Chapter 14

I was helping in rebuilding the elementary school in a small village with Perrine. "Thanks Morrison. That strength of yours is really helpful." One of the men say after I set a large stack of wood by his feet. "Glad that I could be of use." I respond with a smile before going back to moving wood and brick. As I pass Perrine I see a small child talking with her. "Come with me." The little girl said. "What's wrong babushka?" I ask. "Come see." She responds. "Alright lead the way." I say to the little girl. Walking through a forest we come across a old stone bridge which had a hole in the middle preventing anyone from crossing. "There." The little girl said. "The bridge..." Perrine muttered. "See, that's why my friend can't come to school." The little girl explained.

Major, Erica, Barkhorn, Perrine, Yoshika, Lynne, Lucchini, Shirley and I were all flying over a bridge to counter a Neuroi. "Neuroi spotted!" Major said. "Everyone to battle positions!" "Roger!" We answered before breaking apart, dodging a Neuroi beam that was sent at us. I watched as everyone tried to get close enough to be effective. Yoshika was making the most ground due to the J7W1 she now owned. I watched as Perrine tried to keep up with her to no avail. Yoshika gets in close and attacks from above while I attack from below. Hammer and anvil tactic. My twin Vickers chatter away as I approach it. Suddenly they jam simultaneously. "Damn!" I say as I let them drop. They end up hanging from their slings as I bring my Lee-Enfield to bear on the Neuroi. It then shot at Lynne after she blew a hole in its right wing. Lynne dodged the shot and it struck the top of the bridge causing no major damage but enough to anger Perrine, who charged head long into the Neuroi from below. Firing her Bren gun all the while. While it was distracted with Perrine we all pounced on it. Everyone hounding it like a injured gazell on the African savana. Then one shot exposed the core. Which was destroyed by Perrine as she preformed a staffing run. The Neuroi shattered into the white glowing shards they always do when shot down.

That evening we were all formed up infront of Major and Commander. "Excellent work, everyone." Commander congadulated us. "You all fought well. And you've gotten quite used to the Magnificent Lightning, Miyafuji." Major congadulated her. "Oh, yes. I want to keep practicing until I can use it flawlessly." Yoshika answered. "All right. That's the spirit. Perrine! Perrine?" Major asked. "Y-Y-Yes?" Perrine answered. "You were our MVP today." Major congadulated her. "Oh... Thank you." Perrine responded before walking off. "She seems a bit off." Shirley said. "Right?" Lucchini said popping up infront of Lynne. "What's the matter?" Yoshika asked as Lucchini leaned back in Shirley's chest. "'Cause normally being praised by the Major would make her go... 'Oh Major! That's just how I am sometimes!'" Lucchini said giving an example to go along with it. "'Please give me more of your praise.' Et cetera." Shirley said. "I'm not praising either of you for that proformence girls." I said. "R-Really?" Lynne asked. Before everyone started to laugh. Shortly afterwards we all went our separate ways and off to bed.

Magen I got to my shared room Barkhorn stood there. "You're late." She said. "Yea so?" I ask. "If you weren't late you would know that we're going to the beach tomorrow." She said crossing her arms. "Alright. Night." I say before I pass out and fall onto my bed.

The next day while everyone else cheered and ran to the beach, I stood out as I was carrying a locked metal box. It was the box I kept my sword in. "We're going too." Erica said while grabbing Barkhorn's wrist and dragging her to the water. "W-W-Wait! At least stretch first!" Barkhorn begged as she was pulled towards the water by a running Erica. Once Barkhorn was in the water I turned my back and walked a bit further from the girls. Before I unlocked to box and removed my sword. I spent a couple hours just taking swipes at an old tree trunk gradually peeling off layers before I decided to stop when I heard Commander say something I wasn't expecting. "Lucchini's missing?" "Yeah. She said something about going fishing and left for the rocky area, but hasn't returned." Shirley explained as I walked up behind Barkhorn and Erica. "Come to think of it, Miyafuji and the others supposedly went there after the drill." Major continued. "Lets go and investigate." Commander said before we all walked over to the last place they were known to be. We found a large stack of boxes that looked like stereotypical treasure chests.

