Information

ZeAro has a minion!

Scout the Kizzal

ZeAro
Legacy Name: ZeAro

The

Marsh Archan
Owner:

Lion_Crab

Age: 14 years, 6 months, 1 week

Born: October 22nd, 2009

Adopted: 14 years, 6 months, 1 week ago (Legacy)

Adopted: October 22nd, 2009 (Legacy)

Statistics

Level: 108
Strength: 270
Defense: 162
Speed: 125
Health: 126
HP: 123/126
Intelligence: 136
Books Read: 123
Food Eaten: 2
Job: Ring Announcer

Full Name: ZeAro Kingsley

Nickname: Z

Age: 32 (26 in profile story)

Gender: Male

Occupation: Soldier/CW3, Black Hawk & Apache Pilot

Significant other: Bernadettera

Theme Song: American Soldier

Story

The guys always come to Zearo's house on the base, every Sunday afternoon. They go through an alarming number of energy bars and Zoom Sodas while laughing over the exploits displayed on the latest operation.

"No way. N-o-o-o way did Jimmy Kanis actually try to write his girlfriend's name with flare smoke. I'm not buying that one with a hundred point voucher."

Roger (the most unfortunately named member of the squad) bobs his head up and down. "Dude, I'm totally serious. Colonel Celinoxious just about popped the buttons off his jacket when he saw that bird go into a tailspin, all so Jimmy could make a major spelling fail. The idiot actually made a U instead of an A when he tried to write Sally. You can bet old Sullivan Celinox didn't care to be courted by a kanis at five thousand feet."

Zearo's roar of laughter is by far the most impressive, as he's the only one in the bunch with an actual roar.

"Come on, Zee. You've been awful quiet today. Tell us about the oasis run."

Zearo flashes his fangs in a grin. "You chelons can't even make Dune Beach before you have to refuel and you want me to give you the best combat story out of the Sacred Lands?"

"Aw come on. Don't turn into Maleria on us. Just give us the scoop, man."

Zearo unsheathes his claws one at a time, thinking it over. "Alright, here's what happened..."

*****

"We were coming in from the east, flying low to scout for any outlanders. You know how they like to make their approach at night so we waited to make our run until right around the sunset hour."

"Scout was manning the tail gun. He was the first to spot the bogies coming in from the north. There were three of them. I don't know what they were, but they were ugly. They had these sort of steel in the shafts of their feathers and glaring red eyes that opened and closed like the lens on a camera. These things made the Flying Festers look like kids with cardboard wings. I've never seen anything that could maneuver like that and you know I'm no green pilot."

"Scout's manning the gun, trying to scare the creatures off. The last thing we wanted was to have them taking an interest in the Sacred Lands market. Wouldn't want the desert scum making us look like we can't do our jobs. Scout was hitting them with our best artillery and all he managed to do was annoy them. I saw one shiny feather fall to the ground before these creatures finally decided we were worth attacking."

"I've trusted that old Apache with my life more times than I care to count but I knew she couldn't hold up against those Blackmoon mutants or whatever they were. I was dodging and swooping, looping and swerving. I was trying tricks that are still theoretical just to keep these things from ripping me apart like a used tissue. Somewhere in the back of my mind, those prayers to Shinwa they teach us all in school were playing in my head like a recording. I really didn't think I was going to walk away from this one."

"They all just sort of froze in midair. I've never seen anything like it. I'm guessing they were responding to some signal. One minute, they're about to totally destroy me. The next they're shooting toward SAI headquarters like somebody set those shiny feathers on fire. Command won't say a word."

*****

Scarab slaps him on the back. "You old sky pirate. You've had your head above the clouds too long and the altitude's starting to get to you."

Zearo gives him a playful shove in return. "You should talk. If you crashed as many real birds as you have on the simulator, they'd throw you in jail on suspicion of being an enemy agent. I'm amazed they granted you your wings."

"That stupid machine's nothing like a real flight and you know it."

Adette steps onto the porch, her sky blue apron dusted with flour. Even when she is at home, it seems the talented baker cannot entirely escape the urge to bake. "I think it's about time you soldier boys were heading home. Your own wives will no doubt be wondering where you are and whether they should give your suppers to the cat."

Zearo kisses his wife on the cheek as the guys slap him high fives and toss their cans in the wire basket Adette was smart enough to set out. They'll see each other in the morning at briefing. Some of them may even go up together.

Adette has prepared a fine meal but she takes little interest in eating it. "They're sending you up again, aren't they? They said you'd have a whole week to spend with us but don't think I don't pick up any of that mumbo jumbo code that comes through the set."

He holds her when she growls and tries to shove him away. He kisses her until she cries in his arms. It's like this every time he has a mission coming up. In the past it was so easy to laugh away her silly superstitions but he can't unsee those creatures that fit no description of Subetan natives.

Story by Pureflower