Chapter 20 – Otōsan

Here I am, lying in my bed beside Yoshika as if nothing ever happened. The knowledge that her father is probably alive is eating me from the inside. On one hand, I would like to tell it to her. She would probably pop from joy. But on the other hand… If it were just a rumor or some delusion of mine… It's already bad she took my worries upon her… But her hair is already mostly brown again… If I would have to estimate it, it's about 70% her old color…

Toshiro opened his eyes and looked at the window. The rain was falling fiercely from lead skies hanging over the base, rambling against the glass panes of the window.

Great, it's raining… I guess the girls will be training in the hangar today… No way I'm letting Mio run them around in the rain…

Suddenly, Toshiro felt that he was kissed in the cheek. He looked down and saw Yoshika looking at him with a happy face.

"Would you look at that…? This smile of yours is enough to power me on for the whole day, heh…" Toshiro smiled.

"It's raining today, so I have to give some extra effort so you don't slump down, heehee…"

"Yeah… Rainy days get me really depressed... But you know what? I think I'll go catch some air before breakfast."

"That's a good idea, Toshiro. Just wear your coat and cap, it's probably freezing outside."

"Ah, yes, time to get the coat out of the closet… What's for breakfast?"

"Sushi, natto, and miso soup. Pleased?"

"Very much!" Toshiro cheered and gave Yoshika a kiss.

"Good choice."

Toshiro dressed himself in his uniform and then put he put on the coat and his cap.

"You look really… bossy in that outfit," Yoshika said while still in her nightgown.

"And shouldn't you start dressing yourself, huh?"

"I still have a few minutes…"

"Okay then. If you need anything, I'll be under the small roof before the main door."

"Kay!"

Toshiro exited the room. He looked around the dark corridor, scarcely lit by the little light that seeped through the windows at the eastern and southern corridor ends.

Nobody…

He opened the door to the common room.

Still nobody… Mio is either running or showering… Or maybe she's napping now? Dunno…

He went on through the corridor and out of the building. The sound of rain surrounded him once he set foot outside. There was a small roof over his head, about three-square meters in size.

Toshiro inhaled the moist, cold air deeply.

This is rather invigorating…

"Good morning, Master," he heard Livy's voice from his side. "Foul weather today, right?"

"Mornin' Livy," he replied, not looking at her. "Raining cats and dogs, that's for sure…"

"I'll excuse myself and visit the Mistress now. Is that okay, Master?"

"Sure, Livy, go."

Polite as always… What's that?

In the streaks of rain, Toshiro saw a light on the east end of the runway…

Guests? Here? This is odd…

Then he heard a familiar engine sound piercing the downpour.

A motorcycle… Who the fuck would be riding a motorcycle in the rain into the middle of Karlsland? A true madman!

Toshiro waited for the motorcycle to approach him. As he or she wore a heavy rubber raincoat, fluttering all around thanks to the combined wind speed and the bike's speed.

The motorcycle stopped right before him. Toshiro saw that a long, slim package was placed in the sidecar. The engine was killed, and the rider, dressed in the aforementioned raincoat, and a scarf, as Toshiro now saw, stood before him.

"Is this the new base of the 501st?" He asked.

"Yes. Who do I have the pleasure to talk with?"

"First, can I go under the roof? I have rode my bike since the rain started…"

"Sure, please," Toshiro said and pointed a spot beside him.

The man moved under the roof quietly.

"So… Who are you again? Because I will have to boot you if you don't have legitimate reason to be here."

The man dropped off the hood and undid the scarf. He was a bald Fusojin in his late forties at least. The only facial hair he had was a small, black moustache, and he was also wearing glasses.

Hmmm… I've seen these eyes somewhere… Somewhere… Oh… Fuck… This can't be… This isn't happening…

"Hello, future son-in-law…" the man said shyly.

"How can this… But… You are…"

"Toshiroooo! You like your natto super gooey or…" Toshiro heard Yoshika's voice and he turned around quickly. "Oh, Toshiro, we have a guest?" she asked while toying around with a plate.

"Good morning," the man said. "Yoshika."

"Good…" Yoshika started in her usual polite way but her face paled immediately and the plate she held fell on the floor, smashing itself into bits. "Otōsan (dad)…" she whispered quietly in shock.

Ichiro nodded and slowly approached Yoshika.

"N…No! Don't approach me!" Yoshika screamed.

Ichiro stopped in mid-step, as much confused at Toshiro.

"But Yoshika, it's your father…" Toshiro tried to talk some sense into her.

"I don't have a father! My father died over six years ago in an accident! You… You are an impostor!"

Ichiro made a step with his hand forward.

"No! Go away!" Yoshika shrieked hysterically and ran away.

"What… What just happened?" Ichiro asked.

"Well… You appear here after over six years…" Toshiro moved to the door and locked it. "…and expect that you'll just say, "I'm back" as if nothing happened, you're fucking wrong… Do you even know how much sorrow and anguish you have cause her with your death?! I know! I was missing for four months and pronounced dead, and after I returned, she looked like she was taken down from the cross! You'd better explain yourself, or I will give some tree in that forest some fertilizer…"

"I see… So all I've heard was true… Well, maybe I should start from the beginning… That day when the accident happened, we had experimented with Neuroi enhanced Strikers…"

"What?!"

