A/N: This chapter contains light spoilers for another fic: Muv-Luv Reversal.

On the evening of a nice day in spring.

(Underground Command Center.)

Sinking was the afterglow, folding in was the orange wave from the skies, back into the horizon. In stark contrast, beepings and orders barreled to life in wild succession, dizzying as if one were to stand right by a speaker at full volume. Their efforts as dim as the low blue hue that barely dared to glisten over their duties, monitors and keyboards, similar to the flicker of a candle under wind, coming from the larger monitor in the deep end of the command center as it updated the situation in the field.

It was what in it was displayed what brought such commotion to the personnel in the room, shouting orders and reports one after the other, sometimes drowning the others in doing so. In each passing second, more and more red covered the screen. With each moment, the green dots marking their troops would disappear more and more, and the blue of their land was covered by the red, the dreadful red. As such, behind those metallic desks right by the larger monitor, the frenzied reports of both young women, older men, and the monotone from dolls of artificial origin struggled hoarsely to overcome the blaring of the alarm.

"Ice Crown Artillery Battalion is asking for reinforcements!" an operator relayed.

"Who is available as of now?" a representative coming from one of the nearby settlements inquired, wiping cold sweat from his forehead yet leaving his hand atop his hair. "Is there anyone who could assist them?" his hand cascaded to hide an eye as the operators grimaced, all too aware that the defense line was already stretched thin.

Thus, a lone voice, cold voice, reverberated over the room. "Have them stand their ground, any further and the perimeter will collapse," Kouzuki commanded, arms folded and with an immutable expression. "Where is the mechanized infantry?"

Lips twisting for a moment, one of the older of the crew responded, "245th and 246th Battalions… or what's left of them are retreating to their position as we speak. They also are asking for support."

Kouzuki grasped her chin, looking at the monitors. Staying in position, as if not registering the deafening orchestra that played all about the command center, tilting her head in a rhythm back and forth, unblinking and cool she remained as red reflected upon her features.

Slowly, almost dejectedly, her hand fell to a side, into one of her pockets, "Order the STF to take vanguard in sector D4, send artillery support to them first," She so commanded, undaunted.

"Kouzuki, you need to send more troops!" The representative demanded, despite the squeal his voice resembled, and the quiver of his knees and gut, "If the BETA pierce the defense line then-"

"I don't need to be reminded of what would happen," she glared at the man, biting the edge of her lips. The man cowered back, breaking eye contact, "I know already all that's been sacrificed to get us where we are. Thus, the STF should halt their advance now, to give us a moment to regroup. Is the Captain in line already?" she hurried, to the operators' dismay as they hustled to establish the connection.

A moment and some beeps later, Kouzuki glaring at the alarm while thumping a feet, causing someone to go shut it off as she put an audio-pod in her ear, a small square zoomed to a corner of the larger monitor. Stiff as a statue, creaks as if in a wasteland surfacing in her lips, one of her brows sank as the connection was established.

And knowing only Kouzuki could hear her voice, knowing more reckless orders were coming her way, the woman fumed much, "Ma'am, what would be the matter?"

"I need you to reinforce sector D4. Once their current wave is suppressed, you shall perform a laserjagd," she so ordered, still inexpressive.

Which caused a few lines to mark onto the captain's eyes, concern setting in, "Ma'am, we do not have the numbers to perform a laserjagd against so many BETA."

"The artillery crew will send some Surface-to-Surface missiles to cleave a path for all of you, should be enough for you all to swoop in and rend the laser threat null. Operators, how many lasers are there?"

A monotone, coming from behind Kouzuki, informed instantly after the query, "Two groups of near a hundred. There's a small group of Heavies in the rearmost of the herd."

"Thanks, Sestina. Hmm…" she slowly stroked her bangs, almost closing her eyes, as she looked at the monitors. "Captain, remain in connection. For the moment, reinforce sector D4. I'll contact you with further orders in a moment."

