A Silent Swan Song
*This is a slight AU that takes place under the assumption that Keith couldn't fly after losing his right eye, and opened borders with Windermere post-war. (this was written before the show had ended[EP 22], but assume this to be after a resolution)*
- S S S -
A small blonde slumped over her chair in a large military-grade cafeteria, her heart-shaped rune drooping with her.
"Fre-fre, maybe you should take a day off?" A girl with bright pink pigtails mused, looking on edge at her friend and teammate's dejected look.
"Freyja, without the conflict with the Windermereans, has the amount of practices gotten to you?" A fiery redhead questioned.
"Makina, Kaname, I'm tiiiiired...!" Freyja yawned out, her rune dimming slightly.
"Fre-fre, you could use your vacation time, you know..." A petite girl with green haired mused, playing around with her wrist phone's screen.
"That's a great idea, Rei-rei! She could go back to Windermere and see her friends and family!" Makina giggled out, clearly ecstatic about the idea. "Maybe you'll meet a cute boy?" She whispered out, a huge grin plastered on her face.
A moment of silence fell over the group as Freyja's face fell, her rune darkening even more. It was a sore subject still, as Hayate, her first love, had taken to Mirage. The fact that they were intimate was nigh taboo for Walküre. A sudden jab from Reina sent Making into silence in realization. "B-but, um, also just seeing your friends would be nice!" She stammered out, sighing heavily as Freyja gave a knowing nod.
"That sounds like a good idea, Makina, thanks." The blonde patted the pinkette's head, watching her spirits lift instantly.
"I'll put in the notice with HQ tonight, so you can probably head out tomorrow. It's usually only allowed to be a week, but due to your... Situation..." Kaname murmured, the whole group understanding it's meaning. Windermereans only lived an average of 30 years, so Freyja's time with Chaos was much more valuable than the others. "I think I can persuade them to give you two weeks off, so take your time." She finished, smiling slightly.
Freyja's face lit up, her rune starting to twinkle lightly. "Thanks, Kaname! You're the best squad leader!" The peach-blonde sang out giddily, sliding across the table to hug her senior. "I promise I'll work really hard these two weeks and come back super, duper refreshed!"
"I don't think you need to 'work hard' to be 'refreshed', but it's your leader's order to enjoy your vacation!" Kaname smiled with a slight wink, pushing the blonde girl off towards her room to pack.
"I hope her stay helps her feel better about Hayate..." Kaname murmured, Reina and Makina nodding in sync.
- S S S -
"Freyja's Wion, reporting for leave!" Her peach waves bounced around as Freyja's bounded into the HQ office, a small duffle bag over her shoulder. She did a quick salute to the captain, her military manners having gotten much better since she began with Chaos. She didn't take everything as seriously as Kaname did, but she tried her hardest.
"Ah, Freyja, you're here..." Captain Arad motioned her over to the briefing table to join him. "A certain someone has convinced me to lengthen your vacation... Is that alright for you?" The captain asked with a soft smile. Kaname and Captain Arad had been spending more time together since the passing of First Lieutenant Messer, and it was only a matter of time before the two would begin dating. Makina had bet two more months, while even Mikumo had an opinion on the matter; she had guessed three weeks and six days... No one quite understood where the precise guess had come from.
"Ah, yes, Captain! I promise to be back riiiiight on time, y'know?" Freyja beamed, her hand clutching her bag tightly. As the two made a bit more small talk before Freyja was to leave for her passenger ship to Windermere, a certain blue-haired boy strolled in for his own briefing. When Freyja caught sight of his arrival, her eyes fell and conversation stopped.
"Freyja? Why are you here?" Hayate asked as he crossed the room to the briefing table.
After noticing Freyja's lack of response, Captain Arad chose to speak on get behalf. "Freyja will be leaving Ragna for a while for a vacation." Arad nudged the small girl towards the door. "Be off, or you'll miss you're flight."
"Vacation? Freyja is? There's no way she needs it, she's always at peak performance!" Hayate exclaimed, giving a cheeky smirk. He probably meant it as a compliment, but it left Freyja sinking down, seeming smaller than she already was.
"Everyone needs a break sometimes, Hayate..." Arad sighed, crossing his arms in disappointment. Hayate was a superb pilot, but as a man? He was certainly... lacking. "You're dismissed, Delta 5, I'll call you back later." He ordered, gesturing towards the door, his voice slightly cross.
"What...? Well, whatever. Have fun finding me!" The bluenette smirked, bounding out of the room and to the hangers, clearly about to fly without permission.
Arad sighed yet again, his arms lowering as he offered a sad, but knowing, smile to Freyja. "Take your time, okay? If you want a few days more, just send a letter my way or to Kaname, yeah?" He offered his condolences through a subtle pat to the peach-haired girl's head. When Freyja showed signs of lightening up, he grinned and nudged her out of the briefing room. "Have fun, kiddo!"
"I will, Captain! Thank you sosososooo much!" The small girl beamed, straightening her back and waving vigorously as she skipped out the doors and to the spaceport to begin her latest adventure.