I do not own Valkyria Chronicles.
Bruhl
Welkin Gunther was walking into Bruhl, when he saw the fish. They enticed him so much with all their swimming he just had to stop and draw them.
"You get more and more beautiful every year. Why, you're so beautiful, I'd kiss you if there weren't so many people around," Welkin said as he drew them. He didn't seem to notice people beginning to stare, and continued talking to them. "Oh, I missed you so much. I never stopped thinking about you, you know. Even when I was with Faldio. What? I haven't told you about Faldio? Well, he's a guy I met while at University. He loves history as much as I love nature. He's my best friend. So, what have you been up to lately? Enjoying the sun? It has been nice recently, hasn't it? Lucky you. I wish I could do that. But with the war going on-"
"Who are you?" a female's voice came from behind Welkin. Welkin turned, and saw a young woman he didn't recognize. Her brown hair was in pigtails, and there was a bandana on her head. Her eyes were as brown as her hair. She was also pointing a gun at him, and he knew that wasn't a good sign.
"Welkin Gunther. Is there something wrong, miss?" The young lady looked at him as though she didn't believe him, then noticed his journal.
"What is that? You're a spy, aren't you? Well, you're not going to give that report to your superiors. Give me the book."
"What? It's just drawings... Nothing anyone would understand as some code, really." Welkin held his journal closer to him, relieved when he saw Isara running over.
"Well then why are you hiding it?"
"Welks! Thank goodness you're here." Isara threw her arms around Welkin, holding him a few long moments. "I missed you so much, Welks!" She drew back and noticed the woman. "What are you doing Alicia?"
"Nothing. I just saw him, and I didn't recognize him. That's all."
"You stay away from him, you hussy! He's mine. And I'm not sharing him." Isara grabbed Welkin's arm and started pulling him off towards town. A gunshot rang out, and a bullet barely missed Isara.
"Enemies!" Alicia yelled out. You can use a gun, right?" she asked, turning toward Welkin.
"Uh...Yes." Welkin looked from Alicia's face to the gun she was holding out to him. "You're expecting me to shoot someone?"
"Well, we are in a war. You'd have to do it eventually."
Welkin took the gun from her, and looked at Isara.
"Get somewhere safe. I don't want you caught up in it."
Welkin and Alicia turned to face the enemy scouts.
"Two of them and three of us. Should be easy. Welkin, you take the guy over there. Noce, you check around. Make sure there aren't any more," Alicia said, appointing herself as the leader.
Welkin nodded and ran after the scout to the left. Know Bruhl and its landscape better than the enemy, he managed to find a good spot to set up an ambush for him. Welkin didn't have to wait long for the man to come in range, oblivious to Welkin's presence. Welkin took aim from around the tree, and fired five bullets into the enemy's chest. He watched as the man slumped to the ground, dead. Welkin looked down at the gun, shocked.
I just killed someone. I shot him, and... Alicia might need help. I should go check on her. Welkin quickly shook away the shock and ran off back toward Bruhl.
He met up with Alicia on the outskirts of town. She was talking to the young man she had called Noce. Welkin took note of his appearance: tanned complexion, dark brown hair with eyes to match.
"Ah, Welkin! You made it. That's good news. There doesn't seem to be any more of them around. We should be safe for now. Oh. This is Noce Wordsworth, a... friend of mine. Noce, this is Welkin Gunther."
"Nice to meet you," the men said as they shook each other's hand.
"Well, I really must be going. Isara and Martha need my help, so I guess I'll see you later." Welkin ran off to Martha's house. Alicia looked after him, much to Noce's irritation.
"Alicia, you just met him. Don't tell me you're in love with him," Noce muttered.
Welkin was resting outside when Alicia came over. He looked up from his seat on the ground, smiling.
"I came to apologize for earlier, Welkin. I shouldn't have skipped to conclusions like that. Would you like to go for a walk? If you don't have anything else to do, I mean." Alicia leaned forward, looking at Welkin's face.
"I'd love to," Welkin said as he stood. "Is, Martha! I'm going for a walk around town. See you later, okay!" he called into the house before setting off with Alicia.
"So, Welkin. Before the war started, what were you planning on doing with your life?"
"Hm? Oh. I was planning on becoming a teacher. I want to pass my love for nature onto the children, so that the beautiful world we live in doesn't get destroyed. What about you?" Welkin explained.
"Oh, me? I wanted to be a professional... Baker. I'm really good, too. Everyone in town says so. You have to try it, sometime," Alicia said with a smile.