"Yes, Ma'am!" the woman saluted, the dryness expanding into her mouth at the situation.

As the green dots of the STF moved out, as the demanding cries of the other troops connected every so and so to the command center, as the red flood hit a wall of green, something of ten minutes passed as Kouzuki remaining silent, simply ordering the troops to fall back to safer positions to trigger the landmines, almost apathetically, when she deemed her voice necessary.

The number of Tanks and Grapplers was too large for the STF to deal on their own, she knew that well. The elevations were working against them in this fight, should the lasers reach any of the hills near the base the mission was as good as over. A laserjagd was needed, and it would be easy to solve this issue afterwards, but she couldn't take anyone from anywhere away from their positions or the defense line would crumble. Waiting more would only worsen the situation.

Leaning back onto the bare metal of the walls, again indifferent at its frosting sensation to the touch, the loud orchestra became white noise as she focused on the swirling dots in the monitor. Up and down, slightly advancing, then the reflection upon the room shifted from a large outstretched fire of red to a calmer pond of blue as the artillery refitted their units.

However… this was all futile if the lasers were not accounted for. Elbows sinking into her sides, a most disgusting taste of plastic, of iron filled her mouth, as she bit one of her nails, pressed her tongue against the back of her teeth. The representative and other authorities present were giving her some suggestions, yet she ignored them at large. There was no need for further compromises. All she needed… was to take out the lasers, then she could use the bombardments to take care of the rest of the aliens. Yet, no matter how much she replayed the scenario in her head, the end result did not change.

"Professor?" a small voice, hesitant, spoke by her side.

"What is it, Sestina?" she looked at her assistant, dressed in absolute black, who proceeded to nod her way.

And after placing both interlocked hands by her waist, eyes closed as she spoke, "If the current units deployed are insufficient, perhaps we should send out reinforcements."

"We don't have anyone else to send, you should know that already."

"Actually, we do. Both a machine and a fitting pilot," she countered, returning the stare and, unlike everyone else, holding it firmly.

"…He has not had any training to adapt to it," Kouzuki countered, raising her chin, leaving the wall, almost gritting her teeth. "It is a risk I cannot take."

Yet, she didn't even waver at the missing space between their gazes, "Regardless, I am of the opinion that it is our best option were you wishing to not concede any further terrain."

Kouzuki inhaled, arms folding as she released the air, dropped the blaze. Relenting a nod, eyeing the monitor, zooming into the different reports and communications coming from the field, she endowed in silence. Tip of a finger on her lips, everything else blurred, as if behind a glass on a rainy day, as she added him to the board. Eyes squinting once more, now aimed upwards, in image of a pendulum she stroked her chin.

She then smirked, for she hadn't thought she would get the chance to test this right after making the finishing touches to the frame. Many do tend to call her a demon, and for once her luck seemed to agree on the claim.

Tapping her comms, she immediately spoke after the beep confirmed the connection, "Captain, ready your unit for a laserjagd."

Which shocked the woman, who luckily was refilling her jump units at the moment, otherwise the ensuing grip on her controls might have caused an accident, "Ma'am, could you send me the route you'd wish for us to take first?"

"Straight ahead," Kouzuki quickly answered, as if bored.

"Wh- Please reconsider! We most certainly do not have the required support to pierce through the heart of the horde!"

"Don't worry, I'll be sending you some reinforcements."

"Huh? However, I was led to believe all available forces had been deployed…" corking an eyebrow, she inquired.

"All but one. Begin the preparations at once," she imposed, the captain nodded, "Operators, tell the hangar crew to ready the Kusanagi." Thus, Kouzuki's sharp words and unconcerned expression shocked everyone equally.

