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Description
Chapter 2

Memories

(Five hours and thirty minutes earlier)

Time: fourteen hundred hours.

Location: llima city, alpha base.

In one of many vehicle depots, a gear soldier named James stone, kneeling down, was busy repairing a centaur. James wore a full-body standard issue of the gear army, but for this particular gear. James was a bit overweight for the armor, so they customized to be able to fit the gear. Most of the other gears would have dropped him from the army if it weren't for two reasons to do so. They were running mass amounts of soldiers to locust that they need all the help they could get, also because he was an expert mechanic. The locust are attacking almost everywhere in the region that is populated by humans.

They're getting bolder and tougher everyday ever since they first stationed in llima. James slowly finishes wielding a flat metal plate to cover a rather large hole on the tank. It was the fifth time repairing the same damn tank for the past two weeks, but he didn't care because it will just end up blowing to kingdom-come someday. After James finish, he leans back to admire his work, looking at the centaur that seem like it just rolled out of the factory the very first day. James sighed in relief then removed his helmet.

James had short, spiked up brown hair that was dripping with sweat. He had minor tan skin and light green eyes. He wiped most of the sweat of his forehead and placed his helmet on the table next to him.

"I'd like to see those damn grubs take down this thing down now!" James bragged

James notices something on the tank which he forgot to check. One of the screws was missing on the nose of the tank, he was about to leave it alone, until he remember what had happen the last time he left a part missing. James turned his head still watching the tank

"Alice, can you give me a wrench?"James asked, but to only responded by silence

"Alice?" James asked again

James turned to see only a garage filled with tools, unfinished vehicle, and lots of scarp metal.

"Huh, where'd she go?" James wondered,
He turns to pick up his helmet, but stop in mid-reach when he saw a pick piece of paper folded up. The paper had silly little hearts around the words "read me". James picked up the letter and flipped it open; he read the paper word-by-word, letter-by-letter.

Dear James

Sorry I couldn't stay for awhile, it got boring just watching you work. So I wrote this note to let you know I'm fine and decided to take a walk around the base. (If you get the chance to read it that is) see you at the mess hall.

Sincerely, your friend

Alice grey

James smiled at the note; Alice and James have been friends for a long time, even before e-day. Hell, they were even like brother and sister. He even remembered the very first day he first met Alice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

15 years before e-day

"Look, little piggy starting to cry." a boy laughed with two other boys along side him.

A playground of the city of hanover, a far corner where no adults were near by. On the ground, a young James is crying his little eyes out with a couple of cuts and bruise on his face and body.

"Le-Leave me alone, please." James sobbed holding his arm up to protect himself, wishing his torment would end.

"Pig boy, pig boy, look its little pig boy." The group sang

The boys continued their rant until a voice rang out from behind them.

"Hey!" The voice sounded a bit feminine with a high-pitched tone.

Before the boys could react, the leader was hit in the back of the head by a baseball. The kid cried out in pain holding the spot were he was hit. The group turns around to find a small girl, tossing up another baseball and catching it when it came down. The girl wore a blue shirt with yellow flower on it and blue jeans with tears on both sides showing her knees. She also had a book bag on her back. She had long black hair, perfectly tanned skin that shined in the sun.

Yet James was stuck on her eyes, her eyes had sapphire blue eyes. The leader turned slowly rubbed his head giving a glare towards the girl.

"Leave him alone, you bullies!" she yelled

The leader of the group started to walk towards the girl with clenching fists.

"Oh yeah, whatcha gonna do about it girly?" the kid mocked

Before the group could react, the girl had thrown the baseball which contact with the kid's face. He fell to the ground, unconscious, with his nose bleeding all over his face. The two other boys stood there for a moment and look at the girl.

"So…" the girl said while cracking her fingers, "whose next?"

The two quickly pick up their leader and left. After when the group have left, the girl turn to look at James. James started to wipe off the tears and snot on his arm, he didn't even notice the girl kneeling down in front him until he removed his arm.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked

James just sat their looking at the girl in front of him.

"ye-yeah I'm fine" James said

The girl turn he head to look at the direction where the boys went.

"Meanies-" She hissed, " They should pick on someone their own size!"

She turn to look at James wounded arm; she grabs the arm gently and lifted up to move to his lap. She sat next to him looking over his arm, and then she did something that James didn't expect. The girl pulled out seizers from her book bag and cut the bottom of her shirt. Now her stomach was showing, she had a couple of small scars on the left side of her belly. James eyes never left those scar, it was a bit weird for a girl to have scars like those.

