Chapter 25: The Short Time we have together…
(Takeru' POV) (Dream)
Ugh… wha? Where am I? Ah crap… not this endless hallway again. Is this the same dream I had the last time? Wait… why am I… why am I in control? This… is a dream… right? (Ruffle) Yup this is definitely a dream. It's the same hallway that never ends. The atmosphere outside hasn't changed either. But if that's the case then why can I move freely? Back then my body seemed to have reacted on its own. This is supposedly my school but it seems to have been transformed into something else. Something that has a knack of scaring me half to death.
I remember specifically about this hallway but forgot about it until now. That must be the door where I entered earlier and saw that BETA creature from the Core Hive. I don't want to relive that experience again but I guess I really need a scare to get me out of this place.
Click…
Eh? That's odd. It's lock. (Click click) It looks like it's been nailed down from the other side. Am I supposed to continue walking this hallway? Well it's worth a shot.
…
…
…
Ok this is getting ridiculous. I've been walking for over five minutes now and still nothing. No door and every time I look back, this strange wall mysteriously appears again. It looks like I have no place to go but forward.
I just hope there's an end to this hallway… because I'm starting to feel that chill down my spine. (Tip tap…) Hmm? Hey… why did the hallway just changed? I was looking at it for a moment and then… it morphed into the hallway leading to my barracks. Yeah… I remember the metallic walls and vinyl. Is there some significance to this?
Hmm? There's a door there. It's the same bulkhead door leading to the hanger.
I entered through and I was right. On the other side was indeed the hanger room but… it was empty. There was no one. No engineers, no guards… not even a single TSF. Darn it… if this was a dream I would like to see a full sized form of Kaizer at least once. That would make this dream worthwhile.
Clang… clang…
It's that annoying metallic sound again. Eh? Wait a second. There's one spot in the hanger that's occupied. A TSF? I can't tell from here. But if it's Kaizer then it would be so worth the wait!
…
Hmm? What's this? I've never seen this TSF design before. It looks like a Shiranui… I think… but different. The head seems larger and body a lot bulkier. But it looks pretty cool though. Hmm… I wonder if the cockpit is still serviceable.
Wheeet…
Whoa! What the? The thing turned on, on its own. (Beep!) The head is looking straight at me. Is there someone piloting in there?
Whirrrrr…
H… hey… hey wait a second! Why are you lifting that arm? Hey!
"You shall not stay here!"
(December 15, 2001 Saturday) (Takeru's room) (07:30 AM)
Gah! Haaa…! haaa! A… dream? (Gulp) Haaaa… haaa… definitely… a dream. But… it felt so real. I really felt like I just died there. What the heck? Is there a greater force telling something? Ugh… my heart is beating fast. I can feel it pulsing on my chest.
Damn… it's on 7:30 on a Saturday. Roll call doesn't start for another hour. I don't feel like going back to sleep either. I should probably get changed and have an early breakfast. Maybe that'll lighten my day. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this? A yellow ribbon? (Flash) Oh… I remember this. Kasumi gave this to me during the XM3 trial for good luck. I had it strapped onto my exosuit and I forgot about it until now. (Flash) Ah crap! That reminds me. I have to go and see Sumika too. After yesterday's fiasco, I'm pretty much still exhausted.
When… Sumika returned to me… I think we may have shared an intimate moment. By the time we got a hold of one another… a lot of things happened…
(Flashback)
I held Sumika in my arms and helped her back on her feet once the fire died down. Kasumi brought in the fire extinguisher and cleared the place up. Sumika was weak, very weak. She could barely even stand upright and when she did, she nearly tumbled back down. Like a baby that's just been born out of its cocoon.
Her eyes didn't betray hey. They recognized me almost instantly. She knew who I was.
I felt an overwhelming joy in my heart. It was like putting Christmas, New Year's Eve, Birthday and Summer Vacation into one gigantic moment. It was really her. It wasn't a dream or some wild goose chase vision, it was the real Sumika and she's right here next to me.
There were so many things I wanted to say to her. So many…
"Takeru chan? Are you… real?"
"Yeah… I'm real" I answered back, tears fallings down endlessly.
"This… isn't a dream… anymore?"
"Yeah… this isn't a dream… I promise. (That's… great…) Sumika? (Let me… sleep… for a bit) Yeah… sure. Take all the time you need. I'll be right next to you" Afterwards she dosed right off to sleep and I held her up in my arms the whole time. She's so small and so soft. Has she always been this light? She weights like a puppy.
For that moment on I spent the rest of the day right beside Sumika, holding her hand every second of the way. Yuuko took me aside for a moment for the result and she seemed pleased that the 00-Unit was more stable than she had predicted. She said that because I was there, the brain began to stabilize on its own. Maybe back then… Sumika could feel my presence. Maybe deep down during our one sided conversations she could actually feel me talking to her.
Sumika spent most of that day sleeping and we barely had any time to talk until the evening when I had to go back to my room and rest.
(End of flashback)
Yuuko told me to come to her lab later. She seems to be happy that she got the thing working and was amazed with the results.
Hmm… let's see… today's December 15. Only 10 more days until we'll be operated on Sadogashima. The first major counteroffensive of man against the BETA that doesn't involve using G-Bombs. (Flash) I remember it too well. It was probably the first sortie I had as a member of the Valkyrie Squadron. Combined with the U.N.-Imperial Army, we struck a blow against the BETA on their turf. At first, the whole battle went well but then it got ugly when a surprisingly large number of BETA ranging from 40000 appeared from the very bottom of the Hive.
Our offensive was pushed back significantly and from there we were forced to use the Particle Cannon from the XG-70 Susanoo as a complete game changer. From there on… things went from bad to worse…
If anything I'm pretty sure Yuuko sensei knows about this and won't be telling anyone until the very last minute. I'll have to discuss it with her when we're alone.
I should probably get something to eat and head down there as soon as possible. We don't have any simulator training today since our Shiranuis aren't here yet. Hopefully by the end we'll get better results.