"W-What?!" the representative opened his eyes wide, as the majority of the people there did. "Kouzuki, that machine is a pilot killer! To have it sortie when you haven't tested it would-"

She leveled a stare at the man, taking a step forward, a sharp step forward, "…be the most sound course of action. Only the Kusanagi has enough speed to clear the elevations to reach the STF, as well as aid with the laserjagd. Operators, if you wouldn't mind."

Yet, the captain's voice zoomed into her ears, "We do not need a prototype's help! It would be more detrimental to our mission."

"…Is that so," Kouzuki tilted her head, rolling her eyes while scratching the back of her head. "Its pilot will handle it well, do not concern yourself with any possible accidents. Because there will be none," she ascertained, conviction as firm as a mountain, as undeniable as an equation's true result.

"H-However…" her underling was not assuaged, yet. "Just who will you be sending to us? I am loath to admit all of our elite forces are on the field already," she squinted her eyes, at Sestina in particular. "There is no need to shoulder any further risks to lose valuable personnel, Ma'am."

Kouzuki once again shook her head, folding her arms a tad bit too tightly, "I see. In any case, I believe he'll handle himself well. Again, begin the preparations. We're wasting time."

"…He?" one of her eyelids twitched. "Ma'am, certainly, you are not thinking on sending who I believe you are referring to?" she inquired, lips quivering more cracks, further enlarging the desert within at the prospect

"Why, yes, I am referring to Shirogane, obviously," Kouzuki admitted, a finger on a cheek as she smiled at the rest's shock. "What's that look like a penguin in a desert for? Would his presence be an inconvenience for you, Captain?"

"But of course it would!" she blasts in complain, purple blazes emerged from her gaze, further from her tone. "After his actions on his retrieval, I cannot condone the notion of working alongside him any further," tightly shrugging her lips, spawning more cracks in them, she stated.

"Huh, is that so. I believe this is no way for you to treat a fellow of yours, Captain Mitsurugi," Kouzuki cheerily smirked upon the groan the words elicited from her underling, who hid her blaze of a gaze behind her purple fringe, clawing at her controls. "I cannot have you refuse a comrade in such fashion, imagine what would be said of my special task force if such a thing were known." Covering her mouth, Kouzuki then whispered as she leaned back into the metal wall, "As much as I'd also wish to keep him within the base, we need his skills now. I expect you to be on your best behavior, regardless of your opinions on Shirogane's current… standing in the base."

Sighing heavily, she nodded in the monitor, her short hair bobbing forward as the desert was in her complexion. "As you will, Ma'am. Any further orders?"

Still whispering, to the trepidation of palpitations of the others at the exclusive conversation between them, Kouzuki commanded, "Don't let him out of sight. Talented he might be, yet the Kusanagi is a quirky machine, you'd understand. You're authorized to use all available ammo to you, as soon as the task is done I'll issue the retreat order as the bombers are deployed. Also…" she smirked a bit at the monitor, "do try to get used to his presence in the field. I'm certain you know what comes afterwards once rumors of this battle reach the right ears."

"…So that's your intention," folding her lips inwards, restraining her teeth to not show anything, Mitsurugi's eyes blazed once more. "I assume you wish for him to return to the frontlines?"

"We'll leave that talk for later," ending the whisper, back to a composed expression, she thus ordered, "Captain, begin preparations for the laserjagd."

"…Yes, Ma'am." A salute and a firm nod afterwards, she cut the connection just as she frowned. Much to Kouzuki's amusement, she then giggled for a moment.

"K-Kouzuki, you have to reconsider!" The representative insisted, fingers moving erratically as if frozen, "That TSF is not something that can be piloted by anyone. To lose the XF-108 would-"

"Are you doubting my judgment?" one step forward, she peered right into his eyes.

The man shook his head, running a hand over his forehead once more, "…I suppose you are going to bear the responsibility if anything were to occur?"

