The Ether Conflict
Chapter 18: Innocence Lost
Blackout Main Base
Central Courtyard
27th of May 2 Y.A.
7:45 am
"Commander, I know how you feel about your sister, but is it necessary to look for her everywhere?"
"She wasn't in her room or in the cafeteria, which means she might be out of the base."
"That reminds me, did you really had to force open the door to her room?"
"Yes, it was necessary."
Two girls walk through the courtyard, making their way towards the base's main entrance in search of a person.
"But I have to say, there are a lot of girls at this base. Makes you wonder if they are girls from the school carriers here."
"I asked the Director about it and he said that Miho, her friends and the two Saint Gloriana students are the only personnel that has a connection with the carriers."
"Now that you mention it, what happened to Ooarai? We never made contact with their forces."
"I had asked Miho that question, when I arrived at this base for the first time, but she avoided answering me. There are other school ships missing, so what is the problem Erika?"
"You see, the problem is that we haven't seen a single soul from the other school ships, yet Miho is here with her friends. You think something might have happened Mah-I mean, commander?" Erika says, blushing lightly at her mistake.
"We aren't in the carrier right now, so you don't need to address me formally," Maho smiles to Erika, causing Erika to blush harder and avert her gaze.
"I-I insist that I address you formally commander," she says quickly. Maho giggles at her vice-commander's behavior.
"As you see fit," she responds back, a smirk on her face.
Reaching the main entrance, the two girls go and stand in front of a guardroom, where a man wearing Blackout's standard uniform is reading a magazine to pass his time, sitting on a chair. Noticing the girls, he quickly grabs a catalogue and a machine that looks like a scanner, before exiting the guardroom.
"Your names please," he says, eyeing the two girls with suspicion.
"Nishizumi Maho and Itsumi Erika," Maho responds.
Scanning the catalogue, he finds their names in the Guests list, so he relaxes his posture a bit. "Could you show me your Guest IDs for a moment?
The girls comply and show him their ID cards that hang from their necks.
Aiming the scanner-like machine at Maho's ID first, he waits a few moments, before it flashes green and shows Maho's information on a small built-in screen the machine has. Repeating the same process with Erika's ID, the machine flashes green, indicating that her ID is authentic.
"Everything seems fine, you may pass," he says as he goes inside the guardroom and presses a small red button that opens a steel door.
Passing through the door, the girls start walking towards an area, with a gut feeling that Miho should be there.
"Even if she is somewhere out of the base, how are we supposed to find her?" Erika asks, clearly not happy that she has to participate in this wild goose chase.
"If you are still tired Erika, you can always go back at the room. We still have time before our helicopter arrives to get us back to the carrier," Maho says as she scans the area for signs of the one they are looking for.
And let her hog you all by herself?! Not happening! is what she would like to say at her commander, but she now better than to do that.
"It's OK, I don't mind. My wounds are a bit better today too," she elects to say, placing her hand over her right side where she was shot.
Getting further from the base, the two girls spot a girl with jet black hair, holding a dagger made of semi-transparent energy colored ruby red. She uses the dagger to slash the air in front of her horizontally, vertically and diagonally again and again, indicating she is training.
"Who is this girl?" Erika asks, though Maho has already recognized her as her sister.
"It's Miho," she quietly says, eyeing Miho worryingly.
"Eh?" Erika asks, bewildered. "Miho does not have black hair..."
The girls approach her carefully, hoping to not disturb her from her training. By accident, Erika kicks a small rock, causing it to roll audibly for about half a meter.
Hearing the noise, Miho immediately pivots on her left foot and throws her dagger at the girls. Erika gasps as the dagger hovers in the air, millimeters away from piercing Maho's throat. Maho briefly looks at the dagger, before looking at her sister's ruby red eyes. Although her face betrays no emotions, Maho can feel adrenaline pumping in her veins, her heart rate starting to elevate.
"Good morning Miho," Maho says with a smile.
"Oh, it's you," Miho says with a sigh, which catches both Kuromorimine commanders in surprise.
Why did she sigh? Erika thinks to herself. Does she want to kill us?!
Stretching her right arm forwards, she clenches her fingers into a fist and moves it backwards, causing the dagger to move away from Maho and vanish.
