Minor spoilers for CSIII
September, S.Y. 1198
"Three… two… one… Ready or not, here I come," I said.
Though why would I, really? If this were an assassination, I'd just be giving away my position. And even if it was just for fun, what's the point in shouting you're ready? If they knew you were coming, they'd just run away and hide somewhere else. That's so unfair.
Whoever made this game was an idiot. I hate being 'it'.
It wasn't so bad though. Looking through the nearby window, the clouds that I could only gaze from afar drifted closer to me. If I could reach out my hand to touch it, I would.
This was my first time aboard The Celaeno, Zephyr's private cruiser. The other ships were nice, but this one takes the cake. Its jet-black paint helped it camouflage in the night sky, though I seriously doubt the neon graffiti on the wings and hull were necessary. The boss flipped when we suggested we have it removed. The corps' very own flagship and it's glowing green. Can you believe that?
Anyway, the flight would take a couple more hours, and it's early morning right now, so none of us felt sleepy. The others roped me into playing games with them to kill time.
Oh, right. I was 'it'.
I found them easily enough. Xeno wasn't even bothering; he lounged in the bar as usual. Leo… well, he tried. Wasn't hard to spot his massive, hulking shoulders. Same with Garcia, though he just patted me on the head when I told him so.
They were patronizing me, huh? Stop treating me like I'm some kid already.
Well, whatever. I found the others soon afterward. They all patted me good job and went their ways. I sighed. Every time.
I should probably be on my way too. I had to go help cook breakfast. We didn't have much when it came to supplies; we were planning on stocking up at our destination. So like it or not guys, today's meal would be fried fish. Yay.
I was too short for the fryers, so the chef tasked me with cutting up the fish, along with the vegetables to go with the miso soup. I also had to wash the rice. Its incredibly rich and fluffy texture smushed in my hands. He said these were traditional breakfast dishes served over in Calvard. Didn't really care though- his food was amazing.
I decided to ration the rest of my fish for later. I wanted to go check up on the blade rifles before we landed.
Stepping into the armory, I bowed to greet the ship's quartermaster. He was a skinny fellow, sorta like me. But even then, from my little time here, I knew his skill was the real deal. Being skinny didn't mean much if you can blow a hole through a person's head from a hundred arges away.
Like last time, he placed his goofy goggles on my head and smiled at me with his yellowing teeth. I looked ridiculous, but if I wanted to be in here, I needed to put them on. I grabbed some wrenches and screwdrivers and got to work.
The weapons felt cold in my hands. The steel edges seemed to suck all the heat away from my fingertips. Its metallic chambers echoed as I tapped on them. Fortunately, they haven't been loaded yet, so I pulled the boss' spare rifle off the shelf and started to tinker with it.
What I would give to be strong enough to wield this. It was easily double my height and triple my weight. Its double-edged blade formed a makeshift spear, further reinforcing how much range it has for its size. The machine gun housed within sparkled spotless, courtesy of me. I went through the motions and wiped it clean anyway.
The boss promised me I'd be getting my own weapon soon… though I had to decide what type I wanted to use. Could use. Heavy stuff like blade rifles or Leo's mechanized gauntlets were out. I could go for a knife or a pistol, but meh. Why would I want to go for something that emphasized how weak and small I really am?
What about a tachi? Those seem deadly. Someone even recommended me to study with some old guy over in Erebonia. Said he was a master of the 'Eight Leaves' or something.
I had been disassembling the gun's orbal capacitors when the ship captain announced we would be arriving soon. I had to stay close at all times while we traveled, so I quickly returned the pieces and stored the firearm back in its case. The rest of Zephyr came in shortly after and gathered their own personal equipment. Xeno and Leo escorted me back to the boss as usual.
'The Jaeger King', everyone called him. I had only been to the monarchy of Liberl a couple of times, so I had little idea what being a king entailed. All I knew was that he demanded respect.
