In Yakota Air Base, there were 4 big squads of recruits. Being an effective Shine pilot was their sole goal. Each squad had 6 boys in it. That meant 24 prospective young pilots. The big pilot program was managed and headed up by the United Nations because they had to manage humanities response to the Z'lanthrax threat. Kazuki was born in Japan to an American red headed father. He was only half Japanese and that made him a bit unpopular in the base. He was fluent in both languages. That did not matter to him though. It was time to hone his skills as a pilot. He wanted to serve his country first and then his planet. Kazuki wanted to fight to defend his homeland and family. Japan had lots of good looking recruits and he was one of them. He was unfortunately an orphan after an attack in Osaka. He tried to enlist in the program to get revenge and serve his people. Kazuki did not even have a background of pilots in his family. However, it was totally fine to try. All humans with Y-chromosomes had the ability to have the gene to pilot. Attempting to synchronize might develop a power.
His father was not a military man, so Kazuki was not used to living on a base. He knew nothing of the protocols and was not professional when on the clock. Kazuki saw how he was treated as a half blood. Especially after being called the "red oni", he knew that they were not nice people. Even their drill sergeants spoke ill behind his back when they thought that Kazuki could not hear it. He was 15. Kazuki was able to join with the Pilot Program with a recommendation of a recruiter he had found. Since he was getting fed and had the opportunity to be a Shine pilot, he was content to keep his head down and do what needed to be done. He wanted to pilot. If it really was not working out, he could always transfer to a place with people that spoke English. The UK or US would be great places for him later. He had 5 squad mates training and sleeping in the same quarters with him. Their names were Eiji, Ryuga, Jiro, Aito and Minato. It was not as bad as he initially thought. 3 of then were focused on becoming pilots. 1 was a bit stuck up. The other was a major slacker. Minato was the toxic one.
Minato was a third generation Shine pilot candidate. Kazuki could respect that. Both his grandfather and father were Glowies. Both had unfortunately sustained critical injuries that made them unable to continue piloting the Shines. His grandfather was a notable Top back in the day. His father was a Bottom. It was a shame. Sometimes it really was the case that the most entitled assholes actually had some skill. They had retired from service with honor. Some people were often disappointed about what befell them. Due to his desire to follow in his father's example, he aspired to be a Bottom. Because his father was a Glowie, Henry was essentially born on the base. He knew all of the protocols and was professional when on the clock. Off the clock, he was as catty as could be. His father and grandfather had instilled hospitality, patience and humility into his head. Because of his position in his family, Minato spoke several languages. English was one. He made sure to never talk to him in English out of spite to him. Kazuki rolled his eyes. None of the others spoke anything but Japanese.
