them?"
"Yeah, they said they will let us off the hook for helping them."
Katsu throws a fist at the air.
"Yeah!"
"Woah, you're still pretty energetic for someone who just recovered from being shot."
"Hey Vin, what you said back at the riverside, that promise I said."
"Yeah?"
"I've decided on how to do that."
"Huh? How?"
"I'll will join the army to fight the Katz Reich."
"WHAOH!?? What!? Why?? I didn't mean that you need to join the army, I meant that you would help people who have been displaced or people who have-"
"Its no use persuading me Vin, ive already decided with my heart and my mind."
"I-is that so? Then… I guess I have no choice but to help you achieve it."
The doors creak as a nurse enters the room.
"My, my, looks like he's awakened."
"He looks very fine now, what do you think?"
"He got shot at the chest, it's a miracle he's still alive."
Katsu relaxes himself and laid comfy as he lets time pass.
A few days later, he was discharged from the hospital.
Vin and Katsu walks back, with Katsu hopping and skipping.
"You seem very excited."
"YEAH! Everything went by so fast that I didn't have time to relax, everything was a mess, so of course I would be excited to go back!"
A large jeep drives next to them and stops.
Katsu freezes and gulps as he readies himself for another kidnapping situation.
Vin throws a stop gesture at Katsu.
"Hey Katsu, calm down."
General Sho kicks open the jeep door and extends an arm.
"Hey, you two, need a ride?"
Katsu sighs, and wipes his forehead and exhaled deeply.
"Whew, that scared me for a moment there." He whispered.
"Do you know where we live?" Vin asked.
"Don't know, don't care, now get on!"
The two climbs aboard the tall jeep.
Katsu continues to move and look around as he see the streets on a top view.
"Hey Katsu, don't move around so much."
"Hahaha! You two are an interesting lot indeed!"
They continue to drive through the streets of Landon.
"Um. Mr. General?" Vin wondered.
"Just call me Sho, no need for any formalities mate, just for today though, I'm on break today."
They arrive at the familiar street and at the right, the rundown apartment.
They dismount the jeep and admire the building.
"Wow, this is where you live?"
"For us, it's our only home."
Katsu hastily climbs up the stairs while Vin and Sho followed.
They open the door to a trashed apartment room.
"Ehh. Looks like a lot has happened since I last left this place…"
"Doesn't matter, a home is a home."
Katsu immediately lays down on the couch and closes his eyes.
He is finally back home.
Sound asleep.
Sho peeks inside the room.
"He's very tired isn't he?"
"Yeah, he has done an incredible thing."
"That kid's got some potential I'm telling you mate."
Sho stretches a bit inside.
"None of my men would be brave enough to do what he did."
"Actually, General Sho, I need to talk to you."
"Hm? Sure, what is it?"
They leave the room and Vin explained everything from Katsu's history to their friendship outside.
Sho lights a cigarette.
"You want him fighting in the military?"
"Not me, he said it himself, I tried to convince him but he has already decided. I think he has found a goal in his life, so this decision is just more than because of his promise to me."
"Ehh? So he has already decided it before I could tell him, interesting indeed."
"So I need your help sir."
"Alright, which branch? Army, Navy, Air force?"
"Army."
"Good choice."
"The military academy for the army might be good. But I don't have the money…"
"Pf… even if you enroll him in the military academy, he wants to fight right? To be strong enough to protect others?"
"Well, yeah…-"
"Then the academy is not for him, those who enter in the academy are the ones who become strategist. Which for one yeah, important… but are usually situated outside the battlefield, plus, that kid doesn't seem to be more brains less muscle."
"well… I wouldn't say that… then a conscript?"
"Yeah enlisting in the army as a conscript is the best option. He'll be sent to trash conscript training. I'd say at best he'll become a valuable meat shield. Plus, the way our manpower is decreasing rapidly, in the future I predict that manual conscription won't be enforced anymore."
"No, I don't want that… then, what should I do? Where would he go?''
