I'm back!
...Ahem...
Sorry, just wanted to get that off my chest really quick...now, where was I...oh right!
Hello and welcome to the next chapter in Strike Heroes: Wings of Freedom.
Before I begin with the replies to the reviews, I would like to say that I took the liberty of taking the time to read some of the stories that had either caught my attention or had been recommended to me. Since I have some better equipment for reading fanfics when away from my computer, I'll be making a bigger effort to keep my eyes open for new stories, but the offer from before still stands: if you want to recommend a story to me (whether it's your own or someone else's), feel free to tell me via PM.
With that out of the way for the moment, let's get to the reviews from the last chapter:
Karl the Artillery Piece: Thanks for the review.
majoramiruddin: Concerning your review, your answer is a lot closer than you think. But I won't spoil when just yet, so keep an eye out. Other than that, thanks for the review.
Gamerman22: That sort of view is possible given Roland's position in the world. With the only known male (former) Witch with a Neuroi core inside him, the odds of that being a potential view is a strong possibility.
Takashi2019: Ask and you shall receive (with some time put between updates for editing and checking). Besides that, thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this next chapter (this goes for everyone else as well).
jaku uzumaki: Thanks for the review.
Jetfire77: Please see the response for majoramiruddin's review for more details (even if it's rather short, sorry) concerning your review. Though this chapter won't be able to answer all your questions just yet. Other than that, thanks for the review.
Whew, there's the end of the responses for the moment...
Anyways, since I was gone for two weeks, let me recall where we were...
Hmm...Neuroi in Venezia, Amagi carrying a crew, two girls, and Roland (Roland: Hey!)...
Aha! Here we go!
Let's see what's going on from when Roland last wrote a letter...
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Chapter 4: Friends and Reveals (Oh, and an Iceberg)
I was simply lying on my bed at some unknown hour, darkness all around me as I lied there.
Other than the discussion we had about three weeks ago (I think it's the twenty-fourth of August), Shizuka hasn't been too bothersome towards Yoshika. Probably because the little Fuso ex-Witch has been to herself studying.
Well, I shouldn't say entirely all to herself.
I mean, from when I get up and check on her when she wakes to when she goes to bed, Yoshika's been studying. While I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, even she's got to take a break every once in a while.
And she kind of does, if only for about five minutes of laying on her bed and staring at the ceiling or going down to the mess hall and getting a bite to eat.
I don't know; I've been thinking to myself for the last few weeks.
You're forgetting someone...
Right, not entirely thinking to myself.
Oh right, before I go any farther, I just remembered: about a week ago was Yoshika's (and Sanya's) birthday. I only really brought this up because we're still in August. Plus, Yoshika seemed to have memorized the members of the Strike Witches' birthdays, which she told me about some time before we met Shizuka. Strange thing was that as she was telling me them she gave me a sort of "don't you dare forget" look when she got to hers and Minna's. And I think Mio's, but I was too busy trying to remember everyone else's.
Thankfully, I have Lionelis to store the information for a later date.
We're a Neuroi core inside your body, said core interrupted. Not your secretary.
Lio, I told the core. I don't need you cutting into my narration.
Well, as the core inside you, we do think we're entitled to say something at some point. We mean, the reader hasn't heard from us since the first chapter.
...You broke the fourth wall just now, didn't you?
Hard to find a wall when we're talking to the audience through words in front of them.
...Everyone, Lionelis...
Now you're being sarcastic.
Yay, you earned a sticker.
Anyways, you kind of get the idea.
At least you can't say that you're talking to yourself, Lionelis added. Even though we're just a voice in your head at the moment.
Is there's a point to you interrupting me? I asked the core.
Yeah, Lionelis said. You should go check up on Yoshika.
You might be right...I'm thinking that she's still studying, like usual.
We think she is too.
I don't mind the studying, but there's got to be something else she can do that's productive yet won't score her a lecture from Shizuka concerning ranks and things.
