Old Wounds
-1-
Old Memories
Slussen, Suomus
February 1940
A cold yellow light sliced through the snowy night as the putter of a motorcycle could be heard. It stopped under the barrel shaped sign of the tavern and the engine shut off. The rider in her leather jacket sat up and lit a cigarette. It was Elizabeth F. Beurling of the Suomus Independent Volunteer Squadron, more commonly known as "The Misfits". Despite only being 19 years old, she looked much older than she is; probably because she is a heavy drinker, smoker, and has graying brown hair. After a couple puffs, the witch headed inside. Inside was dim and smoky with an overall gloomy mood. Only a couple of tables were occupied but she didn't pay any attention to anyone until a certain person, an oriental with her head down on the bar, caught her eye.
"No one ever beats me to the pub," Elizabeth commented as she brushed snow off her hair and walked up to the Fusoan.
The other witch didn't respond and kept her face planted on the counter.
"You look like absolute shit," Elizabeth said as she noticed the empty alcohol bottles next to her. "What happened this time?"
The witch let out a groan and turned her head slightly so she could see Elizabeth.
"I just found out that Itokawa was a woman." Tomoko Anabuki slurred her words. "And to think that I actually felt like I was falling in love with him...her...it."
"Well, she loves you and if you love her, it doesn't matter if you are straight, gay, lesbians, bi, or whatever. Just as long as it is real love, it's fine," Elizabeth as she opened a beer bottle. "Well, that's just my two cents."
Tomoko let out another sighing groan as she witnessed Elizabeth guzzle down an entire bottle and asked for another one. The Faraway Landian raised her question again.
"Still. Why are you here? You tried coping with the news by drinking and kicking our asses into training at three in the morning. I think Ahonen is still angry from us stealing their Messerscharfs for your training."
"I think there's something else but I don't bother remembering it at the moment," Tomoko said.
Elizabeth offered Tomoko a cigarette but the Fusoan declined and rolled her face back onto the wood. So much has happened since the SIVS was formed. They started out as a ragtag team of misfits who had difficulty handling their self confidence, let alone the Neuroi. By some miracle of rapid unification they came together and were able to defeat a Diomedia. Then came the fall of Slussen, the Stuka girls, Tomoko's adjustment to the Ki-44, and the recapture of Slussen.
Wait...the Stuka girls?"
"Come to think of it, what happened to you and Rudel in Ostmark?" Tomoko asked as she tried to sit up straight.
"You know that story. We went through hell. My rival was killed, Rudel got her scar, and I became a depressed drunk."
"You weren't always like this?" Tomoko's interest peaked. "And it sounded like you were the one that gave Rudel that." Tomoko pushed against the bridge of Elizabeth's nose indicating where Hanna Rudel would have hers.
"Why do you want to know?"
"I think there's an interesting story behind that, albeit tragic."
"Don't expect me to do training for a while if I tell you."
"Does it look like I'm fit for training?" Tomoko said, half jokingly.
"Okay, then fine," Elizabeth said as she poured half a bottle of whiskey down her throat and slammed it on the bar.