Alright, this is my second fanfic, though now it's Strike Witches. I have an idea though it's common that a male is a witch. Also it takes place after the movie. This is called 'Strike Witches: 501st Disciple'. Also I do not own 'Strike Witches'.
My name is James Dowding. I'm the son of Britannian Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding. One thing is though, while my father is working with top brass, I have to defend Britannia's skies with Disciple Squadron. The guys called me 'Church', because, well, I'm usually quiet and sometimes socially awkward. Sometimes, I feel like a loner, but to many, I'm more than something. One of them was my dad. During one Neuroi blitz on London in 1945, the squadron was dispatched to counter the threats. Our planes were Hawker Tempests and Griffon-powered Supermarine Spitfires. They were caught off-guard when we arrived, and the witches were a big help also. Come to think of it, I like the witches. They have been the world's last hope to take out the invaders. The problem was that top military brass thinks that they are unreliable. Only my dad and other individuals saw their potential, including me. Whenever the Neuroi attack, my mind stopped and assessed the situation but on this blitz, a large fleet of Neuroi bombers descended on the capital. There were too much for my squadron to handle, yet at the same time, the witches need our help. Control told the squadron to pull back because we're outnumbered. This is the first time I started to disobey orders from control. But, it became something that I didn't know I had in me. Inside my Spitfire, I turned around and roared toward to the bomber fleet, hoping I would get their attention while the witches destroy the living crap out of them. One of the witches was a Karlsland ace, wielding a pair of MG 42's. I want to help her, but the bomber fleet kept firing their lasers at me. One stray shot that bounced off the witches shields, hit my Spitfire. The girl was shocked, my head was spinning from that hit but surprisingly, a blue aura came around me and my plane. At first, I thought it was the witches, but my jet black hair was now dominated on the sides with platinum white. I didn't know what's going on until a pulse exited my aircraft. Luckily, it didn't affect me or the witches, but the Neuroi bombers. Their weapon systems were jammed, so that means they can't drop bombs or fire lasers. That gave the squadron and the witches an easy victory, but my mind was asking 'What the fuck did you just do?' Britannian Fighter Command gave me a reprimand after the battle, though it was the first time I disobeyed a command, so I got a little warning. What they also asked was that they have never seen a glowing Spitfire before, not to mention the Neuroi not firing their weapons. When my dad was asked if I were to be transferred to a different squadron, he doesn't like me being transferred at all. When they saw my gun-cam footage, he saw a blue field around my aircraft. He was startled at first. He told me that I'm not a normal human soldier. I'm one of them. I'm a witch. That's when life as I know it soon ceased. My transfer orders were to meet up with a witch squadron near Orussia, where the final push into Berlin is being made. This squadron I'm being transferred to is the elitist of the elite, the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. They are well known for annihilating Neuroi one fight at a time, though they are a multinational unit filled with Karlsland, Liberion, Britannian, Gallian, Suomus, Orussian, Romagnan and Fusoan personnel. I can only wonder what might be in store for me.
Disciple Squadron Hangar, London
1050 Hours
Day of my transfer
I was in my BRAF officer's uniform when the squad came in and gave me one last talk with them. I was ashamed of myself for abandoning my friends since day one of this war. I even told my second-in-command, Luke Kinley, to take my nickname as 'Church'. He refused as he wants me to carry it in memory. That was when the squad heard a roar of an airplane coming in. A C-47 transport plane landed on the airstrip along with a Junkers Ju-52 transport coming behind it. They synchronized and turned facing in the opposite direction. The C-47 doors opened and carrying it was my father, in his BRAF uniform as well. He saluted me and my squad mates.
"So James, this is your last day with Disciple, I know you have known them for years but, orders from Britannian High Command are to transfer you to your new squadron in Orussia." He said
"Dad, I know where I'm going but I don't know anyone from the new squadron I'm going to." I said with a stern look
"We're getting you transferred because the Eastern Front needs more personnel. And the Imperial Army can't advance until much of the Neuroi targets are destroyed." He said
"So where does that leave me? I become promoted to a suicide division while the rest of them just push forward without any of their bullets firing and hitting anything that moves? Is that it?" I fumed
"James, listen, Allied High Command wants you to join up with the new squadron you're going to. It's for merging paths between normal fighters like you and the witches." I hesitated and gave in
"Give me a chance to say goodbye to my friends." I walked up to them and told them to follow Kinley's orders, follow what both of us teaches them and try not to get shot. I hesitated a lot and they gave me words of encouragement and Luke gave me the squad photo as a forget-me-not gift.