Well, knowledge is power.
...True.
I got up and stared at my surroundings. Since I had been laying in the dark, I was able to see in the nighttime currently. Course, if I got a light shone in my face, I'm going to be blinded for a while.
I opened the door to my quarters and walked down the hall (lit by a a line of dim lightbulbs), soon reaching the room the girls were using. Opening it, I saw Yoshika sitting at her desk, a lamp active and being used as a source of light as she was looking at something.
Yeah, I think she's studying at the moment.
As she chose now to lean back and stretch her back and arms for a bit, I walked up to her.
"Everything tickety-boo?" I asked her once I stopped on her left side.
Yoshika looked at me and said, "Oh, hey there, Roland-kun. I'm fine." She then looked at a map she had pinned up in front of the desk, which seemed to have a red line drawn on it that depicted the path we were taking to head to our destination. The line had stopped at Madagascar (contrary to what you might think, I did not see any talking lions, zebras, hippos, or giraffes while we passed by. Though, to be fair, I really wanted to see the HELP sign that was made before it became a HELL sign). She grabbed a red pencil and extended the line a bit towards the tip of Africa. "We've almost reached the tip of Africa."
I smiled. Maybe we can take a break at a port so that I can radio Minna and talk to her again. Course, I have to do it without Shizuka finding out.
I really do wonder how she'll react when I tell her (if I ever do) about who I really am.
...I should check and make sure she doesn't have a gun when I tell her; I'd prefer a punch to the face over a bullet between the eyes.
Soon, the ship lurched suddenly, and Yoshika and I had to push against the wall with the map to avoid hitting it. Soon, we felt it lurch in the direction behind us, making us hit the floor (Yoshika hit the floor with the back of her chair, and I ended up hitting my head).
Everything became a little blurry as I tried recovering from the blow to my head, and I could hear the faint sounds of an alarm going off.
"An alarm?" Yoshika asked, "Is it the Neuroi?"
We wouldn't think so, Lionelis told me. We don't sense any Neuroi cores around the area.
Wait, you can sense the other cores? I asked the core.
Yes, we are able to sense them.
That could have really helped out back when I was actually flying!
Never talked to you until during what you refer to as Operation Mars.
...Touché.
My vision righted itself, and we then looked at each other as we picked ourselves off the ground.
We really need to talk to the crew about hitting things that are out in the water. We don't need another Titanic incident around here...
If the Titanic still hit that iceberg in this universe...
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Shizuka's POV
I raced below deck towards the impact site as fast as I could and found some of the crew down there.
"Sorry I'm late!" I told them as I came to a stop near them.
"It's just as you can see," one of them, an officer, replied. "Anything you can do?"
I looked at the door leading to the area where the fire was at and got an idea. "I'm on it." I let my familiar appear before I walked over to the door, ducking under a beam that was sticking out first. Grabbing the doorway with my left hand and the door itself with my right, I then attempted to open it. However, as I did so, I could hear a rumbling noise, and I soon raised my shield to protect myself against the resulting burst of flames, shielding the others behind me in the process. Once the blast occurred, I jumped back as I dismissed my magic.
"It won't do?" one of them asked.
"Yuuki," the officer said into the ship's intercom, "are you okay?"
"The fire's spread everywhere," Yuuki's voice replied. "Lower the blast doors and flood the place!"
"What?!"
I gasped as I turned my head to look at the intercom.
What should we do? We can't get in there and stop the flames. At least, we can't do it without risking ourselves as well, another blast like that would most likely kill an unprotected Witch or any of the other crew members.
What does the captain think we should do?
"Please hurry!" Yuuki continued. "Flood the area!"
"But what about you?" the officer asked.
"If you don't hurry, the ammo storage will explode! Please hurry!"
Soon the captain gave us the orders to flood the area.
"We've got orders from the captain," the officer who had been talking to Yuuki said. "Close the blast doors. Flood the area."
