Chapter 7: Research and Dangers


SW Universe, Dover Base, USS John Sierra

Inside the ship's hangars, six Witches just stood there with their mouths agape while looking up at the giant white robot they saw from the footage earlier.

"Reynard-san, does that mean... that you are the Pilot of the Prototype?" Yoshika asked him.

"Yep," he replied with a nod. "And this is the original Prototype."

"Original Prototype?" Minna's eyebrows raised. "You mean there's more?"

"Yeah, there are fifty or so variants that were created," he replied while putting his hands in his pockets. "Dr. Halbert designed all of them just as the first Prototype finished being constructed."

"So... you know all of them?" Erica asked.

"No, not all of them. But I know a few."

"And what exactly are those?" she asked curiously.

"Well, Kurt's Mobile Armor is an RX-41-2 [PR] variant, dubbed 'Gundam Panzer Ritter.'" Reynard pointed his thumb at his superior officers. "And Chune has an RX-41-7 [TS] variant, known as 'Gundam Twin-Sword.'"

Minna turned to Kurt. "Kurt, you have your own Gundam?" Kurt nodded. "Could you tell us about Gundam Panzer?"

"Well, it has much more durable armor and a more durable shield," he answered sheepishly while scratching the back of his head. "Not much to say, it has the same mobility as the Original prototype and could carry heavy weaponry."

"What about Gundam Twin-sword?" Mio turned to Chune.

"My Gundam had higher performances in close-combat," Chune answered. "However, it also has a higher mobility, which gives my Mobile Armor an advantage."

"Oooh! That seems impressive!" Mio said sparklingly, which made Chune frown.

"If our Mobile Armors were here, things would have been easier," Kurt said.

Suddenly, Kurt's holo-communicator beeped. He tapped it. "Kurt here, what is it?"

["Lieutenant Colonel, I need you and your squad to come up to the bridge immediately."] Colin's voice came over. ["Bring Minna and the others with you."]

"Alright," he replied as the transmission ended. "We'd better go, it seems urgent."


USS John Sierra, Bridge.

They all re-entered the bridge and met up with the captain, who brought up a holographic screen. "What seems to be a problem?" Reynard asked.

"This." The Captain played a video of an aerial live footage. There was a sight of hedgerow fields and the burning wrecks of M4 Shermans and Tiger-II Tanks. Moments later, a large black figure strolled through the fields. The Witches' eyes widened in realization to the Neuroi with a familiar shape and size. When the video zoomed in and a red mono eye suddenly turned to the camera. The Gigant raised its gun and the feed cut out.

"This was several minutes ago. We sent out a spy drone to Gallia when we heard the news about D-Day being a failure," the captain explained. "Our enemies are here in this world as well."

"So they came, huh..." Kurt said seriously.

Minna and the Witches took this in in silence, and Yoshika and Lynette staggered back. The Gigants, the most dangerous Neuroi-type, were here.

"Wh-What are we gonna do...?" Lynette stuttered nervously.

"I believed these Neuroi would arrive in this world after that light consumed us and them. Our only hope is to get organized with the Allies of this world, as quickly as possible before the Neuroi can produce more Gigants," Colin said, anxiously wiping the sweat from his forehead. "A few hours ago, I let Air Chief Marshal High Dowding to take a tour and investigate our ship and the Mobile Armors."

"I bet the researchers from the New Karlsland Ministry of Technology would like to investigate your Ship," Minna said. "I am sure that giving them a piece of your technology, such as those Jet Strikers, will boost our research for the ME 262 Prototype."

"They've already been notified," Colin said. "Air Chief Dowding will notify Generalleutnant Adolfine Galland from New Karlsland and will be coming here for a few days."

"Already notified?" Minna asked in confusion. "That was fast..."


...Three days later.

April 14th 1945, Kurt's Journal

It has been five days since we've been stuck in this alternate world. It's September 8th 1944 according to their calendar. These last three days have been crazy. The first day that red-shirt Shirley just wanted to ride on a Jet Striker, and our Shirley got groped by Francesca. The second day that Perrine scolded Reynard for having Mio's attention, thought her reasons are unknown. After we gave the alternate 501st a tour on USS Sierra, we've went back to Folkestone. Chune decided to stay on the ship along with Jenkins and Wilbert.

