Date: November, 2023
Still en route to Koan Forest Settlement
Maverick's Pov
We were back on our way to Koan Forrest Settlement, though I can tell by the quietness in all victors that everyone is still shocked about what I told them. Then I look ahead to see smoke on the horizon. Lots of smoke. That can never be good.
I see that Itami also took notice of this and gave me a look. I nodded at him as he grabbed his radio.
Itami: All victors, we got smoke in twelve. Be prepared for anything.
Everyone:*on radio and in the vehicle* Yes, sir!
Timeskip
Night time outside the Koan Forest
We're overlooking the forest as it's currently ablaze both the SgtMaj. and the MSgt. are looking through their binos to see if they can spot anything of significance.
Kurata: It's on fire.
Menendez: No shit, perra. Did you think it's a massive bonfire?
Kurata regrets what he said as I see Shino and Backer chuckle a bit. But when they both catch me giving them a look, they lock it up.
Shino & Backer: We apologize, sir.
Jones: Still, I haven't seen a fire like this since the El Dorado Fire on September 5, 2020.
Tou: Don't remind me. My family lost a vacation home in that horrid year.
Kurokawa: But could have caused such a blaze?
Pops:*shocked* Holy shit....
Me: What?
Kuwabara: You gotta see this one for yourselves sirs.
Itami and I look through our binos and spot a large flying fucking red dragon continuing to breath fire down below as it veers back and forth across the forest.
I had to do a double take because what in the name of Skyrim am I seeing?!
Itami: Holy mother of crap?!
Williams: Fuck me.....
Green:*to Sasagawa* Sasagawa, you getting this?
Sasagawa:*taking photos* Yeah, every sec of it.
Me: Send some to me. And send the most to either the Generals or other Commanding Officers. As that dragon we'll now call "Lucas" is a major threat.
Even the wyverns prove a challenge for our 20mm. What can something of that size tank?
Shino: Lieutenant, Captain, would you like us to do sirs?
Itami:*serious tone* Sgt. Kuribayashi do you think you can hold my hand for me.*scared tone* Your second-in-commanding officer is getting kinda scared over here.
Me: Do you wanna do USMC PT in a EOD suit, Lt?
Itami:*scared tone* No sir.
Shino: Bite me.
Lucas roars catching our attention. Katsumoto aims the .50 cal at it, Hill in the LAV-25 points the autocannon at it and Sanchez points her M60 at it.
Me: Hold your fire! Don't piss that thing off unless you want to serve it American with a side of Japanese bbq! And I ain't planning on being part of that menu!
Lucas flies away.
Gacia: Seems Lucas is bugging out.
Furuta: Anyone know why Lucas was burning the forest?
My eyes widen at the what the answer to that question.
Nishina: Maybe another dragon?
Me: Or maybe it's like they said back in Coda Village MSgt., there's a settlement in there.
Everyone now has concern looks on their faces.
Me: SgtMaj., we gonna have to put a wait to set up camp.
Kuwabara: Yes, sir.
Itami: Everyone else, back in our vics! We're oscar mike!
Timeskip
At the now destroyed Koan Forest Settlement
The rain last night put out fire so we moved in to investigate and look for survivors.
Or at the very least someone or something that lived.
Houses have been reduced to their foundations and charred bodies are all over the place as we look through the rubble for any sign of life. Itami, Kurata, Thomas, Brown and myself are patrolling through when Kurata and Thomas sees a charred corpse.
Thomas: Oh....dayum....
Kurata: Uh.....sirs?
Me: We know. We know. Just keep searching for anything.
Brown: What's the matter you two, ain't seen a burned dead body before? Even after all the guys we killed so far.
Me: Lock it up, you three.
Kurata and Thomas quickens their pace.
Itami and I found a well and sat on the edge of it. Itami starts drinking from his canteen and I drink from my Camelbak. Shino and Backer reports their findings to us both.
Shino: Lieutenant, Cap, at first glance here we see about thirty-two foundations throughout the settlement. The majority of which appear to be roughly the size of family dwellings sirs.
Backer: And we only found twenty seven bodies. The rubble and wreckage could be hiding the rest.
Itami: Assuming that each foundation had a family of three or four inside.
Me: Then that adds up to either 96 or 128 with no survivors. Plus we don't know if Lucas had a snack on the villagers while cooking them so there's that.
Shino: This is just horrible.
Me: I would say top 10. WW2 being above "this".
Redrick:*walking up to us* Suppose that Lucas or many like it attacks group of people. Or large groups.