"Close the blast doors," the second officer repeated.
"Understood," one of the crew members said as he went over to activate the blast door.
I could only grit my teeth in frustration. I can't believe that we've got to see someone die because of this. Why?
As we heard the blast doors closing, the first officer lowered his hat and said, "I'm sorry, Yuuki."
"You're seriously going to give up just like that?" a familiar male voice asked.
I gasped as I heard that voice, and soon we looked at the newcomers: Roland and Miyafuji.
"Miyafuji!" I shouted. Why was she here of all places?
I could see that Miyafuji had a pipe in her hands, and she started running towards the door.
"Miyafuji, what are you doing?" one of us asked her as she ran by.
"We're going to take care of this ourselves," Roland added as he followed Miyafuji's lead. "I didn't come this far to see anyone die now. Not to Neuroi, not to others...not even to a collision. Get out of our way!"
"You mustn't, Miyafuji!" I shouted as I reached out and caught her left elbow, stopping her. "The blast doors are closing!" I watched Roland run past her, and he slid under the closing blast door feet first.
"There's still someone inside!" Miyafuji told me as she looked at me.
"Captain's orders!" Why is she going to head in there? Is it because Roland told her to?
"So what?!" I let go of her in shock at her change in tone, and she lunged ahead as she followed Roland's example of sliding under the blast door (on her stomach instead of feet first) before it completely closed.
"Miyafuji!" I could only shout. She's putting her own life at risk! Both her and Roland!
XXXXXXXXXX
Yoshika's POV
"You alright?" Roland asked me as he helped me onto my feet. "I don't think I've heard you get like that towards Sergeant Hattori since we met her."
"I'm fine," I told him as I moved to an opening that seemed to have been made by the explosion from earlier. "Let's go."
"Right."
I crawled through first and went to the valve as fast as I could, sticking the pipe I was carrying through the spokes.
"You can't give up!" I told the man who was sitting there.
"Miyafuji!" the man told me before Roland reached us. "Sage!"
"We're not about to let any lives be lost tonight," Roland added as he grabbed the handles himself. The man reached for the valve, but Roland stopped him. "Save your strength. We'll handle it." We then started trying to turn the wheel, but for some reason it wasn't turning, like something was making it stick in place.
We struggled like that for a minute before I saw something happening to Roland: the scars on his left arm started glowing as we strained to twist it, and when I took a look at his face...
His left eye was glowing red.
What...? Does he have his magic back already?
"Lionelis, give me strength!" Roland shouted to nobody in particular.
I gasped softly: who's Lionelis? Why is his body and eye acting like this right now?
...Is it the core inside him that's allowing him to do this?
Soon, we felt the valve turn completely as the sprinkler system was activated. Once that occurred, Roland's glowing features died out as he soon looked at me with a tired look in his eyes.
"We did it..." he said with a faint smile.
"We sure did," I told him as I helped the crew member onto his feet.
Soon, we could hear the sound of something being welded off followed by a crash. When the steam around here cleared enough for us to see who was there, it was Shizuka with a few other members of the crew.
"They're both alright!" one of them said.
I smiled happily. It was all thanks to Roland and me.
"Miyafuji! Sage! Yuuki!" the others said as they came in to retrieve the one called Yuuki.
I looked at the doorway and saw Shizuka simply look at us before turning around and walking away.
I think I know what she's going to do later on...I just hope Roland doesn't do anything stupid if it happens...
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Roland's POV
I stretched my arms over my head as I was walking on the deck the next morning, having woken up about thirty minutes ago, at about six. Yoshika had been sleeping with me last night (for warmth, mind you), so naturally she woke up when I did.
That, and I think she's a little worried about Shizuka right now. She told me that the sergeant just walked off after the crisis was averted, not even congratulating us for saving a man.
Not saying that she's a bad person, but it's a bit rude to not acknowledge what someone did.
Anyways, Yoshika had grabbed a brown coat and was wearing it because the morning air was a bit...nippy.