Clenching the fingers of her left hand in a fist, it glows with a bright red light, which dims and vanishes after a few seconds.
Finally, closing her eyes and exhaling deeply, Miho's hair color slowly reverts to brown, before opening her eyes. Maho notices that they are also back to normal.
"Sorry about that, got startled a bit. Please accept these as an apology," Miho says apologetically with an awkward smile,raising her left arm. In the palm of her left hand sit two hairclips, one that resembles a Tiger I and one that resembles a Königstiger.
"No, it's fine. We were the ones that sneaked on you after all," Maho responds back with her trademarked stoic expression, picking the two hairclips and handing the Königstiger one to Erika, who reluctantly takes it.
How the hell is this fine?! Erika screams mentally, her instincts telling her not to voice her opinion right now, unless she wants to go in Heaven.
"Umm, where did you find these?" Erika asks Miho, eyeing the hairclip.
"I just made them," she responds, which prompts the two girls to look at her with a confused expression.
"And how did you made them?" Maho asks slowly.
"With my powers. I can create very small objects, like these hairclips, but they require a lot of energy," she says, causing Maho and Erika to look at her like they are seeing an alien.
Miho giggles nervously; their expression is something she sort of expects.
"Miho, could you explain how your powers work? And...how you got them?" Maho asks with a stoic expression, yet inside her she feels guilt, as if she is the one responsible about this.
"I can try explaining it, but I doubt you would believe me," Miho says.
"Please Miho," Maho says softly.
Contemplating on how to best describe her powers, Miho decides to tell them what she had read from the document Anzu had given her. "My powers are fueled from an energy known as Ether. This energy exists between realities and has the property of manipulating one. Those hairclips I gave you is such an example. They didn't exist in our world, yet you can clearly see them. By using Ether I made them a solid object, an existence in this world. At least that's what Mako told me. Ether can be manipulated subconsciously by the mind, give it form and make it usable, but you need to have a specific genetic makeup," Miho stops at that, noticing the confused expressions of both Maho and Erika.
"I'm sorry Miho, but I can't understand completely what you are saying," Maho says with an apologetic expression.
"It all sounds so surreal. What you are describing is magic and honestly, it makes it all the more difficult to believe what you are saying is true," Erika says.
"No, it's understandable. Then let me demonstrate my powers one more time."
Miho closes her eyes and activates her powers, causing her hair to become black and her eyes red. Opening the palm of her right hand and raising it at the level of her face, a semi-transparent ruby red energy starts being collected there, forming a ball that floats above her palm.
"This is Ether that my brain has given form to. As you can see, I can give it any form I desire," she says, while causing the ball of energy to change shapes, forming a book, then a flower and even a miniature Tiger 1. Maho and Erika look in awe at the ever changing shape of the ball. Creating the shape of a kunai knife, the energy becomes solid and a black kunai knife drops in her palm.
"When I give it the shape I want, it materializes. Also, these objects can have effects, like in games." Grabbing the kunai knife, Miho throws it in the distance about 50 meters away. Landing on the ground and piercing it, a huge pillar of ruby red energy, that has a diameter of 80 meters, shoots in the sky, reaching a height of about 500 meters. Both Maho and Erika look at the pillar in amazement, their eyes wide open at this majestic, yet frightening display of power.
"As you saw, this knife had the effect of releasing an energy pillar that decimates everything caught inside it. It took me about three seconds to create the knife and five seconds to charge it. The more powerful the effect is and the more complicated or big the object you want to create is, the more time you need to charge and construct it respectively."
Reverting back to normal, she notices that Erika is really pale. "Are you alright Erika? I'm sorry if I scared you," Miho smiles apologetically.
"No, it's fine, don't worry about me," Erika responds back, though her voice is barely audible.
I better be on my best behavior! she makes a mental note to herself.
"You said before that for a person to utilize this energy, they need to have a genetic makeup. Does that mean you always had it?" Maho asks curiously.
"No," Miho explains. "You see...Mother put me to participate in an experiment. A scientist named Mannheim had created a DNA altering liquid named Serum, which alters one's genetic makeup to be able to utilize Ether. I got injected with that liquid and that's how I acquired my powers."
