Chapter ten: A family curse
"We're right outside the compound," Kaito said as he took cover behind an armored car. "Erika, focus fire at the roadblock." The ensuing explosion signified the enemy position had been dealt with. "All units, advance!" He waved his guntō in the air.
Tanya fired a couple rounds next to him. "Don't get yourself killed," She said.
"Don't worry, you'll protect me, won't you?" Kaito winked before dashing out into the open. Tanya rolled her eyes before following him.
…..
"We're taking heavy fire!" Kanagawa shouted as the tank was covered with the non-stop pinging of ricocheting bullets.
"Move this thing back to the treeline!" Erika shouted. The Panzer III moved backwards to the trees. "The enemies are setting up a defensive line by the concrete blocks!" She cursed as she manned the coaxial machine gun and fired at the dozen or so North Korean soldiers by the concrete. The North Koreans scattered, and four of them were shot down. The cannon fired a shot at the concrete, blowing it to pieces. "Advance!" she ordered. The Panzer gunned forward, almost running a pair of North Koreans over.
The Panzer III stopped to fire another shot at the main building complex. Erika opened up the hatch and looked out, only for a bullet to hit right next to her. She winced and ducked down. "There's snipers in the trees!" She shouted at Kaito.
"Alright, Tanya. Take them out." He ordered. Tanya aimed her rifle and popped off a few shots at the surrounding trees. Five North Korean snipers were shot down from the trees, and the rest of the North Koreans fell back into the complex.
"Alright, troops. The enemy has fallen back into their final base. We're going to storm them from the front and flanks. There are trench systems and foxholes in front of us, so be careful of any surprises. Anzai and Nishi, you flank from the right. Tanya, you take the left. I'll go through the front. Erika, you and the rest will guard the entrances, to stop any enemies from going in or out," Kaito ordered.
…..
The group flanking from the right slowly stalked up to the door.
The woman reloaded her assault rifle. "Lasagna, toss a grenade in there, will you?" She waved her hand over to the man.
The man scratched his moustache. "Sure," He grabbed a grenade from his belt and the woman cracked the door open.
Lasagna rolled the grenade in and slammed the door shut. Within a few seconds there was a deafening boom.
"Go go go!" The woman opened the door as the troops stormed in, rifles aimed. The room was empty, and the soldiers moved into the hallway, where they were lit up by gunfire.
"Shit, Nishi! They got us good, ya know!" Lasagna shouted.
Nishi fired her Type 20 assault rifle at the end of the hallway. "Don't stand there and fire back!" She ordered. Her Type 20 clicked, signifying the gun was empty. She slid a new magazine and resumed shooting. Bullets flew across the hallway, spraying paint chips and brick fragments everywhere. She ducked as bullets landed at the spot where her head was just a few seconds ago. "Shit!" She hissed. "Lasagna! Cover me!" She grabbed a grenade and hurled it to the other end of the hall. The entire building shook from the explosion. As the dust settled Nishi attached a bayonet to her rifle. "Everyone follow me!" She ordered as she left her hiding spot and charged the blown out position, soon followed by everyone else.
…...
Tanya and her team had cleaned out most of the east-wing of the building complex. Nearly twenty North Koreans lay in their own pool of blood. She crept up to a door. Suddenly the door opened and a soldier came jumping out.
Tanya grabbed him and slit his throat with a knife she held. Another door opened and a soldier with an AK47 opened up on her. Several bullets hit the dead body Tanya used as a shield. She charged the soldier, pushing the dead body at the soldier. He stumbled back, the weight of his dead comrade pushing him down. Tanya slipped past him and placed the barrel of a pistol at the back of his head. She fired, and the man flew forwards, his blood spraying onto the other body. Both bodies slumped to the floor, blood pouring out of their wounds. Tanya crashed into the room and found it empty. She heard the noises of combat from the other side of the complex: the popping of assault rifles, the rattling of machine guns and boom of grenades. Everyone is fighting, she thought. "Alright, advance!"
….
Kaito knelt behind a chair as a machine gun, covered by tables and chairs, fired away at him and his group. "Earl Grey!" He shouted at a woman taking cover behind some tables. "Provide some covering fire! I'll go him with the stairs!" Earl grey nodded, and swiftly rose up and emptied her magazine. The North Korean ducked as bullets whizzed by him.
