"Maybe you should work as a technician and rescuer instead of fighter." Jason took a bite out of his dinner, Sky leaning back against the bedpost as Jerome left to get their laundry load. "You looked really uncomfortable during our first battle simulation."
"Did I?" Jason laughed a little, nibbling at his peas. He shrugged, looking down at the book all on jet parts. "I didn't notice much then..."
A field of forget-me-nots, withering away as the dead bodies of his friends littered the ground...
"I guess I'm a bit more a pacifist."
"Yeah, I can't see you operating a fighter jet." Jason flipped through his book, writing down a few important clues and notes. He should sign up for the technician and rescue classes; hopefully he didn't get a new mentor... Seto was a great teacher; he vastly improved his skills through tips and tricks given by Seto between simulations, the commander occasionally showing Jason a few new moves in the skies. But he really did excel more in the technician side, fixing up planes both in the air and on ground. He spent some time with the actual fixers, watching with wonder as they moved with lightning speed to fix up damaged planes.
He shivered as he remembered the battle training. It was the first they've done, and it wasn't pleasant to him.
Jason set his pen down as he finished up his dinner, tossing it out. Scribbling the last of the notes, he slid them into his notebook. Jerome was back, setting their laundry down. The bacca did well in their battle simulation; his survival games skill of quick reflexes and fast thinking got him through the first few parts, his steady hands firing precise.
"Had some experience with my darling." He explained as he exited the cockpit, grumbling as he saw his fur was beginning to puff up again.
Setting his alarm clock for an early run, Jason stretched and got ready for bed. He could hear Sky and Jerome chatting away, splashing water onto his face and wiping it off. Wringing out the cloth and changing into his sleepwear, he lied down on the couch as Sky fought to get in the shower first, shouting how he didn't want Jerome to clog the drain up again. He smiled as he heard them scuffle about, Jerome finally being shoved out with a huff.
Seto seemed to be better spirits ever since their little meeting on the roof. He gave more difficult simulations, pushing Jason's skills to the limit as each one got more and more hard. He was also sent on a few actual missions, the majority just retrieving or sending items. He was to choose which class he was to master in tomorrow. Technician, fighter, strategist, and more.
He really hoped Seto was going to still be his mentor if he chose technician.
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"Technician?" Seto looked up from the paperwork, Jason shifting a bit in the chair; Seto's office seemed to hold a strange aura of mystery around it, one that felt... unusual to stay in. With the chair the creak gave when Jason sat down, he could tell that not many people actually came in to chat with Seto. The commander was usually busy, taking on the responsibilities and duties after his father's death. "We are running a bit low, since the majority usually fall under the fighter or rescuer section." Seto set the pen down, folding the paper neatly and tucking it into an envelope. He set it down in a stack of other envelopes next to him, opening up a little compartment in the wall. "You do well when it comes to building and fixing planes for missions." Jason leaned a bit forward, watching as Seto sent the envelopes down the chute; he could hear a faint sound of warping, Jason assuming that the documents have been teleported to their destination.
"I was wondering if you'll still be my mentor." Jason said, looking at a stray strand of fabric on the armrest. The pattern on the cloth has faded quite a bit. "You're a really good teacher, and I want to continue learning with you."
"Well... technician students are more of having several mentors." Seto opened up a holoscreen, Jason seeing the lunch options. "You want to continue talking or eat lunch first?"
"I can eat here." Ordering a quick lunch to be brought to the office, Seto tapped a few buttons along his desk; a desk rose from the floor accompanied by another chair, where Seto sat down.
"As I was saying, technicians learn from several different mentors. Each person has a skill or a part that they're best at, and the goal is to be well-rounded in all the parts. Some are better at adding equipment, fixing engines, quick-fixes, and more." The door opened up, lunch delivered. Jason took his sandwich as Seto took his coffee, pouring in two packets of sugar and one part milk. "Students learn the basics and advance their skills through practice simulations and tests. They will have to know what to equip onto the plane when given a mission outline, what parts to fix from looking, hearing, or smelling abnormalities."
