Present day…
"So many dresses, so many shoes, my god…" Perrine walked through the rows of ball gowns and dresses assembled for their personal use at the ball that evening.
Field Marshal Rommella had brought them to a special place on the base used for uniforms, dresses, and pretty much any other article of clothing anyone might ever need.
"We've got plenty of make-up as well, ladies." Rommella smiled as all 11 of the girls of the 501st division scattered through the clothing racks and shelves of shoes.
"Marshal, this is kick ass." Charlotte said, looking over the top of the clothing racks.
"Watch your language in front of the Marshal." Mio waved a finger.
"Oh, it's alright, Major. While we're here and getting ready, there's no need for rank. Just have fun and wear whatever you like." Rommella pushed Gertrude in her wheelchair. She bent down to the Captain and talked quietly. "If you don't mind, Barkhorn, I would like to talk to you."
"Of course, ma'am." Gertrude did not hesitate. This woman was her hero, the woman she wished to emulate. Rommella wheeled her away to a more secluded area where they could discuss things in private.
"Gertrude, how does your commanding officer treat you?" Rommella pulled up a chair in front of her. The older woman, right around fifty years old, looked about thirty and carried herself very well. Her eyes carried distinct venom behind her pretty and soothing voice. This was a feared battlefield commander that knew her way around in any kind of situation. You either respected her, or you feared her.
"You mean General Hatake?" Gertrude was curious as to why she would ask about him. Though he was very mysterious and little known about him up until now, she wasn't sure what she should tell anyone outside the unit.
"Yes." Rommella replied.
"He's a very capable leader. His leadership on the battlefield is superb. His use of battle tactics and strategy are more than adequate. Our efficiency has increased drastically from what Fleet Commander Anderson has told us." Gertrude spoke the truth, though she technically didn't answer her question.
"But how does he treat you?" Rommella's eyes drifted down to the bandaging beneath Gertrude's uniform.
"He treats us all well, Marshal. As you saw earlier, our relations are quite well." Gertrude nodded.
"Then if I may ask, where did you receive those wounds? I don't think I've ever seen a Neuroi cause those kinds of wounds. The only ones I've seen are severe burns from their beams… And if it had collided with you and you just happened not to have a shield up, it would have been a much larger wound." Rommella said, her smile slowly becoming one of hidden knowledge.
"I'm not sure I remember, the blow almost killed me. Could have been when I hit the ground when my magic ran out, it could have been anything." Gertrude felt suddenly uncomfortable in her idol's gaze.
"And perhaps a Neuroi caused the bruising around Captain Yeager's neck?" Rommella scooted her chair closer to Gertrude's wheelchair.
"It's possible. I was out for a lot of the fight." The Karlic captain shrugged.
"Well, with your unexplainable injuries and your supposed absence from most of the fight, I'm curious as to why General Hatake has requested you for commendations and a promotion to the rank of Major." Rommella pulled two small boxes out of her pocket. "As your superior Karlic officer and representative in the AF council, I have approved yours on the basis of being the highest scoring ace in the AF with over 300 confirmed Neuroi kills."
"…what?" Gertrude couldn't believe what she was hearing. Dimitri requested a promotion for her? "You're making me a Major?"
"That's right, Gertrude. You are now a Major in the Allied Forces." Rommella opened the first box holding two golden oak leave insignias. "I'll trade you for those old silver bars."
Gertrude was speechless. She was receiving a promotion that had been requested by a man who had tried to kill her in his berserk state and was getting it from her long time idol. She couldn't believe it. She would write Chris and tell her all about it as soon as she got the chance, if she couldn't do it in person.
"Congratulations, Major Barkhorn. You are the pride of Karlsland. Keep up the good work." Field Marshal Rommella finished removing Gertrude's Captain emblems and replacing them with the Major insignia. She leaned down to her ear. "And next time you lie to me, come up with a better lie, alright?"
