Summary: In the faraway kingdom of Gallia, a Princess has been kidnapped and an evil presence has risen in the land. It falls to the courageous and beautiful Princess Perrine to put an end to this evil and save her kingdom…
Genre(s): Romance/Fantasy/Action/Adventure/Drama/Humor
Character(s): Perrine C., M. Sakamoto, Sanya L., Eila J., F. Lucchini, Charlotte Y., G. Barkhorn, E. Hartmann, Lynette B., Yoshika M., Ursula H., Michiko Y.
Story Type: One-shot; AU
Disclaimer: I do not own Strike Witches.
Author's Notes: This is the longest story I've ever written, it started off as such a simple idea but developed into this. I hope the word count hasn't put anybody off of reading this though; I just don't do the chaptered story thing.
* My Princess *
It was a bright, sunny morning in the mighty Kingdom of Gallia. The sun shined through the royal bedchamber of Princess Perrine, glaring against her closed eyelids and causing her to stir. Perrine blearily opened her eyes and stared up at the canopy of her vast bed. She slowly sat up, stretched and yawned, then groped at her bedside table for her glasses. Placing them on, she swung her legs out from beneath the sheets and onto the cold, gray stone floor.
Not a moment later, the massive wooden doors to her bedchamber groaned open and in walked a young woman.
"Good morning, Milady," she said dutifully as she bowed low. Perrine simply stood up from her bed, her nightgown fluttering slightly, and turned her nose up at the young woman. The young woman did not respond to this rude treatment as she was used to it, and did what she was supposed to do: retrieve Perrine's royal clothing.
Perrine stood impatiently as the young maid fumbled around in the vast closet for her daily attire. Once the maid had found it she returned to Perrine, who held her arms out to either side. The maid slipped Perrine's nightgown off, then dressed her a white blouse. She then placed a royal blue doublet over the blouse, a golden stripe running down the center that branched out into two sets of golden arrows at the hem, the upper one longer than the lower. Next came her black stockings, which Perrine stepped into, allowing the maid to pull them up her legs.
"You are dismissed," Perrine said bluntly once she had been fully dressed by the maid. The maid bowed dutifully and quickly left.
'It's such a pain having slow servants,' Perrine griped in her mind as she readjusted her stockings. Perrine quickly left her room and strode down the stone-lined halls of her family's castle towards the royal dining hall. Perrine entered the hall, which was completely empty, as it always was.
'Father has more important things to attend to,' Perrine told herself, as she did everyday, though she felt a pang of loneliness in her heart as she took her seat at the room-length dining table.
'But today is the day...' Perrine thought as her mind shifted gears. Servants began to bring out vast trays of food for Perrine, assortments of delicacies from the known world over, far more than she herself could eat alone, and set them all in front of her. The servants prepared her a plate and set it down and, as she began to eat, her mind drifted off to its previous line of thought.
'Today...my Princess arrives,' Perrine thought as she felt warmth swell in her chest. 'Father would like to believe it's a marriage of convenience, that because he has no son and I am his only daughter that I do not, no, cannot love her...' Perrine thought as a faint flush touched her cheeks.
'But how I love her...my precious Sakamoto-hime,' she mentally gushed, even her mental voice sounding sick with love. Perrine had only met Princess Sakamoto a scant few times in her young life.
The Kingdom of Gallia and the Fuso Dynasty shared a strong alliance, though tedious at times. The Fuso Dynasty, however, was the weaker in their alliance, and thus, the King saw fit for the Emperor to visit his homeland, rather than making the trip to the island of Fuso himself. It was on one such occasion that Perrine had met her, the Princess of the Fuso Dynasty, Mio Sakamoto.
'She was so beautiful...' Perrine reminisced as she ate. 'Her refined Fuso beauty, that onyx black hair, fair skin...' She felt her face heat up and her heart race, though luckily the servants had left as soon as they had set the food out. Ever since the moment Perrine had first laid eyes on Sakamoto, she had loved her, she did not care what her father or anyone else thought of it.
'And now the day has finally come...' Perrine thought giddily. The King was without a male heir, his only child being Perrine. Thus, as the one to inherit his Kingdom, he saw fit that she should marry the Princess of Fuso, despite the controversial idea of the two princesses being wed. The King himself was unhappy about it, though the Emperor of Fuso paid the controversy no mind, rather he was elated to see their two empires joined by such a strong bond.
'I had always hoped this day would come...' she thought again as she remembered back to when her father had informed her of her future union with Princess Sakamoto.
'...And now it finally has!' Perrine rejoiced mentally as she finished her meal, daintily placing the fork in its proper position. Perrine stood from the table, feeling strangely light and happy.
"Princess Perrine!" A servant cried as he came bursting through the doors to the dining hall. Perrine simply quirked an impatient eyebrow at the young man as he breathlessly walked up to her.
"His Majesty requests an audience with you in the royal court, Milady," the servant said as he panted from running through the hallways.
"What is so urgent that father requests me at once?" Perrine asked, genuinely curious.
"It is about...Princess Sakamoto," the servant replied. Perrine's eyes widened and her heart began to race as she rushed past the servant and out through the way he came.
'What could have happened to my fair Sakamoto-hime?' Perrine thought worriedly as she clutched at her chest and walked swiftly down the corridors, battling between an un-ladylike sprint, and walking like a proper Princess. Eventually the sprint won out and all eyes of the royal court fell on her when she noisily burst through the doors to the royal court.
Perrine attempted to dignify herself by sucking in one large breath to stop her panting, though she still felt sweat sliding down her brow.
"Father," Perrine said respectfully as she knelt before her father's throne.
"Rise, my daughter," The King said as he motioned for her to stand. The King, a man of sixty with short blonde hair and a thick beard to match, smiled warmly at his daughter, though his gentle features belied a look of deep concern.
"You requested me, father?" Perrine asked as she stood, her hands folded against the small of her back. Though she was a Princess, she was also no dainty flower and had been ingrained with more military etiquette than royal etiquette, and stood at attention as such.
"Yes..." the King said slowly, his head falling for a moment as his warm smile disappeared.
"As you know, the Fuso Princess was to arrive today, and your wedding to take place a few days hence," he continued, his emphasis clearly showing his displeasure at the idea. Perrine's heart pounded in her chest and she felt a sick feeling of foreboding at her father's demeanor.
'Please be safe, my Princess...' Perrine hoped as her eyes clenched in worry for a moment.
"...We have just received a report that the Princess' caravan has been attacked. Her guards have been slain, her carriage destroyed," the King continued, his voice falling low and sorrowful.
"W-what..?" Perrine asked in shock as her heart leapt into her throat. "What has happened? Was Sakamoto-hime captured?...hurt?...killed..?" Perrine's voice began strong and concerned, but faded as the worst came to her mind. Her father held up his hand to stop her worried ranting.
"Our scouts told us that Princess Sakamoto's body was not among the slain, but..." he trailed off for a moment.
"But..?" Perrine urged as she took a concerned step closer towards her father.
"...It appears there were signs of black magic," he continued, a tremble momentarily running through his voice.
"B-black magic..?" Perrine asked, stunned. Her father simply nodded his head.
"As you know...the day you were born, was also the day we defeated the Great Witch," he said. "Magic is not unknown to our lands, you of all people should know that," he continued, to which Perrine nodded; she did possess a small amount of magic but nothing to rival that of a true Witch.
"The Great Witch attempted to use her sorcery to take over our lands, summoning demons and great monstrosities, but we beat her back..." he said. "She was struck down, powerless, but power is not always a physical thing. It can be of the mind as well, and we believe this is the work of her protégé, who she would have taught for many years..."
