I'm going to start off with the A/N this time, since in my opinion it's better seeing it now than reading it at the end of a story. I've decided to mention music themes, as if this was a small Eilanya movie!

[Theme: Mika Nakashima - The Reason Why I Thought I'd Die]

[Ending theme: Inoue Sonoko – Senkou Hanabi]

Distorted was much too long in the making. I've mixed feelings about how long it took, though I feel like I've written a better ending now than I would've back then. On the other hand, I'm sorry to those who read it so long ago, never got an ending, and have since moved on from liking Strike Witches.

With this final chapter, I feel a measure of sadness, but also happiness.

All in all, I'm glad I came back. After all these years, I still enjoyed the story I created, so finishing it at last is cathartic in its own way. It's not the greatest story ever created, but I'm glad to have shared it with all of you.

-BookmarkAHead

Our Beginning

Hanko, Suomus

"Fall back! Fall back!"

Panicked yells and gunfire filled the air as both Orussian and Suomi soldiers scrambled through the mud, away from the coast.

A bundle of satchel charges sailed high up into the air, arcing over a troop of Neuroi before impacting the side of the heavy-type just as it crested the hill. A second later, there was a huge explosion, tearing apart the tank shaped Neuroi, as well as many of infantry types that were unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast. Nothing was left but a smoking ruin and charred earth as the smoke cleared.

Yanking up a soldier from the mud by his arm, Aurora quickly reversed direction, her Armoured Legs kicking up mud as its treads fought to gain a grip on the wet ground. After a second of fruitless spinning, it caught hold of solid ground, and the Juutilainen sped inland across the ravaged battlefield, narrowly dodging several laser blasts.

"Paljon kiitoksia!" the soldier hurriedly thanked her as she set him on his feet behind the burning wreck of a destroyed Orussian IS-2, out of sight of the Neuroi. The man's face was white with panic and he seemed to have dropped his rifle somewhere along the way.

"Go, join the rest!" Aurora ordered, pointed towards the retreating forces, already turning back towards the coast.

The man nodded grimly as he gave a shaky salute, stumbling slightly as he ran to join his comrades in their retreat.

Taking aim at the closest heavy-type Neuroi coming over the hill, Aurora raised her shield, deflecting a massive laser blast from the Neuroi tank before replying with a volley of returning fire, sending a series of explosions blossoming across the front line of the invaders. After making sure there weren't any straggling survivors ahead, she powered forwards towards the front lines, laying down fire as she went.

There were just way too many Neuroi. Their drop from the carrier had been sudden, giving little time for the soldiers stationed on the coast to prepare before beginning their warpath, rising from the water like a horde of monsters.

While they would've been able to hold their ground against a fraction of this force, for every heavy-type they turned into burning wrecks, two more took their place. From Minna's intel, the infantry types numbered in the thousands, and with no fear of death, the Neuroi had broken past the coastal defenses.

Worst of all were the giant walkers in the distance. Aurora predicted that they rose more than 400m into sky, much larger than their forces were ever equipped to handle. The twin spiders shrugged off strafing and bombing runs from the remaining air force and witches, and volleys from the Admiral Scheer and Tirpitz merely halted them in their tracks for a few seconds, before they resumed their slow foray into Suomus. Though long to recharge, their weapons had a terrifying amount of power and range, the explosions leaving large craters and decimating many of the defenders' tanks.

Warrant Officer Koskinen tore through the mud over towards Aurora, her own cannon firing. Each shot split the air with a loud boom, illuminating the immediate area as the witch sent multiple shells downrange. The younger girl was drenched in both rain and sweat, mud dirtying her Suomi uniform, but she kept pace with Aurora as the Captain advanced. Together, they poured their combined fire into the nearest invaders, pummeling them with armor piercing shells. As soon as the closest heavy-types went up in flames, they swung back towards their forces.

"Ma'am! My forces have all arrived!"