We were traveling near Antarctica, so I think it's usually like this in the area.
We saw Shizuka on the deck as well, close to the front of the ship.
"It's cold," Yoshika noted as we stood next to Shizuka, the little Fuso ex-Witch on her left side while I stood on her right. "I thought Africa would be warmer."
"That's if we went towards the equator," I told her. "Where we're at, the sun's rays don't do as much for heat here."
I then looked at Yoshika as we felt a slight breeze blow by, who looked at Shizuka and said, "Sorry for shouting at you earlier."
"That's okay," Shizuka told her in return. "What you did wasn't. Why didn't you follow orders?"
"She saved the life of a crew member," I replied. "Isn't that more than enough to at least lighten up on her?"
"It did all work out in the end, right?" Yoshika added.
"No!" Shizuka snapped as she turned to look at the little Fuso ex-Witch. "The ship could have sunk! The captain's orders hold the greatest authority! You're both lucky it all worked out! Pure chance!"
"That was not pure chance!" I told her as I felt my right hand tighten up into a fist. "You're telling me that it was pure chance we hit an iceberg or something that threatened the entire ship and we managed to save one guy as well as said ship? You're nuts! You can't just follow orders like they were the only things out there."
"Orders are absolute, Roland!" Shizuka turned to look at me in anger. "You're the one who put the idea inside her head to go through with it, huh?"
"No way! She decided to do what we did, not me! I joined her because I didn't want her dying because I couldn't help her."
"Well, because you couldn't tell her no, you both nearly got killed! Honestly, your track record for trying to kill people is extremely high and-"
I growled. Better use my rank right now and hope nothing bad happens... "Stand down, Sergeant Hattori! That is no way to be talking to a captain of the Liberion Army!"
Shizuka stopped as she looked at me in shock. "Wait, you..."
"Yes, sergeant. I am a captain, and as such I am considered higher in rank than you. I was awarded the rank about two months ago, so lighten up on your attitude towards me and Yoshika. That's an order!"
I then watched as the sergeant snapped to attention as she replied with, "Excuse me, Captain Sage and Pilot Officer Miyafuji." She then turned and walked away from us, not even looking like she was affected by what I told her.
Wow, at least she's strong enough to not show that she was fazed by my announcement.
"Did you really have to tell her you were a captain?" Yoshika asked me as we watched her walk away.
"I didn't really want to," I told her. "But she's got to realize that she can't be treating me like I was a civilian all the time. Though...do you think she even knows who I am?"
Yoshika shook her head. "Not really. She didn't really ask me about you too much, and the only real thing I told her was that I called you 'Roland-kun' because that was what I had always called you. Well, the you she thinks is dead."
"I really hate to see how she'll react when she learns the truth. Really don't want to see if she'll actually shoot me in the head."
Yoshika looked confused for a second. "Why would she...oh..." I think she just remembered that Minna had pointed a gun at my head back when I had blurted out my secret to the girls. "Heh heh, right, forgot about Commander Minna...well, it's not like you're lying about your history."
"Yoshika, telling her that I am not related to the Neuroi Witch is about the same as me saying that I am a relative of yours. And we both know that the second case isn't true. Besides, you'll be subjected to her wrath as well for not telling her who I really am, and I can only imagine what she'll do to you..."
"Probably nothing, but for being below me in rank she sure is rather...strict."
"You've handled Gertrud before, right? Sergeant Hattori's just like her, only a sergeant. Think of a fifteen-year-old version of the captain."
...Actually, that seems to be a rather odd image to bring up. For some reason, I can't see Gertrud as being anything like, say, Lynette; she's just so...well, she's basically got the mindset of a disciplined soldier who gives no quarters and receives none.
Although, I do admit, I think I'd die of hugs and kisses if the Karlsland captain was actually all cutesy and so on.
...On second thought, I think she's got a crush on me, so maybe it's not so far-fetched.
