11. New Friends Same Old Bullshit

See? Told you I'd get a better tempo going. Bet you thought it would be a month huh?

Anyways, the new discord is growing fast and you guys are bringing positive energy. Stop on by, always room for more! Anyways, back at it!

New Friends Same Old Bullshit

"It is friendship, and something beyond friendship, that binds the Marine Corps together."

Unattributed

Weeks Earlier

SADERA, CAPITAL OF THE HOLY EMPIRE OF FALMART, IMPERIAL PALACE

The Empire had always been beset by trying times. The annexation of various states, the ork rebellions, the ruination of the Flame Dragon every hundred years. And now the opening of the Sacred Gate in Alnus, the very same one being occupied by an enemy the likes of which had never been before. Legions had gone in, only to return in ruins and chased by what could only be described as metal monsters.

The armies of the vassal states were destroyed, the enemy showed no signs of relenting, and troop morale had never been lower. Yet, here in the capital, life went on as normal. Just how long could this facade of strength last?

Emperor Molt Sol Augustus sat on his golden throne and rubbed his temple in visible frustration. Now his children were squabbling, their voices echoed throughout the massive hall that served as the throne room. Usually, this was a place of reflection, a monument to all that the Empire had accomplished. All that Molt had accomplished. Murals of ancient battles were neatly arranged across polished stone walls. Next to them, the captured weapons and standards of conquered kingdoms served as a reminder that power did not come without great prowess.

Light shone through ancient stained glass windows and cast a beam of light both on the throne and the carpet leading to it. A reminder to those who visited who ruled these lands.

This was where Molt held an audience with those he deemed worthy of listening to and today he had no patience for what he was hearing. Both his son and daughter stood before him, each with their own idea of what should be done to salvage a desperate situation. Piña Co Lada and Zorzal El Caesar. Molt's third potential successor to the throne, Diabo, was nowhere to be seen as of late. No doubt scheming in his room with an army of concubines.

"Father I must protest, simply sitting in the capital will not accomplish anything." Zorzal banged a fist against his jet black breastplate. "Let me summon the Ochiprina, I can lead an investigation."

Piña scoffed and shook her head. Like her brother, she too was garbed in her battle plate. "Oh? Just like you led at Alnus?"

"I did not see your Rose Order Knights at Alnus! Too busy parading around the streets no doubt."

Piña's hand hovered dangerously close to the jeweled hilt of her still sheathed sword. "Do not question our loyalty nor our prowess. Several of mine paid the highest of prices."

"Is that a threat?" Zorzal eyed his sister's posture and began to take up an aggressive stance of his own. Woman or not, her swordsmanship was no laughing matter. She had been trained by the infamous Gray Co Aldo after all.

"What do you think?"

"Enough, both of you!" Molt stood up from his throne, his voice boomed throughout the hall and demanded the utmost of respect. Warriors his children may have been, they were still not his superior. "You bicker and squabble like Goblins!"

Sensing their father's rising anger both royals relaxed.

"Piña, your Rose Order Knights. Are they still capable of fighting?"

"Yes and they await your orders." Piña responded confidently.

"Good, reports from what little scouts we have left have been dubious at best." Molt returned to his throne. "I would trust Gray's word over any of them. Which is why I'm sending you and your order to scout ahead."

Realizing what that meant, Piña reluctantly bowed and crossed an arm over her chest. There was no room for protest.

"I shall not fail. We'll ride to Italica immediately, that will likely be where our enemy will strike next."

"And you, my brash son." Molt looked at Zorzal. "Your tasks are of far greater importance."

Zorzal smirked at his still irritated sister. "But of course, who better than I?"

Molt counted off on one finger. "First, you will lead the Oprichnina. Scour the streets for informants or anyone who looks like a stranger to our lands. Our enemy is cunning so we will offer them no quarter here. We have no idea what influence they have."

The Emperor then counted off on another finger. "Second, you and Diabo will redouble our efforts to regain our strength. Recruit only the best from around our kingdom; Elbe, the deadlands, and beyond. There are still those loyal to our cause."