Perrine had heard all she needed to by this point. "I understand. I will go save her," she said before turning to leave the royal court.
"You will not," The King said, causing Perrine to halt in her tracks and turn on her heel, a look of hurt and determination on her face.
"But, father!" Perrine protested as she held an aggressive stance. "She is to be my bride! I will go save her!"
"I have already requested aid from the Kingdom of Karlsland. We have helped them in the past, and their knights are renowned Witch hunters," The King said in answer to her protests.
Before Perrine could argue further, the doors to the royal court groaned open and two women came through, their full plate armor clinking and clunking as they walked. Perrine watched as the two women approached, then knelt before the King.
"We are knights in the service of Queen Minna of Karlsland, sent at his majesties request to aid in the hunting of a rogue Witch," the first knight said crisply, her twin brown pigtails laying gracefully against the hardened steel of her breastplate.
"I am Lady Hartmann," her companion, a short haired blonde, spoke up.
"And I am Lady Barkhorn," the first knight added in quick succession.
"We are at your command, your majesty," they both said in unison after their introductions.
"Quite impressive, you may rise," The King said after applauding their entrance. Both girls rose, their armor groaning quietly as they did so. Perrine scoffed at the pair, crossed her arms over her chest, and turned her gaze away.
"I do not need them, and I will go save her!" Perrine said defiantly then turned and stormed out of the court.
* Strike Witches *
'How can father try to keep me from this?' Perrine thought angrily as she entered her room, slamming the large door behind her. 'She is my betrothed! I should be the one to rescue her! Not those...filthy dogs from Karlsland!' she thought as she went to an iron-lined chest near a full body mirror.
Perrine unlocked the chest and the top opened with a creak. Inside, meticulously laid out and gleaming, was an assortment of plate armor. Perrine grabbed pieces and began to equip them. First went a steel gauntlet over her right arm, then a durable leather fencing glove on her left. She then slipped on a pair of steel greaves that went up to her knees.
As she was strapping a shining pauldron onto her right shoulder, she heard the door groan open behind her. Perrine looked beyond herself in the mirror and saw the commanding figure of her father in the doorway.
"You can't stop me father, I will go rescue her," Perrine said defiantly as she finished tightening the leather straps around her shoulder. Her father stepped through the doorway, his robes fluttering slightly behind him, and shut the door. He walked up close behind her, and opened his mouth to speak, causing Perrine to tense as she expected a reprimand.
"I understand," he said softly, which surprised Perrine, causing her to turn around and gaze up at her father. The King reached out and placed his hand on Perrine's bare left shoulder.
"I understand how you feel, I know you love her," he said warmly as Perrine stared up at him in pleasant shock. "I'm very proud of you, Perrine," he continued as he gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "If only your mother were here to see you..." he said as his face faltered for a moment.
"Thank you, father..." Perrine said quietly as she gazed down at the floor for a moment.
"But please, Perrine, take the knights of Karlsland with you, they are very knowledgeable of these matters," he said as he removed his hand from her shoulder and untied a leather strap from around his waist. "And, take this..." he said as he removed a scabbard from the shadow of his cloak.
"B-but father...This is our family's rapier, our most prized possession..." Perrine said in disbelief as her father placed the sword in her hands.
"I know, Perrine, and it will be yours someday, but you need it now more than ever," he replied. Tears began to swell in Perrine's eyes, though she fought against it.
"Thank you...father," Perrine said as her voice choked and she embraced her father.
"Be safe, my daughter," the King said softly as he patted her on the back.
* Strike Witches *
Perrine stepped out into the castle courtyard, the Clostermann family rapier now snugly strapped to her hip. She walked out into the bright sunlight that shined down on her and glinted off her glasses. She spied the two knights of Karlsland waiting for her in the center of the courtyard and Barkhorn knelt as Perrine approached.
"We are at your command, Milady!" Barkhorn said respectfully. Barkhorn glanced to her side and saw that Hartmann was simply standing there.
"Hartmann!" Barkhorn whispered harshly. When Hartmann did not respond, Barkhorn jabbed her in the back of her leg, causing the blonde to fall forward onto one knee. Perrine turned her nose at the display and walked past the two girls towards the castle gate. Barkhorn rose along with Hartmann, then turned on her blonde companion, her face red with a mixture of rage and embarrassment.
"This is no way for a knight of Karlsland to act! You show her just as much respect as the King!" Barkhorn screeched.
"Why? She's not the King," Hartmann replied apathetically. Barkhorn's face nearly exploded at Hartmann's defiance.
"Just don't make Queen Minna look any worse! We're supposed to be her best knights!" Barkhorn said angrily as Hartmann stifled a bored yawn.
"If you are going to come, then come!" Perrine called back to Barkhorn and Hartmann from her position at the gate of the castle. Barkhorn startled as she had not realized Perrine had gotten so far ahead. Grabbing Hartmann by the arm, Barkhorn rushed forward to join Perrine.
Barkhorn spoke as the trio set off down the road that led from the castle.
"Do you know of our destination, Milady?" she asked respectfully.
"Yes," Perrine replied simply as she took a rolled up piece of parchment from a pocket on her coat and unrolled it. "My father gave me this map, it leads to the lair of the Great Witch."
"The Great Witch? I have heard many tales of her devastating power; it was said that she was struck down by the Clostermann family sword?" Barkhorn inquired, her interest obvious in her voice.
"Yes, this is that blade," Perrine replied as she placed her hand on the sword's hilt.
Some way down the road, the girls ran into a cross-section where the road branched out in three other directions and, having consulted her map, Perrine decided upon the Eastern road.
* Strike Witches *
Several hours passed as the girls journeyed down the highway, eventually finding themselves traveling along a road bordered by a forest on the right.
"Wait, Milady," Barkhorn cautioned suddenly as she halted on the road and stuck her arm out in front of Perrine protectively.
"What is it?" Perrine asked irately.
"I sense a magical aura nearby," Barkhorn replied cryptically. She turned her head slightly and looked back at Hartmann, who had a serious look on her face. She gave Barkhorn a nod, at which point both girls pulled their swords from their scabbards and took a battle ready stance.
"W-what's going on?" Perrine asked worriedly as the two knights stood in front of her.
"There's a presence nearby..." Barkhorn replied.
"I can feel it, very close..." Hartmann added. Silence fell over the highway, except for the occasional breeze that rustled the nearby trees. Suddenly there was a rustle from a nearby bush.
"There!" Hartmann cried as she swung her sword out in a horizontal arc. "Sturm!" A gust of wind shot out along the ground along the trajectory of her swing, heading straight for the bushes.
"Ow!" Someone cried indignantly as the bush was blown away and its former occupants knocked to the ground. "That hurt!" The same girl shouted as she jumped to her feet.
"Identify yourself!" Barkhorn yelled as she held her sword out menacingly.
"Hey, hey, there's no need for that," the girl said as she stuck her hands out to show her harmlessness. Her companion, also female, stood up slower and less noticeably, shaking some stray foliage from her short, pale grey hair.
"I said identify yourself!" Barkhorn repeated as the pair came closer, their cloaks fluttering in the wind. The first girl took on a sly grin.
"I am Eila the Oracle!" she said proudly. "And this is Sanya the Mystic!" she said as she swept her arm out towards her companion. "We are all knowing! We are all seeing!" Eila cried over dramatically as she swung her arms wide, causing her grey cloak to flail wildly.
"I'm all seeing, you're all knowing," said Sanya bluntly, interrupting Eila's dramatic display and causing her to visibly deflate.