God help us all...especially me...
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Yoshika's POV
About a week after the iceberg incident, I was busy jotting something down on my notepad that I was reading from my book.
It's been rather boring since that morning: Roland told Shizuka his rank, the sergeant was mad at us because of what we had done...
I looked at the bed the sergeant had been sleeping in, the sheets having been folded up rather nicely. According to what I can only guess, Shizuka had gone to do some training out on the deck. Now that I think about it, she went with Roland, who had told me about his plans.
I do know that the sergeant had looked a bit...disturbed?
I don't really know; since then, she hadn't really said too much to me apart from the usual things, like "Good morning, Pilot Officer Miyafuji", "Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner is ready", and "Good night, ma'am".
The worst part so far was her concerning Roland: since he told her that he was a captain, she's been in a sort of conflicted state, snapping at him about helping the men around the ship before remembering his rank and apologizing (accompanied by a quick turn around and a walk away from a slightly confused Roland).
For some reason, I feel like I should be glad, but somehow I feel that it's my fault Roland told her about his rank. I
I really should try to go find her and talk to her about some things...you know, from one female (former) Witch to another.
Standing up, I looked at her bed for a while longer before I left the room and went looking for her.
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Shizuka's POV
You know, it's rather strange about what happened since the incident.
I mean, the strange bit wasn't that Miyafuji (and Roland) had defied orders and rescued a man last week; it was rather an odd feeling inside my stomach. Like something wasn't right with the world.
I don't know, maybe it's the guilt I had for treating the now-revealed-to-me captain the way I had. I mean, I'm trying to fix myself, I really am...but it's just so weird having to address him as a superior and not a civilian. The last time I had that sort of moment was just yesterday, when he was busy doing some push-ups with some of the other crew members. I started to correct him concerning his action before the words from that morning came to my mind, forcing me to apologize quickly and tur away before walking off to avoid being corrected myself.
Maybe if I had treated him with more respect...
Speaking of captains, I looked to my right as I was running down the runway and saw Roland doing some push-ups. He had asked some of the crew members to find him something weighty for him to lay on his back, and he was doing his exercises that way, his backpack being used as said weight.
Who trained him like that? I mean, I'm not a fitness expert, but don't you think that's a bit overboard?
Oh well, he's probably used to it, so I shouldn't bother him about it.
Soon, I stopped running and looked ahead of the ship, and what I saw lying at the horizon made me relieved.
"It's land!" I said. "Finally!"
"We're arriving in Pas-de-Calais," I heard Miyafuji's voice say as she came onto the deck.
Thinking quickly, I resumed running before I started hearing a sound that really sounded familiar.
"That sound..." I said to myself as I looked at Roland as he slid his weight (backpack) off his back and stood up. Looking up ahead, I think he saw something.
Well, two somethings.
"Witches!" I said quickly as they flew over the ship. "They're so fast!"
"Fifty bucks says I know who those two are," Roland said as we looked at the incoming Witches.
I ran towards the back of the ship before stopping. "Based on the engine sounds, that's a Gryphon Sixty-One and a Quadra Twelve! Could it be..."
"Lynne!" Miyafuji shouted out cheerfully. "Perrine!"
"Figured as much," Roland added.
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Roland's POV
And now comes the part of my day where I have to navigate a rather...familiar situation.
I was standing right next to Yoshika's right side as she had moved herself to stand next to Shizuka's right side.
"Yoshika!" I heard Lynette Bishop shout as she and Perrine Clostermann were coming back towards the ship. "Roland!" Her arms were stretched out wide.
...Wait, she's coming in a little too low...
Oh dear...I think my head's going to hurt for a while...
Lynette caught us both in a hug, and we flew backwards for a bit before landing on the deck rather softly.
Hey, I'm just glad it's not pavement. That does not do a head good.
The girls were laughing amongst themselves as we lied there.
Okay, I'm not really going to complain about the fact that Lynette's hugging me but...
