Prologue
Azure Sword
Parts Unknown
"Chief! C'mon, Chief, are you reading me on this channel? Jill? Anyone gonna pick up, or what?" Gil frustratingly relays over the barely functional radio inside the transport with strong static responding with no hint voice trying to break through, much to Gil's irritation. "Okay, I give up. Not getting anything on these frequencies."
Gil growls and jabs the busted open side door before stepping out the derelict metal husk and onto the silky sands of the beach.
"Maybe we should give open channels a shot?" Kira suggest guarding over Aelfric like a vulture watching a prey barely teeming with life.
"Too risky." Gil shakes his head. "I don't want to do that unless there's no other option."
Kira bites her lip in frustration but understands the risk. "Sis still hasn't kiss and made up with some bigshots?"
"Especially the Zaibatsu." Gil adds.
"Well that's a shocker." Kira wily says before nudging her head over to their third teammate. "You decided to bring the stray with ya."
Kira glances over at the Bylin trooper, and can't help but ponder how he is able to keep all that armor on given the humid temperature. Regardless, he's been contributing to finding types of exotic fruit for sustenance. Good thing, too because Kira is hungry.
"Hey! He insisted on coming!" Gil defends. "Besides, if he does cross us we can just haze him, right?"
"I can hear you!" The trooper grumbles offering Gil a banana.
"And did we stutter?" Kira boldly queries.
The trooper shakes his head and takes his seat next to Kira. "We can't rely on med boosters to keep him alive." He practically offers his input. "I think we need to scout inward for settlements. They'll probably be helpful in giving us a hand."
"Assuming there's civilization here to begin with." Gil skeptically states, slipping off his shoes.
Kira dramatically exhales. "Weeeeeeellllllllll..." She nimbly rolls back and lands on her feet. "Guess there's only one way to find out."
"Wait, where do you think you're going?" Gil demands.
"Imma go see if there are towns or not." Kira plainly responds gathering her gear and weapons.
Gil looks dumbfounded and the trooper's motions jolt.
"At this hour?! Can't we just wait until morning?!" Gil protests before glaring out at the ominous looking jungle teeming with unknown horrors.
"Hey! Case ya haven't notice, I'm top dog at my job and no way in hell, I'm ruinin' my rep by showin' up late!" Kira growls, but her expression shows mild traces of fear of the consequences if such a travesty occurs. "You two slackers hold down the fort, and look after sleeping beauty there. Back in a bit!"
"Nonononono!" Gil bounces to his feet and races towards Kira, the soft sand slows his movement but he manages to slip in front of Kira before she could vanish into the wild. "Do you have ANY idea what the Chief will do to me if something bad happens to you?!" Gil shudders at the thought of failing The Major. "I like my bits where they are, thank you. Kira, please! If you value your life AND my body-" He stops himself and his cheeks turn red. "That came out wrong. Then PLEASE sleep it off, wait until morning and that way we can come up with a solid plan!"
Kira looks unintimidated. "Imma friggin' one woman army, G." She casually tells him raising her katana as a sign to back her words. "'Sides, whatever mother nature has to throw at me, we've been through worse."
Gil's face contorts into an apprehensive frown. "Please don't jinx it." He nervously mutters.
"And another thing, you still hafta look out for my baby." Kira reminds him.
Sothis's face lights up. "You have a child?" Her query drips with shock and curiosity.
Gil sighs and rubs his head. "I know, I know. I'll keep your stupid novel in one piece!"
Caught off guard, Gil receives a quick but critical jab to the arm. "Ow!"
"Don't talk crap about my baby!" Kira scowls at Gil before shooting a scowl over at the trooper. "Oi, Kanto-jin,"
The trooper is quick to acknowledge the blue-haired woman, but keeps silent.
Gil wonders if he's taken offense to Kira's nickname for him, but its hard to tell with that helmet on.
"You're on babysitting duty, so hold G's hand while I'm out lookin' for help."
"Hey!" Gil cries out. "I'm not some helpless baby here!"
"Which is why I'm leavin' you in charge of my backpack and my baby!" Her glare darkens. "And if anything happens to both of them," Her katana and wazikashi crisply unsheathe and land dangerously close to Gil's neck. "You'll hafta pay a pretty hefty toll."