Maho says nothing, keeping up her calm expression, but inside she is brimming with anger.
How dare she...Maho thinks to herself.
"Admittedly," Miho continues, oblivious to her sister's feelings. "Mother didn't know about the true nature of the experiment and once she found out about it, she made sure it would be shut down for good. So please Sister, don't hold her or yourself responsible for this,"
Miho smiles at Maho, who feels all her anger just vanishing away.
"Can I ask you a question Sister?" Miho asks Maho, wanting to change the subject and perhaps sate her curiosity.
"These two years that we have been apart, what happened? With the carrier I mean. I never got the chance to ask you and am curious about it."
"It's a long story and I don't know if we have enough time until our helicopter arrives," Erika says.
"You'll go back to the carrier?" Miho asks with a sad expression.
"Yes. There are certain things we must attend to," Maho says uncomfortably.
Not wanting to dwell any deeper, she waits for Maho to start narrating the events that happened in the carrier.
"I'll start with what happened one week after the earthquakes. We were in sea and running low on fuel."
One week after the earthquakes
Aboard the Graf Zeppelin
Kuromorimine Girls High School
Principal's office
Inside the principal's office are two figures. Behind a large desk sits a man with a thick mustache, reading some documents. In front of the desk stands a girl with dark brown hair and eyes, wearing Kuromorimine's Senshadou uniform.
"Thank you for coming commander Nishizumi," the man, presumably the principal, says in his grizzled voice.
"May I know the reason why I was summoned principal?" Maho says with a stoic expression.
Putting down the documents, he looks at Miho with a serious expression. "As you have heard, the government has collapsed, along with any laws or morals. As a result, in the big cities there has been a large increase in the numbers of bandits and looters. The JSDF is nowhere to be found and chaos reigns everywhere."
"What have these things to do with the Senshadou club?" Maho asks with suspicion, not liking where this conversation goes.
"The carrier is running low on fuel. Right now we are en route to the nearest deep port," he says slowly, having a severe look on his face.
"But that would mean we would have to concern ourselves with possible bandits or looters attacking us. Wait, you don't mean?" Maho says bewildered, guessing what he is asking of her to do.
"Unfortunately I do. Nishizumi Maho, as the director of the carrier and the school's principal, I order you to defend the carrier's main entrance and the fuel pump during the refueling of it."
"You are asking me to order these girls to take human lives, principal?" Maho asks, brimming quietly with anger.
"Ideally, we won't encounter any bandits, but we all know better than that. You have your orders, you may go now," the man sighs, before going back to reading documents about the status of the carrier.
Maho says nothing and walks towards the door, exiting the room.
Is this man out of his mind!? she thinks, clenching her right hand so hard that her fingernails dig in her skin and blood starts dripping. He wants me to order the girls to kill humans?!
"Commander?"
Hearing a voice calling her, she snaps out of her thoughts and looks around to see who called her.
"Hello, Erika," she answers back, regaining her composure.
"So, what did the princ-is your hand alright?" Erika asks urgently, eyeing the blood stained hand.
"Hm? Oh it's fine, don't worry about it. Erika, gather the Senshadou club members immediately. I have an announcement to make," Maho says calmly.
"Eh? Ah, as you order commander!" Erika snaps a salute, before walking away to gather the members of the Senshadou club. Maho looks at her bloodied hand, trying to understand in what new world have they all found themselves. What hell awaits them at the end of the road.
Three days later
"I'll go over the plan one more time. Team A will defend the ramp that leads at the carrier's entrance, while Team B will drive all the way to the other side of the dock to defend the fuel pump. The scouts will be stationed further in the port to alert us in case the enemy makes a move. You are to deter anyone that approaches the carrier or the pump by firing warning shots. The rest shall remain here in the hangar and support any retreating units," Maho says over the radio, looking at the tanks that have amassed behind her from her Tiger's cupola.
A flurry of affirmatives is heard from the various commanders, some nervous, some eager to roll out there.
"Everyone, advance!" she says and the tanks come to life, their engines roaring and their treads clacking. Exiting the service hangar that every carrier has, Maho thinks how convenient this is in case they need to retreat, since the entrance to the service hangar is at the same height as the dock.