"Sounds like quite the handful..."
"They are what determines the outcomes of the planes. They're like the backbone of this place; if we didn't have them, then there wouldn't be any planes and jets left to fly." Seto hummed, leaning back in his seat as he picked up his slice of cake. Even if he was the commander, he still was young; cake for lunch, nobody was stopping him after all. "Their secondary job is to create new weapons and equipment for the Air Force."
"So like, improvements?"
"Yep."
"Will I be working with you?"
"I'm more of a fighter and strategist. However, it is an option to take fighting as a side class." Seto cut a piece of the cake neatly with his fork, Jason hoping that he wasn't chewing too loudly in front of Seto. "It is for emergencies, as if we need extra fighters, you guys step in."
"So if I do both mechanical and fighting, I can still train with you?" Jason said, a glimmer of hope in his eyes; his hands tightened around his half-eaten sandwich.
"You sure you can handle the workload?"
"I can always focus more on mechanics. You're really busy usually, right?" He crumpled up the sandwich wrapper, looking around for a trashcan. Seto finished his coffee, finishing off the strawberry on top.
"Do focus more on mechanics. You have a lot of potential in you, Jason." Seto smiled, taking the wrapper and tossing their finished lunches away. "Class choosing is in ten minutes. Don't be late."
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"Jerome, you're set for fighter. Sky, strategist. Jason, technician." Jason beamed as he got his new badge, looking at the light blue outline with a shining new name printed across. He fastened it to his uniform quickly, grinning at Sky and Jerome as the leader passed.
"You ready for first class?" Sky gave a thumbs up, Jerome bouncing on his heels.
"You know it! We are so sharing stories tonight!" As the ceremony concluded and everybody went their separate ways, Jason squeezed his way to the mechanic group; he noticed how the more experienced mechanics were dressed in work uniform, the smell of oil and metal in the air. They were just finishing fixing a plane? Jason went right over, excited to start on his new classes. As he neared the group, he saw a little robot one of the older mechanics were holding, eyes widening as it seemed to fade into thin air. They were chatting among themselves, the robot reappearing on top of another person's head.
His fingers itched to begin working, Jason joining right in.
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For a first day, it didn't go terribly bad.
Jason knew where some of the equipment and tools were already from his time watching the mechanics working, running back and forth delivering wrenches, bolts, nuts, screws, and more. He stayed a bit late to clean up, chatting with one of the mechanics about the newest upgrades and the easiest way to clean oil and grease off your clothes. The mechanic gave him a few tips and shortcuts as he was the last new recruit remaining, Jason making sure to write it down. He rolled his shoulders as he walked back to their dorm, tossing his oil stained clothes into the laundry among the other dirty clothes. As he opened up his dorm, Sky was face planted in the bed as Jerome exited the shower.
"Damn, you came back late."
"Had clean up to do." Jason did a quick change of clothes, looking at Sky. "Need some advil?"
"Lots and lots of information dumped into my brain, oh man... I'm pretty sure a new recruit fainted from thinking too hard." Jerome fluffed out his fur, flopping right into bed as well. Two collective groans, Jason laughing a bit. "How was your first day?"
"Busy, Seto wasn't kidding when he said there weren't a lot of mechanics in here." He checked the calendar, Jerome raising his head.
"Where are you running off to?"
"I got something planned." Jason ran out of the dorm, excited.
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Seto stretched and leaned against his chair, sighing as he rubbed his eyes. God, he wanted to go outside already... staying inside confined in a room full of noisy recruits didn't do much to help his mood. He got up, sending a message of how he was going on a late-night flight trip. God... he needed to relieve some stress. Maybe he should visit the floating islands, or just do a quick fly around the base...
He opened up the door, blinking as he saw Jason standing on the other side. Jason smiled, holding his hand out.
"You want to go flying together, Seto?" He looked down at the hand, smiling and taking it. It wouldn't hurt to fly with another person, no? Enjoy the night air and relax together.
"Let's go flying together."
Night sky dates, a favorite.