"Alright, settle down."
The muttering continued.
"Settle down, people!"
Those were the words coming from the operator. His voice ceased the occurring noises inside the meeting room where seats were filled with pilots and combatants of Task Force 108th.
"As you all know. Thanks to Mobius 2's effort last night. The Fuso airspace is remained clear of enemy's eyes."
A few whistles and cheers were made, congratulating the named Witch, who was still…sleeping at some point. The male pilot who bore the same silver hair as her, gave her a light nudge to make her awake.
"We should be arriving to the capital of your so-called sushi and anime land. However, there's been a change of plan."
Following the operator's announcement, a few groans and sighs were made, but a noticeable one was coming from a certain young red-haired girl with a twin tails style.
"Oh come on!" She groaned.
"Liberion intelligence has a confirmation that an insurgent force is concentrating on a remote island near to Fuso's mainland."
The screen swiftly shifted to a satellite image showing one specific said island.
"They believe that this island is an insurgent's supply base."
"How come did the Liberion only find out it till now?" asked a male pilot with a Britannian accent.
"The Liberion new spy satellites have been launched recently are the answer. Its eye has picked up some unusual...energy. After a throughout scan, they soon found out that the base has some sort of optical camouflage."
"Witchcraft, eh?"
He earned a few un-amused looks from the witch companions.
"Wot?"
"Whatever the method they've kept themselves hidden…Our objective is clear…"
"To destroy the enemy base."
The words brought a mixed reaction. Some were excited. Some were nervous. As for a certain silver-haired Witch, she was still half-awake, half-asleep.
The screen quickly shifted to the 3D hologram design of the island and multiple points of interest were highlighted.
"The satellite's images show that the insurgents have set up a number of defense guns all over the island. AA guns and SAM. They also have pillboxes and bunkers. And an underground runway used by small crafts and medium-sized transporters."
"Wild Badgers, Dachshund platoon along with 422nd Company will conduct the amphibious assault. The Tomahawks will soften the ground first for you."
Multiple green arrows appeared on screen, both in air and on land. Each arrow was showing the specific named unit and squadron.
"In the meantime, Mobius team, Esteri team, Green Tails and Omega squadron will neutralize all base's defense capabilities to support the advancing ground force."
"We're not expecting enemy's capable air force so we should gain the sky as quickly as it goes. Once you've gained the air superiority, you will move on to the patrol phrase, watching over our boys and girls as they storm the facilities."
"And we won't go solo on this one. We will have the support from Liberion's 3rd Naval Fleet, along with a detachment from US 6th Marine Division and Fuso's 9th Air Wing coming from the Fuso mainland."
"I'd rather have the party without them." A pilot whispered to his mate.
"True that."
"The Liberion will drop their troops when all anti-air emplacements are neutralized." The operator continued.
"Any question you'd like to ask?"
"Uhm...Wouldn't it be bad that we bomb the hell out one of Fuso's islands?" asked a female pilot.
"Do not worry. This is the sanctioned assault under NUN's jurisdiction. The island has been marked as the Exclusive Zone." He answered. "Everything in it is a fair game."
He then waited for any more question, however, silence was what everyone gave to the operator.
"Destroying this supply base will put a lot of hurt to the operating insurgents in Eurasia. This will save lives."
"It will be a hard fight. Be prepared. You're dismissed."
\/ /\ \/
The Empire of Fuso…well, it was the former name.
After the Ulysses Impact Event, Fuso's two major trading cities were obliterated by its fragments, rendering the whole country's economy into a frenzy state.
The mighty Imperial Fuso army was soon crumbled.
The government changed. So too, did the nation.
From the Empire to the Federation.
When one government has changed its old way, many were happily to embrace such a new change.
And then, there were others who didn't quite accept it easily.
When one nation was...humbled by the other rising powers.
The men with pride and patriotic heart who were unable to accept their current government quickly turned themselves into...
Insurgent.
It's a formal term. However, the officials and media simply called them…rebels. Warmongers. Terrorists.
The reason to fight was varied.
But at the end of it, people got hurt. Always.
Beside adding the effort in fighting Erusea, Neo United Nation's ARRF (Allied Rapid Reaction Forces) was also a peacekeeping force. If there's a threat to the allied nation's peace and stability, they'll be the first one to go in.
\/ /\ \/
Usually in war movies or video games, the take-off sequence is a must-have scene in every single one of them. However, what about the prior scene before that? The preparation scene?
Well, they often don't show it. Perhaps it was deleted for the quality length of the show.
Anyway, what was happening before me is like a rush hour or booming hour for the commercial facilities. Customers came in relentlessly with all kind of orders.
The quartermasters were giving the instructions to his/her crew with loud volume to the point like shouting.
The chosen aircrafts for the operation were getting armed with various weapons by the hangar crews. Missiles. Bombs. Loading ammo into the cannon.
I could tell that each squadron had their own objective, their own role, given how their specific weapons like air-to-ground missiles or guided bombs were being loaded onto their fighter.
Seeing this sure tickled my military geek sense.
I pulled out my old school camera which used film instead of digital and started taking the pictures.
I knew that the pictures I took would be sensitive and sooner or later they would be confiscated by the MP. Well, it better to do it than standing around like a statue.
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so they said. I might be an optimist, but I do hope that I would able to use them when this war is ended.
I shifted my lens toward my favorite team, the Mobius team.
And here, Mobius 1 had a new plane for himself.
F-14 Tomcat, the fourth-generation jet fighter. Twin-tail. Swing wing. There're many movies and video games made about it back in the 80s and 90s.
"Now that's a beauty." I muttered to myself, hitting the shuttle button rapidly.
"The F-14D Super Tomcat." The silver-haired friendly pilot spoke up as he approached to me. His sister was also with him.
"Look like you've found your love there." Mobius 1 said, chuckling.
I guessed my intensive photo shooting gave away.
"I love its design." I confessed.
"Good. Consider this is your lucky day, journalist. 'Cause you're gonna ride with me."
"Wow...I'm honored."
"Dragging civilian into the battle is some sort of your sadist hobby now, brother?" The silver-haired girl said.
"Hey, now. That would lead too much misunderstanding." Mobius 1 placed his hand on his sister's head, messing her hair up.
"Besides, what good a journalist would do if he doesn't get to see thing with his own eyes?"
"Hmm...true..." His sister agreed, fixing her hair back to its original state.
For a moment there, I saw another...unreadable expression of Mobius 2.
Hopefully, in time, I may learn more about her.
"Uhm...your Striker Unit. Do you also change it into...a F-14 model?" I asked Mobius 2.
She smiled before she answered. "No, just go with my good old partner."
"You'll participate in this...bombing operation?"
"Only as air support." She answered, shifting her blue eyes from Mobius 1's plane to the guided bombs which were lying still on the cart.
"We Witches never have that much firepower to destroy the facilities."
"Truly? I assumed that Witches had done many incredible things by taking down those Behemoth or Titan-sized Neuroi back in the day."
"Fighting Neuroi is entirely different than fighting a whole military base armed with SAM and AA guns." She said.
"Then again, if you're putting it that way...then maybe...but I'm not a heavy hitter." Mobius 2 placed a hand on her chin, pausing for a minute. "Perhaps, those Tank Witches can do it. One of them is quite—"
Immediately, without a warning, Mobius 2's head got…'chopped' by a knife hand from behind.
"Don't go painting me like I am some brute!"
The attacker was a girl with red hair, twin-tailed. Like Mobius 2, she dressed in a standard ARRF uniform and black spats. There're also people behind her. A group of three girls, one was blonde, a dark-haired and one with purple-colored hair.
Mobius 2 silently expressed her pain expression by placing her hand on the hit area, but she remained collected as she turned to them.
"…It's a compliment."
"Yeah, and I'm not buying it. You, on the other hand, should be called a brute as such. Going on solo, on a night mission no less."
"Thank you for your compliment." She bowed her head.
"Don't be sarcastic!"
"I'll give you ladies some privacy." Mobius 1 swiftly bid his farewell.
"He ran away..." Mobius 2 sounded annoyed.
"You really ought to consider how your brother feels."
"If you want to date my brother, then I ca—"
"Waaahh! Don't listen to her! She is delusional!" The girl's face promptly turned redder than her hair.
The twin-tailed girl tried to throw herself into the silver-haired out of impulsive, but Mobius 2 skillfully invaded her attack without breaking a sweat.
"I'll go get prep." Mobius 2 decided to escape from the group as well. However, there's someone prevented her from doing so by…putting her head right in between the…fun bags.
"My, my. Why the rush, cutie?"
The person was a...beautiful, gorgeous-looking woman with a golden hair that reached about her shoulders. Despite she was already in her flight suit, she's still giving off a…certain charm. Like a...model, slender, well-proportioned and all that.
She continued teasing Mobius 2 by pressing her head deeper into her chest.
"...ah, this feels nice..." The Witch was actually enjoying it. "Hard to breathe though..."
