Continuing his story and Gabriel's decision - Maritsu and Gabriels POV

Unknown to the turbulence he had set of Maritsu simply continued his story. How he had changed his future path and how he had applied for the military academy, Columburt.

The injuries and doubts he had suffered over the years, and the blood he had shed while he worked and studied hard so that his starting point in the army would be higher.

All so he could find his brother's murderer, or at the very least, the person responsible for his death.

Pouring his heart out and baring his soul. He told Gabriel about the loss of his mother before he finished his studies at the academy. The sadness he had dealt with, because of losing his only anchor in the world.

The helplessness he had felt. When he talked about his mother, Maritsu's voice finally stopped sounding like an emotionless robot going through the motions and cracked.

It showed how much the loss of his mother still affected him to this very day.

How he had felt guilty for feeling happiness about his mother's passing for a brief moment.

Not because of the loss, not all. The happiness was because he knew that now his mom wouldn't have to deal with losing another son if he died on a mission before getting answers or was killed, because of his pursuit of the truth.

When noticing the crack in his voice, he saw Maritsu pause for a minute and take a deep breath.

After he continued to speak, his voice had regained his previous calm and distance.

How he felt all he had left in the world was the promise he had made to his brother after his mother passed away.

How he clung on to that promise like a small ship lost at sea. Anchoring itself in the storm.

Losing his mother had hit him hard, however, it had also given him more freedom in his actions. Not worried about his mother getting another death notification, he could now take on a more dangerous task.

Task he would have never taken on if his mother was still alive. Losing his brother caused his mother to be depressed. A depression she never recovered from.

Therefore, he couldn't let her lose another son. It would kill her. So before his death, he avoided risk as much as possible. After her death, there was no need to do so.

By taking on these tasks, he could protect the soldiers under him better, keeping them safe. Making sure they always could make their way home to the families waiting for them.

It was a bonus that his actions made him shoot up the ranks.

He continued to confide in Gabriel, how he had used his position trying to find out the people behind his brother's death, and how anxious he had been because his investigation had been stalled for a long time.

Eventually, he ended his story with. "I was determined to get answers. Since the path of justice was blocked, I wouldn't mind walking the path of revenge. However, I wouldn't cross the bottom line, I wouldn't implicate innocents. Therefore, I broke into the office you found me in tonight. I was trying to find out if that officer had anything to do with my brother's death."

"So what now? Will you send me to jail?" Maritsu looked up and, for the very first time since he started his story, he looked straight into Gabriel's eyes. "It is fine if you do. After all, I broke the rules, but could you please keep what I told you a secret? I still want to get answers for my brother after I will be released."

- Gabriel POV-

Still immersed in the story, Gabriel pondered to himself: "I couldn't imagine that someone so young had to carry so much". So when he heard the question, Maritsu asked. He was stunned for a moment.

Of course, he wouldn't send him to jail. The young man already had to carry so much on his shoulders, he wouldn't add to it.

When he saw Maritsu's face get colder and colder, he noticed he hadn't actually said anything.

So, he blurted out loud. "Of course, I won't send you to jail. Why would I do that?"

If that was really your reason for being in that office tonight, then it would be understandable. It doesn't mean your actions were okay, however, and I cannot let them slide.

He saw Maritsu stiffen, but he didn't take those words back. These words needed to be spoken.

Maritsu should be punished for his actions. What he did broke the law and if the law deserved to be broken or not was never up to a person to decide.

If laws were broken, there needed to be punishment. Without punishment for certain actions or inactions, the world would fall into chaos and quickly become a disordered mess.

These were the lessons he had learned in basic training. These lessons he had held close to him throughout his entire military career.

Even when mourning the loss of his comrades in arms, who were like his brothers. He didn't break the rules and lessons the army had drilled into him.

When only a cadet, he had promised himself to follow the rules and lessons learned during training.

To this very day, he still adhered to this very promise, made so long ago.

It would have been so satisfying to see the death of the general who caused his comrades' demise. Especially if he was the one doing the killing.

Justice and Revenge, however, were two completely different concepts and they shouldn't be confused.

If he killed the general, then his revenge would have been completed. Justice, however not, wouldn't be.

His vigilante acts, to satisfy his revenge, would forever stain the name of his fallen comrades.

If he killed the general. His name, as a murderer, and the name of the fallen comrades who would had sacrificed in the line of duty, would forever be connected.

For people who served their country honorably and faithfully to death. That's not what they deserved. They deserved so much more than that.

Therefore, he had always walked on the path of justice and had never given into his thoughts of revenge.

There needed to be an order to all things, and Maritsu should learn this too.

After all, it seemed like the lessons in the Academy hadn't stuck with him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have found Maritsu in the office of a superior's office tonight.

Maritsu needed to learn these lessons again, apparently. Therefore, he wasn't ready to let Maritsu's actions slide.

"I understand your actions. However, I cannot let your actions slide."

As soon as these words left his mouth, he saw Maritsu froze and the light seem to dim in his eyes. Like all life was drained out of him.

A decadence and finality seemed to swirl around Maritsu.

Good, that was the effect I was looking for.

Based on the stories, I must be around his big brother's age.

I had always wanted a younger brother, and it seemed like Maritsu needed a big brother at this time in his life.

So, he would adopt this younger brother. That, however, also meant he should carry the responsibilities a bigger brother should carry.

He would guide Maritsu back on the right path and make sure that he would learn everything he should.

By carrying the weight alone for so long, his views of right and wrong seemed to have been skewed.

He would become his anchor and guide his actions. Maritsu should realize what he did was unacceptable on all fronts.

Therefore his first action as big brother was to meet out the punishment Maritsu deserved.

The goal was that Maritsu would see the error of his ways, return to the right path and no longer get lost on the road to vengeance.

He would be a caring and strict older brother.

When punishment had been meted out, he would assist Maritsu in his investigation.

If someone was responsible for Maritsu's brother's death, he would do anything and everything in accordance with the law so that those people would be brought to justice.

He would make sure that his little brother could fulfill his promise to his older brother, Jason.

However, he would make sure the goal was justice and no longer revenge.

Now, what punishment should he give his disobedient younger brother? So he would be yanked back from the dark back into the light?

Jail wasn't the place he should go, but punishment was a must, and punishment only served his purpose if it was hard and unpleasant. He was sure he could come up with something.