"Please, calm down and let me finish… It wasn't so that we wanted to do this, we were forced to do so. Lucas was also furious, just like you, after he found out…"

"My… father…?" Toshiro's asked shocked.

"Yes, your father. The Striker we enhanced with a Neuroi Core exploded violently, but somehow your father found himself between the blast and me. I was unconscious for a few minutes it seems, because I woke up to a raging inferno. I didn't know where I was, or who I was… But I saw what I saw… All my colleagues dead… But one of the burnt corpses was still moving. Led by some instinct, I approached it. The man gave me something. He tried to say something, but it seems that he was too weak… He died holding my hand, in which he placed this…"

Ichiro pulled out something from his pocket and waved it before Toshiro's eyes.

"A locket?"

"Open it, Toshiro. It's yours now."

Toshiro opened the silver plated locket. Inside were two photographs. On the lid inside, there was grandma Mary, and under a thin glass a photograph of his mother Akiko with an infant on her hands.

"Yuki… Please stop me from crying… I can't…"

"Okay, I'll try… But you really should vent it…"

Toshiro closed the locket, and with a stern face he asked, "What happened afterwards?"

"I wandered endlessly through the Britannian countryside. Somehow, I missed the nearest town, which was Folkestone and went to another village. Some good people took me in, seeing my condition. Since I was a partial amnesiac, they proposed a roof over my head, a bed, and three meals a day if I could be a farmhand. I agreed, since I didn't know what profession I had before the accident. Months passed, and I was already getting used to being me new me. But one day, men dressed in black arrived at the farm. They took me to London by force. They told me my real name and who I was, but I didn't know if it was true. However, since I was officially dead, they made up a new name for me, and also a new look."

"Roichi Jiyafumi… A kid would solve that, but with that getup, no wonder you've been under the radar for all these years."

"That, and the fact I was under lockdown all the time, since I wasn't even working for the government."

"For who then?"

"Maloney's cronies…"

"Fuck… Don't tell me…"

"I was forced to develop the Warlock… But I didn't know that it was bad back then… I really believed I was doing good."

In Toshiro's mind, he already saw a broken and bleeding nose on Ichiro's face, but somehow he managed to keep himself calm.

"You know what the Warlock did, right?"

"Yes, Toshiro… I was there, in the control room, when you head-butted Maloney."

"You were there?! Why didn't you go to Yoshika?!"

"I was still under amnesia, Toshiro… But hearing her name triggered some process in my mind, and I slowly started remembering… I gathered bits and bits of information about Yoshika and myself, and I soon gained the whole picture. Then, I have received an offer to help develop a new and improved Core Control System."

Toshiro swung his fist before he could even think, but he stopped just before his hand hit Ichiro's face.

"You blithering idiot… You fucking moron! Typical fucking scientist! If it doesn't work, try again!"

"I had to take the job, since those few quid I've received from the army weren't going to be enough to live my life… So I accepted. In the meantime, I devised the plans of the magic circuitry for the Shinden."

"So it was you after all… But why didn't you reveal yourself?"

"I wrote a letter and attached it to the plans, but I guess the censors made swift work of it…"

"There was no letter…"

"See? A few months passed and then I have learned about your demise. That filled in the last hole in my memory… But now, I was simply afraid to find you two… I felt that I didn't have the right to return to Yoshika and Sayaka… So I worked and worked… Then the liberation of Venezia happened, which I witnessed firsthand… The team I was working for was now disbanded, and we could do whatever the hell we'd wish… And…" Ichiro took the package from the sidecar. "I found this…"

"What is it?"

"It's a sword, a katana to be precise. Red hilt with golden diamonds."

Toshiro unwrapped it and said, "Reppumaru…"

"Oh, so it has a name?"

"Mio used it to perform a devastating sword technique, but it sapped her magic like mad, causing it to deteriorate prematurely…"

"I've heard about Mio. She regained her magic, right?"

"Yeah… So, what happened afterwards?"

"I moved to Rome, where I was approached by a private aircraft constructor."

"And you improved the Jumo 004 engine so it would work properly, right?"

"Yes. I guess the Striker is already in your unit?"

"Arrived and assembled yesterday."

"I see. Nothing bad happened?"

"Not yet, from what I saw. But what did make you do this wild trip here?"

"I manned up, heh… You might not know this, but I'm rather shy…"

"Like most of the eggheads…" Toshiro shrugged. "I guess we should introduce you to the rest… Come on, daddy."

"You don't have to be so sarcastic…"

"I've already forgiven you the time when you had amnesia, but the year after when you actually had the chance to go to Yoshika is still up to debate. Don't push your luck."

"I understand…" Ichiro said timidly.

"Let's go to the office first, Ichiro."

"We're going on first names already?"

"Meh, why not… You started calling me Toshiro already anyway."

"Fine then," Ichiro smiled shyly.

"Oh, wait a second…" Toshiro said and picked up the shards of the plate. "And a one…"

A monochromatic flash came from his hands, and the plate reconstructed itself.