"You. Let go of her!" The red-haired quickly grabbed Mobius 2's collar and put her back in her place. "How shameless."
"Gosh, I wish that was me." The blonde girl said with a carefree tone.
"Fufufu." The female pilot giggled.
Our eyes soon met.
"Uhm, h-hello..." My mind somehow turned blank. "Miss..."
"Call me Archer. It's my call sign." The pilot showed a faint smile, yet it's quite seductive, like a flower charming the bees.
"Uhm...of course." I was a bit flustered.
"Be safe out there, all of you. Don't try to be a hero." The woman gave the words like a mother to her children.
""Yes, we will be careful!"" The four of them responded.
Following Archer bid her farewell, there was a pair of young girls walked passing by. Like Mobius 2 and the other fours, they're Witches as well.
The leading one was a young...noble girl. Judging from the way she walked with pride and confident, carrying a certain aura, not to mention her beautiful golden hair was braided and tied into a bun. The other was a brown-skinned girl, fair hair, wore her hair into twin buns.
"Mobius 2." The noble girl greeted.
"Ice Tea. Coffee." The silver-haired greeted back, keeping her impassive expression.
"…Habanero." The girl, who was called Ice Tea, greeted the red-haired.
"Don't call me that!"
After the exchange, the pair continued on to their own destination.
I noticed in the distance that Archer, the female pilot received friendly greeting from other pilots and the salute from the hangar crew.
"Somebody is falling in love." I turned and saw the witches' smirking expressions.
"Hey now, guys. I know who she is." I quickly defended myself.
Sigfrid Akerman. She was a former Witch ten years ago. Even when her magic was gone, she continued her service in the Baltland air force. She's also a poster girl for the armed forces with her charisma and sex appeal. A figure that many young Witches admire and strive for.
"She is your role model, right?" I asked them.
"Ahaha. W-well, you could say that." The twin-tailed Witch massaged her head, feeling embarrassed.
"Mine is Erica Hartmann." Mobius 2 revealed.
"The Karlsland's greatest ace back in the Second Neuroi War." I nodded.
"Oh please, a girl like you? Erica Hartmann is an amazing and hard-working person. She doesn't lazy around, or sleeping all the time like you." After she berated the poor Mobius 2, she then turned back to me.
"Since you're a journalist, you must be dying wanting to know who we are, right?"
"Well…yes, I do." Not the dying part though.
"I'm glad you ask!" The girl liked that, and then...
"Rico!" The twin-tailed declared, putting both hands on her waist.
"Amber!" announced the short-haired blonde witch with a pair ribbon, taking the center position while extending both of her arms out like wings.
"Blake." said the dark-haired girl who had a long bang, covering her eyes. She put up a karate-like pose while taking on the right side.
"V-Violet!" said the girl with long, purple-colored hair. She did the same pose left position (seemed rather reluctant though).
"""We are…the Wild Badgers!"""
They put up a certain pose like...the team of heroes with mechanized beast without a hitch. They must have trained this maneuver for so many times.
"Good thing I didn't grow up with that." Mobius 2's deadpanned was low enough for me to hear.
"…Badger. Did the military issued the name to your team?" I inquired.
"Actually, we Witches have a choice in choosing our platoon's name." Rico replied.
"It's nice of them to give us that luxury." Blake said.
"And I assume that the name is made by..."
"Yours truly!" The twin-tailed exclaimed.
I guessed that's her familiar?
"I still prefer the Rabbit though." said the Violet. "Killer Rabbit..."
"And I love the ponies." Blake said.
"For the last time! Don't bring your taste of hobby into the military!" Rico reminded them.
"But the badger is your pet and it's your familiar…" Violet complained.
Call it!
"You idiot! That's supposed to be classified!"
The leader attacked Violet as she tried to...break her bone was applying the pressure.
"Waah-hah!"
"Say cheese." Having no hesitation, I took the picture.
Rico was dumbfounded as the other girls awkwardly put up their teeth smile while doing whatever pose they could. In the background, the Ribbon Witch still put up her impassive expression like a doll.
\/ /\ \/
After settling with the Wild Badgers, Mobius 2 was finally able to prep her gears.
True to her words, she still went for her usual Striker, F-4 model. I guessed it's her trusted partner out there.
Instead of choosing the usual machine gun, she picked a rocket launcher called Panzerfaust 3, a Karlsland-made recoilless anti-tank weapon.
She then put a lot of warheads into her tactical backpack. Lots of them, as much as she could carry.
A Witch with a rocket launcher versus fighter jets...
If she managed to kill a jet with that…well, video games were a good source of inspiration.
While I was occupying with my own thought, I failed to notice a certain male pilot bearing a dark spiky hair, had put an arm around my neck without a warning as he said this.
"Oi mate. I have a question for ya." He said with Britannian accent.
"Wh-what is it?"
"Have you ever met a Fuso Witch?"
"...Not face to face, why?"
"I'm curious about their uniform." The pilot said. "I see them dressed like temple's maidens."
"The Ki…Kimono thing, right?" I made a guess.
"No, no, it's not Kimono…it's similar…"
"Ah! It's Miko, the clothing for the shrine maiden." I finally remembered it.
"That's right! That's right! You got that right, mate!" He grinned.
"Judging from your accent, you're from Britannia?" I asked.
"That's right, mate. The name is Omega 11." The handsome pilot introduced, showing his confident teeth smile. "But you can call me Felix."
"But seeing them in tactical vest like Ribbon Princess here would be cool enough." He continued on. "Can't wait to see them in battle."
"You fool. It's not about those tactical clothes or Miko thing." Mobius 1 declared all of sudden. "It's Seifuku (sailor suit schoolgirl uniform)!"
"…"
"…"
Immediately, a firm strong hand grip was made.
"I see you're a man of culture as well." Mobius 1 smiled
"You're one of us! One of us!"
"...what are they doing?" Mobius 2 and other female personnel looked at the group with a puzzled face.
...
...
I checked back with the Wild Badger who had finished their preparation.
With the Land Battle Striker, they stood tall about 3 meters, taller than most basketball players. I could see why they're often called Tank Witches. However, the official designation for them would be: Land Battle Witches.
From my first impression, they're more like mechanized infantries. Violet and Blake carried assault rifle with a grenade launcher attachment. Amber had some portable anti-tank weapons and bazooka attached onto the back of Striker Unit.
Rico, was the heavy…duty Witch, alright. She carried a certain rifled hand cannon, long about 2 meters, a mini-sized version from the main battle tank's ordnance. Along with her primary weapon was the M2 heavy machine gun placed on the Striker's port.
In the Strikers, their animal ears and tail were summoned. I had a good look at their familiar. The girl named Amber was lion. Blake was gray wolf, and Violet was koala. And Rico was…Rico, true to the name platoon, the Badger.
"Let's rock the world, ladies!" Rico motivated her platoon's spirit.
"""Oohhh! ! !"""
The Tank Witches then moved to the elevator which they would descend down to the well deck where amphibious vehicles were waiting to be deployed.
\/ /\ \/
Standing by the balcony of the carrier control tower was the Captain of Mirai. She was a young beautiful woman in her twenties with chestnut brown, bob cut style with an X-shaped blue ornament like a ribbon strapped in a lock of her hair. The most attractive charm about her was her two different colored eyes, the left silver eye and the right blue eye.
Her body was slender but the sexiness of her can be shown behind the service dress white accompanied with a fur collar coat which she wore it over her shoulders like a cape with chain buttons. A pair of white gloves was the addition to against the cold air.
Truth to be told that she was more fitted in a fashion role model rather a commanding officer, however, such words were never mentioned on this vessel.
Piercing through the distance fog with the binocular's lens, the Captain has spotted several vessels traveling on the same water. One of them was bearing an iconic shape of an aircraft carrier.
"Arrive on time." She muttered to herself.
"Commodore. Incoming message from the Kestrel." A petty officer reported.
The Commodore quickly re-entered back into the tower and placed herself on the command seat. The screen before her eyes came alive.
"Good morning, Captain Andersen." She greeted.
« And good morning to you too, Commodore Hayate. » The old veteran seaman bearing a gray mustache gave a smile while bowing to her briefly.
\/ /\ \/
« Mobius Team. You're clear for takeoff. » Mirai's carrier controller announced as soon as the Green Tail squadron has launched away successfully.
« Gentlemen first. » The blue-ribbon Witch said.
« Why thank you, imouto. » The pilot accepted it happily as his fighter launched away like a bullet.
The Witch quietly shook her head out of her brother's childish attitude before she followed suit.
« Altitude restriction is lifted. Good luck out there, Mobius team. »
...
MISSION 2
SANCTIONED ASSAULT
0907hrs. August 17th, 2019
Exclusive Zone / / 25° 48' 6'' N 131° 16' 7'' W
Cloud Cover: None
Operation Name: Scooping
\/ /\ \/
Dassault Rafale.
F-4.
F-14.
They're the aircrafts I identified as I were sitting in the backseat of F-14 flying in the middle of it.