Not how I knew him though. Whenever I'm around, he'd fawn over me like I was some sort super adorable and precious creature.
'Fie, come wear this dress!' or 'Fie, would you like some honey candy?'. My personal favorite was 'Fie! Come into the lovings arms of your Papa!'
...That was awful. I just wish he wouldn't do that here.
We landed near a river flowing towards the city proper. The airship doors opened, and we were greeted by intense winds and frigid snow. How anyone would choose to live in this frosty hellhole was beyond me. I was more preoccupied with not sneezing.
I sneezed. Cutely. Dang it.
Like a bunch of butlers of the highest pedigree, black-coated men formed a protective circle around me while we marched. The bear-like Garcia dropped his jacket on my head; I think his thick hide was already enough to block out the cold. Never mind how the wall of flesh guarded against the icy wind, I heated up just from the sheer embarrassment.
I only had to wallow in shame for a few minutes before we arrived in the city. The black barrier of prime Jaeger meat broke apart as I glanced around.
It was more desolate than I remembered.
Buildings that were still standing in my memory now lay abandoned or in ruins. The shops were boarded shut- their glass windows either shattered or outright had been stolen. Our snowy footsteps drummed in our ears while the smell of smoke, oil, and alcohol blanched our noses. What few people were left still roaming the streets fled when we approached. They sneered. Others spat in our direction. Some men held their crotches while they ogled at the girls in our group...
...Including me. That sent shivers up my spine better than the freezing wind did.
My poker face needed some work, as the boss caressed my head with his hand. When I looked up, he was glaring daggers at the uncouth men. They scurried off.
"Split up," he ordered. It would have attracted less attention if we didn't travel in such a large group.
Even so, I stayed close to him. I held his glove as we moved towards the center of the city. His eyes were still focused around us. They radiated a bloodlust that I had only ever felt when he rampaged in battle.
It was then that he failed to notice a small girl sprinting into him. I did though.
I mimicked the boss and glared at the girl. Dirty blue hair that hid her face and she dressed in no more than a tattered shirt and boots that held little warmth for her. She shivered, but it was not because of the cold.
The boss beheld her, his face painted with visible sorrow. She was smaller than me. Younger too. I could tell from his expression that he knew what she had tried to do.
Rather than run, she held her ground. Her eyes were a lusterless emerald. They were trembling.
Without thinking, I passed Garcia's jacket to the boss. He blinked for a few moments before he gave it to the girl. It was a wordless exchange, but both of us knew what the other thought.
We continued walking.
At the center of the capital stood its town hall. Its wooden gates towered above me. Left and right, dark stone walls extended far into the forests surrounding the city. Fortified, as if it were a military fortress rather than a government building.
The massive gates swung open as the boss walked inside. Three years ago, he stopped me from stepping any farther than the entrance. But to my surprise, he beckoned me to follow.
I spared a glance behind as the doors creaked closed. Standing there, in the freezing cold, I saw myself staring back.
The lounge area was marginally warmer than outside, probably because of the fuzzy carpet. It was smooth-ish and furry on my toes. I might even call it fancy. No fire though. Just a flickering old-fashioned oil lamp.
The boss told me to behave while he had his meeting. He didn't really tell me where though. Just said to stay within the walls.
I had been walking around for nearly half an hour now, yet there wasn't anything remotely interesting here. No weapons to play with, no shooting ranges and no obstacle courses. All the good places were off-limits. The boredom was killing me.
Oh... there's a tree in the back garden. Maybe I could practice some climbing.
Willow. And, naturally, it had no leaves. Its bark was so brittle that it broke from a small pull. Still, I stepped on its branches, careful enough not to slip on the frosted surface, yet quick enough before it splintered.
The air was cleaner up here. Over the walls were snow-capped hills and plains that neighbored a vast dead forest. It teemed with monsters. I closed my eyes and listened.
'Sensing' as the others called it. A dozen figures frenzied outside the fortress. Their numbers were reduced to eleven. Then ten. They fell one after the other. In the distance, I spotted a faint blur. It rushed towards us, yet as quickly as the first, they were killed as gunshots blared.