Meanwhile…
"Hey, someone hand me that black and white dress!" Charlotte called from the inside of a changing room.
"Which one? The strapless one or the S&M looking one?" Francesca called, standing with one in each hand outside the dressing room.
"Hell, hand em both to me." Charlotte laughed. Francesca handed them over the double swinging doors.
"It's really weird that the military would keep some of these… if you could even call them dresses…" Perrine came by holding a dress that supported her statement. Francesca was confounded at the sight of the dress that consisted of straps that fell in convenient places. That was it.
"What are you talking about? That dress is so you." Francesca smiled. Perrine's face twisted in horror as she tried to imagine herself wearing such a thing.
"I would so wear that." Charlotte leaned over the double doors, apparently not wearing anything as she stood only visible from her knees down and from the collar up.
"But you have the body and attitude to make it work." Erica came by as she continued to sift through the dresses.
"That's for sure." Francesca agreed.
"Anyone find anything in red?" Lynnette emerged from within the nearest rack, Yoshika following with a measuring tape around Lynnette's chest. "Would you stop for a second? I'm trying to find Minna a dress."
"I gotta make see how much you've grown to get the right dress picked for you." Yoshika smiled happily as she pulled the tape tight over Lynnette's breasts, causing her face to redden.
Everyone held up a red dress of varying styles, though none of them would fit the normal criteria for a 'dress.'
"But… are those… even dresses? They look like lingerie, a short nightgown, and… I don't even know what the hell that is." Lynnette looked at all of the presented dresses.
"Hey, we already don't wear pants on a daily basis. Like any of this shit is any different." Erica threw the dress back on the clothing rack and practically dove into the mass of dresses. "Besides, we need something eye catching for Minna to wear. Mio's only got one eye so it's gotta be doubly eye catching."
"You crass bitch." Charlotte laughed heartily from inside the changing room. She stepped from the changing room in a strapless black dress that showcased her assets extremely well. Her cleavage was accented while her wide hips were pronounced by the tight black fabric and skirt that cut off halfway down her thighs. "Well, what you think?"
"Oooooh." Yoshika saw the Captain's large breasts on display. She dropped the measuring tape and dove into Charlotte's cleavage.
"Hey! Those are mine!" Francesca protested, trying to pull Yoshika away from Charlotte.
"I guess you guys still haven't grown up." Minna chuckled as she and Mio came around the end of the dress racks. Minna saw Charlotte's dress. "Wow. You look amazing in that."
"I got that impression from Yoshika as well." Charlotte smiled as Yoshika looked up at her from her chest. Francesca finally got Yoshika off of her. "You know you make Lynne jealous when you do stuff like that, you little demon."
"I'm not jealous…" Lynnette tried to protest, though it was written on her face.
"Anyone seen Sanya and Eila?" Perrine looked around. "They've been acting really weird lately…"
"Dimitri told me not to even mention the way she left the battlefield in Wien…" Major Sakamoto scratched her cheek below her eye patch.
"That would be for the best…" Minna was never told the reason why Eila had deserted the battlefield. She also didn't find out just why she reacted the way she had when Captain Breshnev arrived in Dimitri's room.
"Hey Minna!" Erica swam out of the dresses with a red dress in her hand. The red was a perfect match with the Colonel's hair. "Found your dress!"
"Do what now?" Minna asked as Erica started pushing her into an empty changing room before she could fight back. She found herself in the small room with Erica standing between her and the door. "What are you doing, Erica?"
"Clothes. Lose em." Erica's sadistic smile spread across her face. She held up the red dress in her hand.
"Ummm… I think I'll wait until later to try on a dress…" Minna could tell this wasn't going to end well. "Mio…"
"Oh, you'll be calling her name by the end of the night. Trust me. Now lose the uniform." Erica's familiar activated, indicating she would be willing to use force if necessary.