"Ah? Shirogane. You have impeccable timing" Hmm? Captain Isumi? Was she waiting outside of my room this whole time? "It's alright. There's no need to salute when no one's around. I'm just here to give you some new orders. (Ma'am) Professor Kouzuki told me that you're being assigned to a special mission so you won't be able to join everyone else. From here on out, you're exempted from all training except for TSF simulator combat and mock battles when your TSFs get here. Understand?"
"Eh? Yuuko sensei said that?"
"Apparently so" She answered back. "I don't know what your mission is but if it's important then I won't complain. (Yes ma'am) Anyway, are you going off for breakfast? (Nod…) Mind if I join you? I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday"
"Ah… sure…"
(PX)
"Ora? Michiru chan and—" Oba chan called to us when we came through the door. "Heeh? Takeru chan too?"
"Kyozuka san, good to see you again"
"Hehehe. Still the polite girl I remember. How are your sisters by the way? They're doing well I hope"
"Yes. They're all alive and well. Thank you for asking" Oh yeah… I remember the Captain saying that she had sisters. 3 of them in fact. Two younger and one older… so that must mean that she's the 2nd eldest of the family. "I'll have my usual for today"
"Hai hai. One synthetic pork dongpo set with extra topping, coming right up. And what about you Takeru chan?"
"Huh? Oh… I'll just have the same synthetic mackerel fish set and orange juice"
"Right then. Wait right here. I'll be back in a jiffy. (Thanks oba san) No need to thank me. I'm just doing my job. Hahaha! So tell me Takeru chan. (Hmm?) How's life in the new squad so far? I hear that you're fitting in quite nicely with the others" Well… I guess you could say that. I've gotten on the wrong foot with Akane but the others seem almost natural. "It must be nice being the only guy in a group full of girls. I bet most people would kill to be where you are right now"
"Hehehe… I don't think so oba san"
"Ahahaha! Don't be so modest. You're still as tough as I remember when you first came to the PX. Tougher if I'm not wrong hahaha! I heard that Mitsuri chan also has her eyes on you. You're quite the lucky one" Guuu… 1st Lieutenant Hayase is probably out there gunning for me. If anything, I'm pretty sure she'll try to get me when the first opportunity arises. Heck… back in my last loop, I kept having the strangest feeling that she might shoot me in the back one day.
After grabbing our meal, the captain and I took a seat by the window overlooking the track field. I've been waking up early quite a lot these past few weeks. Even yesterday was no different. The atmosphere is quite cool and the wind was breezy.
"Kyozuka san seems to have taken a liking of you" The captain said suddenly, interrupting my thoughts as we sat down for a normal chat.
"Really? I thought she does that to everyone"
"She does but she rarely treats them like that. You must be a really special case. (…) Hmm? What's wrong? You look like you have a question"
"Eh? No… it's nothing really. I just have some questions regarding the training exercise. (Huh?) The VOLKS data on the BETA hive. I'm sure they're pretty accurate but are you sure we can really get experience from that? (Haa?) The training regime is pretty typical. Since we already know what's going to happen, won't that kill the need for training?"
"Hmm… I guess you have a point there. The VOLKS data given to us were only based on what the survivors gave us. The mission was considered a failure and the rest of that data were made on the BETA hive here in Yokohama base"
"Yeah, and another thing. (…?) The attack patterns of the BETA in the exercise were also rather predictable. They begin attacking the moment we reach a Hall or sometimes when we reach a certain part of a Drift. Though their way of attack can often differentiate from exercise, it's still rather easy for any unit with a good prediction to counter their offensive"
"Heeeeh… that's impressive" I guess she must've had the same feeling when she tried the VOLKS exercise herself. "I guess there's no point in hiding it. I agree with you too Shirogane. It's true that you won't be able to get combat experience out of a simulator but it can at least help the soldiers envision what to expect if they ever find themselves within a Hive. Yes… from our last simulator training I was able to get the impression that you could predict the BETA attack. That's a pretty good talent you have there, Shirgoane"
"It's nothing. After the first few fights we had in the simulator… you quickly find a pattern in them"
"You also seem to have good capabilities in leading" Eh? I do? "Taking command of the defense units during the BETA attack was an impressive feat"
"Ah… that… it… it was nothing"
"Usually, when new Eishis have their first encounter with BETA they tend to freeze on their tracks. But you on the other hand, you simply charged through them"
"That was just… the spur of the moment"
"Huhuhu…" Geh… seeing the captain laugh like that makes her look so… cute. "There are times when a person needs to receive the credit he is given. (Eh?) It means that it's ok for you to be less modest. If you keep telling yourself you're not that good, you might just degrade yourself. (Ma'am) Heh… you've only graduated for a few days and already you have an impressive profile, Shirogane. A capable fighter, commander and a soldier. It makes me glad that we have someone like you in the squad"
"Ah… please don't praise me too much or I'll get full of myself"
"I'm only stating the truth" Keh! This barrage of praises is really making me blush. I can never get used to it. "If you keep this up, you might make a capable leader one day" Me? A capable leader? No way. I'd rather follow orders and fight rather than have that responsibility. "You should have more faith in yourself Shirogane. Especially now in these dark times. (…) Huhuhu. I guess I'm not the type for casual talks. Let's eat for now. It's not often I get to eat with one of my subordinates"
Hmm… that's right. In the short time I've been with the Captain, she never once ate with the squad. Even the other day when I got to meet the rest of the unit, she wasn't there. Marimo dropped by to visit but left afterwards. Maybe she has the same reason.