"As you command, father." Zorzal bowed his head and mirrored his sister.

"Good, you have your orders. I will hold an audience with the councilors, discuss our next plans." Molt waved a hand dismissively. "May the gods favor our holy empire."

"Wherever the sun touches." Piña and Zorzal responded as one.

XXXXXXX

"He is sending us to die."

"No he is not your highness, show some tact, please. Consider it more of a...test?"

"A test? No, he is sending me to die so that Zorzal and that schemer Diabo don't have any competition to the throne. Can't have a woman lead, oh no!"

Piña and Gray made their way through the castle's dimly lit winding halls and towards where the rest of the Knights were waiting. Everywhere they went palace guards went at the position of attention and dared not make eye contact nor show signs of listening to their conversation.

"Well, he certainly doesn't trust me, that much is certain."

"No, I don't think it's that."

"It is not?" Then why did he mention you? Why is he sending us on a suicide mission?!" Piña stopped and faced her instructor. Gray was an old warrior, but he was by no means any slower now than he was in his prime. Years of war had sharpened both his body and his mind. It showed in the scars adorning his wrinkled face and in the gray weathered hair atop his head. Though he easily towered over the princess, Piña never felt more comfortable around anyone else. Which was why she was speaking her mind. "Father-the emperor knows what's beyond our walls. Our scouts are among the best in the lands."

Gray sighed. "The Emperor is merely ensuring his information is only the best."

The warrior folded his arms. "I suspect he has a plan, one that requires meticulous planning and only concise information."

"Ugh!" Piña scoffed and continued off forcing Gray to pick up his pace to keep up.

"Your highness, listen. Be calm of mind and spirit."

The pair stopped in front of large wooden doors leading to one of the courtyards. Outside, the rest of the Rose Order Knights were waiting. They were both nervous and eager to prove themselves. Piña knew they'd follow her to the depths of hell itself.

"I...just don't want to lose more than what we need to Gray. These knights, our people." Piña sighed. "I just want answers, maybe then we can find some end to this madness."

"And answers we shall find my hot-headed liege." Gray smiled and gave the princess's shoulder pauldron a firm smack. "We ride to Italica and there?"

"There?"

"With courage and zeal we shall prevail. We'll know what to do when it's time." Gray answered confidently.

Piña nodded and smacked one of Gray's pauldrons. "Just be sure to leave some for us won't you old friend?"

"But of course!"

The two pushed open the doors and greeted the waiting knights in the courtyard.

It was a magnificent sight, one that always made Piña's heart swell with pride. They stood there next to their horses each knight was geared in only the finest armor the kingdom Blacksmiths could provide. Some were helmeted some were not.

More than a few held high the Imperial Standard and the Order's standard. A bouquet of roses atop a gold wreath and against a red tapestry. It stood in stark contrast against the darker colors adorning the Imperial one.

"Your highness." One of the younger knights, a brown-haired female named Hamilton Uno Ror strode forward and beat a hand against her armored chest plate. "Your order stands ready."

Hamilton had been with Piña since the Order's founding and the princess considered her to be her second closest friend.

"Hamilton my old friend. I see the gods find you well." Piña approached the knight and smacked the side of her pauldron. "I see you still have yet to find a man."

Hamilton smiled and looked over Piña's shoulder. "But my lady, where is yours?"

"As if our highness could ever find a suitor with her boyish charm." Gray answered with a laugh as he went to mount his warhorse. "I trained you two to be fighters, not wife material remember?"

One of the male knights chuckled from behind his armored visor. "A right shame that!"

"Watch your tongue, lest I watch it for you Norma." Piña scorned before returning her attention to Hamilton. "What of Bozes and the others?"

"They have been busy putting down brigands in the western territories." Hamilton answered confidently. "I have it on good word they will meet us in Italica when they can."

"So it shall be." Piña nodded at the rest of her knights and mounted her stallion. "We know what our duty is. We travel to Italica and our destiny! Come my warriors, we ride!"