Meanwhile…
"Eila… what is going on? You've been acting so strange… first with Demi on the battlefield, then you're all nervous and anxious when we get back from Wien, and then you freak out when you see Mikhail." Sanya confronted the visibly shaken Suoman Lieutenant. They stood in a room off to the side of the massive wardrobe surplus Field Marshal Rommella had brought them here to pillage through for the ball later that night. "You haven't wanted to be around me either…"
"It's not you, Sanya…" Eila leaned against the wall and looked away from the Orussian girl she loved. She didn't blame her for anything that had happened, though she wished Sanya would have told her about her past relation to Dimitri and that demon Mikhail.
"Then what is it? You won't even talk to me… you always talk to me, Eila…" Sanya felt pain in her heart at the way Eila was behaving.
"It's your best friends, Sanya…" Eila placed a lot of hate into the two words. Sanya looked to the floor, as if the words physically hurt her. Eila moved toward her and put her hands on the sides of her arms. "I'm not even jealous like I tend to get. That doesn't matter. It's who they are, what they've done, and what they continue to be."
"But Dimitri and Mikhail have always been like my older brothers, Eila. They're not bad people. Commander Anderson has always taken care of me. Dimitri helped me learn the piano like my father played. Mikhail and Double star took care of me when Dimitri disappeared a couple times…" Sanya looked up into Eila's eyes. "First eight years ago after the battle in Wien, and then after finding him in Berlin after three years of believing him to be dead, he disappeared again five years ago, only to resurface as the leader of our division. I was so confused…"
Eila kept listening, finding the information interesting.
"The explanations from Mikhail and Double star weren't any help. I can tell when they're lying to me… Dimitri went 'specter' even worse than this time in Berlin five years ago. And I'm pretty sure it's Mikhail's fault…" Sanya looked as if what she was remembering was painful. Eila didn't want her to be burdened by this any further but she wanted to know what happened.
"Why was it Mikhail's fault?" Eila asked, hanging on each word.
"Because he hurt the doctor… And I think the doctor was really important to Dimitri. Dimitri was willing to throw away his life after Mikhail hurt the doctor just to give Dimitri no other reason to stay in Berlin…" Sanya began to cry. Seeing the girl she adored crying started to make Eila cry. "But it backfired… Dimitri lost it. He went what Double star called 'specter,' as if he knew about what Dimitri was capable of beforehand…"
"Did you know that Dimitri was a witch killer?" Eila pulled Sanya's chin up to look her in the eye.
"I was never sure. They hid it between the three of them. Dimitri was always nice and gentle with me. He always took care of me when he was around. I always wanted to believe that it wasn't the real Dimitri… I missed him so much during the eight years he had been gone from my life. I was happy just knowing he was alive five years ago. Then he disappeared after going 'specter' in Berlin…" Sanya explained. "I didn't want to believe the possibility of him being the one the rest of the world feared, but Mikhail let it slip some of the things Dimitri had done over the past five years."
"And what about Mikhail? Do you know of the atrocities he's committed?" Eila could see the disbelief in her eyes as she asked.
"What atrocities?" Sanya shook her head. Eila shook her head, figuring it to be better not to bring them up to her. She already had to deal with Dimitri being a witch killer. Eila didn't want to tell her that Mikhail was even worse, having been practically raised by the horrible Captain.
They both looked into each other's eyes. They both had conflicting emotions but their feelings were driving them together. Eila felt her breathing get heavy as Sanya began to close her eyes. Sanya put her hands on Eila's chest and pushed her back to the wall she had been leaning against.
Eila's face went a deep red as Sanya held her against the wall and kissed her. After the surprise wore off, she stopped hesitating like she normally did. She put her arms around Sanya's neck and continued to kiss deeply. Though it wasn't their first kiss, it was their first in a while and their first after a quarrel between them.
Eila always made sure not to make Sanya unhappy or upset, but this time couldn't have been avoided. She would make it up to her somehow. All of the things that had been on her mind and bothering her now seemed to disappear as Sanya's tongue pressed against hers. She felt Sanya's hands start to unbutton her light blue uniform.