"Say… Captain. (Hmm?)" I spoke up feeling a question on the corner of my mind. "What is it you're fighting for? (Eh? Where'd that come from?) Ah… sorry. It's just that…" It's because she asked me that question back in my previous loop. "The others here believe that a soldier needs something worth dying for to die without regret. Back then I didn't believe in such things but after what happened… I think maybe they're right in some ways"
"I see… I guess everyone in the squad has their reason for fighting. Some of us here continue to fight because we want to protect something. (…) Like 2nd Lieutenant Kashiwagi. She has two brothers—one younger and one older than her. Her elder brother is out fighting in the Imperial Army and her younger brother wishes to join the army and fight too when he comes to age" (Flash) That's right… Kashiwagi had two brothers. I think she told me about them back in my previous loop. "Right now… I think she is fighting hard so that her brother won't need to take up the gun. She believes that if she fights well enough, she'll settle enough for two maybe three Eishis on the battlefield. (…) That alone is what I believe gives her the strength to push on"
"So that's why…" So Kashiwagi is like that, huh? (Flash) She's strong… (Flash) Even though she looks like a care-free girl she's also fighting because she wants to keep her family safe at all cost.
"2nd Lieutenant Suzumiya is the same. Since her sister, crippled her leg during combat, she's been filling out her role as a soldier. She wants to be her sister's sword and shield at the same time" Yeah… Kashiwagi told me about that too. Akane is fighting hard so that her sister doesn't have to, especially in that crippled leg of hers. "As for some… they're probably fighting because they hold onto a strong belief that they can end this war. Many people, both old and young have been affected by the BETA and the system as we know it has been straining at best. The world we once knew… was gone the moment that Core Hive landed near our planet…"
"You mean the ones on the moon?"
"Precisely. If they hadn't come there… I think our lives may have gone differently. People want this war to end and many of those who fight, struggle to see that happen one day. Right now we're pretty much on a stalemate with the BETA" So people want this war to end just as much as I do. "As for some of us here. We fight… only because we have nowhere else to go. (Huh?) Don't be surprised. There are actually a lot of those around here. You know that most of Asia and Europe were swallowed by the first wave of BETA, right? (Yeah…) Refugees from countries that were destroyed—you'll find plenty of them around here. There's never a shortage of volunteers who simply want to fight for a meal and a place to sleep"
"That's… kind of… sad"
"I can understand them. Some people simply lost hope to what they believe in and want nothing more but be of use to mankind until they wither and die. It's a cruel concept… but it's the truth"
"…" People who lost hope… (Flash) 2nd Lt. Thesleff came into my mind. I guess she can be a good example. She didn't want to join the army because she wanted to… but because her family needed her. She gave up hope and wanted nothing more but to provide what her family needed.
"What about you, Shirogane? (Hmm?) What are you fighting for? (Me?) Since you ask me that question, I'm sure you have an answer of your own, neh?"
What am I fighting for? My answer to that question has been molded so many times that I can't even tell what it was anymore. At first it was simply to survive… to find a way back home… but then it changed to saving the world. Now it simply was to protect those who are precious to me. (Flash) I tried to picture Sumika's face in my head but instead the faces of my comrades took her place. I can see all them smiling happily in school uniforms, enjoying a comfortable day like any other. Heh… that would be quite a day…
"I… guess you can put me in Kashiwagi's category" I answered finally. "I want to protect those… who are very dear to me"
"That's a good cause to fight. But remember Shirogane. The price of one life can be very heavy. (…?) It's not as simple as working harder than others. It's making sure that you live long enough to protect that person. Don't throw away your life just because you want to protect them. If you hold onto your life just as you want to hold on to theirs… then you'll be able to protect them"
"Captain…"
"Remember… every life in this world is worth saving… no matter how small and insignificant they are. Don't ever forget that…"
"Ma'am…!"
"Ahehehe… this was nice. We should talk more often, Shirogane. Anyway, I have to go to teach the others right now. You don't need to report to the lecture later this afternoon. Just focus on your mission and don't forget to spend some time with your team whenever you can. Teamwork is essential in this squad. (Yes ma'am) Later then… 1st Lieutenant"
…
…
I knew it. No matter how hard I try, I'll there's just no way I can match up to Captain Isumi is now. She's a leader… down right to the core. Even though she does have her cute sides at time, she knows how to handle her subordinates. She talks to her squad individually and knows them by the book. I guess that's one of the reasons why I look up to her so much. (Flash) Argh… I don't need that now. The operation at Sadogashima won't even start until Christmas.
I should probably go to the labs…
Maybe that'll cure me of this nostalgia…
(Labs)
"Hello? Anyone here? (…) Oh… hey there Kasumi. Isn't Sumika with you? (…) Strange… I thought she'd be here. Did she go somewhere? (Yes…) Do you know where? (Your room…) My room? (Nod)" Well duh! Of course she'd go there. She probably went there to wake me up just like she used to do in my world. But thankfully I seem to have found a way to wake myself up early. "I'd better go back and make sure she doesn't get into trouble. Thanks for the help Kasumi"
"See you later"
"Yeah, see ya"
But just before I left the room, the mad scientist came by. "Oh… there you are. Good timing. I was about to send Yashiro to get you"
"You need me for something Yuuko sensei?"
"I was able to make something that might stop your headache. (Eh?) Remember I had you do a few checkups to determine the cause of your sudden emotional breakdown? (Yeah…) I was able to make this. It's still on a prototype basis but it should work" She handed me what appears to be syringe that the medics in the infirmary use to inject their patients with. "It's a high concentration of codeine, fluoxetine and tizanidine. Once injected, most of the effects will go directly to your bloodstream and then to circulates to your brain"
"You made this… just for me?"
"Of course. I'm doing this just to make sure that you won't fall down when you're in combat. No matter how good you are in a TSF, you're useless if you can't fight at all" Hmm… she's got a point there. I don't want to be blacking out or getting head pains whenever we're in a fight. There's no telling when it might come but at least then I'll be ready.
"Are there any side effects? (Dunno…) Huh? What do you mean you don't know?"
"I don't know because I never tested it"
"EH!-? You're giving me an untested drug? Are you sure it's safe?"