"Good. Stay with me, Koskinen." Aurora raised a hand to her headset, activating the device. "All units! Stand your ground! We hold them here!" They arrived at the top of the hill, where the rest of the tanks had been entrenched. Multiple trenches had been dug, and the last of the retreating soldiers had just scrambled into its relative safety, taking up defensive positions. Grim determination was reflected in each of their faces as they peered down the hill.

From her vantage point atop their hill, Aurora could see all the way to the coastline. A black mass of Neuroi filled her vision, stretching all the way from the water to the base of the hill, where they had just begun their ascent. To her left and right, she could see her fellow tank witches crest the hill, taking up their own positions.

The walkers loomed in the distance menacingly, a grim reminder of their coming threat. Tiny flashes of light let her know that the airborne witches were still trying to take it down. Raising her eyes even higher into the sky, she could still see the capital Neuroi, rising higher and higher than before. Her thoughts drifted momentarily to her sister. Was she okay? Aurora had heard of her special mission, and while she didn't approve of sending Eila, she understood why.

Though she tried to fight it, Aurora could only feel dread rise up within her. She was a veteran of many battles, and she could see that the odds were stacked heavily against them. But she would still fight; Suomus depended on it.

She returned her attention to the enemy below, steeling herself. It was as if a wave of darkness was creeping towards them. The Neuroi in front had reached the base of the hill, beginning their climb upwards. The rumble of the infantry-types marching could be felt from a distance, generating unease within the troops. She pointed down the hill, activating her radio. "All armour, prioritize the heavies!"

As if to answer her command, the entrenched tanks began to fire, filling the air with deafening booms. Shells smashed into the Neuroi below, blowing holes in the front line as many of the tank Neuroi disappeared into balls of fire. A hail of gunfire erupted from the trenches, as the soldiers opened fire on the infantry-types. Both Aurora and her fellow witches added to the fire, cannons flashing.

Surveying the damage, Aurora only had a split second of satisfaction before a distant flash of red caught her eye.

"Shields!" she ordered as a volley of lasers erupted from the twin walkers in the distance. She shifted as fast as she could between positions, shielding as many of the tanks and trenches as she could, but there were just too few witches for that many shots. There were several deafening explosions as the world exploded around her, and a nearby impact sent her down on a knee from the force.

Ears ringing, she looked up, squinting against the smoke the explosions had kicked up. A hand grabbed onto her arm, tugging on it. Koskinen's worried face appeared in her vision as she tried to shake off the effects of the blast.

"We've got to leave!" the younger girl was shouting, trying to pull her Captain up. The younger witch had an edge of panic in her voice. All of a sudden, throughout the cacophony of battle, there were shouts. Soldiers were pointing into the sky.

Koskinen looked up and froze. Following her gaze, Aurora felt her blood run cold.

During all the chaos, the capital Neuroi had climbed into the sky and split itself down the middle, the two halves slowly drifting apart. Black smoke poured from each section as the carrier began to disintegrate into a single, massive cloud. Angry lightning flashed across the surface as the cloud slowly swirled into that one dreaded shape.

"A hive …" she heard Koskinen whisper, dread in her voice.

A hive was forming over Suomus. Aurora growled, frustration overtaking her as she slammed her fist into the muddy ground. Soon, the Neuroi would have a foothold in the region, and with those walkers already on land, they would be hard pressed to stop them. Others were also realizing what was happening, a din of panic rising in their combined voices.

Could they even save themselves? Could they evacuate before the hive finished forming, or would they be surrounded by newly formed Neuroi?

"What do we do?" Koskinen sounded so tired, defeated. After a pause, she began to pull at Aurora's arm again. This time, Aurora got to her feet, keeping her eyes on the sight above them. The surrounding soldiers sought her for an answer, calling out questions.

But for that, she had no answer. No inspiring course of action. No plan of attack she could give that would turn the tide. She could only watch the ugly black hive form in the distance, high above her beloved homeland. For what could they do? They were outgunned. There was nothing to do but sound a full retreat. To link up with the warships down south, to escape and fight another day.

But as she was opening her mouth to give the order, a flash of light sparked high up in the sky.