Each squadron was bearing their own distinctive color and marking.
Green Tails, it was easy to guess that they had their plane's tails painted in such said color, but it went with a duo color of green and white.
Omega. Their emblem was such, but it's got turned upside down, looking like a harp instrument, along with a trident or...arrows in the back ground, like their ARRF symbol.
Mobius 2 and other two Witches that I've met earlier, were flying side by side.
Below us…while I couldn't see it, but I knew that 108th ground force was advancing in their amphibious vehicles.
« Attention all units. » Sky Eye spoke up.
« Incoming friendlies from the USS Kestrel. Check your IFF. They are called Warwolf Squadron. »
Soon the said squadron consisted of F/A-18Es joined in.
« This is Warwolf 1 to Sky Eye. Thank you for having us. » A male mature voice carried both experience and charisma transmitted through the channel.
« The honor is ours. Warwolf 1. Your reputation has preceded you. » Sky Eye responded.
« Yours as well. » He humbly replied.
« So you are that Mobius guy we're keep hearing about ya. » Warwolf 1's wingman called out. « Don't look so tough to me. »
« Be nice, Guts. » Warwolf 1 said.
« Relax Colonel. Just breaking the ice. »
« You're friendly. » Mobius 1 said.
« And you're must be his wingman. Wing-woman, I mean. Or is it...Wing-Witch? You are a strange pair indeed. »
Mobius 2 silently saluted to them.
« Let's see if you guys are as good as they said. »
« You'll find out if they are soon enough. Everyone will. » Sky Eye put a vote with confident.
« Heh! I'll be the judge of that. » Warwolf 2 remained skeptical.
« Hey, shouldn't you guys be focusing more on the Erusean now? » Omega 11 asked. « Why bother coming here? »
« Just keeping our neighbor safe. » Warwolf 2 replied. « Besides, with that Stonehenge in the way. Things are pretty much in a stalemate. »
« And so began the stare battle between the might Aegir 'Invincible' Fleet versus the US whatever fleet out there in the Atlantic Ocean. »
Omega's words earned a few chuckles among his flights, surprisingly, Warwolfs shared the same humor as well.
« There goes the civilian taxes. » Mobius 2 muttered.
« But I've heard that you guys are planning some big push, right? » Omega continued.
« Why that— »
« No comment. » Warwolf 1 interjected.
« Attention all planes. The landing operation is about to start. » Sky Eye radioed in.
« Commence the attack once the delivery is completed. »
Below Mobius 2's altitude, she could see a number of certain fast-moving objects, leaving trails of white as they go.
They're Tomahawks, the long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missiles that were launched from US destroyers.
« There they go. »
« Ohaiyou! (Good morning!) Suckers! » Omega 11 said.
« Impact. In three...two... » Sky Eye made the count down.
« And sayonara! (goodbye!) »
« ...One! »
The aviation force could see the entire island was literally shook from the missile strikes.
« All units! Commence the operation! »
Following Sky Eye's voice, all flights swiftly descended into the fray of battle. The still-looking green and yellow island came alight as multiple explosions were erupting.
« Wake up, you idiots! Wake up! We're un*static*attack! »
The distress voice of an insurgent calling out frantically was picked up thanks to the electronic warfare.
« Target locked. »
By the time the alarm was raised. It's too late for them.
« Bomb away! »
The explosive weapon released from the plane's torso as it was diving down in a crazy speed, not in free fall, but with a radar guidance system. The hit was 100% accurate.
« AA gun destroyed. »
« SAM destroyed. »
One by one, Sky Eye listed out the destroyed targets.
« The initial attack went off well. »
« Like fishing in a barrel! » Omega 11 shouted out in glee.
« Looks like they're starting to wake up. » Green Tails 1 said, watching the rebels below were running all over the place.
« I'm picking up the triple-A's signal. »
Multiple muzzle flashes emitted from the island. Lines of tracers tore through the sky.
« Look out, Omega 11! It's trying to get a lock on you. » His buddy warned him.
« Oh no, you don't. I'm not swimming back to the ship this time! »
...
...
Enduring through the hail of bullets and mortar shells smashing the water, the Landing Craft Air Cushions carrying attack force had finally reached the shoreline.
"Shield up!" Badger 1 gave the command.
She and her platoon promptly deployed the round-shaped glowing magical shield.
"Let's crush these rebels! Attack!"
As soon as the LCAC's frontal door was dropped down, they advanced with rapid speed, charging at the island's defenders.
« Stay close formation! » radioed Dachshund 1, tank commander of the main battle tank Challenger 2.
The tanks rolled out of the LCAC, firing their main gun and coaxial guns at the same time.
The Tank Witches enclosed themselves, forming out a certain Tortoise-like formation with magic shields deflecting all sort of incoming projectiles at ease, both large calibers and rockets.
The Witches are formidable. It was a basic knowledge that everybody knew. After all, they're the hailed heroines who destroyed Neuroi, the enemy of mankind.
Still, with that being said, the rebel who manned the heavy machine gun continued firing stubbornly.
"Shi-ne! Shi-ne! Shi-ne! (Die! Die! Die!)" He cried out with rage.
However, the rebel's fighting spirit was soon snuffed out instantly by an explosive rocket fired from the Ribbon Witch.
The defenders frantically shifted their gun barrel to the flying target above, however, their effort was undone by a number of grenades and suppressing fire from the ground force.
« They're shelling our position with mortars. Push forward! » Dachshund 1 urged everyone to get out of the strike zone.
« Go for big! » The commanding officer of 422nd screamed out the motto.
« Yahhoo! Another SAM is added to my kill list. » The spirited Warwolf 2 exclaimed.
…
…
As soon as the mortar shell was fired away, a fresh one was promptly inserted into the mortar.
"Keep them pin down! Our reinforcement is on th—" The encouraging voice from a rebel was cut off abruptly.
The mortar loader looked back to see what's wrong, only to see the man's entire head was missing from his own body.
Before any reaction was made, the man received the same fate as his whole body was torn opened. His bones and internal organs were crushed instantly by some sort of an invisible punch.
Following the rebels' death, the 81mm mortar was reduced to scrap metals by a projectile. It was not done by a Tank Witch or any Marine in combat.
…
…
Far away from the occurring battle, two Witches maintained their fixed position at a low flying altitude in a manner like helicopters.
They're the Esteri team, and they're conducting the long-range sniping support for 108th Ground Task Force.
Each equipped a .50 BMG rifle. They're nothing more than spelling the word: 'H-U-R-T'.
"Enemy mortar is neutralized." Esteri 2 aka. Coffee reported.
"Onto the next one. Follow my shot, Coffee." Esteri 1 aka. Ice Tea said as her glowing blue eyes locked onto a new target hid behind a bush on the island.
Following AS50's recoil, M82A2 did the same.
Usually, in a manner of physic and ballistic, the sniper would have done quite a calculation before they could have hit the target within 1800-2400 meters.
However, this was done by 2800 meters. Both girls squeezed the trigger while their scope crosshair was aligning directly toward the marked targets. If someone fired like that, the caliber would simply be pulled down by the gravity and missed the target terribly by miles.
And yet, both of their projectiles continued traveling on the path at ease, without the influence of the gravity or a wind blow.
The answer? Magic!
Thanks to Esteri 2's ballistic stabilization along with Esteri 1's magic eye providing accuracy, the caliber traveled all the way from the weapon's muzzle to the target.
Looking through the scope, another mortar team was decimated in seconds after the trigger was pulled.
…
…
"Boy, I thought this is just some simple island, but they got one hell of a base!" Badger 2 aka. Amber commented as she's spotting some concrete structures.
The assault force continued making their smooth advance thanks to the effective air supports.
« I'm more interested of how the hell they could built this and keep it hidden for so long. » said one of Dachshunds.
"I-I'm picking up some heat signature is rising beneath the island's surface." Badger 3 aka. Violet reported with her magic sensor reading.
All of sudden, the assault force felt the earth was somewhat…vibrating. Then they all saw a number of fighters had launched themselves up into the air.
« Enemy aircrafts! They're launching from the island! » Dachshund 1 reported to the situation to Sky Eye. « You've got MiG 21s coming to you. »
"So they really do have an underground runway!" said Badger 1.
« I don't have visual on that runway from here. » Green Tail 1 said. « We'll need our ground force to take it out. »
« Wild Badgers and Dachshund platoon. I've marked the target's location on your map. » Sky Eye sent the data. « Destroy its exit so there wouldn't be any reinforcement or escapee. »
"Roger. We'll take care of it!" Badger 1 replied with confident before she turned to her platoon. "Let's roll, ladies!"
« Guess we're the ladies now. » One of the male combatants joked.
...
...
« Warwolf 2 destroyed a technical. » Sky Eye reported.
« Like shooting tin cans in my dad's backyard. » Warwolf 2 said, searching new target on radar.
« Stay focus, Guts. » Warwolf 1 called out.