"I'm sorry for everything, Eila…" Sanya said after their lips parted, looking up at her with pleading eyes. "I should have told you everything…"
"It's alright, Sanya. I'm not blaming you for anything." Eila shook her head. She brought Sanya's lips back to her own and they continued.
As their lips and tongues moved against each other, Sanya fully unbuttoned Eila's uniform. Sanya's hands moved around underneath Eila's jacket and held her shoulders. When their lips parted again, Sanya's lips began to move down Eila's neck. Eila leaned her head against the wall, her heart racing.
The only sound that could be heard was their breath and Sanya's lips kissing Eila's pale skin. Sanya's hands started to move down Eila's back, stopping at her bra. Eila felt herself holding her breath as her lover unhooked her bra. She couldn't believe that Sanya would be so assertive while they were somewhere other than their rooms. But she knew Sanya was the much more assertive one between them. Eila was always too nervous.
Eila decided it was time to show Sanya that she wasn't the only one with aggressive desire. She put her hands on the sides of Sanya's neck and face, pulling her lips back to hers, sparking another passionate kiss. While they kissed, Eila spun them around and pushed Sanya against the wall. As their arousal began to climb, both of their familiars activated. Sanya's black cat ears and tail appeared while Eila's fox ears and tail materialized.
Eila pulled on the tie that Sanya wore as part of her uniform, loosening the knot. Her hands began unbuttoning with practiced speed.
"I love you, Eila…" Sanya said with her eyes closed as Eila began to suck on her neck.
Meanwhile…
Dimitri looked at the clock and found it to be after four in the afternoon. Waltrud was sitting at his side, dozing off as she laid her head on the side of his bed. Dimitri smiled and started running his hand through her hair. She had always been like a little sister to him.
Dimitri finally started to grasp that he hadn't seen in her in five years as he noticed how much she had grown up. She was now at Creina's height from when they were together. She was very mature and he knew she was still as smooth with women as she always was. Her legs were long just like Creina's had been. He was proud to see how much she had developed both physically and mentally. She would have made her older sister proud to no end.
"Demi…" Waltrud spoke, her eyes still closed.
"What, dear?" Dimitri continued to run his fingers through her short brown hair.
"I really fucking missed you…" Waltrud turned her head to look up at him. "You have no idea how hard I cried when I was told that you and Creina were gone…"
"I know… and I'm sorry things happened to make you go through that pain. I would have given anything to stay in Berlin. It just would have been hard…" Dimitri thought about trying to live in the same house that he had shared with the woman he had loved so much.
"I would have been there. In fact, the reason I joined the military was so that I might have a chance to exact revenge on the things responsible for taking you and Creina from me." Waltrud sat up.
"I know you would have, but still, it would still have been difficult for me…" Dimitri looked into her eyes. Dimitri smiled. "So are you going to go get ready for the ball? I'm sure the others are getting ready as we speak."
"I guess so…" Waltrud shrugged. She smiled weakly and stood up.
"Good. I want you to go and have fun tonight. I know there'll be plenty of women there for you." Dimitri motioned for her to bend down to him. She did and was rewarded with Dimitri putting his arms around her in a hug. "It means more than you know for me to be able to see you again. Once I get all of my memories back, we'll piece it all back together, alright?"
"Of course, Demi." Waltrud happily returned the hug.
"Now get out there, have some fun, hit on some women, and I will see you tonight." Dimitri kissed her on the cheek and smiled at her.
"Save a dance for me, okay?" Waltrud loved him so much and yet wasn't even sure how to treat her feelings.
"I will, dear." Dimitri leaned back as Waltrud gave a half salute and walked out the door.
As Waltrud walked out and closed the door behind her, she found Captain Mikhail Breshnev with two suit carriers over his shoulders.
"And what the hell are you doing here?" Waltrud stopped after taking a few steps away from the door. Mikhail took a drag from the cigarette he held in his free hand.