"Sanyaaa!" Eila whined. "You ruined our dramatic introduction!"
Barkhorn and Hartmann lowered their swords as the trio witnessed the display before them with dumbfounded looks.
"Clearly not a threat..." Hartmann muttered as she sheathed her sword.
"Oh, enough of this!" Perrine cried irately which caused Sanya and Eila to go quiet. "I am the Princess of Gallia! And as such I demand to know who you two are!" Perrine demanded as she stepped out in front of Barkhorn and Hartmann.
"You are the Princess of Gallia? Perrine?" Eila asked curiously.
"Yes!" Perrine replied, slightly angry at having her question ignored. Eila and Sanya exchanged a look for a moment.
"We have been sent to aid you in your mission!" Eila said dramatically, again sweeping her cloak out mystically.
"Eila was told by the spirits that someone from the royal family of Gallia would need our aid on an important mission," Sanya elaborated softly. Eila nodded proudly in agreement.
"'Told by the spirits'? Then you are Witches!" Barkhorn said fiercely as she resumed her aggressive stance.
"Hey! No need for that!" Eila fended off.
"Yes, we are Witches from the North, but we're here to help you," Sanya stated calmly.
"From the North? The uncharted tundras of the North?" Perrine asked in surprise. Both Eila and Sanya nodded happily. Perrine turned her nose up at the pair.
"I do not need the assistance of two savage Northern Witches," Perrine said haughtily as she pushed past Sanya and Eila and continued down the road. Barkhorn and Hartmann gave the pair a last look before hurrying off after Perrine.
"H-hey! Wait for us!" Eila called out as she grabbed Sanya's hand and ran after the group.
"I believe I said we do not require your help!" Perrine replied without stopping or looking back.
"But we're very useful!" Eila said, to which Sanya nodded in agreement. Barkhorn eyed both Witches critically.
"What exactly can you two do?" she asked, a mixture of apprehension and malice in her voice. Eila smiled, undeterred by Barkhorn's tone.
"Well...I'm an Oracle, I can commune with the spirits and read the future," she said proudly.
"And I'm a Mystic, I can use my magic to sense the presence of others and observe far off locations," Sanya chimed in quietly. Eila giggled and squeezed Sanya's hand.
"That's my Sanya~," she said sweetly which caused Sanya to blush. Barkhorn gave the pair a strange look, though Hartmann seemed slightly excited.
"I like them," she said simply as she casually stretched her hands up above her head.
"But...they're Witches!" Barkhorn whined as Hartmann let her arms drop.
"So? You seem to forget we possess magic ourselves. When will you stop dogmatically following the regulations and try to slay everyone in sight?" Hartmann shot back. Barkhorn opened her mouth to object but Hartmann silenced her. "And you forget that the Princess here is also magical," she continued as she subtly pointed at Perrine.
Perrine blushed slightly at the revelation of her power and turned her face to the side, giving an indignant 'hmph'. This point caused Barkhorn to silently close her mouth.
"So we can come?" Eila asked happily.
"If you must, you could be of some use," Perrine replied scathingly. Hartmann seemed happy and gave Eila a half-hug, earning a glare from Sanya.
* Strike Witches *
The trio plus two continued on their journey, being led by Perrine's map. They passed through the countryside, with mountainous peaks scraping against the sky in the far off distance. Soon the sun began to set against the horizon, transforming the lush green meadows into a sea of waving gold.
"Milady, we should stop for the night," Barkhorn cautioned as she eyed the waning sunlight. Perrine took a quizzical glance at the map and spotted that a small town was nearby.
"We can stop here for the night," Perrine stated as she tapped the rough parchment and the party nodded in agreement.
'I'll have to spend a night in just a commoner's inn...' Perrine lamented as she mentally sighed.
It was nightfall before the girls reached the small town, the flickering light from torches leading their way. Townsfolk walking the street stared in curiosity at the troop of girls that made their way deeper into the town until they finally found the local inn. Most eyes turned to them as they entered the inn, which doubled as a tavern.
'Ragamuffins...' Perrine thought haughtily as she turned her nose up at the sparsely filled room. Perrine walked up to the bar, which was manned by a young girl with long, straight black hair.
"Good evening! I'm Michiko, can I help you?" she asked sweetly. Perrine eyed the girl for a moment before a striking similarity hit her.
"Why is a Fuso girl running an inn in Gallia?" Perrine asked curiously. Michiko gasped in surprise.
"You have a good eye, miss!" she replied. Perrine's mouth twitched for a moment at the familiarity with which she was addressed. "I came here from Fuso with my grandfather! He owns the tavern and I run it!" she said cheerily.
Perrine closed her eyes for a moment and waved off the answer. By this time the room had lost interest in the girls, leaving them to freely gather around their blonde leader. Perrine glanced around herself, mentally calculating.
"Yes, yes, we will require three rooms," Perrine stated impatiently.
"Three, milady?" Barkhorn gulped, almost dreading the answer. Perrine turned on Barkhorn.
"Yes, three," Perrine stated simply. "You and Lady Hartmann will share a room," she elaborated. "Those two will have their own room," she continued as she pointed at Sanya and Eila. "And I will have my own room," she finished with a self-satisfied smile.
Barkhorn groaned as a look of despair flashed across her features, though Hartmann grinned mischievously. Sanya and Eila both had delighted expressions on their faces, accompanied by a blush each. Michiko interjected which caused Perrine to turn back on the girl.
"That will be three-hundred gold, please," she said timidly, slightly awed by the display of the group.
"Pay?" Perrine shrieked indignantly. "I am the Princess of Gallia! Your future Queen! And you expect me to pay?" Perrine said defiantly as she stood firm.
"T-the Princess? P-Princess P-Perrine?" Michiko stammered as if she were to be struck down that very moment for her impudence. "I-I'm sorry, your highness! Of course, the rooms are free!" Michiko shakily placed three keys on the counter, which were swiftly swept up by Perrine. She then turned on her heel and proceeded to march over and climb the staircase leading to the second floor, being swiftly followed by the rest of her troop.
As she turned on the landing she could distinctly hear Michiko running and shouting
'Grandpa! Grandpa! The Princess is in our inn!" excitedly.
* Strike Witches *
Perrine sighed as she slowly shut the door to her room behind her, letting the weight of the day's travels roll off her shoulders.
'Such a room is beneath me...' she thought with a slightly sorrowful tinge to her mental voice. She began un-strapping and unbuckling her various pieces of armor along with her sword and placed them neatly in a pile on the only chair in the room. She then began to strip out of her royal attire, the royal blue doublet, white blouse, and finally her black stockings, leaving her simply in her underwear.
Perrine shivered slightly as she stood in the center of the room, in her mind, naked. Her ears perked up as she heard the clinking and clunking from the room next to hers that belonged to Barkhorn and Hartmann.
"Can you help me get this off?" Perrine distinctly heard Hartmann's voice as she went over to her small, yet comfortable looking bed and sat down. Perrine then heard shuffling and more distinct sounds of metal, then heard a loud thunk on the wooden floor followed by a short silence.
"Oh ho ho~, Trude, I never realized you wanted to touch them that bad," Hartmann's teasing voice floated through the walls again. Perrine's face lit up slightly at the suggestive tone.
"No! It was just an accident! I was trying to get your armor off!" Barkhorn's hysterically defensive voice answered back, Perrine could almost see Barkhorn's radiant blush glowing through the wall. The two voices devolved down into unintelligible bickering as Perrine lifted her feet and slid beneath the covers.