"Now if that isn't magic, then it's a miracle…" Ishiro muttered heavily surprised.

"Right?" Toshiro smirked.

Toshiro led him into the room and said, "Okay, hang the coat on the coat hanger and have a seat, I have to do something."

He threw the still packed sword on his desk and approached the PA panel.

"Mio, Minna, both into my office triple time. And you both are to enter together, understood?"

Toshiro walked to Ichiro and sat beside him on the sofa.

"Mio is here?"

"Yup. And I hope you can contain yourself, she grew quite a bit from the last time you've saw her."

"How much? I saw her in 1937…"

"Heheheh… Much…" he grinned mischievously.

"Ooooh… By the way… Tits or ass?"

"Hoho… What do you get to know? Ichiro Miyafuji, despite being married, is a fucking lecher!"

"A man has his needs…" he mumbled with a red face.

"I prefer tits."

"My boy!"

"Heheh… I think we're on the same page here…"

A knock on the door was heard.

"Come in," Toshiro said.

Minna and Mio appeared in the room.

"Oh, we have a guest?" Minna asked.

"Yeah, a rather special guest…"

"My, my… A special guest... Pleased to meet you mister…"

Ichiro looked at Toshiro, and he in turn nodded with a sly grin.

"Ichiro Miyafuji, please to meet you," he said and bowed slightly.

"Ah, good morning mister… what…" Minna stopped half sentence with her mouth open.

"Gods…" Mio whispered. "Ichiro? You are alive? You fucking bastard!"

"Please, Mio… Toshiro already keelhauled me verbally…"

"I hope! You... You…" Mio's eyes glistened with tears as she hugged Ichiro tightly. "I'm so glad you're alive…"

"I'm glad to see you in good health, Mio… And that you've grown a bit," Ichiro chuckled.

"Still a perv I see…" Mio sighed.

Minna still looked as if her brain was off, so Toshiro snapped his fingers before her face.

"Ah… What?"

"Yoshika's dad has risen from the dead, show some manners."

"But how…"

"Yeah, how?" Mio asked.

"I'll give you the rundown, take a seat."

Once everyone was seated, Toshiro started explaining everything, and shielding Ichiro from being beaten up by Mio after he mentioned the Warlock and Yamato.

"And now that you're here, what would you want to do?" Mio asked.

"I want to finally return home, but I've heard that Yoshika and her future husband are here, so… here I am."

"So you want transport to Fuso?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes, please."

"Okay, I see what I can do. Should I call Yamamoto already?"

"Maybe after breakfast?" Minna asked. "If it gets made, since Yoshika vanished."

"She… had a bad reaction to Ichiro appearing…" Toshiro said with a sour face. "I have to repair that… Come on, Ichiro."

"Okay."

"Ah, Mio. Ichiro recovered Reppumaru for ya. It's on my desk."

"Really? I don't want to see that damn blade again in my life!"

"Okay, good choice," Toshiro said and took the sword from the desk. "I'll move it from your eyes."

"The sooner the better."

Toshiro and Ichiro went to the common room. They saw Lynne working double time at the kitchen and most of the girls at the table.

"A guest?" Trude asked.

"Yeah. I'll introduce him later, but there a more pressing issue at hand, so pardon me."

"Okay… You're the boss…"

The two went up the stairs and through the first door.

"Let me do the talking." Toshiro said.

Ichiro nodded, and they went inside Toshiro's and Yoshika's bedroom. She was lying on the bed sideways with her back towards them, but as soon as she heard the door opening, she turned around.

"The impostor again… Toshiro, get that man out of my sight," she said with a cold voice.

"That man is your father, Yoshika," Toshiro said calmly.

"Then why didn't he appear for all these years?! Why?!" Yoshika yelled.

"He had amnesia."

"He… did?" Yoshika's wall of defense started crumbling slowly.

"Yes. And he was under lock anyway for most of the time."

"He… was?" Yoshika's lower lip slowly started trembling

"Yup," Toshiro nodded whilst smiling warmly.

Toshiro saw as tears as big as pearls starting forming up in Yoshika's eyes as she stood up from the bed. He gave Ichiro a push forward.

"Daaaaaaaaddy!" Yoshika wailed as she tucked herself into Ichiro's chest. "Daaad…"

"I'll leave you two alone…" Toshiro said and exited the room.

He went on in a daze to the war room. He closed the door behind him and just slumped on the floor.

"My last spark of hope that my father could be alive… Gone… And he was a hero to the end…"

Toshiro's vision blurred faster than he expected and he just let go.

After a few minutes he heard Kye asking, "Better, Toshiro?"

"Oh great, you… Tell me one thing, if you WANT of course… Can I see my father in the afterlife?"

"No can do."

"Huh? Why the fuck?"

"Amaterasu had a little fallout with God and now wandering of souls between various afterlife places of various religions is banned."

"Well, shit… When it rains, it pours…"

"What are you going to do about Reppumaru?"

"Ah, this piece of shit… I wanted to write TRASH on the package and send it to Kaylie."