We then followed their foot prints to a small cave entrance. "Who's going to go first?" Commanded asked. "I will." I volunteered. "Hey Morrison when did you get that sword?" Erica asked. "I've always had it. Ask Barkhorn if you want to know where it was hidden." I answer before diving into the water. Following the tunnel I find a cave system. Swimming back through I break the water. "Found a cave system, might be where they went." I said before diving back down and going through for a third time. This time I climbed out of the water on the other side. "What do you think?" Commander asked while barkhorn felt the floor. "Someone was walking here recently. My guess is they went inside." Barkhorn explained. "Which way did they go?" Shirley asked. "Shall we split up?" Major asked. "It's dangerous to split up let's try the right side." Commander says. After taking the right hand path we walked for a long time. Eventually Erica complained. "They're really making us work to find them." "But exploring like this is fun!." Barkhorn tries to cut her down. "It's not like Indiana Jones." I say referencing the film. "We're not here to have fun." Commander cut us down. "This looks like a man-made cave." Major comments. "The place we're using as a base is the ruins of an old Witch community. Maybe this cave is part of it." Commanded explained. "Oh?" Major said. "Well, that is one impressive pot." Commander said as we stood infront of a gate. "Our predecessors must have made it. It's incredible." Major explained. "It really is." Commander agreed. "Who cares about that?" Erica said before leaning back on a pressure plate which pushed the pot over, before I cold react the Major had pushed commander out of the way and had it land on her. I plugged my ears knowing the screaming to come. Then barkhorn broke the pot with her magic to reveal Major. I then unplugged my ears and said. "You know that that's all wine, right?" "Huh? M-Mio?" Commander asked. "Banzai!" Major cried out throwing her arms up in the air before falling asleep. "Huh? Uh, Mio... Er, Major, are you all right?" Commander asked. "No, she's flat out drunk and will suffer from the hangover tomorrow." I stated as Major woke and kissed Commander, looking away I comment. "Now Commanders drunk." Before The Major ran away. "She ran away." Barkhorn said. "Thanks captain obvious." I said. "What do we do, Minna?" Barkhorn asked while looking over to Commander. "Minna?" She questions. "Minna's gonna need a minute." Erica explained. Looking at Barkhorn I see shock on her face. "Alright since I'm the highest ranking officer who's still not drunk, which is surprising considered how much I drink. We're going to go after the Major and hope that we find the others along the way. Erica you got Commander okay." I say. "Roger!" They all respond. "Lets go!" I say before walking after the major.

Mad continue to walk and we come across a room with two suits of Iorn armour. "Well that's unexpected." I comment as I walk in. "Yea." Barkhorn says. "Wonder what's through that door." "I don't know, I'll go first." I said as I walked forward. Reaching the two suits I crouch down and feel along the edge of the door frame for a trip wire. Just in case. As soon as I step back to get a better look at it the suit on my left moves and reaches out to stab me with his sword. I deflect it but then feel a shape pain go through my right side as the suit on the right cuts my side near my last rib. "Damn." I mutter as I jump back. "I'm coming to help!" Barkhorn calls. "No! Stay back and get any of them that gets by me!" I call back. Then the left strikes again and this time I grab his wrist and twist it so he drops his sword. Nothing happens so knock off his head with a punch. I watch as the armour clatters to the ground after that. "Heh, that evens it out." I comment before charging the other armour and knocking off its helmet with a well placed blow from my sword. "There. Now how bad is it?" I ask as I turn to the girls. "Pretty bad as in you will need medical attention sooner rather than later." Barkhorn explains. "Alright let's find Yoshika." I said while walking throught the doorway to see Perrine standing way down at the bottom with the major a couple levels up and then us at the top. "Oh lucchini's here." Shirley comments as she walks in behind me. "And Miyafuji, Perrine and Lynne. All right. Let's go, Hartmann." Barkhorn says walking in right behind Shirley. "So heavy..." Erica comments carrying Commander. "Hey! What were you guys doing?" Shirley calls out to them. "We were worried about you." Barlhorn says. "And Morrison got stabbed so Miyafuji could you help him out." "Sure." Yoshika answers before coming over and using her magic to heal the stab wound.

