The Unexpected Disaster.
(Note – This has been written 2 years after the Neuroi invasion (1939 – 1946). This is all guesses on what this Alternative Earth would be like.
Note – The main character is a Male, not female. Saying this to avoid any confusion or conflict. This is also, the first chapter, more would be made IF, this goes well.
And Final Note – The main character is not based off of any Strike Witch, this is purely from my imagination. Enjoy.)
Can't believe it has been 2 years… 2 years ago, Death, Destruction, and Chaos ruled over Europe. An enemy that was advanced, deadly, and not merciful… This race of Mechanical Outsiders was called 'Neuroi'. They killed hundreds of thousands of people… They're attacks were relentless; Humanity was on the brink of extinction. That is, until the infamous airborne group, called 'Strike Witches' was formed. These are woman with immense magical potential, the possible powers they can hold would be 'Telekinesis', 'Attack', and 'Detection' and/or 'Perception'. That, plus the technological advancement of the 'Striker Unit' is what made them an extremely large threat to the Neuroi. It went for 7 years… but they manage to defeat them, Earth being a safe place once again.
But that only lasted for so long.
Today.
Was the last day of true Peace.
My name is Arnis Mulker, I am a 14-year-old kid in Europe. I have lived my entire life in Karlsland, a place of safety after that war. I don't have a family, my mother and father, dying when I was only 12 years old… I still have memories, memories I wanted to forget but no matter how hard I try. It keeps coming back to me. I was a rejected member of society as people think I was lying, thinking my mother and father are still alive. That is, until I show them the picture of both my parent's graves. Still, people believe it was fake.
Today was the last day I have to spend in this school until I get a private tutor. Thank god. Today was also the day that the infamous Strike Witches are going to hold their last display, even more convenient, this is the last school in Karlsland that gets the display. Everything was held outside in the large grass field near the school. Where I usually go is there, but there is a small forest near there, and in there is a nice little bush which I sit in to get away from everything. It's nice, especially during Autumn, a place to relax when things are hard. But that moment of peace and quiet, was about to end.
"Ahhhh… so nice…" I lie down in the comfy clump of leaves, looking up at the ceiling of leaves, sighing with relief. Music could be heard from the display, people talking was, to be honest, louder than that. Especially when the Strike Witches flew over. As I lay in the bush, I could hear someone walking in the area. I slowly go onto my side and look out the bush, but I see noone. "Probably just my imagination…" I go back into the bush, only to hear more footsteps.
"Alright, who's out here?" I look out once again, and again, I was greeted by noone. I sigh heavily, heading back into the bush to come face-to-face with someone I wasn't expecting… I jump back, flying out of the bush, panting like a man that ran a marathon.
"Are you okay?"
A female voice replied, something I was NOT expecting.
I stare up at the sky for a second, still a little dazed, when I looked to see who it was, I was a bit surprised. Standing before me, was not an ordinary girl… but a Strike Witch. This was obvious when I saw her tail and ears.
"Uh… U-Um…" I was at a loss for words. This was the first time someone walked up to me and asked if I was alright, and didn't try to insult me. "I-I'm fine… t-thank you." Lucky for her, I ain't that perverted as I kept eye contact, stopping myself from looking down.
"Oh, that's good, thought I scared the daylights out of you!" The Strike Witch smiles, all of these things that are happening to me right now are all new experiences. It feels so good, but not in a sexual way. This is the first human being that I can talk to without having problems about what they think. "Say, shouldn't you be at the display, talking to other people?"
"Nope, I was told I could explore a bit, and now I find myself here, seeing your feet poking out from the bushes. Said to myself 'Why don't I have some fun?'. Well, it seems like that happened."
"Huh…" I was a bit confused at the time, but I guess they need some respite at some point.
"Oh! Sorry for being rude! My name is Francesca Lucchini, Lucchini for short."
"I'm Arnis, Arnis Mulker. I don't really have a nickname…"
"How come you don't?"
"I… don't really have friends… so I don't have a nickname…"
"Huh… something that sounds good with Arnis…" Lucchini seemed intent on finding a nickname for me. I guess fighting for 7 years can make someone care for anyone else's situation. "Oooh! How about Arn?"
"Sound good enough." I finally stand up, looking around.
"So, why are you here and not at the event?"
"Guess it was only a matter of time… people aren't generally… nice to me."
"How come?"
"Its… past experiences…"
"Oh… sorry for asking…"
"It's alright."
"Say, I was going to go back to the Event, wanna join me?" The way she said it was very natural, it wasn't forced in any way, shape, or form.
"I-I don't think that is a good idea… most of the people there don't really… like me…"
"Oh come on! It'll be fun!" Lucchini frowns.
"Sorry, I just can-" I was busy speaking, but something felt, off inside me… Like something wanting to be released, this feeling made me stop halfway through my sentence. I just suddenly felt sick.