"James time to go." My father rang out. Disciple squadron gave me one final salute as I headed for the transports. If I saw them for the last time, I gave one last salute and boarded the Ju 52, the one where I'm placed in. The plane took off, giving me my one last glimpse of Britannia, for the time being. Inside the aircraft were three girls. One was another Karlslander, wearing a green uniform with bright red hair and eyes. The other two were Fusoan, one has an eyepatch while wearing a senior Fusoan naval uniform while the other has the same outfit but a different design. They were all looking at me. Two of them were friendly while the last one looked kind of intimidating (guess which one I'm talking about). The Karlslander pilot spoke first.
"You must be Hugh Dowding's son. I'm Minna Dietlinde-Wilcke, commander of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing." She said in her polite tone
"Uh, H-Hello." I stammered "James Dowding, commander of the 29th Aerial Defence Squadron, also known as 'Disciple Squadron'. Who are the two sitting next to you?" The one with the eyepatch spoke first.
"My name is Mio Sakamoto, Major of the Imperial Fusoan Navy and second in command. The one on Minna's right is Yoshika Miyafuji."
"Hi."
"Hello Yoshika. So, Minna, since I'm being transferred to the 501st, what's happening in Orussia right now." Minna began to speak
"The Orussian Imperial Army have made steady advances along to front. The Karlsland Army has also supported the Orussians in their advance. Since Gallia and Britannia now safe from the Neuroi invasion, we can concentrate all of our forces into the region. And with the Liberion and Karlsland Armed Forces piercing through the Western Front, the Neuroi are completely surrounded." She finished
"All that's left is Berlin and Karlsland is free from all this." Mio said "That's why some elite personnel have been transferred to either the west or east."
"Does Allied High Command support all this?"
"They do. The only problem is High Command wants some Witch units to stay behind in their respective theatres. And seeing that we're the only ones battle ready for Berlin, they selected us for this final push." She said
"Great." I looked over at Yoshika who was listening on the entire conversation. "Yoshika, what bought you over to the 501st?"
"I was found out by Ms. Sakamoto." She said happily
"Really? How did she find you?" I asked
"My family generation was filled with medics. My mom and my grandmother both practiced it. We tend to animals and people at the same time." She said
"She is also powerful and has a shield that is more durable than the both of us." Mio said
"That's nice to hear. What about your dad?" Yoshika felt a little disturbed about what happened to her father. "Sorry, shouldn't have bought it up."
"No it's fine." She said "My dad is a scientist. He developed the Strike units for the witches who have magical powers. Sad news is that he is either missing or dead. I don't want the second option as the answer to where he is."
"I'm sorry to hear that Yoshika. I would feel bad if anything happened to my dad."
"Don't worry about it James." She said "As long as both of our fathers are alive, we can only hope for their safety."
"Thanks Yoshika. Though I have something to ask of my own. Why aren't you wearing any pants?" All three laughed then Yoshika explained to me.
"Our striker units are meant to produce our magic. It works via touching our legs. The majority of the squadron are barelegged. Either you do that or where anything just so long it's connected to the legs."
"There is one pilot who uses pants to function the striker unit perfectly." Minna said
"Thank God, I thought I'm not the only one who would use pants in the striker units. Also, last I heard the 501st was disbanded after liberating Romagna."
"We did. And the disbanded part, that was the second time." Minna said
"Second?"
"During our time in Dover, one of our superiors shut us down and tested out his pet project." Mio said
"Don't tell me… Trevor Maloney shut the squad down."
"How did you know?" Yoshika asked
"He and my father have butted heads as Britannia's RAF leaders. My dad have obviously supported you while Maloney has other viewpoints, the Warlock Incident for that matter."
"You know, I always wondered what happened to him. Last time I saw him, Barkhorn and Hartmann and tied him up along with his lackeys." Minna said
"It didn't reach any squad around the world, only the Britannian armed forces knew his fate. His punishment was a dishonorable discharge for attempted murder and dissolving a squadron without proper consensus from government based control. For now, let's just say he now works with grease and oil."
"Got what he deserved." Mio said "So your father is the overall air chief marshal of the BRAF?"
"Close. He's now Marshal of the Britannian Royal Air Force. He got promoted a few weeks before the last Neuroi Blitz began. All of that weight is now put on his shoulders." I sighed as I put my arms at the back of my head
"I know your dad for a long time James." Minna said "He is a great friend."
"Doesn't he all?" Just then I heard someone singing over the radio. "Hey Minna, who's that?"
"Oh, that's just Sanya. She's our night witch. She's also quite the singer." Sanya looked over at the two transports while she's singing. I waved at her as she disappeared into the clouds.
"Shy person huh?"
"She is. But she's kind." Yoshika said
"I wonder what the squadron might be like. Other than just fighting Neuroi in all."
"You'll meet them tomorrow. For now, we're landing. And you need some shut eye Dowding." Minna joked
"Alright Minna." With that, the transports landed and my career as a witch (the first male witch) is about to begin.
Chapter One of the 501st Disciple is finished. Chapter Two is in development. To be frank, I accidently stumbled upon Strike Witches while looking at Girls und Panzer.