She blew the candle that sat atop the bedside table out, plunging the room into darkness with only the moon illuminating the floor through the window. Perrine sighed as she relaxed into the comforting embrace of the bed, trying to block out the Karlslandian girls' squabbling.
"Fine, this is my side of the room, and this is yours," mumbled Barkhorn.
Silence soon reigned over the area as Perrine laid in the bed, tired but unable to sleep. She continually found her thoughts drifting off to her beloved.
'Sakamoto-hime...I'm coming for you...' she thought sadly, hoping that somehow Sakamoto could hear her. 'I can only imagine the terrible things you have to endure in your capture,' she lamented as her heart ached with worry. 'And what if I am unable to save her..?' she thought as doubt overtook her.
'No...no, I will save her!' Perrine resolved in her heart. Hours seemed to pass for the restless Gallian as she turned from side to side, desperately trying to find sleep. But soon her concern over Sakamoto took on a deep form of anxiety and she was unable to stop thinking of her.
After a long time of staring up at the ceiling, Perrine's ears perked up for the second time that night as they picked up a subtle noise coming from the other room next to her. She heard the gentle creak of a bed, then the soft padding of feet against the wooden floor, shortly followed by the even softer creak of another bed. A low but mischievous giggle reached Perrine's ears.
"Eila? What are you doing?" Sanya's soft and slightly confused voice came through the wall. Another giggle followed which was then accompanied by a low gasp and another creak from the bed.
"E-Eila..." Perrine's face turned completely scarlet as she turned on her side in the direction opposite the offending room.
'N-northern savages...' she thought indignantly, though the suggestive noises had brought her beloved Princess to the forefront of her mind yet again, but in a different light. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Perrine was able to push her worries out of her mind and find solace in blissful sleep.
* Strike Witches *
"Mmm...Wha-?" Perrine mumbled as she blearily opened her eyes, the light from the barely risen morning sun shining in through her window. All four girls were standing in Perrine's room, some barely half dressed.
"Princess, we need to leave, immediately," Barkhorn whispered urgently. Perrine sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes.
"What is so urgent that we have to leave immediately?" Perrine questioned irritably.
"The spirits told me of a great evil approaching this place," Eila replied ominously. Sanya was clinging to her arm, fright evident on her features.
"I sense it coming," she added cryptically.
"I see, all of you get dressed immediately, we are leaving," Perrine said as she slid out of bed, throwing her own modesty to the wind. Barkhorn and Hartmann nodded, their faces steeled for a possible confrontation, then left the room, with Sanya and Eila on their heels.
Perrine quickly threw her clothes and armor on and latched her rapier to her hip and exited the room. The other girls were waiting for her in the hallway, all of them in full garb, and the two knights seemingly prepared for battle.
"We must hurry then," Perrine said hastily as she lead the way down the stairs.
"Thanks for staying, your Highness!" Michiko called out from behind the counter as Perrine and company marched speedily across the room and out the door. When the girls were outside they quickly began making their way through the town. However, all the girls came to a halt when Sanya stopped dead, her magical green antennae appearing beside her head.
"It's too late, she's already here," Sanya stated. Before Perrine could say anything, the fiendish whinny of a horse sounded off in the distance. All eyes turned towards the opposite end of the town, where an enormous black horse stood reared up on its hind legs. Astride the horse was a figure clad in obsidian black armor that shined as if forged from the abyss itself.
The terrifying horse came down onto its legs and galloped faster than the girls thought possible for an animal and before they knew it the rider was upon them. The horse reared again before them, kicking its front legs out and causing Sanya to tremble and hide behind Eila who pressed back against the scared girl protectively. Barkhorn and Hartmann drew their swords and held them out ready to strike.
"Whoa, Merlin!" the black rider called out, her voice echoing out metallically as the beast landed back on all fours and snorted in protest. The rider seemed to eye the girls through her helmet, then jumped down from her mount, standing tall before the group.
"Which of you is the Princess of Gallia?" the rider demanded harshly. Perrine broke from behind the protective Karlsland defensive line and stood defiantly before the menacing figure.
"I am the Princess," she stated without fear.
"Then you will die today!" the rider cried as her hand shot for her sheathed sword.
"Princess!" Barkhorn shouted as she leapt in front of Perrine, her sword held on the defensive. In an instant, Barkhorn's sword clattered to the ground a short distance away. Barkhorn gripped the air where her sword hilt had once been, a shocked look on her face.
The black warrior stood deathly still, as if she had not moved at all.
'I didn't even see her draw her sword, much less strike or sheath it!' Perrine thought in shock. Perrine blinked and the next thing she heard was the sound of metal bending beneath metal.
"Trude!" Hartmann cried as Barkhorn fell to one knee, the steel of her pauldron dented in.
"You made me miss," The rider said irately, though the metallic thickness provided by her helmet made it sound even more menacing.
"W-who are you?" Perrine stuttered in surprise. The warrior placed her hands atop her helmet and pulled it from her head. A river of bright red hair flowed from the cramped confines of the helmet as the rider shook her head free, blinking her bright blue eyes for a second.
"I am Charlotte Yeager, black knight in service of the Great Witch," she said proudly. "I have been sent to end your journey here," she continued threateningly as she threw her helmet to the dirt. The black steed behind her seemed to instinctually know to back away from its master. Rage flashed across Hartmann's features as Barkhorn glared up at the black knight.
"Trude!" Hartmann cried angrily as she charged at Charlotte, her sword raised. Hartmann slashed down but the clang of metal on metal echoed through the area as Charlotte deftly blocked the blow, drawing her sword faster than Hartmann could follow. Hartmann gritted her teeth in anger as she pressed against Charlotte's blade, friction sparks falling from the quivering blades, but the black knight's defense held firm.
"Hartmann! Don't! She's too fast!" Barkhorn said desperately as Perrine grabbed her by the shoulder and began dragging her away from the fight. Charlotte grinned maliciously as she began to push back against Hartmann, her superior strength pressing the Karlslandian down to her knee.
"Barkhorn-san! Are you hurt?" Sanya asked in concern once Perrine had managed to get herself and Barkhorn to a safe distance from the duel. Barkhorn moved her shoulder and grunted in discomfort.
"It's nothing, she just dented my armor," she said, though it was clearly untrue. Eila watched the battle with a peculiar intensity, her eyes transfixed upon the pair.
"Hartmann-san! Dodge now!" Eila called out. Not a few seconds later Charlotte lifted her blade to strike down with more force. Hartmann took the opportunity and jumped to her feet, leaping back away from her opponent and slicing the air with her blade.
"Sturm!" she shouted, causing a gust of air to shoot out along the ground, hurtling towards Charlotte. But in an instant Charlotte disappeared and reappeared in front of Hartmann, and before the blonde could react, slashed her across the abdomen. Hartmann gasped out and crumpled to the ground in a heap.
"No!" Barkhorn screamed as Hartmann fell. Jumping to her feet, Barkhorn rushed at Charlotte as the black knight raised her sword for a killing blow. Barkhorn tackled Charlotte to the ground, rolling for a moment before coming to rest atop her enemy.
Barkhorn angrily clenched her fist, raising it and swinging downwards towards the red head's face. But Charlotte stopped her, catching her by the wrist and swiftly countering with a right hook to the brown haired girl's cheek, sending her tumbling across the ground. Barkhorn quickly recovered, gritting her teeth as tears streamed down her cheeks. Charlotte smirked and looked at the downed blonde then laughed tauntingly.