The noise jarred me. Then I realized: one stood close by. Below me. I shot up to my feet on instinct and flinched from a different kind of noise.
The snapping of a branch.
"Ah."
Like a graceful snow angel, I plopped face-first onto a thick mound of fluff. Go me.
I spluttered out the watery substance when an unbelievably cold and itchy impulse crept up my nose. Thankfully, no one was around to hear me sneeze.
"...Boy, with a sneeze like that, I'd think you really WERE a snow angel."
At least, no one in Zephyr was.
Slouched against the tree was a lanky lady. She wore a sleeveless turtleneck under an open army vest. Her shorts were skimpy enough that I could only wonder how her legs weren't frozen to the ground yet.
I sneezed again.
She grinned like a maniac and pulled up her cap. Her eyes flickered mischievously.
She wasn't hostile, I guess. I should head back inside.
"Back entrance is the other way."
Ignore her… Take her advice, but ignore her existence.
"So I take it you're new here? Haven't seen you around before." She asked as she got up. "Oh no, wait. Those colors… You're from Zephyr, right?"
Saved me some trouble of introducing myself. I just nodded along.
"You must be that 'Jaeger Princess' I'd been hearing so much about." Jaeger Princess?!
With a mocking curtsy, she held out her hand and her eyelashes fluttered. "Well 'Your Highness', shall I escort you back to your room?"
What was I? Some kind of pet? I could find my way back myself.
"Not gonna go inside? Nah, me neither. Way better napping here." Without caring at all at how I'm staring her down, the lady fell back to her bed of snow. How relaxed can she get?
"Napping?" I asked.
"Here I was, thinking you were mute." Don't really care if you did though. "Yeah, napping. Sleeping in short periods, usually during the day. That napping."
"Why?"
"I'm sleepy? Everyone needs sleep? Conserving your strength is crucial? There's literally nothing else to do here? Take your pick."
...I've had enough.
It was then that a monstrous, bloodletting howl echoed in the distance. My legs suddenly quaked, and the rest of me refused to respond. I was still 'sensing'. I wished I wasn't.
It was overwhelming, like a spike of dread through my chest. I couldn't sense how many there were, yet they surged forward, a single swarm of gnashing fangs and bloodied claws. They were coming here.
"Oohh. That sounds like fun," the lady cooed. I turned towards her.
In an instant, the lazy bum sleeping on the ground brushed past me. Her carefree smirk sadistically teased at the danger. Her stride only stopped when she looked at me. "Hm? You wanna come with?" she asked.
I didn't even realize that I had reached out for her hand.
"There's too many of them…"
"I can take out a few." She winked.
"And the rest…?"
"If they won't start running, then I'll take them out too."
"What if you can't?"
"Then I'll die. Same as the others," she said with the same nonchalant voice.
...Why did that make me more angry than worried?
I need to go tell the boss.
"Woah there! Can't have Dad steal my thunder now."
Let me go! I wanted to shout. That was before the breath was expelled from my lungs as I found myself soaring through the air. The ground fled from me. I was weightless. The wind flicked hair to my face when I felt myself descending just as fast. An arm clotheslined my stomach before I landed on my butt in the snow. The black willow was nowhere in sight among the trunks of dead trees. I was already outside.
The lady pumped her fist to her chest. "If you're so worried, just watch. Leave all these scary monsters to your older sister!"
My legs wouldn't give me the dignity of standing up when it appeared. A giant gray wolf as tall as the stone walls behind me. It snarled with feral eyes. From deep within the forest, hounds dashed in and encircled their leader. They panted and drooled, their hanging tongues and emaciated bodies spoke of days without meat to fill their stomachs.
I didn't want to be dog food!
I guess I said that aloud as the lady chuckled. She stepped forward, and the guards immediately flocked to her. Some even hid behind her short stature. She drew her weapons.