"Don't worry. It's not harmful… at least not on my readings" Somehow… that doesn't seem to convince me. "Relax, it's not like you'll grow an extra arm or anything. Besides, you're a big enough puzzle as it is. Anyway, just inject it into your bloodstream whenever you start feeling that headache again. (Uh… o…k?) Good… ah by the way. What were you doing here?"
"Oh I was looking for Sumika… (Sumika?) The 00-unit"
"Oh her… I saw her running up to the elevator a minute ago"
"Eh? And you didn't stop her? (Why should I?) Isn't she a big military secret? You're just going to let her wander off like that?"
"She won't go anywhere. (Eh?) Why would she go anywhere when what she desires the most is standing right here? Better yet… where can she possibly go to? There isn't a populated village within a ten mile radius of the base" Oh that's right. Yokohama base is located in one of the most isolated place in all of Japan. This place was once under BETA control many years ago and I doubt anyone would want to live near a BETA Hive of all places.
"But still… isn't it dangerous to have her wandering? I mean… she does need to be plugged into the BETA Reactor every once in awhile, right? (…?) If she doesn't then she could die…"
Yuuko made a face as if she was half expecting that sort of answer. "Heh… I guess I shouldn't be surprised on how you know that. My future self must really be lenient. (…) But regardless. I'm not worried about her. (Huh?) If you're the one protecting her… I'm pretty sure she'll be fine. (Guuu…) Besides… I placed a tracker on her uniform so I'll know where she is no matter where she goes" Then tell me that first dammit! "Hehehe… but anyway… so far I have no complaints. With the stability she's showing, we might be able to take her out on a test run"
"A test run? You mean… with the Susanoo?"
"That's correct. The parts of the weapon should be arriving tomorrow. If everything goes as planned we might even be ready before the official evaluation"
"Evaluation… you must mean the coming attack on Sadogashima Hive"
Yuuko gave me an expectable nod. "Impressive. They just mentioned about it an hour ago. But you're right. The evaluation will take place in Sadogashima Hive, 10 days from now"
"On Christmas day…"
"I don't know who thought about it. Maybe they wanted me to give them a Christmas Present. But regardless, as long as the 00-Unit performs as it is now… we should have no trouble giving out results. (I see…) I know that this goes without saying, but… I'm counting on you to make sure that nothing happens to her, Shirogane. (Ma'am) If something should happen to her then I'll already know who to blame it on. (Geh!) Hehehe. Go… I'm sure she's waiting for you…"
(Marimo's POV) (A-09 Barracks)
Hmm… let's see. This afternoon we have a lecture on TSF weapon control and after that, combat doctrine against BETA and basic understanding of BETA Hives and their first six phases. Not a lot, since I pretty much covered most of that during cadet training. (Haaaaaa…) Oh boy. I need to get more sleep. I've been up all night making reports and results check in almost every station. I never knew that this squad had so much paperwork. It's amazing that 1st Lt. Suzumiya could handle all of this on her own without even breaking a sweat. And here I thought I had it hard.
But nonetheless… to be working beside her seems like a real pleasure. I was able to lighten a lot of her workload and she seems like a person who admires professionalism above all else. She makes great tea as well. It almost feels like I'm actually working with one of my co-workers. (Haaaaaa…) Oh that's a big one. I guess I should get some rest too. I'll give this to Captain Isumi and head back to my room.
Click… clack…
Hmm? That's Shirogane's room. (Click…) (Fwup!) H… hey wait a minute. Why the hell am I hiding? When I heard his door opening, my first instinct was to hide. This is just like the time we were in Shirahama Base.
"…"
Hmm? Who's that? I don't think I've seen her before. I'd definitely recognize someone with that kind of hair color. She doesn't look like military but she's wearing a military uniform. A new graduate perhaps? No… she doesn't look like a soldier. A staff officer?
"…" She's looking around Shirogane's room. Does she know him?
…
…
"Hey, you there! (…!)" I called out at last. "Why are you dawdling around this place? This barracks is restricted to the A-09 squad only. (…) Hmm?" She stared back at me with a curious eye. "… oi, did you hear what I said?"
"… Marimo…" Huh? She knows my name. "Jinguuji… sensei…?" Sensei? Wait… is she a friend of Shirogane? He's the only person who calls me teacher. "I see… so he really did it… I'm glad"
"Huh? What do you mean by that? Are you a friend of Shirogane? (…) Oi, answer me when I'm talking to you. (Takeru chan… must really care about you…) Eh? Wh… what do you mean by that?"
"Ahehe… I'll see you later… Jinguuji sensei…"
"Huh? Sensei? Ah! Hey wait a minute!" Crap… she ran away when she distracted me with those words. What did she mean by that?
"Hmm? Marimo sensei?" Huh? "What are you doing in front of my room?" AH!
"Sh… Shirogane? (Rattle) Ahh!" Crap… the folders.
"Oh… sorry about that. Here, let me help"
"N… no that's ok" I quickly gathered the papers up after that brief shock. The boy literally appeared out of nowhere and nearly scared the life out of me. "I can handle the rest. You just caught me off guard, that's all. But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be somewhere on a secret mission right about now?"
"Ah! Oh yeah. You wouldn't happen to see a girl pass by here, would you? (Girl?) Yeah. Red hair, about my age and wears a bright yellow ribbon"
"Red hair and bright yellow ribbon…" I see. So that girl does have an association with him. "Now that you mentioned it, a girl just came out of your room a few minutes ago"
"Ah crap! I knew Sumika would do something like this" Sumika?
"Is she a friend of yours?"
"Yeah she is. Anyway, I need to find her. Thanks again Marimo sensei. I'll catch you later on our simulator training!"
"Ah wait Shirogane! (…)" And he was gone. He didn't even stop for a chat. Hmm… I wonder who that girl could be. I know I've never seen her around the base before so she must be a new arrival.
