~Chapter 2~
"Sir! Leave your saber here. Security procedure." an MP asked. I'd have to remember that this school has different house rules. And MPs are Panzer High's Student Discipline Committee's physical discipline arm. Politics do play crucial roles in schools here at Mk2. I remembered that well.
~Gymnasium, Panzer High Campus Grounds- 12:45PM, June 4, 2014~
"Wow! These thing's got weight in it." the MP exclaimed as he held my saber. SOP.
"Standard for an Officer in RKA." I said, "And be careful. That's real."
"Woooh!" the MP exclaimed in awe. I guess he likes swords, especially real ones.
"And my guns?" I asked, unholstering my pistol.
"Pistols can go in." the MP replied. Ngek! Mga espada bawal! Pero baril pwede? Kakaiba!
"Rules here in the province sure is different in the metro, eh?" a schoolmate in "olive plains" said. Shems! Si Miss Beautiful sa canteen.
"Uhmm...Captain?" the MP asked. Natulala pala ako kay Ms. Beautiful. At hindi ko pa din nakukuha ang name niya. I should plan to.
I entered the gymnasium. It was almost full of people dressed in olive plains. Nangingibabaw na naman ang aking uniform. Good thing hindi ko sinuot yung headgear na terno sa uniporme. I would have looked like a crazy fool.
"Jhe! Jhe!" I could hear faint calls. "Jhe! Jhe!" I swear I could really here it but I can't find where it's coming from. Then someone yanked my arms. It was Jhandy.
"We have a seat reserved." she said, smiling. Still, it puzzles me where does calls came from. I wondered.
"Jhe?" Cadet Lieutenant Arvin Joshua Giovanni asked, offering me a handshake and a seat in the bleachers. Cadet Lieutenant Robert Christian Ang was beside him. Naisip ko rin kung bakit nga ba nasa Panzer High ang mga taong 'to samantalang wala naman silang interes sa mga tangke sa MMHS? Bakit kaya?
The program then began. Mas nagmukha itong isang variety show imbes na maging isang seryosong welcoming ceremony. Even the MPs are having a good time. Then the band arrived. The drum and bugle corps to be exact. Pero, bakit parang pamilyar ang kanilang uniporme...Oh Shems!
It was my former school's military marching band. The RKA-Valenzuela Victors Varsity Band as they are known. And its drum major is a person I personally know of.
"Band! Halt! Halt!" the drum major shouted, lifting his baton to signal the band. They stopped just prior to entering the gymnasium.
"May we ask..." the emcee said, looking at their cue cards, "Cadet Captain Jeremy Iijima, commander of RKA-Valenzuela Library Guards Company, to please lead the visiting forces into the hall."
I had no choice but to go down and lead the band into the gymnasium. Pero paano? Wait? Did the emcee just say "visiting forces"?
Just then, I saw troopers wearing the same uniform as mine but with the ceremonial headgear taken from those worn by the cadets of PMA and PNPA in ceremonies. They were my former company, marching proudly to flank the band.
"Long time no see, Kapitan." a guardsman- that's what we are called in the metro- said.
"Cadet Lieutenant Koga. Nice to see you." I said. Then I saw the new rank he has. "Mali! Cadet Captain pala."
"Only your blessing before I become one." sabi niya.
"Welcome to the Officer's Club."
Character #2's POV
"Shet! Sana may ganyan din tayong uniforms." komento ng isang klasmeyt kong babae sa likod. Ang ganda nga kaso napakalutong naman mag-mura. Sayang, Te!
"Cadet Captain Iijima. Are you ready?" the emcee asked. Captain Iijima? Parang narinig ko na 'yon from somewhere? San nga ba?
The band then started playing. They are playing the RKA's official march, Batto...something. Hindi ko na narinig sa ingay ng banda yung sinabi nung emcee. It sounds like a theme song from an anime. Parang kay Daimos. O kaya Voltes Five. The visitors then marched forward at the tune of their march.
"Pigy!" a voice called out from the distance. A familiar one. From a friend.
"Uy! San ka galing?" tanong ko. Kakaiba talaga 'tong kaibigan kong 'to. Bigla-bigla nawawala.
"Talaga 'tong si Pigy ko, oh!" sabi niya, in a pa-sweet manner, "Wag ka na magalit." Nagpa-cute konti.
I'm not buying. Mas maganda ako sayo no! Kapal ng face!
I then turned to watch the band march back and forth. Napaka-precise nang mga galaw at liko nila. Pati ang mga marching nila. Parang sa pelikula mo lang makikita. After the band came the guards holding their rifles. They then did a very good rifle drill with that Iijima person commanding them.
"We request everyone to stand up and pay attention as the key to the Gates of the Rizal Knights of Valenzuela are handed to our Student President Cadet Major Alvin Konetz."
Shems! Ang gwapo talaga ng presidente namin! Hihimatayan yata ako. I clapped very hard as the key was handed down. Shems! Ang gwapo talaga ni Pres Alvin.
"Captain Iijima." the emcee said, "Please come up on stage."
Sino ba 'tong Cadet Captain Iijima na 'to? Bakit ang laki ng exposure ng transferee na 'to? Teka? Di ba Iijima din ang apelyido nang Student VP? At nang principal sponsor nang Panzer High?
"Cadet Captain Iijima,Jeremy Andrew." the President announced, "Based on your records, the Student Military Council and the School Administration deems you worthy of taking command of Anvil Tank Company, 1st Battalion. Accept this as a token of appreciation for the honor of having the Azure Lightning in our forces..."
Shemay!! Azure Lightning?! THE Azure Lightning!!
Wow! This man might have been a local celebrity know, both here in Mk2 and back there in reality. Teka? Anvil Company? Dun ako naka-assign aa! You mean that man is gonna be my new boss?!
~Male Barracks 2, Campus Grounds West Wing-03:30 PM~
CCaptain Iijima's POV
I entered my designated room. Room 215. Just as it is in Registration Form.
"Anyone home?" I said as I entered. Alam ko na meron akong roommate. A certain Cadet Corporal Austin ba 'yon? Parang ganun?
I walked to the bed. To my surprise, I've found a boy, perhaps my age or younger, playing Call of Duty Ghosts 2.
"Uhmm...hello?" I said. The boy was startled. As he saw me, he quickly snapped to attention.
Woooh!! The boy's freakin' naked and there's a girl with him there. This school really is freakin' crazy!
"Welcome to 215, sir. Cadet Corporal Jesse Austin, reporting..." he grabbed a blanket to cover his nakedness and that of the girl's, "for duty." he grinned.
"At ease and get dressed, corporal. And you too, beautiful. Double Time!" I said, in a manner that most men would certainly obey. Grabe talaga ang first day ma 'to! Pero mukhang magkakasundo naman kami ng roommate kong 'to. He'll just have to follow my rules, that's all.
