What is happening my dogs, cats and inbetween? What kind of stuff have you been up to? Actually I shouldn't ask. It's your private business...tell me!
Anyway, how's it going? I hope it's going well for you all. We actually have some new friends/family with us. Say your greetings everyone!
I probably shouldn't banter like an idiot. Please read on.
Chapter 41: Boarding The Varsenda
"That should be about it." Yuudai says to himself. He is at the academy gathering some things.
After escaping and riding the dragon, Louise and him decided that gathering some supplies from the academy would be wise. It has been a month since then. They are also fly Zero, the jet, over and land it on the Varsenda. It happens to be the ship that is to carry the jet.
Originally, it was used to carry wind dragons, but since a zero fighter jet is better, it happens to be its own ship now. Yuudai is a bit skeptical about it though. If Albion got a lucky shot in, that could be the end of the jet. Despite this concern, he can't constantly fly it since it would waste precious fuel that he was barely able to get Colbert to create in the first place.
"Excuse me, Yuudai. Are you leaving?" Colbert asks walking to him. Yuudai turns to the man with a smile.
"Yes, I am." He answers.
"Very well. Will you head directly to the ship? Can you land this thing on the ship safely?" The older man requests. The ships, along with the ship that will carry Zero, have set sail that morning. "And worry not about fuel. I had five full tanks of gasoline put on that ship."
"Thank you, Colbert. You've helped out so much." Yuudai thanks bowing slightly to him.
"Now there is something I haven't seen." Colbert says chuckling. Knowing the haste Yuudai should be in, he pulls himself together. "Before you go, I need to give you this manual." He says handing Yuudai a manual. "It explains what the new weapon on your Zero is for."
Yuudai places it in his jacket pocket. "Thanks again. I'll have Blanc read it to me later." He tells Colbert.
Colbert grows a somber look. Yuudai tilts his head wordlessly asking what's wrong. "To tell you the truth...I do not want my student to ride in vehicle used for war." Colbert admits to him.
"Don't worry. I'll have Blanc off as soon as we land." Yuudai reassures the man.
"Not only her. I hope you do not mind, but I think of you as my student. Though you may not be noble, you have been around so often I found myself calling you my own student." He explains.
"I don't mind at all." Yuudai states. "If I was a student, you would definitely be my favorite teacher." Yuudai then looks deep into his eyes. "No matter the dark past you hide."
Colbert becomes shocked. It shows on his face. He shakes his head to rid himself of the shock. "How did you know I hold a troubled past?"
"I've seen that look before." Yuudai answers thinking of Henrietta's own troubled history. "Everyone who has a dark past has the look. It more than likely ended in flames. Am I right?"
Colbert laughs lightly. "One should never doubt your intelligence. Otherwise they might end up spilling their secrets with one sentence." He says. Yuudai chuckles as well.
"I'm ready." Louise informs her familiar.
Yuudai turns to look at her. "I thought I was going to grow gray hair waiting on you." Yuudai says.
"It can't be helped. A girl has like me has many preparations to make." Louise retorts crossing her arms.
Yuudai smirks at her. "Like braiding your hair? Putting on your makeup? Or even better, gossiping about the latest pretty boy in the country." Yuudai mocks jokingly. She puffs up her cheeks. Louise then climbs into the jet behind the pilot seat. "Sorry about cutting this short, but I have to be going now."
Colbert nods in understanding. Yuudai proceeds to get in and strap himself in. He puts on the goggles Siesta's grandfather had when he flew Zero. He gives a thumbs up to Colbert signaling him to start turning the turbine.
The teacher uses his wind magic to start spinning the turbine. It speeds up quickly as Yuudai switches on the engine. Colbert waves to Louise and Yuudai catching their attention.
"Do not die! Do not die! Even if it is hopeless! Even if you'll be called a coward, do not die! Never die! Return safe and sound!" The teacher tells them from the bottom of his heart and over the sound of the engine.
"I promise to return both of us alive!" Yuudai yells back.
He then starts the movement of Zero. The jet quickly takes to the air flying away. Colbert watches it go into the distance thinking.
"I wish you both mercy from the pain of loss." Colbert says as if they could still hear him. The memories he suppressed for many years. Ever since the fire…
Later With Yuudai And Yuudai
"So that must be the fleet." Yuudai says to himself starting to see some of the ships.
It has been two hours since they left for the fleet. The entire trip consisted of talking to himself. Louise wouldn't ever answer, so that is why he did so. With the words to himself, he always kept an eye out for anything unexpected. Nothing out of the ordinary from his observations.
As they fly further, much more ships come into sight varying in sizes. "This is a huge fleet." Yuudai states impressed by the sight.
"I guess." Louise mutters looking at the ships in a similar manner.
Yuudai looks around the fleet. "So how do we find the Varsenda?" He asks getting no verbal answer from Louise. Some wind dragons with men riding them, dragon knights, surround the plane putting Yuudai on edge. One of the knights wave to him as a way of leading him. "Allies it seems."
The knights proceed to direct him to the Varsenda. Eventually, the ship comes in sight. The deck is flat and very wide. It isn't a surprise since it is meant to carry dragon knights. Seeing as this is the case, there are no cannons or heavy artillery.
Yuudai looks around the deck trying to find a place to land. He finds nothing other than some mages carrying some rope. "You have got to be kidding me." Yuudai says.
"You know what to do, right?" Derflinger asks popping out of his sheath for the first time in a long time.
"I almost forgot you could talk." Yuudai tells the sword totally ignoring Derflinger's question. "But yes. I know what to do."
"You better." Louise comments crossing her arms and puffing up her cheeks.