"I'm here to tidy up the General and get him ready for the ball. Erin personally requested for me to get him lookin spiffy." Mikhail exhaled smoke.
"If that's the case, I can help him. No need for you to be here." Waltrud put his hand out for Dimitri's dress uniform carrier.
"Sorry, long legs. I gotta do this. Don't want to upset the Marshal." Mikhail shook his head, but then he smiled and winked. "But I can come help you get ready if you'd like. I got a few outfit ideas I think would look great on you."
"Definitely not." Waltrud waved him off. She resigned herself to not getting her way. "Fine… make him look good, Captain."
"You know I will. He's got a lot of people who want to see him." Mikhail smirked. "Back in Orussia, they used to fawn over him in his dress blues."
"I can imagine. Guess that just left you all alone in the cold, huh?" Waltrud started to turn away.
"Of course not. Dimitri was my wingman. I was the main event." Mikhail went to Dimitri's door but didn't open it. "When Dimitri decides to break your heart, come see me, long legs."
"Just shut up, Captain." Waltrud shook her head and walked down the hallway.
"Yep yep. She totally wants me." Mikhail laughed as he walked into Dimitri's room.
"Who is it this time?" Dimitri smiled as Mikhail set the two suit carriers on Gertrude's empty bed.
"Your little friend Waltrud." Mikhail took off his sunglasses and lay down on Gertrude's bed.
"Ha ha. I doubt that. She's into women, not men." Dimitri laughed, propping himself up.
"Well hell, we got something in common." Mikhail flicked some of his cigarette ashes on the floor with no regard for hospital rules or sterilization policies. "I like me some of that woman action myself."
"She might be able to teach you a thing or two." Dimitri looked over at his fellow Orussian countryman.
"Pssshh. Like what? What else is there for the master to learn?" Mikhail scoffed.
"Some humility wouldn't hurt." Dimitri shrugged, the pain lessened by the morphine.
"Man, that morphine is making you say strange things, Dimitri." Mikhail looked up at the bag of liquefied painkiller hanging above the General's head. "There another bag around here? I think I want some."
"Well, there's some hanging above the bed you're laying on, but it's Gertrude's." Dimitri pointed.
"I'll just have a little bit. What she don't know won't hurt her." Mikhail dug through the drawers next to the bed for a clean needle. He cleaned the IV line that had been used on Gertrude and used a spare needle he scrounged up to insert it into his arm.
"It worries me that you know how to do that better than the nurses who do it for a living." Dimitri watched as Mikhail began to push the morphine into his veins. "You were a junkie at one point, weren't you?"
"Shit, whenever someone goes down on the battlefield and your medic gets his head taken off by a witch sniper… Gotta be able to take action. Besides, I'm just tryin to get in the mood for a party. Gotta get through the evening so we can enjoy the night, man. I expect a very busy night." Mikhail felt the opiate rush tug at the edge of his awareness. "That's the good stuff."
"Hey, didn't you just have a birthday?" Dimitri seemed to remember Mikhail's birthday being in November.
"Sure did. Just don't tell anyone, aight? Don't need the ladies thinkin I'm old or anything." Mikhail flexed his left bicep, showing what looked like tally mark shaped scars on the inside of his arm. "One for every year I somehow manage to make it through."
Dimitri did a quick count of the number of scars, seeing eight groups of five and three extras working on another grouping.
"Hard to believe you're already forty three." Dimitri looked up at his own morphine line. His mind went back to the memories that lay beyond his reach that had been brought closer by the drug.
"Sshh. Don't tell anyone that. I just tell everyone I'm twenty five." Mikhail was in the middle of the strongest surge of the rush that accompanied opiates. "It's not like they ever ask, though. They see the perfect physique and it's like light to flies."
"You brought our uniforms?" Dimitri looked over to the carriers that Mikhail had brought with him. "Our dress blues, I'm guessing?"