Kaito took the chance and bolted to the stairwell. He leapt up and was face to face with a North Korean. He quickly slashed the North Korean with his guntō and ran by. He wondered why every enemy he met was bewildered by the sword Kaito wielded. Was it so rare to see a sword at this day and age? He sliced another North Korean down as he ran through the hallway. People don't respect culture anymore these days. He sighed in disappointment as three North Koreans charged him. He swiped his Guntō and all three were cut in half, blood spraying everywhere. They fell down, and Kaito continued to run down the corridor.
He ran through the doorway at the end of the hall and was now at a staircase. North Korean soldiers were running down the stairs from the upper floors. Kaito jumped down the stairs, pushing nearly six North Koreans down with him. He readjusted his guntō and skewered the North Koreans like a shish-kebab. The North Koreans landed on the floor with a loud, sickening thud, and groaned with pain. Kaito twisted his guntō, and the North Koreans' twitching stopped.
Kaito turned a corner and found himself at the rear of the machine gun position, still firing down at his subordinates. He slashed the machine gunner's neck, and the firing stopped. He raised his guntō in the air, signifying he was on the other side.
…...
"Commander, the enemy is retreating!" A Panzer commander reported to Maho.
"Good, we'll keep chasing them down," Maho replied, and Panzer IV moved up the hill, firing at the backs of the North Koreans.
When her Panzer IV reached the top, they were met with a small trench system protecting the rear of the building. Nearly three dozen North Koreans were armed and ready for a final stand. Japanese tanks and infantry swarm over the hill, covering the entire clearing with bullets.
"Destroy the mortar position!" Maho shouted.
Megumi drove up next to her. "This is going well, isn't it?" She whistled, shooting her machine gun.
Maho nodded. "This building is their last hiding spot," Her Panzer IV fired at a trench, killing six and wounding more. The North Korean mortar team attempted to escape, but were gunned down by Megumi. A few North Koreans attempted to fall back inside the building, but the door smashed open and Kaito jabbed his guntō through their necks.
"Nishizumi! Bermuda! Great job breaking through the defenses!" He shouted. "We've broken through!" The North Koreans began to scatter, throwing their weapons down and raising their hands up to the Japanese.
Kaito jumped over the trenches and met up with Maho and Megumi. "You made it," He said.
Maho smiled. "What did you think would have happened?"
Kaito laughed. "Nothing bad, honestly," They heard several rattling sounds, and shouting coming from the front.
"What the hell's going on?" Kaito demanded.
…..
Erika sat in her Panzer, looking bored. She was listening to the incessant banging coming from the inside of the building, and was tired of it. She groaned. "Can't we just get this over with?" She demanded.
Kanagawa looked up. "It'll be over soon, right?" She asked.
"Yeah, then I'll have some rest," Erika answered. There was a boom and the Panzer shook violently. "What the hell?" She screamed. She looked out, and saw dozens of North Koreans, emerging from the forest, attacking the vanguard force. "Fire back! Fire back!" She ordered.
Japanese troops are falling back, taking cover behind tanks and destroyed North Korean defensive positions. A North Korean fired an anti-tank missile at Erika's Panzer. The missile struck right in the middle, and the Panzer began to smoke.
"Damn, they got us, vice-commander!" Kanagawa shouted.
"Everybody get out now!" Erika got out of the Panzer hatch and dragged a classmate out. Several more hatches popped open and the rest of the crew crawled out, all under enemy fire.
Erika grabbed a pistol for herself. "Take cover!" She yelled. She and her crew members quickly jumped behind the Panzer VI. "Crap crap crap." She muttered. She loaded her pistol and peeked around the Panzer.
North Korean troops were quickly advancing upon them. Erika fired her pistol at them, killing one and injuring another.
Kanagawa gripped her own pistol tightly in fear. "What now?" She whimpered.
Erika looked down at her. "I don't know. We just have to survive," She said through gritted teeth. She peeked out again to see a North Korean barreling towards her. She fired her pistol but not a single bullet hit him. He slammed the butt of his rifle in Erika's gut. She flew backwards. She slammed into the ground, and looked up to see the North Korean towering over her, the barrel of the rifle pointed at Erika's face. He grinned as his eye aligned with the sight.
The guntō blade sliced through the man's eye; he stumbled back and shrieked in pain.
Kaito stood there menacingly in front of Erika, narrowing his gleaming eyes. "Don't you dare touch her," He snarled. He stomped his foot against the man's arm, and he howled in agony. Kaito impaled the man, and when he pulled his guntō out blood squirted out like a fountain. He turned around and walked back to Erika. "Are you ok?" He asked concerningly.
