Authors Notes: Alright here we go, sorry if the new chapters are coming out really slowly, been preoccupied with other things so I sorta put this off but never the less we shall continue, the last thing that happen I s that things were going down so without further delay LET US MOVE FORWARDS!

Chapter 10: Angel on my shoulder

Jaca, Hispania

Forward offensive line

"Keep looking at me Yoshika, come on look at me now." Maho was holding Miyafuji's head in place, keeping her eyes locked with hers. The medics were trying to wrap the wound in bandages but each one came away soaked in blood.

Maho turned to the medic, "How is it going?" The medic turned to her and gave a grim look.

"Not good, I can't stop the bleeding, it probably hit a major artery, we need to get her out of here fast."

Maho slammed the ground in frustration but a hand touched her face. She looked down at the witch on ground.

"I'll…I'll… be o…o…kay, you… re… safe now." Miyafuji said brokenly. As she spoke those words, her eyes closed and her hand dropped to the ground. Maho grabbed her.

"NO NO NO, STAY WITH ME!" Maho screamed. The medic put his ear to the witches' mouth.

"Don't worry, she just lost conciseness but we need to move her fast." The medic said. Maho put Miyafuji down and put her hands to her head. She got up and jumped onto her Tiger and got on the intercom.

"ALL UNITS, FALL BACK TO THE STAGING AREA, STAY IN DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" She bellowed over the radio. She received the acknowledgment from all her tank commanders. The tanks that made up the defensive circle began moving into a line again, Maho popped out of the hatch and looked at the medics tending to the wounded witch. She shouted, "GET HER ON THE BACK OF THE TANK! WE'RE PULLING OUT!" The medics looked at each other and nodded, they carefully lifted the witch and got her on the engine deck of the Tiger, putting a blanket over where she would lay so the engine heat would not cause more injury. Maho got back inside and told her crew to turn the tank around and tell all tanks ride on any of the tanks they could latch on to. The line began to move and head back towards the point where it all began, Maho was looking out of her cupola and looked at the medics still tending to the witches wounds, she then turned back to watching the area they had just left. Suddenly a fierce droning sound approached from high above, Maho looked up.

"MIYAFUJI!" The voice was that of Major Sakamoto moving with all haste towards the retreating column. She hovered above Maho's Tiger breathing heavily. "Wha…what happened?" Mio asked, the breaking in her voice as she looked at her compatriot lying on the back.

"She was doing her job, following her orders. She kept us safe." Maho replied, she could see the sullen look in the major's eyes, the major was not usually like this but the situation was different. Mio looked at the sheets of blood next to Miyafuji, the medics still trying to stop the bleeding.

"How bad is it?" Mio asked again.

"She's losing a lot of blood, we need to get her to a medical station fast but we don't have the resources to perform surgery." The medic replied. Mio screamed loudly into the air with such anger it made Maho flinch.

"I have an idea Major." Maho then spoke. The major looked at her. "Our school ship have medical facilities that have advanced medical tools, we can bring her there."

"But ma'am, the ships are with the main fleet and they're miles out at sea." The medic said with a concerned look.

"No… we'll get her there, even if I have to carry her." Mio said while clenching her fist, the engine on her striker revved and smoke emitted from the exhaust. The medics then wrapped Miyafuji in a sheet and lifted her up and put her in Mio's outstretched arms, she flew upwards and looked down at Maho. "Thank you." She thought to herself as she angled towards the open sea and flew away. Maho could see the flying figure get further and further away, once it disappeared into the blue she got back on her intercom.

"All tanks, reverse course and head north, this fight isn't over yet and no matter what befalls us, we advance."

Meanwhile in the sky….

Mio had the wounded Miyafuji cradled in her arms, wrapped in a blanket. The sky was clear and Mio flew with all haste, the young witch in her arm was unconscious, it was only a matter of time until she wouldn't open her eyes. Ever.

"Hang in there Miyafuji." Mio thought. The school ship flotilla was just off shore next the battle zone, the fleet had been providing close air support for the assault and within the layer of steel and iron were the ships of the four schools. Mio began receiving a transmission on her intercom.

*Static* "Mi-*Static* do you read m-*Static*?" The transmission was garbled.

"Hello? You're breaking up."

"Mio! What's your status over?"

