Molly's Pawnshop.

  The Colonel sighed wearily as he climbed the steps to Molly's apartment above the pawnshop. While his body ached and he was tired after the day's key event, he couldn't help but feel disappointed.

  Today was the day that he and some of the other Red Cap officers joined the National Guard for a training exercise. He and the others had woken up bright and early, assembled their kits, bit into some bread and cheese, and headed off to training with the cool crisp winter air stinging their throats and lungs as they hurried to the field where the exercise was to be held.

  When they finally arrived they found the location almost completely void of life! At first he thought that perhaps that they missed the time or even gotten it wrong. Some even suggested that there wasn't one to begin with and the humans had no intention of training them.

  Contradictory, they were both fortunate and unfortunate that it was merely the former. Fortunately, this meant that the humans actually intended to train them. Unfortunately, the lone sergeant that showed up looked like he had crawled from his bed just moments ago.

  Said Sgt seemed less than thrilled at the prospect of training than the Colonel and the other Red Caps but figured it was on account of the cold. After all, surely a military force wouldn't be hampered by the early time would they?

  Except this was proven true as the rest of the National Guard grunts slowly trickled onto the half frosted field. Barely a single one was properly dressed and ready for training. They wore thick coats dabbled the dark green color that the local army favored and about a third of them even had weapons!

  The Colonel and the other Red Caps looked on as the sergeant in charge merely lit a cigarette and ordered them all to do some simple physical training. Jumping Jacks, push ups, sit ups, basic standard workouts.

  Which wasn't necessarily the problem. The problem came when half of the grunts could barely make it a third of the way through before stopping and either sitting or laying down! All the while the sergeant continued his smoke and looked on boredly.

  It got to the point that the Red Caps got through not only their own "ordered" sets but even continuing on to complete their standard training quota. By the time they had finished they realized that they were being glared at by the grunts. The Colonel heard some muttered curses about "over achievers".

  But the Colonel didn't understand what the problem was. Surely soldiers were supposed to be in top fighting shape to defend not only themselves but others, yet these grunts seemed like it was some sort of bother to be doing what he could only attribute was the bare minimum of physical training.

  Then finally came what should've been the highlight of the entire thing. Weapons training. Which ended before it could even begin on account of some of the grunts "forgetting" their rifles back in their bunks, those that were brought weren't in the best of condition either as evidenced by flecks of rust and built up grime.

  So with that their training with the grunts came to an end. The Colonel and the others watched stupefied as the grunts and the sergeant stamped out his smoke before following after them as they talked about visiting their favorite girls or what sounded like best about things.

  "Was that it?" One of the other Red Caps asked as they watched the grunts leave with no small measure of both confusion and anger.

  The Colonel felt the same. Was this truly the same force that had challenged the creatures and people on the mountain? Were they the same that protected the people? It couldn't be, he thought. This must've been some sort of hazing for them.

  Right?

  But the more he thought about it, the more it made a sickening sense. He had heard from the General that the standards for the National Guard were different compared to the army of the country they were in. But was it truly this lax? For what, to his mind, should be the last or even first line of defense against an enemy, depending on circumstance, what he just saw was utterly woeful and inadequate!

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  His thoughts turned to the weapons they wielded as they may hold the answer. When added, it made sense why they wouldn't be more physically trained if they could kill an enemy long before they ever came close to melee combat.

  But not to this degree, the Colonel thought as he and the other Red Caps decided to continue their own training after the embarrassing display they had born witness to. Anger, determination, and self pride kept them warm in the cold air and frosted grass.

  The cold on the other hand kept them from sweating too bad. Which was a small blessing. But it didn't help the lingering feeling of disappointment they felt as they made their way back to town.

  He walked through the street, not paying any mind to the looks he got from the newcomers. He couldn't even take his anger out on a criminal captive. Since the display near the mountains not long ago the undesirables have kept a low profile. What few they managed to catch, some cutpurses and pickpockets, they turned over to the National Guard for them to deal with.

  Though if their handling of prisoners was even remotely like their training today, then perhaps the Red Caps should hold onto the more... aggressive criminals that crop up from time to time.

  He fingered the cane knife he had strapped to his thigh as he stood in front of the door to Molly's apartment. There were talks among him and the other officers about maintaining the former status quo in terms of how they handled prisoners.

