War Of The Worlds (Arc 2)

by StrikerStanding692

ATLAS invaded Rome, and started to spread their influence. Irons puts his aim to action... changing the world as it is. And as the witches find ways to battle them, they experience things new to them. A new war had started... a war against a faction that can destroy the status of the allied forces once battling the Neuroi... Continuation from Arc 1 :)

14. The Future is Uncertain

"The Future is Uncertain"

Forested Area… West of Sicily Base (Ruins)…

0538 hours…

"I wish she's awake… Ahhn…" Eila was saying this, sitting on a sleeping bed right next to the destroyed Sicily base. Her sleeping bag along with others beside it were hidden in the forested area that early morning. That time, the scar on her cheek was getting a stitch from none other than Sanya, who was patient as she was doing it. "Careful… the needle is pretty sharp."

Sanya was inserting a sterile needle for the last time into Eila's parted skin from the scar, getting another painful groan from the Suomi witch. "Be glad you're at least being given treatment. Plus… This doubles what you're suppose to promise me." Sanya said this, admiring her simple and precise stitching on Eila's scratched cheek. "I gave you this myself. So I suggest you shut up and let me deal with it properly."

Eila sighed, and waited until Sanya was able to cut the stitching thread and make a knot. When it was done, she spoke up. "I should ask you if you're okay."

"You protected me so well I didn't even notice I was fine." Sanya chuckled and sat down right next to Eila and neared her lips to Eila's scarred cheek. She didn't need the other's permission as she kissed Eila's cheek. And eventually, Eila turned her lips to Sanya and returned it, just before they were returning each other's kisses.

At a nearby set up tent, Barkhorn was hovering with her striker unit just near Minna who was standing next to her. Minna then gives a brown clipped folder for Trude to hold. Minna then spoke to Trude on what the situation is. "You're the messenger for the meantime. Make sure you pass this for Morse Code transmission to Command."

"I understand." Barkhorn said it before putting the folder into a knapsack and closing it tight to secure it.

"It's there… the note I even wrote on what strong recommendations need to be taken."

"Are you even sure The Field Marshal is going to accept that message? We'd be pulling ourselves apart for this."

"We don't have any other choice. ATLAS is getting stronger and conventional warfare against an enemy working with the Neuroi is no longer possible. We need to adapt to what they do and meet ourselves halfway: Study them then take them apart piece by piece. That's our goal… if we're allowed to do so." MInna said this as she looked towards the other witches sleeping between the trees and others just starting to wake up. "I never should have put myself in this position, but it's already happened. With what's at hand right now, we have to start doing things differently. They're from a time beyond what we understand of them. And having smarter enemies… gives us a chance to learn from them too."

Yoshikawa was just stirring awake when she realized the nearby drone of engines began to fade. Then she remembered Barkhorn had something to do and left them behind. Opening her eyes slowly, she could see the familiar back of a witch she was seeing almost all night as she sat up from her sleeping bag. Yoshika was sleeping peacefully next to Lynette, just before Yoshika herself starts to awaken too. And so, Michiko smiled, putting her hand on Yoshika's shoulder. "Hey there, sleepy head."

Yoshika recognized Michiko's voice and began to slowly open her eyes. She saw Lynette peacefully sleeping in front of her. Smiling, she replied softly. "Good morning to you too, sleepy head."

Michiko chuckled. "Hopeless romantic bitch."

"I'm not hopeless," Yoshika said, turning her head to Michiko. "The two of us are together. Now, if you take an issue… Take it to Reppumaru."

Michiko winced at this. Did her own joke force itself right onto Mio's magic katana? "Take it easy, urchin."

"Really now? Racoon dog by Perrine, and now urchin by you? Everybody seems to call me names everywhere I go and whatever period I-"

"I'm just saying you need relax. The battle is over from last night, and they're backing off. If last night's battle killed your sense of humor, then so be it." Michiko explained that casually and smiled. "Look… I'm just glad you turned out well."

Yoshika winced at something. "You were the one healing me for a while?"

"Well, I am a magical combat medic like you're the medic who's overpowered. You take way shorter of a time to heal people. I should even be praising you," Michiko said and giggled. "And you're here not liking me calling you names."