"Maybe sometime after the war's over," Welkin said with a laugh. "Did you just hear something? Like something flying through the air?"
"No. Why? What did you-"
Alicia was cut off when something smashed into the windmill Bruhl was known for. It erupted into flames moments later. People started screaming as Imperials ran into town. Welkin and Alicia looked around as innocent civilians were shot down.
"Welkin, we have to do something!" Alicia yelled.
Welkin was more worried about something else.
"You take care of it. I have to make sure Martha and Isara are all right." Welkin turned and ran back the way they had come.
"Okay." Alicia summoned up the nearby town watch. "Listen up, guys! We need to defend Bruhl. The Imperials can't have my town," she said. "We'll defend the plaza, and make sure they can't get the town."
The rest nodded in agreement with her and hurried off to get into position.
Alicia and the town watch made it to the plaza, and held their ground for a few minutes. Then, they heard something driving. Alicia turned, and to her horror, saw a tank.
"Tank!" she yelled. "We can't do anything against that!" Alicia started running and the others followed her lead. They retreated to the front gate of town, where Alicia decided they would hold their ground. "We have to hold them here. Make sure the civilians get out of town!"
Alicia took a deep breath and turned to face the imperials.
"Isara, are you all right?" Welkin yelled, running into the house. Isara was sitting next to Martha, who appeared to be in labor.
"I'm fine, Welks. I'm more worried about Martha," Isara said.
"You're sure you're not hurt? I heard gunshots and..." Welkin noticed the Imperial laying dead on the floor. "But we can't stay here. What are we going to do?"
Isara looked up in sudden realization.
"Welks! We have your father's tank. The Edelweiss."
"But that thing could never-"
"I fixed it. It's in the barn, Welks. Go and get it. I'll help Martha," Isara told him.
Welkin ran to the barn next to the house, throwing the doors wide open. He stared long and hard at the tank before him. It was blue, and had an Edelweiss painted on one of its sides.
Well, here goes nothing. Welkin went over and climbed into the tank. He looked around, hoping he remembered enough of his classes to control it. After a deep breath, he started up the Edelweiss and drove it out of the barn. So far so good. Welkin climbed out of the Edelweiss and ran into the house.
"Ready Is?" Welkin asked. She nodded, and they helped Martha get into the tank. "All right. Let's go!" Welkin yelled.
Things weren't going as well for Alicia. She was pinned down an alleyway, crouching behind some wooden crates. Noce was beside her, but a well-placed bullet had rendered him useless.
"How's your arm?" she asked.
"Not bleeding too badly. Hurts like hell, though."
Alicia looked back around the crates to check the entrance. She relaxed when she saw that the imperial shocktroopers were gone. She turned and pulled Noce to his feet. Then, there was an explosion. Alicia ran to the entrance and cautiously looked around the corner. There was a blue tank shooting Imperials.
That's a Gallian model... Alicia thought. She moved out into the street once the area was clear. The tank stopped, and Welkin popped out of the top of it.
"I'm so glad you're all right! What about the others?" Welkin asked. Alicia shook her head.
"Noce's with me, but I don't know about the others. He's injured, though." Alicia explained.
"Well, come on. We're getting out of here before any more show up," Welkin said.
A few minutes later, the tank was parked on the hill overlooking town. Alicia and Welkin were standing, looking down on the once-peaceful town.
"I can't believe they did this to my town," Alicia said. "We have to do something!"
"We could always join the militia," Welkin suggested. "Then we could do something about the Imperials."
"Welkin, we only met yesterday, but-"
"Welks!" Isara yelled, walking over. She was carrying a baby. "Look. Isn't he cute. Martha put me in charge while she takes a nap." welkin smiled and Alicia came over to get a better look.
"Aww, how cute. I wonder if I'll have babies this cute..." Alicia wondered out loud.
"Of course you will, Alicia. It's a fact of nature. All babies are cute. Besides, with you as their mother, there's no way they wouldn't be," Welkin assured her.
Alicia blushed.
"Doesn't it depend on the father as well?"
"Welks, we shouldn't stick around too long. Imperials could still be around," Isara interrupted.
"You're right, Is. Hey, Noce! Come here!" Noce came over, and welkin looked at him and Alicia. "So, are you two going to come to Randgriz with us, or go off on your own?"
"I'm staying with you," Alicia said.
"I go where Alicia goes," Noce stated.
"All right. Next stop: Randgriz!"