"That would be an awful waste, Toshiro."

"And what? You'd poof me a Reppumaru like your Mio has?"

"Yeah, sure. That wouldn't cause any harm."

"I'm a real dunce sometimes…"

"Heehee… Okay, done. You can now wield Reppumaru without fear that it will start sucking you dry."

"Already?! Damn you, you nigh omnipotent hag!"

"Hahahaha! Okay, I'll be going now. And take a close look at Yoshika when you return."

"Why should I?"

"Just do it. You would notice it anyway, but I gave you a nice tip."

"Yeah, yeah… Go be nigh omnipotent somewhere else…"

As Kye disappeared, Livy immediately appeared and hugged him tightly.

"Are you okay, Master?" she asked with a compassionate voice.

"Yes, Livy, yes…" he patted her on the back. "Don't worry, hardships are something natural in the life of a mortal. I'll manage."

"I can always console you, Master. Just say a word."

"I understand, Livy, but I have to act now. Thanks for being with me."

"No, thank you, Master," Livy smiled and vanished.

Since Toshiro already knew what the Reppumaru's capabilities were, he went back to Yoshika and Ichiro. When he was entering the room, they were preparing to sit on the bed.

"Don't tell me you were crying all the time, Yoshika?"

"No… Not all the time…"

"I had to apologize to my daughter after all, heh…"

"Right…" Toshiro looked carefully at Yoshika and he was amazed at what he saw. "Yoshika, look in the mirror."

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's brown again. Completely. Right down to the roots."

"Oh my… Really?!"

"Yup."

"Yay!"

Guess Ichiro returning was enough for Yoshika to overcome every little dark spot covering her soul…

"So… You two are engaged…" Ichiro said suddenly with a serious voice.

Both Toshiro and Yoshika stiffened up immediately.

"Aaaaand?" Toshiro asked.

"And guessing by the fact that you share one bed, it's very possible you are doing… things…"

Yoshika now looked as if she was auditioning as the face model of Racecar Red paint. Toshiro on the other hand could use a bath already.

"I have only one question to ask… Are you playing it safe?"

The two in question looked at each other, and then they nodded fervently.

"Hahaha! Good! Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but Yoshika, you weren't exactly planned…"

"You mean… I was conceived by accident?!"

"I pulled out too late…"

"Aaaagh!" Yoshika grabbed her head. "My father is a scientist, and yet, he used the worst contraceptive method ever!"

"Oh, don't be mad, Honeybun… You're the best failure I ever made, hahaha!"

"Daaaaaad! Stop joking in such a way!" Yoshika moaned.

"Okay, okay, sorry. But seriously, how do the two of you prevent an unwanted pregnancy?"

"Ah well, it's a mix of natural and magical methods…" Toshiro said.

"Oh? Care to tell me the details?"

"My familiar knows when I'm ovulating, so besides not humping during my period, we have a failsafe," Yoshika explained.

"Interesting… Very interesting… Gods… So much has changed during these six years… You've grown into such a beautiful girl, you have a fiancé, you're a… what rank do you have?"

"First lieutenant."

"Not bad. I really have a lot to catch up to…"

"Oh, let's have breakfast together, Daddy!"

"Hmmm… I could use something to eat to be honest… Did you master your cooking skills as you promised?"

"Of course! I'm the best cook here!"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaait a second…" Toshiro interrupted. "Ichiro, you're not giving half a fuck about the fact that we're having sex just like that?"

"Why should I? I would be a damn hypocrite if I would have anything against it!"

"Daaaad… Explain please…"

"Up until I met Sayaka, I was known as Ecchiro…"

"So you mean you were King Lightninghips the First, huh?" Toshiro asked with a wry smile.

"Yeeees… Kind of…" Ichiro answered a bit embarrassed.

"At least now I know who I have my temperament after, heehee…" Yoshika giggled. "Oh Dad… You know what Mom told me once when I asked her when will you return?"

"I have no idea, Yoshika."

""When the world is finally at peace," she said… She was slightly off, but she truly believed you would return…"

"And here I am…" he said softly and patted her on the head.

"Heeeeeheeee…" Yoshika cheered gleefully. "Oh, come on, Dad, we have to introduce you to everyone!"

Toshiro left the sword in his room, and the three went to the common room, and while still on the second floor, Toshiro said, "Ladies, I have an announcement to make, if of course Mio or Minna didn't spoil it beforehand."

"Nope, go ahead," Mio said with a smile.

"Hah, thanks! So, without further ado, I present to you Ichiro Miyafuji, live and in color."

The silence that befell the gathered could easily be preserved as a model and stored in Sevres.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!" was the shout they all uttered at once after a few seconds.

"It seems that miracles keep haunting me, heheh… So anyway, Ichiro will be staying here for a few hours until I can organize a lift for him back to Fuso."

"But how…" Trude tried to say something but was cut off.

"You can give the abridged version of what happened yourself during breakfast, right, Ichiro?"

"Indeed."

They descended the stairs, and Toshiro said, "Here, take my seat, I'll sit where Heidi usually sits."

"Oh, thank you."

"And now, tell the girls what happened, because to be honest, they look a tad freaked out."

