myrtle

Sure. I'll look over it once you're done.

Hoger, there's something I need to check with you.

The part where we chased the bandits back to their hideout and took the goods back... I was acting separately from you two at the time.

You were fighting the bandits at close range while I provided fire support from above.

We'd better cross-check the parts that I'm not entirely sure about, so that we can keep Myrtle... focused.

I remember that! We started fighting at the entrance of their base!

I wanted to lead the charge, but it was my first time seeing a battlefield like that, so all I could do was get the others to cover.

That was more than enough.

We had the advantage until they brought out some big thing, like, THIS big, that blew up a truck with one shot!

We would've been blown up too, if you hadn't pull us into cover!

There was no intel about any heavy weapons. It might have been a recent acquisition.

I heard you talking about it over the comms. There was a lot of smoke and I was busy calibrating the distance, so I didn't really see what was happening.

I was wondering, though... How did the two of you charge into the fray under that kind of firepower?

What did you do, Hoger?

I-It wasn't me. It was Myrtle...

It was all thanks to Hoger! He was amazing!

Huh?

What?!

I saw it with my own eyes!

Hoger leapt out of cover and charged forward with a war cry, and everyone else followed!

The bandits must've been shocked, because they just stood there motionless! It was like they were under a spell!

So Hoger just punched the guy, and down he went!

Hey, why are you guys so quiet?

I remember it all so clearly! I'm gonna write it down now.

Hoger...

Myrtle, don't you remember what you did?

Me? I just did what you asked, keeping everyone safe and supporting them as much as I can. Last but not least—

I gave everyone a morale boost, like a generalissimo should!

It may have been my first mission, but I'm really good at that!

I-Is that all?

Yeah!

...That's not how it went. Wasn't it all thanks to you that we won?

Oh, stop teasing me, Hoger. Mom always told me not to take credit for something I didn't do.

This is how it happened, Susan:

Myrtle ran up to the front and jumped up on the ATV we were using for cover. Then...

...She raised her white flag high and waved it. Everybody could see it clearly.

I was freaking out and trying to pull her down when I realized... it wasn't just us. The enemy was dumbfounded too.

So I took the opportunity to charge in while they weren't shooting. The rest went as she described.

Oh yeah, I was waving my flag! Haha, forgot about that.

Well, it was nothing. It's the generalissimo's job to keep up morale!

People always feel energized whenever they look at me! It always worked when I did it at home, anyway!

That's it?

Yeah. To get something done, we all have to come together. We can do it if we work together!

And there I was, wondering how you came up with the idea of waving a white flag...

Sounds like it had an unexpected effect again. I think I know what to put in the report now...

What are you going to write?

My reflections, of course.

'Sometimes my actions have effects that I don't expect, but my teammates always take the opportunity to defeat the enemy.

Therefore, I need to trust the people behind me and do everything I can to support them...'

How's that?

Myrtle...

What do you think, Hoger? It does make sense, but I feel like it could lead to the wrong conclusions.

...Let's see the rest of it first.

My hand hurts... is this good enough?

Yeah, I guess it's presentable.

Well, that was exhausting, but now I understand how you guys work! Very productive!

Are you sure you really understand?

Of course! Now comes the exciting part!

Did you take a look, Hoger?

Yeah, all of HR is in a meeting right now.

I know the layout of their office. I think I can slip it in... My only concern is that someone might suddenly come back.

Myrtle, how about you wait for us with the report at the door to HR? We'll scout out the meeting room.

Don't let anyone from HR see you with it! The operation will fail if we're discovered.

No problem, I got this.

Here we go.

30 minutes later...

She's not back yet...

Could she have gone in already?

Impossible. You didn't even tell her where to put it... She couldn't have found another way, could she?

Shh, the HR folks are coming back.

Hey, Susan, look at what that guy's holding—

It's Myrtle's report!

Good evening, Susan! Did you need something?

Hey, just got a question... how did you get Myrtle's report?

Hm? Why do you ask?

Oh, well, er... we were on the same mission, and we submitted our reports a while ago, right?

So seeing you guys take out Myrtle's report in particular makes me concerned that there might be a problem... yeah, a problem.

Oh, there's no problem. But honestly, I was wondering that myself, because the Doctor handed this to me just now.

The Doctor?!

The Doctor said something to the effect of, 'Next time, give the new recruits a little more time to submit their reports.'

Even though the submission deadline for the new folks hasn't passed yet...

Huh? So we spent half a day on that for—oh!

Thanks for your time—let's go find her, Hoger!

Hey guys! I'm over here!

I was looking for you. Where are you going?

Myrtle? Where did you go?

I came back from the Doctor's office... Sorry to keep you waiting.

Why did you go there? And how'd you wind up giving them your report?

That's why I was looking for you! I ran into the Doctor on my way here.

They asked how I was getting on, and I talked about how I hadn't handed my report in yet.

That was okay because the Doctor isn't in the HR department, right?

So they offered to take it for me, and I accepted. Since they're the boss, they'd get it in the end anyway, right?

But then I remembered that I had kept you waiting here...

And the Doctor let me grab some candies from the office!

So here's the candy. Don't be mad at me, okay?

*Sigh*... Give me one.

One month later

Thanks for coming over today. I wanted to talk to you about Myrtle's performance.

Don't worry, it's not that there's a problem. All the missions she's performed with you have gone smoothly. We just want to know more.

...I'd still like to know the reason you're asking.