Sumika… huh…
(Takeru's POV)
Darn it. Where can that girl be? I thought I could catch her when I got to my room but she bailed out on the last minute. She's not in the corner area of the barracks… so where could she be? She's obviously looking for me so she could be going to the places where I might be. Hmm… let's see. Where would I be around this time of day? That's pretty much everywhere. Usually I'd probably hang around the base doing some menial things like independent training.
Grrrr! If this was a game, I'd probably have choices lining up in front of me right now. Let's see…
The PX?
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Hmm… the place looks deserted. Breakfast probably ended a few minutes ago. Oba san and the others are probably making lunch right about now. Hmm? That dangerously-looking hairstyle. There's only one person in the world that I know who has that.
"Hey Tama! (Hmm? Takeru san?) Hey. Don't tell me you just got here for breakfast"
"Ah no. I'm actually waiting for 2nd Lieutenant Kazama and Kashiwagi san" Those two? They'd make an odd trio. "They said that they would help me hone my sniping skills during our TSF combat" Eh? Hone her sniping skills?
"But aren't you the best already. Surely you don't need more training"
"Ah no no, practice makes perfect they say. Shooting from a TSF is a lot harder than it looks, Takeru san. (Really?) When you're a sniper you have to observe everything. Wind behavior, trajectory and everything. The TSF auto-lock feature helps you do that but there are still a lot of things to consider like the weight of the bullet and recoil effect. (Hoo? Is that so?)" I never knew sniping was that complex before. Tama did teach me the basics back in one of my loops but never anything beyond that. "I have to make sure that I play my role as the Impact Guard like Kashiwagi san"
"Kashiwagi? Oh yeah. She's an Impact Guard too like in our last simulator training"
"Kazama san is the Blast Guard so she takes up the first line in the rear formation" That's right. All the elements of a team focus on supporting the Storm and Strike Vanguard. The Right and Left Gun Interceptors hold our flanks along with the Gun Sweepers around the middle. The Vanguard is obviously at the front, handling enemies in close to medium range. The Flash, Blast and Impact Guards cover our rear and provide long range support. It was all covered in our last training.
"Well if those two are helping you out then you should be in good hands" I stated to her which Tama smiled back in reply. "I'll be counting on your support in the future Tama"
"Ahehe… but Takeru san, I don't think you need much support. (Hmm?) In our simulator training you have the tendency to run off and do all sorts of things. The others can't keep up with your movements at all so it's hard to provide you support sometimes. (Heh?) I think that's one of the reasons why Akane san gets annoyed with you sometimes. (Guuu…)"
"Well… it's not that I don't like team work. It's just that if I don't do that now, it won't synch with the computer data. (…?) Did you forget that I had my Fubuki totally wrecked in Susono. Most of my combat data were lost there so I have to work from scrap all over again. So by the time our new TSFs arrive, my combat statistics will go directly with it. (Heeeeh…) It's like trying to past on a legacy. (…?) Your Fubuki is pretty much synch to your movements, right. (Nod) And if you put all that data into the other TSF you'll be in synch with it too, right?"
"Ah I see. It's like transferring knowledge to another. (Precisely!) Ah. So that's why. I think Kashiwagi san said the same thing. (Really?) Yeah. She even said she'd rather stop fighting and let you do all the work instead"
"Ahahaha… that does sound like something she would say" Ah wait. I completely forgot I still need to find Sumika. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to see someone pass by here a few minutes ago would you? (Someone?) A girl, red hair and pretty hard to miss"
"Hmm… no, I haven't. There hasn't been anyone here since oba chan left with the others" Darn… she must've gone somewhere else then. But where? "Is she important, Takeru san?"
"Yeah… anyway, I need to find her. Good luck on your training Tama! Tell me all about it when you have time. (Hai!)"
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Ok… let's see. Where would I be around this time other than the PX or barracks? The simulator room? Back then, when Sumika was unstable, all she wanted was to train and destroy BETA. It's possible she may have snuck there in secret. It's worth a shot.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hmm… no one's here. I guess all the cadets must be out. I'll check and see who used the simulators last just to make sure. Hmm? Is that…
"Mikoto? (Hmm? Ah! Takeru! Over here!) Are you doing independent training?"
"No. I was making rounds around the base when I came by here by accident. The Instructor wanted me to give some tips for the new recruits. They just completed their Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation last week so they're new to the simulators" New recruits? "What do you think, Takeru?"
"Yoroi sempai, you sure this guy can teach us?" One of the cadets asked. It was an all girl team. Hey… wait… haven't I seen those three before? "He doesn't look that capable"
"Oi, that's not something you should say to an officer" Hmm? That must be their instructor. (Flash) Wait a minute. I know him.
"Ishizawa?" The man gave us a polite salute before turning to his team.
"You girls should be a saluting and calling them sir. Not toy with words. (Y… yes sir) Hehe… sorry about that 1st Lieutenant, they're not into formalities but they're good soldiers at heart. Ora… you three, give the proper courtesies to them. They took their precious time to be here to teach you" The three girls then gave us the proper salute and stood at attention. (Flash!) Ah… now I remember them. These girls are the same ones in Tama's Archery Club back in my world. I never got the chance to remember their names though. And Ishizawa was apparently the former captain of the team. I should've known they would be in this world as well.
If Tama were here right now it would be a strange dejavu for sure.
"Nah, it's alright" Mikoto waved them off. "We rarely do that to our captain too. Anyway, I have time. What about you Takeru?"
"Well I'm a little busy right now. That reminds me. Did a girl about my age come by here? Red hair, and wearing a yellow ribbon"
"Yellow ribbon?" The Instructor thought for a moment before answering. "Hmmm. No. We've been here since this morning checking up with the usual battle data and going through Training Exercise E. I haven't seen anyone like that come through" Damn… where else could she possibly go to?
"I see… alright thanks anyway. See you later Mikoto. (Ah Takeru wait…) Hmm? What?"