"It's a little inappropriate-"

"I'd know." Perrine said this out of the blue joining to conversation and smirking at Yoshika. "Because I was just feeling jealous." Then her smile faded before getting down to her knees next to Yoshika. "I cried for hours last night, you know. When we all heard the major was killed, I felt as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders. But I also felt that I lost someone important. I looked up to the Major because she's a role model to follow. And I was mostly behind her when we fly. Now… I feel as if I needed to find someone new."

Michiko softly groans, seeing Yoshika was frowning after Perrine talked about Mio. "She died fighting for what she believed in. Considering it's a loss, that shouldn't change how your unit works. She'll be remembered for the better since she's well respected, on and off the battlefield."

"For that, I would agree." Perrine replied and winced. "Hey, Lynette."

Yoshika smiled at Lynette who was now sitting up and groaning a little. "Good morning."

"Good Morning, Yoshika." Lynette replied back to her just as she was seeing Michiko stand up.

And the JSU medic crackled her fingers and head in place while looking at Yoshika. "Looks like I'm all done here. Good to know you've healed well. Excuse me. Our captain needs to get us up to speed this morning."

Yoshika nods and sees Michiko walk away to join the JSU witches who were just waking up. "Where will we go?"

Perrine sighs. "Well… There's not much of a place for us northeast, so our best bet is going southwest. Algeria would be a good start. We'd end up in the African continent and restock ourselves, assuming that's the aim. I heard the Neuroi were moving eastward from Africa, so that gives us some breathing room in navigation and safety."

Lynette then spoke up. "The usual way in how we defend an area won't be of use to us soon. If we could use new ways in fighting, I wanna learn that too. I'm worried. With Romagna in enemy hands, I have a feeling ATLAS and the Neuroi are going to re-take Britannia and strengthen Karlsland further."

"Not to mention Gallia too," Perrine spoke next. "We only freed Gallia because a machine's Neuroi core was connected to the nest. Convenient, but it'll be different on how we take back our country this time. I fear things would get harder for us."

"What about the human faction ATLAS?" Yoshika said it just as the subject seems to be related to enemy factions. "They wouldn't just let themselves be since they think they know much about us. They'll blend in and set up outposts… or maybe research spots. Maybe that's what Minna's trying to decide… us finding those spots so we could learn how to deal with them better."

"There's also the danger of losing more nations this time," Eila spoke and she was seen by the three together with Sanya. "Mind if I join in?"

Yoshika was glad to see Eila. "Sure! Take a seat by-!"

"Us too!" Kathryn Bolton was walking in together with the rest of the JSU. "We need to be ready for what's next. Better have a forum than nothing."

"Well don't leave us out either!" Shirley said it as she walked in with Lucchini. "Lucchini and I may as well be ready."

Continuously gathering around Yoshika, Perrine and Lynette, the company for the forum was just almost complete.

Erica went to Minna at that point and told her about the gathering. "Thought you should know."

So Minna led the two of them to see the gathering from afar. Witches who have concerns were in a forum together, sitting down and discussing things in preparation for what's next. This made her smile. "I'm glad they're starting to think for what's good for the future."

"Hey Minna…" Erica spoke as she looked at the forum group, then back to her. "Is it true we're gonna be disbanded and you're gonna give assignments to each of us?"

Minna nods. "We still believe we're frontline witches, but not in the way we should think. Instead of taking the enemy head on, I'm suggesting changes to how Joint Fighter Wings work. We'd still be a company of witches… just not always together, to prevent us from being pinned in one place at a time. For you and Trude, you'd be going to scout out Karlsland."

"Wait, what?!"

"She has no problem with it."

"But just going to Berlin would be suicide!"

"The Field Marshal would disagree. He says if things aren't going so well, our next objective is to study the enemy in deep territory… even if it means going to disguise yourselves as Neuroi humanoids."

"Eh…" Erica scratched her head. "So we'd have to get creative, huh?"

"Yes. But I think you and Trude will do well, Frau."

"Deep recon behind enemy lines… Huh." Erica smiled as she was wondering about it in her mind. "Gives me something better to do."

"So you better think of how to shape up your discipline. It's just the two of you. And now…" Minna paused for a moment, looking at the forum group discuss things, with some laughing on matters. "…you've got to learn to properly coexist with others. That means… keeping your stations clean."

"I knew you'd say that." Erica sighs just as she decides to join the forum group. "I hope I didn't miss anything!"