Why is it I'm thinking of Minna all of a sudden? I mean, if I remember right, they have about the same feel to their breasts-
Oh God, I've turning into Francesca as far as judging girls' breasts go!
Oddly enough, the Britannian Witch was blushing as well.
"Hey there, Lynne," I said as she let go of me and rolled onto her right side, still holding on to the little Fuso ex-Witch. I stood on my feet and crossed my arms across my chest, giving off a smile. "What brings you and Perrine here?"
"I just couldn't wait anymore, so we flew over to greet you guys!" Lynette replied.
"I couldn't wait to see you again, too!" Yoshika added, a blush on her face as well.
Hmm...something tells me I should pry into their feelings towards each other, but I'll handle it later.
"I-is that Flight Sergeant Lynette Bishop?" Shizuka asked, stunned.
"Yep," I replied as I looked at the sergeant. "You can call her 'Lynne' if you want." I then walked over to Perrine, who was coming straight down for a soft landing. "Hey there, Perrine. It's been, what, two months?"
"They never change, huh?" the Gallian Witch replied concerning Yoshika and Lynette.
"And you're-" Shizuka began as Perrine touched down. I think she connected the dots and stood to attention. "It's an honor to meet you, Lieutenant Perrine Clostermann! I am Fuso Navy Sergeant Shizuka Hattori!"
"Definitely great to see you two again," I told the Gallian Witch.
"Same here, Roland," Perrine replied. I held my right hand out so that she could shake it. "You're looking very different from when I last saw you."
"Yeah, it's the facial hair thing. I kinda grew it to help with my identity."
"I see." She then looked at Shizuka. "Now, just in case...she said her name was Sergeant Shizuka Hattori from the Fuso Navy, right?"
"Pretty much."
"Ah. I've heard of you, Sergeant Hattori. You must be tired. Travelling with Yoshika and Roland at the same time can be rough. Especially Roland when you make him mad."
I then gave off an annoyed grin. "That hurts. I'm not always getting mad."
"N-not at all!" Shizuka told the Gallian Witch quickly.
We were also hearing Yoshika and Lynette as they were trying to catch up on about two months' worth of details. From what I was hearing, it sounded a lot like the usual.
Man, I really wish I could be doing that with Minna...who knows what sort of interesting things she's learned about while I was gone.
"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" Perrine asked me (I must have been rather obviously thinking about my girlfriend). "I know you two were a couple for about a week before that day, but..."
"It's alright, Perrine," I told her. "I'll see her again, I promise. Besides, we still are a couple, remember?"
"Who are you two talking about, sir?" Shizuka asked, a little curious. "Also, you know Captain Sage too, ma'am?"
Perrine and I looked at each other, the Gallian Witch a little confused on why I told Shizuka something about myself. "She was getting on my nerves talking bad about me, so after a while I ordered her to stand down." I then turned to face Shizuka. "As for why Perrine and Lynne know me..."
"You'll have to wait for that," Perrine added. "I think it's time for Roland here to show his true identity."
I then sighed. "Yeah, I was getting a little tired of not being who I actually was."
"Huh?" Shizuka asked, definitely more confused. "Who are you really, then?"
"I'll tell you later. For now, let's get ready to hit the docks. Don't know about you, but I'm ready to put the ship travel behind us."
I really wonder how Shizuka's going to take it when I actually tell her who I really am?
XXXXXXXXXX
About thirty minutes later, the five of us (Yoshika, Shizuka, Perrine, Lynette, and myself) were sitting in the back of one of the transport trucks that had the cover taken off of it.
"So you accompanied her and Roland by yourself?" Lynette asked the Fuso sergeant (I think I'm going to have a field day trying to tidy up my narration right now, so bear with me if I change details concerning Shizuka's name for now) concerning the fact that she escorted Yoshika and me for a month.
