Chapter sixteen: Underneath the Moon

Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa, June 23, 9:20 P.M.

"Ugh, why is there nothing on TV?" Erika groaned as she flipped through several TV channels. "It's only the news."

"Is it that bad?" Arai asked, munching on a sembei.

Erika looked at her. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be planning strategies or something?" She asked.

Arai shrugged. "It got boring after a while. Everyone's always bickering with each other. 'Uhh, we should flank them through the forest'. 'No, we should just bomb their positions with the air force'. 'But that would hurt civilians'. 'How about an amphibious landing?' I am so tired of all of it," She said.

"But that's your job," Erika pointed out.

Arai slumped down on the table. "Come on. At least you get to go out in the field and fight and stuff. I have to do paperwork!" She whined.

Erika turned back to the TV. "Okay then. Why did you join in the first place?" She asked.

Arai sighed. "Because the military's the only place I could go to," She grabbed several more sembeis. "I lied about my age to join in." She said.

Erika scoffed. "Why?" She asked.

Arai finished her sembeis. "To escape my dad. He was really crazy. Beat my mom half to death. 'Accidentally' ran over my dog. Kept me from eating for days at a time. Barred me from going to school. Things like that," She explained.

Erika looked at her with wide eyes. "Oh my God," She exclaimed.

Arai nodded. "It only got worse. He started walking in on me when I was getting dressed or taking a bath. He started abusing mom and I even more," She exhaled. "But it was after my mom found out he was cheating things things went even worse."

"What happened?" Erika asked longingly.

Arai sighed. "He...he killed mom," she reluctantly said.

Erika's jaw dropped. "What!" She shouted.

"He killed her right in front of me. Stabbed her in the chest several times. After that he tried to get me; he grabbed my clothes but I somehow got away," Arai said. "That was years ago."

"Did you tell the police?"

"They'll never believe me. Besides, they were in his pocket anyways,"

"What kind of a guy was he?"

"He has a lot of power. He's a real bastard," Arai spat.

Erika shuddered. "What did you do then?" She asked.

"I joined the military at around seventeen to escape hi,." Arai answered. "I thought he couldn't hurt me here."

Erika nodded. "Wow, you really went through a lot," She said. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-two now. I'm an old lady compared to you." She smirked. Erika also chuckled.

Within the city limits of Nago, around 10:44 P.M.

Kaito leaned against the foxhole, his head softly banging against the hard dirt.

"Kaito-sama," A finger tapped on his shoulder. "Kaito-sama." Another tap, this time harder.

Kaito's eyes fluttered a few times. "Whaa.." He groaned. His eyes flashed awake. He awoke to be surrounded by darkness.

"Kaito-sama." The voice caused him to quickly look around. Then he remembered that he wasn't wearing his night vision goggles. He pulls it down and is surprised to see Tanya staring at him, wearing night vision goggles herself.

"Kaito-sama, don't sleep on watch," She warned him. "I have to sacrifice my sleep to monitor you."

"Sorry," Kaito muttered.

Tanya smiled. "It's fine. Just know you're lucky you're with me," She said.

Kaito's lips curved up. "Yeah, I guess I am," He scooted over as Tanya slid to where he was moments before.

Tanya pointed her gun towards the streets in front of her. "Good night," She whispered.

"Yeah yeah. Goodnight," Kaito replied, yawning.

Panzer X, somewhere near Japanese lines

Maho could not go to sleep. Her eyes would not let her. She looked down from her seat and heard the soft snores of her friends. She fished through her pockets for her phone. She turned it on. She thought of texting Erika, but decided not to. I wonder how she's doing. I wonder how Miho's doing. Her mind was racked with worry.

Her thoughts drifted to the North Korean girl. She was skilled, no doubt about it. She might even be on par with Maho. I failed to kill her. I'll do it next time. She scolded herself. But something told her otherwise. Something was nagging from the back of her brain, desperate to pull up memories Maho was sure weren't real. I've seen her before, in my dreams, but from somewhere else too. But from where? She sighed. She wanted to drink some sake again. She smiled when she remembered when she went drinking with Hiroi. That was a pretty good time. He was a strange person, but he was always energetic and willing to help her, and she was grateful for that.

Without realizing it, Maho slowly drifted to sleep.

Outskirts of Nago, in a building somewhere

The lamp barely illuminated Hiroi, who was cleaning his rifle. He grumbled while he did so, about jams and mishaps. He ought to drop this and get a new gun. Maybe even the North Koreans aren't having this much trouble with their guns.

