"Well... At least it's not raining..." I said sadly as I left the barracks. Although a distant rumble of thunder told me it soon would be. I sighed and looked at my phone as I began my journey home. My name is Xeron Sylphia, I'm a Delta Species Greninja, and I am... Sorry... Was... A highly respected soldier, but I've been put on temporary leave. My brother, Ryko, was killed in front of me, and I apparently have PTSD as a result. 

"At least you're still by me Emily..." I sniffed, looking at a picture of my gorgeous girlfriend on my phone. The Anthro Hoopa had been my girlfriend for nearly 6 years, and although the last 4 years I'd spent away from her in the Army, I loved her more than anything. 

"I hope she picks up..." I said as I dialled her number, but I was met with her answering message. "Hey! It's Emily Wildfire! I can't pick up right now, so please leave a message! Thanks!" Came her beautiful voice. "Dammit..." I groaned as the first drops of rain hit me. "Emily? It's Xeron... I've been put on temporary leave so... I'm on my way home. I hope you aren't disappointed in me... Bye..." I said, trying not to cry as I hung up.

"Come on!" I growled, smacking myself in the face. "I'm a soldier!" I yelled, trying to stop myself from giving in, but I couldn't help but tear up. "Ugh... Dammit..." I sobbed as I walked home through the pouring rain.

 As I reached the front door of our home, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. "Huh. Emily must have forgot to close it." I muttered as I pushed it open. "Emily? I'm home!" I called out, expecting my sexy Hoopa to throw herself at me and hug me, but I was met with silence.

"Emily?!" I called out again, dropping my backpack by the door and closing it quietly, before pulling my handgun out and moving through the room. "Oh no..." I said as I noticed a huge bloodstain on the wall. "That's... Shoulder height." I growled. 

I followed the trail of blood to my basement door, and pulled on the top of my gun until it clicked, indicating that a bullet had entered the chamber. "Okay you son of a bitch..." I growled to myself as I pushed the door open. 

I reached for the light switch and flicked it, but the light remained off. "Dammit. I need to replace that." I thought as I snuck down the stairs into the basement. Then I heard a groan. "Ohhh... My head..." Came the feminine and very familiar voice. "Emily?!" I exclaimed, running to the Hoopa's aid.

"Xeron?! Oh I'm so glad..." Emily replied, clutching her shoulder. "Oh Arceus..." I teared up, dropping my handgun as I hugged her. "What happened?" I asked, staring into her eyes. "Someone broke in... I tried to run but he shot me..." She replied, moving her hand to reveal her right shoulder.

There was a serious bullet wound in her shoulder. It didn't look life-threatening, but I wasn't going to take any chances. "It's not as bad as it looks Xeron... Don't worry..." Emily groaned. I looked at her. "I can't just leave it! It could get infected." I replied, grabbing a first-aid kit from my workbench. Taking disinfectant and anaesthetic from it, I numbed her arm using the anaesthetic and then cleaned the wound. 

"Okay... I need to get the bullet out now... I'll be as gentle as I can but it will hurt a little." I explained. Emily nodded and smiled. "I'll be okay. Just be quick." She replied. I nodded and carefully pulled the bullet out using a pair of tweezers. Emily grit her teeth as I removed it, and I kissed her cheek after I got it out.

"Good girl..." I told her, trying to stop her from crying. "Thanks Xeron..." She sniffled. I put a gauze on the wound and wrapped a bandage around it, and smiled. "There. All done." I grinned, kissing Emily on the lips. "Mmmm..." She moaned as she put her arms around my neck.

"Well isn't that touching..." Came a voice out of the darkness. "Huh?" I gasped, holding Emily tight. I recognised the voice, growling at the shadowy figure. "How ya been Axel?" I snarled. Emily gulped as the Bisharp walked closer, an evil smile on his face. "Not bad. How about you?" He replied, looking at the gun he was holding. "Well... Considering I just got put on temporary leave and you shot my girlfriend, not so good." I replied, grabbing my handgun and holding it behind me.

Emily looked at me. "What happened, Xeron? Why did you get put on leave?" She asked me, concern in her voice. I looked at her and frowned. "I'll explain later..." I replied. "There won't be a later Xeron..." Axel growled. "You have no idea how much I hate you... After what you did to my brother..." He added. 

"What are you talking about?! Viktor went AWOL and tried to kill me!" I yelled back, my anger growing. "Yeah... Under my commands..." Axel grinned. "You see, what with you completing missions left right and center, it was obvious Stryker was going to promote you, but you would have been so insufferable, there is no way I would serve under you. So I provided Viktor with your where-abouts, along with an untracable bullet, and told him to end your career... But seeing as he failed, I decided to take an alternate course of action involving Ryko..." He explained, looking at the gun in his hand.

My jaw dropped. "You..." I snarled. Emily looked at me. "What happened to Ryko?" She asked me. "Axel killed him." I replied. "Wh... Why?" She gasped. My brother and her had met a few times before we joined the military, and she told him to take care of me. "I knew you would go mental if Ryko was killed, and it would only be a matter of time before you got kicked out." Axel smirked. "All this over a promotion?!" I screamed at him.  "Yep. That and I just can't stand you, Xeron." He replied, aiming at my head. "No!" Emily yelled, throwing herself at Axel. "Emily!" I gasped. 

Axel fired his gun, but Emily knocked his hand, and the shot missed us both. "You little bitch!" He yelled, punching her in the head, knocking her across the room, where she lay motionless. I stared at her, my anger building into hatred. "You fucking bastard!" I spat at Axel, raising my gun to his head. He grabbed it and bent my arm back, and grinned as he now held my gun against my head. "Tell Ryko I said hi..." He grinned, before pulling the trigger...