"Did I kill your girlfriend?" she mocked with another laugh. Barkhorn's features seethed with anger, but just as she was about to rush at Charlotte again, she felt the hilt of her sword beneath her gauntleted fingers. Gripping it tightly, she quickly rose to her feet and rushed at the black knight. Then, at the last moment, with the precision of an expert swordsman she brought her sword up and swung down in a deadly arc, the blade singing through the air.
Even Charlotte barely had the reflexes to dodge the blow, her great fortune being shown as the blow struck the bare earth and cratered it slightly from Barkhorn's magical strength.
"Tch," Charlotte grunted as a thin line of blood ran down her cheek from the near miss. Barkhorn breathed raggedly for a moment before a soft groan caught her attention. She glanced over and saw Hartmann still laying on the ground, however her arm was outstretched, pushing her sword out towards Barkhorn. Barkhorn took the cue and quickly retrieved the fallen girl's sword, flourishing both blades expertly in her hands.
Perrine came down from the shock of watching the display of raw power from the Karlsland knight and realized that ultimately she would need to help.
"Stay back," Perrine cautioned to Sanya and Eila, who were worried and saddened at the lack of help they offered. Perrine strode out towards the two combatants, unsheathing her rapier and holding it at the ready. Charlotte began to step backwards, seeing the slowly advancing Perrine and Barkhorn as too much for her to handle on her own.
"You two are lucky!" Charlotte cried bitterly as her steed came up next to her. Charlotte mounted her horse and cracked the reigns, causing the beast to rear back.
"We'll meet again!" She called out as she cracked the reigns again and took off out of the town, driving up a cloud of dust in her wake. Barkhorn ran after her for a moment, though she knew it was a fruitless effort, and eventually stopped and yelled after her before falling to her knees. By then, many of the towns people had gathered around the buildings and viewed the entire fight, many were in awe, shock, or fear over the situation.
One particular blonde girl left the crowd and walked up to Barkhorn, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Barkhorn looked up at the girl, tears blurring her vision.
"E-Erica?" she choked out.
"My name is Ursula, I'm the town surgeon," the blonde said comfortingly. "I can save your friend."
"Y-you can?" Barkhorn cried excitedly as she stood up. Ursula simply nodded. Barkhorn quickly went over to the other girls, who by this time were crowded around the fallen Hartmann.
"Quickly, bring her to my clinic," Ursula said. Barkhorn hefted Hartmann up and slumped her over her back then quickly followed Ursula to her clinic.
"Hold on, Hartmann..."
* Strike Witches *
"She's going to be ok, right?" Barkhorn asked worriedly as Ursula finished bandaging up the wound across Hartmann's abdomen.
"She'll be just fine, I'm the best surgeon in this area," Ursula stated proudly which caused Barkhorn to sigh in relief. Sanya and Eila were crowded around the operating table with Barkhorn, their worry clear on their features. Barkhorn gave Ursula a long look which eventually drew the blonde's attention.
"Sorry, you just look a lot like her...It's kind of strange," Barkhorn commented as she blushed lightly.
"Perhaps it was fate that we met and I could help you," Ursula commented with a smile. Perrine stayed decidedly behind the group, more willing to give Barkhorn her space than anything, but she knew what she had to do.
"Barkhorn-san, we need to go...We still have a mission we must attend to," Perrine said softly as she came up behind Barkhorn and laid a hand on her shoulder. Barkhorn's head fell for a moment then she turned and gave Perrine a nod.
"I understand..." she said sadly. She then turned back to Ursula.
"Can I trust her to your care?" Barkhorn asked as her faced hardened in seriousness.
"I'll take care of her as if she were my own sister," Ursula said sincerely. Barkhorn's features softened at this answer. She then went over to Hartmann's belongings and took her sword, sliding her gauntleted fingers down the glinting metal before taking the accompanying sheath and fastening it against her other hip.
"Alright," Barkhorn said as she turned back to the group. Perrine simply nodded in understanding and turned, heading out of the clinic, quickly being followed by the other three girls.
As the girls walked onwards towards their destination, Eila laid a comforting hand on Barkhorn's shoulder.
"I know she'll be fine, Barkhorn-san," Eila said comfortingly. Barkhorn looked at her and saw the knowing gaze, causing her to smile a little. Perrine led her party out of the small town and along a lonely dirt road through more countryside.
"This is the path that black knight took," Sanya observed.
"It would seem that we will meet her again after all," Perrine commented. Barkhorn said nothing, her face set in barely suppressed rage. The road lead all the way to the mountainous peaks that the girls had seen from a distance. It continued to take them through a narrow path between the mountains, leading them into a valley surrounded by rocky cliffs.
The girls all stared up in awe as they continued on down the path, feeling dwarfed by the amazing peaks surrounding them and Perrine soon began to feel a strange familiarity for the location they were passing through. As the path ended and the area widened around them, it finally struck her when she noticed a broken shield a short distance away, half-covered by dirt. She rushed over to the shield and knelt down, smearing away the dirt and gasping at her discovery.
"This is a Gallian emblem," she stated as the others curiously gathered around her. She then looked out across the level plain before them, seeing many rusted swords and torn banners sticking out of the ground.
"This is where my father and the Gallian army fought the Great Witch the day I was born..." Perrine said somberly as she observed the lifeless banners, unable to even flutter for lack of wind. Perrine stood back up and steeled her gaze into the distance.
"We must be close, let us continue," she said as she moved forward into the ancient battle field. After only a short time of traveling onwards, the entire group stopped in their tracks and stared up in stunned silence as their search came to an end.
In the distance stood a magnificent black castle high up on a cliff, its spires reaching up high against the mountains that walled it in. Pitch black storm clouds hung about the castle, lightning streaking across them as if they were linked, though no thunder followed and there was no sign of rain.
"This doesn't sit well with me..." Eila cautioned as Perrine pressed forward.
"Me either," Sanya added softly.
"Well then you two may stay behind! I will not stop because of some magicians cheap tricks!" Perrine replied fiercely as she continued onwards.
"And I have personal matters to attend to," Barkhorn said darkly as she quickly followed Perrine. Sanya and Eila looked between each other before exchanging smiles then quickly followed after the two.
The girls reached the base of the cliff and began their careful ascent up the sheer rock face. When the girls were only halfway up, the ground seemingly as far away as the sky now, Eila suddenly stopped in her climb.
"Sanya!" she cried out as she reached out for the grey haired girl, who was safely climbing just above Eila.
"Eila-?" Sanya began in confusion until suddenly the jutting rock she was clinging to gave way and she fell backwards and began to plummet towards the ground. However, as Eila had sensed that it would happen, she was already prepared and caught Sanya by the wrist, leaving the quiet girl to dangle helplessly in the air.
By this time the other girls had noticed but could do nothing but watch in shock.
"Hold on!" Eila huffed as she strained and began pulling Sanya back up, now having to support her own weight with one hand. Eila let out a gasp of relief as she managed to pull Sanya up next to her, letting the girl find a footing on the cliff face.
"Thank you, Eila..." Sanya said quietly as she blushed. Eila gave Sanya's hand an exhausted squeeze before the group continued their journey upwards, tragedy having been averted.
After what felt like an eternity of climbing, the girls all finally stood atop the cliff, gazing up at the enormous structure before them. In the distance, the double doors to the castle swung open, as if the castle were a hungry beast waiting to devour them. Perrine was not deterred by the disturbing sight and continued onwards into the dark maw of the building.
* Strike Witches *
Once inside, the girls slowly examined their surroundings. The interior was vast and nearly pitch dark, with only the soft glow of sparsely placed torches on the walls. An enormous unlit chandelier hung from the tall ceiling. Obsidian pillars shot up from the floors to the ceiling, the material shimmering with a dark ambience enhanced by the reflecting flicker of the wall torches.