A stunned Gil trembles in his spot, his teeth impulsively chattering while fearfully whimpering. "G-got it... please put those things away."
Kira's chilling expression suddenly beams as she cocks her head to the side and chirps, "Thank you, Gil!" She quickly twirls around and cheerfully skips into the unsettling jungle.
Gil and the trooper are left looking flabbergasted.
"Is she normally like this?" The Bylin asks.
Gil sighs, slumping his shoulders. "Lets just say this is one of her many sides." He breathes not breaking eye contact as Kira vanishes into the tree line. "Something she gets from her big sister..."
*FE*
The wildlife of the jungle seemed relatively tame tonight as Kira's ears are able to intercept the soft cooing of monkeys, insects, birds, and more illuminating wisp like orbs playfully fluttering around, whispering and forming shapes of animals and people. Kira can't help but gaze at them with childlike wonder. Still, much to Sothis's disgust, the amount of dragonflies that Kira has come across is bountiful.
"Ah! Why is this jungle teeming with these undesirable pests?!"
Kira stifles her giggle. "Awww... widdle baby afwaid of the dwagonfwies?"
Sothis furrows her brows and stands taller, "Do not jest! You would do well to keep your wit in line!" She sternly threatens.
Kira is unfazed and easily brushes it off. "Chill, Candy Cane, these little guys wouldn't even hurt a fly. 'Sides, I dunno what your beef is with 'em. Dragon flies are pretty cool lookin'."
The green haired girl is silent and has a slight puzzled look painted across her face before speaking. "Assuming you are referring to these creatures being lovely to gaze upon, then I fail to see the reasoning behind your words!" Her voice squeaks. "I mean look at them! Everything from their form to them merely hovering around us with that... low and ominous buzzing! And do not even begin to mention those tails of theirs!"
Kira gives her a funny look. "That's part of their body." She clarifies.
Sothis shakes her head. "That does nothing to assure me!"
"I rest my case." Kira rolls her eyes and zips past a dragonfly close to her cheek. "That a stream I hear?"
Kira stops in her tracks to allow her ears to focus on her surroundings sounds closely, and that's when she can hear what appears to be water smoothly flowing at a relatively quick but graceful pace.
"Doesn't sound far, too!" Kira sounds excited. "Its a long shot, but where there's water, there's usually civilization nearby- WOOOAAH!."
Kira, lost in her excitement, slips on a sleek boulder and lands on the mossy soil, feeling a strong numbing sensation wrecking her bottom.
Sothis shamelessly cackles and bends down in front of Kira with a smug look on her face. "You have been warned to keep that wit of yours in check. This is what happens when you do not listen to me."
Kira grunts loudly as she emerges from the ground, rubbing her rear before bitterly mumbling, "Go eat yourself, Candy Cane!"
"My, my. Such a petty girl you are." Sothis looks amused. "Perhaps I should contemplate a belittling title for you myself. Hmmmmm... I will have to think a great deal on it."
Ignoring the unpleasant smarting, Kira trudges onward as the sound of the trickling water grows closer. As she brutishly brushes past the flora and leaps over the rogue vines sticking out from the ground, Kira stops in her tracks when she sees the aquatic canal gracefully flowing upward. But it is rather the water itself that catches Kira's attention.
"Woah... I can practically see the water floor from here!" Kira takes note. "I wonder..."
As she inches closer to the edge, her optics begin a thorough scan of the water, quickly formulating data in seconds before all the gatherings can summarize a objective conclusion.
"Holy..." Kira whispers, utterly amazed by the findings. "Talk about finding perfect water to hydrate yourself."
Saying her thoughts out loud made Kira realized how much her throat is parched. She wastes no time bowing her head to the stream and curves her hand to cup the water for her lips as she loudly slurps up water.
A soft hum from Kira's clear throat indicates that she is satisfied and refreshed. "Little salty, and totally drinkable! Perfect combination!"
Sothis can see that Kira looks rejuvenated and more lively. "Does salt ruin water?"
"I'll explain later." Kira easily dismisses before pressing her hands together and murmurs, "Thanks for the water."
The green haired girl cocks a brow as she begins to see a pattern. "You are full of wonders are you?"
Before Kira could provide a snarky answer, a high-pitch trumpeting like noise echoes through the trees, the leaves gently trembling as a result. The sound initially takes startles Kira and impulse forces her to unsheathe both of her swords as she scans her surroundings for potential threats.
