This is an pure piece of fluff, that came to me one night while I was contemplating, my much bigger story of events after the Strike Witches movie. At the end there are some hints about the players in the future.

St Tround Base just after end of the Strike Witches movie.

"I wish I had hair as lovely as yours." Came the comment from top bunk.

Lynne pausing in the brushing of her long flaxen hair and turned and smiled shyly at her roommate.

Miyafuji Yoshika, a wonderful, impossible girl who less than 48 hours ago returned to world of magic and had triggered a huge range of events including the reformation for 501st Joint striker wing. The destruction of the Neuroi carrier had provided a respite but not an end to the battle.

Now alone in the quiet of the room, Lynnette up and saw Yoshika smiling face and felt her heart jump a little.

"Thank you Yoshika" said Lynne. "I think your hair is more practical though."

Yoshika tugged at one of her forelocks and frowned a little.

"My hair does not seem to want to grow any longer than this. My mother has long dark brown hair, but no I have to take after Grandma." She ended with a grumpy look on her face.

Lynne laughed, which to Yoshika sounded like laughing of an angel.

"Stop it Yoshika, " said Lynne. "Your Mother and Grandmother are wonderful people. I am sure they did not do just to spite you."

"Probably my dads fault." Commented Yoshika and fell silent.

Lynne lifted the brush to continue brushing her hair. 'Fifty long brush stroke every night,' her mother had told her every night before she went to bed. The memory of Minnie Bishop pulling a brush though her hair in ones of those rare moments when her other seven sibling's were not demanding her mothers attention tugged the corners of Lynne's mouth upward.

This time though the smile stopped, Yoshika had stopped and the pout had gone to be replaced by sadness. Standing, she asked.

"What is it Yoshika?"

Lynne received no response as Yoshika continued to look, her eyes unfocused at a patch of the wall. Crossing the room Lynne put her hand on Yoshika's exposed right knee.

"Yoshika what is it?" see asked again.

There was a pause and then.

"I saw him, again. My dad I mean."

"Were?" asked Lynne.

"When I was lying in the field, after I destroyed the Neuroi." Her hand lifted to the side of her chest and started to rub the phantom pain that arose there.

"I saw him and granddad too, they looked happy to see me. Then I started to hear voices of you all and I had to return to you." A single tear emerged from Yoshika's right eye and slowly slid down her cheek.

"I am glad you did." Said Lynne, slowly rubbing Yoshika's knee.

"So I am I." Said Yoshika with a smile, wiping the tear away with a finger and with a twist of her body, she slid off the top bunk and into a hug with Lynne.

The two stood for a long moment wrapped in each others arms in a silent moment of healing. Then Yoshika spoke very quietly.

"Do you remember what happened after we defeated that Neuro attacking the Yamato?"

Lynne flushed immediately; she remembered it far to well. Waking up in the same bunk after both of them depleting their magic. They had found on the bedside table a note from Minna saying that they had been taken off the duty roster for today and were told to rest. With this note were a selection of pasties, jam and an iced pitcher of milk, which they had both happy pounced on.

What happened after that was unexpected by both girls. A simple spilling of strawberry jam on Yoshika, turned into a mini food fight, which had turned to licking food of bare skin, then to kisses and then into a slightly crazed "adolescent fumble" as Lynne had called it. Probably brought on by the stress of battle. There were a few awkward days after that but friendship had won out over any difficulties.

Yoshika laid her head on Lynne's shoulder, and with a sad smile.

"Dad called to me as I left, he said 'Live and have no regrets Yoshika!' and now I must live by his words."

"Yoshika, I am so sor.." Lynne started to say but was silenced by Yoshika's finger on her lips.

"I love you Lynette Bishop. Never thought I would say that to anyone, my dreams were to be a doctor and those dreams brought me around the world and lead me to you and keep bringing me back to you."

Yoshika let go of Lynne and with a contented sigh.

"There I said it, I needed to say it." She looked up at Lynne's shocked face. "I am sorry if this a burden and If you need me to move out I am sure I can move in with Shizuka."

That shocked Lynne into action and generating a slight 'eepp' noise from Yoshika, she pressed her lips against the slightly shorter witches. The kiss was not long, nor focused but it got the point across.

"Don't you ever start talking about leaving again," started Lynne. "When we realised you were missing and then when we heard Shizuka saying you were hurt. Were some of the worst moments of my life. I don't know if I love you the same way as you love me, but now I feel I must find out!"

After that declaration both of them grabbed each other in a crushing hug, and stood there for a long time, while tears dried and breathing slowed. Then in an unspoken agreement the two of them moved apart and turning out the light climbed into the bottom bunk of the bed and snuggled back together.

In the darkness, with the gentle sound of rain at the windows, the sound was only broken by Lynne asking.

"Lets keep this too ourselves for now. I want to start this journey without anyone else at the moment."

In response Yoshika snuggled closer.

Sanya and Eila's room

Pale fingers placed the last of six cards down. Eila had felt drawn to cast the cards for both Lynne and Yoshika and the result brought both joy and fear.

"It seems we are not alone now." Eila said her finger resting on "The lovers" card, the rest of the spread showed showed good things apart from the slot for reserved for Barriers were sat the scales of Judgement. Her finger rested on it and a chill ran down her spine. Her magical ability of Foresight worked well in combat but as ever it became more defuse as she looked further into the future.

Silently she returned the cards to the pack and then placed them in to there box and turned out the light. In the dark she contemplated for a moment the two edged nature of herself and then returned to bed and the warm body of her snow princess.

Windsor, Britannia.

Another set of cards sat on another table, this time the reader smiled.

"Its is nearly time." She commented out loud to no one. "Louis needs to know and Lilibet need to put that Baltlander down for a bit and do her bit"