"fufufu… that's where I come in, I know a guy who will let him fight in the front lines, as well as train him enough so that he won't die…"
"Oh, really?? Please tell us…"
"Well, I have a good ol' friend at the north, he's the Garrison General there and im sure he'll let him in to one of the best training camps. The training center is up at the north, at the kingdom of Scatland. But don't you worry, I'll get him there."
"Oh, are you sure? I don't want him to cause you too much trouble, we already bothered you enough…"
"It's alright mate, I'll sponsor him, he's got potential, but I believe you already know that. That's one more soldier in the army, one more to stop the Katz war machine…"
"Then… we won't decline the offer. I can't thank you enough General."
"No worries, I'd like to see the child's interesting future myself."
Sho throws away the used up cigarette and stretches.
"Well, looks like I better get going now, I have to stand in the General Committee tomorrow."
"Thank you for your time."
"Oh, make sure to train him before then, he'll get a nice head start, I'm sure your skills will prove useful."
"I will, thank you, oh and pass on our thanks to the Police General."
"Oh you mean Albert? Yeahhh, he probably doesn't even care, he probably doesn't even remember you."
"Huh?? Really? But didn't you guys interrogate me 3 days ago?"
"Oh he doesn't care about you, the amount of things he has to do everyday, he will forget about you in an instant, he'll only remember Katsu even after a few years."
"Wow, so Katsu's really interesting."
"That kid's a super soldier in a child's body, I'm sure many more higher ups will go crazy over him eh?"
He teasingly winks.
"But yeah, Albert was very different from how he is now…"
"How so?"
Sho pulls out another cigarette.
"Around four or five years ago at the frontlines, He led a small squad filled with a lot of soldiers he's close, but out of all of them, He got very attached to a girl in his squad, and those two got very close… too close for the battlefield, one day, they were sent on what they thought another regular mission, unfortunately, as fate would have it… the girl died that day, as well as many other close friends of Albert… this took a large toll on him, he was broken for months! He kept blaming himself for his friends' death. Eventually I was able to fix him, but he was very different from how he was before, he got mentally and emotionally unstable. To save him from destruction, I assigned him to the Military Police Corps. Thankfully he healed himself and found himself a job to distract him. But if I didn't talk him out 3 days ago, He would have probably went spiraling down that experience once again… even if he has something that distracts him, it can all get back on him."
Sho suddenly chokes and coughs up.
"General, are you alright?"
Sho throws away his cigarette and clears his voice.
"Here's a warning; keep an eye on Katsu, he might end up like Albert with his terrible past, his path of revenge is a long one, just hope that none of his past will creep up on him."
"Ye- yes sir….."
"Anyways, this is why you rarely hear a love story on the battlefield."
He stands straight and looks up at the dim and cloudy sky, reflecting on Albert's traits.
He sighs.
"Jeez, that guy is a rough one, he gets overly attached to things and gets really emotional, traits that will kill you in the battlefield, he gets cocky sometimes, carefree, and short-tempered. But every bad trait has a good one, he's a good leader, he's also responsible, dedicated, friendly, understanding, and overall a kind guy once you get to know him… but I shouldn't be talking behind his back, so let's keep this a secret eh?"
"Yes, sir… thank you sir…"
"He had such an interest in Katsu as well, it's quite rare for him to get very excited over someone, looking forward to seeing his stories come true."
Sho jumps off the balcony down to the road below.
"Cheers mate!"
"What a showoff!" Vin yells out.
General Sho laughs as he gets in the jeep and leaves.
He heads inside and see the tired Katsu sleeping soundly on the couch.
"Sleep tight Katsu and dream good ones, because in the future, you probably won't sleep like this for a long time."
Vin chuckles and smirks.
He looks back at the memories of the 8 months they've been together with a smile.
"Seriously, a lot has happened since then…" He whispered to himself.
He closes the door.
End of the chapter 6 and the prologue chapters.