All of the knights drew their swords and gave a triumphant cheer before mounting their horses and following after their princess.

It was a stirring speech, good. Piña knew they would need that zeal for whatever lay ahead.

Their enemy had no shortage of it.

Present day

1800 HOURS, ITALICA

"Well well, what do we have here?"

Out of sight, but never without their hands in everyone's business. That's how Heidegger and his boys operated.

In truth, as fantastic as it all was, the Falmart campaign was nothing special. Go in, make sympathizers, topple the opposing government from within and establish one that would agree to U.S. interests. Textbook CIA, this time they just had to appease the Japanese too. Sure, Heidegger could throw them some crumbs.

For months the CIA operatives had studied the language and culture beyond. Immersed themselves in it to the point they might as well have been born there. They would go into this world and bend it to their will.

Italica was a recent assignment and not a fun one at that. From the moment the operatives had arrived on horseback the trading town had been under siege. Bandits, brigands, rogue vassal units. Even their liberally applied firepower wasn't enough to fully stem the tide. Of course, today would change all of that. The CIA operatives had already sown the seeds of defection within the town's leadership, now to put the rest of the plan in motion.

From within an empty house, Heidegger and his team watched as the northern gate to Italica slowly creaked open. Right on schedule just like their friend said so.

"Is that her? The Princess?" Heidegger looked through his binoculars and at the red-headed knight leading a small platoon into the market city.

Next to the Heidegger, the grinding of a blade against a sharpening stone ceased. Unlike the operatives, she didn't need binoculars to identify the prey beyond. Natural selection and years of evolution had gifted her with the senses of a hunter.

"Yes, and we should kill her now. One less rotten seed." The rabbit warrior sheathed her blade and glared at the royal from under her burlap hood. Her exposed ears twitched in agitation. "First the princess and then Zorzal."

"No, we do things our way, Delilah." Heidegger lowered his binoculars and snapped at two other agents near a radio set. "Roger, chuck. Radio it in-."

"Boss, west gate. Those damn scouts just appeared down the road again."

The voice of one of the other teams cut the agent off and Heidegger quickly depressed a button on his throat mic. The way he and the others seamlessly transitioned from English to the local tongue and back again still surprised the teams. "How many?"

"At least five, I think they're proofing this place for another attack."

"Bastards are tenacious, but they're not stupid." Heidegger scoped in on the princess as she dismounted her horse to survey the damage. She could see all was not well at Italica. "The militia is faltering and I doubt her royal highness and her color guard are going to help much."

"So, radio it up? Tell Baseplate to get some pipe hitters over here?"

"Yeah, yeah you do that. Time we wrap up here and head to Sadera." Heidegger lowered his binoculars. "You know what I want? Some fucking tanks and some goddamn air support."

"How about a large order of fries?"

All of the operatives laughed except Delilah. The warrior returned to examining her weapons.

"The bandits will likely attack tomorrow. They know the princess is here, they'll test her resolve and then try to destroy this place."

"They are not bandits, you saw the tattered colors." Heidegger reminded the rabbit warrior. "Regardless, we will have something special planned for them, and then..."

Heidegger got up from his observation post, reached into his vest, and produced a small lighter and half-finished cigar. "Then Italica will be under our control."

"Ours." Delilah added. "That includes the Formal Clan. I trust you will honor your promise?"

The operative lit the tobacco and took a few tentative puffs. "Of course, as long as the clan pledges its fealty to the United States and our interests."

"And you will promise our right to rule and the safety of the countess. We did not forget." Delilah responded matter of factly.

"Good." Heidegger took another puff. "Well, go inform the countess our guest has arrived and that we'll be bringing more help to assist with the bandits."

"And you?" Delilah went to take her leave. "You will be heading to Sadera?"

"Yes Zorzal is next, but we will leave one of our own behind to lock things down." Heidegger snapped a finger at one of the other operatives, a younger agent clutching a scoped rifle. "Roger, you're up. Link up with whatever goons arrive. You coordinate from there."

