The first few days were slow, just school and hanging out with friends. However after those first few days, things began to pick up as the days got faster. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Brook continued to get better and better with her skills. Nina's injuries continued to heal and it would only be one day before she was healed entirely. That day would soon come.
Brook was finished with her work as she decided to pay a visit to her friends as she wanted to see how they were doing. She knocked on their door as she wanted to come in. Alina soon heard it as she soon turned and responded.
"It's open." Brook opened the door as she walked in. Alina looked at her friend as she was more than excited to see her. "Hey looks like you're ready to attend that party Katyusha sent the invite to." Alina began. Brook nodded as Alina looked at her.
"Yes I am. Where's Nina?" Brook asked, wondering where her friend was. Alina soon smiled as she knew her friend was in her dorm but she wasn't in the same exact room.
"She's here, she's just getting changed." Alina responded. Soon Nina walked out as she was standing on her own two feet. Her legs were wrapped in ace bandages much like Brook before her. Alina soon turned as she began speaking. "You missed out, Nina is no longer in her wheelchair and she can walk again. Also Brook, most of your hair grew back so I'm happy about this." Nina soon walked forth as she hugged her friend.
"So we're more than eager to find out that we're now all on our feet. Now who's ready to celebrate?" Nina asked as they all looked to her.
"Come on you two, we don't want to be running late and we should be able to see what is going on." Alina soon grabs her friends by the hands as she begins pulling them along to the area where the party was being held.
The area the party was being held was at the front end of the school ship. This was a special type of party as there was snow everywhere, decorated with festive items but not only that but the tanks were out on display for those that wanted to take a look with them. The three of them arrived as they were greeted by a warm and welcoming Katyusha and Nonna.
"Greetings you three, we were expecting you." Katyusha greeted them, the three of them looked up to see Katyusha sitting on Nonna's shoulders. Brook walked forth as she went to greet her captain and her friend.
"Greeting's Katyusha and Nonna, how are you doing?" Brook replied. Nonna looked at her friend as she began speaking.
"We're doing fine but I'm more than happy to see you've shown up. I believe we should catch up on old times seeing how we aren't able to speak to each other as often." Nonna giggled as she was happy to see her friend. Soon the five of them were walking along except for Katyusha who was riding on Nonna. Nonna looked at her friends as she wanted to figure out how everyone was doing. "I heard Nina is off of her wheelchair and walking normally, I was figuring out what to put on your heads since those Ushankas looked so cute on you two. Now I feel like I should return the gesture as I do have presents for the two of you but first I would like to see Brook upfront and center, she has a test she needs to prove with the crowd." Nonna soon told her that the test would definitely be live. Brook gulped as they followed along.
Soon the students arrived to where the KV-2 was parked as a couple of students were taking photos with the commissar. The students soon stepped away as they were satisfied as the Commissar came forth.
"Isn't it the Russian speaking students, Commissar Nakhimov greets you with his grace. Tovarisch Katyusha, you seem to have brought them along?" Nakhimov greeted his comrades. Katyusha who was high up on Nonna's shoulders began speaking.
"Yes she has. The students would be more than eager to meet you commissar." Katyusha told him as she soon got off of Nonna. Nakhimov nodded as he began to speak.
"So Brook is it, I would definitely want to see you in particular for your accuracy. You seem to be the most accurate students I have in the club." Nakhimov commented on her as he wanted to judge on her skills. Brook nodded as she soon headed off. Nonna and Katyusha followed as they wanted to watch.
They soon got to the range where the students that weren't in the program were testing the clubs rifles for their freetime. Nakhimov soon brought Brook up to the shooting range as Nonna and Katyusha arrived alongside. Nakhimov gave Brook one of the club's spare rifles seeing she didn't take hers with her.
"Now comrade, if you want to be accurate with your shots, you must take this test, I want to gauge your accuracy when it comes to shooting, now pretend the moving bottles are the enemy." Nakhimov instructed her. Brook took one of the stripper clips as she loaded it into her rifle. Pushing the bolt forward, she brought the sights up to her eye as the bottles were moving vertically, horizontally or in a circle. Brook aimed on one of the circling bottles and click, the pellet flew out as it hit the bottle, the bottle shattered as she cocked the bolt cycling in a new round, click, she fired a follow up shot shattering another bottle.
"Wow, you've been training her up ever since this year began." Nonna told Nakhimov as Brook fired more follow-up shots. Nakhimov grinned as he began speaking.
"Tovarisch Nonna, you've got to understand I want the girl to toughen up seeing how she came in as a timid girl and she needs to learn her own battles. Kay didn't do a good job in teaching her self-confidence, although she's got vigor, she lacks in focus and spirit. No wonder why the students decided to rebel. Click, the last bottle shattered as Brook handed the rifle down to the next student in line. "All done? I was watching you and all your shots landed, you seem to be getting very good at this." Nakhimov commented on the girl as he turned to Nonna and Katyusha.
"You seem to bring a girl who is very well at her craft as she is getting very accurate with her shots. The Commissar is proud." Nakhimov told them about the student they have brought along. As the reward he soon gave Nonna a box wrapped in paper for the girl that completed the test. Nonna nodded as she was saying thank you. They turned and walked away to find Nina and Alina, bidding Nakhimov farewell.
