As far as Doug was concerned, the Megalopolans were to be kept in a prison for their entire life. He knew reality was not likely so kind, but believing it was preferable to the alternative.

Though the Soldiers moved with the precision and discipline one would hope from a military unit, Andy's more reckless and open strafing maneuvers served to throw the already unnerved and off guard Megalopolans further, as it did not match any of the intel on the Hoenn Military's tactics that they had come to learn during the war.

Eventually, Doug and a few other members of the squad all managed to corner and Capture the Camp's commanding officer.

In the end... the reason for the covert nature of the Megalopolan group became rather obvious.

Ultra Beasts had scarcely been used at all by the enemy- and the ones that had been used, such as the Commander's personal beast, did not compare in strength to the ones that had featured in the war.

Just as the Scientists of the League had hypothesized, extended periods of time away from Ultra Space had weakened the Ultra Beasts.

"Last one." Doug said as the last of the Megalopolans was restrained and put to sleep, looking over the large group of Megalopolans silently before speaking into his comms. "That's a wrap, Everyone. Bring 'er around to our current coordinates, Private."

With that last order, it wouldn't be long before their transport arrived to carry them and their quarry back to HQ.

The military memes mission was over.

Only one problem left.

"Sergeant." A single soldier spoke, approaching the young man. "We found the sentry, as you ordered. It was, uh... beyond neutralized."

Doug took a deep breath at that.

"It was, wasn't it?" He said, gritting his teeth tightly behind his closed mouth, craning his head back to breath deeply... before releasing another deep breath.

"Was it...?"

"I screwed up and got us found out. So we had no choice." He lied through his teeth, face blank. "I'll report it to command myself. Understood?"

"Sir!" The man saluted in response, before pulling away.

---

TAG: Andy Blackadder

Doug flinched when Andy suddenly spoke up, not aware the youth had been nearby. Or perhaps, he had been trying his best to ignore his presence.

His mouth clenched as his gulped for air, his stomach suddenly unwilling to cooperate with him.

A few deep breathes...

"Not just any. Not for this one." Said Doug as he released a small puff of air. He looked up, feigning interest in the starry night sky of the desert to avoid looking up at the other kid. "I was allowed to choose from applicants, and ya were eager to come. So I chose told command I had an applicant o' my own, and brought'cha along."

In retrospective, perhaps he should've questioned Andy's unexplained zeal on the matter. He knew by now the other kid had no interest in helping the League under normal circumstances.

Andy's next words drew another breath from Doug.

"Andy." Said Doug. "I don't care 'bout appearances."

If he did, he wouldn't wear a straw hat. Or speak like a hick. Or invite boys on dates out in the open.

"And I'll never tell anyone to not defend themselves from harm. But..." He paused. And shuddered.

"I..." His mind went back to several dozen minutes ago, to the sound of crunching bone, to the feeling of splattering gore on his face and the taste of blood on his tongue.

The youth visibly sickened, lurching forward while holding his mouth.

Perhaps he just wasn't meant to be a Soldier after all.

"I... I can't just kill a helpless man." He said as he managed to swallow his own vile... before finally standing to his full height, and facing Andy, his expression serious. "Nor am I allowed to. The Laws of war prohibit make it illegal to attack a helpless enemy. Yer not a soldier, Andy, nor even of age... so I'll have to falsify my report."

---

TAG: Andy Blackadder

Doug stared at Andy blankly, the other's youths words almost incomprehensible to him. They were spoken with the same voice he had grown to appreciate, with the same heated tone he had come to find more amusing than annoying or terrifying... But they brought nothing but confused revulsion to his chest.

He could not agree to this. To treating a person that looked like a human, spoke like a human, was sentient like a human as no more than vermin...

A flawed perspective, perhaps. Undeniably so, some would say. Man eating, alien warlords. Was there any reason to hold anything but contempt for them, after everything they had done?

What made them different from the Rockets he had despised so much? Both had brought death to his family. And yet...

Even rockets, he knew, he would not be able to kill.

"Heh. Hehehe..." The youth chuckled, then giggled. He dragged a hand to his face, pressing index and thumb against his eyes as his frame quaked in apparent amusement. "Maybe... I'm the problem after all. Haha!"

He was trying to laugh so hard, but his mind could only keep going back to the decapitated corpse, the more he looked at Andy, the more he thought about his words.

His digits couldn't keep the tears from welling up behind his lids.

He stopped laughing.

"Andy. I don't... think I can look at you right now." He said, even as his hand dropped back to his sides and he forced himself to stare at the other youth. The tears ran freely, even as he forced his usual smile. "I'm sorry."

He turned on his heel and began marching towards the transport, stopping at the door.

"I'll... call you when I can, okay?"

Hopefully.

---

TAG: Andy Blackadder