"My superiors took into account my admiration for her," Shizuka explained. "And my father also recommended me." She was seated next to Perrine on one side, Lynette and Yoshika (you guessed it) sitting across from them. I had my back against the cab of the truck. "As for Captain Sage...Miyafuji wanted him to come along."
"She's always been a little attached to Roland," Perrine replied. "Don't really know why."
"Maybe it's because I actually treated her with respect when I first met her. Unlike a certain Gallian Witch..." I said with a smile to show the Gallian Witch that I was not mad about it. Though you have to admit, maybe I should be a little miffed about it still; I mean, she did treat me the same way after a while...
"A part of my life I really wished I didn't have to worry about again. Anyways, Yoshika, Roland...how's Major Sakamoto doing?" I saw Perrine growing a blush on her face.
"About the same as when I last wrote to you."
"Did she mention me at any point?"
"Sorry, but I never got to see her!" Yoshika told her. "The one time I stopped by the base, she had been dispatched on some emergency mission. Roland-kun's better off telling you."
"The conversations we've had before she left usually dealt with Yoshika's father and his research for me, so I'm afraid I can't quite say that she had," I added. "It doesn't mean that she's forgotten about you. I mean, who'd forget someone with a temper like yours?"
"You know I can repay your idiocy from two months ago right now, right?" Perrine threatened.
I covered the back of my head with my hands. "You wouldn't..."
"Two months ago?" Shizuka asked, confused still (why has she not figured out who I was already?). "You mean Operation Mars?"
I then looked at the Fuso sergeant. "Yeah. I promise, I'll tell you all about me when we get to where we're going. Speaking of that...where the hell are we going?"
"You'll find out soon, Roland," the Gallian Witch replied.
I watched Yoshika look behind her and was amazed by what she saw.
"Whoa, grapes!" she called out. "They look so yummy!"
"Those grapes are used to make wine, so they'd actually be quite sour to the taste," Perrine informed us.
"In other words, something I can't drink quite yet," I added.
"What is he talking about?" Shizuka asked.
"Learn later, sergeant."
"So what do you think?" Perrine asked the little Fuso ex-Witch. "Isn't my Gallia beautiful?"
"Yes, it's really pretty!" Yoshika replied as she turned around to face the Gallian Witch.
"It's certainly a lot better than when I came last time," I told her.
"These lands are all owned by Perrine's family," Lynette added.
"That's amazing."
"Good work, guys!" Perrine told one of the pickers out in the field for the day when he waved at us.
Now I watched as Yoshika stood up after seeing something off in the distance.
"A castle!" she exclaimed in awe.
I looked at where she was looking and could see a castle off in the distance.
Ah, Perrine's place.
Hang on, that's Perrine's home? Granted she was a noble lady of Gallia, but...
What, you expected me to know what her own home looked like? I didn't spend the nights I was in Gallia there; I took a little hotel room to generate some currency for the economy.
I do have to admit that it suited Perrine quite nicely...
XXXXXXXXXX
...Although the hole in the roof wasn't exactly something I'd call perfect.
As noticed by Yoshika and myself as we stood in the bed of the truck, my backpack now on my back.
"It's still leaps and bounds better than how it was right after the liberation," Perrine informed us as we were examining her home. We then watched as she hopped off the truck.
"Welcome back, Perrine and Lynne!" we heard a girl call out.
I looked over to where the noise originated from and saw a light brown-haired girl waving at us. From my current distance, I couldn't really tell much about her appearance, but I could see that she wore a blue military jacket with a white collared shirt and a black tie underneath. as for eyes...I think they were green.
...Hey, cut me some slack: I don't even know who the girl is.
"Who's she?" I asked Lynette as I crouched and leaned in to ask the Birtannian Witch.
"Sergeant Amelie Planchard," Lynette told me. "She and Perrine are close friends."
"You learn something new every day."
"Welcome back, Lady Perrine!" a man called out from the roof.
"Miss Perrine, welcome back!" a little girl called out as a group of three girls and two boys raced up to the Gallian Witch.