When a heavy silence follows, save for the flowing water and the soft breeze, Kira relaxes but still curious on what could have caused such a sound. Even Sothis appears shaken.
"That must have been close. It must have been... a horn of some sort? No, that is unlikely." She brings the outer edge of her hand to her chin with her index finger and thumb flanking both edges. "A horn would have more of a stable rhythm to it. That one sounded more... distressed."
"Sooo... ya have amnesia, ya use big words, and y'know whadda horn sounds like?" Kira dryly queries. "You sound like a special case."
"Hmph! For your sake, I will take that as a compliment!"
Again, the alarmed trumpeting blares with more desperation in its tune. Curious and sensing that there is no time to waste, Kira blazes off towards the direction of those unusual calls.
"Ya think its some kinda animal?" Kira turns her attention to Sothis.
"Oh, now you will value my counsel?" Sothis snips before softening. "It is likely."
"Well..." Kira gracefully leaps off the ground and onto nearby tree branch. "Only on way to find out!"
She is quick to realize that the long branch is slippery and masterfully adapts to sliding across its slimy surface before hopping onto another branch that's dryer allowing her to fluidly run across it before coming across the most likely origin of that sound.
Kira crouches in place, like a nocturnal predator sitting in wait for the right time to strike, as she views a sight that would give her goosebumps: Several copper skinned men and woman with sharp spears and razor teeth edged blades with white pelts with black stripes along with ferocious felines with orange fur and black stripes, growling menacingly at their prey: A rugged broad-shouldered man with distinct facial scars, short rough sandy blonde hair, and a calm yet grim look on his face. The other, a young woman, with short practical looking orange hair, pointing her sharp spear out at any who would fight her. Both look as if they are protecting a rather sizable dark grey beast with a long stretchy trunk, looking terrified as it trembles back in fear.
That an elephant?!
Kira becomes baffled gazing upon the cornered beast, but quickly casts her thoughts aside as she needs a quick plan of attack.
*FE*
"Hang in there, little guy!" The young woman coos to the frightened beast behind her. "Captain Jeralt and I are going to get you out of this!"
"Leonie," The rugged man known as Captain Jeralt calls to his subordinate. "Be ready to go on my word!"
As vague as an order as it was, The woman named Leonie firmly nods without hesitation on confusion, as if she understands what the Captain has up his sleeve.
Leonie's face crunches into a fearless scowl as one of the striped felines side stalks her in a low and offensive stance with a growl that threatens to boil into a roar. She overhears one of the enemies shout at them in a strange language that she could not make out other than their way of saying, 'You're dead meat!' As if they have a chance!
"Listen, pal." Jeralt casually starts. "I know you probably don't understand me, but maybe you should drop their weapons and give up. It'll save you a whole lot of trouble."
Leonie relaxes in her stance hearing Jeralt sounding calm despite their situation.
Again, the enemy barks back in their alien tongue, but their leader raises a hand and aims it right at Jeralt. With a loud cry, a nearby feline pounces in place ready to strike down Jeralt.
Jeralt readies his blade and prepares to retaliate, but before he could land a blow, a quick violet blur zips in front of him causing the striped beast let out a cry and fall to the ground with a small pool of blood forming.
"Huh?" Leonie looks awestruck. "What the-"
Another blur appears in front of her this time cutting down her four-legged foe. She is quick to spot the deep but clean cut across the side of its neck.
Their enemies, puzzled and frightened, anxiously cock their heads in all directions on what killed their pets. This leaves the perfect opportunity for Jeralt to lunge forward and land a punishing blow to the face of the leader, while his sword sinks into the marked skin of foe flanking his side.
Leonie is quick to seize the initiative and executes a precise strike another's gut. Two enemies, in a desperate frenzy, charge her with weapons raised, but Leonie huffs and kicks pies of mud into their faces blinding them and easily makes quick work of them.
The remaining striped pelt foes panicked and one of them cries out in their tongue before all of them retreat back into the jungle, their traces only visible by the rustling of the leaves and vines.
"Uhh... Captain?" Leonie glances around with her with her spear aimed at the tree lines. "Did you see what I see, or was that just my imagination?"