"I don't think so. He got me pretty hard." Erika muttered, and attempted to stand up, but pain shot through her gut, and she grimaced. "Ow ow, ow.." She muttered.
Kaito rushed over. "Oh god!." He stammered. The gunfire stopped, as more Japanese soldiers began to pour out, killing the North Korean counterattack.
Tanya ran up to Kaito. "A medic will be here in a second," She said, to Kaito's relief.
"You'll be fine." Kaito told Erika, who smiled despite the sweat pouring down her face.
"Thanks.." She whispered. Two medics ran up to her and placed her in a stretcher and put her in a helicopter.
One hour later, Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa
Kaito and Tanya milled outside the temporary hospital, waiting for the report.
Maho exited through the door and looked at Kaito. "Good news. Erika hadn't sustained any long-lasting injuries so it'll only take a few weeks to heal. But since she's not able to stand for the time being she'll be in a wheelchair," She informed them.
Kaito sighed with relief. "Thank god.." He whispered.
"I didn't know Kaito-sama became so attached to somebody besides me," Tanya muttered from behind Kaito, who turned red.
"I just wanted to give her that book!" Kaito stuttered. The door swung open and Erika, sitting in a wheelchair, was being pushed by Megumi.
Tanya smirked, and leaned closer. "How about you give it to her now?" She nudged Kaito.
Erika turned to him. "What?" She asked.
Kaito turned a brighter shade of red. "La-later," He faltered.
Erika turned red as well. "What?" She asked again, now in a embarrassed tone.
"Excuse me, excuse me! I am Higashino Kazuyo from NHK, reporting on the current situation. May I interview you all?" A woman literally appeared out from nowhere, jumping in front of the group. Maho looked a bit perplexed, but kept her cool. Kaito quickly turned from his face from an embarrassed red, to a steel, unemotional gaze.
Maho nodded. "Sure, why not,"
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Tokyo
Alice sat, staring at the TV. She groaned in frustration and loneliness. It was only just a day since the boy was with her, but she was missing him already. Every time she thought of him, her heart started racing furiously. She grabbed her Boko and started rocking. Please, please God. Let him live so he can visit me again. She thought. He was so sweet to me. I just want to see him again. There was a knock at the door.
"Alice! It's me!" Miho's voice rang out.
Alice ran straight for the door. She opened the door and embraced Miho tightly. "Miho," She whispered.
Miho hugged her back. "Hi, Alice. I brought some friends if you don't mind,"
Saori and Yukari popped from behind. "Hi!" They both said.
….
All of them sat in the room, eating snacks with the TV on.
"Alice, things must have been hard for you," Miho patted Alice's head.
"Oh, don't worry. When your alone for a long time it doesn't matter," Alice replied solemnly.
Saori stared at her. "Wow, that's really dark. Are you sure you're fine?" She inquired.
Alice glared at her, and tugged at Miho. "I'm fine," She answered sternly. "Except…" She trailed off.
"Except?" Yukari begged for more.
"A boy visited me last night," Alice replied, her face red. Miho, Yukari and Saori gaped at her.
"A boy?" Miho asked incredulously.
"Was he handsome?" Saori jumped up and demanded.
"That's interesting," Yukari stated.
Alice looked down. "He was good-looking, and he was really nice towards me. I think, I think I like him," That revelation shocked the girls.
"Wow, tell me about it!" Saori jumped up and down.
"So, who was he?" Yukari asked.
Alice gazed right at Yukari. "Well, I didn't get his name. But he was a fan of Boko," She answered tentatively.
Miho smiled. "Well, if you meet him again, you should get his name so you guys can keep in contact," She said.
Alice beamed. "You're right!" She gleefully exclaimed.
"And here I am in Okinawa, currently speaking with Nishizumi Maho and Itsumi Erika from the Kuromorimine Senshadou team, who just came back from a mission," The TV blared.
Miho quickly turned her head. "Oneesan," She whispered. Maho and Erika's face flickered on the TV.
"You've been here for two days now?" The reporter started asking questions.
Maho nodded. "This is my second day." She said.
"So, how does it to be in a live-fire combat situation?" The reporter asked.
Maho thought for a bit. "It certainly is stressful, more so than Senshadou. The lives of my teammates depend on my orders, and any loss of friends is extremely devastating. If I hesitate even for a moment, the consequences are severe," She sighed.
"So, does that mean you lost a friend?" The reporter blatantly asked.