Thus, Ichiro told the girls what happened during the six years. They listened to it with such reverence, that the miso soup went cold.

"And now, I'm here," Ichiro ended his story. "You really are good listeners."

"Awww… The soup went cold…" Francesca mumbled with disdain.

"No problem with that," Toshiro said and looked around. "I see that those who met Ichiro beforehand have eaten so… the rest, put your soup bowl together, I'll heat them up."

"How will you do that?" Ichiro asked.

"Ah, well… My secondary magic so to speak… You'll see."

The girls and Ichiro put their soup bowls together and Toshiro, after briefly glowing, heated them all up upon touch.

"You're truly a bag of wonders…" Ichiro said while looking at Toshiro with curious eyes.

"I'll fill you in later. Maybe. Now, you should eat. The rest of you also eat, you'll get the chance to ask questions later."

The girls didn't protest, and ate their soup quietly.

"Now that everyone has finished, we will proceed with the usual daily routine. Mio, you take the girls for training, but if you take them outside, I'll smack you."

"I never intended to do that. Come on, girls!"

"Roger!" the five responded and went out with Mio.

"Ichiro and I will go to the war room, rest dismissed. Unless somebody wants to do the dishes…"

"Oh, I can do that." Sanya said.

"I'll help!" Eila shouted.

"Hahaha! Okay. Come on, Ichiro, let's resurrect you in the eyes of the world."

After getting to the war room, Toshiro said, "I hope you're prepared…"

"I've been waiting for this moment for a year, I can't be readier."

"Okay then," Toshiro picked up the receiver and after a few second of dialing he said, "Operator? Give me Marshal Admiral Yamamoto's office."

"I am terribly sorry, but the Marshal Admiral is currently unavailable," the voice of a young girl said.

"Oh? And where is he now?"

"Can I know your name, sir?"

"Edelweiss."

"Yes sir! The Marshal Admiral is in the Yokosuka Naval Base, sir!"

"Haha, good girl! Then get me the commander of that base, we're friends so to speak."

"Yes sir!"

"Your name sure opens a lot of doors…" Ichiro noted with a smile.

"There's no sense in not using such powers and privileges, right?"

"I suppose. I was always a civilian…"

"Edelweiss? Is that really you?" Toshiro heard a familiar voice in the receiver.

"Tis I, Commander. I've heard that you've got Yamamoto handy?"

"Indeed, Toshiro. Can I still call you Toshiro now?"

"Sure you can. But only for old times' sake, heheh…"

"Haha! Yes, the Marshal Admiral is sitting here in my office, smoking a cigar and drinking whisky."

"Are you sure you don't have Churchill there instead?"

"Ha! Good one! Should I get him to the phone?"

"Yup, that's why I'm calling."

"I hope you have a good excuse to interrupt him…"

"Oh don't you worry, you should get a medal for taking this call."

"Really? Okay then, I'm fetching him now."

Toshiro waited a few seconds and he heard the gruff voice of Yamamoto saying, "Toshiro? Is that you?"

"Yes, Marshal Admiral."

"And what reason do you have to interrupt me in my private time?"

"Marshal Admiral, have you ever met Ichiro Miyafuji in person?"

"Yes, multiple times. What do you want?"

Toshiro waved in Ichiro silently.

"I hope you remember his voice."

"Just tell me what you want already; I have a good hand of cards on me."

Toshiro gave the receiver to Ichiro and he said, "Good morning, Isoroku."

"Impossible… How?!"

"I will give a full explanation once I get to Fuso. But… There's a problem with me getting there…"

"What problem? I see no problems! Say one word and a plane will come for you from Sicily in an hour!"

"Hah… No, I want a plane to pick me up sometime after 1200 if it's possible."

"Noon dead."

"Okay, I won't argue. See you in a week I guess."

"Or faster, I hope."

Ichiro laid down the receiver and said, "That went smoother than expected…"

"Yamamoto was probably too shocked to think straight anyway. So we have about four hours left now. What do you want to do?"

"How many jet Strikers do you have?"

"We have my Karlslander XF-1, the Reggiane, a Liberian P-80, and two Fuso Kikka's."

"Oh? So many? Technology sure advanced…"

"And I bet you want to study them carefully, huh?"

"You're reading my mind, Toshiro."

"Then let's go to the hangar. The girls are probably there, so you'll have an occasion to see how Yoshika progressed through all these years."

"When I left home back then, Yoshika was still a small grade-schooler in a one piece dress… She promised me that she will protect many people…"

"If you would see her in combat now… You'd fall dead, haha!"

"We wouldn't want that, hahaha!"

"But first… Tell me about my father… Everything you know…"

"This would be a long story, Toshiro. I promise that after I return home, I will write down my memoirs of your father and send them your way through the Witch Airmail, okay?"

"Okay," Toshiro nodded.

"But you really resemble him… In both character and appearance…"

When they were in the common room, Sanya shyly accosted Ichiro, "Um… Mr. Miyafuji?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad that you returned… Yoshika looks like she won all the lotteries in the whole world and on another planet, heehee…"

"Hmm… She certainly does… Tell me, girls, did you take good care of her?"