Yuudai motions the mages to get the ropes around Zero. The ropes carefully wrap around the wings and other parts using wind magic. Afterwards, Yuudai slowly moves Zero to the deck. He manages to land it without damaging it after a minute.
Yuudai unbuckles himself from the seat then jumps out of his jet. Louise follows suit not even a second later. They look around to get a look around and find an officer walking towards them. He stops in front of the two standing straight.
"Deck Officer, Kuryuuzurei." The mage informs them of his name and status.
Yuudai deadpans. "That name is too long." He states. "Your pet name is now Ku." The mage gives him a disapproving look, but stays quiet. Louise kicks him in the shin sending a brief shock of pain in Yuudai.
The officer starts walking away motioning them to follow. He takes them to a private two person cabin allowing them to drop off their luggage. Yuudai decides to keep Derflinger on him though. Since he is going to be in this war, he can't just assume his fists or gun can save him solo anymore. No more underestimating the enemy for the weakness of their past subordinates.
Afterwards, the two are lead through zigzags through the ship. They come to a door with voices coming from inside once their. Ku knocks on the door receiving a verbal answer. He opens the door motioning for Yuudai and Louise to walk in. The two are greeted by the sight of a line of generals with golden laced armor on sitting down.
Yuudai and Louise proceed to be guided to seats by another soldier. They sit down keeping quiet. The general at the topmost seat takes a breath getting ready to speak.
"Welcome to Albion Invasion Command Headquarters, Miss Void." The general greets pleasantly.
"Supreme Commander De Poitiers." She replies trying not to let her nervous demeanor show through her voice and looks.
"This is Chief of Staff Wimpffen." He introduces pointing at a small man with a deep wrinkles sitting to the left of the general. The man nods to her. He then points to another general. This one has a handlebar mustache and wearing a steel helmet. He nods to her solemnly. "This is the commander of the Germania army, Marquis Handenburg."
Yuudai looks around the generals taking in their appearance and movements. Looking for any sign of deceit. It might be just him worrying, but it's better safe than sorry. Especially since this ship seems to be the mother headquarters.
The supreme general introduces the rest of the crew and generals one by one. He finishes up looking around at the two waiting to see if there is any questions. Seeing none, he continues.
"Now gentlemen, this is the trump card her majesty kept. I introduce you to the void user." Poitiers introduces. Nobody even bats a brow at that. The generals only gaze at them suspiciously. "She is the one who destroyed Albion's fleet in the Battle Of Tarbes." Once he says this, everyone starts looking at her with interest.
"Henrietta is nice and all, but was it really such a good idea to tell all these generals?" Yuudai questions quietly.
Louise looks at him from the corner of her eye. "I'd answer, but I have no doubt that you know why." Louise says to him.
Yuudai sighs. "Unfortunately, I do." He looks around at the fake smiles adorning all of their faces. "Henrietta's loose lips better not jeopardize our safety." He states feeling no hostility towards the queen, but feeling protective of his friend, Louise. He was told to protect Louise not just by Henrietta, but by Louise's own sister. To him, a family request is more important. Meaning he won't hesitate to protect Louise from Henrietta if he must.
"You may think this is a hastily chosen headquarters, but I assure you that we are safer in the Varsenda than the others." The supreme general assures Louise.
"If I may say something, never assume that. Do you think that the enemy wouldn't suspect something like this?" Yuudai speaks up watching as the generals nod probably thinking the same thing now that it has been spoken. "I'm not saying they will, but if they do then what? Will you simply send me and her out in hopes that we kill them in time? Continue this council, but just remember that relying on two people will not end well."
He leans back in his chair. The council room stays silent with this thought in mind. It isn't exactly a nice thing to hear, but needed. A minute of silence passes before the supreme general begins to get back to the entire reason for the war council. How to deal with Albion's forces.
Soon the conversation leads to talking about deceiving the enemy into thinking they'll land in Dartanes so that they can Rosais. How to do it and whatnot. Until one of the noble staff speaks up.
"Can we hope for miss void's cooperation in either of the two?" He asks looking to the supreme general. He then looks to her. "Could you blow up the Albion fleet like you did to the Lexington?"
She shakes her head. "It's impossible. I don't have the willpower to cast such a powerful explosion. I don't know how many day, weeks, months or years it will take to regain it all." She answers.
"Then such an unreliable weapon can't be called a trump card." The man states rudely.
Louise stiffens up. Not only because of that comment. She's noticed Yuudai's protective nature rise up recently. It has become easy to know his triggers.
Yuudai places his glare at the one staff man. "Please talk like that much more. I'm yearning to use a real weapon on a useless idiot." He says simply making the man pale.
"H-how dare a familiar threaten a noble!" The man exclaims.
"We'll take over the fleet. Let's have Miss Void undertake the feint. Can you do it?" The supreme general asks Louise to prevent Yuudai from assaulting his men.
"Feint?" Louise questions tilting her head.
"We discussed it before. We only have to convince the enemy that we will land not in Rosais but in Dartanes. It should be simple for the legendary void user, right?" He asks again giving her a knowing smile.
Louise nods remembering Derf saying something to her. Something about spells coming to the book only when needed. "Tomorrow, I'll look for a spell that can be used." She replies.
"Alright then. Please leave the room to us now." Poitiers urges.
They both stand up. Louise bows to him in respect. The two then proceed to leave the room to the generals.
End
Finished! How was it? Pretty cool, huh?
So I've got a newsflash for those of you that are unaware. I've added to the Fear Of verse! The Fear Of The Kingdom! It's another spin off. It's a bit rough at the begging, just like this one, so you'd have to bear with me. Just a cool heads up.
Without much else to say, thanks for reading, favoriting, following, reviewing and have a great day/night/morning!