"My skin stings..." Sanya complains. "I can't put my pants on like this." Eila complains aswell. "That's what you girls get for sitting in the sun all day." I comment while looking out the window. "I see. The base is full of mysteries. Oh yeah. What happened to the Lieuteneant Colonel?" Major asked. "Huh?" Shirley, Erica and Barkhorn said. "You kissed her when you were drunk, Major." I said. "She's on the beach if you want to find her." "WHAT?!" Shouted the Major causing Vadim, who was lying on the couch, to jump up so high we could see him over the back of the couch. " you need to control yourself Major. Besides she looked happy while it happened." I say before a kick to the gonads brings me down. "If you girls keep doing that, I'll end up infertile." I wheeze out.

A few days later I was cleaning my rifle while Lynne and Yoshika were doing landury. "Hey, Lynne, your last name's Bishop, right?" I ask. "Yeah." She responds. Holding up my rifle I look into the breach. "It's a transport plane." Yoshika says as I hear the three engines. "It's a Ju 52 I believe." I say as I finish cleaning and place everything back together quickly. "Looks like Commander Minna is back." Lynne said. Suddenly Yoshika said something I wasn't expecting and I looked up. "She jumped out!" "Oh no, it's this episode." I mutter as I watch the witch fall face first towards the ground before activating her magic and landing on her feet with a flip. The girls were staring in awe while I was facepalming. "Today is not gonna be a good day." I mutter before the witch speaks. "Hey. Nice to meet you, kitties." "Kitties?! Ma'am I don't know who you are or where you came from so I'll just tell you this. Don't be stupid, and Don't jump out of a perfectly good plane unless you're an airborne ranger!" I exclaim as I walk up to her. "Ground crew shouldn't speak up to witches." She responded. "I've been mistake for that already, anyways, I'm a witch, the one and only male witch in the world." I respond. "I also hold a higher rank than you." I point out. "Marseille! Why are you here?" Barkhorn cuts in. "You're supposed to be in Africa." "Oh, hey, Hartmann! It's been so long!" She said before running up to Erica. "Oh lord in heaven save my soul from enternal damnnation." I say making the sign of the cross. "Since pilot training? No. It was the 4th company, in the JG 52! That's right! Do you remember that one officer who was so grouchy all the time? What was her name-" Marsielle was cut off from her rambling by Barkhorn. "Barkhorn!" "Ah, that's right. It's been a while, Barkhorn. How've you been?" Marsielle asks while holding out her hand to shake. "Been just fine." Barkhorn responds taking the shake only for them to stare each other down. "I wonder if that cool person is Barkhorn's friend." Yoshika said. "D-Doesn't look that way..." Lynne nervously responded. "I agree Lynne, I agree." I say before stubbing out my cigarette on the bottom of my boot.