"Yep, got it boss." The operative tipped his ball cap before getting up to follow Delilah with a smirk. "After you Bugs."

"You speak highly of this 'Bugs', I wish to learn more about him." Delilah nodded and made her way past some operatives putting gear away with Roger in tow. "Oh and Heidegger."

"Yes?"

"Zorzal has our queen. You bring her back to us and I swear to you." Delilah crossed an arm across her chest. "My people will follow you wherever you may need us."

"I'm aware and that's half the reason why we are going." Heidegger took another puff and smiled as smoke blew out of his nostrils. "You know we get things done."

"As I have seen." Delilah gestured for Roger to follow. "Come, Roger, let us be on our way."

With the plan in motion, Heidegger clapped his hands. "Alright people, let's get it done! It's gonna be a hell of a fucking night!"

The operative puffed at his cigar once more and smiled confidently.

"Oh, and someone get the good count through the gate and over here. Time to reunite him with daughter dearest."

1830 HOURS, CODA VILLAGE

Kincaid, Carter, and their new friend trudged through the mud and towards the tanks. The rain had stopped, but there was still hustle and bustle all the same. What had once been a quiet village in the countryside had now turned into a temporary staging area for coalition forces.

Coalition soldiers patrolled through the village as they tended to the needs of the locals as well as tried to keep some semblance of order. Helicopters patrolled the skies above, ever vigilant for any signs that another dragon could be out looking for its fallen mate. A huge perimeter had been established around the dragon's corpse, spools of barbed wire separating the "crash site" and the village. No signs of any eccentric people in lab coats, not yet anyway. Most of the science personnel stayed at Alnus.

As for the tanks of Charlie Company Headquarters Platoon, they sat off in the distance. Neatly arranged in a defensive line and oriented towards the plains beyond.

"Look, for the last time. I told you, I do not know what happened."

"Yes, you do. You were visited by the god Emroy in your sleep. I need to know what he told you, Kincaid."

Kincaid and Carter halted their move, the former turning to face the strange girl that had been following them. His tone lowered as he pointed an accusatory finger.

"How the hell do you know my name?"

"Elementary." The girl responded flatly as she pointed at Carter. "Your friend kept saying the name over and over whenever he looked at you." She raised an eyebrow from under her white hood. "The better question is, how can you understand me?"

"I do not know and quite frankly, I do not care either. " Kincaid shook his head and gestured for Carter to follow him as they continued on their way towards the tanks. "Whatever mumbo jumbo your 'god' did to my head I guess."

"'Mumbo Jumbo'?" The girl curiously repeated the phrase before picking up her robes and matching the soldiers' pace. "So Emroy did visit you. You were given a gift, perhaps a portent. Please, I must know-"

"-Look."

"Please." The girl picked up her pace and blocked Kincaid's path. "You are confused and rightfully so in a world such as ours." The girl removed her hood, revealing her foreign features. Gray hair, green eyes. Hardly a familiar combination back on Earth. She was young and the softness of her voice indicated she couldn't have been much older than Kincaid's sister.

"But I am not your enemy, I mean only to help. As a practitioner of magic, I have a sworn oath to seek and preserve knowledge."

Kincaid looked at Carter, the corpsman's confused expression indicating that he had no idea what they were even talking about.

"Okay, well let me...get some knowledge of my own then." Kincaid furrowed his brow. "What is your name?"

"Lelei La Lalena, mage apprentice to Cato El Altestan." Lelei bowed her head and maintained a good grip on her staff. "At your service."

Kincaid chuckled at the statement. "You know, usually we're the ones doing all the serving." The Marine shook his head and pointed at where the Japanese trucks were. "You want answers? Go talk to the confused-looking soldier talking to your master over there. His name's Itami."

"Itami..." Lelei repeated the foreign name and nodded. "Very well, I thank you, Jasper Kincaid. Perhaps we shall meet again and perhaps you will be less closed off?"