"Hey, you alright?" Lucchini walked over, tilting her head at me.
"Y-Yeah… I-I'm fine… I just need to sit down for a while… I ain't leaving here soon anyways, so if you need me, I'm right here."
"Okay…" Lucchini had an unhappy expression as she walked away slowly. I have to admit I feel bad for turning down her offer, but how I suddenly felt sick without any signs… Then I start hearing it.
"Sivrkar, inr'iir plaek fursho ger'kar." Something spoke in my mind, I didn't understand what he said. That is, until I get the message without even thinking.
"Phantom, destroy the human gathering." The voice was deep and static-like, like if it was heard from a radio.
"Sivr-r-r… Pha-a-antom, find and capture the hu-uman, by the na-name of Arnis… Mulker. He needs t-to be alive, he can h-have battle scars."
My blood ran cold.
And something told me.
It wasn't a human.
That said that.
I stand up, still feeling sick as I struggled to stand up properly. Dizziness fills my head everytime I try to take a step.
"God… who was… that? No… I know what said that… it's just... I don't believe… it."
Every step I took only made me nauseas… I can't even think straight… If I keep this up…
"Why… can't I… think?" I look down to my hands, seeing a small blue glow on the outline of my fingers.
"W-What's… happening… to… me?"
And that is when my world went dark.
Few minutes later…
I wake up, feeling a lot better than I did a few minutes ago. At first, I only heard the soft rustling of the trees and grass in the breeze, then those soft and gentle noises were drowned out by screams of horror and fear, followed a once-in-a-while sound of an energy firing. I slowly sit up, seeing that the event was ruined, flames and debris everywhere…
"Whaaa?" I was still confused; why did I hear that voice? Why is it hunting me?
Something knocked me from my train of thought, it didn't have a sound, but it was large… and it hung a large shadow over me.
A Neuroi.
At first, it stared at me, not making a move. Out of complete fear I do the same thing, the Neuroi was larger than the ones I saw 2 year ago. If I had to guess the size, around 83 meters to 57 meters, the ones I saw before had to be roughly 23 meters to 32, so this was a large Neuroi. Then a small red glow came from a patch of Red hexagons.
Time to run.
I immediately got up and sprinted, hearing the sound of energy hit the ground behind me. I was the school's main sprinter, but that is only in the 200 meters, so it won't be long until I run out of breath… and when that happens…
I kept running through the forest, not looking back, I count how many meters I run, I count 10 meters after about 5-6 steps. I count up to 150m, but I still don't feel puffed, it's probably the adrenaline coursing through me. It was when I reached 250m is when I realised it couldn't be adrenaline, I was only just panting slightly, but it would be at this point I would collapse due to the continuous running without pausing. I kept running though, knowing if I did ever stop, I might as well say goodbye to this world… though, I wouldn't feel sad, it wasn't very generous to me… it only took…
I didn't realise, I was in the school. It was just as destroyed as the Event, bits of stone and cement scattered across the floor, I finally managed to get into a building, seeing other people. They all looked at me with shock, surprise and fear, then sighing with relief.
"Is anyone else alive?" I asked the group of other students, they shake their heads in sadness.
"You're are the only other people we have seen."
"Hmmm…" I glance back outside, the shadow of the Neuroi gone. "I'm going to go see if anyone else is alive."
"Dude! Are you insane?! There is a Neuroi out there! It'll kill you where you stand!"
"There is people out here who need help, someone has to." I then sprint back out, then hearing one of them say as I left.
"No wonder noone likes him… he thinks he owns it all."
I quickly look around, seeing the Neuroi flying back over here. I quickly hid in a small crater has had a slab of stone covering it, leaving a hole just big enough to get in, and enough to see out. I slide in and then look out, the Neuroi seemed to hover over the building, then 2 small objects detached from it, the objects floating to the ground. I could then see that they were the figure of girls, however they were completely covered in Black, and covered in the hexagons on usual Neurois. Are they other people that were turned into Neuroi? My question will have to be answered later.
The two Neuroi then landed at the doorway, walking in but I could still see them. At first they looked at the other people inside, then the red hexagons on the side of… Striker Units? They fired, the panicked and surprised people inside screamed in agony as they were mercilessly murdered… The two Neuroi then walk back out and were about to take off back into the Main Neuroi, until they both looked at the hiding spot I was currently. Did they sense me? Can they actually see me? I try to find another exit, but I don't have one. They slowly approach the crater, fear boiling inside me as I watch them make their way over to the crater. I knew once they lift the slab of stone up, it was over. But… I can still run. I then saw they managed to lift the stone up to the point where I could run. And that is what I did.
In a quick burst of speed, I managed to get out and run, when I got 30 meters away, I heard the slab of stone be dropped.
Then I get hit.