"Umm… are you busy later today? (Huh?) It's just that we never had the chance to catch up for awhile now"
"Today? Hmmm… I might. Yuuko sensei has me running her special mission so I might have no time at all. Don't worry. I'll definitely see you at dinner. (Ah…) Anway, gotta run. Later!"
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Alright… I'm running out of places to search here. Could she have gotten back to the lab already? No… Kasumi would be looking for me by then. Maybe the track field? It's one of the only places I haven't tried yet. Well… that guess is as good as any.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
There was a breezy wind going through the track field. The weather was almost perfect. Not too cold but not too hot either, just enough to get you sweating through a light jog. Nope… there's no one here except a few cadets going through their training exercise.
"Ara? Tak—I mean 1st Lieutenant Shirogane" Huh?
"Class rep? You're up pretty early. What are doing?"
"Out for my morning exercise. (Oh?) And it's not Class rep. You're supposed to call me 2nd Lieutenant Sakaki. (…?) Is there any way for you to stop calling me that?"
"What's wrong? I thought you liked being called Class rep"
"I never did. You just made it up on your own when you got here. (…?) I know that name was fun when we were cadets but we're officers now. You should be an example to others especially since you're in a higher rank tier"
"But didn't the captain say that we should leave formalities out for later? Besides… I like calling you Class rep. (…?) If I didn't then how else would I be able to call you?" And also… by calling you that… it makes me feel like a part of me was still at home.
"Sakaki or Chizuru is fine. It sounds a lot more appropriate"
"Haaa? How's that any different from Class rep? (A huge difference!)" Whoa… she's snappy. What's wrong with just saying her name? (Flash!) Eh? New Year's Eve?
(Flash) "You don't need to call me Class rep when we're out here you know"
Did she… say those words too? I can't seem to remember that event. It seems like so long ago. It's like our marriage took place in my previous life.
"Shirogane! Are you listening!-?"
"Huh? Yeah…"
"Liar! You were staring up at the sky while I was talking. (Ahehehe) Geez… no matter if you were a cadet or an officer, you never change"
"Isn't changing the same thing? (Eh?) Ever heard of the phrase, 'The more things change, the more they stay the same'? I think that quote applies here. (Ha?) Maybe I'm actually changing in small things you haven't noticed and you're only looking at the things that haven't changed, Class rep"
"On which part have you changed? You still come to class late, you keep calling people by their names and yet you… (Hmm?) I guess there's no changing what you are"
"If I changed those part of me then I wouldn't be Shirogane Takeru now, would I? It's exactly that which makes me who I am. Besides… I think I can say the same for you, Class rep. (What do you mean by that?) You haven't changed a bit either since we first met. You still like to take charge of things regardless of who was in command. (…!) Even during the trial you were kind of demanding. You even gave out command orders when I was fighting"
"Th…that's because we needed a chain of command!"
"Yeah yeah… I heard that before" She gave out a puffed cheek expression. "But regardless. Those are the qualities that make you who you are. If you changed those… then you wouldn't be Class rep anymore. (Guu…) Hehehe. Don't be so down. If it makes you feel any better, I kind of like those qualities of yours. (Wh… wha?) Ahehehe… see? Even that cute face you make when you're embarrassed is adorable. (Shirogane!) Alright, I'll stop"
"Geez. Fine… just do whatever you want. It's not like I can do anything to stop you anymore"
"Hehehe. Change can be a good thing some times. If you can change for the better then I have no complaints"
"If you're going to change you can start now. (Eh?) Come and jog with me. It'll be a nice workout before our lesson later this afternoon"
"Ha? Oh that. Sorry but I won't be going? (…?) I got some other things to do"
"Oh… That's right… you have that special mission with Professor Kouzuki, haven't you? I guess it can't be helped. We rarely see you at all except during training and meal time. (Really?) Really…" Hmm… maybe the captain was right. Maybe I haven't been spending time with the others. "You even disappeared yesterday and didn't come back until midnight" Geh! I was with Sumika the whole time that day so it's obvious I didn't make an appearance. "Does the mission really take that long?"
"Aheh… sorry about that. I guess I have been neglecting you guys for awhile. With everything that's been happening I guess you can say that I've been through a lot"
"You're not pushing yourself are you? (No of course not) A soldier should worry about themselves too. What good are your skills if you're tired from the start" Geh! Marimo said pretty much the same thing too. "What about tomorrow? It's a day off for us so maybe we can all get together for some extra activity time"
"Hmmm… I'll check in with Yuuko sensei for that. I'm sure she'll let me off the hook if my mission can wait"
"Alright. I'll hold you onto that. (You got it) (Sigh…)… Takeru…"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ok so she's not anywhere around the base. Where else can Sumika be? I'm really running out of places to look. I wish Yuuko sensei would give me that tracker device of hers to make things easier. I've checked almost every place on the base and I'm not even sure she'll be there. The Hanger? No way. The gym? I never stepped in there before in my life. Hmm…
I guess I can try the rooftop since that's probably the only place left that I could go to.
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Click… hmm… nope. No one here but the wind and the dirt. No matter what world I go to, the rooftop of the old school building seems to always be deserted. It's a great place to hang out. I wonder why people don't come here more often.
…
The weather is great too. A perfect day to just sit back and cloud gaze. Heck, you can even play a game of Shapes if you want.
"…hn"
Hmm? Is someone here? I thought I heard someone. Must be my imagin—
"It's not your imagination" Bwahhh!
"A… Ayamine? Is that you? (Hn…)" That girl. Does she have ninja in her blood? Because no matter how hard I try I can't seem to sense her presence at all. It's like she doesn't give anything that would give her away. She's like a ghost. "Please don't scare me like that. What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be reporting to the briefing room in a few minutes? (Snacks…) Eh? Snacks?"