There were two guns. One was a Verne-model submachine gun. Sleek and black, yet lightweight and could punch holes into armor as easily as it can fire a couple of rounds per second. Made for suppression with its middling accuracy.
The other... was a large, diabolical pistol. Its shape was reminiscent of that of a fiendish jaw; the size of its barrel boasted of its destructive properties. It had no scope too so I would guess it was more suited for melee. But a shot of that caliber, from that range…
It was made to kill.
Still, both of her weapons were made for close-ranged combat. What was she expecting to do? Run in guns blazing and get mauled to death?
"Commander!" the guards cheered.
...Commander?
Deafening thunder and a flurry of purple light. It burned in my ears as my eyes sought after the lady. The ground erupted with lightning, and she was already there, in the middle of the pack. The giant beast growled at her and lunged forward. Its friends flanked her before they pounced.
My heart sank. Was it too late? Will she die, just like that…?
"NO!"
Lightning hissed, and with a swift kick, the woman leaped behind. A claw slammed into the ground before it disintegrated into fleshy chunks. The wolf roared as violet explosions pelleted its face. The force rocked its head and fire blasted its eyes.
Long, fuschia hair sailed through the air as the lady twirled on her feet. Her guns fired rapidly, scoring the approaching hounds in their torsos. She jumped, and, with the same spin, continued to fire her weapons. She slid underneath one and emptied her magazine in its belly. Slender legs kicked it away in a burst of flame. The wolves whimpered before their torched comrade, and, just as she said, some fled. She reloaded.
With lightning, fire, and steel, she tore through the rest of the horde with ease. The white snow was dyed red in their blood. She vaulted on top of their leader, a maniacal smile plastered on her face.
It tried to shake her off. It tried to chomp on her head. Every time, she dodged. Every time, another hole punctured into its thick hide. With a snap of her heel, the wolf's great maw was fractured open. In a split second, orbal bullets ignited in its throat and mouth with a clap of thunder. Its blood spurted everywhere. Everywhere except her. She was too fast for it; she had hopped a few paces back. Her eyes glimmered while a deadly aura enveloped her form. My mind tried to keep up.
One moment she was there, the other she was dashing across the beast, slashing with the spikes of her pistol. Purple streaks of lightning flashed through and through, her machine gun firing non-stop.
Electricity crackled before me. My eyes widened; my mouth agape. It was at that moment when I couldn't keep my gaze off her that she shouted:
"Plasma Storm!"
With a swipe of her two guns, a giant, cross-shaped wave crashed against the monster. Its body barrelled through the rest of swarm as they were pushed back. With a bellowing howl, the beast's head sunk into the snow. Their leader dead, the pack dispersed into the black abyss of the forest.
It was over.
...
"That's that."
...how…?
"Commander! You were amazing!"
"Oh please. Flattery won't get you anywhere. Do keep 'em coming though~."
How can she just…
"Hm? You okay there, Princess?"
I looked down at her hands. They were small. I looked down at mine. They were tiny. She was older, but we were the same.
But... how could she be so strong?
Her pistol gleamed in the sunlight. It was intimidating. Fuchsia, like her hair, yet just as elegant. I awed at it wordlessly as she held it close to my face.
"Heh, wanna hold it?"
...Of course, I do!
It was heavy like I thought. My fingers could barely curl over the handle, let alone the trigger. Blood decorated its shaft while a bit of flesh was still stuck to some of the spikes. On habit, I wiped it clean with my neckerchief. The scalding scent of smoke and orbal energy residue was electrifying. It was a wonderful smell.
I hefted it up to my arms. It carried more like a rifle than a pistol for me. Through my eyes, the horn at the end of its muzzle acted as makeshift iron sights. I took aim at a nearby boulder. Against my better judgment, I held it one-handed, just like what she did.
"Hold up- if you fire it like that, you're gonna hit your noggin, you know?!"
I was?