"This place is so big..." Eila gasped as she stared around the room. Suddenly Sanya froze as her antennae appeared and glowed brightly.
"She's coming," Sanya stated flatly. The other girls stopped and looked back quizzically at her, however their attention quickly snapped forward as a loud bang resounded from the end of the room. In the shadow of a large pair of double doors stood Charlotte, smirking as she walked into the room.
"I knew you'd all come," she stated as she came to a stop a short distance away from the group. Barkhorn's expression exploded with anger as she drew both of her swords and stood ready to leap at the offending girl at any moment. Perrine seemed un-phased and haughtily flipped her hair with her hand.
"You forget that we were too much for you last time," she said proudly. Charlotte gave a short laugh in response which angered Perrine.
"I'm not alone this time," Charlotte replied. Not a moment after she spoke, a creature jumped out from behind her appearing as nothing but a blur until it landed a few feet in front of the group, crouching on all fours.
"I'm Lucchini! A demon summoned by my mistress and put under the command of Shirley!" Lucchini cackled mischievously as she swished her thin, pointed tail.
"I told you not call me that!" Charlotte griped, earning nothing but an amused laugh from the demon.
"What manner of foul creature is this?" Perrine cried as she drew her rapier in surprise.
"I'm not waiting any longer, this ends now!" Barkhorn cried as she charged forward, straight past Lucchini, heading towards Charlotte. Charlotte stood smirking as Barkhorn raised her dual swords, bringing them down in one swift motion. Charlotte deftly blocked the blow quicker than Barkhorn could follow, however, the impact caused by Barkhorn's superior strength wiped the smirk off Charlotte's face as her blade quivered below Barkhorn's.
"Not so cocky now, huh?" Barkhorn mocked as she shoved forward with her swords, causing Charlotte to stumble backwards.
"Eheheheh~!" Lucchini cackled as her sights turned on the three remaining girls. Perrine raised her rapier defensively, but as soon as she blinked the creature was gone. All three girls looked around the room, trying to find their adversary. The demon's ominous cackle echoed throughout the room before she reappeared.
"Sanya!" Eila cried out, causing Perrine to turn. She saw that the demon now held Sanya captive, her hands pressed lewdly against the quivering girl's chest.
"You look good enough to eat~" Lucchini said teasingly as her tongue slid over her fanged teeth.
"Eila!" Sanya called as tears streaked down her cheeks.
"Don't touch her!" Eila yelled as she rushed forward and tackled the demon as she released Sanya at the last moment.
The two fell to the ground in a tangled mass and struggled before Lucchini kicked Eila off then hopped to her feet.
"Fufufu~" Lucchini said as she eyed Eila's enraged expression with subtle delight. Sanya rushed over to Eila and knelt down next to her, shielding her protectively as the demon slowly advanced on them.
"If you want someone to fight, face me, demon!" Perrine called as she stepped out in front of Sanya and Eila, raising her rapier.
Barkhorn barely dodged another impossibly fast blow by Charlotte, the tip of her blade scraping against her pauldron.
"I'm going to gut you! Just like your little girlfriend!" Charlotte taunted as she struck out again. Barkhorn growled and dodged again, Charlotte's blade severing a few locks of her hair. Charlotte struck out yet again, hoping to wear down her opponent and catch her off guard. Barkhorn blocked the blow with one sword then flipped the blade so that the momentum caused Charlotte's blade to slide to the side, along with its wielder.
Barkhorn then brought up her second sword in a vertical arc, scraping the tip across the floor as it ascended towards the red head. Charlotte's eyes narrowed and she used her superior speed to dodge the deadly strike, leaving the sword to plow through the nearby pillar instead, sending tiny chunks of stone in a shower across the floor.
Lucchini cackled in delight as she leapt forward towards Perrine, her claws bared. Perrine quickly matched her blade to parry the demon's claws, leaving them to glance off of each other with a brief shower of sparks. Lucchini jumped back and ran the tip of her finger across her tongue in delight before leaping at Perrine again and again. Perrine blocked over and over, but she was clearly on the defensive and declining quickly.
'I have to use my magic...' Perrine urged herself as the demon pushed her further and further back, her sword slowing in matching the creature's advancing attacks as it laughed in glee.
'No! It'll take all my strength to maintain it! I have to save it for my true enemy!' Perrine thought in determination as she blocked another of Lucchini's strikes. Lucchini's grin widened as she pushed her claws against the cold steel of the rapier, her bare fingers seemingly made of steel themselves. Perrine grunted as the demonic creature's unearthly strength pushed her blade back towards herself.
'I can't be defeated here! I have to save Sakamoto-hime!' Perrine mentally cried as she gritted her teeth and with a burst of strength, pushed the demon back with her sword, managing to scrape the creature along her arm in the process.
"Ow! That hurt!" Lucchini whined childishly as she rubbed the place on her arm where her purplish blood slowly trickled.
"I guess it'll just take more than that to take you down, Princess," Lucchini mocked as she stuck her arm out straight to the side. The blood from her wound stopped flowing and suddenly burst into flames, engulfing her entire arm in a wreath of fire before the seething mass crawled down her arm and onto her outstretched hand. Perrine watched in abject shock as the flames grew into the shape of a long staff with a three pronged head.
When the flames evaporated, in its wake was left a pitch black trident, the pronged tips gleaming like the fires that bore it. Perrine gulped and gritted her teeth as Lucchini laughed and charged at Perrine again, her trident raised for a downward strike.
The entire time, Sanya and Eila could do nothing but stare in despair at the two battles going on about the room.
"We have to do something, Eila," Sanya urged as she helped the shaken girl to her feet.
"But what can we do? We're just mystics, we can't fight," Eila replied, her despair evident in her voice.
"But...Eila..." Sanya said as her face fell for a moment. "The demon that the Princess is fighting...you know what we can do," Sanya said, a hint of knowing in her voice.
"D-don't be crazy! We can't do that again, you almost couldn't take it the last time!" Eila replied in concern.
"We have to, Eila! The Princess can't fight it on her own!" Sanya urged. Eila fell silent as a subtle battle raged behind her face, her expression shifting between concern, sorrow, then resolution.
"A-alright..." Eila finally agreed. Sanya and Eila took a stance side-by-side then clasped their hands together and closed their eyes. Sanya's antennae appeared, glowing even more brightly than ever before, then slowly turned a shade of deep crimson, then bright pink.
"Spirits, I ask again for your aid..." Eila muttered before her voice became unintelligible. Sanya gasped as she felt a pull from the connection she had formed with Eila. The light in her antennae flickered and sputtered as she felt her magic being siphoned off through their bond.
Perrine stumbled backwards and fell hard onto her backside, a thick trail of blood trickling from her forehead and blinding her in one eye.
"Well, I guess this is the end for you, Princess," Lucchini laughed as she twirled her trident around in a blur before raising it above her head, ready to stake it through Perrine's head. Perrine glared up at the demon as she gave a final victorious laugh and plunged the weapon downwards. Suddenly Lucchini halted, her body having been stopped by a seemingly invisible force.
"W-what is this?" she choked out as her trident quivered in her hands before dissolving into ash that fluttered lightly to the floor. Lucchini staggered back stiffly and turned towards Sanya and Eila.
"Y-you two!" Lucchini stammered as she spied Eila's soft chanting and Sanya's antennae which were spastically shifting through a rainbow of colors.
