Hi there – and welcome to the next installment! So now, Daniel gets a break from battle, but will it be the R&R he wants (and probably needs)? Read on to find out!

Early October 1944

Yokosuka, Fuso Empire

As the ship made its final approach into Yokosuka Harbor, Daniel stood with Mio along the railing of the ship, looking at the shore wistfully. "I always wanted to visit this country back in my world," he said. "I thought it was the most fascinating place ever – full of wonders and excitement just waiting to be had." Mio turned to him and asked, "Why Fuso in particular?"

Daniel then replied, "Well, I had a neighbor friend about my age, whose family had immigrated to the United States from Fuso, or Japan in my world, introduced me to visual broadcast animation from Japan. I was instantly hooked by the storylines, and the graphics were unlike anything I had ever seen. After that, I became very interested in learning everything I could about the country, and I absorbed every piece of information – from historical knowledge to cultural facts – that I could get my hands on."

Mio nodded in understanding, and then asked, "So, what's Fuso like in your world?" Daniel then smiled thoughtfully for a moment before he answered, "Well, I only saw images through photos and video broadcasts, but Japan is a very interesting place in my time. It's really ultra-modern, but it also co-exists side-by-side with all of the rich history in full view. It's two things that you would normally think wouldn't be able to work so close together, yet they do somehow." Mio smiled at his description and said, "Sounds like you lived in interesting times."

Daniel then gave a quick chuckle as he replied, "Be careful about saying things like that – I think it's an ancient curse or something." Mio then responded with her signature, full-bellied laugh.

Upon disembarking from the ship, Daniel, Mio, and Yoshika were met with cheers from military personnel and civilians alike for the job they had done in Europe. Through the crowd, Yoshika spotted someone familiar and ran towards two people. One was a middle-aged woman with longer hair, and the other was a somewhat elderly woman with a grey hairstyle similar to Yoshika's – her mother and grandmother, Daniel assumed.

Yoshika was immediately engulfed in a big hug from her family members, as Yoshika looked very excited to see them. 'Not that I blame her,' Daniel thought, 'It's been what – five, six months since she last saw them?' Yoshika then turned her attention to Daniel and Mio, and motioned them over. As they approached, Yoshika introduced Daniel to her family. They immediately smiled at him, as he, in return, bowed to them in respect.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Daniel," Yoshika's mother said. "We've heard so much about you from Yoshika's letters. Thank you so much for looking out for her in Britannia." Daniel then shook his hands in front of his body, trying to downplay what he had done. "It was nothing, really," he said. "I should really be thanking her – she's the one who really made me feel welcome." The two older women just smiled and nodded in response.

"So, young man," Yoshika's grandmother started, "Where will you be staying while you're here is Fuso?" After Daniel explained that he would most likely be staying at the local naval base with Major Sakamoto and the other soldiers, she immediately said, "Oh, goodness. That won't do at all! I insist that you come stay with us. We have the extra room, and it's the least we can do after what you did for Yoshika."

Daniel then turned to Mio with a facial expression that looked like he was asking her permission to go with them. She smiled and nodded, indicating for him to with them. He then turned to Yoshika and her family and replied, "Thank you. I graciously accept your generous offer of hospitality." The three women giggled as Daniel's overly formal response. As they walked away, Mio then shouted out, "I'm still expecting you to report to me tomorrow morning for training!" Daniel gave her a thumbs up as he walked with Yoshika and her family towards their home.

That evening, as they sat around the dinner table, Yoshika's mother and grandmother bombarded him with questions about where he came from and how he had come to this world. When he told them his story, about gaining his powers, about being taken from his family, and being sent unexpectedly to this world with no way of going back, they looked at him solemnly. "Oh, my. It sounds like you have been through quite a bit in your young life," Yoshika's grandmother commented.

Yoshika's mother then leaned across the table and gave Daniel a big, motherly hug, and said to him, "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need to." At that, a small tear ran down Daniel's face, touched by this showing of kindness. 'I guess this is where Yoshika gets it from,' he thought. He then bowed his head in thanks and said, "Thank you very much, Miyafuji-san. I really appreciate this."

Later that evening, as they were cleaning up, Yoshika asked Daniel if he would like to take her to school the next day. He had to remind her that Major Sakamoto wanted him to report to her the next morning. When Yoshika's face dropped in disappointment, Daniel quickly said, "However, I will ask Major Sakamoto if I can be dismissed tomorrow in time to meet you after your school day is over. If she says yes, I will walk you back home." Yoshika's face then brightened with excitement as she exclaimed, "Great! I'll introduce you to Michiko!"

As Daniel tried to get himself to fall asleep that night, he couldn't help but feel that this was almost like being home with his own family again, and that he liked it.

The next morning, Daniel jogged down to the harbor, where the naval base was located, and reported to Mio at the designated time. Once there he, asked about Yoshika's request for him to meet her after school. Mio agreed to the request, but made sure to put him through the ringer during the time he was training with her. Before he left, Daniel also checked up on his fighter, as the Fuso navy agreed to store it on base.

