Special Needs Forces

When the day of the meeting came, everyone had to go and they didn't like it. I mean, everyone except Tawny and Frezja because they had a day off because Tawny was injured and Frezja was the medic supposed to take care of him. The whole team was jealous because Tawny didn't look that bad anymore, and everyone knew it was a very far-fetched excuse not to go and instead play games on the console. Anyway, the part of the team that went to the meeting was silent for the whole journey except for Tanager who was humming a song to keep the atmosphere from being so sad. When they arrived, they landed on the carrier and went inside and were immediately noticed by Anas from Region 11, specifically Captain was.

"Would you look at that, captain Biel in his dumb little hat"

”Shut the fuck up you rotten pineapple, nobody asked you for your opinion” said the pissed off Captain

”You’re asking for an opinion as you parade in a captain's hat like it’s some cosplay convention. Your fashion taste is as bad as your team."

"My taste of fashion is good enough that your mother tipped me when I was doing the best striptease on this side of the galaxy for her, so I will ask you again to shut your mouth"

This outraged Anas and he didn’t know how to answer so he left and shouted some irrelevant insults and stuff in the background.

"Er... you never mentioned anything like that, Captain" Lukier said, a bit surprised

"There was no opportunity." Captain said, which surprised Lukier even more because he expected it to be a joke or something. 

"Okay, let's go, unfortunately the sooner we go, the sooner we won't come back, but we can't stand here forever." Said Captain and they went where they were supposed to go. 

A team with some pink-haired chick passed them by, and Rigel decided to try a pickup line on her.

"Hey" He called to her, and the pink-haired chick turned around

"You are as hot as a radiator in winter." It was so awkward that not only all the gathered characters but also the narrator cringed and pretended it hadn't happened.

"Rigel what the hell were you thinking?” Captain laughed at his friend

"Okay, shush" Rigel was a little disappointed and even more embarrassed

"Where did you even find this pick-up line? the Internet?" Lukier asked, also laughing at the poor loser, but the poor loser did not answer. Then Melisanda came to greet Captain and his team.

”Hi, Captain, I see you’re also walking down this corridor" said Melisanda

"Yes" said Captain in confusion

"Even she has better pickup lines than you Rigel" commented Lukier and the comment was loud enough that everyone heard it, not just Rigel.

"This is not a pick-up line" Melisanda said indignantly

"What is it supposed to be then?" said Captain and Melisanda didn’t know what it was supposed to be, so she replied with something that would change the subject.

"Uh, I just wanted to say hi before the official meeting at the table, now I have to go but maybe we'll talk later" and Melisanda left

"Okay..." said Captain unimpressed, and that was another reason why he hated coming here. Every conversation was either like this or arguing, and, frankly, he preferred to argue.

Captain and Rigel went to the official meeting to do the meeting things and the others (that is, Lukier, Helios, and Tanager) were set free like dogs in a park and would be called if they were needed. Now Rigel started to regret he had been promoted because he would also prefer to be let loose and try to talk to that girl with pink hair, and now he can’t because he has to sit next to Captain at the table. Other teams were also sitting at the same table (it was a very large table) and the boss of the bosses was on the edge of the table, it was like an awkward family dinner. Other teams boasted about their merits and in general Captain didn't feel like listening to it until it was finally his turn.

"Captain Eliasz Biel from Special Needs Forces..." said the boss, who was the equivalent of the head of the family if it was a family dinner, and everyone else began to laugh at the name and whispered to each other that captain Biel would probably say something humiliating and they would be able to laugh out loud. Captain was filled with internal disgust.

"When you address me, at least use the official name, dammit!" Captain replied

"Show some respect when you’re talking to someone higher in rank, Captain Biel." the boss corrected him.

“You show respect first"

"Ahem. So tell me how things are going in region 13, Captain. The reports show that-"

"The reports show everything, I don’t get why you gather us here every now and then to ask how the job is going if the reports include every detail of what happens on each mission" said Captain and Rigel poked him to stop because he knew the whole team would get in trouble because of that.

"...Your Highness." Captain added, thinking it would make his words sound more respectful. But it didn't. Anyway, the boss was getting a little pissed off.

“Captain Biel, stop being so difficult to talk to. Is it true that your team killed 6 monsters in 5 days? " asked the boss looking at the papers.

"Yes"

"Thanks to the recruit that was recently assigned to you?"

Captain didn't answer because he felt stupid admitting that Helios has been carrying the team for the last few days, and the laughter and giggles from other squads did not help.

"Well, Helios did quite a lot for the team, sir..." Rigel answered for Captain "He repaired the modules in our flying vehicle and technically killed 5 out of 6 monsters himself..." and Rigel was interrupted by a wave of laughter from the other teams. Those who were sitting in the cafeteria heard it from behind the door and wondered what they were all laughing about. Tanager thought they were watching a comedy, but Lukier who sat at the table with him felt it was about their team again. Then their Captain opened the door and called Helios inside.