"Do you even have to ask?" rolling her eyes, she fiddled with her bangs. "Ease up, nothing is falling on your shoulders. I am in charge here. Now then, operators, have the troops fall back. I don't want any unnecessary losses from now on." The crew relayed the orders, relief flooded from the answers that came shortly afterwards. Allowing a minute smile for a moment, Kouzuki then looked to her left, "Sestina, would you go get him, if you don't mind?"

"Understood," she bowed down, her twin tails moving a bit as she did, before she slowly marched out of the room.

Kouzuki leaned against a wall, tilting her head slightly. The rest in the room had some measure of tension, tightened brows, twisting lips, hands running over their faces. She, however, was eerily calm. Oh, so eerily calm.

And away from the noise, away into hallways of glistening silver plating, of pumps and cables, Trista Sestina, also known as Kasumi Yashiro, briskly walked her way towards her objective. Light strong enough to force one to squint their eyes shut permeated the hallways, the prim hallways of bare metal that she walked through, yet she had no issue in keeping her eyes open. The hurried shouts, distorted by machinery, soon faded away, leaving eventual beepings or clanging of pumps, or even the echo of her own steps, as the lone sound accompanying her light stride, as an improvised techno rave of the base itself.

However, even that vanished after moments. The cowering glare of the shining floor also dulled as Sestina walked further into the hallways, dust becoming visible on the air, lazily floating as if a dandelion it were. Its presence became noticeable on the floor, on the walls, obstructing the overhead lights. Nothing but her own breathing and clanging of her steps on the floor, nothing but the unchanging patterns of the walls of the hallways. Until she took a sharp turn, reached a set of stairs that was decidedly distant from the rest of the base.

The walls around had no doors, no sounds could be heard beyond her hurried steps, and the stairs themselves were illuminated by a twitching light, that squirmed in complain, flickering on and off, as if begging to be replaced. Sestina descended the stairs nonetheless, through one resting stop and down again, the hallway at the end far more narrow, far more dim than the one above. Adorned by a cerulean hue, the darkened plating reminded her of the place she would spend most of her time a long time ago, before meeting him.

Reaching a locked, magnetically sealed bolt door, she swiped her ID card on the reader, causing screeching gears to come to life, a slight rotation on the door in front of her before it parted to the side to grant her access to what laid beyond.

One delayed step later, directing her attention to a terminal, she double checked his whereabouts before walking into the small area within the room, into the rows of cells. Room G5-J2, that was his current location.

Walking into the dulled and narrow hallways of the place, she arrived at the door, swiping her ID card and briskly entering. The large resting place had different amenities at first glance, and she had to bring a hand to her sight as the brighter illumination of the place covered her. Soon after getting used to it, she found her target in the middle of the place.

Both hands behind his head, laying on the sofa, Shirogane slowly opened his eyes and gazed her way. "…Hm? Hi there," he smiled, sitting down. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Folding both arms behind her back, she stared, "…The Professor requires you to take to the field."

"…Again?" he narrowed his brows, scratching the back of his head. "What about the issues of last time?"

"This is an order coming directly from her. Please follow me, we are short on time," she bowed, gesturing towards the door.

"Sigh… Fine, I get it," standing up after a sharp breath in, he cracked his knuckles as he approached the assistant. "So, what am I up against now?"

"BETA, we require you to perform a laserjagd," she notified as they left the room.

"Huh… So, which model am I using?" the soldier inquired, quickly leaving the inner area as she closed the magnetic door.

"Allow me to inform you of it on the way down to the hangar," she pointed towards the hallway, where an elevator was right by the side of the stairs. "Your situation might change depending on the mission's outcome."

"Yeah, whatever. Give me the intel, I'll get the job done."

Staring as they walked side by side, she inquired, "…Why would you be casting distrust upon my words?"

"Because nothing will change. By morning, we're gonna be back at square zero," he deadpanned.

"…The Professor won't be pleased to hear this."

"Then don't tell her."

