Dogs, Demons, and Ghosts

Ace Combat and is owned by Namco, Access Games, and Project Aces.

Prologue

Blaze's POV

Heierlark AFB, Hangar A-1, 1709hrs, August 30, 2010,

"Jameson Emmer: call sign Reaper, 77th tactical fighter squadron." The base commandant droned on, giving each of the recruit pilots their new squadron assignments. Immediately after the graduation ceremony and reception, they wasted no time in herding everyone into the hangar. "Nathaniel Fulcher: call sign Blaze, 108th tactical fighter squadron."

I snapped to attention at the sound of my name and nodded at the Colonel. Not that he was paying attention, as he was busy continuing down the list of graduated cadets. As the Colonel continued down the list, I could hear the various low whispers of the others talking about where they were being assigned. Leaning over slightly, I nudged my friend Kei. She was a 5'6" woman of oriental descent with short raven black hair and was kinda shy. She gave me a confused look with gorgeous chocolate brown eyes. 'Man, them eyes though… Calm down now!' Yea not going to lie, I kinda have a crush on her but thanks to military regs about fraternization I'd be fucked like tired sheep if I ever tried a relationship with her. Buts that's assuming she feels the same way. I whispered over to her "Where you think you're gunna get assigned?"

"I dunno, but I doubt I'll luck out like you and end up stationed at a tropical island." She whispered back softly. It was my turn to give a confused look. With a quiet laugh she explained. "The 108th is the Sand Island squadron."

"Oh." I said quietly but was cut off from further reply at the Colonel called Kei's name.

"Kei Nagase: call sign Edge, 108th tactical fighter squadron."

"What was that about tropical islands?" I whispered giving a smug smile and nudging her again. She rolled her eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh. We continued to talk about finally being in a squadron until finally they dismissed us. Me and Kei made our way to the break room and crashed down on the couches in front of Heierlark's only luxury, an actual wood fireplace. The whole rest of the place was either frozen (or in the process of) or just enough to meet military standard.

"So, any idea what Sand Islands gunna be like?" Kei asked as she curled up in the corner of the couch.

"Warm." I said back with a shit eating grin. Kei face palmed before answering.

"Ugh! You're such a smartass." She groaned, trying to hide a smile.

"Yea I know. Wouldn't be me if I wasn't. So do ya know who the captains are over there?" I asked as several of the other cadets walked by, glaring at us. 'Whatever. People are going to be jealous and I don't gotta see them again.'

"Um, I think it's a guy named Bartlett. Don't know much more than that, Sand Islands pretty out of the way." She explained with a small shrug. We kept talking until late that night before we noticed the room had cleared out. Peeking at my watch I realized that it was almost ten.

"Man it got late quick. We should head off to bed, flights at o-nine hundred tomorrow." I said stifling a yawn and stretching. Kei hopped up behind me, tripping over the small coffee table. I quickly dove and managed to catch her before she slammed into the corner of the table.

"Damn, that was close." She gasped as I set her back on her feet "Thanks Nathan, I owe ya one."

"Heh, is all good. You got this by yourself or I need to carry ya to your room?" I prodded, giving her shit. She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Yea totally, bet you'd just love that." She joked as we headed toward our rooms. 'You have no idea.' I thought to myself laughing at her remark.

"You know me, any chance to be the knight in shining armor." I shot back striking an over the top pose outside Kei's room.

"Good night Nathan." She said with a giggle as she opened her door.

"Good night Kei." I said with a smile before making my way down to my own room. 'Man, I'm fucked.'

August 31, 2010, 0530hrs

The unwelcome blaring of the alarm echoed through my room. 'Ughh, damn it.' The flight out to Sand Island leaves at 0900 sharp. 'So that leaves… three and a half hours… might as well get started.' With that thought I rolled out of bed and began to gather my odd assortment of junk that I've accumulated over the year. Fortunately, or not in the case of packing all my crap, the class this year was relatively small so most of the trainees were able to have their own room. With that said, it left me with more room to collect random odds and ends when on leave, most notable being an 18" replica of the 'Enterprise' from Star Trek: The Next Generation and several model planes. Finally digging out the boxes for everything I packed it all away in my duffel along with the few articles of clothing I owned. 'All done by 0627. Still enough time for me to shower, muster and grab some chow.'

Finally done with muster (where they went over, yet again, everyone's assigned flights) I managed to make it to the mess and grab some food. This morning was same as every other Sunday with OJ, sausage, eggs, and biscuits with butter; not all that bad, except for one thing: it came out of Heierlark's kitchen. The place was notorious for making anything taste like cardboard. I grabbed my tray and looked around the mess for a place to sit when I heard someone call. "Hey Blaze!"