A short time later, he arrived at Yoshika's middle school, where classes had just been dismissed for the day. As he waited outside the school gates, a crowd gathered around, wondering who this mysterious foreigner was, and whom he was waiting for. When Yoshika emerged with another girl beside her – her friend Michiko, he assumed – he called out to her to get her attention. She quickly spotted him, waved back and rushed to him with Michiko in tow.

After Yoshika quickly explained to the crowd of schoolgirls who Daniel was, they began to squeal in delight, never having imagined that they would ever get to meet a real Jedi knight! Eventually, Daniel and Yoshika were able to calm the crowd down long enough for them to start making their way down the road towards Yoshika's home.

As they were walking, Yoshika took the opportunity to introduce Daniel to her best friend, Michiko Yamakawa. Michiko then bowed in respect towards Daniel and said, "I've heard so much about you from Yoshika – I'm so honored to meet you!"

'She's a friendly one,' Daniel thought as he bowed back. "It's a pleasure to meet you, too," he said, "I'm glad to see that Yoshika has such a good friend." As they walked towards their respective homes, they talked about their day, with Michiko fascinated by Daniel's discussion of his training with Major Sakamoto and of his fighter, with Michiko being somewhat of an otaku for military craft.

And so it went for about a month. Most mornings, Daniel would jog from the Miyafuji family home through the main part of town, and down to the port, where the naval base was located. There, he would meet up with Major Sakamoto, who would put him through rigorous training, sharpening his skills further than he had ever imagined, as well as instruct him on the Jedi knowledge she possessed. He would also take time on those days to do his usual maintenance on the X-wing – making sure to keep it top condition for the time when he would need to fly it again. He was even able to get to know some of the regular base personnel, including Mio's aide, Sergeant Hijikata, with whom he became fast friends.

On one occasion, Mio took Daniel on a field trip of sorts to two locations located just outside of town. One was what appeared to be a shrine. There was stored all the records and knowledge of the Jedi known to exist in Fuso – very likely the largest of its kind in this world. There was even an artifact stored there – a lightsaber that remarkably still worked. "This is all yours, now," said Mio as she handed him a key to the facility so that he could access everything at his convenience, though Daniel insisted she also have a key, as she was the designated keeper of this knowledge.

Mio also took him to a housing and temple complex – a place, she explained, that had been home to many Jedi over the centuries before they vanished. As he looked around, he couldn't help but admire both the natural beauty and the architectural design of the complex. Although it was now in a state of disrepair due to a lack of upkeep, he could understand why someone would make a home here, as it was so peaceful and relaxing. 'I can do this,' he thought to himself, 'I could definitely see myself living here. Granted, it needs to be fixed up a bit and a few modern amenities need to be added, but still…'

At least once or twice a week, he would wait for Yoshika and Michiko outside their school and walk them home, enjoying their pleasant company and engaging them in casual conversation.

On days where he didn't report to the naval base, he would help out Yoshika's mother and grandmother with the chores around the house as well as with the family clinic in any way he could. He was even able to learn a few things that he thought would very much come in handy later if called upon as an emergency medic.

Sometimes, he was even able to explore Yokosuka, getting to know a few of the shopkeepers in particular as he frequented their shops and food stands. While initially most people showered him with respect and admiration usually reserved for a celebrity or someone of high rank in society, he was a bit uncomfortable with this treatment, and gently explained that he just wanted to be treated like a normal person.

Eventually, Daniel became a regular in town as people greeted him casually when he came by. Pretty soon, he was getting used to life in Fuso, and noticed that he was fitting in comfortably in the Miyafuji household. After a while, it was as though he was a part of the family.

One day, as Daniel came to the base to report in as usual, Mio approached him and told him that she had news for him from Allied Command. "You've officially been given a new assignment," she said, getting straight to the point. "Oh?" he asked in slight surprise, having gotten used to his routine in Fuso. "Actually, in a way, you were requested – on my recommendation."

Daniel smiled at this and said, "Thanks for the vote of confidence. So, where am I heading?" Mio then handed Daniel a copy of his orders and explained, "You've been assigned to join up with the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing, also known as the 'Brave Witches,' currently based in St. Petersburg. They have an immediate need for a good, experienced pilot, and you're the best one available." Daniel took the paper and looked through its contents as he replied, "Orussia, eh?" As he read through the contents, he said softly, but at a level that Mio could still hear, "With my fighter, it would only take me about two days to get there from here."

He then put his hand on his chin, as though thinking about how he wanted to respond to this turn of events. After organizing his thoughts, he then told Mio, "Tell them I'll be there in ten days." The major looked at him in slight confusion, "Ten days? You just said that it would only take you two to get there."

Daniel nodded in response and began to explain, "There are two reasons – one, Yoshika's family and the people in town have been very good to me this past month. I need proper time to say goodbye and thank them for everything they have done for me." Mio nodded in understanding before asking, "And the second reason?" Daniel just smiled as he said, "If I'm going to be spending the winter in Orussia, I need to get myself some serious winter wear." Mio just gave her trademark laugh in response.

Well, that break didn't last long. But duty calls, and Daniel knows he must answer it while the world is fighting for its survival. Tune in next time as Daniel begins the next part of his journey!