STRIKE WITCHES: HEROS' RETURN: LYNETTE'S STORY

Chapter Four

"Unknown aircraft on our six! Distance five thousand!" the pilot said. Sure enough, a group of three Neuroi were on their tail, closing in fast.

We're sitting ducks out here, Lynne thought. She got up and went to the cargo hold, looking for anything that she could use. Then she remembered that Drake had insisted that some of the base's rations were to be stocked. Why would he have rations from the base boarded on the plane? We already had enough, Lynne thought. In the middle of the cargo hold, something big was covered by a heavy tarp. She pulled it off to find... her striker unit and rifle.

Drake must have seen this coming, Lynne thought. Realizing what she must do, she pressed the button for the lift. She then jumped into her striker as the unit rose up.

"Lynette, what's going on back there?" Sir William said. He went into the hold just in time to see Lynne take off and fly away. "LYNETTE!" Sir William shouted, a mix of fury and worry in his voice.

"I will protect you, Father," Lynne said. She flew behind the transport, keeping her eye on the Neuroi. When they came into range, Lynne fired off several shots. The Neuroi squealed, but instead of retreating, they divided into over a thousand drones. "This is not good," Lynne said to herself. She then spoke to the pilots through the radio.

"Get out of here! I'll cover your retreat, now go! That's a direct order!" she said. In response, the transport dived toward the sea to shake off the Neuroi.

So many... I hope this works, Lynne thought, training her rifle on a particularly large group of drones. She rapid-fired over a dozen rounds at the Neuroi, willing her magic to guide them each to their target. Her magic did not fail her, and each drone exploded in a shower of white sparks. Growing more confident, she continued to fire round after round at the drones. However, no matter how fast she fired, there were always two more to replace one she destroyed. Within several minutes, she was out of ammunition. Forced to focus solely on using her shield to block attacks, she ordered the plane to land, which gave her less space needed to guard. They skimmed across the water, desperate to fend off the attacking enemy.

"LYYYYNNNNEEEE!" Yoshika shouted, streaking through the sky faster than the speed of sound. Though it put great strain on her and her striker, her adrenaline boosted her magic, allowing her to cover thousands of miles in a mere twelve hours. She made a beeline to Florida, having heard from the night ground crew that Lynne and her family should be there by now. She had been spotted by the Neuroi several times, but even their fastest models were left in the dust.

I'm coming Lynne, Yoshika thought as she passed over the coast and over the Atlantic. Without warning her earpiece crackled to life. It was Drake.

"Where the hell are you!?" he snapped. Thought the connection was full of static, Yoshika heard him clearly enough.

"I'm over Florida. Miami, I think," she replied.

"YOU'RE WHERE?! Damn girl, have you been flying nonstop? Bah, never mind, this is actually a good thing. The transport Lynne and her family are on has attracted a whole group of Neuroi. We've lost contact with them, but Lynne should be holding the enemy off. I snuck her striker unit and her rifle in the hold, she probably found it by now. They should be north of your position, about a hundred miles away. Help Lynne hold off the enemy until the cavalry arrives. Godspeed Yoshika," Drake said.

"Thanks. I'm off!" Yoshika said, putting all her energy into speed. A sonic boom blasted the water below as she shot north toward her damsel in distress.

Though this damsel in question wasn't precisely distressed at that moment, she was in trouble. Although Lynne had blocked the worst of the beams, the transport was already peppered with holes, and had come to a complete stop. It wouldn't be long before it would sink to the bottom of the sea. The Neuroi got more aggressive, as if they smelled blood. Some of them got reckless and got too close, falling victim to the pilots who were armed with pistols. But soon they were out of ammo too, and were forced to abandon the plane. Lynne's parents were trapped inside the doomed aircraft. Every time Lynne made an attempt to rescue them, she was forced to shield herself against the drones' attacks.

