Wings of Honor: Tales of Pyrrhia

Chapter 21: Lunch And Lessons

We continued down the hallway. I felt dirty. I was covered in blood, up to my sleeves.
There was only one moment where I have been this tainted before. September 17th, the first day of Operation Market.
I had dropped in with my squad, only three stripes and a rocker to my name. The drop went well, flack was ineffective. But we were tasked with taking a key bridge at Son. We encountered fierce resistance. A mishmash of us came under fire by 88s and an invincible MG nest. The man nearest to me, a tech Corporal Reed, was the platoon guide for 3rd platoon. We were pinned down, suppressed, by one of their MGs.
But we were ordered up to take this bridge, and I was damn sure gonna take it.
As I moved up to outflank the squad sitting on that MG, Reed following close behind me, he caught an 88 to the chest. Splattered his wise guts all over me ahead of him, killing him instantly. My hand shakes and tears come to my eyes when I think of what was left of him. Torn clean on two, it looked like the inside of him exploded, his innards spilling out into a pool of blood. It looked like both ends had been stuck into a mincer, then yanked out before they could be fully minced.
I was too shaken to press my advance. We ended up losing the bridge at Son when the Germans chose to blow it up rather than let us capture it.
That was one of the few times I cried... that night. We buried him right where he lay, a small cross of sticks on his rifle.
But that face, his face. I'll never forget what I saw.
The war. The enemy. The fact they were willing to use such a huge gun on just a single person. I wasn't sure whether to feel enraged... or sick. But sadly, I knew which one Moon was, walking beside me. I quickly sent in Mr. Sweeps. Letting that memory fade away. Bringing me back into the focus of the world. Distant chattering voices, and the awful but familiar smell of blood.
"I'm sorry Moon. I can't just..." She didn't stop, but she didn't look much better either. "Moon. I understand if you'd like to just... get away from me. I have way too many memories. Way too many ways to hurt other people. What I've seen, what I've done-"
"Marvin. Stop it." She stomped the ground. I could feel the vibrations she sent towards me. I paused to look at her. "This isn't about what you've done, or what you've seen. I know you want to help people, even if they don't want your help. Even if they're angry with you. But three moons! Can you at least do one thing without having a flashback?"
She looked at me, dead in the eye. Then smiled. She chuckled. We both chuckled.
"Alright. I'm sorry." I resisted the urge to wipe my face. "I just-" don't want to hurt you.
"I know. And I can take it."
I blinked for a minute there, before realizing I had thought quicker than I spoke. Nodding my finger at her, I pressed on to the underground lake.
It was somewhat crowded. A few dragons were splashing on the other end. A couple groups of dragons from various tribes were just sitting and talking. It reminded me of the public pools back home.
Wait. No. Stop. No more flashbacks.
I heard Moon giggle. I just rolled my eyes and grinned, kneeling down and leaning over to get at the water. It was somewhat dark, but I could tell the blood was coming off from the murkiness of the water. With this amount, and the large activity, it would quickly dissipate, and the threat or inconvenience along with it. I washed quickly, getting everything nice and clean and free from that earthy stench.
"I never knew you were this hygienic." Moon commented behind me.
"No. At this, I am." She knew what I meant. But when I looked up, I saw every single dragon looking at me.
I sighed. Ah crap.
Did that scavenger just talk?
What's a scavenger doing here?
Did that animal just talk? Or am I dreaming?
A scavenger that talks! That's so cool! I want to meet him!
"Okay Moon, I think we should get out of here now," I said in a hushed voice.
"Yeah huh." She mumbled.
I quickly made my way up to her and grabbed hold. She darted down the corridors just as a few of the dragons across the lake took flight toward us. But thankfully, we escaped back into the hall corridors.
I breathed a sigh of of relief. That was close.
Yeah. I still don't like encounters like that. Moon shook.
I don't blame you.
Thank you.
Confused myself, I only responded with a smile.
We promptly arrived back at the Prey Center. Where I found McManis and Travers wolfing down my chunks of goat! Only three small squares were left, and they looked full.
I sighed. "Really guys?" Setting my hand at my hip.
"Oh sorry, sir. But this was super good!" Travers exclaimed.
"Fresh killed meals always are," McManis told Travers.
"Especially when they're cooked over a flame like Qibli's." Travers added.
Qibli just looked all high and mighty, as if his prowess was finally recognized. Both me and Moon rolled our eyes and I slid down.
"At least you saved some for me." Walking up.
"Yes sir," Travers said promptly.
I carefully grabbed the chunk, burning my fingers instantly and making me hiss.
"Yikes, that's hot." I immediate tried sucking the heat away.
"So much for having fire resistant skin." McManus chuckled.
"I could cool it down for you." Winter chimed in, passing by.
"He meant cooler, not frozen," Qibli remarked
"Hey. Frozen is cooler than burning hot." He shot back, flicking his spiked tail at my men.
The section half nodded and shook their heads at the same time.
"Why are you guys doing that? I'm right!" He exclaimed.
I motioned with my hands, trying to calm the situation. "Thanks for the offer, Winter. I think I'll just let it sit for a moment."
With a huff, Winter left. Perching himself on a bolder a little higher up, overlooking the entire place.
While I waited for my meat to cool off, McManis finally decided to ask Travers.
"So, Mr. Wizard man."
"I'm not a wizard!" He turned to meet the corporal.
"You definitely are. Doing that magic with your jazz hands." There went McManis, standing up and being all dramatic.
"That's not how it works, I think." Travers frowned.
"He has to actually say the spell with the meaning behind it. Well, I mean he can also think it or write it out, but I think that's a little harder to do." I responded, dragging on.