"Team A, line up!" she says through her radio and her Tiger I, along with Erika's Tiger II the Elephant and the Jagdtiger line up in a straight line. "Team B, you are free to proceed to the target area. Panther 5,you have command of the team. Scouts, go to your predetermined positions," Maho says and seven tanks in total advance, two Panzer IIs and five Panthers.
"You think everything will be fine?" Erika asks.
"We can only hope they will be. Team A advance for 50 meters!" she orders and the tanks start moving slowly.
"Command, this Scout A, we are in position."
"This is Scout B, we are in position and awaiting further orders."
"This is Team B, we reached the fuel pump."
"Affirmative, await for further instructions," Maho says on the radio, before terminating the transmission. Let's hope we won't have to fight anyone, however unlucky this might be, Maho thinks, praying the girls won't have to kill anyone today.
Two hours later
"Scouts, this is Command, situation report."
"Command, this is Scout A. Everything seems fine for the moment."
"This is Scout B. We have spotted several civilian vehicles passing through the area, but none have come closer than 200 meters from our position. We may have been spotted."
"Affirmative Scout B. Both of you keep your guard up. If you see any hostiles, retreat to the carrier immediately."
"Affirmative Command."
Ending the transmission, Maho sighs loudly, closing her eyes and taking some deep breaths.
"Are you okay commander?" Erika asks worryingly.
"Yes. It's just the pressure of not knowing what will happen that bothers me," she answers, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Command, this is the captain of the carrier. The refueling process is nearly complete, you may begin to withdraw," a female voice says. Hearing this, Maho smiles, ready to order the units to fall back to the carrier.
"Command, this is Scout A, we see at least 20 civilian vehicles loaded with armed men or machine-guns moving towards the carrier," she hears a voice say through the radio.
"Command, this is Scout B! We are under attack from hostiles, at least 30 civilian vehicles with armed men or machine-guns! Evasive maneuvers, they have rockets!" she hears the commander of the Panzer II scream as explosions and bullets bouncing can be heard in the background.
"All units, retreat immediately to the carrier! Team A, advance 500 meters and support the retreating units. Everyone, you have permission to shoot to kill!" she orders through the radio, knowing that with such numbers, the enemy is serious at invading the carrier. As Team A advances to support the retreating tanks, Team B starts falling back to the carrier, linking with Scout B, who managed to shake off its pursuers.
"This is Scout A, entering your field of vision now," the commander of the other Panzer II says, as the tank pops in view from behind a container, approaching Team A.
"We see you Scout A. Retreat back to the carrier. To the units that are in the hangar, I want two Tiger Is, a Tiger II and two Jagdpanthers to come and reinforce us, enemy forces have been reported to be at least 50 units in total," she calmly says over the radio.
As they wait for the reinforcements, civilian pick-up trucks start popping into view. Some of them are loaded with people holding assault rifles or RPGs and others have HMGs welded on their beds.
"To all tanks, prepare for bombardment," Maho orders.
Waiting for the trucks to come close enough, everything seem to slow down for a moment. Her mind starts thinking a lot of different things as she utters the word Fire. Who is she to order others to take lives? To bathe their hands in blood, when she just sits comfortably on the commander's seat and looks at the battlefield. She can see the shells slowly flying to the trucks, which only now realize what is going to happen and start to turn, though a little bit too late. She knows, when these shells land on their targets, there is no going back for them. What would her mother tell her if she could see her now? What Miho would tell her? Her mind now drifts on her younger sister. Is she okay? Does she have to fight for her life too? Does she have to kill to survive too? Maho shudders at the thought, praying she won't have to hear her sister uttering the words I have taken lives, because her heart would plummet in guilt and sadness. Because her innocence is too precious to be lost, especially in a world like this.
As the shells hit their targets, time returns to normal, and four explosions rock the port, as four trucks become flaming wrecks. Machine-guns from both sides start rattling, the trucks becoming pieces of metal Swiss cheese one after another. Miho dives back in the tank and closes the cupola's hatch to make sure no bullet strikes her.
More explosions rock the port, as RPG warheads start flying everywhere, barely missing the tanks.