He was about to ask her, but he didn't know what will happen if he asked. He was lost in thought until a searing pain went though his left arm. He looks down to see the girl wrapping his arm in some kind of liquid. Gritting his teeth, He tried to move his arm, but the girl's gripped his wrist. She looks up with a worried face then determined fell into her eyes as she looked at James.

"Please, don't move a lot." She told

James Stopped his arm and everything else in his body, he was scared that the girl would yell at him. The girl used his frozen state to finish wrapping the wound.

"If you have moved, the medicine wouldn't work." she informed

James heart stopped for a moment when she said. James has never been treated with kindness before in his life.

"Why?" James asked

The question causes the girl's progress to pause for a moment and looks up at James.

"Why are you helping me? No one has ever been nice to me." He told her.

The girl continued to stare at him then gave him a small smile.

"Why shouldn't I?"The girl said

James just stared at the girl for a moment; his didn't even know what to say next. The girl giggled and extended her arm in front of James.

"My name's Alice grey. What's yours?" she said with that happy smile on her face

James slowly raises his right arm to be met by her arm and grab it gently

"James… James Stone." He answered.

Alice pulled James off the ground and brush off the dirt from his shirt.

"Do want to be friends?" Alice asked

James looked at Alice for a moment and smiled.

"Sure… okay. "He answered

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Present day
James always remembers, even if he would lose his memory, he will never forget that day. He looks at the note again and saw a drawn arrow on the bottom of the paper. He tilted his head and flipped it around. To his surprise, there was more.

P.S

The wrench is on the table!

He stared at the note for awhile then looked at the table. He saw a wrench right next to his helmet. He never knew how she knows what he wanted, but he shrugged it off, he reaches for the wrench, until

"JAMES STONE!" someone yelled

James jumped in the air and fell on his rump, he said a quiet "ow" and rubbed his butt. James sighed and looked up to find another soldier in a door. This gear wore darker blue armor then James wore, he was an average height and size like every other soldier in the army. His helmet was a combat design he chose to wear. His boots were also standard issue with the gears customized feature. His left leg had the word "live" while the other said "die", classic. The gear started to make his way towards James, as he started to stand up.

"Yes, Kevin?" James asked as he brush some dust off his shoulders.

"That's Commander and squad leader Jackson to you, soldier!" Jackson said with annoyance in his voice, emphasizing his rank!

"Yes, SIR?" James mocked "whatever do you need?"

Kevin was always a hothead, even more a hothead if nobody ever listened to him. He gave James a cold glare though his, so cold it can freeze hell over. James was thankful for the helmet to concealed his chills.

"Remember your talking to a superior officer, Stone!" Jackson growled

"No, just talking to someone with a higher rank then me!" James stated

As if his words were bullets to a grub, he filched with large amount of anger. They stood there, staring at each other as if testing their strength with their souls. James was the first to break the glare and walked back to the centaur. He grabbed the wrench on the way and started to get to work.

"Is there a reason why you're here?"James said

Jackson went straight to the point and said "two things. One, give me an update with the tank."

James sighed then looks at his so-called "leader" with no interest in his answer.

"Well, sir." James said "I would have finished the damn thing, if you didn't disturb me to compare sizes with you!"

James then turns back to the centaur and tightens the very last bolt the vehicle.

"Correction, i now have finished the damn thing!" James stated

James turns and puts the wrench back on the table, James grab tables both of the table's edges and lean forward.

He turns head and said "five bucks the next one is about Alice."

Jackson stood there for a moment, he reach for his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Before he could pull out a five, James raise his hand and shook his head.

"Keep your money, I don't keep blood money." James said coldly

Jackson put back his wallet and crossed his arms.

"All I need to know where she is."Jackson demanded

James chuckled a little at Jackson order. He never took his leader seriously, not even in the line of battle.

"You think I'll just give you her location-" James laughed "if you want to know…"

James motioned him to move close, Jackson growled a bit then walk closer to James. When he got close, James continued to make him come closer. Jackson complied by lower his head, once he was close enough to James head it was fun time.

"FUCKIN LOOK FOR HER YOURSELF!"James yelled in Jackson ear

Jackson jumped back, holding onto his ear with pain written on his face. James laughed his head off; he wanted to do that since day one.

Jackson glared at James and said, "If you ever do that again I'll-

"You'll what, dismiss me from the army, How many soldiers you know how to fix a fifty percent damaged centaur under fifteen minutes flat?!?" James interrupted

That cause Jackson to become silent, he really didn't know anyone else with that skill. Instead of continued to argue with the engineer, he left the garage with loud thumping of his boots. After he left, James sat down on a wooden stool and relaxed.

