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aguuAlso, as a reward to myself, I'll totally put an acknowledgements and thank-you's page after the finale is done. But that won't be til a few chapters more...I already know that I want this story to last awhile.
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The Grand Theatre had a muted black background, velvety and smooth. There was a stage that smelled musky and new, with velvet-red curtains held back with gold-threaded rope. The seats were plush and muted-red, and it was certainly a pleasure to be in.
Fitting 500 high school students with selective attention spans was no problem when attendance was mandatory. Keeping them in their seats and being quiet was another thing altogether. The chatter was loud and defiantly angry, excited and warm. Backstage, the officers were putting the final touches on their clothes, with Garand carefully reviewing what he was going to say.
"Okay. So after I greet them...mm, yes...oh, Nagant, Browning? Front and center!" Their boots clomped on the floor, rivaling the chatter of their fellow students as both officers hurried to execute the command. "Sir yes sir!" They saluted promptly, but Garand cracked a rare amused smile when he saw that instead of Browning, Nagant's fingers were positioned the wrong way. He went up to both of them and whispered in Nagant's ear,
"Careful of your finger placement. The thumb is supposed to be hidden, all right? Fix it or else you won't make a very good Lieutenant-Colonel, and I didn't pick you just because you looked good."
"S-sir yes sir. I apologize." Nagant quickly fixed his thumb and saw Browning looking up at him with an unreadable--probably pity--emotion in her red eyes. Even in the dim light of the theatre she seemed to glow.
It infuriated him that her hand was properly positioned.
"Anyway," Garand turned back to both of them, unsmiling and serious. Elizabeth felt him slipping into his officer persona. "don't apologize to me if you make a mistake. Just do better. Answer questions as honestly as you can, before the--crap, the National Anthem's starting!"
The familiar sounds of the usual emcee saying "Good morning..." had already faded, and the audience had slowly began to work up their chatter. They both heard Sten's hiss in the darkness, her gloved hands holding up the pole for the school flag. It was white, Browning knew from memory, with an eagle snatching a rose from a rosebush.
"A-as you were!" Miguel Garand watched as Browning and Nagant lowered their hands sharply, and hid themselves in the wings. They watched intently, as Garand alone faced 500 chattering students, knowing full well that most of them didn't really care about the whole military business.
But still, Nagant looked apprehensive and it was the very first feeling Browning picked up, looking at his expression. It was a very small spark of feeling that made her feel apprehensive as well, nervously peeling her eyes away from his form to look at their Colonel, the best man in their entire batch.
"Everybody, pipe down!" His voice was straight, unmarred with any accent other than Filipino. His looks were the only thing that made him look Spanish. Garand's eyes were a bright brown, his hair highlighted in shades of light and dark-brown, thanks to the theater's spotlight.
There were still some who continued to talk, although in lowered voices.
"DIDN'T YOU HEAR WHAT HE SAID? PIPE DOWN!" Sten's voice was harsh and commanding, even more so than Garand's. Her brown eyes were menacing and the whole room was so quiet, Browning could feel the tension in the air.
"I never knew she had that voice in her," Nagant murmured softly. Adrian Nagant thought that he heard 'she doesn't like shouting, it hurts her,' from Elizabeth Browning's lips, but it was so quiet that he couldn't be sure.
"it...hurts her? What do you mean?" the fox-haired boy looked at the albino girl, his eyes distracted from the scene unfolding.
"Oh, didn't you hear her voice crackle after she said 'down'?...she wanted to cough but held it in." Elizabeth shrugged and looked back at Sten, who maintained her silent, stoic mask. For one fleeting moment, Adrian Nagant thought he saw the pole she held quiver.
It 'hurts' her, huh? Looks like you aren't as stupid as you look...
After Garand gave Sten and Mauser--who was holding the pole with the Philippine flag on it--instructions,they placed the flag on the respective poles on each end of the stage. Afterwards, Garand nodded for the technical managers on the second floor of the theatre. The lights dimmed and more than a few female students gasped.
"Please all rise for the Opening Prayer, followed by the Philippine National Anthem."
It went by as quickly as it had started, and then it was time for the Initiation Ceremony. Hiarra and Allistair ducked backstage where the other officers--including Elizabeth and Adrian--were waiting.
"Are you all right?" Elizabeth wandered over to Hiarra, who looked like she was close to tears. "Y-yes, I'm fine...my throat just hurts..." Instinctively, Elizabeth's left hand flew over to her medic kit and produced something that looked like a red candy.
"What's that...?"