Jeralt appears more relaxed as he gazes upwards. "Looks like the jungle has a soft spot after all." He chuckles. "Just wish I could have the chance to repay it in person."
"How 'bout startin' with me?" A chilling voice, almost demonic in nature, makes itself known.
Leonie squeaks and turns sharply in the direction in the direction of the voice only to find a sight that almost made her heart stop. Were it not for her training and honed instinct, she would have froze in place and would have been cut down where she stood by the helmeted demon like being. Instead, she harnesses her chilling fear and releases it in an action that allowed her to strike. However, as she lands a blow to that sinister looking face, the being unleashes a quick side slash, decapitating the sharp edge of her weapon.
"Argh! Why I oughta-"
Leonie is cut off when a short blade is brought to the edge of her throat. She is petrified knowing that one move would be disastrous. And for her to be in this situation is outright humiliating!
"Why don't we let the girl go and we'll talk about this man to freak?" Jeralt's lowly voice makes itself know.
Leonie and the stranger look towards the grizzled looking man and sees that he is ready for a fight. Then it hits Leonie! Whoever or whatever this person is, they are distracted! Knowing she now has a card to play, Leonie cries out and links her hand underneath her new opponent, yanking them close. She huffs proudly seeing she's taken them off guard, and locks her arms around the stranger.
"Not so tough now, huh?" Leonie taunts holding her hostage close.
With Jeralt and Leonie cornering them, it seems like this fight is over before it started.
Or so the two thought.
Without warning the being smashed their hard exterior head into Leonie's nose, sending the girl flying flat on her rear.
Jeralt lets out a soft gasp of worry and rushes ahead ready to deal with the newcomer. His reach is far and his strike is fast, but the stranger's reflexes are top-notch as they arched their back in a sharp 90 degrees, easily dodging his blade. Jeralt is taken aback by their flexibility and is unprepared when he receives a punishing leg to the face.
Fortunately, Jeralt is no stranger to hard blows and easily regains his footing. Something his opponent was not expecting.
"Hey!" Leonie snaps rushing ahead. "I'm not done with you yet, ugly!"
With a ferocious shout the short haired girl curls her fist back before slinging it forward, only to have the them hook her wrist and throw over over them and smash them onto the dirt.
Now focusing on Jeralt, the stranger leaps with a bit of a spring in their step and extends their foot out. Jeralt, however, is able to counter them by trapping their foot with his palm and twists them around falling into the mud. But as he plans to pin his foe, they slide their foot across the side of his jaw, effectively letting him fall on his back.
"Alright, that's it!" Leonie snaps hopping into the air with her leg extended out. "Nobody does that to Captain Jeralt and lives to-"
Like it is so simple, the monstrous face being intercepts the leg with her arm and stretches their other hand out to grab Leonie's retracted ankle before twirling them in a circle and land them on their back.
"Ya gonna spin someone, do it right, or go home scrublord!" That uneasy voice is directed at Jeralt, still on the ground with his sword close to him.
Jeralt clenches his teeth and rolls over towards his weapon. The stranger glances over to her weapons piercing the dirt and sprints towards them.
And they just so happen to be dangerously close to their respective owners.
Perfectly in sink, they quickly collect their favored weapons and are quick finally cross blades with each other.
Jeralt's reach and strength is keeping the newcomer on their toes, but their flexibility and grace keep them from going on the defensive. Leonie, retreating over to the trunked beast, watches in anxious wonder as her captain and the ugly freak begin a deadly dance of blades and limbs. The Captain is dealt a few blows, but easily brushes them off. The other, however, is a master at the art of evasion! Still, Leonie cannot help but wonder that if they get hit, will be crippling.
She plants that theory into her head as she watches Captain Jeralt's motions trying to deduct his strategy.
And that's when she sees it before she can make it.
With one powerful strike, Jeralt swings his blade upwards, knocking their weapons from their hands. He scoffs and smirks with pride.
"Time for the mask to come off, now!" He declares and hurls his sword towards in the air.
With just the right amount of force, Jeralt hammers his sword down easily shattering that demon like mask along with the helmet to reveal the attacker's true face.
And what he sees petrifies him to the core.
The blue haired woman planned a counter move of her own and lands a critical blow to Jeralt's gut. At first, the Captain could not register what happened, but when he did, he feels his muscles locking in place and flop to the dirt like, like a boulder dropped into a still pond still conscious but helpless.