"Yes sir, all the time. But the one who took the most care of Yoshika was of course Toshiro…" Sanya looked at Toshiro at the same time. "Toshiro took care of everyone, without exception."

"Whether we liked it or not…" Eila mumbled.

They went to the hangar and saw Mio supervising the five running laps around the hangar, because the rain was still going on with full force. Yoshika saw the two and immediately waved her hand.

"So, how is my daughter doing, Mio?"

"She's a true unicum, Ichiro… She started off as somebody who could barely fly or manifest her magic, and now? Pfff… She's even surpassed me in everything. If she had my experience and my Magan, I could go on retirement, hahaha!"

"Is that true, Toshiro?"

"She's second best to me, although in terms of shields, she's probably better. Then there's a gap, after that we have Mio, a smaller gap, and lastly the rest. Yoshika had to have her Striker replaced TWICE because of her magic exceeding the safe levels of operation…"

"Such progression from my dear daughter? Now I really regret I didn't make a move sooner…"

"You damn well should've… I bet you'll be spying on our equipment now, huh?"

"Yes, haha… I have to see what happened in Striker technology throughout the six years. I caught a glimpse of it while I was modifying those engines, but that was only one model."

"You'll like what you'll see, come on."

Toshiro led Ichiro to the far end of the hangar where the Strikers were standing; all mounted in their respective Launch Units.

"What diversity… I can only guess that black one is yours?"

"How did you know that, heheh… This is the Karslander Vereinte Flugzeugbauer Union eXperimental Flugzeug 1, Codename Edelweiss. It can go Mach Three thanks to a magic afterburner."

"Mach Three? Amazing… The Re.2007 is only capable of Mach Two, and that stumped me nonetheless…"

Toshiro pulled a tool out of the Launch Unit and opened the service hatch of the XF-1.

"Here, maybe you'll see something interesting."

Ichiro started looking at the innards of the Striker, twisting and turning his head, nodding and mumbling to himself.

"This is totally the next generation, Toshiro. If you have ANY documentation on your Striker, please, let me at least skim it through before I get back to Fuso?"

"Are you planning to do something?"

"I want to make a Striker especially for Yoshika, something that will blow the minds and hats off everyone. Seeing the XF-1 made me undertake this task."

"Just this minute or two were enough? Geez… But the Kikka is already a good Striker."

"I want Yoshika to have a Striker that can keep up with you, Toshiro."

"Aaaaaah… I see now… Good, you have my blessing, heheh… While were here, did you see the cannon on the rack?"

"Yes, and my mind is blown… When I was still amongst the living, the biggest witch-capable gun was the 3.7 cm NaK 36 L/45, and only a handful was actually using it due to the weight and size…"

"I started with a fifty mil, then I progressed through a seventy-five, and now I have an eighty-eight and hundred-twenty-eight."

"Insane… How do you manage the recoil?"

"I'll tell you later, but know that without the recoil buffers, the force is earthshattering."

"Is it… autoloaded?"

"Not the 128, it would be too complicated and cumbersome, but yeah, the 88 is autoloaded. Or manually loaded in case of emergency. Oh, and the scope has a night vision attachment."

"So they finally made a working model… I'm impressed…"

"What, did night vision experiments commence in 39?"

"Yes, rather successful even, but the first night vision monocle was powered by a whole damn powerstation… I see that technology went forwards also in this branch… Oh well, I saw what I wanted. Now, can I please take a look at those papers?"

"Yeah, yeah, come on."

As they were exiting the hangar, Yoshika asked, "Dad, where are you going?"

"To your room, Sweetie. I'll be there until the plane arrives."

"Plane? You're leaving already?"

"I'm leaving in slightly above three hours."

"Oh… Miss Sakamoto…?"

"One more hour, Miyafuji," Mio said with a smile.

"Okay!" Yoshika cheered and returned to running.

"And to think of it that she wouldn't let me out of home until I patted her on the head…"

"Yoshika is now a young woman, Ichiro. When we first met, she was still a kid…"

"She'll always be a kid to me. When you have a daughter or son of your own, you'll see how it looks."

"I'm waiting for that day with eagerness…"

They went to Toshiro's room, and he pulled out a whole compendium from his chest.

"Now that's some reading material…"

"Ain't it? It kept me busy during many evenings… Until Yoshika started keeping me busy, he he heh…"

"Tell me, how is Yoshika in bed?"

Toshiro looked at Ichiro with an eyebrow raised.

"You know that that question is so fucking creepy coming from you, right?"

"I know but…"

"Prudery is a word that doesn't exist in her dictionary now, I'll end at that."

"I see…"

"You know what… I'll tell you everything I can tell you about what happened to me and Yoshika, okay?"

"I somehow anticipated this. Fire away, Toshiro. We still have time left."

And thus, Toshiro briefly told him the story of his and his ancestors life up until today.

"That all really happened to you? And Yoshika?"

"Ask her if you don't believe me."

"I have trouble believing that you have been picked as a paladin of Amaterasu… I'm an atheist myself…"

"Well, I do have a trump card regarding that, but I wonder if she will agree to play the role…"

"You can summon Amaterasu at will?"