"Once a asshole always an asshole" James stated

Description
Chapter 2

Memories

(Five hours and thirty minutes earlier)

Time: fourteen hundred hours.

Location: llima city, alpha base.

In one of many vehicle depots, a gear soldier named James stone, kneeling down, was busy repairing a centaur. James wore a full-body standard issue of the gear army, but for this particular gear. James was a bit overweight for the armor, so they customized to be able to fit the gear. Most of the other gears would have dropped him from the army if it weren't for two reasons to do so. They were running mass amounts of soldiers to locust that they need all the help they could get, also because he was an expert mechanic. The locust are attacking almost everywhere in the region that is populated by humans.

They're getting bolder and tougher everyday ever since they first stationed in llima. James slowly finishes wielding a flat metal plate to cover a rather large hole on the tank. It was the fifth time repairing the same damn tank for the past two weeks, but he didn't care because it will just end up blowing to kingdom-come someday. After James finish, he leans back to admire his work, looking at the centaur that seem like it just rolled out of the factory the very first day. James sighed in relief then removed his helmet.

James had short, spiked up brown hair that was dripping with sweat. He had minor tan skin and light green eyes. He wiped most of the sweat of his forehead and placed his helmet on the table next to him.

"I'd like to see those damn grubs take down this thing down now!" James bragged

James notices something on the tank which he forgot to check. One of the screws was missing on the nose of the tank, he was about to leave it alone, until he remember what had happen the last time he left a part missing. James turned his head still watching the tank

"Alice, can you give me a wrench?"James asked, but to only responded by silence

"Alice?" James asked again

James turned to see only a garage filled with tools, unfinished vehicle, and lots of scarp metal.

"Huh, where'd she go?" James wondered,
He turns to pick up his helmet, but stop in mid-reach when he saw a pick piece of paper folded up. The paper had silly little hearts around the words "read me". James picked up the letter and flipped it open; he read the paper word-by-word, letter-by-letter.

Dear James

Sorry I couldn't stay for awhile, it got boring just watching you work. So I wrote this note to let you know I'm fine and decided to take a walk around the base. (If you get the chance to read it that is) see you at the mess hall.

Sincerely, your friend

Alice grey

James smiled at the note; Alice and James have been friends for a long time, even before e-day. Hell, they were even like brother and sister. He even remembered the very first day he first met Alice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

15 years before e-day

"Look, little piggy starting to cry." a boy laughed with two other boys along side him.

A playground of the city of hanover, a far corner where no adults were near by. On the ground, a young James is crying his little eyes out with a couple of cuts and bruise on his face and body.

"Le-Leave me alone, please." James sobbed holding his arm up to protect himself, wishing his torment would end.

"Pig boy, pig boy, look its little pig boy." The group sang

The boys continued their rant until a voice rang out from behind them.

"Hey!" The voice sounded a bit feminine with a high-pitched tone.

Before the boys could react, the leader was hit in the back of the head by a baseball. The kid cried out in pain holding the spot were he was hit. The group turns around to find a small girl, tossing up another baseball and catching it when it came down. The girl wore a blue shirt with yellow flower on it and blue jeans with tears on both sides showing her knees. She also had a book bag on her back. She had long black hair, perfectly tanned skin that shined in the sun.

Yet James was stuck on her eyes, her eyes had sapphire blue eyes. The leader turned slowly rubbed his head giving a glare towards the girl.

"Leave him alone, you bullies!" she yelled

The leader of the group started to walk towards the girl with clenching fists.

"Oh yeah, whatcha gonna do about it girly?" the kid mocked

Before the group could react, the girl had thrown the baseball which contact with the kid's face. He fell to the ground, unconscious, with his nose bleeding all over his face. The two other boys stood there for a moment and look at the girl.

"So…" the girl said while cracking her fingers, "whose next?"

The two quickly pick up their leader and left. After when the group have left, the girl turn to look at James. James started to wipe off the tears and snot on his arm, he didn't even notice the girl kneeling down in front him until he removed his arm.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked

James just sat their looking at the girl in front of him.

"ye-yeah I'm fine" James said

The girl turn he head to look at the direction where the boys went.

"Meanies-" She hissed, " They should pick on someone their own size!"

She turn to look at James wounded arm; she grabs the arm gently and lifted up to move to his lap. She sat next to him looking over his arm, and then she did something that James didn't expect. The girl pulled out seizers from her book bag and cut the bottom of her shirt. Now her stomach was showing, she had a couple of small scars on the left side of her belly. James eyes never left those scar, it was a bit weird for a girl to have scars like those.