A tiny point of light, like a shooting star, emerged from the clouds, directly above the hive. It grew brighter as it fell, and two great trails appeared, unfurling themselves from the blinding light like a pair of wings.

The light disappeared into the newly formed Neuroi hive for a split second. An instant later, there was a blinding flash of light as the two trails vivisected the two halves of the carrier. The resulting explosions tore through the grey clouds with a deafening boom, dispersing the Neuroi hive over many kilometers, revealing the fiery evening sky hidden underneath, blinding those watching with its radiance.

The streak swooped down towards the horizon before suddenly looping back towards them and shooting through the gap between the two walkers, wings seeming to clip through the giant Neuroi. There was a great blast of wind as swaths of the ground Neuroi were torn up from the passing force, creating huge gaps in the attacker's ranks. Aurora watched as the streak continued inland, passing over the horizon and out of sight.

Glowing white lines appeared on the walkers where the wings had struck them, and the towering Neuroi stood still for what seemed like an eternity, as the defenders looked on with bated breath. There was a flash, and suddenly the walkers were bisected, explosions blossomed up and down their forms. There was a great roar as they collapsed in the water, disappearing into massive explosions, sending out massive waves of water in every direction.

There was a great clamour as the soldiers on the ground let out a cheer, scrambling to their feet and raising their weapons into the air. Koskinen was pumping her fist in the air, eyes shut as she shouted out her joy, adding to the noise.

"Advance, advance!" Aurora raised her hand, pointing down the hill towards the Neuroi. The mysterious light had levelled much of the invading force, leaving only a handful of survivors. And without the walkers, the defenders now had a chance at victory.

The battle cries of the soldiers and roars of the remaining tanks' engines filled the air as the armoured vehicles broke out of their entrenched positions, following the tank witches down the hill as they charged the Neuroi survivors. Explosions soon filled the air as the machines began firing.

Koskinen had gone on ahead, but Aurora remained at the top of the hill among the blast craters, bathed in the fading evening light as she gazed towards where the light had disappeared.

[Distorted]

Suomus

Giuseppina Cenni was silent as she watched Elizabeth Beurling flip open her pack of cigarettes once more.

Taking one in her hand, the Farawaylander spun it between her slender fingers, gazing at it wistfully and earning a pointed look from Tomoko, who sat beside her. After a few seconds, she reluctantly placed it back inside the small box, dropping it back into her pocket with a sigh.

That was the fourth time this flight Beurling had cracked open the box. She was a smoker for sure, but right now, especially with that look on her face, she needed it more than ever.

Tensions were high, and it wasn't like any of the other members of the 507th were that much better off. Tuning out the drone of the aircraft in the background, Cenni looked over her comrades, seated around her on the metal benches.

Ursula had her nose buried in her papers, most likely prototyping a weapon based on the intel they had been sent from Hanko. There was no doubt she'd attempt to round up as many engineers as she could to prepare countermeasures as soon as they touched down.

Both Haruka and Katharine were more subdued than usual, grim expressions on their faces. The former was even surprisingly restraining herself from latching onto their Fuso leader.

Tomoko herself was sitting ramrod straight in her seat, arms crossed, and eyes closed. She had a look of deep focus on her face as she mentally prepared herself for the fight ahead.

The news hadn't been good. They had been put on standby for the day by the 501st's commander, who was leading a major operation on the south coast of Suomus. That was already enough to cause worry, as Cenni had heard both the 502nd and 24th Air squadron were also taking part; potentially needing a third JFW meant that stakes were huge.

And when the call for reinforcements came from a panicked communications officer, everyone knew that something bad had happened. They weren't told much, but they knew that the operation force had come up against something unexpected, and a full-scale Neuroi ground invasion of Suomus had become a real possibility. They scrambled their gear as soon as the call came, loading up onto a Junkers Ju 290 transport aircraft and taking off.

Cenni herself had just returned from patrol with Beurling, having successfully shot down a lone Neuroi large-type lurking within their area of operations. There was no time to rest, and the two boarded the plane almost immediately upon landing, their Strikers ending up resting nearest the door.