  Were the guns that the National Guard had the only thing keeping the town together at the moment? The Colonel thought for a moment of what creatures he knew of that might not care for the weapons. Most were underground dwellers that lived deep within the Umberdwell.

  Creatures more stone than flesh. Some being the size of mountains. Creatures that moved with eerie silence and deadly speed. That and more lurked in the dark depths of their former world. He didn't know for sure what all lurked beneath this one, but he was sure that the local National Guard wasn't near as prepared as they should be. Equipment wise sure. But physically? Mentally? No. About the only one among them that had even the general idea of what to expect was the Major General. But from what he's learned from the semi-frequent meetings they've had, he had to be very careful about what his men were allowed to know.

  From what the Colonel gathered it was the humans in black suits that were in charge, even if not officially, and all it would take is a sufficiently big mess for them to take charge officially and use the National Guard as they see fit, whatever that meant.

  So the Colonel opened the door to the apartment. Tired in more than just body as he had plenty to think and dwell upon. He was brought from his dark musings by the sound of talking. He wandered a little further in and spotted Molly sitting down with a familiar elven woman.

  "There you are! How did it go?" Molly asked as the silver-haired Sylvia winced as she tried to turn her head to the side to glance at him.

  He walked over towards the table and stood at Molly's side, bent down and gave her a kiss, and answered.

  "It was... expected."

  "Expected? What's that mean?" Sylvia asked as she sucked on a cold cup of water.

  She was looking a lot better now, the Colonel thought as he noted the worst of the bruising and swelling had gone down enough that she didn't wince or flinch at every little thing that brushed against her.

  "It means that things were as expected." The Colonel replied.

  "So not good I take it?" Molly asked and got up to refill Sylvia's glass of water.

  "It could've gone better is all I'll say."

  "I could've told you that. National Guard had two kinds of people. Those that want to serve their countries but can't handle bein' deployed overseas like the regular enlisted. And Weekend Warriors. Those that show up, do the bare minimum on base, and leave with their pay." Molly replied as she returned and gave the elf her glass before sitting down at the table.

  "But they're soldiers! Where's the pride? Where's the discipline?!"

  "If it were any other National Guard I'd say they weren't all that bad. But the National Guard here in West Virginia has a... let's just say less than ideal history."

  "I've heard. But that should make them want to be better shouldn't it?"

  "You'd think. But bad blood runs like the rivers here and just as deep. Wouldn't surprise me if some of that lot heard tales from their grandparents about what happened and think that they didn't go far enough. Almost makes me wish this mess would get sorted out soon so they'll leave. As much good as they're doin' it's only a matter of time before someone decides now's a good time to settle old scores."

  "So we picked a good time to run for our lives then?" Sylvia asked with a hollow chuckle which she winced from.

  "I just don't get it is all! Thousands of miles of land, hundreds of cities, and they decide to just corral you all up here?!"

  "We've offered shelter." The Colonel stated half-heartedly.

  "I know you have, it just feels like there's a better way. That all this is doin' is shakin' a soda can and waitin' for it to blow!"

  "Soda?" Sylvia asked.

  "A sweet syrup drink that tastes too sweet and makes your teeth rot." The Colonel replied.

  "Hey! It ain't that sweet!" Molly replied.

  "It was like drinking raw sugar! Just thinking about that can you wanted me to try makes my teeth ache!"

  The two bickered on for a time. Sylvia watched with a smile that didn't hurt as much as it normally would given her state. Eventually the two of them came to a standstill and things quieted down and they just enjoyed the day for a time in quiet.

  "Well, should I escort you back to the hospital Ms. Sylvia?" The Colonel offered.

  Before she could respond, Molly piped up.

  "Oh she's stayin' here with me!"

  Before the Colonel or she could respond she continued with a determined look at the elf.

  "She'll stay here and continue gettin' back on her feet! She'll even help around the shop, learn a thing or two."

  "Molly that's-" Sylvia started before stopping at the determined look in her eye.

  The elf sighed.

  "Fine. Thank you. I'll help out however I can."

  "Good! Then, when this whole mess is done and over with, you can take what you learned, and go wherever you want with it!" Molly replied.

  The elf simply smiled as Molly turned towards the Colonel to discuss dinner, leaving Sylvia to simply bask in the warmth that for once in her life felt like true friendship and love.