Nina and Alina were sitting by the KV-2 as they returned as they wanted to open their presents. Katyusha handed Brook the present that she received from Nakhimov as Nina got her present from Nonna. Nina began opening her present first as her present was a light brown Ushanka, no unique markings that made it stand out. Brook opened hers as she also got a Ushanka but her Ushanka was a light chestnut color On the front of it was a little red star with a rifle on it.
"This hat for me?" Brook asked, wondering if it was for her. Nonna looked at her as she nodded. She decided to help the girl by putting the hat on her as she definitely wanted to make her special.
"You surely do look good in New Ushanka." Katyusha commented as Brook was feeling happy. Brook soon also came up with another idea.
"Katyusha come to me." Brook ordered. She soon squatted on the ground as Katyusha walked over. Brook motioned for her to climb onto her. Katyusha soon grabbed the girl as she began to pull herself up. Once she got to a comfortable position, Brook stood up as the students were surprised. Katyusha was sitting on Brook's shoulders.
"Now while I am the tallest student of the school, I can see that you want to provide Katyusha the same thing I would. I really like your commitment." Nonna commented as she definitely liked the show the girl was putting on. Katyusha was soon put down as Nonna began to speak to Brook as she got out another present for her. "This one came from Kay herself, she found pieces of your old phone as it was clear you decided to break yours during the rebellion, I can see why since you might have old ties to foes alike. We also got the message that your dad has moved onto the USS George Washington but is worried about where you are and Kay wishes to give this to you." Nonna told her. Brook opened the present up wondering what it was. And it was a brand-new cellphone as it was the latest model.
"I believe this holiday is turning out to be so sweet. I wonder what other gifts I might receive for this?" Brook asked herself as she was wondering what was going to happen. Nonna laughed as she patted the girl's head.
"Will see." Nonna told her as she got up and walked off. The students began to disperse as they went off to do their own thing.
It was only the next day what Nonna and Katyusha were deciding on, they decided to pay a visit to the girl's father as well as Kay as they wanted to discuss the girl's future.
"I see that my girl is attending another school. I wanted her to be in a normal high school in Japan but is she really happy here?" Gray asked Kay as she scratched the back of her head as she began speaking.
"She wasn't happy here to the point where she jumped off the side of the carrier. Thankfully she is still alive but she injured herself in the process. However Katyusha and Nonna managed to save her even though she was supposed to be sent back to her home country so when the time came, Katyusha refused to hand her over seeing she just wanted to keep her. So we pretty much begged for the judge just to simply let her transfer. And after much persuasion, he pretty much allowed it, after he was threatened to be removed." Kay told him as the girl's story was a crazy one. Nonna soon spoke next.
"She's much happier in Pravda than in Saunders, remarkably, aside from studying music, she is also getting her hand at the local guards." Nonna told Gray about where his daughter was progressing to. She soon slid him a photo of her as she was holding her M1891/30 airsoft rifle along with a few other students of her group. Gray was getting nervous.
"Is she holding a rifle?" He stuttered but he was able to get his sentence out. Nonna nodded as she began speaking.
"The rifle is harmless but she is becoming a skilled marksman from what I have gathered. So as of now, her future remains uncertain but then again, you won't be making those decisions, she'll have to do it all on her own." Nonna told him that he shouldn't be going around and meddling with his daughter's business. Gray was being forced into a corner but he knew that his daughter was at least okay and happy.
"Okay, as long as you take care of her, that's all that matters, let me know if she decides to make up her mind." Gray soon got up and walked away as he went to go do his job. Kay looked at Katyusha and Nonna as she was getting concerned.
"I definitely hope she does choose a university life outside of this school, I hope she does come with me after she graduates." Kay was praying that the girl wouldn't go behind her back and come back to her home country. Katyusha and Nonna didn't speak another word as they knew her decision was all on her own. No one was going to force her.
Brook, Nina and Alina were in their dorm watching whatever was on television, as usual. Alina went up to get something to drink as she wanted to give the rest to her friends. She soon came back with one jug of Kompot as she began pouring everyone a glass. Brook decided to take a sip as she found this jug not as good as the one she had when they had that dance.
"This tastes a bit funny, what flavor is this?" Brook asked. Alina looked at her as she went to answer her question.
"It's strawberry." Alina answered her question. She then continued to speak: "I asked for cherry but they didn't have cherry so we got strawberry instead." Brook soon looked at her as she began speaking.
"No cherry, no deal." Brook responded as she set up her guidelines. Alina laughed as she knew she was playing around.
"You're being silly, now let's watch some television." Alina told her as she soon began scrolling through to see what was there to watch.
Brook knew she had to make up her mind when the time came.
[A/N]: More fluff between the characters as I am taking a major time skip to condense certain events down so it doesn't seem like filler to you but the girl is getting better. What is Brook referencing when she says "No Cherry, no deal?" I would like to hear about it soon and would most likely see more traffic flowing in.
Will be updating every other day as that is my routine, a day of updating followed by a day of rest and then another day of updating. I find it much more relaxing than updating every single day and therefore, the strain of writer's block doesn't affect me as much. That is all.