Chp 84 : Band Of Brothers?
Sorry guys, I'll take few days off for updating for this site due to exam I'll take in the next few days.
Enjoy the Chapter!!
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Prelude to 1986, brought Al and his fellowship of strangeness to bizarre and illogical situations.
First, meeting the ghost of the past king in a secret tunnel, leading them to the Clock Tower. Robin confessed to Ione that she was a lesbian, although Al has been debating to himself that she might be a bi from the way she enjoyed his extra lesson.
For the next ones, the new trouble that they will soon add to their list.
After Prince William was missing, or in their case was kidnapped by these rascals. It made sensational news that could shake the British Isles.
The royal family was missing right under their nose. It could question the integrity of the security of the United Kingdom to its monarchy.
Especially at this time, when the negotiation of IRA to cease their aggression to the UK was almost settled. It could attract the supporter for Northern Ireland independence to make a move against British Royal families.
Al on his disguise was able to slip past through heavy guardsmen with little Bill on his back and went to one of the rooms in Buckingham Palace.
As the Household Division Foot's Guard was having a conduct search, they finally found Prince William was playing with Al.
Princess Diana, who has been told that they found William immediately running to the location with her makeup ruined by her tears.
"William! Where have you been?"
He giggled, "Play, play with Big brother Al! Big is Yone and Wobby!" He said happily.
"Sorry Princess Di, We've been playing hide and seek with Bill."
All of the people in the room were surprised. Little Bill was only given the person he was close to his nickname. So William must be trusted Al very much.
So in tomorrow's news, was Alphonse "Al" Brandt, was good to children and made Prince William explore the castle with him, and his 2 girlfriends.
The picture of him playing with little Bill spread to the rest of the UK and Commonwealth countries.
It made his popularity in soared because and as stated in interviews, he said he didn't know that Bill was Prince William. He just thought that Bill was a lonely child who was left by his parent to play by himself.
Everyone had one thought about him, especially women. "Someday he will be a very good father."
Of course, not all people positively saw him. Some of the Children Association in some countries tried to accuse him of child kidnapping, and Al should have a warning and restraint order as a child kidnapper.
But as long as the involving party didn't make a fuss, Al could walk free from any charges.
After those debacles, the royal family members gave a contrast treatment.
Queen Elizabeth II asked him to meet her and he did. Turned out she was not as bad as they said.
Al could say that Queen Elizabeth II was a neighborhood grandma who offered him her freshly baked cookies every day.
She was a kind grandma, Al and she was hitting off like an old pal. Al was easy to talk about many different topics and his knowledge about English literature and history fascinated her.
Princess Di still treated him the same way, but there are more things in her eyes. The look she gave him was like a look of affection from a mother to her 2 sons who got along and playing together.
There were also those ho saw him with a stink eye. They were Prince Charles and his cronies.
As the new year's party ended, Queen Elizabeth paid them farewell and said he would always be welcomed here in England.
Al wanted to bring up a thing about the medal given by Edward VII but he dismissed it. He didn't want them to forcefully take it from him and be charged with thievery.
He also paid them farewell and said to her that he would be in England for a long time. He got a date with a girl with daddy issues and her overprotective dad over England.
"You got another date!? Why didn't you tell me?" Ione said furiously.
"You're not my girlfriend Ione." She turned speechless at the payback Al gave her.
Then Al laughed, "Okay, okay, I'm kidding Ione. Do you remember the Christmas Party right? About me got an important role for my breakthrough from kid stars?"
"Oh, you mean that?" An epiphany look came from her face.
~~~
1 month later.
"Finally done, I miss my hot tub!" Al said.
"We leave our comfort zone for only four weeks and you only miss your hot tub?" He snickered, "I miss my wife's cunt and the boy she spurted from there." He joked.
"Give me some slack Pvt Joker, my destined one is yet for me to meet, for now, I just miss a warm bath." He laughed followed by everyone else.
"Oh really? How about that girl who has been recording our activity since 2 weeks ago?" A fat man said.
"Keep rubbing it to my face Pvt Pyle." He soon laughed it up together.
Finally, after waiting for a long time, the shooting for <Full Metal Jacket> would begin soon, but first, they needed to be trained in the way of the military.
Due to some trouble because of his daughter, Stanley has been stressed out and delay the preparation and shooting which should be from 1985 to early 1986.