"You are persistent, I have a sister back home who's like that." Kincaid couldn't help but smile. The memory of his sibling invoked a strong feeling of homesickness. "Fine, if I see you again we can talk as long as you want."

"I will hold you to that." Lelei bowed her head once more. "Good evening to you sirs."

Lelei picked up her robes and rushed off towards the Japanese trucks, leaving the two soldiers to continue about their business.

Carter waited for the young mage to leave earshot before giving a long groan. "What. the. FUCK. Was that all about?"

"Stuff doc, I don't know." Kincaid unapologetically answered. "She's friendly, all you need to know."

"Yeah? I remember when the ANA* said that too..." Carter's voice began to trail off as he saw Hicks and Aldritch start yelling at a now-gathering platoon of younger enlisted Marines.

"Fuck me, looks like the word's about to get passed. Let's get to stepping."

Seeing the platoon gather around Aldritch's tank only meant one thing and the thought of it alone was enough to make Kincaid wish he was still knocked out.

XXXXXXX

Hicks frowned. "So, we're not going back to Alnus?"

"That's a negative, the mission's changed."

Happy as the platoon may have been to have Kincaid back it still didn't change the fact that they weren't going back to Alnus anytime soon. Hot chow, a warm shower, maybe even some sleep. These were the luxuries the platoon was robbed of upon hearing the bad news.

Aldritch stood on the front slope of his tank with folded arms and an expression no less eager than that of his mens'. Next to the tank, a nervous-looking Itami stood clutching a rolled piece of parchment and flanked on either side by the two weird-looking locals from earlier and a few of his troops.

"We SP* in the morning to a town a few clicks from here called Italica. Friendly forces in the area have locked the place down, but they don't have the numbers necessary to hold indefinitely. We're going to head in and change that."

"Friendly forces?" Hicks inquired with a raised eyebrow. "I thought we were the furthest forward-operating units."

"Evidently we're not." Aldritch shrugged. "CP didn't specify who exactly. Just their callsign and frequency which I will brief TC's on later."

"Totally fucking special forces, that or recon." Hicks jotted some notes down. "Anyone hunkered down that far forward must have found something important."

"Turns out they did. Italica is an important trading hub for this region. We take that-"

"And this war is as good as ours. Check rog." Hicks finished his superior's sentence before jotting some more notes down. "But one more thing."

Aldritch grimaced. Nothing ever got past Hicks. "Proceed."

"How exactly are we getting to a place we don't even know where to find?" Hicks clicked his pen a few times. "Don't exactly have GPS out here."

A few of the other Marines paused from taking notes and looked around as if one of them knew the answer.

Aldritch took a deep breath and curled his bottom lip. "Well, I am glad you asked that sergeant. Because it just so happens that we have a map."

"We do?" Hicks and the other Marines looked at Itami as he unfurled the parchment. The Japanese officer nervously cleared his throat.

"H-Hai." Itami gestured towards the two mages, the pair immediately bowing out of respect. "Cato El Altestan and his apprentice Lelei have agreed to share with us a map of the region."

"And in return?" Aldritch questioned, knowing full well what the answer was. "What are we to do in return?"

Itami's adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed dryly. "They are to accompany us to Italica and then Alnus. They wish to meet with our leaders."

A few puffs of tobacco smoke accompanied chuckles and silent swears from within the mass of Marines.

"Oh, roger that." Hicks nodded a few times as if trying to reassure himself that he had heard correctly. "Roger that sir, good to go! Glad to know we've made friends already."

Aldritch blew some air out from between his lips. He was just as angry as his platoon, maybe even more so.

"They'll be riding with the Japanese, that's final." Aldritch glared. "Any other questions or do we have more SOP* to break?"

None of the Marines dared to utter another word.

"I want sight counts in an hour and a watch drummed up for the night." The captain made a spinning motion with one of his hands. "Mechanics send up any discrepancies of note and TCs meet up with me so we can go over this map."

Aldritch snapped a finger at Itami. "That includes you, Taisho."