"I cannot do such, I am her assistant," tapping the panel, then entering the elevator, she once more peered into his eyes, his so distant eyes, as the descent started. "Now, allow me to inform you of your craft. It is a special prototype unit, codename Kusanagi."

"A prototype?" arching a brow, he placed both hands on his nape while leaning on a wall. "Is the thing even field worthy?"

Squinting her eyes, she nodded, "Yes. The Kusanagi has a few features that differ from crafts you have piloted in the past, namely its jump units," catching his attention, she also rested against the wall by his side. "It uses magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters, who operate by Lorentz force, a principle that you'd find similar to that of the railgun."

"Huh… So I'll have two railguns as my propulsion?"

"Four, actually. The Kusanagi has two smaller thrusters joined on its back. Just like with the railgun, there are limits to how much you can drive the units to their full capacity without hampering their usable lifespan so please exert caution at all times." Sighing, he shakes his head. Which elicits a soft groan on her end. "While the process to generate thrust isn't exactly identical to the one used to fire a Type-02 EI Launcher, you'll have further speed than you're used to even without entering plasma boost."

"…I suppose that has to do with G-Elements?"

"Indeed. It is a delicate piece of equipment, after all. To force the engines to their full output, more so to pilot precisely under the strain of a sudden shift to a high mach speed is truly dangerous, however, your piloting quirks of random acceleration might benefit from the configuration."

He chuckled, feeling as if under the sun, "Hehe… Guess that if I have that card up my sleeve, I could even-"

"No, you cannot perform any aerial charges during this mission," she countered, plucking her lips slightly.

Which he imitated, groaning as he folded his arms, "Then, why are you even sending me to the field?"

"Because you're required to fight, as per the Professor's order. Now, let me continue," she coughed to clear her throat, a small stroke on her hair, yet when she looked back at him, Shirogane had his eyes closed.

As they descended, she detailed a report to him, who answered in hums and groans. Upon reaching the floor of the hangar, as the door opened and he stepped away from the elevator, her elbows sank into her sides, a quiver on them, raising and tickling her chin with every step he took.

And because of that, she got as close to the door as possible, eyes glued to the floor, "Please be careful, 1st Lieutenant," she asked, pleaded, and heard his steps stop.

Looking up, Shirogane hadn't turned around. Seeming to have sighed, he shook his head, "There's no need for you to worry about me. I'll fulfill my orders, so tell the XO that she can rest easy."

"I will. Still… please exert caution. We'll be awaiting your safe return."

He nodded and resumed his walk further into the hallway, the elevator's doors closing a moment later. As the way back started, she leaned back on the spot where he had been before. A slight warmness was left lingering on the metal, and she couldn't help but to play with her hair as she reminisced on days long gone, on days where such warmth fell on her person.

Some odd minutes after that, confirmation from the hangar crew arrived to Kouzuki's ear before her assistant had made the trip back to the command center. The XF-108 Kusanagi was ready to deploy, with a Shirogane decked in an ebon black suit with lines of emerald green giving his greeting in the monitor.

"Salutations, Shirogane," Kouzuki coyly addressed, a small smile on her. "I suppose you're already aware of the situation."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head, "Yeah, I gotta rush in, kill the lasers, and get back. Easy peasy, melon squeezy."

"W-What manner of speech is this?" the representative complained, half in dismay at the man's attitude, half in fear of being near an angered Kouzuki. "How dare a mere soldier address us in-"

"Excuse me," Kouzuki shot him a glare, frosting venom slithering up her throat, "Shirogane is speaking with me. I do not recall giving you permission to intercede in our talk."

"Eh… Ah, m-my apologies," cowering back, the man bowed. The operators, curious about the pilot, suddenly found time to deliver the unending reports coming their way to the troops.

"Now then, Shirogane?" smiling again, tip of a finger on her chin.

"Yeah?" he rose a brow, not liking that expression one bit.

"I'll have you working alongside Mitsurugi, so follow her directives to the letter."

"…Roger. Anything else?"