We're... we're not gonna make it... Lynne thought, growing tired. Her magic was almost used up. Suddenly, she heard a sonic boom. In the blink of an eye, something shot toward the Neuroi and bashed through them. The Neuroi that were caught in the path of this strange missile were instantly destroyed. The missile made a long curve upward, and dived again at the Neuroi. This time though, it shot bullets at the drones, destroying several more dozen.

What kind of missile shoots bullets? Lynne thought. Then she got a good look at it. Or rather, her.

"YOSHIKA!" Lynne shouted. She was beyond happy to see her girlfriend coming to her rescue. Yoshika however, was too infuriated at the Neuroi to reply.

"How dare you try to hurt MY LYNNE!" Yoshika shouted, spraying bullets at the Neuroi in front of her. With the enemy temporarily distracted, Lynne tried to free her parents. However, all the doors were submerged, and impossible to open. Thinking quickly, she signaled to her parents to stick to a wall. She then tuned her earpiece to Yoshika's.

"Yoshika! My parents are trapped inside! I need your help," she said. Yoshika quickly understood, and flying next to Lynne, fired her gun at the canopy of the plane. The bullets tore through the skin of the plane. She then flipped her gun over and used the butt end of it to smash in the ceiling. Lynne's parents quickly got out. With them not in danger of drowning, Lynne and Yoshika did their best to shield Lynne's parents and the pilots from the Neuroi.

Suddenly, a drone flew in front of Lynne without warning, and fired. Time slowed down as Lynne saw the beam fly towards her chest. But it never made it there... for someone got in the way.

"Ahhh!" Yoshika screamed as the beam burned her chest. She fell against Lynne, who kept her from falling. "YOSHIKA!" Lynne cried out. Yoshika groaned in pain. "That hurt." The Neuroi charged up to fire again... and exploded.

"Huh?" Lynne and Yoshika said. Several more dozen Neuroi exploded too, then all of them exploded in such a flurry of white fragments, it looked like it was snowing.

"Wha- what happened?" Yoshika asked weakly.

"Don't try to talk, just relax. We'll make sure you get better," Lynne said, her voiced laced with worry.

"Everything will be okay Sergeant, we'll get those wounds healed back at the Cape," an unfamiliar voice said. Lynne looked up to see a witch in blue strikers flying in front of her. Behind her was a group of over ten witches, each holding a rifle. "So you were reason they exploded," Lynne said. The lead witch nodded.

"Name's Georgia Boyington, Colonel of the Marine Attack Squadron 214. We can finish introductions later, first we must get all of you back to the Cape," Georgia said.

Georgia's witches carried the two pilots and Lynne's parents, while Lynne held Yoshika close to her, not willing to be parted. She ignored her parents throughout the whole trip. Even when they made it to the Cape and brought Yoshika to the hospital wing, she would not talk to them. All she cared about was seeing Yoshika healed. Fortunately there was a medical witch on staff, and she healed Yoshika's wounds quickly. The Fuso witch's eyes slowly opened.

"We're okay Yoshika. We're safe," Lynne said, before Yoshika could panic.

"I thought I would never see you again," Yoshika said, hurt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I should have stood up to my father in the first place, not waited until it was too late. Can you ever forgive me?" Lynne replied.

"Of course Lynne, why wouldn't I? I could never hate you, silly," Yoshika said, holding Lynne close. They both cried, from being apart for any time at all, and for having been united again. Lynne stayed by Yoshika's side throughout the night, falling asleep in the chair next to her. That morning as she and Yoshika were eating breakfast, her parents walked in, causing Lynne to tense up. She stood protectively in front of Yoshika in a way that was so unlike her usual shy and submissive self.

She's changed, Yoshika thought.

"If you are even thinking of separating us again, forget it!" Lynne said fiercely. Even a dim-witted fool would see that she meant business.

"I-" Sir William began.

"NO! You're not taking me away from her!" Lynne yelled. Minnie stepped forward. "Lynne dear," she said softly. Lynne didn't back away, but didn't yell at her mother either.

"What?" Lynne said evenly, barely keeping her temper in check. Her grip on Yoshika's hand tightened.