"Minna? I'm nearing the fleet, I've got Yoshika with me."

Mio could hear Minna sigh in relief, "Thank god, stay with her I'm on my way."

"But Minna the operation."

"The rest know what they need to do, they'll come down once the operation ends."

"I'll be on the Kuromorimine Ship, Maho told me they can operate on Miyafuji immediately."

"Roger that, please hurry Minna out."

The sprawling city on top of the ships were within sight, Mio engaged her superchargers and jetted past the rings of ships until the black cross of Kuromorimine was down below her. She then noticed red smoke forming on the top of a building, she used her magic eye to see a group of people waving and gesturing her to land where the smoke was. Mio flew down and set down on the roof of the building where people in white coats moved up to her.

"Are you Major Sakamoto?" One of the people in a white coat asked.

"Yes, are you a doctor?"

"Yes, Dr. Kirisama surgery ward, Miss Nishizumi called us ahead and said to expect you we'll take her from here, don't worry she'll be fine." Mio was reassured and handed the young witch over to the surgeon and his medical team, she also disengaged her striker unit and followed two nurses who escorted her into the building.

Mio was sitting in what seemed to be a waiting room, the walls were white with nothing but rows of chairs. Mio was sitting at the far end next to a small table, she had a small cup of tea that a nurse provided her. As she sat, she eyed the nurse's station on the far end and also eyed the double doors with the words SURGERY imposed on top of it. Suddenly the sound of door opening caught her attention, she stood quickly and looked at the door only to be presented with her commander.

"Minna?"

"How is she doing?" The Karlsland officer asked.

Mio sighed and looked at the floor, "The doctor hasn't come out yet." Mio's expression looked grim. Minna put her hand on Mio's back, "I've should've been there, none of this would've happened."

"It's not your fault Mio, she was doing what she was supposed to do."

"I've should've seen it." Mio's voice began to break. Minna could only embrace her 2nd IC as she pressed her body against hers.

"Um…are you Major Sakamoto and Colonel Wilcke?" a voice said. The two witches turned around to see a man with glasses and a white coat with blue gloves and a yellow surgical apron.

"Yes we are, who might you be?" Minna asked. The man adjusted his glasses.

"Dr. Kirisama of the Surgery ward, I except that you two are here for Miss Miyafuji?" The witches nodded.

"How is she doctor?"

"We've managed to stop the bleeding and plugged up the artery, we're just finishing up now but from the looks of it she'll make it." The two witches breathed a sigh of relief. "But there is one thing that I need from you though."

"Anything you need doctor." Mio said.

"She does require blood donation, her body is not able to replenish the great amount of blood loss so if you can, we'd appreciate some donors."

Mio rolled up her sleeve, "Where?" The doctor was put away by the spontaneous response.

"It's on the second floor, if you need any assistance just forward to the nurse's station." Mio excused herself and headed to the nurses station which pointed her to the elevator. Minna could only watch as she saw her subordinate move with haste. She turned back to look at the doctor.

"How long until we can see her doc?"

"We'll have move her to the intensive care unit to monitor her condition, once that's done she'll be open for visits."

"Thank you doctor, never known what we've could've done."

"We're just doing our jobs, if it weren't for your Major's resilience and swiftness, she probably would've never made it."

Minna stretched out her hand and shook the hand of the doctor, he nodded and bowed and turned back and walked through the double doors. She sat down in the waiting room, waiting for the doors to open again, she began to think to herself, "People call us angel when we fly over the clouds, we've been on the shoulders of those that need help, but never did we have those that travel the ground be our angels. Maho… If you were a soldier a Karlsland I've would've given you commendations that would even put General Galland to shame. All of you girls in fact, being thrown into a world where nothing reminds you of home and knowing that any day could be your last. If you could hear this, to the girls of the 501st mechanized battalion, you watch over those that watch over others, you are the angels on our shoulders."

Authors Notes: Sorry for the delay, was caught up in something's such as helping out my mom with things. I appreciate the feedback and the support for the story, for my first story I didn't expect to get much feedback but I'm surprised and honored by the fact that people actually like this. Any way as always, please leave a review and critique because it's always appreciated!

Another thing to note: I apologize that this is very short, helping with my mom greatly reduced my time to write this but don't worry the rest of the chapters will be back to normal length.