January - December 2047

The first day at the military school, Aden learns that he will share a dorm with five others men. Since he's newbie, they will be his trainers at his formation. The first month, Cam, Glen, Fit, Gide and Bobby train him like crazy. He's up at four (makes his and others' bed squared), makes quick breakfast at five, stretches until six and practice on the military course until eleven for lunch break. Then after noon, he has to finish the (domestics) chores. He's back on the course until four pm and has to stretch himself for thirty minutes (to avoid stiffness for the next day) and is designated to arrange the stuff that his elder put in random place after their hard day, until five thirty pm (because there are so much). With only five minutes break, he stands again to make the dinner (healthy and simple) and eats at six. Then he has two hours of personal formation with one of his elder until he has just ten minutes to give an appraisal.
At eight, he sleeps deeply in his single bed on the bottom (triple bunk bed), knackered.
The first week, he gets through the rough training, but at the end of the week, he's broken everywhere. Even at his hairs that he had to cut because of the strict dress code. And, yes, he's shaved (not bald, but shaved head and there is few ginger hair root, quite funny), but don't worry, he said it grow fast.
Every weeks, he receives Cam's (Cameron Stirling, his not-so-sure manager, not one of his military elder, whose name's Camden Partz) letters, which are joined with fan's letters for the first week. (But after exactly Camden's scowls, because he's here to be serviceman not for holidays, he asks Cameron to limit at his only letter) Cam is very carrying, even if it's mostly because he doesn't want him to be wrecked (after with his brother's fight) that for his come back, because the man is certain he will come back on the stage. For his fans, at least.
And maybe, for Claire Yuan's memory.

After three months of training, Aden is utterly part of the army and his five elders are less hard with him (but he still has to do all those rookies chores). Maybe they saw how he's serious about to become a guardian country. And indeed, he's serious. He really want to be savior. He wants to be able to help someone in need while they are hurt. But, maybe it's not the right way.
Sure, being in the army could help him be more active and think quickly how to solve catastrophe problem, but helping civil in need isn't really in this part of job. Because he just can be sergeant or go to the field war.
At least, it's what all his unknowns posts said.
It starts at the end of his third month. He has more stamina with the daily training and can hold twenty minutes after the dinner without passing out like a poor little child who couldn't held a full day. So during when handing out letter ('cause it's generally at the end of the day, once they all 'homecoming') in person (and not when he discovers the next day at the awakening), he receives a special letter. It doesn't come from Cam (they have special schedule), and it isn't signed. There is an address for the return but he didn't search or it, he hasn't the chance because the base doesn't have any computer (once again, it's not a place to play). The letters of the message aren't by hand, the expediter uses to stick newspapers alphabets to form his sentence, like a threat. But the message isn't mean. It's just statement about his formation.
A very personal opinion, though.
By the time passed, the letter become more intimate, like what the person thought about his play, about his debut (the guy of ads), about his singing skills and about his drawings. Okay, it isn't a secret for anyone that he can draw, as an amateur (not really an artist. For that, he could only copy, and he's really good at copying, like his play). But it really is a surprise that the secret admirer (?) knows the drawings he drew for his fans in his debuts. Okay, maybe it's just one of these fan but then he sends him a retrospective of all his draws. And it's little creepy.
Unless it's a community of his fans that sent him that to encourage him, but it's so pernickety and a little weird.
And if it's a fan, he's really judgmental. At the sixth month, he's allowed to go on the yard and the creeper starts to harass him (like send letter everyday and it becomes freaky).
'You don't deserve it'
And Aden has to answers that.
'I do. You couldn't understand how it feels to be useless. I want to be able to help people in need.'
That calms his correspondence at least. Then, he receives the last letter.
'You could help them in another way. You could be fire-fighter to be more close to them. You don't have to be soldier to help them. Plus, it doesn't. It just adds more pain if we learn that you pass away on the field. To be in the army doesn't help civilians, it just steals their family. No war, but love.'
And it makes him think. Maybe he's actually wrong. Being soldier isn't the solution.
And when one of his elder asks him about his opinion about his six months here, he asks as well why they are soldier. Then he admits why he enters here. And his superior tells him that he's indeed wrong and he should change formation as soon as possible.
He's out of the army after seven months in a military camp. And is transferred in a firefighter formation by recommendation.
He never receives the letter again.

Before he begins the formation in the fire department, he enjoys the break to greet his relatives (that he didn't have contact during the seven months). And spent the 28th July with the 30 Legends.
But he comes more for Emil. Strangely.
"So, how are you going, soldier?"
Or maybe it's for Jeffrey.

(Also because Emil is pretty busy with his family issues since Emelie suddenly has some more than platonic feelings for his uncle.)

"Hey, Jeff."
And without any hint, he hugs him. The man tenses but eventually relaxes in his arms without retuning the embrace. But he does pat his back, better than nothing.
Because he just wants some affection.
Later, he stays at Emil, in China, incognito. And he asks quietly at Link the one who can answer him. "Jared Matcher. He's an American Next with gas toxic talent."
"Yeah, I hear about him. But he was barely born at this time."
"He's the one who kill the girl in front of me."
There is a silence.
"He said he did it because he wanted to have her for himself. That he put on her corpse his DNA, thus she will always be connected with him. But thankfully her body is cremated and he lost the whole deal."
"And your point is?" Jeff prompts after a beat of a dead silence.
"What would you do? If you knew him during your Future Order phase, what would you do with his talent?"
"I would use it like he did."
Jeff nearly flinches when he sees the alarmed eyes on him.
"Maybe I would have tell him to not kill them, because I think that people suffer more while alive. But I would use his talent for my ambitious goal."
Aden just looks at him, aghast. He doesn't move away when the man approaches him and touches his cheek to lift his eyes at his level. They lock their gaze into each other and Jeff continues.
"But twenty-two years in Azkaban is too much. I have a lot of time to think about my acts. And even if there aren't Dementors anymore, it was horrible. And I realized how I was wrong. I was young, but I was persuaded that what I did was the best, I really thought that half-bloods aren't allow to have magic."
"And now?"
"Maybe muggle born aren't the best choice to have magic neither."
And it costs him to admit that. He was aware of everything that happen since the two decades and it kills him to know that. His aim isn't to use the talent to do whatever they want, but just to make people knows that they are 'chosen'. They're special.
Or especially moron.
"Like you?"
"Don't push it."
At least, Aden laughes a little.
Well, it isn't the best but it isn't the worst neither.
He could recover.
And he will.

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(Initially posted : 3 Mars 2017 à 23:04)