"Yeah. But I did manage to do it a couple times. Case in point." Travers motioned to me. I just shook my head and overlooked his comment. McManis took out his ka-bar.
"So you could theoretically play five-finger-fillet without even touching the knife?"
Travers hesitated. "In theory-"
"Do it." He tossed the fixed blade over to him with a resounding clang. Leaning in. "Do it, I dare you."
"Travers," I warned, locking eyes with McManus, "if you don't want to do it." I started.
"No." McManus threw up his hand. "I'll believe magic when I see it. This has all been with your other green dragon friend. I want to see you do it." McManus looked between the both of us. "You two can't be the only ones with superpowers around here."
I just looked at Moon.
I don't know.
I don't either.
"And you two!" McManus pointed between us. "Stop having these private conversations right in front of us."
I was honestly shocked at the sudden snarkiness of McManis. I toyed with the idea that Goldman might have enchanted him again, but Turtle said he'd taken care of it.
Hadn't he?
"Come on Travers. I order you to do it."
I blinked, realizing what McManus was doing. "You're a full rank above him, Travers. You don't have to do a word he says."
"No Lieutenant." He turned to look at me, fire in his eyes. "I'm gonna do it."
I stopped my breath, looking the situation over. Worried what might happen. Travers wasn't about to back down from this challenge, no matter what I would say.
I sighed, leaning back against Moon. Travers sighed before speaking loudly and clearly.
Travers got up, setting his hand on the stone of a semi-flat rock we used as a table. "Knife. Do five-finger-fillet... back to back..." He started down McManus. "thrice."
My eyes widened as I saw the blade shake and begin to float. McManis stared at it, equally in wonder. It floated up to his hands, standing vertically with the cold steel blade ready to strike at the skin at one single imperfection. One single twitch. One single disorganized thought.
I heard the terrible clack as steel met stone, as the knife embedded itself slightly into the slate before lifting itself out again and clanging down again. Down the line of fingers, alternating between thumb and finger, barely missing the webbing. Once he reached the end, the latter reversed, now starting from the other side. I looked up at Travers, eyes wide with fearless stare of concentration. McManis looked on, his eyes wider, jaw nearly hung open. We all watched intently as the knife picked up speed, rapidly. All too quickly enough, it was a blur. You could only hear the individual clacks, rivalimg an MG 42! Suddenly, the knife stuck in. Travers grabbed it with his risked hand, showing it off in a wide-open dance. McManis stammered.
"Now do you believe me? Huh?"
"I-I-Ah Yeah." He said softly.
Travers handed his knife back to him. McManis studied it so hard. He then proceeded to attempt the same thing but nicked himself almost immediately. I turned back to check on Travers. He was doing a short victory lap.
"You saw what I just did there Marvin?"
I nodded. "Yes, I did. I must say that was impressive-"
"You heard what he said? Impressive!" He looked over at Moon, high and mighty.
"But incredibly dangerous, I must add." I saw his face deflate almost immediately. "You risked hurting yourself, for what? To impress a subordinate?" I sighed. "Listen, Travers,... you might have an amazing power. You think you can do anything, but you can't. You shouldn't. You have no idea what it's capable of, or if this has any lasting impact on you."
Travers stumbled back a step, dumbfounded.
"I'll deal with McManis. You, just... make sure I don't need to be standing over your shoulder all the time. Okay?"
I turned to walk away, but I immediately felt he was about to say something he'd regret.
"And what if I say no?" He shouted.
I stopped
"Huh? What if I say... I wanted to do what I'd like? What would you do about it?"
I only... slowly... turned in place on the balls of my feet, perfectly on a dime. Walking up slowly, with my Sergeant's glare of death aimed directly towards him. The room iced over, as everyone present felt the disturbance, turning to see what hell I was about to unleash. But simplyI walked straight up to him, pausing shortly before our uniforms touched. Right up to him. I could smell his nervous and stinking breath. I half whispered, half sternly stated to him:
"Because... if you do, make yourself an enemy... I'll have you court-martialed, expelled, or at the very least, stripped of your powers and rank and held until your country discovers where you are and comes to rescue you. That's what I would do Corporal."
I felt a shiver run down him, he tried to not burst out in terror. I was close enough to notice the temperature shift.
"And you, on the other hand-" McManis suddenly got the same terrified look. "You should know not to badger any of the men under my command. Especially if you are not senior to them in rank or authority." I walked up to him. "You have thirty seconds to unfuck yourself McManus, or BY GOD I will send you back to the camp with-only-a-jacket-and-a-rifle and leave you there to die. Do you understand me, sir?"
"Yes sir." He said immediately. Eyes forward, distant, standing straight as a ramrod.
"As do you... Travers?" I slowly panned over to face him.
"Y-yes, sir." Travers stuttered out.
"Great." I sighed, giving them their space back. "This the second time I've had to do this in the presence of allies. This is your final warning to cease and desist or I will be forced to take administrative measures. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Yes sir."
They said, one after the other.
"Good."
Right as I said that, three loud gongs echoed through the chamber. Everyone looked up, as if it was a school bell. Which it very much was.
"We need to go." Moon sat up.
"Okay. The two of you, head back to the cave. We'll stay in touch with the radios." I pointed for my soldiers. "Do you think they'll mind me sitting in for class Moon?" I looked back to face her.
She shook her head. "I don't think so."
"Great. You two head back to the cave. DO NOT let me find you fighting like you were. Dismissed."
They quickly packed up and hustled out of the cave. The rest of the Jade Winglet had gathered around me and Moon.
"Okay," I said, rubbing my hands. "Guess I'm going back to school."