We were all gathered in the briefing room, everyone else was seated waiting for the announcement while I was playing with Vadim. He was strong for a pup holding on even when I would drag him halfway across the room. "A super-ace with 200 kills!" Lynne said which got my attention. "200... wow!" Yoshika said. "You know I have 337 kills right now, right?" I ask while hanging over the back of the bench. Vadim then jumps up onto my back and I scratch his head. "And she's really beautiful, with fans all over the world, not just in Karlesland. It says her nickname is the star of Africa..." Lynne explains. "Isn't he supposed to be dead? Didn't he die in1942, fighting the British." I ask. "Who?" Lynne says as she looks up at me. "Hans-Joachim Marseille, with 158 kills under his belt he was shot down over Africa and died." I explain. "Okay. Everyone, quiet!" Commander said while she walked in followed by Major then Marsielle. "Two of the three assigned Witches will charge in here. They'll defeat the escort Neuroi and take out the core. That is all." Major explained. "Uh. Who's the third?" I ask. "You." Was the response I got from her. "Oh, okay... Wait. WHAT!?" I shouted standing up suddenly causing Vadim to fall off. "Why am I the third witch?" I ask. "Because I've seen you go Neuroi." Major said. "Go Neuroi? Oh you must mean my Neuroi form. Yea not happening." I answered. "And why is that." Major asked making it sound like a statement. "Because it hurts and usually causes me to faint after use, the human body isn't designed for repeated black outs." I explain. "You were ordered to by command." Major said. "Damn those politicians! Can't trust 'em to do anything without paying them, even then they might betray you!" I shout venting my anger against modern politics. "Now back to explaining the plan." Major said. "We'll use a submarine to approach the area of operations. It can only hold and launch two units." "I'll announce the witches participating in this mission. The first one is here on loan from the 31st Luftwaffe, to help support this operation, Captain Hanna Marseille." Commander said before Barkhorn interrupted her. "What is the meaning of this, Lieutenant Colonel? The strike force was supposed to be Hartmann and me." "It's a publicity stunt, Barkhorn, think of how the people would react if a famous ace took on a suicide run and lived. It's like what the fins did with Simo Häyhä during the winter war." I said referencing the famous sniper. "It's orders from the top. Only two members from the 501st will be participating. That's you Captain Barkhorn, along with Squadron leader Morrison." Commander said ignoring my comment. "Impossible!" Marseille cut in. "Barkhorn isn't good enough to be my partner." "What... What are you trying to say, Marseille?" Barkhorn said, I could tell where this was going. "Just what it sounds like. You're not good enough to fight with me, Captain." Marseille said. "Captain..." Commander said trying to defuse the situation. "The only one who is..." Marseille said staring intently at Erica. "Where do you think you're looking, Marseille?" Barkhorn asks while walking towards her. "Your disrespect for your superior officers hasn't changed since the Battle of Karlesland!" Barkhorn then activated her magic and raised her hands as if they were going to grapple. "Captain Barkhorn." Commander said trying again to defuse the fight. "We're the same rank now." Marseille said activating her magic and locking hands with Barkhorn. The for e they were generating was doing some real damage and scaring almost everyone. "Take it outside!" Eila calls over the hymn of energy while I light up a smoke and start to slowly walk towards the fight, my face covered by a shadow, All you could see was the big shiny white grin and two glowing red eyes. "Both of you!" Commanded said still trying in vain to stop them. When everyone but them saw me approaching they knew it was getting bad. I reached out and grabbed the back of their heads and slammed them together. "If you two want to fight, heed Eila's advice. TAKE IT OUTSIDE! And if you chose not to. I'll shot both of you for disobeying orders, got it." I said while raising my trusted Webley. I could see the fear in their eyes as I held it up. "Stop!" Erica called. "I'll be Marseille's partner. That takes care of it, right?" "It should, unless they fight again." I say cocking the hammer. "Now if you need me I'll be at the range working out some frustration." I say before walking out.

*Bang* "Fucking idiots." *bang* "can't they just settle things with diplomacy." *bang* "I shouldn't waste to much ammo here. I'll shot three more times." *bang bang bang* I empty the final three rounds from my gun. *sigh* "much better." I say while rolling my shoulders and reloading my Webley. "Hey Morrison, you done?" Barkhorn asked as she walked up behind me. "Yea, for now, But I feel like I'm gonna have a big headache from miss Marseille." I answer. "Not as bad as the one you gave us." She shot back holding her head. "You really has to smash our heads together and threaten to kill us?" She asked. "Call it, returning the favour." I answered. "I thought you forgot about that." She said. "Nope, I remember just about everything that went down that day." I answer. "Anyway you came here for a reason. What is it." I say. "Well commander wants the three of you to do a training exercise for awhile. So she wants me to tell you to be ready at the hangar in 10." She says. "Alright I just gotta grab some stuff." I say before leaving the range. Arriving at my shared room I quickly fetched my sword and rifle before leaving.

I could feel the air rushing by as I climbed higher and higher. The girls below me opened up on the targets as the closed in from the east. I was above the balloons so I dropped into the Center of them and started shifting at random. One goes down in flames on my right, another on my left and so forth until I see Erica and Marseille approaching. I spot that they'd are having a hard time working together. I the city see Marseille cut her speed and fall in on Erica's six. I fly over to try and stop any fighting only to hear fake machine gun sounds and watch as Erica pretends tic be hit. "Enough, all of you! Return to base immediately!" Commander states over the radio. "Right, right." Marseille says before she rolls, entering the clouds and heads for home. I follow her lead with Erica. "I knew I was going to need some Advil." I say. "What's Advil?" Erica asks. "You'll learn in the future." I respond.