"Of course. Only the best for Orussia's most promising officers." Mikhail sat up and unzipped the carrier that said Dimitri's name on it. He pulled out the cleanest and crispest uniform Dimitri had ever seen. "And I ironed the damn thing myself. So you better be happy."
"Looks great." Dimitri saw the silver star that adorned each shoulder indicating his rank of Brigadier General. His service ribbons and a few medals were pinned to the left breast. His last name was stitched in silver thread on the right breast. Every button, emblem, and medal was polished to a gleaming shine. He had never worn his dress blues, wasn't even sure he still had them, but here they were.
"Hell, it's getting close to time to go. Need to start getting dressed if we're gonna meet Erin and Chiron on time." Mikhail clipped the morphine bag he was using to his belt as he went over to Dimitri.
"We're going with Field Marshal Rommella and Fleet Commander Anderson?" Dimitri's eyebrow arched.
"Yeah, but we're also meeting up with Aizen and Isoroku. All the movers and shakers tonight, man." Mikhail broke the limiter off of Dimitri's morphine control and set the bag down on the bed beside him.
"You mean the four most powerful people in the AF are going to be waiting for us?" Dimitri swung his feet over the edge of the bed. Mikhail nodded. "Then what are we waiting for? Shoes in the bag?"
"Already shining, General Hatake." Mikhail said mockingly. "Mirrored sunglasses are in your right jacket pocket."
Five years ago…
Dimitri checked on patients as he walked up and down the wards of the hospital. His silver hair was now freely hanging down, not caring if he was recognized by anyone else. He looked out the window and could see the ominous black craft coming even closer. Beams shot out from its sides, tearing lines of fire across the city.
If it got much worse, Dimitri wouldn't hesitate to drag Creina out kicking and screaming if it meant she would survive. Now that Mikhail was here, things were going to be complicated.
"Demi!" Dimitri heard a familiar voice calling him. He turned around to see Waltrud running up to him. She ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"What are you doing here?!" Dimitri was alarmed. "You should be getting out of the city."
"Like hell I am without you and Creina." Waltrud, now 14, said with her face in his chest. "Where is she?"
"She's in surgery. Listen to me, Wally. I want you to get away from here. Go back home, or something. It's moving in the wrong direction to cause any damage at home. But this place is not safe, and not just because of that thing in the sky." Dimitri looked around, searching for the one he considered the biggest threat to the new life he had made for himself.
"If I do, promise me you'll protect Creina. Get her away from here, just anything to protect her, Demi." Waltrud pulled back and looked into his green eyes.
"You know I will. You needn't ask." Dimitri kissed her on the forehead. "Now get going before the defense troops get here and you get caught up in it."
"Alright, Demi…" Waltrud hugged him one more time and then left the way she came. Dimitri watched her turn the corner then shifted his attention to several helicopters that were moving in from the east. He could see with his enhanced eyesight that they all bore the Orussian emblem.
As they grew closer, the Neuroi fired a few shots in their direction. One of the choppers that flew in front was clipped by the attack and dropped down. Dimitri didn't even flinch as it fell to the city below and created a large explosion once the fuel ignited. He shook his head and looked away from the situation outside.
"…Demi…" Dimitri stopped in his tracks. He felt a hand touch his forearm. He turned to see the girl he had been extremely close to before Wien three years ago. Sanya looked up at him with hope in her eyes. She had gotten taller and she was growing to be a very beautiful girl. She was probably eleven by now. "You are Dimitri, aren't you?"
"Yes, knyaginya..." Dimitri solemnly nodded. His past had caught up to him and he was feeling winded from trying to outrun it. He wasn't even sure what to say to her after so long. He practically abandoned her.
"Double star said that you were dead. But Mikhail said there was no way that you could be. I hoped you were still alive somewhere." Sanya continued to look up at him. Dimitri couldn't really bring himself to look her in the eye. "Why didn't you come back?"