Off to the left were James, one of the few cadets that didn't hate us, and Kei. I quickly hurried over and snagged one the empty seats across from Kei. "Hey James, Kei. Everyone excited?"

"Ha! Hell yeah man! They assigned me to the Capital Air Command Squadron." James practically yelled, while grinning ear to ear. The guy wasn't much to look at on the ground being only 5' 5" and scrawny but get him in a fighter and he's almost as good as me and Kei. "What about you? Tropical Island, I mean Oured's great but you and Edge totally won the lottery!"

"True but from what I hear its pretty far outa the way. Heh, just suppose I'll have to get familiar with the beaches there." I said while cramming an egg into my mouth. James was about to say something but was interrupted as the room fell dead silent when Lt. Col. Howard walked into the mess.

"Fulcher! Nagase! Change of plans, your flight is wheels up in twenty. Hanger A-6. Be on time!" He yelled out. We gave him a quick salute in response and he walked back out. Immediately the room erupted back into quiet chaos of cadets talking amongst each other, saying goodbyes, gossiping about their new postings, all the usual banter that goes about. James and Kei on the other hand were sharing confused looks with me.

"Why would just our flight change? Shouldn't there be like ten others they would have to talk to?" Kei thought aloud as she worriedly played with a sausage on her tray.

"Maybe they already told the others and just missed you two?" James put in between bites of a biscuit.

"I dunno guys, maybe it's just that Sand Island is too far out of the way for the other flights and they set us up on our own?" I offered standing up with my tray. "Well were not going to find out until were there. I hope to see ya around James."

"Yea, you're right." Kei agreed also standing before looking back with a smile. "And James? It was great to know you; we all have to stay in touch."

"Definitely! Well hurry up you guys, don't wanna piss off the brass by being late." James hollered after us with a smile of his own. The both of us took off to our rooms to get our duffels and find our flight. As we made our way out onto the tarmac there were three planes in front of the hanger we were told to meet at. There was an old C-1 cargo plane and two X-02 Wyverns with ISAF markings. One had the infamous Yellow Squadron paint scheme, with the number 013, and the other was a light blue whose only adornment was a blue Mobius ribbon painted under the cockpit and on the stabilizers.

"Ohh my gosh! Nathan! Do those two planes belong to who I think they do?!" Kei whispered frantically, pawing at my arm. The look of mild curiosity on my face morphed into one of dread and exasperation when I noticed the markings.

"Yep, that's Mobius One's plane." I said with an exasperated sigh as a trio of people walked out from behind the C-1. There was an older, balding man in a mechanics coverall, A woman with short auburn hair wearing a flight suit, and a quiet looking blonde man in a flight suit and leather aviator's jacket.

"NATHANIEL!" The woman screamed and nearly tackled me in a crushing hug much to the various crewmen of Heierlark and Kei's confusion.

"Hey, Gabby, you know I hate being called that and it's good to see you again." I said regaining my footing and returning the hug. Off in the background the two other men were watching with amused smirks. "So what are you guys doing here?"

"What? We can't just drop in and say hi?" She said with a knowing smirk. I gave her an annoyed glare to which she sighed. "Okay, We actually did come to say hi and also tell you that mom and dad are sorry they couldn't make it to your graduation ceremony. They had some issues with the house and had to stay in Gracemeria."

"Uh-huh, that's only half of it but I get the feeling that you're not going to tell me the rest are you?" I asked but only got a smirk and shake of the head in return. "Figures. So Danny, how ya been?"

"Same as usual, trying to keep your handful of a sister out of trouble." The man in the leather jacket said with a slight Erusian accent and a small grin. My sister scoffed at his remark and strode over to him.

"Ohh yes, cuz I always the one starting things or flying around in that stupid paint job that just SCREAMS 'Hey! Come shoot me!'" She taunted before purposely falling into him and looking up with a smile. "You're a sarcastic ass."

"It's what you love most about me." He stated simply and kissed her. I snickered a little at this and Kei stood there absolutely dumbstruck at the whole situation.

"Ummmm… Am I missing something here?" She finally asked once she regained her composure. We all did our best to hide our laughs as I patted her on the shoulder.

"Soooo I may have forgotten to mention that Mobius One is my sister." I said sheepishly and gestured to the pair in front of us. "So yea, that's Brigadier General Gabriella Fulcher, call sign: Mobius. And her fiancé, Colonel Daniel Marshall, current Mobius Two and ex Yellow Squadron member, call sign: Sparrow. Danny, Gabby, this is Second Lieutenant Kei Nagase, call sign: Edge."