"Want some?" She handed me a piece of bread which had…
"Hey… isn't this… Yakisoba Bread?" It is! But it's… strangely deformed for some reason. The noodles were spread all over and there was too much mayonnaise that it pretty much ruined the whole taste. "Hey… what did you do with the Yakisoba? (Hn…) You thought that it would taste better with more topping? (Nod…) Well… I guess there's a lesson to be learned here. It's good to add more than what you need but not unless you have too much of it. It doesn't even look like Yakisoba-pan anymore. More like Mayo-bread"
"Experiment…"
"Experiment? Were you testing if it would taste good or something? (Nod…) Then how would you… geh!-?" She then showed me a tray of Yakisoba Bread all lined up neatly like some kind of food testing court.
"Experiment 1-4… fail. 5 was good"
"How did you get so much Yakisoba and bread? (Leftovers…) Oh… and how many experiments did you make? (…) Ayamine? (Dunno…) That's a lot of wasted food there. If the Captain finds out she'll lecture you for sure. (I'm not scared) Really? So you won't mind if I just go and tell her about all this? (Shirogane is an accomplice) Hey! Don't add me to your category. Haaa… why are you making all of them anyway? It's not like there's a great gonna be a Yakisoba Bread competition any time soon"
"… for everyone… (Huh?) I want… to make the perfect snack… for everyone" For everyone? Is she planning to make them for everyone one day? "Life is short… I want them… to taste the best…"
"Is that why you brought so many? (Nod) I guess that explains your experiment"
"Wanna help?" She then showed me another tray with a bunch of leftover synthetic toppings. Slices of cabbage, onions, carrots, sauce and other delicacies. It really was a Yakisoba Bread Experiment. Hmm… if you look at it from this perspective, it kinda looks fun to do. Testing batches of Yakisoba Bread and making sure that all the ingredients were well balanced. A group of people can spend the whole day just chatting, putting toppings on the bread and see if it tastes good or bad.
"I'd love to but I got my hands full at the moment. (Busy?) Very busy"
"Will you tell?"
"The captain? I won't, but only under one condition. (…?) If you do make the perfect Yakisoba Bread—I'll be the first person to taste them. Got it?"
Ayamine gave a soft chuckle. "Negotiations successful…" She added while smiling. "What does Takeru like?"
"In the Yakisoba? Well… on a personal opinion, I'd like to add more of the onion and sauce and meat. (…?) I find those three to balance the taste well. Since there's a lot of noodles already, we don't need to add that. I like the sauce to be balance so it won't spill when you bite and the meat should cover equally on each section where you bite. The onions and cabbage are there to deliver the sweet and sour taste"
"Hmm… very knowledgeable" Ahahaha… I guess that was a compliment from her. "As expected… from the creator" That one sounded like she was implying something else. Hey! Don't laugh when people can hear you! "Here…"
"Eh? What's this?"
"Not perfect… but close…" She handed me a well prepared Yakisoba-Bread with lots of meat and sauce. It looked delicious. "See ya…"
"Where are you going? (Get more bread…) Oh… alright then"
"Huhuhu… Takeru's cute when he waves" Gegeh! "Bye…"
Darn that girl. You can never tell what's going on her head until she opens her mouth. (Munch munch…) Oh… this is pretty good.
But I shouldn't be up here tasting snacks right now. I should be looking for Sumika. But where could she possibly be? I've searched practically everywhere but not a peep from her. Where else can she be at a time like this?
Thud…
Haaa… maybe I should just lie down here and sky gaze. I've just walked throughout half the base in a few hours already and still no dice. Is she avoiding me? No… there's no reason for her to do that. (Flash) Does… she? Haaaa… but where else can I search? Maybe I should go back to the lab and wait for her there. Who knows? She might be there already, waiting for me with the Santa Rabbit in…
(Flash) Wait… of course! That's it! Duh! Why didn't I think about it before? There's only one place on this base she'll go without attracting others. I should've gone there in the first place.
(The tree on the hill behind the old school building)
This place…
This tree on this hill. Just looking at it makes me nostalgic of home. So many events took place here and I can barely remember them all. This place is special to me as it is special to many people in Hakuryo. It was the place where I had to decide who to pick between Sumika and Meiya. The place Ayamine kissed me, the place where I took Kasumi out one time, the place where I gave Sumika her favorite Rabbit. The place where… my life changed. To many others it would look like an ordinary place… but to me… it was the place where my decision decides the future of others.
How long has it been since those peaceful days? Those days where I lived innocently without even knowing the meaning of peace? A thousand years? An eternity? I can barely even remember how long this loop of mine even started.
It feels as if those long years of being in the city with my friends… were nothing more but a dream. A wonderful dream that I would never want to wake up from.
"Takeru chan…"
"Huh? Ah! Sumika!" There she is. I knew she'd be here. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you. (…) I thought it would take me all day to find you. Did you come here to look at the view…? (…) Hey… are you… alright? You're not hurt anywhere, are you? (…) Ummm… listen… I…"
"…?"
"Umm… well… how do I say this?" Damn it. I had a whole script ready just in case I meet up with Sumika… but after seeing her now… my mind is completely blank. "Uh… hi… long time… no see"
"Ah… yeah…" She spoke up in stutter. What the hell? We just spent the other night hugging each other and we didn't feel this awkward before. Why does it feel like we've just drifted apart? A part of me wants to go over there and hug her and yet… a small part of me is keeping that from happening.
…
An awkward pause came between us. We just stood there in silence, gazing around the hill as if waiting for something or someone to start a conversation.
…
"Marimo sensei… is alright…" Eh? "I guess you did it huh…"
"Y… yeah. I really did. (…) Actually… I've done a lot of things I can't even believe" The coup d'état, the XM3 Trial, the meeting with the Shogun… heck, even just getting here was a challenge on its own. "But honestly… I couldn't have done it without you, Sumika. (…)" I took a cautious step towards her, doing my best not to get her spooked. "I don't really know how much you can remember I know I owe it all to you. (…?) I know that this… nightmare is probably just me being selfish but… I just wanted you to know how grateful I am that you gave me this chance. (…) I know there are a lot of things you don't understand… but if you look at me now, you know that I'm not lying. (…) Thank you… for everything"
"Takeru… chan…"
"Heh… I'm really starting to sound like one of those guys in the movies. How embarrassing. Maybe I shouldn't have said that and thought of something cooler. Hehe… I bet even—(Fwup) Ah?"
