The Atlas Elite (Male OC x Blake Belladonna)

Chapter 2B: Recruitment

James Ironwood PoV, James Colt age 15 

"Sir... he's a child. We can't have him fight." Winter tells me. 

"That's why he isn't fighting. The kid has shown an uncanny understanding of tactics and battle awareness. Simply passing him up would be a mistake." 

"He's 15, the legal age to join the army is 16. This is simply immoral!" 

"Morality was lost when the White Fang blew up a factory filled with innocent humans!" I slam the desk I'm sitting at. 

"What makes you think he can do what our tacticians can't?" 

"Because he already has." I pull up a video of the kid named James Colt beating one of our highest tacticians in a game of chess at the park. 

"Chess and war are different!" 

"True. But he also has the highest grades in his school and even knows how to use a sword, not that our position will have him using one. It's rare we can find someone like this, Winter." 

"I'm against it... but I'll go with you." 

"Great, because you'll be personally advising him." 

"What?!" 

James Colt PoV 

A ring comes from the doorbell. 

"Got it!" Dad yells, getting up from his seat. He walks to the door and opens it. "Um... you lost?" I lean over and see a woman with white hair, her arms crossed behind her back. She looks like... a Schnee? Maybe? 

"I'm not lost at all. My name is Specialist Winter Schnee..." Yup. "I'm here about your son. He's caught the attention of General James Ironwood." Dad straightens up. 

"What do you want?" 

"We wish to run your son through a few scenarios, and if he does well, we'd like him to join the Atlesian Military as a tactician." My mom comes from downstairs, wondering what the hell is going on. 

"We won't let you take James." Mom steps next to dad. 

"He won't be in combat at all, he'll be staying in the HQ, safe." 

"He's-" I cut mom off. 

"I want to do it." 

"James!" Dad shouts at me. 

"You know it's my dream to be a soldier! I won't let you take this away from me!" 

"But-" 

"I'll go with you, Winter. Just let me grab my sword." I walk upstairs, grabbing Primrose. I slide it out of its sheathe a big, a few inches of its yellow blade exposed. If you listen closely, you can hear electricity flow through the blade. I put on my magnetic belt and attach the sheathe to it, walking down. 

"James, please-" 

"I'm going. I have... you know what? I want to do it. I've worked for this." I walk past them and out the door, and Winter is waiting for me. He leads me to a big black truck, and the inside is really nice. We both hop in the back, the chairs are flipped around so we're facing each other. 

"You should've said no." Winter tells me immediately. "You're supposed to be smart, I thought you'd see what you're getting into." 

"I know exactly what I'm doing. Look, I've always wanted to be a soldier. Not the kind that sits in a big HQ, but one who fights and protects the people of Atlas. And I'm doing that when I turn 16." 

"I knew you'd say something like that... well, you get to do some tests, and if you pass, you'll be a tactician. 

"So, are they written or what? 

"Yes. Just a few pages of random questions and scenarios." 

"Makes sense." The rest of the ride passes in silence, and I get to HQ. She unlocks the door by holding an ID up to it, and it's immediately loud. It's massive, open halls and members of the military mingling. Winter turns down a hall, so I catch up and she leads me into an empty room, a piece of paper on an empty desk. Winter hands me a pen. 

"Good luck." 

I'm not writing out a whole testing segment, it's a waste of everyone's time. Anyways, Ironwood PoV. 

"See? I told you the kid is brilliant." I hold up his test results to Winter.

"They're slightly above average..." she seems unimpressed. 

"It was taken by a boy who has had no special education in this. It's something to behold. Give him some extra training, he'll be leading missions from the war room." 

"About that... he said he was going to be a soldier the moment he becomes 16. His birthday is in half a month... (Which will be around the end of the first semester, so around the beginning of vol. 2 is his birthday.)" 

"And training takes about half a month... great." Well that throws some plans in the garbage. 

"A field tactician could be helpful, I guess?" 

"True, we are lacking in that department... well, he can go right into Bravo then." 

"You want me to advice him?" 

"Exactly. Get him his sidearm and we can be on our ways." 

"I'll pick one up for him right now..." she walks out, clearly frustrated. I open my scroll, viewing a camera with James on it. 

"Welcome aboard, kid." 

James Colt PoV 

Did... did I pass? It was hard, but I think I did fine. I've been sitting in this room for an hour now, so I've just been on my scroll, playing games. The door opens, and Winter enters. She has a small box in hand. 

"Congratulations, Colt. You've been accepted into basic training." She puts the box down in front of me, so I open it. There's a pistol in it, a large semiautomatic pistol, colored white and black. The Atlesian Crest is pasted on the grip. She hands me a holster for it, which I loop through my belt. "We just need to register your sword and you're free to leave for the time being." 

"Oh, alright. When does training start?" 

"Tomorrow. Be ready."