The lady held my wrists firmly. Her worried eyes roved over my arm. "If you want to shoot like me, you gotta know how to hold it properly. Lock your wrist, not your elbow. Keep your arm level with your shoulder, extended as straight as you can."
"Like this?"
"Yup. You need your entire arm to brace for the recoil. If you don't, the gun's gonna snap back and your forehead's gonna regret it."
She rubbed her own for emphasis.
"Spoken from experience. Ain't that right, Commander?"
"SHHHHHHHHH! She doesn't need to hear that!"
...I missed completely.
"Eesh… Guess even THAT's too big for you."
I took aim again and missed. I tried it with two hands. Still a miss.
"Well, you're not gonna impress me with that."
H-hey, I was trying!
She confiscated her gun and handed me a smaller, auxiliary pistol she had holstered on her hip. "Start with that, then work your way up when you're older."
The new gun was… average. Silver, nondescript, it fit my hand well enough. It could fire automatically too, but other than that it was…
"...Too light…"
"Yeah… I could've figured you'd say that. Hmm…"
I just stared at the firearm. I didn't know why, but it just didn't feel right holding it. If I were to describe the feeling, it was like my heart was being buried with disappointments.
"Oh, I know!" the lady said. Her face lit up vibrantly as she pulled out a knife from her ankle strap. "You'll like this."
"What is it?"
"A knife- well, bayonet actually. Unlike those flimsy ones, this blade was made from top-grade steel straight from Erebonia. Sturdy too. A bit heavier than most, but I think it'll be a perfect fit for you."
She attached it to the pistol with a clink. "How's that?"
"It's… not as light anymore."
It was. I wasn't struggling to hold it up, nor did it feel like it would break in my hands. It wasn't like holding just a pistol or just a knife. It was more akin to a blade rifle like Xeno's, yet as if it was made for a tiny girl like me.
I took a few tentative swipes with it. To my pleasant surprise, it actually felt weighty. Each swing had oomph. Had power. But at the same time, it felt speedy. Instead of being flailed about by a heavy weapon, I could swing it around just as fast as my body.
And I can shoot it one-handed. Sweet.
An orbal bullet tore a chunk off a rock twenty arges down.
"Oohh. Not bad~"
A smile crept up my face. She applauded me. Hehe.
"Still.. how do you deal with the accuracy?" I asked. From what the boss and Xeno told me, only specific guns could shoot more than a couple of dozen arges away. My shot got lucky.
"Well… I don't deal with it as much as I work around it," she said cryptically. From her pocket, she fished out a couple of glowing purple tubes. She tossed me one and loaded the other to her pistol. "That's a specially-made orbal bullet cartridge. I don't know if you noticed, but these babies were responsible for those blasts of lightning you saw earlier."
Three shots. Three plumes of lightning struck forth around the boulder I had been shooting. It disintegrated into dust in the span of two seconds.
"See? With the area of effect blast, I don't need to worry too much on hitting it where it hurts." Her glossy yellow eyes winked. Heh, clever.
She was right though. I don't know if I'll use the same style, but I'll keep that in mind. I slotted in the cartridge on my gun and fired.
"No, wait-! That's-"
Like a tiny static-charged grenade, the cartridge blew up.
"...Ow."
"Keep explosive bullets away from children… Got it."
She wiped off the ash from her face and grinned at me with her shining white teeth.
I wanted to glare.
My fingers hurt. Ow…
"Geez, you're like one tiny bundle of danger, you know that?"
"Sorry…"
After my little accident, the lady dragged me to their infirmary and had my injuries checked. Thankfully, they weren't as badly bruised as my ego, so I'll live. Gonna suck when the boss asks me where I got my bandaged hand from, though.
A hot towel invaded my face. Before I could complain though, the lady scrubbed all the ash off my cheeks like Zemuria's worst massage therapist.
"S-stop it-"
"Nope. After you humiliated me like that in front of my troop, you're not getting away with just a scrubbing!"
Not my hair, please...