« Hehe, roger. »
Even with the battle was in their favour, Warwolf 1 couldn't afford any member of his squadron to lower their guard.
…
…
War is sweet to those who haven't taste it.
Many tended to romanticized the idea. War was something, a certain darkness to overcome, to triumph.
War...was an attraction.
Something for you to look at without a feel of danger, only a sense of thrill or pity for the characters in it.
But when you're actually sitting in the middle of it.
This was not really the case.
Muzzled explosions.
My rapid breathing through the mask.
My bounding heart was the loudest thing I could hear inside the cockpit.
« This is Mobius 1. I'm starting my bombing run. » The pilot sitting in front of me spoke up.
I felt lightheaded when we descended down straight toward the ground like a roller coaster.
I shifted my eyes to my left side, hoping I would feel better, however, with that action, I've spotted an enemy MiG 21 was tailing right behind.
"Th-there is a bandit right behind us!" I screamed out.
« We have started the bombing run sequence. We can't pull out. »
So, this is it? I thought.
Silently, I pulled out my camera and pointed at the flying MiG and pressing my shutter button multiple times. Right at the moment the Death was about to swing his scythe...
...And before Death got interrupted by something else.
The MiG 21 was struck by a round of bullets, disrupting his missile lock-on on us. He tried to pulled away but in vain as Mobius 2 already fired a missile from her Striker Unit, sending him off to meet his Maker.
« Your six is clear, Mobius 1. » Mobius 2 reported.
The silver-haired pilot didn't respond as he still focused on the target.
The trigger pressed. The payload released.
« Mobius 1 destroyed the surface target. »
« Woh-hoo! Good going! » A friendly fighter cheered.
« Whoa. These guys are pretty good! » Warwolf 2 finally admitted.
« Mobius team. Continue to neutralize the island's air defense. » Sky Eye gave the instruction.
« Copy. »
The rebel fighters were quickly dropping like flies.
« MiG destroyed. » Warwolf 1 reported once his missile struck the target, sending the burning wreckage spiraling itself down to the water.
« Good going, Colonel. » Warwolf 3 congratulated.
...
...
« This is Fencer. I've got the target in my sight. » Green Tail 2 said to her flight lead. « I'm going for it. »
« Copy, I've got your six. » Green Tail 1 said.
The green-colored tails Dassault Rafale dived down toward the island.
Once reaching down to a suitable altitude to drop release her payload, Green Tails 1 called out all of sudden.
« Watch out! AA! Pull up! Pull up! »
Concealed behind the camouflage blanket, the 20mm gun roared, spouting flash after flash, tearing through the air with projectiles violently.
Fencer swiftly banked her wings as she was pulling her plane's nose up in order to avoid the tracers.
She felt her plane took a few hits. However, after a quick check up on her system, her plane was still operational. No need to return back just yet.
« You alright there, Fencer? Look likes you've got a hole on your left wing. » Omega 11 said.
« Keep on with that joke, I'll put an arrow to your knee. » She responded with an annoyed tongue.
« Stay focus! » Sky Eye called in. « The enemy still haven't given up just yet. »
« Keep firing on those planes! Intensified forward firepower! » A rebel's voice was picked up in the channel.
The surrounding AA emplacements brought the whole sky ablaze with tracers after tracers.
« Ah hell! This is getting too much. » Warwolf 2 made a frustrated sigh. He then noticed something was on his canopy, a little dot.
It was soon that he learned the little dot was a F-14, blending itself in the bright sun, had swooped down passing him like a hawk, firing its missiles. Then ascended upward in a perfect arc. Not a moment too soon, AA turrets were enveloped in a sea of flame.
« AA guns destroyed by Mobius 1. » Sky Eye continued to report.
« Mobius 1 again?! » Warwolf 2 blurted out of disbelief.
« Warwolf 2, it looks like we're running out of targets. » Warwolf 1 said. « Let's pick up the pace shall we? »
« Right with you, Colonel. »
…
…
With another BOOM! went off violently, sending a technical flying upward for a few meters before it landed back to the earth. The remaining insurgent force pathetically retreated back into their concrete structure, allowing Wild Badgers, Dachshunds along with of 422nd Marines successfully storming their base where the underground airstrip was located.
Wasting no more time, Badger 1 aimed her main ordnance up-high toward the cave's mouth. The other Badgers did as well. All loaded with their high explosive round.
"Eat lead!" Riko cried out powerfully as all weapons opened fire.
Direct hit. The nature could not withstand such firepower as the cave-in promptly occurred, trapping the remaining grounded MiGs and rebels inside.
"We have blocked the exit! The underground runway is disable!" Amber reported.
« Well done, Wild Badgers. » Green Tails 1 congratulated.
…
…
« Mobius 1. Gun. Gun. » The cannon roared, sending round after round in a matter of seconds. The projectiles landed on SAM as they tearing through the material mercilessly until one of the rounds hit dead on the missile's warhead, triggering the explosion.
« The last SAM is neutralized. Good job Mobius 1. » Sky Eye said. « We have gained the air superiority. »
« Damn! I thought I'd got that. » Warwolf 2 groaned.
« I've got some blips on my radar. » Omega 2 reported in.
« Yeah, mine as well. » Green Tails 2 said. « They're responding to IFF. »
« Allies? »
« Right on the schedule. » Warwolf 1 said.
« Attention all planes. Incoming reinforcement. It's the 6th Division's detachment. » Sky Eye informed.
In the distance, a familiar shape of gigantic transporter called Galaxy C5 was coming in hot with its rear door already opened.
« This is Papa Duck 1 to Sky Eye. Thanks for cleaning the road for us. We are dropping our customers now. » The transporter pilot radioed in. « And they have a long list to complain. »
Below the flying Galaxy C5, close to sea's surface was a number of V-22 Ospreys.
Both kind of transportation soon made a fast-dropping/fast-roping into the battle.
The vacant rough part of the island was soon filled with M1 Abrams, the US Liberion main battle tanks along the boots of the fighting 6th Marines.
« Let's bring the pain, Marines! »
« Hooah! »
« War Hogs are en route. »
« Rattlesnakes are right behind you! »
« This is Echelon Actual to all units. Take out those remaining batteries! » A commanding officer radioed to his unit.
« Copy. Actual. »
« We've got BTRs and technicals! Take them out. »
…
…
Standing by the captured air base, the ARRF assault force started to hear gunfire and explosions occurred in the woods where the US force has just landed.
"The Liberions sure know how to make an entrance." Badger 1 commented.
« Shock and Awe, mate. » Dachshund 2 said. « Shock and Awe. »
« Wild Badgers. This is Sky Eye. You're to assist an allied unit called Echelon located on the north side of the island. »
"Will do."
« Dachshund platoon will hold position, secure the runway. 422nd Company will start sweeping out the remaining rebels in the area. »
« Affirmative. »
« Copy your last, Sky Eye. »
…
…
The island battle has taken a second phrase. The rebels who had regrouped start making their counter-attack, in hope to drive the invaders back to the sea.
"They're raining down hell on us with RPG! Where the hell they get that much firepower?!"
"This is Echelon. We need air support!"
« Message received, Echelon. We're coming in hot. »
"Ramirez, pop smoke. Let them know where we are."
The named Private silently complied. With the man's bold and bravery action, the smoke grenade was tossed into the enemy defend line.
Death from above was committed. Multiple machine nests were destroyed. It brought out ecstatic cheers from the fighting Marines.
Once the dust was settled, the Marines noticed a new arrival.
"Look over there!"
"They're Tank Witches!"
With the girls' arrival, the enemy defend line was quickly abandoned.
"This is Badger 1, we're here give you the support." Rico reported to a Marine officer.
« Much appreciate it, Witches. But we can take it from here. » A US tank commander said. « Let the big boys do the heavy works. »
"We're under N-U-N jurisdiction. You don't have the right to boss us around!"
Despite they're on the same side, the rivalry was still at large.
« Green tails 1 has used up all special weapons. » Sky Eye confirmed after Green Tails 1 had used the remaining to destroyed multiple grounded targets.
« This is our cue then. We'll return back to Mirai to rearm and refuel. »
…
…
"It seemed that we won't get much action from where we are." Ice Tea said.
The Esteri team was still standing by above the water.
"Should we request to get in closer?" Coffee suggested.
"Hmm, I think we should…Hey, what's that?"
Coffee followed Ice Tea's eye direction. She saw something was moving above the water.
"Something is fast approaching."
"This is Esteri 1 to Sky Eye. I have visual on multiple bogeys coming from vector 3-8-0. Do you see them on radar?"
« …that's a negative, Ice Tea. How many do you see them? »
"They're flying low altitude right above the water." Esteri 2 reported. "Your radar can't pick them up."
"…They're drones! There's at least a dozen of them!" Esteri 1 declared.
« Intercept them, Esteri team! »
The Witches aimed their weapon toward the flying drone opened fire.
Both shots were well-aimed, however, when the bullets were about to get close to them, the drones suddenly took a swift turn toward one side and then back to the originated flight path.