"What have you done!" Lucchini screamed as she forced her body to move and rushed towards Sanya and Eila. Lucchini was halfway towards them when Eila's eyes flew open, she cried out the final part of her incantation, and Sanya's antennae burned white before disappearing. Lucchini froze mid-dash as a white pentagram appeared on the floor below her, with her standing in the exact center.
The pentagram began spinning slowly before a blue circle appeared around it and spun the opposite direction. Tiny ancient runes then appeared throughout the spaces of the mystical symbols, burning red before flames shot up from the floor and engulfed Lucchini. Lucchini thrashed and screamed as dark abyssal hands reached up from the depths of hell and latched onto her, slowly pulling her downwards.
"No! I don't want to go back!" she cried out as her head disappeared below the flames with a final scream before the flames blinked out if existence, leaving nothing but a pile of ashes where Lucchini had once been. Perrine gazed in amazement but quickly jumped to her feet as Sanya collapsed next to Eila.
"Sanya!" Eila cried as she knelt down to the heavily panting girl.
"What have you done?" Charlotte cried as she viewed the entire scene from across the room, tears lightly flowing down her cheeks. Charlotte lashed out angrily at Barkhorn, her teeth clenched and her eyes ablaze with hate as her sword became a blur Barkhorn could barely block.
Barkhorn calmed her mind and followed the movements of Charlotte's blade, now faster but sloppier due to her sudden rage. Barkhorn saw a slip in Charlotte's offense and deftly halted the onslaught with her left sword.
The reverberation of metal clanging against metal echoed throughout the hall as the sudden impact rattled Charlotte's entire body. Barkhorn took advantage of Charlotte's momentary shock and, summoning her incredible strength, sliced through the air with her free sword and struck Charlotte's blade above the guard.
The force of the strike was too much and Charlotte lost her grip on her sword, sending it flying out of her hand and clanking across the floor. As shock washed over Charlotte's face, Barkhorn kicked her in the gut, knocking the air out of her and sending her flying back, slamming down onto her back and coughing up blood. Barkhorn dropped her own sword to the ground with a resounding clang, squeezing Hartmann's sword tightly in her hand. She advanced on the prone black knight.
Barkhorn stood above Charlotte as the two glared at each other, a thin line of blood dribbling out of the corner of her mouth. Barkhorn gripped Hartmann's sword in both hands, raising it above her head and twisting her hands on the hilt, feeling the scrunch of the gauntleted leather. She glared hard down at Charlotte, then, with a cry, swung down at her.
The sound of metal striking against stone echoed throughout the room.
"Why'd you stop? Do it!" Charlotte demanded angrily as Barkhorn raised the edge of the blade from the floor where it had struck near Charlotte's head and held it loosely at her side.
"No...she wouldn't want this..." Barkhorn mumbled as her mind drifted to a certain blonde Karlslandian. "Princess! What are you waiting for? We can handle this..." Barkhorn called out without looking away from Charlotte. Perrine startled out of her reverie at watching the knight.
"R-right!" Perrine replied as she eyed the giant doorway Charlotte had emerged from. She sheathed her rapier and sprinted towards the doorway, disappearing as she was sucked into the darkness.
* Strike Witches *
Perrine rushed down the dimly lit hallway until it curved to the left, then back to the right.
'I'm coming for you, Sakamoto-hime!' Perrine thought as she passed by door after door, going on gut instinct alone as she had no idea where she was going. Finally, Perrine arrived at a large set of metal double doors that stretched up to the ceiling.
'This has to be it!' Perrine thought as she gasped and panted, sweat sliding down her face from exertion. She pressed a hand against each door and pushed. After a moment of straining, the double doors groaned loudly and slowly swung inwards, creaking loudly on their hinges. Perrine was momentarily blinded as she stepped into a large circular room, torches evenly distributed among the walls and an accompanying chandelier making it brighter than the hallways she had passed through. When her vision focused she surveyed the room.
Stacks upon stacks of dusty old tomes were piled against the walls. Stained and crumbling scrolls of parchment lay in mounds below them, as if they were avalanched stones fallen from the tome mountains. The entire room was like a forbidden vault of long forgotten knowledge.
Perrine's curiosity eventually led her gaze to the center of the room, where a single table stood surrounded by scraps of paper and open books. A single figure stood at the table, her back turned to Perrine. A long black cloak flowing down to her ankles hid the casual movement of her arms. The figure seemed not to notice Perrine's entrance, despite the blatancy of it, so Perrine quietly drew her rapier, not knowing what to expect.
Suddenly, as she crept up behind the figure, Perrine froze in her steps, unable to move except for her panicked eyes that rapidly scanned the area in confusion.
"I knew you would come, Princess Perrine," the figure stated without turning to look at Perrine. Perrine tried to respond but found her jaw unable to move at her command. Then she felt herself thrown back as if by some unseen attacker that slammed her through a stack of tomes and into the wall.
Perrine coughed and gasped as she came to rest on top of the wrecked pile of books and struggled to recover her breath. The figure casually strode over to her, the odd tips of her short brown hair that spread out like wings at the side of her hair bouncing lightly with her steps.
"I am Yoshika Miyafuji, Great Witch and protégé of the former Great Witch," Yoshika stated as she stretched out her hand towards Perrine, palm bared and fingers curled back. Perrine felt a tightening in her chest as if her very insides were being compressed.
Yoshika stiffly moved her arm upwards, and to Perrine's shock, she rose up off the ground along the Witch's movements, struggling physically against the invisible force. Yoshika jerked her hand towards the opposite wall and Perrine felt herself thrown against it, slamming into the unforgiving stone and toppling another pile of tomes.
Perrine coughed and wheezed as her body ached. Her lungs, though no longer feeling restrained, burned from the experience. Again, Yoshika strode over to Perrine.
"Why are...y-you doing this..?" Perrine coughed as she struggled to her knees.
"Because your father," Yoshika began as she jabbed her hand out, repeating her earlier motion and sending Perrine crashing into another wall. Perrine began to feel her consciousness slipping away as her head swam with muddled thoughts and she was unable to keep a grip on her rapier, letting it slide out of her hand onto the floor with a clang.
"Because your father destroyed my mother!" Yoshika yelled bitterly as she began to squeeze the life out of Perrine with her magic. Perrine gasped and struggled to fill her lungs, but it seemed as if her attempts only quickened her demise. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as Yoshika came closer, a gleefully malicious grin spread across her face.
'I'm...sorry...Sakamoto-hime...' Perrine thought in despair. The assault on Perrine's life came to a reprieve as Yoshika came closer and bent down next to Perrine.
"And now, I'm going to make you watch," Yoshika whispered harshly in her ear. Perrine lay dazed as Yoshika grasped her by the ankle and dragged her across the floor and to the opposite side of the room from the entrance. A staircase descended down into a cold darkness that Perrine was dragged into. Perrine weakly tried to cushion the blows as her head banged against each step they descended until finally they were at the bottom, the cool, damp stone soothing Perrine's pounding skull.
After what felt like an age, Yoshika stopped and dropped Perrine's ankle to the floor. The Princess allowed her head to flop to the side and saw that she was in a dungeon with cells along the wall, each enclosed with iron bars. She saw a brown haired girl in a pink gown that she did not recognize, fear evident on her face. Then, as her eyes scanned lower...
"S-Sakamoto-hime..!" Perrine gasped out weakly as Sakamoto noticed her presence, a mixture of fear and joy on her face. Yoshika came into Perrine's field of view, standing next to the cell with Sakamoto in it.
"D-don't hurt her..." Perrine begged as Yoshika raised her arm towards Sakamoto.
"Now you're going to watch her die!" Yoshika cried venomously as she squeeze her hand together into a fist. Sakamoto cried out and began writhing in pain on the floor of her cell.