"No, succeed in this task and your situation might change. Are you in position already?"

"Gimme a sec… Alright, the catapult crew gave me the okay. Viking, ready to sortie," he confirmed, she smiled.

"Well… 1st Lt. Shirogane, take off!" with a wide sway of her hand, almost hitting the representative in the head, she commanded.

And half a second later, the Kusanagi was blasted away by the catapult, towards the battlefield. A small shooting star of light blue defying the red blazes that had claimed the skies, that's how it was for those at ground level as it flew away, for those who could only gape at the sizzling figure as it vanished from sight.

And within the shaking of cockpit, Shirogane was having a shift from internal to external screaming while attempting to stop his body from playing pinball.

"What the hell is wrong with this thing?!" he repines with eyes blazing, his back molded, melting into the seat. His vision almost graying for a second, with a swift shift on the controls he managed to stabilize the plasma output, the speed of the craft. "G-Goddammit… I almost fucked this up…" he sighed, managing to bring the machine under control, away from full boost.

Hesitantly, he pushed the pedals, bringing up the fuel consumption, the detailed numbers of the joints, and recalling what Chief Cole had told him just moments ago, Shirogane managed to drive the Kusanagi towards the marked spot in his radar, despite his groans at being unable to perform NOE flight with the machine.

"Shirogane?" Kouzuki's face peered into a corner of his sight, sober and stoic.

"Yeah?"

"Is the machine giving you any trouble?"

"Negative. Won't risk to make another boost now, thing's going fast enough already. Other than that, nothing too different to report," he then looked at the small corner, seeing her relent a small smile.

"I see. Well, you do your usual and everything will go fine. If you need anything at all just call me back, okay?"

"Roger."

Shortly as the connection dropped, the figures of BETA entered Shirogane's sight, his radar began beeping to alert the risk of laser strike. And another thing, a green dot of allied signals, surged into his radar.

"Alright, target locked. Hehe, let's enter the stage with a blast!" smirking quite foolishly, readying his weapons, he entered a small, singular boost towards the BETA surrounding his friendlies.

Piercing through like fire over the woods, as if the aliens were made out of butter, the Kusanagi's blades skewered a few Tanks, and the Grapplers that were behind them too for good measure. Finding no delay on his sidesteps, a quick flicker of a trigger sent quite a few volleys from the guns mounted on its shoulder pylons. As he fought on, Shirogane allowed himself to smile.

That is, until a certain voice scorched his ears, "1st Lt! Could you please enlighten me as to what were you thinking, diving from the skies at such speed?" Mitsurugi repines while delivering grenades to those who sought the soldier's blank point.

"Sigh… You know Captain, I just saved your guys' backs," he complained, returning the embers both to her and the aliens.

"I'm all too aware, thanks to your savage maneuvering," eyes narrowing, she ran a hand over her fringe. "Why did you notify us with so little time before your charge?"

"The Kusanagi was faster than I thought, that's all," switching to his swords once more, a dash forward sliced a Grappler in half.

"Then, perhaps you'd be well served in endowing in caution from now onward," she repined, gunning the Tanks that were on his six.

"And here I was, trying to help you out. Oh, you break my heart, Captain."

"Be quiet, you!" shrugging her lips, more purple blazes surged from her eyes at his projection. "Do not be thinking yourself capable of beguiling me. Let me try to guess, you merely thought it'd be entertaining to test your machine, to stage a grandiose entrance to the fight."

"You're such a killjoy, you know," rolling his eyes, he chuckled. "You're so lame, ruining my fun. I just wanted to lighten the mood with a pun, no need for you to pull out a gun, ma'am."

"Mmgh… I expect you to stop endowing such selfishness in your missions. Do not think I forgot what you did while on the Herald," she pursed her lips, drawing out her blade to assist the rest of her unit while he granted her covering fire from the endless red wave, as a her throat closed shut, hands clamped tight at the thought of reprimanding him for that incident returned to her mind.

