Kaede watched as her friends packed their bags. It hurt to watch. Every one was getting transferred to separate locations. She could go over to Red base, only she would see the same thing.
"But, you guys can't leave! This is our home here!" Kaede argues.
"Sorry Kaede, but orders are orders. We've gotta be cleared outta here by the next week." Church says.
"Hey! I didn't get any moving orders. Awesome! I get the whole base to my self! I'm gonna start planning for raves!" Sister exclaims before running off.
"I'm sorry Kaede." Tucker apologizes. "On the bright side, we can visit your boyfriend before we go to our new location."
"Wait, so I'm coming with you?" Kaede asks, ignoring his teasing.
"Well, Church won't tell us where he's going, and neither of us trust you with Caboose, so yeah." Tucker answers. Although, overjoyed that she would be seeing Kouta again, it was hampered by fact her family was splitting up and she may never see some of them again.
The next day, Kaede was learning mechanics with Lopez, though it was a slow process due to the language barrier, thankfully he provided visual aids. She decided to spend her last days in Blood Gulch with everyone she could. Much to her relief, she found out Sarge was refusing the orders so at least she would know where to find him along with Lopez. Speaking of Lopez, he was showing her how to change a tire when a pelican just straight up landed beside the red base and what looked like a camera crew came out.
"Whats going on here?" Kaede asks aloud.
"Probablemente algo estúpido. Así es como siempre va." Lopez replies. After finishing the repairs lesson, Kaede headed towards the base to see Sarge standing outside the base, watching the camera crew walk inside.
"Sarge, whats happening?" Kaede asks.
"Those were some people from command come to make a video to get new recruits for the Red army! Don't like that interviewer though. He can't keep it to himself when it comes to my shotgun." Sarge exclaims. "This baby's mine, and only mine. Forever."
"Right..." Kaede responds.
"They call me sergeant." She hears Grif announce inside the base.
"What do you want Grif?!" Sarge calls to him.
"Oh yeah, Grif was promoted." Kaede mumbles. "I don't mean anything negative when I say, I wonder how he got the position. Out of everyone here, he's probably the least qualified."
"Grifs the least qualified for everything. What was that you were saying he got that he wasn't qualified for?" Sarge asks.
"His promotion to sergeant." Kaede answers.
"Who's getting promoted?" Sarge asks.
"Grif." Kaede answers.
"Sorry, I think I misheard you. Could you repeat that?" Sarge asks.
"Grif got promoted to sergeant." Kaede says, louder.
"I think your suffering from heat stroke, Kaede. You're not making any sense." Sarge says.
"What?" Kaede questions.
"Theres no way that thing you just said happened." Sarge says.
"Uh... well, uh, sergeant." She hears the interviewer ask.
"What!? do!? you!? want!?" Sarge yells. "Be right back." Sarge runs off to the inside of the base.
"I'm going to miss this." Kaede sighs. A large bang is heard from inside the base.
"Do not sass me private!" She hears Sarge exclaim. "Now quit bleeding all over my base." She watches the camera crew make a hasty retreat from the base while the reds argue. They make their way towards her and set up all their equipment in surprisingly fast amount of time.
"Well mam, how has the Red team helped you?" The interviewer asked.
"Helped me? I guess they were just always there for me." Kaede honestly answers.
"Yes. Red team will always be there when the blue scourge attacks." The interviewer says.
"Uh, no. I meant they're always there as good friends. Same for blue team." Kaede clarifies.
"Cut!" The interviewer abruptly exclaims. "Lets take this over to blue team, perhaps they'll be more cooperative for the interview!" With that, the crew moves with God speed toward the Blue base.
"What I say?" Kaede asks herself. "He's so weird." Caboose then walks out of the Red base and towards Kaede. "Caboose, what are you doing here?"
"I was here to help with the video, but some people decided they didn't need help." Caboose responds.
"Yeah... so, you're transferring to Rats Nest, right?" Kaede asks.
"Yes. Hopefully all the rats left." Caboose says.
"I heard Grif and Simmons are going there too, so at least you won't be alone." Kaede comments.
"Yeah. I'm going to miss you Kaede, and Church, and Nyu." Caboose says.
"I'll miss you too." Kaede sadly replies.
The next day, everyone was packed up and ready to head out with the exceptions of Kaikaina, Sarge, and Lopez. Two pelicans arrived and the teams boarded them. Kaede had never flown before, but her excitement was drowned out by her sadness. She didn't know where Donut and Church would end up so it was entirely possible she would never see them again.
She was kept from breaking down by remembering that she was still staying with Tucker and she would be seeing Kouta again. There were no windows in the ship, so she couldn't look outside, so to occupy her time, she took out her music box and listened to its tune the whole way through. Eventually, they arrived and the doors to the ship opened revealing a lot of people bustling about... where ever this was.
Kaede was overcome with nervousness with all the people around. She unconsciously gripped her hat to be sure it was still there. The group were told to wait in a simple waiting area away from the people. Before long, some important looking people arrived to take Church to his new location. Right after, Caboose was told to follow someone so he could be taken to Rats Nest. The same someone informed Tucker to go home until he got his new orders. So, the two headed towards a launching that would take them to Tuckers apartment somewhere in America, thats when Kaede saw it.
People were mostly cleared of it, leaving Kaede a good view of a window overlooking the Earth. She is left speechless.
"Yeah. Always a kick ass view from up here." Tucker comments.
"H-how?" Kaede asks.
"We're on a space station, genius." Tucker answers.
"But... I've never heard of a space station this advanced. Does that mean we were traveling through space on the ship?" Kaede asks.
"I would think so." Tucker answers. "You can't tell me, even growing up in that orphanage, that you didn't know about these things.
"Its been six years, almost seven at this point. Last I heard, we were no where near this advanced." Kaede comments.
"What! We've had space travel for centuries now!" Tucker exclaims. "You said you were from Kamakura, thats in Japan right?"
Kaede nods. "Somethings not right here."
"Your telling me. Now that I think back on it, the Kamakura I visited about six years ago seemed pretty primitive for todays standards." Tucker comments. "I probably didn't notice it at the time because Church's bitching."
"So... whats going on!?" Kaede worriedly asks.
"Well, we don't know much of anything about that grenade that I found that led us to you. It could have sent us back in time, or to an alternate universe." Tucker suggests. "Or both."
Kaede lowers her head, her bangs covering her eyes. If either scenario of what Tucker suggested was true, the likelihood of ever seeing Kouta again was close to zero and that was on top of having what Kaede considered her family split up.
"Kaede?" Tucker ventures, noticing her plummeting mood.
"Lets to get to your place." Kaede mutters.
"Kaede... I... I'm sorry. I don't know what to say." Tucker sadly replies.
"Its fine. I'll be fine. Lets just go." Kaede insists.