Just Be The Best You

Posted on Mon Feb 28th, 2022 @ 6:52pm by Damien McGinnis & Michael Kensington

681 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: The Invasion
Location: Gymnasium 4, Earth Patrol Base 47
Timeline: 1330, November 13th 2050

Damien stood in the gym, wearing a pair of black joggers and a red tank top, white bandages wrapped round his hands and feet, sweat glistening on his skin. His chest heaved up and down as he threw punches hard and fast at the punch bag in front of him. He hadn't been planning on this work out this morning, but after the Commandant had given him his team's new assignment, he'd realised he probably wouldn't get any time in for at least a couple of weeks.

He slammed his fist into the black and red punch bag, sending it flying upwards, before gravity took hold, bringing it back towards him, the large bag slamming into his chest, sending him staggering backwards, trying to catch his breath.

"Stupid!" He chastised himself "Absolute moron!"

"Don't beat yourself up too much." Came a voice from the entrance, speaking in an Australian accent "We all screw up from time to time."

"Is that right, Mickey?" Damien said, turning around to see a young man around his age with a tan complexion and slightly messy hair wearing black slacks and a white t-shirt stood in the doorway "I thought you were training off world?"

"Got called back to help with your new assignment. Been assigned Gamma squad as their technical support." The man responded "And I've told you before, mate, it's Michael, I'll settle for Mike, but only my Mum calls me Mickey."

Damien smirked. He'd first met Michael Kensington on his first day in the cadet accommodation. The two men had been assigned as one another's bunk mates, and they had been as different as day and night. Damien's first comment had been simple. The younger man had a stick up his ass. Meanwhile, Michael had considered Damien a little too laid back. Needless to say, one of them had rubbed off more than the other.

"Need a spotter?" Michael asked "Or would you rather I let that bag keep kicking your sorry arse?"

"Better than yours." Damien smirked, nodding towards the bag "Have at it."

Michael took his position behind the bag, holding it in place as Damien began taking swings at it again. Each blow, he was getting visibly more aggressive, causing Michael to struggle more and more to hold the bag steady. Finally, he released the bag and stepped aside, the bag flying upwards and swinging back, hitting Damien in the chest and knocking him on his backside.

"What's eating you?" Michael asked, holding a hand out to Damien, pulling him to his feet "You were like a man possessed there."

"It's the Commandant. He doesn't seem to take me seriously. Hell, no one does." Damien replied with a sigh "They look at me and just see a joker."

"All I'm saying is his daughter, shower and dye pack." Michael smirked "Mate, if people underestimate you, that's their problem, not yours'. If I were you, I'd own it. Make it my own."

"Thank you Doctor Freud." Damien said as they walked over to the bench where his towel and water bottle were "How exactly do you recommend I own it and make it my own?"

"Well, the way I see it, every cadet captain tries to be someone else." Michael said "They try to be the next Jack Landors or Sky Tate. Don't make their mistake. Don't try to be the next one of them, because you're not. They were freaking Power Rangers, for crying out loud, and the Red Ranger at that."

"Yeah..." Damien laughed slightly nervously, masking it by towelling his face off "That'd be so not me."

"No. You're the joker. You'd be in green or yellow." Michael laughed, before his face got serious "Just don't try and be what everyone else wants or expects you to be. Don't try to be the next Jack Landors. Just be the best you can be. Be the first Damien McGinnis."

"You're right." Damien said, taking a swig from his drink "Thanks, man."

"What else are friends for?" Michael asked "Go on, hit the shower. We're going to grab a burger."

 

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