"It's time for class!" one of the boys added quickly.
...Wait, Perrine's a teacher now? More things you learn every day...I think?
"I know!" Perrine replied as I watched Amelie approach her. "We made it just in time, didn't we?" She then grabbed two of the kids' hands and walked with the group.
"Welcome back, milady," a butler told her as she walked towards the front door.
Jeez, there's a lot of people who know Perrine around here.
"Is everything in order?" Perrine quizzed as the rest of us stepped out of the bed of the truck.
"The senators are here to meet you," her butler replied.
"Could that wait until I'm done with class?"
I watched the butler give off a smile. "Understood." I think he then noticed me. "Welcome to the Clostermann residence, young Master Sage."
Oh, great...the butler recognized me. Even with all the facial hair (which, now that I think about it, was a flimsy disguise option that somehow worked for as long as it did).
Come to think of it, I think I was feeling everyone's gaze.
Either word travels quickly or Perrine told them about what she knew of me (by the sounds of it, she at least left out the important bits. Like being from a different dimension and being still alive after the fact. I hope so concerning the latter).
"Hang on," Shizuka asked the butler out of confusion. "How do you know Captain Sage? I don't think you two have ever met before.
"Lady Perrine told me as much as she was willing to about him. After all, Master Sage isn't a really hard man to pick out from a crowd with his achievements."
I sighed, looked at the sergeant, and asked, "Sergeant Hattori?"
"What is it, sir?" Shizuka turned to look at me.
"I think it's time I tell you who I really am." I then cleared my throat and held out my right hand. "Captain Roland Sage of the Liberion Army. Up until about two months ago, I was known as...the Neuroi Witch."
I think Shizuka blinked in shock. "Wait, you can't be the Neuroi Witch...you can't be..."
"I can assure you that I am, sergeant. Flew in the air, was a major player in the Ascension incident, and fought hard to protect my friends."
Shizuka looked at Yoshika for a confirmation.
"He's telling the truth," the little Fuso ex-Witch told her. "You should listen to him."
"But you..." Shizuka started as she was going through what to say right now. "Operation Mars...blew...up..." She then swooned and fell to the ground back first, unconscious.
Note to self: ask if Shizuka's alright.
"I thought she had figured it out by now," I simply said as I sighed. "Oh well." I then got down into a crouch and scooped Shizuka into a hold that made me think of carrying a bride or something. "Got a couch or a bed or something that she can lay on for a while?"
"Lynne can show you," Perrine replied. "For now, I have class to teach."
Good to see that your priorities are set...
"Lynne, who are those kids?" Yoshika asked as we parted ways, Perrine and Amelie taking the kids somewhere as Lynette was leading us to the nearest place to lay the unconscious sergeant down.
"They're orphans of the Neuroi war," Lynette explained. "Perrine took them in and provided them with a place to live."
"That's surprisingly noble of her," I replied. "Truly, very noble of her..." I lowered my head a little. "I still can't believe that all I've done is hurt people a lot more than I helped them..."
"That's not true, Roland-kun," Yoshika told me. "You helped save Venezia, Romagna, Gallia, and Britannia. You definitely helped us out more than you think."
"But..." I lied to you all back in Britannia and chose to hide when I lost my magic (even if I had a good reason to go to Fuso)...
"No buts. You promised me that you wouldn't make me worry so much."
True. "...Alright, Yosh." I smiled weakly.
XXXXXXXXXX
And that's the end of the current chapter.
Along with this update, I will also be adding a new chapter to Strike Heroes: Himebana at some point this week since I have time. Considering that the last update for that project was...about a month ago, I believe, I should get one out soon.
Let's see, anything else?
Oh yeah: Since I have time, I can update more often than a week at a time, so expect the next chapter on Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.
Anyways, please read and respond and let me know what you thought of this chapter.
Thanks, and I will see you guys in the next chapter.