"Team B, where are you?" Maho yells, looking through the vision ports at the increasing number of vehicles and infantry.
"Command, this is Panther 5, we are in your three o'clock. I propose that we use the crossfire as a diversion to retreat back to the carrier."
"Agreed Panther 5,"Maho says quickly. "Team A, start moving backwards!"
As the tanks start moving backwards, some of the trucks try to flank them, only to crash into the reinforcements and get annihilated. Team B flanks the enemy forces form their left, throwing them into disarray. Using this chance, Team B, along with the Panzer II start heading to the carrier at full speed, though Panther 5 stays back to provide support fire. Suddenly another 30 trucks, the ones that Scout B had spotted, appear.
"To all units, fall back to the carrier immediately!" Maho yells at the radio and all tanks turn and start heading for the service hangar at full speed.
"Just how many trucks these guys have?!" Erika yells, eyeing the ant-like enemy forces that seem to have no end.
All tanks enter the service hangar, but when Maho's Tiger passes, an explosion destroys the ramp that connected the hangar with the dock.
"Is everyone on board?!" she yells, seeing the destroyed ramp slowly sinking in the water.
"Panther 5 isn't here!" someone yells, causing Maho to become pale.
"Panther 5 come in!" she says in the radio, praying for an answer.
"This is Panther 5, we didn't made it on the ramp, what's our orders?!" the commander of the Panther says, as rockets fly past its turret.
"Hold on until we open another door of the hangar or we find a spare ramp!" she says, before noticing the ship is slowly moving away from the dock.
"Change frequency to the carrier's bridge now!" she orders quickly and the radio operator changes the frequencies.
"Captain, this is commander Nishizumi! Stop the carrier right now, we still have girls on the dock!"
"I'm sorry commander, but I have orders from the principal to leave the port immediately."
"But we cannot leave them behind!" she yells hotly.
"It's okay commander, we understand. We will find a way to survive. We are Kuromorimine students after all!" the commander of Panther 5 says, before terminating her transmission. "Panther 5 come in! Panther 5!" she yells on the radio, but only static greets her. Maho just slumps on her seat, anger filling her. Slamming her radio on the side of the turret, she lets its broken pieces to fall on the floor of the tank. No one dares to talk, though some of the girls audibly cry, both because they had to leave behind some of their fellow classmates and because of Maho's outburst.
I'll get you for that principal, she thinks, gripping what remains of the radio as hard as she can.
Four days later
Inside his office, the principal is sitting behind his desk, once again reading and signing documents about the status of the carrier. Though they had successfully refueled the ship, rumors of some students getting left behind were circulating, making an increasing number of students to question the principal's actions. Some of them even started undermining his authority. He would have to deal with it eventually, but first, he would have to silence the Senshadou club. Not kill them of course, they are too valuable to do that. Maybe keep them on a lease by blackmailing them or something similar. Maybe he could find some dirt on the commander and vice-commander. After all, they were the ones that gave orders to the rest of the members. These girls were no longer high school girls. In this world, they were assets. You could even call them soldiers, since they know how to operate a tank, a formidable machine at this new world, where governments have collapsed and everyone can do whatever they want.
As the man is absorbed in his own thoughts, an explosion is heard behind him, with chunks of the wall flying everywhere, like deadly shrapnel. The man gets thrown over the desk, covered in concrete dust, blood flowing from some grazes in his hands, his clothes ripped in some areas.
Below, at the center of the school's courtyard lies motionless a Tiger with the number 212 painted on the sides of its turret. The cannon is pointing at the now non-existent wall of the principal's office, spewing gunpowder smoke from the barrel. Several girls start gathering at the courtyard, wondering what is the thundering sound that was heard mere moments ago.
The principal lies on the floor, groaning and moaning in pain as he tries to stand up. The door to his office opens and inside come five girls, dressed in their Senshadou uniforms.
"You," he growls, coughing a little blood on the floor. "What do you think you are doing Nishizumi?!"
"Relieving you of your duties principal. I'll assume control of the carrier from now on," Maho says calmly.