"Ohh wow! It's an honor to meet you both. Especially you General Fulcher, I never got a chance to thank you." Kei beamed but got a confused look from Gabby. "You save me and my mom on that Air Ixiom flight six years ago."

"OH! I knew that name sounded familiar! Any time sweetheart." Gabby said with a warm smile. "Ohh and by the way, it's just Gabby."

"Of course Gen… um Gabby." She smiled. "So if it's not too much to ask, how did you two end up engaged? I mean you were on opposite sides of the war, hell even fought each other."

"Well that's quite the story miss and we need to get going." Danny explained, much to Kei's disappointment, before adding. "Luckily we have the flight to explain."

"And I suppose that's where I come into all of this." The balding man spoke up from beside his plane. "First Lieutenant Peter N. Beagle. But you all can call me Pops. I'm in charge of the maintenance crew for the 108th."

"It's a pleasure, sir." I said shaking his hand. "And sorry for not greeting you earlier, was terribly rude of me."

"Heh, as I said, call me Pops and its nothing. Family always takes priority." He said with a grin. "So let's load up and get going."

With that Me, Kei, and Pops all piled into the C-1 while Gabby and Danny went to their planes. We stowed out bags and strapped in as Pops made his way to the cockpit and began his preflight checks. Within minutes we were speeding down runway three and in the air. Pops yelled back into the cargo area where we were sitting "The fasten seatbelt light is now off and you're free to move about the cabin. Now if it's not too much trouble I would love some company and I do believe Mr. Marshall and your sister have a story to finish telling Ms. Nagase here."

Before I could blink, Kei had unbuckled and was in the co-pilots seat already on the radio. 'Man I almost feel sorry for Kei, Gabby's gunna talk her ear off.' I thought with a laugh as I stood behind the pilot's seat. "So Pops, why the private flight? I mean all the other graduates are all pooling on a bunch of C-5s to get dropped off."

"Well in all honesty, it's a favor to your father. I still owe him one from the Belkan War. He wanted to make sure you made it alright, some of the Grey Men got close this past year, and I figured I might as well pick up everyone else for the 108th too." He explained while off to the side Kei was still enamored by Gabby and Danny's story. They were at the part how they took off on their own after Stonehenge was destroyed and just flew and talked. Both of them caught so much hell from their commanding officers for that stunt.

"Yea, Danny told me about Patricia and how she first rotated into the squadron, how she never let anything happen to him. They were siblings in all but blood… I just wish she had bailed out that day."

"It's alright love, you know I don't blame you for anything and it's in the past now."

I smiled at how Kei seemed so lost in their story. She had this cute look of concentration and the smallest of smiles as the story went on. I turned my attention back to Pops with a concerned look "Did dad say how close it was?"

"They showed up at your old house in Bana." The aging pilot explained "There wasn't anything there but dust, but it's still a lot closer than before. Ahh! He told me to give this to ya."

He reached up and grabbed an envelope taped to the ceiling and handed it to me. It was addressed to me in my mom's handwriting.

Dear Nathan,

Hey sweetheart, I'm sorry dad and I couldn't make it to your graduation but we had to stay and finalize the deal with the realtor. Gracemeria is beautiful; you have to visit sometime. We really miss you. I'm sure Mr. Beagle already told you about the situation with the Grey Men. We're fine, Larry, Danny, and your sister helped us move and cover out tracks. Dad says hi and congratulations on becoming a pilot. We're both really proud of you. We hope to see you as soon as you can.

Love Mom & Dad.

PS: Dad says you can trust Mr. Beagle or a guy named Bartlett with anything and when you come to visit, you should bring your friend Kei. She sounds wonderful.

I went back to the cargo area and tucked the letter into one of the pockets in my bag. 'Heh, gosh mom, still trying to set me up. Still it's a great idea, Gracemeria is a beautiful city.' Looking back at the cockpit, it was clear that I wouldn't be missed. Pops was busy flying while Kei was still talking with Gabby and Danny. I figured that I'd just strap in and catch what sleep I could on the way to Sand Island.

AN: Okay and here's my first crack at the world of Strangereal. Nathan's character is going to be based entirely off my own personality as they never give you anything on Blaze in AC5. MAJOR hint as to who Nathan and Gabby's dad is. Anyways: enjoy, follow, fav, review all that fun junk. See ya next time