The next day, Minna was curious about me and asked me if I was a Wizard like Reynard. I told her yes.

In the open area of Folkestone, Minna met with Kurt at sunrise while jogging on the beach.

"You do well at these activities, Kurt," Minna said with her cheeks turning red as she looked at his well-built upper body.

"Uh, thanks?" Kurt replied, dumbfounded.

"I have a question. Is it true that you have magic?"

"Huh? Don't you have any Wizards in this world?"

"No, they don't exist. Witches are the only ones that are capable of magic," she explained. "And I wanted to see you demonstrate yours."

"Well... alright then." Kurt stretched out his hand and closed his eyes in concentration. "Waffen... Ein!"

In a flash, a European straight sword materialized out of thin air and Minna staggered back in bewilderment. "Y-Y-You can d-do that?!"

"Yeah, of course. I can also do this." He then activated his magic again as he coursed his hand along his sword. It let out sparks of electricity which caused Minna to jump back once more.

"How can you possibly use that type of magic?!" she said out loud in disbelief. "Isn't that a bit... too dangerous?"

"I've trained well to know how to manifest some elements." He chuckled. "It takes days and months until you get it right."

"I see, this is interesting." Minna commented in awe. "Then you are a Wizard after all."

"I was trained by someone but not born with it," he said.

Minna was caught off guard by his explanation. A magic user training a non-magic user like Kurt was unheard of, how was that possible? "How did you do that?"

"Well, it isn't easy. A non-Wizard needs a lot of concentration and meditation for their soul's magical potential to awaken."

Concentration? Meditation? That was only a common thing for Fusoans like Mio, who was not just a Witch, but also a remarkable swordsman who trained with her sword every day and meditated in quiet areas.

But she also asked me something about my life, so I told her about me back in those days in Karlsland before I became a PILOT.

"So what did you do before you became a PILOT?"

"Well, before that, I tried to enroll to Mozarteum first and then to a music school in Vienna." He sighed, looking embarrassed. "However, both turned me down because they didn't have enough slots for students."

'...Huh?' The redhead Wing Commander stared to the PILOT incredulously. So if Kurt didn't enroll into those schools and didn't meet Minna during his days while he was in training with a Wandering Wizard, that was the time where she met Kurt during a piano lesson… She tried to sort out the timeline in her head. "Then... where does the PILOT Project come in?"

"I met up with an Agent after knocking down some thieves stealing a woman's purse," he answered, crossing his arms. "His name was Alan Rogers. He made me an offer to become the first Candidate for the International PILOT V-Project and I was the first Karlslander to become one."

"But why... your dream..."

"Ugh, because I had no choice... The reason is that I didn't want to sit in my home and do nothing." Kurt groaned. "I didn't even want to join the Karlsland Military either because I didn't want to be in the War. Alan came along and showed me the dangers of the Neuroi, so I forced myself to choose it."

"But... I'm still here, alive and kicking." Then he chuckled. "When I came to the US Military to enroll in the International PILOT Program, I regretted it at first, but when I look back, I was lucky that I didn't reject it."

"So... that means you gave up your dream to become a pianist?"

"Nope, I still have plans once this War is over." He gave her an optimistic smirk and pointed at himself. "I even learned some other instruments during free time."

"I see! So you still have that." Minna brightened as he nodded.

Minna thought that her counterpart in his alternate world was lucky to have him alive and well. She wished that would have happened to her lover... If he hadn't met her in the first place, things would have gone normally for her and she'd have never experienced the sorrow and guilt she had in her heart.

That was all, really. She sounded like she just wanted to hear what happened to me, but my gut has been telling me that she just wished that it would have happened to my other self. Sadly, I don't think that the PILOT V-Project exists here.


SW Universe, Dover Base.

Colin Cutter, Hugh Dowding, Ursula Hartmann and Adolfine Galland stood in the middle of an open area in the shadow of a large humanoid. The Captain and Air Chief Marshal kept smiling proudly while Galland and Hartmann gawked in pure disbelief at the RUTS-37 as in moments later of silence, it waved at them.

"How is it?" Hugh asked, trying not to laugh at Adolfine's reaction.

"Mein Gott... I can't believe my eyes..." Ursula muttered, still looking at the giant machine. "I'm standing right in front of a technological wonder."

