Aziel Martins stood in front of the full-length mirror and tucked up her black hair under the black army issued hat. Her pale fingertips running over her soft cheeks as she wondered what to do about the lack of manly features. Looking about the room, her sharp gray eyes stopped on the grill just outside her bedroom door that led out to the backyard. Coming up with an idea, she swiftly crossed the room and pulled open the slide door. Lifting up the grill's lid, she scrubbed off some of the black charcoal that had settled on the inside of the grill. Brushing it lightly on the skin under her nose then down around her mouth and on her chin before moving her blacked fingertips up about a centimeter along her jaw bone. Returning inside, she checked her appearance in the mirror and gave a satisfied smile as she had added a manly feature that fit her perfectly. Having to admit to herself that she made a pretty good-looking man. Wiping off the charcoal on her loose fitting, black cargo jeans, she fixed the right sleeve of her black, loose shirt. Grabbing the army issued vest, she slipped it on over the shirt and tightened it a bit so it looked like it was fitting her form correctly but not enough to show the curve of her breasts.<br/><br/>Checking her appearance once more in the mirror, she started from the heavy black combat boots all the way to the black hat keeping her hair tucked up inside. Reaching over the back of her couch, she grabbed her gray camo backpack stuffed with everything she would need, hitching it up onto her shoulder as she headed to the door. Stopping next to the small half-table set up next to the front door, she looked down at the cumpled up letter on top of it. Hesitating, she reached out for it and picked it up. Reading the neat cursive written in black ink of the front of the envelope, she could feel the burning sensation of tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Rubbing the tears away with her forearm, she took a few calming breaths before tossing the letter in the trash. Opening her front door, she stepped out of her house and closed the door behind her. Turning, she fitted the silver key into the hole and turned it till she heard the click.<br/><br/>Bending down, she hid the key in a small, shallow hole underneath the cement step. Taking one last look at her two story, country house before stepping off the porch and heading to her old, pick-up truck. Tossing her backpack in the bed of the truck, she opened the drivers side door and climbed into it. Starting it up, she pulled out of the dirt dirveway and onto the highway. Picking up the speed to 85 mph, she watched her land and house fade away in the rear-view mirror. It would probably be the last time she would see her dream house that she had worked so hard for. Looking back at the road before her, she shrugged her shoulders to loosen them up as she prepared herself for the long drive to base.<br/>~~~~~~~<br/><br/>Aziel gave the officer at the base camp gate a two-fingered salute as she drove past. The officer only nodded her way before resuming his post, figuring the boy would learn soon enough not to be so relaxed in the middle of war. She couldn't help but smile at th seriousness of the man, driving on inside the base as she reached for a piece of paper that would tell her where she needed to be. Bending down a bit, she tried to keep her eyes on the road as she rooted around in the glove compartment for the paper. Glancing away for just a moment, she saw one of the corners to the yellow slip of paper and quickly grabbed it before sitting back up straight. Looking back out in front of her, she saw runway for the planes ahead and stopped on the outside of the ten foot tall fence. Turning off her truck, she glanced down at the piece of paper and read through it before crumpling it up. Tossing it the the floor of the truck, she opened her door and slipped out of her truck. Landing with a light splash in the muddy puddeled earth below, she shut her truck door and didnt bother to lock it since there wasn't anything of value inside.<br/><br/>Reaching into the bed of her truck, Aziel pulled up her rucksack and hiked it up on her left shoulder. Taking a quick look around, she watched the many soldiers running about like ants to do their job and the armored trucks driving in then out of the base camp. Looking up at the gray, pregnant clouds above, she watched the copper colored bottoms of the airships cutting through the clouds like sea made ships do with water. Coughing lightly as the cold air stung her throat, she rubbed her hands together to create some hot friction then turned and headed for the small airport made for departing as well as returning soldiers.<br/><br/>Reaching the entrance, she pulled out her ID card and looked it over one more time. Her name was John Martins, she was 24 years old and this was her first year on the field. That was all the important stuff she needed to know as she approached the doors. Two officers were standing at both of the doors, checking ID cards then letting the soldiers in. Going over to the younger of the two men, she handed him her ID card and felt nervousness settle in as the man frowned for a moment before handing it back. "Go ahead. You'll want to be at gate 2 in the next five minutes or they'll leave without ya," he advised as he held open the door for her. Nodding, she smiled her thanks before walking in and jogging towards gate 2. Flashing her ID card one more time to the three men waiting by the airplane's open hatch, one of them nodded his approval before pointing to the open seat at the end of the long row against the wall. Jogging up the ramp, she slowed to a walk as she got inside but swiftly manuevered her way through the airplane's crew and took her seat. Strapping herself in and holding her backpack to her chest like all the other men were doing. This was it. There was no turning back now. Aziel Martins was going into war and she most likely wouldn't return, but she had to try.<br/><br/><a class="postlink" href="http://media.otakuzone.com/store/user/123008/T128469643975e87c001363154c67d9847cc4cb452af6.jpg">[ img ]</a>