"Your troop?"
"Yup. My own troop in the corps. Got promoted recently. Gonna take them out soon on my first mission as their commander."
"Congrats…"
"Thanks. Oh hey, I think the bath's ready."
To call it a bath was like calling an industrial wrecking ball a Pom. The steel bathtub was tubular. Literally. It was heated over an open flame we had to light for ourselves, though being able to conjure fireballs from your orbment was quite a blessing.
...And I can't reach the bottom. Joy.
I think the lady couldn't reach the bottom either as she seemed to be staring down intently. She had a frown on and was deep in her thoughts.
Oh. I get it.
"How come yours are so big?"
"They're not big! I just think they're getting too tight for my uniform, that's all..."
"Cuz they're so big?"
"If you keep talking like that, Aidios is gonna curse you with small breasts forever."
"I'm nine. I got time. And I don't believe the Goddess would be so petty." I dipped my head lower into the bath. She was facing away from me, so…
...I got time...
"Oh ha ha. Flaunt your combat assets all you want. They won't mean much when you need to grab yourself a man!" the lady argued. Her silky hair waved around on the clear waters as she went on tangents about men and the charms of an adult body and stuff.
"So is there a man?" I teased her. Amazingly enough, this calm and collected lady exploded into a blushy mess.
"N-no there isn't. Not that he'd notice me anyway. I mean, I'm just a kid in his eyes and…"
She trailed off into a mumble. I couldn't parse it, but it looks like there was a man. Wonder what's he like.
Probably strong just like her. Maybe stronger. That made me quite curious.
"I won't tell anyone~"
She glared at me impassively. "You know we only just met. Why do I have to suddenly spill all my secrets to some kid?"
"Cuz I'm asking."
"Nice try." Boo.
I let myself sink into the warm depths of the pool. Oh hey, if I tiptoed I could reach the bottom after all.
...Should I tell her? Just like what she said, we only just met. Thinking about it, why do I even want to talk about it with this person? She doesn't know a thing about me. Or my past.
But it felt so natural. I felt so calm around her as if I've known her all my life. For the first time, it was as if I finally have someone I can open up to. My heart giddied with excitement just thinking about it.
...
"I want to know why you're strong."
I said it.
"Me?"
"Earlier, when you rushed into battle like that, I honestly thought you were gonna die."
She stared silently, her head tilted a bit to the side.
"I would have if I were to do that."
I would've died in an instant. I couldn't do what she did. Wasn't fast enough. I couldn't fight off that beast on my own. I would've been eaten alive.
Fleeing wasn't an option either. My legs froze in fear just from sensing their bloodlust. Their pain. Their desperation. All I could have ever done was hide and wait for the boss, then rejoice while he kills them without breaking a sweat.
...Pathetic.
"You take one look at me, and you see a tiny girl. Small, malnourished, couldn't lift a finger to save herself. Before Zephyr, I was alone. Before the boss, I was an orphan. I'm not even sure if I would still be alive if not for them."
The burns on my hand stung as I pushed off the edge of the bath and paddled myself afloat.
I continued. "You take one look at me, and you immediately know I was weak. You'd know that I haven't once fought on the battlefield, even though I spent my whole life living in one. You'd know I was a girl who spent her years running away from her problems; that I was a girl who wouldn't face them head on, but cowered behind those who did."
I managed to keep my head up by hopping while I waded around. "I was a leech. Zephyr only keeps me around because the boss says so. They don't care about me; they care about the boss. They only make me happy because it would make HIM happy.
"Yet, all this time, I had deluded myself into thinking everything was alright. That I could go on living in their shadow. Never standing up for myself or for others. It's sickening, right?"
The truth tasted bitter on my lips. I wanted to curl up on the floor and mope. Still, I wanted to know.
"That's why I want to be strong. Like you. Compared to the others in the corps, you were short like me. You don't wield huge weapons. And you don't seem to be the type for fancy arts either. You only had yourself to rely on.