When they first got there, they were impressed with the technology of the ship and Striker Units and investigated the soldiers' equipment, vehicles and multi-role aircraft fighters. But all of that paled to the hulking sixty-foot-tall giant made of steel that overshadowed them.

"Wh-What is that giant thing?!" Adolfine cried out frantically while pointing at it.

"That, Miss Galland, is a Mobile Armor," the Captain of the ship explained while fixing his cap.

"Mobile Armor..." Ursula repeated its name. "How do they work and how do you control them?"

"Actually, I'm not an expert to these machines, but..." The Captain looked up at the giant machine. "I bet that person can explain."

The Mobile Armor knelt down and then a hatch on the upper chest opened, revealing a cockpit. A person stepped out from the cockpit and climbed down before walking up to the captain and saluting.

"Ladies, this is Sergeant Daniel Adams Halford, the Pilot of this Mobile Armor," Cutter said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Daniel offered his hand to Adolfine.

"Likewise." Adolfine accepted the handshake.

"Uh... Uhm... May I ask some questions?" Ursula asked with an innocent face while taking out a notepad.

"Of course, go ahead," Colin answered with a smile.

Then Ursula looks up to Daniel. "How do these machines work?"

"Well, the Mobile Armors are powered by a Hydro-Electronic-Particles Turbine. It's like an engine that's runs only on electricity for five months before needing to refuel," Daniel explained while Ursula took notes. "Also, they work on the Exoskeleton Theory, with hydraulic systems that moves its legs and hands with the support of ball bearings that make them twist like a normal person's does."

"And how do you control it?" Ursula asked.

"Pilot's control their Mobile Armors inside the cockpit." Daniel pointed up to the hatch. "Up there I can show you."

"May I see what's inside, and can you demonstrate?"

"Sure, why not," he responded.

Ursula carefully climbed her way up into the cockpit first and jumped in as Daniel came up. There was a single chair and two controllers and several levers.

"Alright, I'll take control while you hold on tight."

Daniel sat down and strapped in, then closed the cockpit. For a few seconds it was dark, and then the monitors turned on, displaying a clear view of the outside world. The Pilot hit a lever, and from the outside, Adolfine and Hugh stepped back as the Mobile Armor slowly stood up and looked around, then raised its arms and opened and closed its hands.

"Amazing..." was the only thing Ursula could say to this.


Dover Base, East Section

In the open areas where two other RUTS-37 were parked, a red-uniformed Shirley jumped around like a child at seeing a Mobile Armor, which in fact that this is her first time to see one and one of the mechanical crew shouted at a single, petite, twin-tailed Romagnan Witch who was climbing up.

"HEY! GET DOWN FROM THERE!" he yelled. "That isn't a playground!"

"Aww, but I want see what's inside." Francesca pouted in defeat as she climbed down. Perrine scolded her and pinched her ear.

"I'm sorry for her behavior mister," Mio said to the mechanic.

"...Nah, it's alright miss, that happened to us mechanic crews back in our own world," he said while wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Back in 1942 when I was in North Africa, I saw a group of Karlsland Air Infantry Witches play and climb around the Mobile Armors when we were absent."

Mio smiled. "It seems that stressed you out, huh."

"Yeah, Pilots and mechanics had difficulties chasing them out," he agreed. "Nowadays, they're mature enough to realize how dangerous it is."

"Look Trude! This gun is much bigger than the Tiger-II's!"

"ERICA! Get down from there!"

Mio and the Mechanic looked up and spotted Gertrude trying to get Erica off of the Mobile Armor's large SMG. The Mechanic sighed. "When will these ones mature?" the mechanic asked himself.

"Whoa! Look at the view from up here!" The shout came from the top of its head, where an orange-haired Liberion Witch stood.

"Shirley! Get down from there!" Yoshika pleaded.

"It's dangerous!" Lynette added.

"Ugh, children." Perrine groaned in frustration.


USS John Sierra

Meanwhile, Minna sat at a round table in a meeting room with Hugh, Colin, Kurt, Reynard, Chune, Adolfine and Ursula. They were watching footage depicting battles between machines and the Neuroi recorded from the other world. As the last video of a spy drone ended, Adolfine, Ursula and even Hugh stared into space with horrified looks.

"Do you three understand?" Cutter asked in a deep tone.