She turned around, leaning her head against the cool glass of the aircraft window, taking in the sight of the snowy world flying by outside. To her disappointment, it was rather overcast, and she couldn't see much of the sky ahead.

As if to take her mind off the imminent operation, her thoughts had drifted to the two 501st witches she had befriended on their visit over. She had heard a rumour after their visit that their comrade, Sanya's wingmate, had been shot down. It hurt her to know that the sweet Orussian had returned to something awful.

I hope they're doing okay.

Out the corner of her eye, she saw a pinpoint of light appear in the distance ahead of them, breaking through the clouds. She pressed her hands to the glass suddenly, standing up, curious. It was an unusual sight, as she had never seen an aircraft or Neuroi with that kind of light. Was it some kind of craft? Or maybe a meteor?

This movement caught the attention her surrounding squadmates (minus Ursula), and they turned to look at her.

"Cenni? What is it?" Tomoko's voice rang out sternly.

Cenni didn't answer, her eyes fixated on the slowly growing light as it got closer and closer to them. It seemed to be headed their way, but losing altitude at the same time, getting closer and closer to the ground. It would probably hit the ground soon

"It's some sort of light!" Katharine exclaimed in wonder, looking out the neighbouring window. Haruka perked up, trying to squeeze in to get a look.

"A light? Some sort of Neuroi?"

A feeling, distant at first, seemed to wash over Cenni as the light got closer and closer to their location. It felt familiar, but also unfamiliar at the same time, as if the known was mixed with the unknown. As she stared at the light, it suddenly came to her. An image of someone appeared briefly in her mind.

"SANYA?" Cenni leapt to her feet, her cry startling everyone else. It was definitely Sanya. She didn't know how or why; she just knew. And Cenni knew she had to move. Giving one last look, she leapt over the bench, heading towards the back of the plane.

"Cenni?! What are you doing?" Tomoko was on her feet now.

"Sanya's here! I need to help her!" Cenni punched the controls for the bay doors and grabbed some flares from under one of the benches. Running over to her Strikers, she kicked off her boots and dove onto her belly, looking back as she slipped her legs into the machines.

"What are you talking about?!"

"No time! I gotta go!" By now, the bay doors of the plane had opened behind her, revealing the cloudy skies beyond. Swiftly undoing the straps that held her Strikers down, she activated her magic, feeling the ears and tail of her familiar sprout from her body. Her Strikers began to rumble as her magic began to flow through the machinery. Bracing herself on the cold metal floor, she pushed forwards, sliding herself backwards and out of the plane, and plunging to the ground below.

After a few seconds, her Strikers spun up fully, roaring in the wind as magical propellers sprouted from the ends. She stabilized, bracing herself against the air pressure, coming to a hover in the cold air a few hundred meters in the air. She looked up, seeing Tomoko's expression of disbelief as the Fuso witch watched from the rapidly departing plane.

Shifting her gaze, Cenni saw that the light was bigger than ever now, and fast approaching. It was almost blinding her. She doubted she would be able to pull Sanya out of whatever it was. I'll just have to follow it until it lands. She spun her body, pointing herself in the same direction as the light was heading, and gunned her engines.

The light burned through the air past her, getting closer and closer to the ground. Though it gave the appearance of a fireball, it wasn't made of fire. In fact, it seemed to be a streak of brightly glowing magic, with two long tails, something she hadn't seen from the front. It was strangely beautiful. As it passed, it seemed to disturb the aether in her own body.

In that split second as it passed, Cenni could barely make out the shape of two girls at the epicenter, confirming her suspicions. Sanya was in there for sure; eyes closed and seemingly unconscious. Another girl that Cenni didn't recognize was there too. Must be her wingmate.

Gripping the flares tightly, her Strikers roared as she pushed them to their absolute limits and pursued the light as it raced across the evening sky.

[Distorted]

502nd Joint Fighter Wing Airbase, Petersburg, Orussia

1 week later.

She could hear someone humming. A light tune, just barely audible. It comforted her.

It was warm. She didn't feel like moving. She just wanted to lie there, listening to the pleasant tune. She didn't know where she was, but she knew she was safe.