Itami could only roger up and bring the map over to the front slope of Aldritch's tank, the two curious mages following close in tow.

XXXXXXX

Hours Later

Eventually, the sun finally set, the orange and blues of an afternoon sky being replaced by the long dark of nighttime. A crystal clear sky unaffected by industry revealed an ocean of stars that stretched on for as far as the eye could see.

The tanks had long been "put to bed", their large silhouettes illuminated by the unobscured stars and moon above. The same couldn't be said of their crews and more than a few tankers kept their weapons close and NVGs donned, the distant sounds of alien fauna and the knowledge of being in an alien world kept them ever vigilant.

Including the crew of Here We Go Again, the four tankers sat near their respective hatches and conversed to ambient soundtrack of a Bluetooth speaker. It had been a while since they had been able to catch up.

"Still can't believe all that shit happened." Kincaid puffed at a cigarette and ran a few fingers over the massive claw marks etched into the surface of the tank's front right turret array. In his other hand, he held a huge ruby red scale. A souvenir he took from the dragon. Evidently, they were worth a lot as no sooner did he take it half a dozen villagers started trying to trade with him.

"Well, least the shit is superficial."

"D hold the light still-Yeah Jasper, no screamin' eagle shit bro. The fuck's that thing gonna do to Depleted Uranium armor?" Under the dull glow of a red lens flashlight Elton continued to diligently apply black spray paint to a stencil on Benitez's comm helmet. "-Damnit D I said hold the fucking light still."

"My B yo." Wilkes steadied his arm and held it over the comm helmet as Elton applied the finishing touches to the stencil. A curious Benitez watched the progress from in front of the tank. Tonight was the night he was given his first tanker nickname and he was still perplexed as to what it was.

"Alright man." Elton dropped the spray paint can, peeled the stencil off the comm helmet, and held it out to Benitez. There, and in bold black letters the name "Lil' John" was plastered over the front of the helmet.

"'Lil John'?" Benitez held the helmet and examined the name closely. "Mano, what the fuck does that mean?"

"It's cause you look like the fucking dude from Robin Hood." Elton answered back confidently. "It was either that or Taco Supreme."

"Seriously Hermano? Seriously?" Benitez put the helmet on and grinned. "Ey yo, how do I look?"

"Like a fucking virgin."

The crew laughed as Japanese beverages were popped open. Spoils of war from a recent trade with some of RCT3's troops. All it took was an old eight-point cover and some beat-up Marine tanker patch. It turned out that RCT3's "CQB specialist" was big into Marine Corps uniform items and apparently Wilkes as well. She probably would have talked his ears off had Kincaid not dragged him back.

"So, Italica tomorrow. Wonder what the fuck that's all about." Kincaid asked as he took a sip from his bottle of green tea and returned his dragon scale to a pouch on his trousers.

"Same old shit." Elton leaned against the front left armor array and took a sip from his bottle before answering his gunner's question. "Your guess is as good as mine man, all I know is that I have a bad feeling something ain't right."

"Maan you always say that shit." Wilkes made his way up to the top of the turret and sat so that he straddled the main gun. "First it was during linebacker then op stalwart."

"Yeah, and both times I was right doofus."

"True true."

"All I know is that we gotta stick together man. Shit is only gonna get weirder from here." Elton took another sip from his beverage and pointed at his crewmates for dramatic emphasis. "Dragons, mages. I am telling you, we have not seen the worst of it yet."

Benitez clambered up the front slope and into his driver's station before lighting a cigarette of his own and sipping at a recently opened Pocari Sweat. "Well man, it's not like they have any superhumans or anything right?"

The rest of the crew glared at their driver prompting Benitez to shut his mouth and keep his wild ideas to himself. "Shiit, alright alright."

"Whatever the case is, all we gotta do is keep on our shit and go from there." Kincaid finished his beverage and tobacco and belched. "No more close calls alright?"

The crew let out an "Err."

"And you buddy." Elton worryingly looked at Kincaid. "Look, you sure you're okay?"