The three slowly come to their senses. Hugh coughed a few times before Adolfine started speaking. "So... the Mobile Armors were the only ones that could counter... these Gigants?" They nodded. "I... I can't believe such Neuroi existed," she said in a trembling voice.

Ursula couldn't utter a word. While the other world was more technologically advanced, but the existence of Gigants terrified them which made their own version of the Second Neuroi War look like a walk in the park.

"We need to change plans quickly. Our failure to liberate Gallia due to these new Neuroi has cost us greatly," said Hugh Dowding. " I will notify the Allied Headquarters in London about these Gigants."

"I will help research the Mobile Armors." Ursula stood up in determination, her hopes rising. "What you've shown us with those machines will give humanity a fighting chance."

"Thank you, all of you." Cutter sighed in relief. "With your support, we might have a chance to return to our own reality."

"But building such machines will cost a lot of time," Adolfine said. "And also the most important thing of all, materials."

"I will send our advisors to instruct weapons factory workers to boost the construction," Cutter replied while standing up. He cleared his throat. "We... could also help your ME-262 Prototype research."

"We're glad you can help us!" Ursula smiled and clasped her hands.

"Then it's settled, we're done here."


MA Universe, South America, MACS Headquarters, Jaburo 1945.

"Gentlemen, four days ago, an incident happened between the borders of Gallia and Helvetia," said a spokesman before turning to a group of PILOTs. "A team of Witches conducted a raid on a Karlsland Transport Plane and got their hands on a highly-classified crystal, then left moments before the plane was destroyed by a remotely-detonated bomb."

"Those bitches..." one of the PILOT's muttered under his helmet. "Why did they want that crystal?"

"We don't know yet, Major, but I'm sure they've come up with another crazy experiment," said the spokesman. "According to our reconnaissance group, the members of the Neo Ordo Hambara are seen hiding somewhere in the Alps."

"A crazy experiment, huh," A female PILOT's eyes narrowed as she recalled their past engagements. "The last experiments were that electrical plasma cannon and reviving the dead."

"I'd gotta say, sis, Josefina Mengele is one of the worst people that lives somewhere out there," said another PILOT. "Her data says she fused humans with Neuroi cores from captured Infantry-types."

"The Angel of Death?"

"Yup."

At that moment, the spokesperson stepped aside as a high-ranking PILOT stepped up.

"Alright everyone, listen up!" called out the Senior PILOT. "Our mission is one of the usual. Search for the Neo Ordo Hambara headquarters in the Alps, find out what they were planning, and destroy it, understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" they all said.

"We'll be leaving Jaburo for Europe within a few hours and will arrive approximately in two days. Dismissed!"


MA Universe, Location Unknown, 1945.

"Achtung! Das Prototyp wird jetzt in weniger minuten aktiviert!" said a female voice in Karlslandic through the speakers. "Alle Hexen in der Nähe des Prototyps, trete weg!"

"To all Witches! Step back from the Prototype!" said another Britannian personnel. "Get those construction droids away from there!"

As everyone began vacating the area around the gate, scientists gathered in the viewing area. None of them were men, only females of various ages. A single girl in a Gallian uniform with a red band tied on her right arm walked to a certain scientist in her mid-twenties and handed her a remote.

Meanwhile, a Witch carried the mysterious crystal stolen from the aircraft inside a glass container and inserted into the power source.

"Danke, Frau Beaufort," the scientist told to the Gallian after receiving the remote and turn her attention to the Witch who stood near the power source and saluted her.

"Everything is set!" she said.

When the area was clear, she pressed a button, and the engines whirred into life as the gate began to produce large electrical sparks. A few moments later, a flash of light erupted and the researchers stepped back.

As the light began to fade, they could see a clear blue portal appear, and the scientist grinned maliciously before turning her attention to a light-brown-haired petite girl wearing a lab coat.

"So your father's theory worked after all!"

"I-I th-thought that i-it was just a theory," the petite girl trembled nervously. "M-May I go home now?"

"Hmm... nah." She leaned closer to the petite girl, her dark eyes gleaming in madness. "You'll work for us from now on."

"Eeek! Help me Papa!" she shrieked, on the verge of tears.

"Josefina, enough," said another voice authoritatively.