Minna heard that they were glad to have Erica there for the forum. 'Groups do need to bond at times. At a unit like this when they're not on alert and need to settle down from a traumatic experience, the only reliance they have is on themselves. I call this a good change of pace. Mio…' She frowns, looking away towards the sky which was just introducing the sun. 'We'll make sure to get you back home to Fuso… You deserve more than just the honors in your service.'

Boston, United States of Liberion...

1224 hours…

Hanna-Justina Marseille had been quite busy. When word was spreading that the 501st was hit badly and planning to relocate and disband while suffering the single casualty of Mio Sakamoto, she needed another plan. Working with Charotte Lueder and Katou Keiko in Liberion, they were finding information together about witches whose ages reached beyond magic usage. Marseille's better lead on witch personnel fitting the description for desires to stay longer in the military fit better with one name. And she's visiting this former witch in a residential area in the city of Boston, state of Massachusetts.

Walking up to a house separated from a neighborhood compound, she opens a white picket fence gate, and closes it behind her. Entering through a front yard and walking on the stone path that leads to the door. Stopping in front of the door, she makes things polite and knocks three times. She looked around her surroundings. Nothing from what she remembers from Karlsland seemed to have this environment.

The door opens inwards, and a female having orange curly hair having a height of 6 feet answered the call. She looks at the blonde-haired girl in front of her. The Liberion girl had an apron on that time, and she seemed to be neutral in her emotion, not sure of what to make of her visitor. Then she realized the two of them were looking at each other silently for several seconds. Willing to break the ice, the girl speaks first. "Yeah?" A Texan accent can be noticed in her Liberion speaking.

"Retired Colonel Geraldine Hicks?" Hanna asked that, giving the former witch a respect. "I was gathering info for a bit and I'm here on occasion."

"You representing Karlsland then? Sorry. Been waiting for another person." Geraldine said that just before she closed the door.

Hanna sighed at this, not always expecting a good answer out of those who's only into business. "Is she even that Gunslinger witch who isn't so uptight…?" She muttered that to herself and turned back to walk, to figure out her next move.

Geraldine opened the door and glared at Hanna's back. "I can understand you even with that accent! Uptight, huh?"

Hanna stopped walking to turn around and look at Geraldine clearly looking upset. "Do your friends look at you that way?"

Geraldine looked around in her house and looked back at Hanna. "You know what? Get in here."

Being invited in, Hanna approached and entered through the door. Noticing that Geraldine was anxious of something as she closed the door, she was immediately concerned. "Miss Hicks… Should I be here?"

Geraldine sighs and leads Hanna to the living room. "You can. It's just that my younger sister is working as a telephone operator assistant. She takes the night shift, so I'm usually quiet. Right now, I'm just baking, and waiting for the cupcakes to be done. Please." She gestures her hand toward the couch.

And Hanna sits down on the couch knowing hospitality is being shown. "Don't give me anything. I just want to be brief."

Geraldine crossed her arms, listening intently. "You aren't who I was expecting. I know you're an ace who's proven herself in Afrika."

"You know me?"

"I think your reputation is kinda overstated even with stories coming from my former squadron." Geraldine chuckles. "Miss Marseille… the girl who's like a psychic and flies to their doom. I'm sure the Neuroi are fearing you so much."

"Not really. They're heartless, not fearing anything. I'm just around to make sure they fly into my traps." Hanna smirked at Geraldine. "What about you? Is it true what they say about Gunslinger G?"

"That's the nickname most of my teammates call me. So… What do you hear?"

"You keep a large belt of pistol mags and even got custom weapons that allow 50-caliber bullets to be used."

"Ah. My 5-round Boomer Special Dual Wield Handguns. Yeah. Those were my specialty."

"And the way you're using double-wielding techniques to get past Neuroi… Each bullet shot is amplified by your spell magic techniques… You could choose to have your targets pierced, or damaged with controlled explosions." Hanna smiled as she discussed what she knows of Gunslinger G. "But it's your mechanical skills your teammates describe of you that makes the real difference between you and them You even constructed a combat spine suit to deploy your magazines from in the middle aerial combat."

Geraldine didn't expect that detail to get out of any other witch besides her own teams. "Um… Did you know that the information you told me doesn't usually get shared, and it's only permitted for special operations units? Where'd you get that information?"

Hanna smirked. "I'm not alone, you know. I was serious about this being a special occasion."

"Tch. How special is it? Brought your big gun strings just to find everything out about me?"