Me: Then like those pictures, we report it to the Generals. Don't want Lucas and it's kind flying towards Alnus Hill and we're gravely unprepared.
Redrick: Yes, but I'm not sure the Generals is going to like what else we have to tell them.
Shino: Yeah, from what I heard .50 cals barley put a dent in the wyverns in Ginza and they weren't breathing fire all over the place.
Itami:*grabs well bucket* A flying tank with a flame thrower is not a good thing. We should see what kind of reconnaissance we can do to learn more about them.*throws bucket into well*
Me: If you get the shits from drinking this well. I'll laugh and call you "Lt. Shitter".
Shino & Backer: Pffts!
*KLUNK!*
Me: Nani the fuck?
Backer: Maybe the bucket hit something?
I take out my Moonbeam and shine it down the well.
Backer: Welp. That's one way to survive a Dragon attack.
Itami: No kidding. Hey! We need help!
Me: Redrick, stay here. Shino, find Kurokawa and Sanchez, now!
Redrick & Shino: Yes, sir!
Timeskip
After we asked Sanchez to bring Itami and the girl up from the bottom the well, which shocked almost everyone of how strong she is. Kurokawa and Redrick are tending to the girl.
She's unconscious, but thankly alive. My best guess she probably suffered head trauma from falling the well and getting a wooden bucket landed on her head.
Though I wonder what her reaction will be when we tell her that both her friends and family are dead. Meanwhile Kurata is spazzing out over the fact that she's a blonde elf.
Kurata:*happy* AHHH! An elf, and not just any elf she's a blonde elf too! Now that's the kinda thing I was expecting to find out here!*giggles* We hit the jackpot baby!
Itami:*emptying water from his boots* Okay...you're into elves.
Me: Shino.
Shino slaps Kurata upside his head.
Kurata:*in pain* OWWW!!! What was that for?!
Me:*sarcastically* Oh I don't know. Maybe outside the fact that all her friends and family are dead. But continue to file her into your spank bank, boi.
Kurata instantly shuts up.
Thomas: USMC Clapback. Take it or leave it.
Kurokawa approaches to give us an update on the girl's conditions.
Itami: So, what's her conditions?
Kurokawa: Her temp is back to normal and her conditions are no longer critical.
Thomas: That's good to here.
Me: Great work the both of you.
Kurokawa: By the way, due to her clothes being wet we had to used one of the spare uniforms.
Shino: The nameless ones? Which one?
Kurokawa: Green's spare Jacket & T-shirt and my spare trousers.
Thomas: Alright, so how would you like to proceed, sirs?
Itami: Let's see...a dry pair of boots be pretty kick ass right about now!
Me: Or a dry pair of socks.
Kurokawa: Eh?
Me: Nevermind, no way we can leave her here. She ended up losing her entire village, we'll classify her as a refugee and take her with us.
Kurokawa:*slight smile* Now why did I get the feeling you were gonna say something like that, Mav.
Me:*blushes a bit* I mean....*looks away* It is the right thing to do for her.
Kurokawa:*smiles* I know.
I look at Shino and she is giving me a smug grin.
Shino:
Me: What the fuck are you looking so smug about?*smirks* Toga?
She loses her smug look with a horror and pissed off look as everyone around us has a confused look.
Then she stomps up to whispers to me angrily.
Shino:*whispering & peeved* Don't ever! Call me by my middle name in public ever again.
Me:*whispering* And don't try anything to get me embarrassed. Remember, I may be your commanding officer, but I'm still your older brother. Meaning I tell the others secrets about you.
Shino:*whispering* Don't make me fight you.
Me:*whispering* You'll lose.
Shino:*whispering & smug grin* Wanna bet?
Thomas: Uhhh?
Me & Shino: Huh?
Crap.
Me:*red face in embarrassment* L-Let's get moving.
Shino:*also red face in embarrassment* Y-Yeah.
Itami, Kurata, Kurokawa & Thomas:*whispering & smug grin* Yep. Those to are definitely brother and sister.
Oh man....
We board our vics and depart the settlement.
Kuwabara: That's it, we should head back to Alnus Hill.
Me: Best route back is most likely through Coda Village. We should tell them about Lucas the dragon as well.
Kuwabara: Good idea.
Kurata: Ya know? I'm thinking we'll probably run into a dragon again before a cat girl, huh?
Thomas: Don't say that shit, man! You know Murphy's Law?
You have no idea how right you are Tom.