Remember the time when Vivian ran away from home to meet him? That's the one.
As for these Pvt. things, everyone has agreed to never call each other with real names but with the characters, they were playing.
Al was cast as Private Cowboy He also was the youngest of them all, with him being 15 years old.
Of course, he needed a supervisor as he was not 18 yet. But the contract only said that he would need it on the day of shooting, not the day for military training.
He also named John Mick as his supervisor so everything went according to his plan.
Of course, there always be resentment directed at him. Some of the cast here silently accused him of using his connection to get the roles, which he did by the way but not on purpose.
Mostly they were just a side character who thought that they were better than him and felt that the roles of Pvt Cowboy were meant for them to take.
Fortunately, the resentment didn't last long. The military training lasted for at least 4 weeks, and only with 1 week, Al changed everyone's perception of him.
He was quick to befriend many people, especially Joker, Pyle, Snowball, Animal Mother, and Eightball.
He was childish yet so mature, always gave a happy vibe in barracks after a long day of training and finally, they accepted him as their mischievous little brother.
His acceptance to the group was also happened because of the catalyst from the drill instructor. He was an ex-British Royal Navy that was hired at the last minute. They said he was an acquaintance with one of the producers here.
His name is Lieutenant Bradford, a former Royal Navy and also a grumpy man in his 40s.
They should have been trained by R. Lee Ermey, who was also played as a supporting character in this movie.
But he suddenly got a car accident last year that made him recuperated for four and a half months. Luckily, the doctor said that he would be better when they shoot the military training scene in Parris Island Marine Boot Camp.
Lieutenant Bradford was an asshole, sorry for the bad word.
He didn't join any war but his father is a veteran from WWII. Why everyone knew it?
Well, because he has told them too many fucking times about how proud he is that his father was a hero at WWII. He told them as if he was the one who joined the war.
Their training for 2 weeks was hell, not because their body was too weak to do the military drill, but because the training they did was the same as SBS or Navy SEALs did.
Al knew this because John Mick and Jason Barnes, his bodyguards, were also doing this kind of training to him.
A long time ago, they said Al should join the Navy SEAL because if he could endure this type of training they give, he could immediately sign up for Navy SEALs when he hit 18.
After Al realized this and told everyone, they went berserk.
For fuck's sake, they were all actors, not a soldier who wanted to be deployed to Afghanistan's battleground!
They wanted to report this to the supervisor but it was really hard. Lt. Bradford made sure that only he was the one responsible here.
So anyone who wanted to come here must be on his permission. So they were isolated from the outside world.
Finally, with a great effort, Joker and Pyle were able to report him to Stanley Kubrick's assistant, Leon Vitali.
Leon has talked to Lt. Bradford and you know what he said?
He said these actors were all pussies and in turn, convinced Leon that with his training, he could make these pussies toughen up and even said that Stanley Kubrick didn't have to complain about his actor performance in fitness and mental.
He said he knew what best for them and Leon also in turn convinced by his bullshit.
Some actors even tried to complain again to the producer but this asshole kept interfering with their free time with training.
Even Al who had a name for himself was disregarded and treated as a spoiled child. The producers said that if he didn't want to follow the rule, then he can quit.
Al even threatened them and ask for Stanley's contact but they said he was busy and didn't want to be disturbed.
So the effort to oust Lt. Bradford was a failure. He even doubled their training time and made them exhausted to death.
He threatened them if they gave up, he would kick them and write a letter that they were unable to keep up the training due to incompetence.
After this one week of military training, they were now a Band of Brothers. Long gone was the gap they felt.
Their suffering created companionship and understanding.
Of course, Al suggested an offer they wouldn't miss. Rather than quitting the course and gave up. How about making the drill instructor quit instead?
He got a plan to prank him, super hard and made him ran from them with tails between his legs.
So began 1 week of hell for Lt. Bradford, all planned by Alphonse Brandt. From filling his bed with ants, filling his bath with stinky water, etc.
His pranks were all clean, and Lt. Bradford didn't suspect anything. Only just his irritation was on the verge of break down.
Until the last prank, they didn't realize that they caught him alone in one of the abandoned barracks, sucking a coke!
Then they immediately reported him to the film crews and the response was quick.
Turned out this guy was discharged dishonorably because of his misconduct of military rank for smuggling up a kg's of cocaine and not shy to consume it.