"Sir, you should get some sleep," Another soldier slid open the door to the room, rubbing his eyes.

Hiroi looked at him. "I don't want to die tomorrow, or tonight for that matter. I'll take some rest when my shift is over," He replied. The soldier promptly turns around and shuts the sliding door.

Hiroi goes back to cleaning his gun, mumbling.

City of Nago

"God damn it. She actually might have done something!" Mi-jing shouted.

"Hold still," Maeng ordered as she dabbed her arm with a cloth. "You literally got a scratch. Just Know your lucky." She said.

Mi-jing pouted. "I know. But still…"

"But that Nishizumi girl… She was pretty good." She said after a while.

Maeng shrugged. "It was mostly luck," She said.

Mi-jing tilted her head to the side, thinking for a bit. "You know what? You're right," She exclaimed. "I know I could beat her in a match. I'll show her who's the best."

She suddenly placed her hands on her temple as it began to burn. She knelt down and groaned in pain. She felt her consciousness leave her, and she fell forwards.

"Commander! Was there shrapnel in your forehead?" Maeng quickly picked her up. "Commander!"

There it was again. The burning mansion. Mi-jing tried to push forwards, but was dragged back by her uncle. She looked over, and scowled. It was damn Maho over there. She was staring at the burning mansion, along with an older woman and a younger girl, presumably her mother and sister. Why the hell were they there? Anger burned up inside of her. She tried to claw her way out of her uncle's grasp towards Maho, but his grip was too strong. She screamed, but no noise came out. Her uncle picked her up and began walking away, while Maho looked on with a pitiful look.

She woke up lying on a white bed. Where am I? She thought.

"Good for you commander, there isn't any shrapnel or nothing in you. You just need some rest," Maeng's face appeared out of the blue with a smirk.

Mi-jing groaned. "That's the last thing I need," She complained.

Ooarai girls high school carrier

The various Senshadou teams had brought out their sleeping bags to the middle of the field.

"We're going to have the biggest slumber party in Ooarai history!" Anzu announced, and the girls cheered. "Anteater team, why bring your games when you can converse with friends. Put those away!" She shouted, and a trio of girls moan in protest.

….

"I wish there were boys!" Saori shouted, "Why aren't there boys here?"

"That's because this is an all girl's school." Hana answered.

"But what about the army boys here?" Saori pouted.

Mako, who was awake at night time spoke . "You want to be with a pedophile?" She jeered, causing Saori to pout even more. Miho placed her Boko pattern sleeping bag on the ground.

"Miporin! Call your half brother over here!" Saori shouted.

Miho turned around. "What? I don't have his number or anything. I've never even met him," She stammered.

Saori groaned. "God! Everyone is so boring," She said exasperatedly.

….

"Would you look up at that sky, Erwin. It's filled with stars," Caesar said, lying in her sleeping bag.

"I wonder if Columbus was staring at the same sky," Erwin commented.

"It's gotta be Captain Cook," Oryou added.

"How about Odysseus?" Saemonza asked.

"That's it!" The three other girls shouted.

….

The volleyball team was setting up a net when the first years walked up to them.

"Are you seriously going to play now?" Aya asked.

Noriko turned around. "Is there something wrong?" She shot back.

"I mean, it is night time," Ayumi said.

Noriko shrugged. "Does it matter? We can see from the stars,"

Aya sighed in resignation. "Fine, whatever. Do your own thing," She turned back to her friends.

…...

The rest of the first years were huddled together, whispering.

"So who do you think is going to get a boyfriend?" Karina asked.

Ayumi giggled. "Has to be Miho-sempai!"

"Eeeh, do you think so? She doesn't seem the type to get one," Yuuki said.

Ayumi glanced at her. "Maybe its that boy we've been hearing about for the past few weeks," She suggested.

Azusa gagged. "That's her brother! What's wrong with you, that's incest!"

"Well, they're only half-siblings," Ayumi countered.

"I learned a darker side to you," Azusa muttered. Ayumi only shrugged.

"How about Saori-sempai?" Karina asked.

Yuuki chuckled. "She will never get a boyfriend," She whispered. A distant "Hey!" could be heard in the background, but nobody catches it.

"Saki. Saki. Saki," Aya waved her hand in front of Saki's face, whose head slightly moved. "What are you doing?" She asked. Saki pointed at Aya.