At first, I felt nothing, but then I felt excruciating pain in my right leg as I fall over, writhing in pain. So this is what it feels like to be hit by a Neuroi's miasma? It hurts. Oh does it hurts. I clutch my leg, seeing a large flesh wound, but luckily no bones were hit. I glance at the approaching Neuroi girls, not only filled with fear, but rage as well. And then I felt the same sickness in me, I notice a small blue-like glow coming from me, then, the pain my leg was gone. I look where the wound was, but there wasn't any wound. What is going on? Why is this happening to me? I then knew it was now or never, I grabbed a rock, smaller than my fist and ran. I know rock might not do much… but it is something. I then ran, I ran like I had before.
I made sure I was a hard target to hit, zig-zagging when I could, and turning corners sharply. Sometimes I would see the miasma trying to follow my exact path, sometimes only just missing me, or slightly grazing me. I know if I keep running with these wounds, I would surely drop dead due to blood loss, but that would be a concern later. Now, I have 3 Neuroi chasing me and they want me alive. Why? I don't know… But they're trying their damned hardest to get me. I turn a corner sharply, only to find my way out is blocked, it would take me a minute to climb over the debris. A minute that I do not have. I turn back at the Neuroi which came around the corner as the larger Neuroi hovered above us. Then an idiotic thought came through my mind, but I had no choice. It was Kill or be Killed.
I then chuck the small rock I had, and something happened that I thought was impossible.
At first, the rock was leaving at… maybe 80, maybe 90km/h, but then it got an instant burst of speed, making it go to 500km/h, the speed increasing even more to the point that you could see it break the sound barrier at around 1500km/h. One of the Neuroi girls was hit, not given a chance to move as the rock hits the Neuroi's head, blowing it completely off. Then the head and the body of the Neuroi fizzled slightly, until combusting into small white particles. Did I kill a Neuroi? I then look down at my hands, seeing the same blueish-glow from it. I look up at the other Neuroi on the ground, seeing the beam shot at me. Due to instinct, I put my hands infront of me, thinking I could stop it. I close my eyes as well, not wanting to see my demise. I was waiting for the pain to come, but I didn't get any. I slowly open my eyes to see the beam still being fired, but something was in the way, protecting me. I saw that it was like a shield, almost. The beam was completely halted by it, I felt the beam slowly getting stronger. I also notice that the larger Neuroi is just watching, not doing anything.
Then the beam stops, I then put my arms down, the shield going away, leaving me exposed once again. I quickly ran over to a slab of stone jutting from the ground, at least thick enough to protect me. I see a rock, the same size as the one before. Did I… throw a rock? That fast? I was pulled from my thoughts as a beam hits the side of the stone I am hiding behind. I grab the rock, looking down at it as I nod once, waiting for the beam to stop. The beam stops and that is when I get up, I pull my arm back, and then peg it. The rock does the exact same thing, but this time, it went to 1700km/h. The rock hits the last Neuroi as it falls over, dead. I pant heavily, look down at my hands once again, but I catch something that I see in my shadow, it looks my head has grown shapes, and something is jutting from behind me. I look behind me, and yet again, saw something I wasn't expecting.
A… A T-Tail?!
I was completely confused, I stroke it. Yup… It isn't fake… It's… real. I then put my attention to the shapes on my hand, I feel… is that hair? Fur? Wait… is that the ears of a German Shepherd? I keep rubbing the ears, completely forgetting about the Neuroi was about to shoot at me. I then jumped back, further than I thought I would as the beam hits right where I stood before.
I sprint over to a wall, grabbing a rock that was as big as my head. I then chuck it, going the exact same speed as the previous rock. The Neuroi screeches, reeling back, nearly crashing into a building that it was hovering next to. The miasma was shot again, hitting my leg which I didn't hide behind cover properly. I grunt, clutching my leg as I grab another rock. These rocks don't seem that heavy… even though they should be weighing me down heavily. But it feels like I was holding a feather. I chuck the rock, leaving an extremely large hole in the Neuroi, it looked like the rock was filled with explosives when it hit the Neuroi. I see a pink shape inside, it rotated as the Neuroi slowly started to fix itself. I then pick up a rock, not even bigger than my pinkie. I throw it, hitting the shape inside as it shattered. It was hit, but it didn't stop the Neuroi from firing again, hitting me in the chest, however the beam was very small, but it still hurt like hell.
The Neuroi shatters into the small particles, just when I realise the beam was close to hitting my heart. Only just a centimeter off from hitting it, or hitting anything vital. I look back into the sky to see people flying around, leaving a small white smoke trail behind them. Guess the Strike Witches had arrived… only just a couple seconds late. The sickness hits me again, soon replaced with pain, and drowsiness, I just want to sleep. Just want this horrible nightmare to go away, I want a normal life... with my parents when they were alive… I walk out of my cover, to hear the engines of the Striker Units closing in. I then collapsed as the pain was completely replaced by drowsiness. And then, I fully fell away from the world, unconscious.
But before I fall away, I hear someone call my name…
"Arn!"