"Missed!?" Esteri 2 exclaimed.
"No. Those drones have evaded our shots!" Esteri 1 confirmed with her magic-enhanced eyes. "Keep firing at them."
With rapid firing from two marksmen, only one drone was struck and smashed into the sea.
"They're fast!" Coffee hissed.
The shooting rate increased, but with a limited number of cartridges in one magazine. The Witches were unable to stop the fast-coming swarm.
Before they could load a new magazine into the rifle, the drones began to attack the Witches with missiles.
"Deploy shield!"
The two Witches quickly deployed their rounded blue magical shield. Once the missiles exploded upon the impact, the Esteri team had no time to catch a break as the drones continued attacking them with their auto-cannon.
The Witches could only put up their shield as they're helplessly watching the group of dark gray-colored metallic drones flying pass over them. They managed to catch the drone's unique shape which bearing an aerodynamic design with tailless W-wing. Instead with propeller, they're flying with a jet engine.
"This is Esteri 1. The drones have broken through our sector! I say again, we're being over—!"
"Look out!"
Hearing Esteri 2's warning, she was able to avoid the flying drone which was too close for comfort. Then a few seconds later, another one flew passed by, almost collide into her.
"I think they're trying to ram at us!"
"Go. Go! Get out of here!"
The Esteri team detached themselves, allowing the drones passing through their position.
« Attention all units. We have a new situation. Incoming UAVs approaching fast to the island from vector 3-8-0. »
The channel abruptly filled with multiple radioed voices saying at the same time.
« Woah! Where the hell these guys come from?! » Warwolf 2 was astounded.
« Incoming missiles. Evade! » Warwolf 1 gave the warning to his squadron.
« What kind of drone is that!? »
« There're so many of them! »
« They're coming for us! » Green Tails 2 said.
« All available fighters cover the Green Tails' retreat. Intercept those drones. » Sky Eye gave a new objective.
« Green Tails 3 and 4. Resume your return course. Fencer and I will hold them off. » Green Tails 1 gave the directive.
« I'm with you, Archer. » Green Tails 2 responded.
…
…
As soon as her Light Fifty was empty, Coffee switched to her submachine gun as a secondary weapon.
She unloaded a whole magazine onto the drone directly, however, most of the calibers were deflected by drone's armored body.
"The armor is too thick!"
All of sudden, a hail of bullets rained down upon one drone, rendering it to collide into the flying one nearby. The crashing two plowed into the third one.
"Wha…"
Coffee looked to the source, only surprised to see an unexpected character.
Like her and Ice Tea, she was a Witch, wearing in a certain white and red attire which bearing that certain country's culture.
"Fusoan?"
The short-haired Fuso Witch opened fire her assault rifle, Type 89, a standard weapon for Fuso Ground Defense Forces. At the end of the gun barrel was a 50-centimeter-long sword-type bayonet.
Holding it like a spear, her enchanted blade cut through the drone's wing, rendering it to fall in a spiral before it hit the water.
…
…
The tide of battle could change in an instant.
How terrify to see we're having the good advantage, but now, all of sudden, we're back to where we started…or even worse.
To be honest I thought this was a simple bombing mission.
Then again, simple always invited complications.
« These guys are moving like flies. I can't get a lock-on. » Omega 11 was frustrated.
« They look similar to the ones I shot down the other night. » Mobius 2 shared her information.
« That's quite informative, sis. But we're not exactly having two hands out in the air to bash those drones like baseball, like you did with your machinegun. » Her brother said.
« She actually did what? » Warwolf 2 couldn't help but asked.
« They're fast, but I noticed that these drones would reduce their speed when they're turning. Perhaps you can perform the High-G turn to take them out. » Mobius 2 shared her idea.
« Easier said than done! » Omega 11 said.
« You can sit this one out then. » Warwolf 2 said.
« Let's do it, Guts. »
« With you, Colonel. »
As I was trying to take pictures of those agile flying drones, Mobius 1 said to me.
« You still remember the trick I've taught you? »
"Ye-Yeah, I'll manage. J-just go wild!" I couldn't let him to be held back because of me.
« Much obliged. »
I then began to experience the G-force.
Clenching my teeth, I breathed in and out. It's technique to keep my blood not getting rush into my head, otherwise I would get a black out.
Mobius 1 tackled onto one drone. It was fast, very fast. If I was a pilot, I don't think I would be able to keep up with it.
But he did.
He pulled High-G turn by putting his whole plane toward the right side, vertically. He then decelerated his speed. This would surely make his engine stall, but none of that matter when a UAV had entered in the targeting HUD.
His cannon roared.
The drone was torn in pieces by the projectiles and then it's coming down in smoke and flame.
« UAV is shot down. » Mobius 1 reported.
« Alright! » The allied cheered out.
« Those were some fancy moves. Now take out the rest like that. »
« I've got more blips on my radar. And I don't think they're drones. » Warwolf 3 radioed in.
« Enemy reinforcement! Seven bogeys. » Warwolf 1 confirmed visually.
« This is becoming a hot mess! » Omega 11 cried out.
« Damn. Where the hell these guys come from? »
The enemy fighter squadron began the interception onto the circling Warwolf squadron. However, they immediately broke off the formation when they spotted more incoming blips on the radar.
« This is 305th tactical fighter squadron, 9th Air Wing of Fuso Air Defense Force. Call sign: Goblin » A male pilot reported in a Fusoan accent. « We hope we're not late for the party. »
« You've arrived just in time. Good to have you, Goblin squadron. » Sky Eye said. « Please assist the Warwolf and Omega squadron. »
« Wilco. We'll drive these pests out of our home yard. »
The squadron consisted of five F-15Js assumed the attack formation and charged into the battle.
…
…
« Missile. Missile. Missile. »
The system voice said the word repeatedly like a mantra. However, Green Tails 2 paid no heed to it as she was trying shake away the pursuing drone on her tail.
« I got a bogey on my tail. I can't shake him! »
« It's firing! Flare now! » Green Tails 1 cried out.
Despite the counter measure had fooled the heat-seeking missile, the black drone was stubbornly tailing close to its chosen prey.
« Shit! It's still onto me! »
« Green Tails 2. » Mobius 2 called in. « On my signal, make a hard dive in three…two… »
Before Fencer could reply a word, she saw the Witch with a blue ribbon was approaching directly toward her.
« WWoo-Ooohhhshit! ! » She immediately put her stick forward all the way, diving her nose down.
In that moment, the drone shifted to a new approaching target. It soon registered that target was a Witch wearing a blue ribbon and she was aiming at him with a…Panzerfaust 3?
The Ribbon Witch fired the weapon.
The warhead struck dead on, rendering the drone to spin crazily in air as it was burning in flame and parts were coming off in pieces.
"Got him." The Ribbon Witch reported.
« Mobius 2. That was way too close for comfort! Give me a better warning next time! »
« That was wild, cutie. Thanks for saving my wingman. » GreenTails 1 said.
"RPG…drone kill. Now I've seen everything…" I muttered to myself.
« Damn, that ribbon girl is something too. Seem kinda cold though. » Warwolf 2 said.
« Focus on your own plate, Guts. » Warwolf 1 put his wingman back in line as he initiated the dogfight with an enemy MiG.
« MiG 25? These rebels sure have got themselves good sponsors. They never seemed to run out of money or weapons. »
…
…
"What the hell, they're coming in like a swarm of bees." Riko showed a worried face as she looked upward to the ongoing air battle.
"H-hey, you hear something?" A US Marine asked.
"Something is coming." Violet said, feeling the ground was shaking.
Soon, thick bushes were flattened by an armoured vehicle with tracks. Before any Marine or Witch could use their special weapon to destroy the target. A cry of terror promptly changed their mind.
"SHILKA!"
It's the name of an armored Orussia self-propelled, radar guided anti-aircraft weapon system.
Originally designed as a mobile anti-air battery, but that didn't stop from becoming an anti-personnel gun as well. This weapon was more devastating than their .50 BMG.
Rico was quick with her hands as she steadied her cannon, aiming at Shilka and pulled the trigger.
"..."
Nothing happened.
It was a misfire!
How could this have happened?! Perhaps a lucky rock or sand got into the gun chamber, rendering the firing pin did not reach bottom end of the shell. Or the perhaps the maintenance was bad, after all, Witch's weapon was a delicate and complex tool. Still, whatever the reason was, the situation had turned FURBAR.
When the Captain has noticed Rico's weapon was malfunctioned, he immediately called out to his men.
"Move! Move! Move to cover! Get behind that pillbox!"
With a trained mind, every combatant bolted for whatever solid cover nearby. A still-burning wreckage, concrete pillbox, or even craters.
Everyone managed to dig in. Almost everyone.
"Ah shit. Carl!" A Marine cried out the Private's name once he realized the poor kid has fell himself on the ground due to bad footing. And out of all places, he had to fell right before the metal beast which was looking straight at him with its 4 metal barrels.