She felt like she had slept a lifetime.

Sanya opened her eyes.

She was instantly blinded by the sunlight, shining in from the window to her left. She squinted until her eyes adjusted to the light.

The humming had stopped.

"Sanya?" A blurry face appeared on the edge of her vision. Waves of blond hair shone in the sun as she felt someone look over to her.

"… Perrine?" her voice cracked painfully, as if she had not used it in some time. She coughed, swallowing painfully as her eyes began to focus onto the person in front of her. Perrine's blurred shape slowly came into focus. The girl seemed to have been sitting in a chair by the window and was now turning towards her.

"You're awake! Thank goodness …" Perrine's her wide smile positively overflowing with relief as she quickly rose to go to Sanya's side. She snatched a glass from the side table, offering it to Sanya insistently.

Realizing her own thirst, Sanya accepted the glass. The cool water felt amazing going down her throat, and Sanya felt like she could drink forever.

"Where's Eila?" Sanya asked soon after finishing the glass. Her voice still hurt, but not nearly as much as before. There was a worry in her voice as she sat upright. They had both been in pretty bad shape when she'd passed out, Eila even more so. "Is she okay?"

"Always worrying about Eila before yourself." Perrine smirked good naturedly. "She's in the next room. Lemare said she'll make a full recovery." When she saw the worried look Sanya's face, she chuckled, "You two were out for just a few days. She actually woke up yesterday, but Lemare doesn't want her moving for a while. Don't worry, she doesn't have amnesia this time."

Sanya sank back down, becoming dizzy as relief flooded her body. Eila was alright. There was no way she'd lose Eila, not after everything they'd been through together. She placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart, trying to calm herself down, as the fear faded.

Once calm, Sanya looked around the small room. She was lying in a simple bed, with snow white sheets. Two side tables flanked it, and upon one of them lay a clipboard, a few lines written in Georgette's neat handwriting on it. Looking down at herself, Sanya realized she was no longer in her normal uniform; instead, she was in a simple hospital gown. Beneath that, she felt bandages all over her body rubbing against her skin as she shifted.

Gingerly, she felt her side. From underneath the dressing, a dull ache from her healed wound immediately answered the contact, but otherwise she felt no pain. Remembering Georgette's words, she gave thanks that the Neuroi blade hadn't hit any of her vitals. Had it been closer to the center of her body, it could've ended a much different way.

Her head was still muddled though, thoughts unclear as they floated about lazily in her head. She had no idea where she even was. She looked quizzically at her friend.

"You're back at the 502nd's base, in the medical ward." Perrine answered, apparently sensing Sanya's unspoken question. "Lemare insisted we bring you here when they found you. I think she felt personally responsible."

"What happened?" Sanya's memories were hazy at best, and she couldn't remember what had occurred after reaching Eila.

"You really don't remember?" Perrine wore a surprised expression, but it was quickly replaced with one of thought. "Actually, it probably took a lot out of you. Shouldn't be surprised you don't remember …" Thinking for a moment, Perrine turned back to Sanya, who was waiting expectantly.

And with that, Perrine began to recount everything that had happened in the final hours of the operation. Georgette had escorted her back down to the Graf Zeppelin, where they had witnessed the beginning of the land invasion. Nipa, after finding out where Sanya and Eila had gone, had apparently broken formation to pursue them, which explained why she had appeared unexpectedly.

After finishing off the last of the airborne escort, the witches and the last of the air force had attempted to destroy the walkers, to no avail. The carrier had risen into the sky, splitting in two, and began slowly forming a hive. When all hope seemed lost, a light had come down from the sky, destroying the developing hive and tearing through most of the invading force before disappearing over the horizon. Thanks to that, the defenders had been able to clean up the rest of the Neuroi with relatively little trouble, ultimately declaring the operation a success.

"When the Commander had told us she had detected you and Eila were in the light, I couldn't believe my ears. I have no clue how you two survived that far of a fall." Perrine sighed, "It was lucky Giuseppina had jumped out the 507th's plane on the way over, or else who knows what would've happened? She found you two around almost a hundred kilometers from the coast!"