"It's okay honey. We're not going to separate you. Right dear?" she said, pointing her question at her husband. Sir William nervously cleared his throat.

"You're mother and I have thought long and hard, and we've come to an agreement. Yoshika here put her life on the line to protect you, and helped save us, even after all we have done. In light of that, we are willing to let you stay with the 501st," he said, almost reluctantly. Lynne and Yoshika's eyes lit up at his words.

"Do you really mean that?!" Lynne asked. Sir William nodded.

"Yoshika, you can remain with my daughter. However, do not assume I'm also giving you my daughter's hand in marriage. Yet, anyway," he said.

"Thank you sir," Yoshika said, beaming. Just then Colonel Georgia walked in. "We just received a telegram from Drake Holt at Pear Harbor. It says 'I have received word from the Prime Minister of Britannia that Lynette Bishop is to remain at her post in Pearl Harbor, and she is to remain among the ranks of the 501st. Furthermore, Sir William Bishop and Lady Minnie Bishop are to remain with the 214th in Florida until it is deemed safe to return to Britannia. That is all from the Prime Minister. My orders are for Flight Sergeant Miyafuji and Warrant Officer Bishop to return to Pearl Harbor at their convenience. That is all," she said. Sir William balked at this.

"But we have pressing business to attend to at Britannia!" he protested. Georgia did not budge. "Orders are orders, sir. With the increased Neuroi activity, it's much too dangerous to travel. Besides, after your little stunt out there, the top brass doesn't have much faith in you anymore," she replied. Sir William grimaced, but otherwise said nothing. Lynne held Yoshika close, at peace once more. Yoshika's head rested on her shoulder, and they embraced.

Later that day, the doctors announced that Yoshika had fully recovered. Lynne said her goodbyes to her parents, and thanked Georgia and her squad for their help. Then she and Yoshika mounted their strikers and flew off into the sky, leisurely making their way back home.

Several days later, Yoshika and Lynne returned to Pearl Harbor. They made their way to Drake's office and knocked on his door. "Come in," Drake said. They opened the door to see Drake filing through a stack of papers.

"I hate paperwork. Just when you think you are done, you have to start all over again," he said. He then looked up.

"Welcome back you two. I was beginning to worry you had lost your way. I assume you are here to stay Lynne?" Drake said warmly. Lynne nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good. Yoshika, come here." Yoshika stepped forward. Drake rolled up a few pages... and smacked Yoshika upside the head with them.

"Ow! What was that for?" she asked, rubbing her head, not out of pain but surprise.

"That was for going AWOL. Normally you'd be court-marshaled, but thanks to me you won't have to go through that. I commend you on your bravery though. Taking on three Neuroi with only one other witch on your side - while reckless - takes guts. Thanks to you Lynne, her parents, and the pilots that flew the transport are alive," Drake said.

"Thank you sir," Yoshika said. Drake nodded. "Now, it's late. I suggest you both head to your room and call it a night. I'm sure Emily will be happy to see you both," he said. Lynne and Yoshika thanked him, and excusing themselves, quietly ran to their bedroom. Emily was there waiting for them.

"Glad to have you two in one piece. Or two pieces... or... oh whatever! Just come here," she said, embracing them. The trio got into their respective beds and were soon fast asleep. Emily being exhausted from training, and Lynne and Yoshika from flying all day.

Drake walked out to look at the night sky, finding a rare moment of peace and quiet.

I'm glad Lynne is back, he thought. I need everyone of the 501st to make my plan work. And frankly, it's good to see those two together again. Looking up at the night sky, he watched as a meteor shower began. They streaked across the sky in whites and pale yellows, helping the stars illuminate the sky. Suddenly, something odd caught Drake's eye. A meteor flashed across his field of view. Its tail was unnaturally long, and instead of white, it was a blood red. Drake squinted to get a better view, but strange meteor was long gone.

"Hm... I hope I'm wrong. But I think soon enough, Shirley is going to meet her match..."

TO BE CONTINUED...