The Favourite Brother: Complex Edition

Equal distribution

Chapter 12:

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Audie and Desmond waved goodbye as Ray and the rest made their departure. Looking back, Desmond and Audie rushed to the back of the dorm; perhaps to gather up the medics for support, and Doug to gather fire support.

A column of fifteen large trucks, and one single military jeep that houses the Major, Ray, and Thomas all drove in a single file line towards the garage strip. The numbers are a few hundred, but the trucks could hold them. Upon closer inspection, the trucks are all Ural trucks. Nothing special about it, but the lack in variety discomforts Ray. He now feels like a hypocrite from complaining about the lack of variety on their vehicles, and too much diversity in their weapons.




Major. Ash rests his rifle - a Lee Enfield MKIV that he never returned on - his shoulder. Ray doesn't want to tell the Major about returning what is theirs, because complaining to an authority figure is a big no no.

The ride remained silent, leaving Ray alone in his thoughts. Of course, earlier this day, he had a dream which probably almost suffocated him. Was he possessed by a Shadow Person? He doesn't feel homicidal yet, nor suicidal, but more...apathetic and cynical, with his emotions being fake as an Internet model. It could be applied figuratively and literally as well.

There is more than just that dream he was thinking, there is also the Art of Infantry, and this whole military tradition crap in Japan. His thoughts jump from his time in paintball, and future scenarios he made up in his head that relates to his duty. People getting hurt is guaranteed, and although the shock bracelets essentially numbs them, it's no surprise that a few people will be killed in matches, and no one would bat an eye except their parents.

He has no idea whether the men he recruited are young adult seniors, or juvenile juniors—two of which are in his command from before, and he fears he might corrupt them in future battles. The former would adapt almost instantaneously, because adults are more deviant - self-aware but unable to do anything about it, but the latter would need more time to be more flexible in their environment. Of course, they did asked for this, purely because of the promise of getting exempted from class, but Ray appealed to their apathy for learning.

He thinks it's best to just implement rules and regulations as time goes on, that only applies to their own needs, and not much to anybody else.

There is also the matter of his friends; he doesn't know if they're all participating in this bullcrap, but hearing Michael's voice yesterday? And obviously his sister's involvement that is the reason for his departure. But unfortunately, he has no time to think about that now, as they arrived—way sooner than what he would expect.

It seems Captain Ami, now accompanied by two soldiers in black studded uniforms, had already organised the women. Unsureness that usually shows within expressions of new recruits befalls on some of the faces of the maidens, while lack of acknowledgement, indifference, and sometimes a bit of enthusiasm are shown to a selective few.

Suddenly, Major. Ash stood up, and fired his gun in the air, with one hand. This causes Ray to flinch, Thomas to swerve, and the women from the tank lines to take cover behind their land ships. Captain Ami, and the two unknown and unexpected soldiers just slowly spun around, and Captain Ami's face shows disappointment. The same face you get from your dad when you accidentally dropped a toolbox he was organising. With the sigh, the pout, and the hand on the hip, it's clear Ami wasn't amused.