Rolling clouds greeted her in the lazy afternoon heat. Lucchini felt her eyelids droop from time to time, her head even dipping. At her perch high amidst the ceiling beams, this was especially dangerous, but she managed with what little reserves of energy she had. The recruits were due to arrive the next day, and two had already passed. No, they were not yet an issue for exhaustion. She sighed as another free tuff of white passed by beyond the open window. It was her ever friendly neighbors, Shirley's warning was hardly empty. Even Hartmann had tossed and turned occasionally in the night, groaning for someone to give in already and shut up.

'At this rate, I might even feel like having the Commander say something.'

Not that she wasn't happy for her closest friend. She and Shirley had pulled through hardships and hijinks before. Even tumbling and deadly African deserts. All while providing reassurance and an open ear. They felt at peace together, that was what made them stick like glue. She knew that Shirley too would slap her on the back and smile, the moment she ever learned of the one who captured her old pal's heart.

'I just wish they weren't so aggressive in expressing it, it's noisy and awkward.'

Though soon a glint appeared in her eye as she smirked.

'But now I know that Barkhorn isn't that tough after all.'

Peering down, she found the now familiar sight of clothes, books, liquor bottles, and whatever else made it's way into Hartmann's hands, strewn carelessly across the floor. The witch in question was already stripped to her sleepwear as she fanned herself within her pile of junk, the heat pushing on.

'She'll be out for a while.'

Jumping down to her designated "Free Circle", Lucchini landed with catlike grace. Surrounded by more barely tamed crap, she called over to the dazed Hartmann.

"I'm going to see them next door. I'll be back in a bit ok?"

A groan resounded

"Alright. File a noise complaint would ya?"

Lucchini giggled.

"Fine."

"Hey I'm serious! Don't laugh!"

"Geez, the heat's making you crankier."

"Ah please, they're the real issue here. I don't want to keep hearing Trude express how much harder she wants Shirley to ride-"

"Later! Gotta get going!"

Darting out of their room with a small breeze following her, Lucchini made it to the hallway. Her face flushed, she shook a raised and balled up fist.

'Damnnit Hartmann!'

Lifting that same fist, she knocked on the door to Shirley's shared room.

"Come in!" came the reply.

She found her two friends gathered around Shirley's designated workbench. A series of blueprints were spread out for study. Lucchini soon found them staring at her.

"Oh hey Lucchini! C'mere! Trude and I were looking this over."

"Sure!"

She saw various formulas and labels accompanying each part of the diagram. It appeared to have the outline of a strange new Striker Unit. It's engines and engine grill seemed to be missing, but that could only mean...

"Is that a Jet Striker model?!"

Barkhorn grinned.

"The latest one from Karlsland. Ursula sent us this for Shirley's input."

"Ohhh, wow! What'd you guys make of it so far?"

Shirley balanced her pencil across her nose, making Barkhorn giggle softly. Shirley smiled at her.

"Hmm...well it's certainly an improvement. Seems to me like she created a proper exchange system instead of just an inputting one. This way the force generated from magic works with the air, or mass, around it to allow that to also affect the engine, which I might add that she made a propulsion type, very crafty. Anyway, it's ahead of the old way by allowing us to fly as one with the sky, not just forcing our powers against it. I think that was part of the main problem from before. Too much fighting to even fly and you become exhausted."

Her eyes had shifted over to Barkhorn as she said the last of her piece. Sighing, Barkhorn nodded.

"It's true. And even worse when you experience those aftereffects."

"I remember that. It's a relief that she managed to fix it."

Taking the pencil off the bridge of her nose and into her hand, Shirley continued to scribble notes, only some of which Lucchini recalled seeing variations of from their old days together.

"In any case, what else has been new with you? Now that we're all set up, bring me to speed!"

Chuckling at her friend's ever present enthusiasm, Lucchini replied,

"Aside from the promotion, not much actually. The girls in my unit work hard, but I feel as though that has become a double edged sword. Their conviction for defending the homeland has made them stuffy, oblivious, and pretty bad at expressing themselves in ways that aren't related to fighting. It's like being in command of a bunch of zombies."

Taken aback by this assessment, Shirley and Barkhorn were speechless for a few moments. Barkhorn shifted her eyes away as Shirley finally spoke.

"That...sounds tough."

Lucchini sighed. Her eyes too were downcast.

"And to top it all off, I still haven't been able to see Mama."

Shirley's fingers tensed as she curled them into fists.

"You've got to be kidding me." She whispered under her breath. Slightly violent trembles shook her.

"I wish I were."

"How long...has it been?"

Barkhorn cut in somberly.

"Five years. I haven't been able to take breaks, so..."