"But in that one fight, you shone brighter than anyone that I have ever known. You were faster than anyone I have ever seen. And even with all that, you were smiling like you were having the time of your life.
"So… how?" I asked with as much sincerity I could muster. "How are you so strong? How were you able to overcome your own doubts and stand to fight?"
Her amber eyes met my own. We probably looked stupid from the outside, but I didn't care. I wanted to hear her answer. The words from her mouth flowed slowly.
"I'm strong… because I'm not."
...What?
"I guess I should start with a little backstory, huh?"
I nodded.
She relaxed her shoulders on the steel rim of our tub. With a sigh, she stared into the distance. "Once upon a time, I was an orphan like you. And just the same, I was taken in by my corps, the Northern Jaegers.
"At first it was just me. I was left alone here in the hall while I waited for the others to come back. Usually, they'd bring in lots of mira or souvenirs from abroad. Our leader would then use that money to finance our city.
"To the rest of Zemuria, he was just a common jaeger. To us though, he was a hero. It was only because of him that this city, and all its inhabitants, were still alive and kickin'."
She shifted around and gazed at me. I saw it in her eyes. That tiny tendril of darkness. Every Jaeger had it. The darkness that we kept apart from our hearts. The hell that we had to experience to become what we are. That same hell that engulfed our lives every day.
Just how much did she endure…?
"Anyway, long story short, I became a Jaeger because I wanted to be like our hero. I wanted to support our family here just as well as he could."
That word… "Family?"
"Yeah. Not just the Northern Jaegers. Everyone here we considered as part of our family. And it was because of that that we did what we did."
I didn't understand, but I kept quiet.
"Being a family means being there for each other, through thick and thin. You have to protect them, just as much as they would protect you. The guys here… they kept North Ambria standing, even when all the others left. Because of that, we were able to bring back what we could so that we all survived together. That was our leader's vision.
"I BELIEVED in that vision. That what we were doing was right. It's why I tore myself apart trying to be the best I could be."
A splash of water washed away her gloomy face and replaced it with a beaming smile.
"I'm strong because everything around me was strong. Our leader, his vision, the people of Haliask, and even the fruit trees buried beneath the snow. We all stood as one. Alone, I might have been weak. But together, we were able to regain some semblances of life back into this shithole we called our home.
"I'm strong because I want to protect those that had protected me. Those that had protected our way of life. To protect my family. They were the ones that gave me a pillar to stand on. They were the ones the responsible for my strength to shine in the battlefield as you said."
I… didn't know what to say.
"I'm not gonna preach anything about how Zephyr should treat you or whatnot. Those are your problems and I shouldn't meddle. But… did I answer your question?"
Her smile made me realize what I could say though.
"Yes. Thank you."
I'll cherish this memory forever. The awe I felt outside these walls. The words we shared in that small bath. The games we played in the snow. That face she had made when we got caught stealing some alcohol from the shed. Everything we did, I'll treasure it.
Was this what she meant by 'being a part of her family'?. She was so friendly and was so much fun to be around with. We laughed and laughed. It didn't even matter that we were from different corps.
She taught me so much. Showed me so much. Even though I never asked for any of it.
But like all good things, it had to come to an end. In my usual weak self, I wished that it wouldn't.
We were napping out in the garden when a black-masked man came to fetch us. The boss' meeting was over, he said. He also said that the lady should report to their leader right away. We chatted all the way back.
"What was that guy like?"
"Oh don't get me started. He was all edgy and el macho and all that. He had this scary jaw that was as spiky as his hair," she said while squishing her face into a triangle.
...Just how can anyone have that kind of face?
"His strength with the sword was the real deal though. Managed to corner me a few times too. But…"
"But…?"
The lady went into a hysterical chuckle. She managed to gasp out her sentence though. "Y-you should have seen his face when I tried to seduce my way out. It was hilarious."
"Ohhhh…" Huh. Guess that tactic worked for army officials too. I'll take note.
