Disclaimer: I don't own Ace Combat or its characters. They are all property of Namco.

A/N: Just a short one shot about a possible romance between Nagase and Blaze. I thought it was hinted in the game, especially in mission "White Noise".

Even From War Love Can Blossom

The war between Yuktobania and Osea is finally ended, after months of hard battles. I've had the privilege to know the famous "Demons of Razgriz" as I was in the same base they were. Sand Island base, to be precise.

This squadron changed the ways of the war, as all of you know by now, but there are things many of you don't know yet, and I'll tell you those, as I saw them from inside.

First of all, those pilots were not experienced fighters as you may believe, as they were, at the beginning of the war, only nuggets of Captain Bartlett. I was there, up in the air, when most of the nuggets had been devastated by a surprise attack.

Captain Bartlett took a decision, basing on the information coming from the base, and most of his wingmen died. Only second lieutenant Kei Nagase survived. She flied wonderfully.

From that moment, I remained on the ground as a reporter. That was my real passion.

So, only the reserve nuggets remained. Captain Bartlett trained them, and finally, they started their fighting on a mission that should have been only recognition, to intercept an unknown aircraft in our air space. But then, they were attacked.

Four aircrafts were in the air, Captain Bartlett, 42 years, aka Heartbreak One, Nagase, 23 years, aka Edge, Davenport, 29 years, aka Chopper, and Blaze, 20 years old, or Kid, as the Captain called him, being the last arrived.

In an early mission of the war, Heartbreak One was shot down, and the saving mission for Captain Bartlett did not find him. So, the nuggets were without a guide.

Kei Nagase, being the most experienced, was appointed as flight lead. But she refused, giving that honour to the last arrived, who had showed great skill in their previous missions. Blaze became the Squadron leader.

So, the "Demons of Razgriz" as they were called after the sinking of the Hrimfaxi, were no one other than the Captain Bartlett nuggets. The 108th Tactical Squadron of Sand Island.

Times and times again they had to fight outnumbered by the enemy and always came out winners.

They were all great friends, even Grimm, 19 years old, aka Archer, who joined the squadron after Bartlett's capture, was immediately part of the group. Chopper was really funny, with his continuous chatter that made the guys of the AWACS Thunderhead go crazy.

But I could smell there was a deeper connection between Nagase and Blaze.

You could see it in their eyes, the respect the one had for the other.

They were, thanks to my articles too, the most famous pilots in our air force, and when they had to go to Heierlack base for refuelling and rearming, the nuggets cheered them up so much.

Later, I found out they had sweet memories of the base, as it was there they all did their first training.

Then the moment came for the rescue mission of the prisoners, and Nagase was shot down. I was in the base and could hear from the radio the desperation of Captain Blaze, shouting to send immediately another helicopter to get her.

His companions were frantic too, but soon they reasoned there was nothing else to do than to let the storm calm, and then go to fetch her.

Blaze, however, who had been a responsible captain till that moment, and had never lost one of his wingmen, was really mad.

"If you can't do anything to get her now, I'll remain here" he shouted in the radio. How did he think he could remain in the air all night without refuelling was beyond me, and he couldn't land there, as there was a terrible storm and the ground was really irregular.

In the end, the base and his companions made him reason, and so he came back. He locked in his room, and didn't speak with no one. You could hear him swearing and hitting the wall in rage from outside, tough.

Late in the night, I couldn't sleep, so I wandered in the base. I noticed light coming from the crew room, so I went to check who was there.

Captain Blaze was in there, and walked toward the couch Nagase often was. He picked up something, it was the red book she liked to read, and I found out, rewriting, as pages got lost. It was the fairytale "A Blue Dove for the Princess".

He opened it, and read, murmuring.

"…The demon of Razgriz!"
One of them suddenly spoke up in a loud voice.

"When history witnesses a great change, Razgriz reveals itself, first as a dark demon.
As a demon, it uses its power to rain death upon the land, and then it dies."

"However, after a period of slumber, Razgriz returns, this time as a great hero."

"Only the demon of Razgriz can do this to her!"