A slender young woman in her late twenties with straight black hair walked through the crowd, her red eyes piercing the hearts of her subordinates and silencing them with fear. She wore a Karlsland Officer uniform with a red armband, which had an emblem of eight black brooms forming a Swastika in the middle of a white circle. She looked at the Portal for a brief moment before turning to Josefina and the petite scientist.

"So Project Gateway was truly a success." She said. "You did a great job, you two."

"Thank you, mein Führerin." Josefina said while bowing.

"I umm, um." The little girl tried to find her words but stopped as she felt a hand on her shoulders.

"It's alright, no need to panic little one," the woman said softly before turning to a Witch. "Adelheid, prepare the scouting droids before sending in the expeditionary teams. Also this young Witch shall be going with you."

"Jawohl Führerin!" Adelheid saluted.

"Eh-EEHH?!" The young Witch looked up at the Führerin in disbelief before Adelheid caught her collar, dragging the poor girl across the floor. "B-BUT! BUT!"

"You're coming with us you damn Sub-Witch!" Adelheid snarled.

After they were out of sight, Josefina turned to her Leader with a curious look. "Why would you send her with them?" she asked.

"To ensure that our enemy won't retrieve her," the Leader answered. "She is the only one to understand out how Dimensional Theory works and they cannot find out."

"Mein Führerin."

Josefina and the Leader of the Order turned to another Witch who wore a black Karlsland Airmen uniform. The Witch held her arm out in a Roman salute.

"Gundula Rall, how is it going?"

"Our fellow Witches have collected enough energy from that crystal," she said. "With that energy, we were able to install another portal into the new world."

"Well done, but make sure that the Operation runs smoothly in the new world," the Leader said before narrowing her eyes. She began to walk around Gundula while swinging her whip and teasingly poking her cheeks. "We do not want to make the same mistake that you did several months ago. When you failed to kill Field Marshal Rommel, your actions exposed our Order to the entire world." Then slapped her whip against Gundula's right cheek.

Gundula just stood firm and unfazed, though she clenched her fists while trying to suppress her fiery emotions towards her Leader.

"Look at you." Her Leader scoffed in disgust. "Once a famous Ace, now an infamous Traitor, a well-known Wing Commander stripped down to a forgettable Aircraftman, though you climbed up to our ranks quickly… You really want that rank and prestige back very badly, don't you?"

Gundula just stood there in deathly silence as her fists trembled uncontrollably before she nodded while gritting her teeth. "Ja, mein Führerin."

"Then do not fail. Commence the Operation at once," the Führerin ordered.

"Jawohl, Fräulein Hitler." Gundula saluted by calling her real surname and left immediately.

"Sieg für den Orden!" Hitler yelled with a fist raised into the air. "Und alle für die Hexenrasse!"

"For the purity of the Witch Bloodline!" Added a Britannian Witch.

"Sieg Hambara!/Hail Hambara!" They all raised their arms in salute.


Chapter Ends


Information:

New Character Recieved!

Name: ? Hitler

Age: Unknown

Gender: Female

Nationality: Empire of Karlsland

Height: 169.9 Cm

Hair: Black

Eyes: Red

Skin Complexion: Caucasian

Archetype: Based off of Adolf Hitler, a Chancellor of Germany and a Dictator, dubbed as the "Führer" by his followers (1933-1945), leader of the National Socialist Party.

New Info about Josefina Mengele:

Name: Josefina Mengele

Age: (Declassified) 22

Gender: Female

Nationality: Empire of Karlsland

Height: 165.9 Cm

Hair: (Declassified) Dark Brown

Eyes: (Declassified) Blue

Skin Complexity: Caucasian

Archetype: Based off of Josef Mengele, a German Schutzstaffel Officer and a Physician in Auschwitz Concentration Camp during WW2.

Declassified Language Barrier:

"Achtung! Das Prototyp wird jetzt in weniger minuten aktiviert!" (Attention! The Prototype will now be activates in minutes)

"Alle Hexen in der Nähe des Prototyps, trete weg!" (All Witches near the prototype, step away!)

"Jawohl." (This is well-known amongst WW2 or modern international military Fans which means "Yes" or in other cases "Yes Sir/Yes Ma'am")

"Führerin." (Means" Leader", in Female Term)

"Sieg für den Orden! Und alle für die Hexenrasse!" ("Victory for the Order! And all for the Witch Race! (Or in other terms "Witch breed")