It was at this moment Carl knew...He fucked up.
Oh fuck!
"Not on myyyy WATCHHHHHHH! !"
Rico, the red-haired with her temper, tossed her main weapon aside and she charged in. She courageously put herself right between the marine and the scythe of death. The moment she deployed her shield, it was when a dozen, if not, hundreds of hammer-like strikes kept hammering on Rico's shield.
Like the hammer striking on an anvil. Ear-deafening.
It was a desperate move. And frankly, Rico's magic was already at the exhausted state.
Oh no! At this rate!
Just when she braced the worse to come.
Something then happened.
The monster was exploded, scattering its part all around.
They had been saved.
By a strike from the heaven, smiting the evil.
Rico for one, she was a Christian.
She thankful for an angel has appeared and smote the evil.
However, to be honest, she would rather prefer a different kind of angel though.
This one was...a sight for her sore eyes. Since it's not a bright smiling angel, but a sleepy one.
What truly transpired in that moment by having another perspective from above is that Mobius 2 has destroyed the ZSU-23-4 by firing her Panzerfaust 3 directly right on top of it, where the armor was the thin.
« Right on, Ribbon Princess! » Omega 11, who had witnessed the act, shouted out in glee.
The Marines started to cheer, thanking the Ribbon Witch.
"You alright?" She asked.
"I didn't ask for help! Amber could take it out."
"Eehhh...not really?" The blonde said, still holding the unloaded bazooka.
"Check your fire. Friendlies coming in at your twelve!"
US Marine reinforcement arrived and soon secured the area.
"Captain. I saw a bunch of rebels have gone through this door, sir." A US Marine reported the situation.
"Careful! Might be booby-trapped." The officer advised.
"Don't worry, sir. I didn't pick up any electronic device behind that door." Violet reassured them. "It's reinforced, however."
"That simplifies our problem then. Get those charges up here!" A US Sergeant with a shaved beard gave the order.
"No need for that." Rico said.
The twin-tail girl picked up a what-used-to-be cannon barrel. Probably it got detached from the turret by the destruction.
"Fortify." As soon as she said the word, the object in her hands was glowing dimly.
Then...She tossed it in manner like a spear.
Or rather...a hammer. That's what everyone had registered in their mind once the cannon arm had smashed into the reinforced door with the intend to burst it wide open.
An awful banging noise hit everyone's ears, however, the metal door remained still, even though the damage was visible.
"That didn't work." A Marine said.
Rico only clicked her tongue, showing frustrated.
"Then let me try—"
Without a warning, a new presence had descended itself from the on-going air battle.
With the quick look on her gadgets and a Miko-like uniform bearing red and white, she was identified as a Fuso Witch. She wore the white-colored Striker Unit, F-2 model. However, it's strange that her head gadget had covered half of her face with a black metallic visor.
"Doite (Move)." The Witch said.
"Wha…"
Before the assault team could put up any question, the Witch drew out the katana from its scabbard.
"Waaa!"
By someone's yelping, the Marines and Tank Witches promptly removed themselves away from the door.
"Teee-YA!" The blade was swung down along with a powerful war cry.
A second later after the Witch had sheathed her blade, the reinforced door was sliced apart into four pieces.
All were dumbfounded, mouth opened wide that could catch a fly. Except the Sergeant, who was more or less impressed.
"Huh, that works."
They looked back at the Fuso Witch who gave a brief bowing to them before she ascended back to the sky, resuming the air combat.
"Show off." Rico was not pleased to see another one had taken her spot light.
The Witch swiftly passed by Mobius 2 who still maintained her position.
"Hmm, pony tail." The silver-haired took noted.
…
…
The pony-tailed Fuso Witch was soon joined up with her fellow, a short-haired Witch, who just scored another drone kill with her weapon.
« Attention all units! Incoming more bogeys. They're drones. » Sky Eye updated the situation.
« More?! Where the hell they're coming from? »
« It's like we've struck the beehive or something. » Omega 11 said.
« This is Green Tails 1. I guess the party won't end without us just yet. » Archer joked with her charisma voice. The Green Tails squadron had returned for Round 2.
« Goblin 1 to Raijin. Let's show these terrorists that we Fusoans are not the kind to be trifled with. »
The two Fuso Witches promptly charged straight into the swarm. With the short-haired Witch's firing support, the pony-tailed drew out her katana and started slashing everything in her path.
One attack drone was charging at her frontally as it's firing with auto-cannon.
She, the pony-tailed Witch deflected all projectiles at ease thanks to her shield. She then put up her katana vertically while her Striker Unit was accelerated, bringing her in faster.
All pilots were bewildered, watching the scene unfolded.
Holding the blade firmly, she cut straight through the flying drone from the very tip of its head to the very end of bottom, rendering the machine was slipped in half and then exploded moment later.
« Holy shet! She just cut through that drone in half! » Omega 11 exclaimed.
…
…
"Witches…their abilities are so amazing. Healing type. Air bending. Speed. Magic antenna. Magic eye. And now this!" I mumbled to myself as I kept pressing the shuttle button again and again.
"…but what about Mobius 2." The thought occurred to me. "What's her ability?"
« ...Being lazy, I suppose. » Mobius 1 answered.
"…"
…
…
"They're throwing a lot of assets in order to defend their supply base." Captain Anderson said, looking at the situation.
"From the look of it, they must be desperate." The XO said.
« I beg to differ. » On the communication screen showed the face of Commodore Hayate.
"Commodore."
« I believe that they're trying to keep our force occupied. They're buying time for the evacuation. » She spoke up her theory.
« It is vital that we must learn what the insurgents are actually protecting from us. »
"So we shall." Captain Anderson agreed.
"Contact the destroyers to tighten up the blockage. We will not let any more of those drones getting pass by us."
…
…
"You've got a new objective, Sergeant. You and your team will investigate this underground facility." The Captain of the 6th gave the mission.
"Roger that." The man acknowledged. "What do you think us expect to find down there, sir?"
"Anything that involve with...magic, I suppose." He shrugged. "Just stay safe."
"Will do, sir."
"Another reinforced door." A Marine checked up on the said door.
"Hey kid, want to help out with this one?" The sergeant asked Rico, who was happily to comply.
"Fortify!"
Once more, Rico used her enhancing magic ability, strengthening the material of a metal pipe to be sturdier and heavier.
Rico then used it to bash at the metal door, forcing the latter to open instantly.
"Yeah! How do you like that!" She yelped and fist pumped.
"Hey..." A Marine whispered to Blake who was nearby. "You have to scream out like that to activate your ability?"
"Nahh…it's just her style."
…
…
Looking upward to the blue sky was darken with multiple flying aircrafts above and then downward to the ground where the Wild Badgers and US Marines were getting prepared to storm the enemy facility.
In Mobius 2's mind, two choices were presented.
And she picked one.
"This is Mobius 2 to Sky Eye. I'm requesting to be deployed on foot to assist the Wild Badgers."
« Negative, Mobius 2. The air space is still not secure...Hold on... »
There was a brief pause before Sky Eye returned to her.
« Mobius 2, Hexer would like to have a word with you. I'm patching her through. »
« Mobius 2. Your permission is granted. » It's the voice coming from none other than Commodore Hayate, who also acted as the commanding officer of 108th Task Force.
« You are to assist the Wild Badgers and Marines to secure the underground facility. Find out what the insurgent are hiding from us. »
"Roger. Thank you Hexer."
...
...
"Is it alright?" I asked. Rather seeing this was so strange for a first time. A Witch fighting in the air, and then changed to fighting on ground.
« It's fine. She is more badass than me anyway. » Her brother said with confident. « Mobius 1 to Sky Eye. We are returning back to Mirai to resupply. »
« Affirmative. Proceed to the designated vector. »
The air battle was still raging on, fortunately, the situation was slowly returning back to the Allied force's control.
\/ /\ \/
When the time changed, so did the way of fighting and tactics.
Witches were not just solely used as…Witches, but also in term of infantry.
Aerial Infantry. The Witches were classified as such in the military. Specialized fighting in the air and on land.
Whenever the situation required, the Witches can switch between two roles.
And without depending on the Striker Unit was the norm.
"Decided to get some mud on your face, Mobius 2?" Rico asked Mobius 2 who is already dismounted from her Striker Unit.
"Just going for a stroll." She replied, loading a new magazine into her battle rifle.
"With bare feet? You're hardcore."
Bearing a design in mind, the Land Battle Striker had an external small box which contained the special all-terrain boots. The Tank Witches were spared from feeling the hardness or spikiness of the earth, and the muddy, yucky type. Except for the aerial witches.
"Why are you Witches doing here?" A Marine asked.
"Same as you, we want to know what the insurgents are hiding on this island." Rico answered. "And it'd be best that we will stick with you guys."
"Jeez. Those guys sure can make themselves busy with whatever they have." A couple of Marines nearby talked among themselves.
