Brothers in Arms

Eclipse/Topaz: Stand Up Comedy Isn't a Joke!

As I slowly wake, I'm washed in a soothing wave of serenity and comfort, feeling entirely at peace with myself and the world.

Of course, this makes me immediately suspicious.

I quickly bolt upright and tense, glancing around the room, thoroughly ready to confront whatever supernatural thing has given me a pleasant morning. I peer at the walls, suspicious that something must have changed--but I find nothing out of the ordinary. Shrugging, I snuggle back under the covers, amazed that I'm actually feeling so well-rested and comfortable.

Then, I realize.

Of course.

It's not the room that's changed; it's me. I've finally experienced a moment where I was genuinely at peace with myself, where nightmares didn't haunt me through my resting hours. Maybe, at last, I've come to terms with my past and my present, letting go of the pain, trauma, anguish, and guilt that have plagued me for so long.

That, or I was just comatose from exhaustion. I mean, I did lose my species for the second time yesterday, after all.

But, I'd rather not think about that.

It really is a pleasant morning, barring the fact my body thinks being well-rested is wrong. The air of the room is cooler than it might usually be, while I am beneath a warm blanket. My muscles might ache were it not for the soft mattress supporting them, but they send no complaints to me. Even my mind appears to have had a restful night, which I did not expect to have after yesterday. All in all, everything seems about as blissful as could be, and I relish in it.

Unsure what to do and unwilling to leave my rare experience of true comfort, I remain in bed, dozing off and on without concern for the time. If I'm late to some unknown event, then let someone come and wake me. I'm making use of this opportunity.

Surprisingly, though, my peace goes uninterrupted, and I drift back awake after a wonderful nap, still feeling fantastic. This time, I'm more awake than previously, and I shift over in bed to look at the door, wrapping my blanket around myself in cozy defiance of anyone entering.

The longer I stare at it, though, the more I start to feel as if I'm missing something. I feel wonderful; surely, there are equally wonderful things outside my door, fleeting enjoyments that aren't waiting for me to get out of bed.

I roll to the edge, carefully disentangling myself from the covers as I wonder what I should do. A small package on my recently-acquired desk catches my eye; curious, I stand and walk over, sure I would have noticed had someone come in and left it. A quick sniff of the faded scents tells me it was left yesterday evening, before I returned to my room. It's no surprise I didn't notice it; I was dead tired after everything that happened.

Could it be the supplies Commander Tower mentioned? I wonder, turning it over a few times in my hands and gently shaking it. I don't hear much movement from whatever's inside, so it's probably something soft or well-packaged; I guess the former. Finally, my curiosity grows too much, and I set the box back down.

I slice through the tape excitedly with a sharp claw, opening it to reveal several plastic-wrapped bundles of...cloth? I remove one and slip it out of its plastic covering, shaking out the item and finding with surprise that it's a formal jacket to a uniform. I glance back at the box, unsure where to put the jacket while I'm inspecting the rest of the garments, eventually just resting it on my chair. Also included in the box is a keycard, which has a paper explaining my permittance to access any unclassified area of G.U.N. and quite a few classified ones. I pick it up slightly reverently, knowing it's a mark of serious trust from the Commander.

As I had suspected, the other bundles are a white, formal button-down shirt and a pair of dark blue dress pants that match the jacket, both made with strategic buttons and snaps to accomodate my crests. In addition, I find two gray t-shirts for casual wear and gray sweatpants, as well as... I peer at the last item, which is also blue, turning it over in an attempt to discern its purpose. It takes me a while to find its tag, which I know represents the top back of the item, but even orienting the thing correctly doesn't alleviate my confusion. It's simply a strip of cloth, narrower on one end than the other, that could be worn anywhere on the torso. Curious, I hold it up to my chest, determining it's too thin to fit there. I move it down, grinning successfully when I discover it's the same width as my hips.