Shirley slammed a fist down on the table.

"That's bullshit!" She yelled.

"Shirley!"

"No Trude, it is! This girl hasn't seen her family longer than I've known her!"

Turning to Lucchini, Shirley asked in a low growl,

"Can't you ask them for one? How about going to complain to the Duchess herself?!"

"M-Maria? It's been years since we met, I don't really think-"

"Well it's worth a damn shot."

"R-Right..."

The three stood in silence for a moment. Unable to say much. Barkhorn sat on the bed nearby and sighed. Lucchini remained quiet. Shirley let her eyes wander before breaking the ice.

"So, is there anything else? I'm sorry for pushing it. I know! Wanna hear the mushy stories about Trude and I?"

Barkhorn's eyes nearly bulged out of her head as she rushed over to put a hand on Shirley's mouth. She shot an embarrassed look at Lucchini, her cheeks bright red.

"I don't think she would Shirley. I-I mean they're all just cheesy anyway, is that the word? It'd probably be really boring."

Lucchini finally laughed again.

"No no, it's fine. I was actually curious about that, but with all the um...activity going on I couldn't get the chance."

Barkhorn shrunk, her hand dropping from Shirley's mouth as her entire body was now tinged crimson. Shirley grinned at her chance. Focusing on Lucchini, her eyes lit up in excitement and she spoke rapidly.

"Ok so one day, about a year ago, she and I met again at an exercise our units were holding to prepare for a huge joint mission. We spent about a few weeks overall together just training and making small talk when we could. Then all of a sudden she asks me over our lunch in the mess hall if we could spend more time alone, like going out to places on the weekends and stuff."

Barkhorn blushed as Shirley went on, her eyes flitting back and forth between Lucchini and her girlfriend.

"Shirley..." She muttered to herself.

Giving Barkhorn a sly glance, Shirley asked,

"Yes?"

Turning her head away, Barkhorn resigned herself.

"N-Nevermind, I just feel a bit embarrassed..."

"Don't be, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm happy when I tell stories like this, because it lets me share with others how great you are."

"I think you're overdoing it. But, it is very sweet."

Lucchini stared at them a little slack jawed.

'They're so mushy!'

Shirley smiled and turned back to face her friend.

"Where was I? Ah right, so her excuse when I asked was that she wanted to catch up. I figured that made sense, so I went along. We must've hit up six restaurants and gone on lots of dates, till she finally spilled the truth."

Barkhorn was flaming crimson, steam seemed to rise from her ears.

"We were walking along some cozy street in Berlin when she reached for my hand and stopped us. Then she gets all red in the face and stutters it out. It was very cute. She looked so nervous, I just couldn't help myself and kissed her right there. And of course I asked her to be mine."

Lucchini had set aside the cheesiness and hung on every word, breaking into a wide grin when Shirley concluded the tale of Barkhorn's confession.

"That sounds amazing!"

"I-It was, yeah it was."

Barkhorn stuttered again as Shirley sat next to her and planted a quick kiss on her knuckles, after taking her hand.

"Schöne...Lucchini ist-"

Shirley gave a reassuring smile as she pressed her forehead against Barkhorn's, stopping her worried speech in Karlslandisch.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't do any more with someone else around." She whispered lovingly.

Lucchini backed away slowly, her gut telling her,

'I think this is my cue.'

"Eh, later guys! I have yet to talk to the others, don't want them to think I've forgotten you know? I'll come by again some other time!"

With a nervous smile, Lucchini then scuttled out, closing the door behind her. Shirley broke out of her heated trance.

"Huh? She left? Ah man..."

Barkhorn rested her head on Shirley's chest as she drew her closer. Pouting a little, she gazed up at her lover.

"You made it sound like something out of a movie."

Shirley laughed.

"Well it kinda was, Trude."

As they moved in to kiss, the door opened again. Startled, they shot wild glances at the entryway. Lucchini's head popped out.

"I forgot to mention that Hartmann and I can't sleep well lately, so she asked me to tell ya'll to turn down the noise at night. Later!"

With that, she was gone again. Embarrassed and the mood gone, they blushed and stared at the door, then each other.

Lucchini continued on her way, stopping at a new room. The darkness she could see in the cracks of the frame told her who lived there. She knocked lightly, carefully opening the door when she received no response. Poking her head in, she found Eila and Sanya fast asleep. They cuddled together on a shared bed, the windows covered by black drapes. It almost seemed like walking into a cave.

'Better not bother them now.'

Closing the door, Lucchini ran off to find another set of friends.

A/N: At the time I'm uploading this, it's on my phone, so I can't put italics for thoughts, I will do so when I get on my computer later.