"That Witch is going bare feet though." He looked at Mobius 2's smooth-looking legs.
"…Nice legs."
"Cut the chatter, men." Captain called out. "We still have some buildings to clear out. Move it!"
Mobius 2 and Wild Badgers soon joined up with a Marine team led by a Sergeant named Moody.
"Welcome Witches." Sergeant greeted. "Don't try to be the hero. That's my request."
"Yes sir. We can do that." Rico answered, holding her M3 Grease Gun with trigger discipline.
"Good."
The group mixed with Marines and Witches soon tactically infiltrated the underground building.
"Go. Go. Go."
"Move in."
As soon as they descended down the stair, there was little light below.
"It's dark..." Violet said.
"OOohhhoo~" One of the Marines made the iconic ghost sound effect in order to scare off the young girls.
"Cut it out, Johnson! Everyone, switch to night vision."
Night Vision Googles, it was the device attaching on the Marines helmet that the user soon put them on. As for the Witches, they simply tapped lightly on side of the head gadget that they wore since the beginning. The HUD visor not only provided a good range of vision in the dark, it acted like any normal glasses without suffering the cumbersome weight.
The corridor was narrowed so they have to move in a single file.
They soon arrived to a T-section. Sgt. Moody signaled the point man to take left.
"Johnson, Sully. You two take right. Take the ladies with you."
"But Sarge…" Pvt. Johnson tried to protest.
"Don't worry, big guy. I'll hold your hand."
Rico's words quickly earned good chuckle among the Marines while the man in subject was simply turned red out of embarrassed and angry.
…
…
"Strange. Looking at these structures. This looks like a naval base." Violet commented.
"More like a freaking maze." Johnson said.
The second team made a smooth advancing without encountering any enemy, until their radio came to live.
« Sully, Johnson. We've just hit a dead end. How's your side? »
"It's still stretching all the way down, Sarge. Should we proceed?"
« Negative. Hold position We're circling back to you. »
"Copy. Holding position."
Remembered the training, the Witches and Marines soon knelt down. Amber, Violet and Blake turned to the rear while Rico, Mobius 2 and Marines trained their weapon toward the darkness with trigger discipline.
"Hey, uh..." Sully, the young Marine called out to the silver-haired girl. "Have we uh...met before?"
While Mobius 2 was simply titling her head to one side, his companion was cringed.
"Oh my god, not that pick-up line."
"And she is your type?!" Rico was bewildered.
"What? No! I mean...I think I remembered seeing her...back in the Middle East..."
As the three was preoccupied with the young Marine's explanation, they failed to notice a hidden camera placing on the upper corner.
Out of nowhere, a metal door was automatically closed shut right behind Rico, Mobius 2 and two Marines, separating them and other three Witches.
"It's a trap!" Rico shouted out.
The Marines promptly aimed their rifles toward the hallway cloaked in darkness. They're prepared to fire at anything that move.
Then their nose picked up a certain smell. It hit their nostrils strong and abruptly.
"Gas...?" Mobius 2 asked.
"GAS! We got gas!" Johnson cried out.
"Put the mask on!"
While the four were trying to pull out a gas mask from their backpack, a war cry abruptly echoed throughout the close-spaced corridor almost shook everyone.
"GGGGGRRRRAAAHHH! !"
The Ribbon Witch turned her head, only to see a figure was already charging at them with a Kalashnikov's wooden buttstock on their end.
...
...
« What is going on down there? » Dachshund 1 inquired.
« It's Rico's team. They're under attacked by some nerve gas! » A friendly reported.
« They what?! »
« Those animals! »
We have just returned back to the battle and things already developed sideways.
"Mobius 1, do you think..." I hesitated to ask about Mobius 2's status.
"..."
…
…
A number of flashlights were flickering in the darkness. These people were the island's defenders, the insurgents. They had their weapons trained toward where the invaders have fallen into their trap. However, with the thick volume of gas, the light was unable to tell them the status of the enemy, even worse that one of them, a young hotshot had charged right at them without waiting for anyone.
How reckless.
"Did he get them?" A rebel asked.
His question soon received the answer, by a storm of bullets violently cut him down along with his comrades.
The hallway echoed with thunderous crispy weapon firings.
Once a whole magazine was depleted, everything within the barrel was no longer moving.
"Three tangos down." The Ribbon Witch said. She then put down the Kalashnikov which she had looted from the rebel.
"Phew! That was close." Sully sighed behind the mask.
"You alright, Rico?" Mobius 2 asked.
"Y-yeah, *cough!* *cough!*...I'm okay. I'm okay." The twin-tailed said.
The sealing metal door behind them was then forced open thanks to Amber's Super Strength ability.
The gas soon dismissed.
"Girls! You two alright?" Sgt. Moody asked.
"We're fine." Rico replied.
"We're fine too, thanks for asking." The two Marines spoke up.
"If you were puta, I will ask. Now get your asses up." He urged them.
"Hiiiee!"
Violet yelped once she saw a body was lying by a pool of blood. He had been killed by a combat knife which has plunged directly at the back of his neck.
The knife was then removed by none other than Mobius 2. She quietly cleaned the blood off by wiping its blade over the rebel's clothes, before putting it back into the sheath.
Only then she noticed everyone was looking at her with…unreadable expression.
"…What?" She was puzzled.
"Ehum! Lets continue." The squad leader called out. "Check those corners, I don't want any more peek-a-boo. Stay frosty Oscar Mike."
""Hooahh.""
…
…
The group continued their way down deeper. Blake noticed that Violet had stopped in her track as she was eyeing toward a certain corridor.
"What is it, Amber?"
"The signal...that I've picked up... It's over there." She nervously pointed her finger toward the direction.
A Marine trained his weapon to the path where he saw a dead end in the distance.
"I don't see anything though."
"At the end of it...I think it's behind a door." Violet continued.
"I'm sensing it too." Mobius 2 said.
"With your magic?" The Marine asked.
"Woman's intuition."
Mobius 2's answer made many looked at each other.
Holding the battle rifle in her hands, the silver-haired made the tactical approach.
Wordlessly, Wild Badgers followed Mobius 2's lead. The Sergeant also signaled two Marines to follow them.
…
…
"Behind this door?" Rico asked Violet, who quietly nodded.
Gently, the twin-tailed checked the door handle. It's opened.
The door's hinges made an awful dry eerie sound when Rico pushed it in.
And what behind it, inside that very room...was something that the Witches had never seen before.
There were machines, sophisticated-looking hardware. But what solely captured their attention was a small, thin-looking girl, about 10 years old was lying on an old metal bed.
She was not sleeping though, or rather, she was in some sort of coma state.
"What the hell—"
With a good reflex, Rico had evaded a blunt object attack from behind.
The attacker was another little girl, roughly about 10-12 years, dressing in a tattered rag.
Rico and others were shocked when they saw half of the girl's face was bearing a terrible burned scar.
However, what truly shocking was...
A pair of cat-liked ears and tail.
She was a Witch.
"Contrac—"
"NO! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Rico frantically called out to the Marines who were pointing their weapon at the hostile.
"Do not shoot her! I've got this!"
"Get out!" The girl screamed out.
"Easy there, we are not going to—"
"Guraaaahhh! ! !"
Violet's soft voice was drowned away by the girl's animal-like throaty cry. She then proceeded to attack Violet with the metal bar, but Rico swiftly grabbed the weapon with her bare hand.
Both of them soon entered the wrestling.
In term of physical strength, among other Witches of 108th, Rico was the strongest and toughest one.
Soon, Rico managed to pin down the petite girl by putting her against the wall.
Despite she was pinned, the scar-faced Witch still resisted by kicking her legs up and down wildly.
"Hold still!"
The girl ignored Rico's words by making ear-piercing scream.
"Drop it."
A cold voice spoke up.
From a raging face that literally seek out for blood, it instantly shifted to a devastated and shock.
The scar-faced Witch's resistance dramatically ceased, like she had run out of juice. Her magic dismissed as her ears and tail were retracted.
Why has she stopped resisting? The voice, it's Mobius 2? What the hell did she do?
The twin-tailed thought this as she turned her face around.
She soon learned why.
In term of psychology, Rico was shaken as much as everyone who all witnessed Mobius 2, the silver-haired girl with blue ribbon was pointing her 9mm sidearm directly at the small girl lying motionless on the metal bed.
Finger was on the trigger.
"Please! Don't hurt her, please. I surrender. Please don't hurt her…" The girl kept begging pathetically. "Don't hurt her..."
Once the poor girl was submitted in plastic handcuffs, Mobius 2 only then lowered her weapon.
The moment she did that, Rico already made the approach and grabbed Mobius 2 by the collar.
For many times, Rico has done this kind of assault to Mobius 2, but only out of embarrassed, to stop her saying unnecessary things.
But this time, she did it in rage!
"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" She shouted.
"Pointing the weapon at some unconscious kid? Are you out of your mind?!"
While Rico was ranting, Mobius 2 wordlessly leveled up her pistol, deliberately showing the bottom of the weapon's handle.