Sanya nodded, remaining silent as she took in all the information. She stared at her hands as the events started to come back to her. She remembered destroying Eila's core, she remembered kissing her and professing her love, but what had caused them to turn into the light? They had lost their Strikers prior to that, and seemed to be as good as dead from that altitude. So how had they managed to destroy the hive and end up that far inland?

But … did it matter? All that mattered was that Eila was safe, and that Eila's homeland was safe.

She heard a sniff and looked up in surprise to see Perrine wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm just glad to see you again, Sanya," Perrine sniffed, placing her glasses back on her face and smiling softly at the Orussian, before leaning in and wrapping the girl in a warm embrace. "I was so worried about you two … Thank goodness …"

"Thank you …" Sanya whispered back, returning the hug as a smile appeared on her face, "I don't think I could've made it without you." Perrine, standing by her, unwavering even in the midst of disaster. The one who had comforted her when she was down. Perrine, with her determination and her kind heart. Sanya felt a rush of emotion; truly she was lucky to have such a friend. She put on her best smile, hoping her appreciation would be conveyed. "Thank you for standing with me, all this time."

"Well, I do aim to please." Perrine laughed lightly, pulling back. Straightening out her uniform and fixing her hair, she regained her composure, flashing a bright smile. "Well enough of that, can I get you anything? Something to eat, perhaps?"

Sanya's stomach rumbled at the mention. She didn't know how long it had been since she had eaten, and Shimohara's cooking sounded heavenly right about now. Despite this, food would have to wait; there was something more important she wanted to do. "I'd like to see Eila."

Perrine looked unsure for second, as she seemed to think about it for a moment, before giving a half shrug. "Well, there were no orders against you staying in bed, so I suppose if you think you're up to it." When Sanya nodded, she sighed, a smile on her face, "You're a fighter, aren't you?" She stood up and took Sanya's hands. "Can you stand?"

Sanya smiled gratefully at her friend as she tossed off the blanket, carefully swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Using Perrine for support, she lowered her feet onto the floor, gingerly sliding her feet into the slippers left beside the bed.

Her legs felt shaky as she rose to her feet, as if she hadn't used them in weeks, and she winced slightly at the ache from the wound in her side as it reacted to her standing up. Georgette's healing had done its job, as there didn't seem to be any pain. Sanya would have to make sure to not reopen this time. She stayed there for a minute, taking a deep breath and gathering her strength.

I want to see you.

As Perrine escorted her to the door, moving carefully, her anticipation rose. She longed to see Eila once more. It would for the first time since they shared their love together, so high in the sky. It only heightened the closer they got to the door of Eila's room.

I want to see you.

She could barely contain herself as Perrine reached out, opening the door before escorting the girl inside.

Sanya's memories began to uncloud as she entered the room. It was the very same room where Eila had woken up without her memories, the place where Sanya's world had felt like it had ended. There had been so much pain within these walls, and there was a distant memory of giving up on everything. It all seemed like a lifetime ago.

It no longer felt that way.

Instead, it felt like there was hope. Hope for the future. Their future.

Eila seemed to be fast asleep, lying peacefully on the bed, long hair cascading around her. There was a chair pulled up on the side, similar to what Perrine had done in Sanya's room, and there was a girl sitting in it, arms crossed behind her head and eyes closed. She was angled away from them, but the short blond hair and blue uniform let them know who it was.

Sanya was unsure of how Nipa would react. They had been at odds before, but she felt like Nipa had changed ever since she returned the photos to them. Besides, Nipa had helped her reach Eila. Sanya kept a strong face, just in case something was still up. Nodding to Perrine, she pulled away, standing shakily on her own two feet.

One of Nipa's eyes opened at the sound of them entering, and the girl turned to look at them. There was a pause as the two looked at each other, the Suomi's face betraying no emotion.

Unexpectedly, Nipa sighed, a small smile of relief gracing her features. Rising to her feet as quietly as she could, she strode over, pulling Sanya into her arms.