Aya looked at Saki, who nods. Aya turns around to see a white humanoid figure dissipating. Her eyes bulge and her jaw drops. "Aaaaaah!" She screamed.

The rest of the first years come running over.

"What's wrong?" Karina asked.

"G-g-g-ghost!" Aya stammers out, rolled up in a ball.

"That's just your imagination," Azusa said.

Aya's pale face peeked out. "Saki…" She mumbled. They all turn towards Saki, who shrugs.

"It's your imagination," Aya said.

…..

Four girls covered in sweat stand in awe in front of their Tiger (P).

"Whew, this is great!" Nakajima roared.

"Fixing Leopon underneath the stars sure is magnificent," Tsuchiya added.

Hoshino wiped her brow with her hand. "Did anyone bring the drum can baths?" She asked.

"Hell yeah! Let me take them out." Suzuki said, running behind the Tiger (P).

Nakajima turned to Miho. "Hey,Commander! Wanna take a bath?" She shouted. Miho shook her head vigorously.

"Oh well. Her loss," Nakajima said. She looked up at the sky. "Won't be half bad tonight though."

…...

The Public Moral Committee watched the girls run around in the field below.

"This should be against the rules," Sodoko fumed.

"I think it's alright tonight," Gomoyo said.

Sodoko turned on her. "No, it's not! We have to keep order," She retorted.

Pazomi walked over. "You work too much. Why don't you take a break?" She suggested.

Sodoko turned red. "But then who else will do this?" She demanded.

Pazomi smiled. "Just let it drop for one night." She said.

Sodoko groaned. "Fine. I don't care anymore."

Gomoyo grabbed her by the shoulders. "That's the spirit!" She encouraged.

…..

Anzu munched on sweet dried potatoes, lying on the tarp she brought.

"Sure is a nice night." Yuzu sang next to her. "Momo-chan. Join us!" She shouted to Momo, who was sitting down looking through several papers.

"I can't! I have to do this work. And don't call me Momo-chan!" She shouted back angrily.

Anzu sat up. "Come on, chillax. Stop working for once," She said.

"President, please work!" Momo retorted.

Anzu smiled as she threw a sweet dried potato in her mouth. "There's nothing wrong with relaxing. Have fun. This might be our last time," She whistled.

Momo froze. She stood up and walked over to Anzu and Yuzu. "Fine. Just this once," She grumbled.

"Great!" Yuzu clapped her hands together.

The three looked on as the Senshadou club having fun.

"Should we join?" Yuzu asked.

Anzu shook her head. "Nah. I'd rather watch," A smile crept on her face. "What a great club this has been." She said.

Yuzu nodded in agreement. "We had so much fun together,"

"We've overcome so many obstacles and made new friends. This year has been an exciting one," Momo added.

Tears began welling up in Anzu's eyes. "Thank you all for supporting me. I couldn't have done it without you these three years," Yuzu hugged her, "It's been a pleasure being with you." She said happily.

"President…" Momo said.

"It's been the best three years of my life," Anzu continued. "And to the rest of the Senshadou team. They made me so happy and proud. They will always be my frie…" She couldn't finish as she covered her mouth with her hand, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, president," Yuzu told her, despite being overwhelmed by tears as well.

Momo removed her monocle. "These memories will be the treasured forever," She murmured.

Suddenly the night was lit up by fireworks. Light illuminated against the field, showering the girls below with a spectacle of dozens of dazzling colors.

"President?" Yuzu and Momo look down in surprise.

Anzu grinned mischievously. "I have my ways," She laughed. Yuzu and Momo look at each other and start to laugh as well.

Kuala Dungun, Malaysia

Lady Wu slowly took a sip of her green tea, sitting on top of her tank.

"Lady Wu, that's dangerous. Enemy snipers may get you!" A soldier cried, but Lady Wu raised her hand.

"Not on this quiet night." She said. She looked up at the bright moon. "What a wondrous moon. How generous it is to light itself on an unholy soldiers such as myself." The wind picked up, blowing her long black hair. She took a look at her phone. Looking through her contacts, she found Mi-jing and smiled. So today you were beat by the one you thought to be a greenhorn. She thought. Nishizumi Maho, what a person. I would like to meet her someday, whether on the battlefield or not is not of my concern. Drinking the tea, she gazed at the yellow moon above.