"Do you think you can..."
The twin-tailed stopped her mouth when she finally took notice of it.
It was empty. There was no magazine in the weapon.
No magazine. No bullet.
"Just helping you out." She said in a neutral voice.
"..."
"…"
"Tsk!"
Rico only clicked her tongue, for a second there she really wanted to punch this girl's light out.
She let go of Mobius 2, with a small force pushing her away.
"You might be as well as the Witch Killer…" She muttered under her breath.
"Rico…" Violet called with a worried voice.
"I'm fine!"
"Please don't hurt her…" The poor girl continued begging.
After taking a closer look, they noticed that there're a lot of tubes stabbed onto the sleeping girl's thin, fragile looking arm, connecting to some sort of machine.
"What is this machine?" Amber asked out loud.
"It is…a cloaking device." The unexpected answer was coming from the surrendered girl.
"So this is the source that…cloaking the whole island with illusion?" Blake stated her opinion.
"They...used...our magic to run that device..." The girl said.
"Damn!" A Marine cursed under his breath.
"This is horrible."
"She is weak." Amber checked the little girl's pulse.
"Violet. See if you can't remove those things off of her." Rico said.
The purple-haired put herself to work.
"Huh...that's weird. This machine is not operating or anything." Blake checked the device.
"It turned off?"
"There was something here in this slot..."
"They took it…the core…" The little one said.
"Core? What core?" Rico asked.
"…"
"Where did they take it?" This time, Mobius 2 asked.
"…"
"Where?" She pressed on.
"The lower level…there is…a boat…waiting for them."
"Violet, Amber and Blake. Take these two outside." Rico quickly gave the order to her team. "I'm going down there to stop them."
Rico walked out of the room, passing by Mobius 2 like she was just the air.
Everyone soon followed Rico's order, leaving the Ribbon Witch alone.
"…" The Witch quietly put the 15-round magazine back into the sidearm.
She then gently slid the gun's slide toward her, but not all the way for a round to be put inside the chamber.
Because there's one round already in it.
…
…
« It's not a boat. It's a submarine. »
The correct answer was provided by Sky Eye when he received new additional information from the further analysis of the island.
« This is a submarine base. And it is still operational. »
"A Fuso submarine base back from the Neuroi War. Now's that something." A Marine commented.
"How come the Fusoans didn't know about this?"
"Probably they got so busy into rebuilding their country after the Ulysses. After all, they have to reduced their army just able to sustai—"
"Cut the chatters." Sergeant hissed. "You can go back to history class once we're done with this."
The point man stopped when they arrived at an L turn.
Carefully putting his face just a few inches out, he immediately put back in as soon as the wall was violently smashed by multiple projectiles.
"Contact!"
The Marines quickly returned fire.
Rico tried to put herself to the front so that she can deploy her shield. However, Sgt. Moody stopped her.
"We got this."
The calm leader signaled to two Marines with a hand sign.
They soon pulled out a frag from the waist.
Following the suppressing fire, frags were thrown in.
"Frag out!"
The voices cried out in surprised before they abruptly cut off by the big booms.
The Marines charged in. The attack was swift and merciless.
Any rebel who tried to regain themselves were all gun downed right where they were.
"Clear."
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
Even though the enemy combatant was no longer in the room, there's one particular place that they may very well had put themselves in: the submarine.
It was hard to tell what kind of model it was, but it's very large with the length about 120 meters.
"Look at the size of that thing!" Rico exclaimed. "It looks like a type submarine aircraft carrier."
"Don't gawk at it for too long, kids. It might get you pregnant." Sgt Moody said.
"That's sexual harassment!"
"Yeah-yeah." The man simply ignored Rico's outburst like his ex-wife.
They noticed that the hangar's main gate already opened, showing the blue water outside.
They also heard roaring jet engines above.
"Alright. Watch out for that submarine." He said, looking at the vessel. "There might be people in it."
"Sully, and…you. Give us cover."
"My name is Rico."
The Sergeant simply carried on with his task, to which she was annoyed by it.
"What a moody guy."
"Hehe, you tell me." Sully was amused.
Both of them then carried on with a small talk while watching the team making the approach to the submarine below.
They were unaware a certain man who had concealed himself under his comrade's torn bloody body. He placed the carbine toward the twin-tailed Witch.
"Look out!" Sully called out as soon as he noticed a movement among the bodies.
Rico could only turn her head out of reflex.
A loud crispy bang occurred.
Everyone simultaneously aimed their weapon to the source, only to see the young girl wearing blue ribbon who had pointed her weapon at the insurgent whose head was blown off.
"You…" Rico noticed a faint smoke was coming out from the gun's barrel.
Without a warning, the whole room was filled with the sound of running engine. It was coming from the submarine.
"It starts its engine. It's trying to get away!"
« This is Hexer to all units. You have the order to sink it! »
However, the damages inflicting on the vessel by the small arms' fire didn't stop it from sailing out.
Even with a number of grenades exploded on its back, the submarine thrust itself onward to the opened water. Soon the sub started to submerge.
"Damn. It got away!"
"The target has escaped." Sgt. Moody reported with a frustration in his voice. "I say again, the submarine is leaving."
"Shit! If I still ride on my Striker Unit..."
While Rico was frustrated, Mobius 2 calmly contacted to a certain pilot with her gadget.
"Mobius 1."
« I hear you, sis. »
...
...
Whatever the state of the crew inside the submarine, they sure felt damn proud that they had pulled off such amazing stunt. This will surely something that they would brag to their comrades once they escaped from here. However, unbeknown to all of them, there was a certain metal bird that had its eyes onto them.
« Mobius 1. Engaging. »
The F-14 dived down like a hawk.
Once reaching a suitable altitude, he released the unguided bomb.
Seconds later, the UGB landed directly onto the submarine's conning tower.
Then came the imminent explosion.
« Enemy submarine sunk! » Sky Eye reported.
The radio channel erupted crazily with many friendly's voices and cheers.
« Damn. He is a real deal! » Warwolf 2 said.
« He sure is, Guts. » Warwolf 1 agreed. « He sure is. »
Then without a warning, a secondary explosion occurred, slashing the water up high for about 6 meters.
« Whoa! Was that a secondary explosion?! »
« Hey, is it just us or there was a light blue ball has just exploded down there? »
« Mobius 1. You guys alright? You're the closet. » Sky Eye asked.
« We're fine...I'm not sure about my passenger though. »
« Ugh…I'm okay… » said the man.
…
…
The combat on the island marked as an exclusive zone was gradually subsided. The insurgents soon came forward with both hands in the air.
The Wild Badgers relieved their feet from the ground once they placed them back into the Striker Units.
As for Mobius 2, unfortunately she needed to find some tissues because one of her bare feet accidentally stepped on the...'mine'.
While she was preoccupied trying to scrape the muddy part off her foot, a 'knife hand' made a land on the back of her head.
She turned around, there standing Rico.
The twin-tailed didn't show much anger like before, but still irritated.
Rico took a deep breath before she said this.
"T-thank you...from before."
She tried to squeeze those words out.
"You really did save me...twice...but, to me. It's only that one time, okay?"
The silver-haired didn't say anything as she quietly observe Rico.
"Wh-what?"
"Is this what they called...Tsundere?"
"...What?! N-no! Don't you go fucking weeb on me!"
"Language, lady!" Sergeant pointed out.
...
...
« Did anyone know what's inside that submarine? » Omega 11 asked.
« No idea, man. Whatever in that submarine, it's probably gone now. » Omage 5 replied.
« Down to the bottom of the Pacific. » Green Tails 1 said.
« This is Sky Eye to all units of 108. We will begin the extraction operation. Leave this matter to the Liberion and Fuso. They will sort this out. »
« Mission accomplished. RTB. » The words from Sky Eye brought a good relief to ARRF combatants.
"That's one hell of a fight." Mobius 1 said.
"You're not wrong there. But…somehow…it didn't feel like a victory to me." I confessed.
« Oh? How so? » Mobius 1 asked.
With my hunch, this is just a…beginning of something.
...
Despite we're living in the 21st century. We're blocked away from accessing the internet and many other electronic devices. Gasoline was never supplied for the civilian car, only to military vehicles.
The bikes and walking on foot by-passing the parking armoured vehicles and aircrafts flying above soon became a daily sight on the streets.
School was remained opened for us to go, however, with their new implemented education system and some teacher…
But joke on them. I didn't go! I didn't even tell my aunt about it either.
In fact, there were many kids like me who also didn't want to go. Maybe it was a way of showing our own rebellion spirit to the occupiers.
Money was not a problem for me since my aunt did leave some for me. But since I didn't go to school, sitting around and doing nothing didn't sit well with me so I decided to make some...income.
Playing the harmonica and selling some flowers I picked up from nearby hill, getting some charity and loose changes from the soldiers. But playing harmonica was much more profitable though.
~ The girl's diary ~
- Page 2 -