Erika scowled in the background, but Maho remained unchanged.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.." The reporter tried to backtrack but Maho raised her hand.
"No, it's fine," She replied quickly, but Miho could tell she was beginning to be stressed. The reporter changed the subject.
"You have a sister, don't you. Do you have anything to say to her at this moment?" The reporter asked.
Maho stared straight into the camera. "Miho, as you can see, I'm fine. So don't worry about me and live on with your life," She stated.
"Thank you for the interview!" The reporter cheerfully said.
"As if that was an 'interview'," Erika hissed, but the reporter failed to catch that. The camera turned to Kaito and Tanya.
Alice pointed her finger. "That's him!" She said, eyes wide. "He visited me!"
Saori's mouth hung open. "He's a model!" She shrieked. "You hit the jackpot!"
The reporter looked at Kaito excitedly. "You are the commander of the Emperor's Regiment, Nishizumi Kaito, are you not?" She asked.
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "Yes. I am Nishizumi Kaito, a distant member of the Nishizumi clan," He stated. Maho and Erika's face showed an obviously surprised expression. Miho and Alice stared at each other.
"You have a brother?" Alice demanded.
Miho shook her head in confusion. "I'm pretty sure I don't! I swear!" She replied.
"How does it feel to serve with your more famous half-sister?" The reporter poked the microphone in Kaito's face, who rolled his eyes.
"I don't really mind. The men of the Nishizumi clan has always lived in the shadows, and I prefer to do the same. We have also served in every single war. It is part of our tradition and pride," He stated.
The reporter prodded for more information. "So your father is that politician?" She interrogated.
Kaito groaned. "Yes, I am the son of that politician. I have a younger brother as well, and I joined so he has no obligation to. My father had me with my mother while he was married to the head of the Nishizumi clan. He was chased out, but he kept his surname and became rather infamous. I was supposed to be disowned from the family and not supposed to be in the public eye, but here I am," He reluctantly answered.
"So, is there anything you would like to say to the public?" The reporter's eyes gleamed.
"No thank you," Kaito replied quickly.
The reporter turned to the camera. "Well, there you have it. These are the heroes of Okinawa. This is Higashino Kazuyo from NHK News,"
The room was quiet for a long time.
"Wow." Saori managed to sputter out.
Miho wiped her eyes. "I didn't know I had such family members…" She said.
Alice grabbed her hand. "I can't believe Miho's half-brother would come see me," She whispered. "I can't believe, I would come to like Miho's family…" She turned bright red and covered her head with her hands. "It's all so weird." She whimpered.
Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa, 8:48 P.M.
"Kampai!" The pub exploded with cheers. "Great job to all of you! You really did amazing out there! Free drinks for all tonight!" Arai chugged an entire bottle of beer.
Hiroi slid next to Maho. "Nice job today," He complimented her.
"Thanks, but it's all thanks to Kaito and Erika," Maho sipped a glass of beer. Erika glared over Maho's shoulder at Hiroi, who backed away.
….
"Commander, drink more!" A drunken Megumi hugged Kaito tightly.
"I don't think I should.." He started but Rumi interrupted him.
"Commander, don't be a child! Come on, just have one!" She slurred.
"One more!" Azumi pressed a beer bottle against Kaito's cheek.
He sighed, and took the bottle. "Fine, just one," A hand gripped Kaito's shoulder.
He looked up to see Tanya glaring down at him. "Just one, right?" She narrowed his eyes.
Kaito trembled. "Yes, ma'am," He answered meekly.
…..
"Erika, have some more." Maho urged Erika.
"No, commander, I can't," Erika refused vehemently.
"Come on, you are such a bore," Maho nudged her.
"Excuse me, commander Nishizumi?" Maho turned around. A blonde woman stood there, drinking tea.
"Earl Grey?" Maho looked shocked.
Earl Grey smiled. "Long time no see. You've been well, no?"
Maho stood up. "I'm fine. What about you? What did you do after graduating St. Gloriana?"
"I was invited as part of an international program and moved to England, where I trained with the Royal Armored Corps. I then came back to Japan and was recruited into the Emperor's Regiment," Earl Grey filled her cup with more tea. "I was delighted to be with a lot of friends. Look over there." She pointed, and Maho turned. A man and a woman were talking.
"My younger sister makes the best pasta in the world, ya know?" The man shouted.