"…You still remember that?"

"Hmph, you are sorely mistaken if you believe the matter slipped my mind. I shan't allow you to escape your fair retribution," she scolded with a strong exhalation, more than willing to follow through her threat.

Yet, he could only smile, to her surprise, and chuckled in silence as he finished clearing up his side of aliens. "Whatever you say, Captain NotMeiya," he humored within.

"Alright… HQ, we have cleared our sector," Captain Mitsurugi informed, Kouzuki zooming into her view, "The Viking has also joined our unit, we are at the ready for the laserjagd."

"Copy that. Assume formation, the artillery support will start shortly," Kouzuki notified, cutting the connection afterwards.

Sighing and clutching her controls, the Captain looked at the odd machine of the unit. Gulping her own pride, nibbling at her lip and sighing short yet heavy, she slams a finger to the control panel to open a channel to the Kusanagi.

"Shirogane, do you copy?"

"Clear and loud, Ma'am. What's up?"

Brows narrowed at his informality, she shook her head to dispel the irritation. "Are you acquainted to your machine, even if slightly so?"

"Don't worry, I won't crash or cause an accident," squinting his eyes hard, feeling ice down his throat and onto his back, he nodded her way.

"Is that so… Then, come to my six. You shall follow my lead on this charge. Stay close and where I can see you, you will open a path for me," she commanded.

"Yes, yes, Ma'am. Got it."

Her lips shrugged, hands wanting to go for his neck, yet the beeping and ensuing explosions drowned her impulse. Taking in a sharp breath, she opened her unit's channel. "All units, charge forth! Our objective is the laser class, spare no bullet on our foes!"

A unified shout came as her answer, shortly followed by the blasting burst of the jump units of most of her followers, save for the almost too quiet cerulean glow that spawned from the Kusanagi.

Forty five minutes or so later.

"So, is everything under control, Captain?" Kouzuki inquired, taking a sip of tea.

"Yes, Ma'am. Our infantry teams are performing patrols at the moment to ensure no small strains infiltrated our perimeter," she dutifully reported, then her lips pursed for a moment. "However, regarding Shirogane's-"

"Denied. You will be notified of his situation in time," she replies, shrugging and looking away, sipping the remaining liquid.

Shoulders sag for a second, the Captain inhaled sharply as she nods. "…Understood. I assume… you'll place him under me?"

"With you. Do look forward to it!" Kouzuki smiled, Mitsurugi sighed.

"…There is nothing left to report. Would you be requiring anything else of me?"

"Hmm… Return to the base, right now. After you file your report, I want you to give Shirogane a read-in on what I'll need him to do, considering his situation and how he'll join your unit from now on."

"…Copy that. Mitsurugi, out."

At the drop of the connection, Kouzuki slowly sat down and began to spin, unable to rein in a smirk.

The 'prototype' had surpassed her expectations. Despite the presence of the STF, the Kusanagi efficiently removed the lesser lasers in a matter of seconds upon contact. The Heavy took some maneuvering and misdirection from Shirogane to allow the rest to ascertain lethal strikes upon them, but the hunt was successful. Simply recalling the shock of the operators, and even from the pilots that were with him, as Shirogane drove the Kusanagi to decimate three Forts in quick succession, in a single fluid dive, was enough to send a pleasant shiver down her back, all around her stomach.

Much to the Captain's displeasure, Shirogane was not satisfied for the day and went on to dealt with the six Fort-Class that roamed in the rear, forcing her hand to follow his lead. Giggling for a moment, Kouzuki's spinning slowed down, her feet touching the ground, knowing what this would mean going forward.

For many, it was the first time seeing the Kusanagi fly. Many had heard the rumors, of how the machine was so finicky to control, so hard to endure its G-Forces, that it killed all the pilots that tried to tame it. Kouzuki had said she had managed to iron out the flaws of the machine and even upgrade its frame further, but no one had the bravery to pilot it. Thus, no one believed her claims.