"He didn't come back because he found something better." Mikhail's voice came from the stairway. Dimitri turned to see the Orussian captain walking down the stairs. Creina was close behind, her familiar activated.
Mikhail came to Sanya's side as Creina walked up to Dimitri, looking up at him with concern. The four of them all waited, as if someone was waiting for something to be said. Mikhail's eyes locked on to Dimitri's, challenging him.
"And here your lives collide, Major." Mikhail smiled, his eyes proceeding to Creina. He studied her with hungry eyes, admiring her curves underneath her white coat. Creina could feel the negative vibes from him and felt herself shudder. "So, I have come to extend the olive branch as per Double star's orders."
"Get out." Dimitri didn't even pause. Sanya's expression sank.
"Don't be like that, Dimitri. You know what must be done to stop that thing out there. You see how easily it's destroying your new home? You want to protect everything you've worked to gain here, don't you? We can negotiate your return later, but right now we need to stop that thing from making it to the air base and it crippling our defenses in this entire region of Europe." Mikhail's cold exterior started to crack.
"That's not who I am. Now please, do not force me to have you removed. We have given your men aid and continue to give treatment. That is all that we are able to provide." Dimitri felt Creina take hold of his hand.
Mikhail's eyes narrowed and his arm shot up. He grabbed Dimitri by the collar and easily held him off the ground. Dimitri was caught off guard as Mikhail's smile had turned into a grimace. Mikhail used his free hand to push Creina and Sanya back.
"Now you listen to me, Major. Who do you owe your life to?! Who looked after you and raised you after your mother was killed?! Who was it that protected you from all the ones who wanted to kill you for what you were?! You owe Chiron and you owe me! So you standing here claiming you don't have any responsibility like a spoiled child really pisses me off." Mikhail growled. Dimitri had never seen past Mikhail's normal swagger.
"I am not an instrument of death and destruction! I've learned that in my time here." Dimitri felt anger rising within him. "You have no fucking right to come here and destroy my life!"
"I don't have to. You'll end up doing it on your own sooner or later." Mikhail shook Dimitri once. "Even if you don't do it, that thing out there will. You want to protect some shred of peace here?!"
Mikhail shook his head and looked to the window. Dimitri thought he saw fear on his face, but it was gone before Dimitri could blink.
"You would do something about that!" Mikhail set him down roughly and turned him to the window. Dimitri didn't know what to say.
"Demi…" Creina stammered, afraid to get near the two large Orussians. She didn't know what Dimitri could really do if the military was ineffective.
"Make up your mind, Major… Or I'll do it for you…" Mikhail calculated the alien craft would be upon them in minutes. He could hear the helicopters with the reinforcements landing on the roof. "Doctor Krupinski, could I have you take me to Private Andrus? I want to make sure he's alright after the surgery…"
"…of course…" Creina was reluctant. She looked to Dimitri, who kept looking out the window. She could sense he didn't want to be disturbed so she led Mikhail back up the stairs. Sanya soon followed, leaving Dimitri standing among the injured and dying.
Dimitri stared at the carnage being created outside. He saw the people of Berlin running, screaming as they tried to escape the burning buildings. The children crying in the street, the parents scrambling to find their children. All the while that thing just mindlessly marched across the cloudless sky.
I may be able to protect everyone from this, but who would protect the ones I love from me? Dimitri pondered, feeling his demonic side resonate. If he let it go, he knew he wouldn't have the restraint to prevent from turning on the witches around him. He couldn't take the risk. He would protect the person most important to him, and the rest be damned.
"Demi!" Sanya came running, as if she had travelled the entire hospital on the way to him. "It's Mikhail! He demanded you come to the roof!"
"…that bastard!" Dimitri cursed, knowing better than to take his eyes of Mikhail. Dimitri bolted to the stairs, leaving Sanya behind to catch up at her own pace. Dimitri was bounding up the stairs, maybe only one or two steps per floor. His inner sense could feel Creina on the roof.
