One With Shadow

Ghosts

TW: MILD VIOLENCE, MILD BLOOD, PROFANITY

Ivy

I had always taken pride in my work ethic, strove to be the best of the best. Being the only woman in my previous unit, I had to work extra hard to be noticed, a small young brunette with blue doe eyes tend to get overlooked left and right, that's something that didn't sit well with me. At first it was that way, always 'Ivy go mop the bathrooms, Ivy you'll do five laps while everyone else does ten'... Never had a CO given me the same challenge as everyone else. Until I started training earlier, running laps even before everyone else was awake. Always volunteering for the hard missions that could have me out in the field for months at a time, I took more courses to better my craft than others. Not only was I the only woman on my squad, but I was also the only demolitionist in my squad as well as the only one capable of doing covert ops. Undercover missions and discreet target neutralization. Eventually, my superiors finally noticed how hard I had worked and decided my expertise would be better suited elsewhere, which is where I am now.

The echoes of my boots reverberate on the walls as I walk through the empty hallways, I'm on my way to meet my new partner. A man that's notorious for being relatively quiet, keeps to himself, but is good at what he does, so I can only hope that I can live up to his standards. The hallway opens up to a large common room, couches line a few of the walls, some chairs sat around the room with side tables and a long countertop with microwaves and coffee pots. In the corner of my eye is see a tall bulky man, broad shoulders, probably about 6'1 in height, very muscular. He turns around and I can tell by the mask that that is Keegan, I saunter over to him with a calm demeanor. 

"Sergeant Keegan?" I ask plainly but with a lighthearted tone in my voice. 

"Yes, that's me. And you are?" He asks as he sizes me up, being as small as I am he probably thought I was just some tiny rookie.

"Sergeant Ivy, callsign Poison. I'm your new partner." I extend my hand and smile under my black and green balaclava. He takes my hand firmly while eyeing my small frame and short height tentatively. 

"Poison, eh? Where'd you come up with that one?" He asks as he lets go of my hand, chuckling to himself. He stares at my black and green balaclava as he crosses his arms over his chest, shifting his weight to his other leg. I laugh and rub the back of my neck, looking down awkwardly. 

"I guess I'm as deadly as poison, or so my previous squad mates have said." He nods and thinks to himself. I could tell the gears were turning in his head, pondering what I meant about being as deadly as poison. "Don't worry, I don't poison my teammates." I laugh and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, he chuckles in response and shrugs my hand off. 

"Didn't say you did, now I'm concerned if I need to watch you when you make me coffee or somethin'." He jokes as a slight Southern twang comes out with his words, rolling his eyes at me as he grabs his coffee mug. "I got paperwork to do, make yourself at home and familiarize yourself with the base." He said as he walks away, giving me a slight wave as he leaves me behind in the common rooms. I look at his large frame walking away, eyeing his intimidating walk, the way he moves with confidence. I take a breath and nod, thinking to myself, 'right...familiarize myself with the base.' 

I head out of the commons and down some hallways, passing by the armory. I step in and introduce myself to the soldier that runs it. His name is Max, twenty-three years old, military family, has an obsession with country music. Not my taste in music, but he seems nice enough. After exchanging small talk, I head out to the training grounds. A wide-open field with targets for marksman training, a group of soldiers are hanging around laughing at each other's shitty jokes until they get a glimpse of me as I look around. Their eyes trailing down my small but curvy frame, eyeing the balaclava on my face, and staring at my bright green eyes. I give them a weird look, making myself seem annoyed, which in all reality I am. "The fuck are you lot lookin' at?" I ask as I shrug, crossing my arms over my chest. One of the men laughs and steps up to me. 

"Well, just wondering when they let kids into the military, you're small as hell. Ain't no way you're old enough to hold a gun." He says as he laughs, looking back at his friends. Clearly, this guy is the bully of the group. Must get off on bringing down others to look good for his friends... I look at his feet, then scan all the way back up to his face. Blue eyes, a nose that's been broken more times than he can count on one hand, crooked teeth, thin lips, ashy blonde hair, clearly lived in bum-fuck nowhere with how he sounds and looks. I smirk and raise my eyebrow. 

"What's your name and rank, soldier?" I ask as I use a snarky tone to my voice, he laughs and does the stupid teeth kissing sound. God, I hate that fucking sound...

"Ryan Anderson, Private Second Class." He said with a cocky smirk to his face, I raise my eyebrow again and chuckle to myself. 

"Really? Only a Private? And you're talking to a woman like this?" I ask as I eye him up and down again, sizing him up. He shifts his weight in his left leg and rolls his eyes. 

"Woman? Don't you mean child? You're literally the size of an ant, girl. Go home, go play soldier in your bedroom or some shit." His friends laugh as he starts cracking up. I bend my neck, popping it loudly and sigh, and bring my fist to his nose. Adding another break to the many he's experienced in his existence. He yelps loudly and grabs his nose, blood already trickling down his wrinkly forest green shirt. "What the fuck, you brat?!" He shouts at me, his friends in utter shock at how fast I was able to break his nose. 

"That's Sergeant to you, your misogyny is disgusting. Had you just been cordial and actually treated me like a person, rather than a small woman who looks weak, maybe you would have earned a modicum of respect from me. But no, now you've gotten your nose broken probably for the fifty-fourth time. Get yourself cleaned up in the infirmary, and don't let me catch you acting like that towards any other woman, or so help me I will get your bum-fuck ass transferred off of this base faster than my punch hit your face. Do I make myself clear?!" I say as I grab his shoulder, forcing him to look at me. 

"Y-Yes ma'am! It won't happen again!" He says as he grips his nose tightly, he rushes out of the training yards with his friends in tow. I turn around and see Keegan, who watched that entire display of misogyny and my actions towards a subordinate. I sigh loudly and tie my hair up into a messy bun. 

"Look, it's not what it looks like. He was disrespectful not only to the fact I was a woman, but didn't even bother finding out what my r~" He cuts me off with his hand and speaks. 

"That was great. Honestly, Ryan is such a little bastard, and he deserved to be humbled like that ages ago. Good job." He says as he smiles, his arms are crossed over his chest as he leans against the large metal door. I breathe out a sigh of relief and smile. 

"Thanks... I fuckin' hate men like that, no respect." I put my hands on my hips and look at Keegan, his gaze goes down my body and back up to my face. 

"We have briefing in an hour; command has a mission for us." He says plainly as he walks out, letting the door close behind him. 

Oh, he is going to be fun to work with...

(A/N - Think we'll have problems with Ryan Anderson from bum-fuck nowhere in the future? Possibly. Can't wait to punch his misogynistic ass again.)