"Takeru chan… you idiot…"
…!
Idiot!
"Idiot, idiot!"
Yeah… this was the reaction I was expecting to get from her. She hugged me by surprised and said those exact words over and over again like a broker cassette tape. I returned the embrace and held her once again in my arms. I felt calm… and secure with her around me. Though a part of me still rejected it, I can tell that every fiber of my body was jumping with joy. To feel her heart beat next to mine, to have her frame within my arms and her voice close to my ears was a feeling that can never be replaced. Sumika was the only one who can make me feel at home.
No one else can… make me feel this way other than her.
It's strange. It has only been a few months since I saw her die yet… I wonder how much of her memory has returned. Back then I had Kasumi helped with recovering my lost memory and implanted every last one of them so I wouldn't forget any moment I had with my friends in any loop. But does that also apply with Sumika when she returned to being a brain in the tube?
I haven't really thought about it. I guess I've been so busy trying to change the world that I forgot about everything else. But… I guess that doesn't really matter. I don't really want Sumika to remember what she did. If anything… I'd like nothing more but to have the old Sumika back. The one who wakes me up every morning and knows how to make me smile. The Sumika who I kissed under this tree on Christmas Eve.
Well… I guess now's a good time as any. "Hey… Sumika… listen. There's… a lot of things I want to tell you…"
We spent the rest of that afternoon under that tree in peaceful bliss. From there I told her everything that had occurred in this loop.
(Marimo's POV) (Briefing room 7) (01:05 PM)
"Alright that covers up for this afternoon's class" Captain Isumi declared as she wrapped up things with the new recruits of the unit. "The senior staff members and I will be having reporting to the Command Center later this evening so everyone here can take the day off tomorrow. On Monday we'll be having simulator training on Combat Doctrines. That will be all. Dismissed"
The group quickly dispersed, leaving the captain to finish up with her paperwork. I quickly removed the slides on the projector and stored them in their proper folders. The lesson was pretty much the same thing I taught the students excluding the BETA Hive which was covered in all six phases.
The squad returned to their usual routine hanging around the PX while Captain Isumi made her way to the lower part of the base to make her report.
I heard rumors from some of the staff members that something big was going to be happening soon. No one knows what it was but according to my sources in the Imperial Army, there appears to be a large scale mobilization of ships and TSFs. If anything, my guess would be that a counterattack on Sadogashima was close at hand. It's no surprise seeing that it's the only viable target that is of immediate concern.
But I'm worried. If they do attack then is there a chance that the U.N. Army would take part in it as well? The BETA is not just an enemy of the Imperial Army but an enemy to all of mankind. I just hope the resulting attack favors us this time. There have been many attacks on the BETA before in the past but all of them usually meet with deadly results. Even if our weapons of today far surpassed that of before, I still worry about those who would have to go inside the Hive.
Other than the one here in Yokohama, no other Hive has ever been taken before in history without the use of G-Bombs. Every other attempt failed miserably resulting in massive casualties for humanity.
I know that the A-09 Squad is a special unit developed by the ALTERNATIVE Project… but does that mean they'll be taking the risk of going down a BETA infested hole? I pray that none of them would have to go through that.
"Ah… 1st Lieutenant Jinguuji" The Captain called out to me. "I need you to go to the hanger later this afternoon to ensure the arrival of a package. (A package?) Yes. Apparently a new weapon was brought in this morning and they wish to finalize the paperwork as soon as possible. It's being dropped in on our hanger for now under the Vice Commander's orders"
"Very well. I will deal with it ma'am"
"Good. I'll be reporting to the Command Center soon so just leave the rest on my desk later. I'm counting on you"
(Hanger)
A new weapon? I haven't heard anything about that before. According to the folder it's supposedly a new type of TSF. I guess they're the only things that be considered a weapon against the BETA. There's no record of it and it says on the back that it's still on the experimental stages.
It also says here that it was given by the Imperial Army. A new Japanese model? I'll have to clarify it with the head mechanic later on.
"Ah… Jinguuji san. You're finally here" I recognized the head mechanist whom I spent time training some of the cadets together. "It's about time. Those brasses at the office are ringing my ears off with paperwork. If those guys had more brain cells they'd let me do what I want in this hanger"
I gave a small laugh. "Well that's what they do. They wouldn't be the top brass they didn't"
"I'd at least wish they'd leave me alone and let me do my job"
"Hai hai… I'll tell them to ease up on you. (Thanks…) So where's the new weapon that was ordered in?"
"They're putting it up on the rack right now" He pointed towards the TSF bay where a large figure was being brought up to a standing position. The TSF appeared to be covered in a giant cloth so we can't tell what's under it. "It's a poor sight to see. They brought this thing in a state of complete wreck. They never even bothered to reassemble it. It's like they just left it to rot in a vault somewhere"
"Is it some sort of new model?"
He shook his head in reply. "No… it's a pretty old one but you could say that it's a bit better than what we have in our armory right now. (Bzzt…) Oh one moment" His radio buzzed in for a second. "Yeah? (Bzzt?) Alright… that's good. You can drop the curtains now. (Bzzzt…) Just try not to break it more than it already has. It'll take awhile before we can even bring that thing back to its normal condition"
"Boss! We're ready on this end!"
"Alright! Drop it down!" And in a swift motion, the cloth came down revealing a dashing white knight in armor.
I looked to my folder and confirmed its description. Though it was in a poor state of disrepair far worse than what Shirogane did to two of his Fubukis, it was still recognizable thanks to its head piece.
The first of its kind. A 3rd Generation Tactical Surface Fighter. The XFJ-01 Shiranui Second—Phase 2…