"You can't do that, I am the one in charge here!" he tries to shout, but starts coughing mid-sentence. "I'll have you all arrested for attempted murder!" he says, though the serious expressions on the five girls' faces don't waver a bit.
"Principal, with all due respect, not only did you order indirectly the girls of the Senshadou club to claim human lives, you even abandoned five of them. If someone is to be arrested, it is you," Erika says calmly, though her trembling right fist suggests otherwise.
"Sacrifices had to be made! Our carrier was in danger of being overrun by the bandits!"
"Do you think the girls would care? Do you think the parents of the girls you abandoned would care? You should consider yourself lucky. Should your action be made publicly known, you'll be lynched. We came here to give you a choice. Get in a lifeboat and hope you find land or get beaten to death by an angry mob. It's your choice," Maho smirks at the man, who just glares from the floor of the office.
"You think you can boss me around? I am the one in charge, I am the one you should obey. In this new world, in this...Apocalypse, you are nothing more than assets!" the man yells, having lost all sense of reasoning.
"If I were in your place, I would be careful of the words my mouth utters," Maho says dangerously.
The word "assets" clearly has made all five nervous. Even the girls who gathered moments ago outside of the principal's office have heard him loud and clear, and are fuming with indignance.
The man can see the killing intent on the eyes of the girls, especially the other three that came with Maho and Erika. The girls have already killed people. What's one more life?
Maho walks towards the man, stepping on broken glass, metal shrapnel and chunks of concrete. "So what's your choice?" she asks the man, standing in front of him and looking down at him. The man audibly gulps, before uttering his answer.
One hour later
In the courtyard of the school, on top of the Tiger's turret with the number 212 painted on the its sides, stands Maho with a loudspeaker on her right hand. Erika, along with the rest of the girls that were with her, stand in front of the tank in attention. In front of them is the principal standing on his knees, his hands tied. By now, most of the school's students have gathered on the Tiger to see what is going on.
"Kuromorimine students, I, Nishizumi Maho, overall commander of the Senshadou club have an announcement to make," she says through the loudspeaker, the crowd of girls instantly starting to whisper.
"Do you thing it has to do with the principal?"
"I heard they attacked him."
"Really?But why do something like that."
"I heard that the principal left behind in the port five members of the Senshadou club."
"I heard they chose to stay behind to defend the carrier while it was leaving port."
"You think they'll kill him?"
"They would never do something like that"
"But they have allr-"
"Silence!" Erika shouts and the crowd instantly seizes whispering.
"As of now, the Senshadou club has control of the carrier," Maho says calmly and the crowd starts whispering again.
"Excuse me, but why would the Senshadou club seize control of the carrier?" one of the students asks in concern.
"The man you see in front of you has been relieved of his duties as director of the carrier. Four days ago, during the defense of the carrier from the bandits, one of the Panthers that were retreating, was unable to make it on the carrier. Despite this, he ordered the captain to immediately withdraw, leaving the girls, your fellow classmates behind!"
At this a lot of girls start glaring daggers at the principal, whispers once again starting to echo among the crowd.
"Not only that, but he called the members of the Senshadou club assets! What stops him from calling you too that?"
Retrieving a small recorder, she presses the play button and the recorder plays the principal's dialogue with the girls in his office.
Stunned silence overtakes the crowd. Then, an uproar rises from it.
"Did you hear that?"
"He called them assets!"
"So we are sacrificial pawns?"
"Does that mean he would do the same to everyone in the carrier?"
"I can't believe he would leave students behind!"
As the girls get more and more rowdy, some of them start yelling at the principal, demanding he atones for his crimes.
"As fellow classmates and friends, we will let you decide his fate. Let him live and have him off the carrier on a life boat?" Or execute him for his crimes?" she says, first raising her left hand, then her right one.
"What?! You told me I had a choice!" the principal yells.
"Yes, but that concerned us, not the rest of the girls," Erika grins at the man, who gets paler by the second. Though in a twist of events, most girls choose to let him live.
"Then that's all for now," Maho says, getting down of the tank. "Get him to the life boats," she orders the girls, who happily drag him towards them.
As the crowd starts breaking, Koume can hear some girls whispering.
"This is unfair, it's clearly a coup!"