"CAPTAIN!" Leonie cries out as reason is replace by impulse. "You just made a big mistake!"
The girl easily pivots and swirls around Leonie's punches and kicks, easily avoiding every strike making it getting under the orange haired girls skin. After taking in heavy breaths, Leonie charges ahead roaring only to be stopped by the girl's hand catching her fist, brutally twisting it down.
Leonie grunts in pain as her body bows down with the girl towering over her.
"What's up? Got your paw stuck in somethin'?" The girl's voice is rough rather than distorted and chilling from before.
When Leonie makes eye contact with the girl, she suddenly realizes that something seems strange about her, something rather uneasy as well.
She looks like a doll!
"Both of ya coulda avoided this mess... YOU DUMBASS!"
*FE*
Kira lands a "brutal sucker punch to the girl's face, congruent to her sister's strike, sending her flying into the air face palming on impact.
Kira growls menacingly feeling utterly humiliated that her kabuto and menpo have been easily shattered just like that.
"Seems like these mofos owe me double now." Kira grumbles
The soft high pitch trumpeting of the elephant softens Kira as she cocks her head over at the baby beast trembling in fear of her.
Kira sadly frowns and slowly approaches it, careful not to scare it anymore than it already is.
"Sorry 'bout that." Kira murmurs. "Didn't mean to spook ya."
The elephant jerks back as Kira closes in.
"It's all good. Chill." Kira's voice is warm and gentle. "Chill."
Kira is now arms length with the elephant and cannot help but gaze upon it in wonder. She slowly reaches out her hand, and the little beast jerks but does not resist. When Kira rests her hand on its side, the little one is quick to relax and soon brushes its head against her hand.
Kira chuckles and is more forward with her gesture. "Looks like you're not a figment of my imagination, are ya?"
Even Sothis seems delighted by this creature and begins whispering sweet nothings to it.
"Guess you're not havin' the best day, huh?" Kira assumes, reaching her hand behind its big flappy ear. "Yeah? Hehe, yeah you and me both, pal."
Sothis hums inquisitively as she notices something along the elephant's side. "It seems that our new acquaintance seems well-stocks for a journey, and... huh? What is-"
The green-haired girl becomes horrified on what she sees. "Come this instant!" She demands. "I found something!"
Kira, ignoring Sothis's bossy tone, slips to the side of the baby elephant and after a quick glance of supplies carrying sticks, meat, spices, silk, and other misc items, Kira is quick to discover what caught Sothis's attention. Deep gashes close to the elephant's side glute that are carved into the skin, fresh enough to see small drips of blood on the edges.
"Shh... hey, hey..." Kira soothes the wincing beast. "Mellow, pal."
Sothis scowls examining them closer. "They look like markings."
Kira shakes her head. "Nah, those are characters."
"Pardon?"
"Words." Kira explains. "Dunno the whole meaning, but... that right there..." She points at one character. "That means 'cat', and the other..." She starts muttering as she gently hovers her hand over the markings, careful not to apply direct contact on the wound.
"Glorious White Tigers." Kira translates. "That's as close as I'm gonna get."
"The ones with the strange beasts?"
Kira shakes her head. "'Kay 'lotta this isn't addin' up. We on some sanctuary that's all hush-hush, or... this whole island part of some... twisted corpo experiment?"
Sothis looks at Kira a puzzled look. "What are you mumbling about?"
"Just tryin' to piece everything together." Kira answers as she is now rummaging through the supplies on the elephant's side. "Either way, sooner we find civilization, the better."
"And how exactly do you intend to proceed, now?"
Kira grunts in frustration not finding anything useful within the supplies, and the elephant yelps softly. Kira, regretful of her actions, gently pets his side and whispers an apology.
Its only when she spots the incapacitated Jeralt and Leonie is when she decides on her next course of action.
"Guess, I'm gonna have a word on why the these circus freaks in town."
Sothis jerks her hands around as the dragonflies close around her. "Do what you will, whatever it takes to get away from these... nasty looking winged... things!"
*FE*
Seems some familiar faces are introduced. Hmmm... I wonder where our protagonist got herself marooned on... Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and as always, more chapters on on the way!
Thank you!