"I told you I'm fine." Kincaid brushed the question off. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay well, new language or not. You're still my boy alright?" Elton reached over and pat his gunner's boot. "Stay with me bro."

Kincaid smiled. "Yeah, I got you man."

"Good now kiss." Wilkes brought his head down and pursed his lips and whispered. "Gay nigga alert, 'whatchu know about rollin' down in the deep'-"

Kincaid smacked his loader's cheek causing the rest of the crew to laugh. Four tank's crew would persevere, just as they always did.

"Well, I don't know about ya'll but I'm getting some sleep." Elton got up and made his way up the turret and to a sleeping bag set up near the right of his cupola. Ya'll know the watch rotation." The tank commander took his boots off before getting inside the warm embrace of his sleeping back.

"But of course." Wilkes reached into his cargo pocket and put on a beanie before crawling to another sleeping bag on the left side of the turret. "Yo Kincaid wake me up if you see any local bitches walk on by. We can use your new language skills to loosen em up ya mean?"

"Eat my ass." Kincaid responded sarcastically before rummaging through a nearby assault pack for his tablet. Upon finding it he turned it on and set it up on a small stand in front of Benitez's station. "Yo, down for some Blood A?"

"Fuuck you know it. What episode we on?" Benitez took his helmet off and started wrapping himself up in warming layers inside his station.

"Five I think." Kincaid made sure his sleeping bag was set up near Benitez's driver station. Normally he'd sleep on the back of the engine deck, but the turret wasn't over the side to allow him access. Aldritch was insistent that the crews be ready to move "just in case".

Still, the front slope was hardly a bad place to sleep and the ambient temperature was nice enough to not warrant the warmth of the engine deck. Kincaid would get a good night's rest regardless.

Finally adjusted and sitting in his sleeping bag with an M4 draped across his lap, Kincaid reached into his assault pack and took out a bag of MRE raisins. He looked at the bag with a raised eyebrow before tearing it open.

"The fucks an osmotic anyways?"

Benitez looked back confused. "A what?"

"Nothing, start the shit."

As the title sequence's rock intro started to play and a dull white glow cast upon the two tankers, a shotgun was racked from atop the turret.

"Good night, don't let the fucking who knows what bite~."

"Night you psychos."

Thus the crew of Here We Go Again tried to sleep there.

XXXXXXX

Near the relatively safety of the Japanese and American vehicles, the two mages sat atop a hill overlooking the planes of Falmart beyond.

Lelei gripped her staff tightly. "And you're certain of this? She is indeed coming?"

"Yes my apprentice, but whether she brings misfortune or help, I cannot be sure." Cato rubbed his beard. "I've felt this overwhelming omen only once before. The kind only an apostle of Emroy can bring."

Lelei returned her attention to the scenery. "I will not allow her to hurt them. There is goodness in them yet, I can feel it."

"That's not what worries me." Cato stood up and dusted off his robes. "I actually don't think she could."

"Then what does, my master?"

"That she and her patron might try to bend them to their will. Upset the great balance." Cato shook his head. "Then she and others like her will have to get involved."

Lelei got up as well. "She? Others? You mean the other gods?" The young apprentice inquired.

"Precisely." Cato nodded. "Something tells me this world is going to change in ways we have never thought possible." The old mage smiled warmly. "And you and I will be right there side by side when it does."

"Yes, our knowledge will be of use yet I feel."

"Indeed. Now then, let us retire. We have much to do tomorrow."

So you may have noticed that I'm changing some of the dialogue in "Falmartian" to be more simplistic. Do not instead of don't. Honestly, I'm not 100% sure just how advanced old-time language was so I'm trying to make it seem more simple. Something more basic if that makes sense.

Feel free to correct me if you guys have other opinions/knowledge on the matter. Anyways back to work on next chapter.

TERMS/ACRONYMS USED:

ANA: Afghan National Army...yeah you know what's up.

SP: Start Point.

SOP: Standard Operating Procedure. Self-explanatory, basically doctrine. D