"They just want power! We should be the ones to wield it!"
"Even if the principal said and did these questionable things, the way the Senshadou club intervened is unethical. They need to be brought down of their position."
Koume can't do anything, but hope that these whispers stay as such and don't grow. There has been enough blood spilled already, they don't need fellow classmates hurting each other.
"After that-"
"Excuse me commander, but our helicopter has arrived," Erika interrupts Maho as a Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 flies over the base, descending from the sky to land in one of the unoccupied helipads that exist next to the Administrative building.
"I see. I'll continue the story some other time Miho," Maho says apologetically.
As Maho and Erika start walking towards the now landed helicopter, Miho runs behind her sister.
"S-Sister, do you mind if I accompany you to the helicopter?" Miho fidgets in where she stands, not wanting to part ways with her sister yet.
"Of course not Miho," Maho says with a smile.
As the three girls walk towards the helicopter, Miho and Maho quietly converse, though Maho seems to tease Miho about boys, since she is both an adult now and pretty popular on the base. Miho just blushes, but does enjoy the chat with her sister.
Erika stays silent, watching the two sisters speak. Although she feels jealous that Miho has her commander's full attention, she does feel relieved for her commander. Ever since the earthquakes, she had been so serious. It was like she had forgotten how to smile, how to feel happiness. Her mind drifts to the days when her commander would just stay in her room sometimes, silently crying and quietly muttering her sister's name.
Now though, she is actually and genuinely smiling, which makes Erika smile too.
Arriving at the helicopter, its rotors have stopped spooling, silently sitting on the helipad.
Erika opens the door to the cabin and enters, sitting in one of the empty seats. The rotors slowly start rotating and long before they start picking up wind.
"Sister, will you come by again?" Miho shouts over the wind with an almost pleading face.
"I will Miho, don't worry. And you are welcome to come by Kuromorimine whenever you want. You are still a part of it," Maho shouts, smiling at her younger sister.
Miho hugs her sister tightly, tears rolling from her eyes. "Please, be careful. I don't want to lose you again," Miho whispers loudly enough for Maho to hear her, tightening her hug even more.
"Don't worry Miho I will. Be careful too," Maho says, patting her sister's head, before kissing her in the forehead. Miho reluctantly unhugs Maho, wiping her tears. Normally Erika would feel jealous over the attention Miho gets from her commander, but seeing them both together...she can only feel sadness and pity. Two sisters that finally met after so long, after they had to face and overcome so many hardships, after they had to make tough choices and lose a small part of themselves, once again must get separated by fate.
Maho bids farewell to her sister and enters the cabin, closing its door.
As the helicopter takes off, Erika can see Maho's facade rapidly crumbling, as her face is buried between her hands, tears flowing on her cheeks at an alarming rate. The one thing that she wanted her sister to retain, her innocence, is long gone. At first, she didn't want to believe that Miho had to take lives to survive, but after yesterday, a huge weight had been placed on her shoulders. And now, this weight had finally managed to make her kneel, to crack her spirit, even if by little.
"I'm sorry Miho...as your older sister I have failed you. I couldn't protect you from this world. Please, forgive me," Maho whispers, her tears seeping through her fingers and unto her uniform's skirt. Erika can do nothing, but pray she will get over it. Unfortunately, this is something she can't help her commander with.
As Miho looks at the fleeing figure of the helicopter, she looks with a saddened face. Sister, is the only thing she can think, tears rolling once again on her cheeks. Maho might fool someone else, but Miho knows. She knows her true feelings. Her guilt, her remorse, her sadness. She feels the same.
"Miss Nishizumi, the director has requested for you," a soldier says to Miho. "Okay," she replies, quickly wiping her cheeks and eyes, before turning and saluting the man, who salutes her back in response.
Looking at the sky one more time, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, before making her way to the Director's office.
A/N: Another chapter has been completed! Since it is 2:30 AM here, I shall leave my nonsense commentary for another time. Anyway, as always, suggestions, questions, corrections, reviews or PMs are greatly appreciated. Also, English isn't my native tongue, so expect some grammatical errors here and there. If you found the story interesting and had a great time, favorite and follow. Have a nice day/night and until the next chapter, stay safe!