"Commander Valestein!"
Uniformed men saluted the lady when we arrived in the main lobby. The once-empty room was now packed with jaegers from both our corps in a clash of white, black, and blue outfits. Xeno and Leo were waving to me far out back. The boss was busy talking to an older man wearing a white cape.
Oddly enough, there was little tension in the room, despite almost everyone, except me, was armed to the teeth.
"Valestein?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, I haven't told you my name yet huh?" she said. The lady dismissed the men before she turned to me with a sheepish expression. Come to think of it, we never bothered to introduce ourselves. I was perfectly content just calling her 'lady'.
Hand outstretched, she smiled sweetly at me. "Sara Valestein. Second Squad Commander of the Northern Jaegers. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
My cheeks ached at how widely I smiled back. I wanted her to know me too.
"Filia. You can call me 'Fie' if you want though."
"Filia, huh? That's a cute name." Why thank you. "'Fee' though… As in 'contract fee'?"
I winced. "Nope."
"Mind if I call you 'Filly' then?"
"I don't really mind. Just don't call me 'Jaeger Princess'."
I was right about her hands. They were small, yet firm and powerful as they shook mine. "Nice to meet you, Sara."
"Same to you, Filly~"
"Making friends, my daughter?"
We both turned towards the deep voice. It came from the regal-looking old man wearing the cape. A purple sword clung to his waist. Its design kinda reminded me of the lady's pistol.
"D-dad!"
Sara saluted the old man. Though looking closer, a faint blush was blazing on her cheeks. She stammered a bit when she greeted him in an unusually formal way.
I wonder if this old man's the person she liked. She said 'Dad' though. Curious.
The boss called out to me. Said it was time to get going. Too bad…
"Has my daughter been nice to you, little one?" the old man asked. I nodded my head out of habit. His mannerisms reminded me of Leo with his gruff voice yet gentle tone. So he really was Sara's dad.
Sara moved behind me and pinched my shoulders. Pinched it a bit too tightly actually.
"Of course I was nice to her~ Ain't that right, Filly? See? She even let me give her a nickname!"
Her face leaned in just a bit too close for comfort. Some sweat beaded on her brow as she winked again. "C' mon, tell the good man how nice I was~"
I looked down at my hand.
I held it up so that her dad could see the mess of bandages on my fingers. "She gave me some explosive bullets and it went boom."
"H-hey-!"
"Did she now…" Ah. The boss heard. Crap. He was glaring while the old man chuckled.
Sara was aghast. "You traitor! It was an accident, Sir, I swear!"
Even the great Sara was afraid of the boss, it seems. Can't blame her, not with how he's scowling at her and my hand.
"I had fun," I said to defuse the situation. It worked quite well as the boss grinned and laughed. He really was a bonehead sometimes.
"Glad to see our daughters getting along. I hope you keep that in mind, Captain Valestein," the boss said as he clapped an arm on the old man's back. He had a somber but warm look to his face. It was a faint type of sadness, but it was easy to pick up if you had spent enough time with him.
Mr. Valestein had a pained expression. It looked sad too, but his eyes were as fierce as ever. He stood a bit taller while his cape swayed with the breeze. He muttered something, but I couldn't hear what it was.
The rest of Zephyr was outside, so I knew we had to go. It was when I held the familiar hand of the boss did an indescribable ache grip my chest. It was hard to breathe, but my legs kept walking.
Small hands clasped mine. They were blistered, yet smooth and warm.
I looked up at her. Tears were already clouding my eyes.
"See you again, Filly."
Her voice didn't crack, unlike mine. She didn't cry. She smiled with that same goofy grin she always had.
"Bye Sara…"
We'll meet again. I know we will. She'll come back. She's strong. Strong enough to protect herself and her family. Like she said she would.
I believed in her.
...
Half of the Northern Jaegers were wiped out following their mission.
...I never saw her again.
Key Fragment Chapter - Jaeger Princess - END