"In fact, yes." Hanna said it, before standing up. "Because I needed a very dedicated subject for what I'm about to do. Miss Hicks… How much do you believe of magic origins, and techniques versus reality's use of military equipment?"

Geraldine groans. "You could have asked me that when I was still a witch. My views changed. I used to believe more in magic usage than skill at first, but the other option became much more viable once my magic was wearing off."

"Natural response, I suppose." Hanna said it, while looking away. "I was hoping you'd be open to this task I wanna fulfill… restoring magic flow to witches' biologies."

Geraldine winced in surprise, not expecting to hear the words magic, and restoration in one sentence. "I…"

Hanna looks at Geraldine. "You could be one of the very first in this generation to finally get their life back. From what your friends described of you, they were disappointed of you losing your abilities due to age."

"Flow of life, which I accepted but…" Geraldine sighed and frowned. "Now I know why you're here. I suppose you also knew that I said I didn't do enough." Hanna remained silent on Geraldine's question. "I got friends in high places telling me info, you know. They said something about a witch wanting to restore magic flow, just as you said now. You wouldn't know who I would describing, would you?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because if I were to be asked, you're not the type to heal. That makes one completely skeptical. Then again…" Geraldine looked at a picture frame. Hanna saw an image of Geraldine, and who she thinks is Geraldine's younger sister beside her. Hicks continued and looked back at Hanna. "…all the best witches, fighter or healer, started with risks. They even perfected their practice. And they dedicate their lives to even lessen the burden to almost nothing on the legacies they pass it to." She approaches Hanna and looked at her with respect. "I've studied enough to know that the Greats exist… to bring out the best in people. So how long have you had that practice?"

Hanna lowered her eyes, anxious to answer, now believing the information she has would be highly valued. Then she looked back, having no fear whatsoever. "Five years of expertise… in only a matter of minutes."

"I knew it." Geraldine replied, stepping back. "I bet you never knew that until you were given so much curiosity, did you? Most would try to find it, but it's expected that those who were fated to find the information, not passed on with it, would be the ones to be declared as Greats."

"That makes sense. I found my place in a sinkhole and descended through columns of rocks." Hanna sighs. "It wasn't a pretty experience, really."

Geraldine then took initiative as she got Hanna to sit down, while she sits beside the ace. "Your eyes don't lie, and your magic, I think would be untested. Better than others, I think I'd be a good candidate for this."

"Are you sure about this? This is my first time… I hope I don't make mistakes…"

"You're an Anointed Great Witch. If you were the risk-taker type, then perhaps there would be mistakes made. But you are less than innovative. You're however, very efficient and productive… the type that most Anointed Great Witches are meant to be. And… I believe it." Geraldine smiled. "I didn't want to-"

"Wait! Before that…" Hanna sniffed something burning. "Do you smell something-!"

"MY CUPCAKES!" Geraldine ran to the kitchen.

And the two spent the last few minutes trying to clean up the oven Geraldine used. The cupcakes have been burned to a crisp.

Geraldine was disappointed that she face-palmed. "I should have been more attentive."

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring you into the fold… not when you have a life already." Hanna said this sincerely, not wanting to make an offensive statement.

"Tch." Geraldine took one burned cupcake and threw it to the wall, splitting the whole cupcake apart. "I was never even that good in the private sector anyway. If you ask me why I was discharged, it's through the request of my sister. And… I didn't feel well ever since."

"But I thought…"

"My age was still part of the reason, but for a longer amount of time, I always thought of family first. And… It got the better of me. Life still had a lot of things for me… including my time for less combat in the military. I could have had a better streak but…" Geraldine sat on a chair in the kitchen. "I feel as if my energy was still so high, yet I've been discharged for the wrong reasons. Don't mistake me for someone who doesn't love family, but I love my sister. Though it was her request that I leave the military for good. And so far… I'm not doing so well."

Hanna approached Geraldine and put her hand on her shoulder. "You suffered battle trauma just like the other witches who leave the service. You sure it doesn't affect you?"

"Why would it now?!" Geraldine glared at Hanna then stood up. "There's another reason you're here! I want this just as you do, because of rumors circulating that Romagna has been conquered! Having strong territory taken away from the Allied Forces is a big deal enough! And I know how to separate rumors from facts. A human faction, siding with the Neuroi."

Hanna sighed. "I didn't want to shock you."