"The boss wants to talk to you, Helios" Captain said and Helios entered the meeting room and identified himself like some soldier which he technically was.

“So you are responsible for improving this team's performance?" the boss asked

"Well... um... actually, the whole team is trying very hard and I think we’re successful together" Helios said modestly and Captain was surprised he didn't attribute all the success to himself because if he did it would be true.

"Don't be so modest, kid. It says here that you killed 5 monsters and fixed broken equipment of these losers"

"Well… it’s true" Helios said shyly

"You do everything on this team, you don’t belong there. If you stay, they will spoil you. I’m giving you the rank of captain, Helios."

"What the hell?" Captain Biel almost choked "But-"

"Helios, you’re getting transferred to a better team to lead it, you get region 24. It’s a very dangerous mountain region with big monsters and their Captain died recently and I believe you will do well there"

"Oh, thank you sir, it's an honor," said Helios, who felt a bit sorry for captain Biel and his team. If he could, he would help them, but he couldn't afford to refuse such a high rank and a transfer to a team that does something.

"Will my team get a replacement recruit?" Captain Biel asked

"I think you have enough ‘recruits’ on your team, captain Biel. The meeting is over, you can leave"

And the meeting was over. And when Captain left the room, Melisanda stopped him to talk

"How was the meeting?"

"Ugh" replied Captain

"Not too well I see. Can I help you? do you want to talk about it?"

"I do but not with you. Where is Lukier?"

"In the cafeteria, I think" Melisanda answered a bit disappointed and Captain went to Lukier who was talking to Tanager.

"Oh, is it over? How did it go?" Lukier asked and when he looked at the expression on Captain’s face he knew he didn't need to ask another question.

"We're going home, Lukier, I'm sick of this place"

As soon as Tanager and Lukier got up from the table and together with Captain and Rigel started walking towards the exit, they heard some distant insult and it was, again, Anas with his team.

"Wonderful meeting, I had a lot of fun, I expected a great comedy from you and once again you delivered" Anas approached Captain to make him feel even worse.

"Go fuck yourself, pineapple, two of my three cautionary verbal warnings have been used, so if you don't stop bothering me I will have no choice but to knock your tooth out with a right hook." 

"Oh, does it hurt you so much that I routinely remind you that your team sucks?" Anas thought Captain was only trying to intimidate him, he didn’t expect him to deliver on his threat. This time Captain swung without warning and knocked out Anas's tooth, and Anas fell to the ground in a daze. Some pawn of Anas then lunged at Captain and Captain punched him in the face. Then Lukier said, "Hey, leave him alone" and then started to beat the guy up too, and eventually both teams started fighting in the cafeteria. Even Rigel decided to join in and hit someone with a fire extinguisher that he ripped off the wall. Eventually someone reacted and called the boss, and the boss told both teams to go to that meeting room which was empty now but soon wouldn’t be because the teams would enter it. When both trouble teams were inside the boss started talking.

"Captain Biel, what the hell was that?"

"Why are you addressing me first, it wasn’t me who started it"

"Whaf fo you mean if wawn’t you?! You punfed me wifhouf warning!" said Anas without a tooth

"I kindly asked you to stop insulting my team"

"Thaf waf far from kind"

"You’re far from-"

"Shut your mouths, both of you" shouted the boss "both of you are acting like little children in elementary school, what am I supposed to do with you?"

"You can, for example, not invite us to a meeting together or at least give us a restraining order or something"

”I said shut your mouth, Biel. Today the two of you showed that you’re terrible captains who can’t control themselves and are unable to lead teams. You are forcing me to take higher precautions."

"Whaf are higher frecautions?" Asked Anas without a tooth

"Captain Anas, your vice-captain will take your place"

"Whaaf?" Anas was offended "But-"

"Shut" the boss continued, "Captain Biel... You're not a good Captain either." But no one on your team is better...” Rigel was a bit offended and Lukier felt like a dog who got scolded for tearing his master's favorite pillow

"You’ll remain captain for the time being but expect me to send someone better qualified to replace you within 3-5 working days."

"But-"

”Shut up, Biel. Everyone leave, you can go back to your base"

Everyone left without a word because everyone was sad, particularly the captains. Or rather the former captain Anas, who not only lost his rank, but also a tooth, and the current captain Biel who would soon be replaced by a better captain. As they flew home a sad song was playing on the radio and it was also raining and even Tanager, who is always happy, wasn't happy now. Captain told Frezja and Tawny about what happened, and it made them second-hand angry. Now they were a bit more determined to improve their stats because nobody from Region 13 wanted to be picked on by better teams.