"Thank goodness you're okay …" Nipa whispered, giving Sanya a light hug, "Thank you for bringing her back safely …"

Sanya's defenses were for naught, and she returned the hug earnestly, secretly relieved that they seemed to be on better terms. She knew that Nipa cared for Eila, probably as much as she did, and this whole ordeal had been as hard on the Suomi as it had been on her. Though Nipa's actions during Eila's amnesia had been underhanded, Sanya supposed she could understand why it had happened.

But Nipa had apologized to Sanya for her actions, when she had helped her reach Eila. And if Eila was willing to forgive her, Sanya couldn't find it in her heart to resent someone who wanted to make Eila as happy as she did. If Nipa was willing to make amends, far be it from Sanya to refuse her such a thing. Maybe they could even be friends one day. That might be nice.

There was a hint of tears in Nipa's eyes as she pulled away, stepping swiftly around Sanya and out the door, allowing the Orussian her own time with Eila. Perrine gave her a smile, as she too left the room, closing the door softly behind her. No doubt she'd let Georgette know of Sanya's awakening, but she looked as though she might delay such a thing. Just for a little longer.

Silently, not wanting to disturb Eila's rest, Sanya made her way over to her bedside, heart pounding as she got closer and closer.

There was no sign of the Neuroi metal on Eila's skin. No trace of it ever being there, besides the many bandages hiding the wounds she had suffered. Eila's face, though bandaged, was peaceful as she snored softly.

As carefully as she could, Sanya slipped into the bed beside Eila, gently wrapping her arms around the other girl as she lay on her side. She gazed lovingly as the Suomi's chest rose and fell gently, the girl breathing softly as she slept. The morning sun shining through the window gave her love an almost angelic glow as it covered them its warmth. Sanya lay there, content, eyes threatening to shut and draw her asleep.

She yawned, shifting a little more than she intended. After a second, she felt eyes upon her. Looking up, she found Eila gazing at her.

"Hey." A tender smile appeared on Eila's lips as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Hey …" Sanya whispered, tears coming to her eyes. Relief flooded her being, as she found the proof that Eila was well. She felt her heart leap, and a small blush tinted her cheeks red.

They leaned towards each other, brushing their lips together into a soft kiss, hearts pounding as they lost themselves in each other. A kiss, revelling in this newfound love they shared. A wordless agreement to face the bright, wonderful future laid out before them, together. To take it into their own hands, and to decide their own fate.

Taking Eila's hands in hers, she laid her head on her love's chest, sighing contentedly, as all of her worries and troubles seemed to melt away in the warm sunlight.

Not like Sanya could ever begin to describe how happy she felt in that moment. Emotions mixed together. Love, joy, relief.

Peace.

Those terrible last few weeks, carrying countless struggles and pain for both of them, had finally come to a close. Eila's once distorted memories had been made whole. It was over.

Their magic had become one, interweaving like strands of DNA, never to be broken apart. The echoes of Eila ran in her veins, making her feel closer to the girl than she had ever been before. Perhaps one day they would figure out what had happened to them, how they had singlehandedly turned the tides of battle, in that place so high in the sky. But right now, it didn't matter.

There were no words that needed to be said.

For now, they were just content to live in the moment, just being in each other's presence.

In that quiet room, bathing in the warm sunlight, all that mattered to them was the love that they shared. A thousand thoughts raced through their heads. What things would change? What things would stay the same? They had all the time in the world to find out.

Maybe they'd have their differences. Maybe encounter misunderstandings between them. They were not perfect, after all. But it was natural. It was only human. But now that they knew they shared a love together, one pure and beautiful, they would get through whatever life threw at them. Together.

Sanya liked Eila's soft lips and long pale hair. She liked her pranks, mischievous smiles and protective ways. She liked the way she looked at her, she liked the warmth of sharing a bed with the one she held closest to her heart. She loved Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen.

And that was all she needed.

[Our Beginning]

[Distorted – END]

[-]

[Ending theme: Inoue Sonoko – Senkou Hanabi]