"You don't need to. Because I was being given info from a reliable source in the Liberion Air Force. I still held a major hold on information flow and logistics before I was granted retirement rights." Geraldine said this prudently before she changed the subject. "What matters is… I want what you want to give me. And you'll be giving it to me, because I have reasons beyond what you know."

"Will I know those reasons soon?"

"The right time, kitty darling. The right time." Geraldine smirked tapping on Hanna's shoulder and walking past her to the living room.

An hour later…

Hanna called up for Charlotte Lueder and Katou Keiko after Geraldine said yes to the procedure. Geraldine's sister Vicky woke up and found out however.

And the three witches watched Geraldine talk to her sister Vicky.

"I had no right to leave, even as I'm getting too old," Geraldine said this, her eyes wetting. "I never had the chance to tell you, because you know you wouldn't bear it any longer if I weren't around! But I was useful and more content to be out and about!"

"Mom and Dad are dead, sis! Maybe you forgot we're the only ones around now! Please… Make this not about you but-!"

"MY CONSCIENCE CAN'T ALLOW THAT ANY LONGER, LITTLE SIS! I gotta do this. You're my only reason I'm home. I could have done more to help against the fight. I love you… but I gotta follow myself to the home I'm meant to be in." Geraldine lowers her head. "And it's not here, sis."

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Vicky then attempts to slap her older sister, but she was halted by Geraldine's hand. She got a glare from Geraldine because of it. "S-sis-?"

"Don't call me that. Because I'm tired of bitching around for ya. And where do you usually go when I work? Spending away with other guys and gambling around with money we both earn! I spend my time killing Neuroi and serving our country!"

"HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER FOR BOTH OF US?!"

"IT ISN'T, FOR YOU, UNGRATEFUL BITCH!" Geraldine shouted right at Vicky directly, even letting tears out from her eyes. "I should have stayed in Texas instead. Getting here to Boston was bad idea. It's a bad idea then, and it's a bad idea now."

"GET OUT! NOW!"

"Relax. You got things to do. And by the time you get back from work… I'm no longer here." Geraldine said it, just as Vicky snorts and walks away, going to her room and slamming the door shut. Geraldine could hear Vicky scream frantically past the door.

Keiko approached Geraldine, believing to having finished that conversation. "I hope we haven't been hindrances to you and the life you live."

Geraldine chuckled, bringing out a handkerchief and wiping her tears away. "With what's happened to me after all this time from being discharged? I think I don't mind. Besides… I've been wounded in war before… and at home just emotionally. With those odds, no wonder I had a problem. Those two things cancel each other out. And I can't stand for it. May as well make sense of it all and move forward to what I believe in. Tch… Even get me to fight without joining a unit. I don't care."

"That won't be easy, especially when the world's militaries are reorganizing against ATLAS too."

"Whatever I face, I think I'll manage. Now… I think I want to get on it. I'm ready." As Geraldine said that, she looked at Hanna. And she was granted a nod from the Anointed Great Witch.

In Geraldine's room, both Hanna and Geraldine strip bare. Geraldine lies down on the bed blushing a little, while Hanna closes her eyes standing beside her and letting lines of tribal tattoo appear all over her body.

Geraldine was getting a little anxious when she saw Hanna covered in tattoos. "I… I really didn't know you were serious about this… about all of it. You can really return magic flow throughout my body?"

Hanna slowly opened her eyes, showing a blue glow of magic as she spoke to Geraldine. "G… You must understand. You're granted magic the moment you manifest your own and have a matching familiar animal to guide you. It just becomes difficult for your body to use magic as you age, but there's a way to refine magic flow. The problem with natural magic manifestation is that not every part of you is active. Other parts of your body remain dormant. Sure, you refocus your body's energy to suit your needs, but that just isn't enough either. For the five years, compressed only into a few minutes, that I've learned ancient techniques, it is truly releasing the restraints of magic usage that I have seen, heard, felt, and put into practice that has defined my expertise. Are you ready?"

Geraldine nods. "Not like I can back out now." She closes her eyes and relaxes her body.

And Hanna walks to Geraldine. Putting her hands over chest first, she spreads her other arm to go down to Geraldine's torso. Hanna spoke ancient rites slowly, then paced it faster while magic started to glow from her hands. Her rite recital is going insanely fast that Geraldine was slowly starting to feel the effects that she grits her teeth.