"No..!" Perrine yelled as she struggled to bring herself up onto her arms.
'I have to save her...I have to save her...' Perrine repeated in her mind as sobs welled in her throat, the sound of Sakamoto dying stabbing her ears. Sakamoto's cries stopped and Perrine heard Yoshika approaching her, then kneeling down next to her.
"It's no fun if you aren't watching," Yoshika said mockingly as she raised Perrine's chin up. Perrine grit her teeth as her eyes narrowed in an explosion of anger.
"Tonnerre!" she cried out. Yoshika jumped back as electricity exploded around Perrine's body, enveloping it in the crackling energy. Yoshika held her arm up at the sudden burst of light.
"I...I won't let you..." Perrine gasped as she shakily stood to her feet, electricity swirling around her limbs and seething out into the air like tendrils. Perrine took a wobbly step forward, then another, and another, her feet leaving momentary traces of energy dancing out across the floor.
"I won't let you hurt her!" Perrine cried as she felt a burst of adrenaline and strength that dulled her pain, allowing her to charge forward at Yoshika.
Yoshika's hand shot out to stop Perrine with her magic but it was too late. Perrine jabbed Yoshika in the stomach, the electricity from her balled fist shooting into the Witch, causing her to shudder but not cry out. Perrine followed with an uppercut that left Yoshika reeling backwards. A right hook to her cheek nearly brought her down but she staggered back and glared at Perrine.
"This isn't over..!" Yoshika said thickly as blood seeped into her mouth. Perrine clasped her hands together and raised them above her head then brought them down against Yoshika's skull in one swift motion, expounding all of her magic into a swing that buzzed as the air burned from the crackling electricity. Yoshika crashed to the floor and shuddered violently for a few moments before falling still.
"...Yes, it is," Perrine spat. Staggering, she nearly passed out as her body remembered its wounds coupled with the expenditure of her own magic. Perrine stumbled over to Sakamoto's cell, having to brace herself against the wall before pushing the cell door open.
"Perrine!" Sakamoto cried as the blonde fell into her arms. "I knew you'd come for me..." Sakamoto said as tears welled in her eyes.
"Of course..." Perrine replied with an exhausted smile. Perrine stabilized herself then clasped Sakamoto's hand. "We have to go...there are others waiting for us," Perrine said as she began to pull Sakamoto from the cell.
"Wait," Sakamoto said abruptly as they exited the cell. "We can't leave her behind," she continued as she pointed to the occupant of the other cell. Perrine simply nodded, almost too exhausted to speak, as she went over and pushed the cell door open.
"Who are you?" Perrine asked curiously as she helped the girl to her feet.
"I'm Lynette Bishop, Princess of Britannia," she replied timidly. "Thank you for saving me..." she said softly as she looked down for a moment. Perrine, though exhausted, could feel her pride and ego swell at the compliment.
"It was nothing really-," Perrine began before a deafening rumble cut her off. The girls looked around frantically as the ground began to tremble and shake. Perrine did not stop to think, she simply grabbed Lynette and Sakamoto's hands and rushed out of the dungeon with the two girls in tow.
Perrine hurried up the stairs back into the Witch's lair as the ceiling itself began to cave in, large chunks of stone falling to the floor around them. Perrine could barely keep herself upright as tremors shot through the floor beneath her. The girls ran out through the large metal doors only moments before the doorway itself crumbled in, the doors clanging to the ground beneath a pile of rubble.
Perrine panted and gasped as her throat burned, her legs screamed at her and her heart pounded. Her grip on Sakamoto's hand tightened as she weaved through the corridors and finally burst out into the main entrance room.
Sanya, Barkhorn, Eila and the black knight were nowhere in sight so Perrine safely assumed that they had already escaped. The light at the end of the room signified their salvation and Perrine made a dash for it. Suddenly she heard a crash and felt Sakamoto's hand slip out of tight grip. Perrine paused amidst the chaos and looked back as dread gripped her stomach.
"Sakamoto-hime!" Perrine cried as she saw Sakamoto's leg trapped beneath a slab of stone. Perrine looked back to Lynette who stood frozen. "Go!" Perrine urged as she pushed Lynette towards the light. As Lynette took off, Perrine returned to Sakamoto and surveyed the stone for a place to grab on. Finding one, she grasped the rock and heaved up with what little strength she could summon. The stone moved just enough for Sakamoto to drag her leg out from beneath it. Perrine, not having the time to stop and think, scooped her love up in her arms and ran towards the light.
The castle continued to come down around them and Perrine narrowly dodged a large stone that fell from the ceiling. At last Perrine burst out of the castle with a plume of smoke and dust exploding behind her.
She collapsed with Sakamoto still in her arms as the other girls appeared and gathered around her. Perrine panted and managed to give Sakamoto a smile. Sakamoto blushed and looked down for a moment before looking back up.
"Thank you...my Princess," she said softly which caused Perrine to blush.
"I-I'd do anything for you, Sakamoto-hime," she panted as she gulped both from the dryness of her throat and her sudden nervousness. Sakamoto looked deeply into Perrine's eyes, then slowly leaned in. Perrine froze as Sakamoto closed in on her. Blood pounded in her ears as she felt Sakamoto's hot breath against her lips. Perrine closed her eyes as she felt the soft, warm pressure against her lips and, despite her exhaustion, eagerly leaned into the kiss. She was surprised when she felt her lips parting as if they had a mind of their own, thus allowing the kiss to deepen.
When they finally parted and Perrine opened her eyes, the sight of Sakamoto's glittering eyes and heavy set blush was too much for her to handle. Her exhaustion, coupled with the experience of her first kiss with her true love, slammed into her all at once. Stars danced in her vision as she felt herself falling backwards against the ground.
"Perrine...!"
* Strike Witches *
"Perrine..!" Sakamoto's voice came again, sounding oddly faint. "Perrine!"
Perrine's eyes flew open as she felt her head suddenly unsupported by her hands. Perrine looked around as the other Witches giggled. She then looked in front of her and found Sakamoto standing over her, wooden sword in hand. Perrine's face exploded into a crimson blush as reality hit her.
"Did you have a nice dream, Perrine?" Sakamoto asked sternly.
"Uh...um...M-Major..." Perrine stammered as her blush deepened even further.
"It really did sound interesting!" Yoshika called out over her giggling.
"All we kept hearing was 'Sakamoto-hime...'" Lucchini laughed as she mimicked a dreamy voice then broke down into a fit of giggles. Sakamoto whacked Perrine's desk with her sword to bring order back to the room.
Perrine buried her face beneath her arms as tears of embarrassment streamed down her cheeks. After the meeting ended, Perrine quickly retreated to her room and laid on her bed.
'It was all just a dream..?' she thought once her embarrassment subsided. Perrine turned on her side and tried to recall how Sakamoto's lips had felt.
'Well...It was a nice dream...'
END
Author's Commentary: Whew! What a long read. Well, I hope it was still worth reading. This story is based off of the 'Perrine's Fantasy' commercial break picture from a Strike Witches episode (forgot which). Also, a special note: the way I portrayed Charlotte, Lucchini, and Yoshika in no way reflects how I feel about them. I simply had to typecast them based off the original picture this was inspired by. In the picture, Perrine sees Lucchini, Charlotte, and Yoshika as evil beings that have taken Sakamoto hostage, so I had to work with that, and everything slid into place for all the girls' roles. But that doesn't mean I hate the girls who I portrayed badly, I love all the Strike Witches girls! Anyways, hope you all enjoyed and all feedback is happily welcomed!