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[sub][color=Silver][i]Outskirts of Amone, September 9th - [b]Watching the Breach[/b][/i][/color][/sub]
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[color=Silver]	Trudging through the thick mud reminded her of a time where the elements were once again turned against them. During the first crossing of that blasted Maren River, one that Freya still had mild memories of its sensory output, she had been stuck in a deep hole, bundled up in dugout after dugout until the orders to retreat were finally given. That was the first time Freya had actually feared for her own life, which was something she never really showed to anyone apart from her own mirrored self. The Oceanic dame was more of a solitary expression of her own true emotions, finding that revealing them could dampen her relationship with Thomas and the others who seek guidance from her own free will. The thoughts of the Maren River being crossed under triumphant Imperial minds gave her headache after headache. Freya was scared of the time when she, and her faithful loyalist tutor, had been sat with mud almost up to their necks. Whilst there was a large amount of credit due and given to those who fought under the first formation of the [b]OEAC[/b], no one ever brought up the disheartening truth about their overlords threatening them at gunpoint, ordering them to remain in the artillery bombarded pits of thickened mud until they either ran out of ammo or died trying to expend it all. She sat there for days, days on end, praying to her family back home that she would walk out alive and well. It was a brutal reality. Not only had their journey to the Federation's homeland been sabotaged by invading Imperial fleets, but the slaughter had brutalised the [b]OEAC[/b] without any warning.

	The Maren River was a shit-show. If progress had told her anything, talks on the trains between officers had hinted that the Federation could be arriving and assaulting the same position in 1915EC. It was a scary thought, having to go back there, but with Thomas now by her side in their brave and unfathomable friendship she'd be under no false flags of warning. These were the times where she finally felt alive and that she meant something. Whilst she hadn't been promoted at all, mainly due to her relationship with the common man and the insubordination every now and then, she was still a highly respected individual, especially as a shocktrooper. Alongside Thomas, who'd already gained the name [i]Marathon[/i] for his gallant efforts in the Southern Frontier, they were unstoppable. The Federation and Imperials had both come to respect their unimaginable prowess.

	Now, though, she felt quite queasy by looking at the world of destruction around her. No longer was she back home or in some sandy plains of the South-lands, but instead she was once again trudging along the broken pathways of the Imperial and Federation's amassed conflict. Hundreds of homes and outskirted farms had been ransacked. Many had rotting wood, showing that perhaps the first time the city saw combat it was destroyed, and yet its remnants remained here untouched and as a grim reminder of what humanity had really descended into. She would question it to Jean on the train, having seen a few destroyed places along the way in smaller numbers, however Jean couldn't find any more of an answer than she had. Speaking of the Francian, the two had a strange connection. She didn't idolise him like she did with Thomas, yet she was definitely caught in his strange journey of redemption and purpose. Freya always was intrigued by the journeys of others. People like Michael and Franz, who'd she had spied on a few times on the train, also held such a large mystery, yet she was afraid to break the ice with them. For now, all that mattered was sticking by her mentor's side, teasing Jean occasionally, hugging Lucia and convincing her to act upon Michael and the regular stuff any Oceanic Soldier should approve.

	Whilst they scaled the pathways before them, she turned to Thomas, who'd been strangely quiet whilst fiddling around with the peculiar masks handed to them in their preparation phase. Freya gave him a strong beam and prodded his arm, simply looking towards him as if to ask what he was actually thinking and doing in that moment. Clearly understanding of her behaviour, the mighty Marathon looked down upon her and shook his head, before smiling and beginning the explanation she wanted to take her mind off of the war.[/color]

[color=5D7CFF][b]"D-yah think these masks are a lil' weird, Frey? I mean, I heard an officer mention they reminded him of old mining masks to help in hazardous conditions, but that ain't right for the whole surface war. Kind of has my mind in a boggle, but I can't imagine our [i]superior overlords[/i] are exactly thinking of ways to stoop the war lower than the bar had already gone."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Even for a war hero, Thomas was always trying to make sense of it too. They'd joined the war on pretty much the same day, making quick friends with one another as well as their large band of Oceanic friends they'd joined alongside. However, the naval invasion of the south, as well as the Maren river, had seen all of the friendship group that Thomas and Freya held together descend to the two remaining soldiers. None of their other friends continued to live, and thus they were almost quite untrusting towards making more comrades like such. Thomas was far too damaged by the reduction of their friendship circle, but Freya was even better at hiding it.[/color]

[color=FF0202][b]"I...I never really thought to question it. I mean, it looks a bit spooky, y'know. Ol' mask and all could be a scare tactic for the Imperials so why can't we do it too? Either way, I just want to get this siege over and done with."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]She sighed heavily, burying her hands into her head with an exhaustion of her own war effort. She'd been drained over the last three years of conflict and it was almost time for her to call quits, if the army would actually let her of course.[/color] [color=FF0202][b]"I heard, though, that we may be the ones to break the siege. Y'know, send in the Oceies to pick up the pieces and prop the Imperial buggers up the backside."[/b][/color]

[color=5D7CFF][b]"Come on, Frey, you know that they ain't telling the slight bit of truth. I'll be damned if I make it out of Amone without taking some bloody bullet from some cunt-of-a-marksman. Imperials seem to like using their little spy-boys from afar on us shocktroopers."[/b][/color]

[color=Silver]	The two chuckled. Of course, he was untrustworthy of the officers once again. According to him Thomas had never encountered a single officer of the Federation army who treated them with dignity and kindness. There were a few exceptions that Freya could think of, but that could've only been because she'd maybe set herself up for a single-night stand for the sake of kicking away boredom.[/color]

[color=FF0202][b]"Fuckin' hell. Look at the state of that wall. Bloody great hole in it you'd think it's Lucia's arse after a date with-"[/b][/color]

[color=5D7CFF][b]"Don't finish that sentence, Frey."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]With a courteous, yet humorous, shake of his head, he sighed heavily and looked back down towards her.[/color] [color=5D7CFF][b]"Leave the poor gal alone. She ain't in need of that sort of drive you keep blabbering on about. What's even your obsession with setting others up for that?"[/b][/color]

[color=FF0202][b]"I'm just saying, Thom, there comes a time where a girl or boy of her age must come to learn the beauty of getting-"[/b][/color]

[color=5D7CFF][b]"Yeah...I regret asking."[/b][/color]