While Keiko and Charlotte were waiting outside Geraldine's room, Keiko was reading a letter from Ursula Hartmann herself.

Ursula –

Dear Keiko. I was right, wasn't I? Ever since I was starting to do research on the portal, the best I could do was a one-way ring gateway. That just isn't enough. There has to be guarantee that it goes both ways. The magic that was related to Hanna, and the magic that is being used on this ring gateway… It wasn't a coincidence. Forgive me for hiding this from you, but circumstances surrounding Hanna's status, chosen as an Anointed Great Witch, was far from an isolation. I believe there is a key beneath her that could complete my work. But that's only if she's done the rites to a few more people… people who could really do well against the threat that exists today.

Whatever this new faction ATLAS has done, they've used scientific means to access magic, whereas we use a mixture of our own magic and our version of science, they used who I believe to be a conduit... An actual witch. Until we could figure out who the true conduit is, meaning who helped these people gain access to our world and attack, we have to just to put trust in Hanna's abilities for the meantime. Accompany her and help her succeed in her tasks and she can have enough power to assist me in completing the two-way gateway technology. Without her, we can't send anyone safely to the other world without getting them back.

Put trust in Hanna. She has her own objectives set and she believes she can do it. Assist her in any way in her journey. You, Hanna and Charlotte are the only ones I can trust with this. Please don't spread this information to the wrong people, or there would be consequences.

Your ally, Ursula.

Geraldine's eyes briefly opened, letting a hint of blue cover all of her eyes as she feels her magic coming back…

3 days later…

Sicily Base Ruins…

0812 hours…

"Listen up." Minna said this to all members of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing and the Joint Special Forces Unit. There were tents set up outside the main base hangars where they were sleeping… and nearby was a coffin fairly simple but durable. Inside it was Mio's still and peaceful body, embalmed. "The transports arrive in less than an hour. We know this as it has come to our attention that orders were relayed to us yesterday. As of yesterday, our unit has been effectively disbanded. This isn't a temporary one, but an indefinite one. Though I've been reinstated my original rank of Lieutenant Colonel due to the betrayal of Tsyrinskaya Lidia Yermolayevna, one thing hasn't changed: We're deemed incompetent." Minna had said this and the other witches who truly didn't know were looking at each other in worries. "But out of the experiences we each had, there is a consolation for it. A specific set of instructions came in… which was not included in the official instructions of Command. This is considered to be a secret ops objective to be divided into nine witches, with two having known their objective.

"The first two are… Gertrude Barkhorn and Erica Hartmann. You two, as I stated before, will be going behind enemy lines. See the condition of Karlsland if it is going to be occupied by ATLAS, given they've been allied to the Neuroi themselves. You'll be given reconnaissance tools in capturing evidence and the protection you'll need in case things get messy."

"The rest of the names, I will give classified objectives with the rest who are not called, to head home to your respective nations until further notice: Kathryn Bolton, Hera Kuhn, Helena Maximoff, Eila Juutilainen, Shirley Yeager, and Francesca Lucchini. Included in the secret instruction, is the designation of Sanya Lityak… Missing in Action." As Minna stated the last three words, Yoshika and Lynette were shocked to hear of it. What is Sanya going to do? "Her instructions will be deemed classified to the rest of the secret ops agents from this wing."

Minna stopped speaking for a while and sighed before continuing. "I know all of you have gone through so much… lost a piece of yourselves. And before disbanding, up to two lives have been lost to us… Lina Leiber and Mio Sakamoto. With only Sakamoto's remains, she'll be returned to her nation… the Fuso Empire. Now... Remember that we are now part of a new world. It's never the same ever since the army of one man came to Rome. Each of you knows which part of you asked where they came from. Hold that question until the real answers are found. I expect you all to act accordingly when the time comes. You're all witches of the 501st… fighters, in defending humanity. That is our mandate from the beginning, and it doesn't change. This is for our loved ones who left us… and for the ones who are still counting on us." Closing her eyes and finishing her speech, she let a tear leave her eye and opened them again. "Godspeed on your journeys, Strike Witches. You're all dismissed."

Minna – It was time for us to part ways… Command re-designated the 501st to go dark, and as I heard with other Fighter Wings, so were they. The rest of us who are still unable to go back to our respective countries would choose to go with their teammates. Lynette decided to go with Perrine CLostermann. Yoshika didn't change her mind in wanting to go back to Fuso, but Yoshikawa wanted to come with her for the experience of seeing their loved ones together.