"Are you an idiot? Of course not! She's Amaterasu, for fucks sake! And it's October…"

"Ah, yes… Then who are you talking about?"

"I didn't tell you about a certain goddess from another universe…"

"A goddess from another universe? That I MUST see!"

Kye poofed herself into the room just as Ichiro uttered the last syllable of this sentence.

"You rang?"

"Okay, I'm sold!"

Kye giggled and vanished.

"That was awfully fast to acknowledge the divine from an atheist and scientist…"

"Toshiro, some things you just see and believe…"

"Like this?" Toshiro said and made himself invisible.

"Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere," he said and uncloaked himself.

"Light reflecting magic… You sure have a few nice tricks up your sleeve…"

"I'd rather start reading on your place, because when Yoshika arrives…"

"Yes, yes! Post haste!"

"How good are you at multitasking, Ichiro?"

"Rather good, why do you ask?"

"Because I wanted to…"

Toshiro started a scientific debate with Ichiro on various topic while the latter was reading the papers. He was amazed by Ichiro's vast knowledge and his eloquence.

"Holy shit… Ichiro, what's your IQ?"

"Hmmm… Last I measured it was two hundred, why do you ask?"

Toshiro only started blankly at him.

"Oh, pardon… I forgot that people tend to get rather… angry when I say that…"

"And there goes my sense of supremacy… Shit…"

"And who were you supreme too?"

"Einsten, von Braun… The Hartmanns too, but only by a margin…"

"How smart are you then?"

"175."

"Wheeeeew… My Yoshika picked up a smart guy it seems… And by Hartmanns, you mean…"

"Erica and Ursula. Erica is the blonde Karlslander in the 501st and Ursula is her twin sister developing new tech for the Wehrmacht."

"And by what margin are you superior?"

"Five points. But don't tell anyone, it's a secret."

"I guess some geniuses don't want to parade with a banner saying "Look at me; I'm smart"…"

"Exactly."

"How is Yoshika on that ground, if I may ask?"

"She is clever, a bit ditzy at times, but she is a bright girl."

"Good to hear… Now, back to reading."

Suddenly the door opened, and Yoshika stormed the room. She jumped on Ichiro making him fall flat on the bed.

"Yay! Now I can spend some time with you!"

"How energetic! So, what do you want to do with your old man?"

"I just want to be with you…"

"Okay then. But I want to do some reading."

"Sure, read! I'll just lie down beside you."

"I'll leave the two of you alone. Now I have to give a certain sword to Mio…"

"Is that what's in the package?" Yoshika asked.

"Yup."

"Where did you get it?"

"Ichiro fished it out in Romagna."

"Toshiro…" Yoshika looked at him with disdain.

"I know what I'm doing, I'll explain it later."

"Okay then… Say, Ichiro, did you receive any military awards in your life?"

"No, actually not."

"Oh, Daddy, wait a second!" Yoshika cheered and dove to her bag. "Here!"

Ichiro looked at the 2nd Class Iron Cross and asked, "Whose is this?"

"It's yours, posthumous…" Yoshika said quietly.

"Ah… Well… It's nice they at least recognized me after death those Karlslanders, heheh… But what about you, Yoshika? Have any awards yourself?"

"Of course!" She cheered and dug out her own award.

"My, my, what a beautiful Golden Kite! You sure deserved it, sweetie."

As Yoshika started cheering in glee, Toshiro said, "I'm off then," and he exited the room.

Toshiro went looking for Mio, and he saw her sitting by the main hanger door.

"Stand up, Mio, I have something for you?"

"You do? What's that?" she turned around. "I told you I don't want it…"

"It's been redone by my goddess friend. You WILL want it."

"Are you absolutely sure it's safe?"

"Safe as ever. Take it."

Mio hesitantly took Reppumaru in her hand, but it didn't react.

"Hmm? Normally it would try to suck me dry…"

"Told ya, stupid. And it's much more resilient and sharper to boot."

Not thinking long, Mio stabbed the wall she was sitting by. The sword went straight through it up to the hilt.

"Shit! A normal katana would break into dust after such a strike!"

"Better sword is better… But crap, I don't think you have the saya for it, right?"

"It got lost when the core assimilated us, remember?"

Suddenly, Toshiro got smacked in the back of his head with something. A hollow sound was heard as something fell on the floor.

"Toshiro… You were just hit by Reppumaru's saya. Straight out of nowhere," Mio said dumbfounded.

"Ugh… I don't know who, but one day, I'll get my payback…" Toshiro said as he picked up the item. "Here."

Mio took it, sheathed her sword, and tied it on her back.

"It's good to have a sword on my back…"

"Just limit your parading with it all day long."

"Says the guy that can summon his sword at will."

"I CAN have it strapped to my back, but I chose not to."

"Huh? You never told me that…"

"I never told you, and never will for that matter, about many things. Amaterasu taught me this little trick while I was training."

"Show me."

"Okay."

Toshiro concentrated and soon the enormous Aganaimaru appeared strapped on his back in a fitting saya, all black with golden kanji from top to bottom.