It was because his father was a war hero that his reports of dishonorable discharge were unwritten on his paper.
Due to this mistake, Warner Bros, as the film's investor tried to sue British Royal Navy for fabrication.
After the interrogation, the reports said that he has been a loyal user of cocaine for 5 years. And his crazed attitude was happening under influence of cocaine.
He has been dreaming to train a perfect soldier and even has delusions that world war 3 would happen in 10 years.
That was why he trained them in a hard way, to build his army to fight a communist.
The news made a big scandal even Stanley Kubrick stepped in, and shout out at Bradford.
He was immediately fired and changed into another drill instructor.
The good news was that he was better than the old ones. His name is Capt. Bradley, also a Royal Navy.
After he heard what happened, he slapped his forehead. He told the producer and everyone from the cast that their training was meant for special forces.
The training for actors was only to keep them fit and made sure to keep them in check about military conduct, rules, habit, and weapon training.
So long gone a 10 km run 3 times every single day, eating a slug for survival, or swimming in the cold water in January.
The rest of the 2 weeks were filled with a fun activity, like a summer camp but in the winter.
But they also didn't regret the 2 first week. If they did this first, they won't know the misery and companionship of soldiers.
They would regret that they gave Al a prejudice of nepotism and tried to exclude him from the group.
Al also grateful to that prick Bradford, although he had a rocky start with them, without his sadistic training and sense of misery at each other, he would be an outcast.
The rest of the two weeks also got him a surprise. Vi has been craving to meet him since day one but because Bradford argued that the actors cannot have any visitation day.
What a prick.
Since then, their activity has been recorded by her and sometimes she joined him camping in the wilderness.
His rest of his brothers have also teased him about her flirtatious attempt at him.
Al may be mature enough for his age, but hearing him being teased by the entire platoon could make him dig up a hole and buried his face.
Finally, after the 4 weeks of military training were over, they gave them one week off to visit their respected families and loved ones.
Al missed his family in the United States and immediately book a flight for tomorrow.
But before that, Vi invited him to her house and stayed for one night at her place.
Staying in Kubrick's place for one night? Who didn't want that? As long as his house wasn't like a resort in <The Shining> he was okay with it.
He put his baggage on her car's trunk and got a whistle from everyone else.
"Hey Cowboy, don't forget to use protection! We don't want our shooting to stop because our director passed out after he knows he has grandchildren!" Snowball shouted and laughed with the rest of his brothers.
He smiled at them and gave them a middle finger.
"Fuck you Snowball! I'm still underage and I'll tell Stanley that you try to flirt with his daughter! I want to see how many NG will he give to you!"
"Oh shit! Forgot everything I've said." He immediately backed down. Nobody wanted to piss off Stanley Kubrick.
His surrender got him boos and push by the rest of their friends.
He already saw Vi took a driver seat, so he just went on to the co-driver seat. Her house was really close to the shooting location.
"Since when you can drive?"
"Last week I took a driver's license test and passed in flying colors. My stay in the orphanage woke me up. Being away from my dad made me realized that I've been a spoiled and egoistic person.
I heard some people are mocking me. A 25-year-old woman who still acted like teenagers. I want to introspect myself. Starting from taking a driver license test." She smiled brightly.
"I'm happy for you Vi, but I want you to change not because of people saying bad things about you. I want you to change for people who are dear to you like your dad and mom.
That way, your dad will be proud of you because he was the reason that his daughter became a better person."
She looked at him with fondness and strange gleam, "I will Al, thank you." Still smiling. "Oh yeah, dad really wants to talk to you."
"Am I in trouble?"
"No, don't worry. He just wants to offer you a position for his assistant director. His newly hired assistant was quitting because... you know, dad being a dad and you are the only one who could stand up for him."
"Wow, that's an honor. But I want to talk to him first, I think he still resented me because I poisoned you playing NOTE."
"Ah, don't worry. Dad also likes to play it now. He was also the same as uncle Steven, he was addicted to the game."
"No way!? To think he could be addicted is surprising."
"Me too. Dad changed a lot after meeting you. In a good way, I mean." She smiled sweetly.
The journey suddenly turned into silence and only the music 'Saving All My Love for You' by Whitney Houston was heard.
"By the way, I like your new hairstyles, it makes you look manly."
"Bald is a condition when there's no hair Vi. So it's technically not a hairstyle." He joked.
To Be Continued...
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