As for Sanya… She'll be the only odd one out… Alone in the world, with a new identity born inside her out of hatred. She has her orders. But I don't believe she'll follow everything to the letter.

Sanya was checking her knapsack while being beside her striker unit. Almost having no emotion, she knows that she couldn't turn her back on what she needed to do. So focused, she even ignored Eila's call from afar. Which was why she was approached by her instead. Sanya finally noticed and turned her head to the Suomi witch. "Eila…"

"Sanya, I…" Eila wanted to say it, but hesitated. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"I know. But this storm is going to brew up badly soon. And we're going to get caught in it if we don't change our tactics. I believe in what I have for myself. So don't worry about me. Worry about yourself. And we'll probably see each other again." Sanya said that and strapped her knapsack on her body.

"That's just it," Eila replied. "I can't even find our future in the time that'll pass between us. And it worries me."

"Anything can happen between us. Just know… I want you to think of your own happiness first. We have known it between us, but I have the strong feeling you were always planning for our relationship to grow. That… just isn't the case. It's necessary. I'd rather see horrors that happen to me, prevented for it to happen to anyone else, and stop anything like that in progress. I still have that mission for my revenge to complete. I can't deny that. And yet the last thing I'd want is to find you when I shouldn't yet. Please… You'll know if I'm alive or not. You always do." Sanya then neared her face to Eila's and kissed. She felt Sanya kiss back and she felt it was real. There was a genuine feeling of worry from Eila in the way their passion runs between each breath. When the two of them pull away from that kiss, Sanya smiled. "You always smiled when I did. I urge you not to lose it."

Eila was then seeing Sanya put on her striker unit just before she helped Sanya up. As the Orussian witch stands with the help of Eila, she starts her unit's engines, and let magic flow into it more, while letting her body flow in magic. "Stay alive for me, Sanya." Eila said it before Sanya nods at her. "It isn't fun if I think you're dead."

"Then don't think of it or I'm really dead. No one from us would be blamed for it. Farewell… love." Sanya said just before she lets her engines roar before she hovers upwards slowly. She then tilts forward and flies, while maintaining her slow rise of altitude. Increasing power, she flies off the Sicily Base ruins.

"Farewell, Sanya…" Eila muttered this to herself before she walks off the ruins…

Cloaked Command Airship X3 "Nautilus"…

Irons was speaking to Genie that time together with the rest of ATLAS One-Three. This time, the Neuroi All-mother herself is physically present for the squad to see along with the boss.

Genie chuckled. "I can see why Ghost thinks I'm a menace. You seem to think of me as an unknown variable."

Ghost quietly growls, glaring at Genie. "You're not of inviting Irons into a home you find comfy. Sounds like a one-way relationship to me."

"I'm not fully human, you know. I've always been loyal to Jonathan for a very long while as he was trying to discover our world more. Even as your ally's All-mother, I still feel as if I still owe him. I've ascended from my former nature of just being data. Now… I'm something more thanks to him."

"Tch. Doesn't change my mind. You're really making my skin crawl when I feel you even breathe. I thought you'd be hotter in your form. Right now, it's just combined with you being fearsome. It isn't the same." Ghost replied briefly shaking his head.

"That's enough," Irons got the attention of every core member present. "Dana Caulfield's currently on mission to… persuade a leader. By a few hours, The United States of Liberion will be swearing their allegiance of most of their private units, to us. Their national army won't stand a chance. We take control of them, and their industrial arsenal will boost our production. That means… We have the power when we got the resources in this world. And the U.S. is a good place to start a secondary headquarters. Romagna is only just the beginning. With Liberion soon to be ours first, the rest of the globe will slowly bow down to ATLAS. The Neuroi? They will mostly be the world's enforcing body while we're mostly on diplomacy and forced close-range aggression. And may I say… I congratulate you all for getting us this far. Our plans… though just beginning to take its true shape, is just beginning to take effect the way we designed it to. I expect you all… to do your jobs well. Remember…

"We know our way forward. We can't expect to turn back now, as we don't know what truly lies ahead of us." Irons' last words before they were dismissed were the last set of words he'd utter before they spread themselves more.

Meanwhile somewhere in a research lab lied papers containing schematics for a ring gateway device… having almost the same layout as the one Irons used in Project Magic from his world…

ARC 2 END