He then closed the book, and a tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away angrily and remained there, on the couch, keeping the book on his chest. I decided it was better for me to leave him be.

Next day, they launched to go and search her. From the base we could hear now and then Nagase saying something, and she seemed sure she would be alright, that Blaze would find her.

And so he did.

He chose air-to-air fighters for himself and his wingmen. He took the best one they had in the hangar at the moment, a Mig 31.

The moment he found her, the rescue copters of the Sea Goblin squad arrived to pick her up. There were fighters all around the area, trying to shot them down, but Blaze flew at top speed toward the helicopter and started an hell of fire on the enemies, missiles, guns, SAAMs, all what he had on his plane.

Finally they made it. Nagase was back at Sand Island and a big smile crept on both her face and Blaze's when their eyes met. They said nothing, just nodded to each other.

It was good seeing Captain Blaze on his normal mood again. He had never been bitter or acted superior to his wingmen, and was always ready for humour.

Chopper's death was an hard blow for all of them, especially because it should have been a simple mission, just a demonstration flight over the peace ceremony in November City, but enemy fighters entered our air space and a big battle followed.

And then the treachery. They discovered the mysterious 8942 squadron was nothing else than Belkan aces, the ones I heard had been enlisted in our air force, that tried to shot them down when they should have accompanied them to a carrier.

The Demons of Razgriz were pursued till Sand Island, and here they found the high levels of the base turned on them by Captain Hamilton.

We managed to escape with the training planes, as their ones had been locked in the hangars and guarded. Then we feigned to have been destroyed by one of the Kestrel planes, who instead made us parachute before shooting our planes. Markus Snow, aka Swordsman, was this brave pilot, who united to the Razgriz demons from that point.

From the Kestrel they continued their operations, so here's uncovered the first mystery of the Razgriz Demons, who saved President Harling, and became his personal air squadron.

Those heroes found Captain Bartlett too, and with him they saved the Yuktobanian Prime Minister Nikanor.

When finally their last operation was completed, and the war was over, between our nations peace was once again, and the remaining of Belka was destroyed.

As soon as they landed and left their planes, the four aces hugged one another. I took photos of their joy.

But the sweetest scene was between Captain Blaze and Captain Nagase.

They looked at each other grinning, and then they kissed in front of the cheering population of Oured.

Later, I managed to interview them.

Here's what they told me.

"If I've to be truthful, my career in the army was to be in the Navy" Captain Blaze started. "But then I saw this stunningly beautiful girl" and here Captain Nagase blushed, "heading for the Air Force, and I changed my idea. We spoke to each other for the first time at Heierlack's base during our first training. Slowly I knew her, and fell in love with her. Then she was transferred at Sand Island, so I asked to go there too. And then, there was the war" he ended sadly.

"I must admit back at Heierlack I did not care too much for him. But at Sand Island we were few pilots, so I got to know him better, and I found myself not able to concentrate on my book anymore, as I kept daydreaming about him" Captain Nagase confessed. "Plus, he showed to be a real ace up in the air…"

Then I asked about that fateful night when she was shot down.

"I immediately knew he would come for me. I had only to resist the night, and so it has been" she simply stated. Then I thought right to ask Captain Blaze.

"As you very well know, I was moody that night. I couldn't sleep, so I started reading her book, as it made me feel nearer to her, but you already know that, don't you?"

"How do you know I was there?" I asked dumbfounded.

"I saw you" he replied plainly.

"Well, I'm sorry. I didn't intend to peek, but I saw the light…"

"Don't worry. There's no problem at all" he replied.

Then they walked away, Blaze's arm around her shoulder.

The Razgriz Demons never flied again. Blaze and Nagase married, and had a little girl, who as her mother loved "A Blue Dove for the Princess".

"When history witnesses a great change, Razgriz reveals itself, first as a dark demon.
As a demon, it uses its power to rain death upon the land, and then it dies. However, after a period of slumber, Razgriz returns, this time as a great hero."

Sometimes as a squadron of heroes.

Written by: Albert Genette