"That's Anchovy's older brother, Rudolfo, or as we like to call him "Lasagna"," Earl Grey explained. "And the woman next to him is Nishi Kaori, Kinuyo's older sister. They're a peculiar pair." Earl Grey then looked over at where Kaito, Tanya and the Bermuda trio was drinking. "That Tanya over there, I forget who exactly, but she has a younger sister in Pravda." She said.
Maho smiled. "It was good meeting you, but I have to talk to Commander Kaito," She said.
"Good seeing you too." Earl Grey patted Maho on the back.
….
"I wish commander Alice was with us!" Rumi sang in a drunken voice.
"Commander Alice?" Kaito inquired.
Azumi grinned. "Our cute little Shimada Alice is probably lonely right now," She whined.
"Oh, Shimada Alice. That makes sense, all of you guys are from Selection. I visited her yesterday," Kaito said.
"You visited her?" Megumi leaned in closer.
Kaito nodded. "And she kissed me," He noted. All three girls almost dropped their bottles.
"Kissed?" Megumi demanded. "Did you do anything else? Did you guys-"
"Just in the cheek," Kaito added quickly.
"Bermuda trio, huddle up," Megumi announced, and they ran to a corner, leaving Kaito confused.
"Did you hear that?" Azumi hissed excitedly.
"The anti-social commander kissed commander Kaito!" Rumi whispered.
Megumi grinned. "You know what this means, right?" She asked.
Rumi and Azumi nodded. "We've got to hook them up together!" They replied enthusiastically.
Megumi nodded. "We're going to show them both the wonders of the adult world!" She exclaimed.
…..
Kaito wandered outside and sat down by the entrance stairway, looking at the star-speckled sky. He placed his bottle of cream soda down and sighed.
"Hey," Kaito turned around. Maho and Erika moved to Kaito.
"Were you planning to keep your connection with me a secret?" Maho asked.
Kaito shrugged. "I don't know; I preferred not to tell you, especially not like that," He replied. "You don't remember dad, do you?" He shot back.
Maho shook her head. "No, it's always mother who took care of us,"
"That's him alright. He barely qualifies as a decent human being. He cheated on Aunt Shiho and had me out of wedlock after all," Kaito picked up his glass and drank a quarter of the cream soda. "I was forced to join the military at his insistence. He's that kind of person." He looked right at Maho. "Do you remember when I said that the men of the Nishizumi clan served in every war Japan fought in the interview?"
Maho nodded, and he continued. "I wasn't exaggerating. Ever since Japan opened itself up to the west, A Nishizumi was always at the forefront of a war: The Boshin war, the Satsuma Rebellion, the first Sino-Japanese war, the Russo-Japanese war, the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, the second Sino-Japanese war and World War II to name just a few," He explained.
Maho cocked her head in confusion. "I didn't know that," She said.
"I doubt your mom will tell you anything of that sort," Kaito agreed. "There's also a second part to that."
"And what is that?" Maho urged Kaito on.
Kaito exhaled. "A Nishizumi is fated to die in battle. In every war, a Nishizumi has died serving the country," He said.
Maho's face turned white. "Fated to die?" She asked again.
Kaito nodded. "I have a younger brother, you see. I'm usually a sceptic, but I do firmly believe in what's called the Nishizumi curse. I don't want him to die, or you as well," He said.
"So you're going to sacrifice yourself so your brother, or even family that you never even met before won't have to die?" Maho gripped Erika's chair.
"You became the Nishizumi heir so Miho can choose her own Senshadou, didn't you. Family is a powerful thing. I've watched you from the TV screens and public media. I think I had a pretty strong connection with you even though I'm considered an outcast," Kaito slightly smiled. "I don't really have anything to live for anyways…" He glanced at Erika.
"You have your teammates that count on you. Don't think that way." Maho shook her head. "I'm glad I met you, and glad you're a Nishizumi." She turned and headed back into the pub. "Oh, and don't forget to give Erika her present." With that she went back inside, leaving Erika and Kaito alone.
"Hey, commander!" Erika shouted.
Erika gazed at Kaito, both of them now blushing. "Thanks for saving me," She whispered.
Kaito placed his hand on Erika's lap. "No problem. You're my subordinate, and I would do anything to protect you," He said, avoiding eye contact with Erika. "Oh, right!" He exclaimed. "Tanya!" He shouted. A book shot out of the pub and Kaito caught it with his left hand. "Here's Guderian's book, just as promised," He gave Erika the book.
"Thanks!" Erika beamed. Both of them stared at the sky, and before they realized it, their hands were gripped tightly together.