He was about to ask her, but he didn't know what will happen if he asked. He was lost in thought until a searing pain went though his left arm. He looks down to see the girl wrapping his arm in some kind of liquid. Gritting his teeth, He tried to move his arm, but the girl's gripped his wrist. She looks up with a worried face then determined fell into her eyes as she looked at James.

"Please, don't move a lot." She told

James Stopped his arm and everything else in his body, he was scared that the girl would yell at him. The girl used his frozen state to finish wrapping the wound.

"If you have moved, the medicine wouldn't work." she informed

James heart stopped for a moment when she said. James has never been treated with kindness before in his life.

"Why?" James asked

The question causes the girl's progress to pause for a moment and looks up at James.

"Why are you helping me? No one has ever been nice to me." He told her.

The girl continued to stare at him then gave him a small smile.

"Why shouldn't I?"The girl said

James just stared at the girl for a moment; his didn't even know what to say next. The girl giggled and extended her arm in front of James.

"My name's Alice grey. What's yours?" she said with that happy smile on her face

James slowly raises his right arm to be met by her arm and grab it gently

"James… James Stone." He answered.

Alice pulled James off the ground and brush off the dirt from his shirt.

"Do want to be friends?" Alice asked

James looked at Alice for a moment and smiled.

"Sure… okay. "He answered

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Present day
James always remembers, even if he would lose his memory, he will never forget that day. He looks at the note again and saw a drawn arrow on the bottom of the paper. He tilted his head and flipped it around. To his surprise, there was more.

P.S

The wrench is on the table!

He stared at the note for awhile then looked at the table. He saw a wrench right next to his helmet. He never knew how she knows what he wanted, but he shrugged it off, he reaches for the wrench, until

"JAMES STONE!" someone yelled

James jumped in the air and fell on his rump, he said a quiet "ow" and rubbed his butt. James sighed and looked up to find another soldier in a door. This gear wore darker blue armor then James wore, he was an average height and size like every other soldier in the army. His helmet was a combat design he chose to wear. His boots were also standard issue with the gears customized feature. His left leg had the word "live" while the other said "die", classic. The gear started to make his way towards James, as he started to stand up.

"Yes, Kevin?" James asked as he brush some dust off his shoulders.

"That's Commander and squad leader Jackson to you, soldier!" Jackson said with annoyance in his voice, emphasizing his rank!

"Yes, SIR?" James mocked "whatever do you need?"

Kevin was always a hothead, even more a hothead if nobody ever listened to him. He gave James a cold glare though his, so cold it can freeze hell over. James was thankful for the helmet to concealed his chills.

"Remember your talking to a superior officer, Stone!" Jackson growled

"No, just talking to someone with a higher rank then me!" James stated

As if his words were bullets to a grub, he filched with large amount of anger. They stood there, staring at each other as if testing their strength with their souls. James was the first to break the glare and walked back to the centaur. He grabbed the wrench on the way and started to get to work.

"Is there a reason why you're here?"James said

Jackson went straight to the point and said "two things. One, give me an update with the tank."

James sighed then looks at his so-called "leader" with no interest in his answer.

"Well, sir." James said "I would have finished the damn thing, if you didn't disturb me to compare sizes with you!"

James then turns back to the centaur and tightens the very last bolt the vehicle.

"Correction, i now have finished the damn thing!" James stated

James turns and puts the wrench back on the table, James grab tables both of the table's edges and lean forward.

He turns head and said "five bucks the next one is about Alice."

Jackson stood there for a moment, he reach for his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Before he could pull out a five, James raise his hand and shook his head.

"Keep your money, I don't keep blood money." James said coldly

Jackson put back his wallet and crossed his arms.

"All I need to know where she is."Jackson demanded

James chuckled a little at Jackson order. He never took his leader seriously, not even in the line of battle.

"You think I'll just give you her location-" James laughed "if you want to know…"

James motioned him to move close, Jackson growled a bit then walk closer to James. When he got close, James continued to make him come closer. Jackson complied by lower his head, once he was close enough to James head it was fun time.

"FUCKIN LOOK FOR HER YOURSELF!"James yelled in Jackson ear

Jackson jumped back, holding onto his ear with pain written on his face. James laughed his head off; he wanted to do that since day one.

Jackson glared at James and said, "If you ever do that again I'll-

"You'll what, dismiss me from the army, How many soldiers you know how to fix a fifty percent damaged centaur under fifteen minutes flat?!?" James interrupted

That cause Jackson to become silent, he really didn't know anyone else with that skill. Instead of continued to argue with the engineer, he left the garage with loud thumping of his boots. After he left, James sat down on a wooden stool and relaxed.

"Once a asshole always an asshole" James stated