"Now they'll see what's coming to them," she mused inside, smirking as she stood up. "They'll regret placing such a brand onto us. We'll make sure of that, won't we Shi-ro-ga-ne?"

Back at the underground hangar, Chief Cole was almost out of breath, as if she had been jumping in the midst of a concert for hours on end. The jolly and silly grin never leaving, a localized sunrise residing within both eyes, she was truly happy to hear the outcome of the mission, almost enough for her to jump at the news. Fuge had chosen her to be the one to accompany the Rapier, or the Kusanagi as it was called now, on its new journey. She certainly didn't expect all that followed once she arrived at Yokohama, the new world she now found herself in.

However, all that was banished from her mind for now. Standing in the hangar, dusty hangar, as the gears of the rotary platform screeched, bringing the TSF docked in, she was both elated and disgusted. The former because the machine finished a mission without repeating the errors of the past, the latter because now it was dirtied with BETA blood and entrails, top to bottom.

"Sigh… It's gonna need a new paint job now," she complained as she placed her hands on her hips, waiting as the pilot descended along the pulley, receiving a loud applause from the rest of the crew. "Great job out there! So, how did it feel?"

"It was awesome, for real," Shirogane folded his arms and smiled, giving the Kusanagi a look from the ground. "Didn't think such an old model could be this good."

"I told you not to underestimate it before you got in. So, you're not dizzy, hurt anywhere?" she asked, giving the man a good once-over. Nothing seemed particularly odd about his complexion, which further enhanced her grin, to have found someone who could endure the Kusanagi, after Kouzuki's improvements to it no less.

The pilot in question nodded, giving a thumbs up despite not being looking at her in the eye, "Nah, feeling fine. Anything else you needed, or can I go get changed?"

"No, we can hear your report later. Again, you did wonderfully out there. Well done, Shirogane," Cole saluted the man and he did the same, making some of his long chestnut hair wave momentarily.

As the mysterious man she had met moments ago went his way to the changing room, Cole couldn't help but to keep staring at his back. Despite the odd tiredness of his eyes, of the almost lacking and apathetic expression and gestures, of his lacking manners, and his rather frontal and short words, nothing could the Chief do other than smile and make a fist pump, sharing a high-five with one of her aides. Finally, the XF-108 had a pilot. The only lingering regret gnawing within was that her boss wasn't here to see it. Still, it brought a large smile to her face, despite the smell of dead BETA in the hangar, to have seen the pilot as dandy as he was after such a mission. She moved her shoulders up and down, eroding the boulders tied to it, and then sighed heavily. Because all those days of tinkering with the TSF were not in vain, in the end.

"We did it, Chief Fuge. Your Rapier finally was able to fly…" her smile dropped, turning mournful, as she rested a hand on the base of her neck while closing her eyes.

BEEP! BEEP!

The ringing of the communicator notified Cole that Kouzuki was calling, probably to hear a report on the pilot. She ruffled her fringe out of her brows as she returned the connection. As she did, she sent one last look at the man as he entered the changing room.

Cole momentarily wondered how he had acquired such skill, enough to pilot the Rapier in such a way in his first try. Refocusing her attention as she heard Kouzuki begin to ask questions, she knew better than to cast doubts or be surprised.

"He doesn't have the squad patch with a dragon in his shoulder for nothing. Kouzuki handpicked Shirogane for a reason, and this performance is proof of that," she concluded, nodding to herself while straightening her lab coat.

Gathering her thoughts, remembering the words of Michael as he excitedly described the Rapier's possible performance to her, she gave Kouzuki her report.

A report that had waited many years to be told, of the successful deployment of the XF-108, known as both Rapier and Kusanagi, the guardian of the XG, as well as of its pilot, the mysterious soldier that goes by Shirogane.