Dimitri kicked straight through the door that led out to the roof. The Orussian troops were lined up, their rifles leveled. Dimitri turned to see what they were all aiming at and his heart nearly burst. Mikhail held Creina near the edge of the building that was facing the nearing invading craft.
"Everyone prepare to fire on my mark!" Mikhail held the struggling Creina by the forearm, preventing her from getting away. The soldiers took aim at her, Mikhail smiling.
"Stand down!" Dimitri blurred into motion, putting himself between the soldiers and Creina. They filtered rounds into the chamber, undeterred. Dimitri faced them, the crimson bleeding into his eyes. "I am Major Dimitri Hatake of the 666th and I am ordering you to stand down!"
There was confusion, the men all looking between themselves. Most couldn't believe that Dimitri was still alive, let alone here in Berlin.
"Major?" Sergeant Nikolai recognized him first. He lowered his rifle, though only a few inches. "You're alive?"
"That's right, but none of you will be in a few seconds if you do not lower your weapons and prepare to defend this position!" Dimitri barked. His combat instincts were returning, but his rage was nearly at its peak. The soldiers looked at him and then looked to their Captain. "What are you waiting for his orders for?! Move! You are under my command now! Get your asses moving right now!"
"Now how hard was that, Major?" Mikhail smiled as if proud of himself.
"You bastard… I am going to kill you when this is over." Dimitri stepped toward Mikhail who still hadn't let go of Creina.
"Now now. Don't lose complete control on us. I might fear for our lives." Mikhail lifted Creina's arm as he laughed.
"You son of a bitch…" Creina said as she saw the crimson tint in Dimitri's eyes.
"My mother was a saint, good doctor." Mikhail put his hand on the back of her neck and let go of her arm. "But that thing has yet to be brought down, so you'll stay with me until we resolve this situation. Major! Why don't we bring that thing down?"
"Why don't you go to hell?" Dimitri was almost within his long range striking distance.
"She would be there before me, Dimitri." Mikhail moved Creina closer to the edge. Dimitri froze, his rage mounting. "Now complete your objective, Major."
Much to Creina's dismay, Dimitri's irises became completely crimson. His scrubs began to peel away as flames formed across his upper body. She couldn't believe it.
"Don't let him coerce you into unleashing that side of you!" Creina screamed, Mikhail simply laughing at her outburst.
"A beast is much easier to tame once you control its weakness." Mikhail acted as if he had made a move in a game of chess. Dimitri turned to the Orussian troops. "And our perfect soldier has returned to us."
"I want everyone spread out! Make sure you are not clustered up! Ready those weapons and put those mortars in place! Two on the south end and two on the northwest corner! I want all rifles and mortars ready to fire on my order!" Dimitri pointed in the directions to which he was ordering mortar placement. The troops hesitated at first, trying to decide if they should follow his orders.
"What did the Major just say?! Move your asses!" Sergeant Nikolai stepped up. Nikolai had always been loyal to Dimitri. "Get those mortars placed and ready your rifles! Major Hatake has assumed full tactical command! He says it, your ass better do it!"
"Get those birds up in the air! That thing is almost here! Sergeant!" Dimitri looked at his acting second in command. Nikolai sprung to his side. "I want you to open a channel between the birds in the sky and the troops stationed here and in the area on the ground. I'm going up."
"Are you sure, sir?" Nikolai was happy Dimitri had returned, though he was a bit disturbed at the way he was being manipulated. "Should you make yourself such an easy target?"
"Sergeant… When have I ever been an easy target?" Dimitri's inner soldier and demon were in full control as he smiled. This was the one thing he had been missing in his pacifistic life. The anticipation of combat and the threat of danger.
"You're right, sir. It's good to have you back." Nikolai saluted.
"I wish I could say it was good to be back." Dimitri's red eyes looked to Mikhail, still holding Creina and waving at him. "Sergeant… I am going to kill him with my own hands once this is over."