"Medicine for sore throats...it's called a cough drop back in England. It's cherry flavored. Should perk up that throat." Elizabeth smiled brightly and Hiarra ended up smiling as well before popping the drop into her mouth.
"mmm. Feels better already--thank you. I'm second on the list, I'd better be going..." Before Elizabeth could say 'you're welcome,' she had gone over to the rear shortcut that led to the other side of the backstage. Mauser, Megalister and Piniple followed her.
Adrian had watched the scene, his mind recording and probing, picking away at her actions.
So you clearly look like an idiot and act like one, but you actually do have skills as a medic...well, that was a simple thing, but noticing the mere inflections of one's voice...? No ordinary human could achieve that...are you like me, Browning? Hmph--no that's wrong, there is no one like me. Are you also...a child of war?
"What do you think we're going to do?" Elizabeth looked at Adrian. "Adrian?"
Calling him by his first name broke his train of thought. He shrugged. "hmph. Probably something simple, then answer some questions...and then we can all go home."
I really hope we can get this thing over with sooner--Godfather's expecting 'progress reports.' Winchester looks promising...
"In order, officers, please come forward." The emcee's voice was confident as he read out all the names and positions. "Remember, two of them are the newest additions, and so will be open as well for questioning--er, the so-called 'hot seat.'"
"Wing Commander: Cadet Colonel Garand, Miguel Ramon Francis." He was already onstage, with an eagle badge pinned onto the corner of his beret. He looked like a cross between someone serious and someone smiling, and he had his black gloves on, saluting the audience. "I'll try my best to serve all of you as your leader every Thursday and Saturday, for the special flights."
There was moderate applause, and then he stood in the center, placing his saluting hand down onto his side.
"Wing 1 - Adjutant: Cadet/Major Sten, Hiarra Alperes Malingan." Hiarra walked over to the stage, serious and stoic. "Hey there. I hate noise, and anyone disobeying their officers on purpose." The theatre had become completely silent.
"Wing 2 - Intelligence: Cadet/Lieutenant Colonel Nagant, Adrian Santiago. This is the first of the new additions." The emcee added. From the wings, Adrian put his beret on his head, made sure his gloves were on tight and proper, and went onstage.
He could have sworn he heard a lot of girls sigh, but he really didn't care either way. "I'm also second in command for Sir Garand...and I don't like abuse of power, so you can count on me being fair. I hate slackers."
A good portion of girls had their hands raised, and the emcee had to add, "The question and answer portion will proceed after all the officers have been introduced." In dismay, they reluctantly put their hands down.
And so it continued, from "Wing 3 - Operations: Cadet/Captain Mauser, Allistair Dragunov." to "Flight Bravo - Flight Sergeant: C/Master Sergent Luger, Matthias John David." The men came out, and with exception of Mauser, who clearly said "Break the rules and I'll make sure you hang in the morning." they all had bright aspirations for them all.
"Wing 4 - Logistics: C/1st Lieutanant Winchester, Kyle Crisostomo Realonda." The Irish had smiled brightly, a direct no-no in the air force. Stifling a sigh, Garand had said to the audience, "In the air force, there is no smiling at all. So, because Winchester disobeyed--pocket your smile, Winchester!"
He grimaced and placed a hand to his mouth and to his pocket quickly, 'pocketing' each smile. "Sir one sir, sir two sir..." when he had gotten to ten, he said "sir thank you sir!"
"Very good. Now, we can continue."
One of the last ones to be called was "Wing Provost Marshall: - Cadet/2nd Lieutenant Megalister, Raighn." He had dark hair, and of all the officers, he was one of the most tanned ones. His eyes were a bright green, a direct contrast to his skin. He only said "I look forward to see who'll last the longest in the Medic or Air Police tryouts..."
"And last, but not least.Support Squadron Commander: Cadet/1st Lieutenant Browning, Elizabeth Kathryn." Elizabeth carefully walked, and her black medic outfit was clearly the only one out of place. Her white hair had been pulled back neatly into a lookalike of Sten's bun, but since it was white, it was still starkly bright against her beret.
"Hi! I'm also Head Medic. So if anyone wants to be a part of my flight--I expect you all to work hard, so we can beat the Air Police."
All of them were lined up, their boots shiny and new.
Elizabeth swallowed. The Introductions were over.
The Question and Answer portion was about to start.
this is awsome :D
Date: 2010-03-22 04:48 (UTC)- migs :D
no subject
Date: 2010-03-23 11:34 (UTC)me name is incomplete...i just announced it in northy's fb...Megalister, Raighn Deacon (deacon: search meaning in teh internet...lol)
will think of questionings...will questions be focused on N and B or all officers?