"Damn… That looks a bit unwieldy…" she scratched her head.

"Ain't it?"

"Is that something written on the saya?"

"Praise be the great God of Eight Banners, Hachiman, for he shall lead me on the battlefield."

"Did you perhaps…"

"Yes, I've met Hachiman in person, since I had to receive his blessing personally."

"How is he?"

"Gruff and ribald, but also smart and an absolute master of the sword. But I couldn't learn from him, since he didn't choose me."

"As if you needed more skill…" Mio sighed.

"I do have something on hand, but that's a rather… last resort method…"

"Hmmm?"

"I have been taught a devastating form of martial arts, the Kyokujitsuken."

"I've never heard of that…"

"Because only Amaterasu possesses knowledge about it. Using it against humans is strictly forbidden for me, since it's basically a deathstrike after deathstrike madness."

"But why not use it against the Neuroi?"

"Why bother, since I have a sword? And Neuroi aren't exactly such immobile and ground based targets like humans…"

"Then why the hell did you learn it?"

"Told you – last resort."

"Ehhh…" Mio sighed. "Where's Miyafuji?"

"Who?"

"Miyafuji."

"Who?" Toshiro grinned.

"Urgh… The daughter."

"With the father, you stubborn oaf."

"You won't get me with cheap tricks, hah!"

"Whatever… I'll go do some paperwork."

Toshiro arrived at the office and saw Minna reading the paper.

"Anything interesting?"

"Nah… Boring and boring… But I guess that soon we will see something less boring on the front pages…"

"Heh… Yeah, soon… Any paperwork to kill my time with?"

"There's always something… Come on, take a seat."

Toshiro did the paperwork until he heard that the plane was approaching through the transponder.

"Well, time for me. I have to fetch Ichiro."

After opening the door to his room, he saw Ichiro still reading the papers and Yoshika sleeping soundly at his side.

"It's time, Ichiro."

"Oh, okay. I read what was most important anyway," Ichiro said and looked to his side. "Hey, Yoshika."

"Mmmmmhhhhhmmm…"

"I'm leaving; don't you want to see me off?"

"Oh, already? Awwww…"

"Sayaka also needs some love, Yoshika."

"Yes… Okay, let's go."

The three of them went out through the main entrance. The rain was barely felt right now, falling with microscopic droplets. They saw the plane approaching from the west. Once it landed, Yoshika hugged Ichiro tightly.

"Don't go, Daddy…"

"You have Toshiro now, Yoshika. Remember that once this is all over, we will be back to being a happy family. What do you say about that?"

"Okay…" Yoshika said with wet eyes.

"Toshiro, keep taking care of my daughter."

"Of course!"

The plane landed and taxied up to the entrance. The door on the side opened and the stairs folded down.

"Time for me, bye you two."

"Bye Daddy!"

"Bye, father-in-law, heh…"

Ichiro entered the plane and it flew off. The cloud cover opened up and the sun shone over the base. A rainbow was formed in the distance.

"And there he goes again…" Yoshika sighed.

"Remember Yoshika that there's something called the telephone."

"Oh right… But that's not the same…"

Toshiro spent the rest of the day killing his time with various activities. Once the time was ripe, he called the Kaiser.

"Uncle, I have news."

"News of what nature, my dear nephew?" Franz asked curiously.

"Ichiro Miyafuji is alive and well."

"Preposterously impossible!"

"And yet, he's on the way to Fuso."

"You really bring forth the biggest miracles… But then, what about…"

"Dead..."

"I'm sorry, Toshiro…"

"It's not like I truly believed he could be alive at any given moment…"

"This makes things a bit more… interesting…"

"How come?"

"He's a scientist of his own league, Toshiro. We could use him."

"Don't you try to bring him into some weird research project, uncle… I'm warning you… The man wants to settle down," Toshiro said with a gruff voice.

"And if I promise it won't have anything to do with Neuroi technology?"

"Then maybe. But only under his consent. No abducting or anything."

"Of course, Toshiro."

"Good. Bye."

"Goodbye."

Toshiro and Yoshika were lying in the bed together.

"Toshiro…"

"What is it?"

"Could you show me that locket?"

"It's in my uniform, get it if you want."

Yoshika jumped off the bed and scoured his uniform.

"Ah, there it is," she said and opened it. "Your grandma, mom and you, right?"

"Yeah…"

Yoshika closed the locket and put it away. She climbed back in the bed and hugged him tightly.

"Are you envious, Toshiro?"

"Yes. Envious is the right word. I can't be angry. But I'm sad… So fucking sad… And so damn envious…"

"Oh Toshiro…" Yoshika said with a sad voice and squeezed him tighter. "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to be sorry about anything. I should be happy for you, but right now, I'm just damn bitter…" he sighed. "Ichiro's appearance made me realize what my life could look like if we were a normal family, and if Dad was still alive… All of that didn't happen… But my father was a fucking, selfish, self-righteous… hero… Damn him…" Toshiro said with a constricted throat.

Yoshika started caressing Toshiro to soothe him, and Livy also joined her, soon putting him to sleep.

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