"You three will spend your days in here,until the operation starts. Normally, Captain Marseille would be on her way to the brig for pointing a gun at someone during training. But unfortunately, we don't have one at this base. Instead you'll stay here." Commander said while standing in the doorway. "Hey, why am I here, too?" Erica asks. "Yea, I just did my job, why am I here?" I agreed. "It's a good opportunity. Stay in the same room, and learn to cooperate a little before the mission. And Morrison, no drinking. Understood?" Commander said. "Yes, ma'am." Erica and me both say. "Understood." Marseille says. "You won't be so lucky if this happens again." Commanded says before shutting the door. I hold up my hand and count to 12 before making my way to the window. "Be right back." I said before unlocking and climbing out the window. Climbing up I get to my room. Fiddling with the window causes it to unlock and allow me enterance. "Come here Vadim." I call out to him before also grabbing a bottle of whiskey. "Sorry Commander but unless you want me waking everyone else up in the middle of the night you'll have to be more creative in how you hide my booze." I say before picking up Vadim and climbing back out and down. I knock on the window and Erica opens it. "I'm back and brought some fun." I say as I let Vadim lose in the room. "Yay!" Erica says excitedly before throwing a ball for Vadim. "Hey Marseille. How old are you?" I ask before removing the bottle from my tunic. "17. Why?" She answers. "I was wondering if you were old enough to drink. But you aren't so I shouldn't have to worry about this then." I said showing off the bottle. "Morrison, you know Commander is going to be upset about that." Erica says as she walks up to me. "Well it's better than waking up in the middle of the night to me screaming my lungs out." I answer. "Why would you scream your lungs out at night?" Marseille asks. "It's called PTSD or more commonly known as shell shock. It's a real problem, often happens for me at night unless I have a couple drinks before then." I answer while sitting down on a bed.

The next morning I watched everyone else run laps. "First, Captain Marseille!" Major calls as she passes the finish line. "I win." Marseille proclaims. At breakfast Marseille tried to beat Erica at eating. "One more." "Okay!" Yoshika answers. "Um, do you like Fuso food?" "Yeah. There's a Fuso witch in my squad, too." Marseille answers. "But I can't handle that stuff." "Natto's good for you." Yoshika says. "One more." Marseille says. "Th-There's no more rice." Yoshika explains. "What? I win!" Marseille says before she gets a stomach ache from eating to fast.

That night I was dragged to the bath house by Yoshika and Lynne. "Girls I don't need a bath, I just had a shower." I told them as they dragged me out of the room I shared with Barkhorn. "We know, But baths are also for socializing with friends." Yoshika told me. "Fine I'll just use my aura sense." I said before I closed my eyes. "Marseille and Hartmann." Yoshika says as she and Lynne help guide me. "How was your first bath?" Shirley asked. "It was pretty good..." Marseille started before she stopped due to I assume Lucchini fondling her chest because said girl shouted. "Gotcha!" "Damn you! How dare you get behind me?" Marseille states. "Big! But Shirley wins!" Lucchini responds. "Oh dear god help me escape this alive and with everything still in working order." I mutter as I know what comes next. "Wha-? Impossible! I lose? Look!" Marseille says as I turn away. "They're the shapeliest in the world!" "Shapes a matter of taste!" Shirley shoots back. "Better than sagging." Marseille answers with shots of her own. "Who's sagging? See? They're as perky as you can get 'em!" Shirley shots back. "Right Morrison." "I've been dragged into this like I was forced into this damn bath. I'm not going to comment on anyone's chest so leave me out of this!" I shout back still blind and turned around. "Wait Morrison's here?" Marseille asks. "Yea I'm using my aura sense as to not see anything. Helps when the girls drag me into the bath, that and sitting as far from them as possible and having a towel wrapped around your waist." I respond before I say to Yoshika and Lynne. "I don't want to be standing here anymore. If you girls want me to socialize please do it over something more reasonable, like a chess game." I say before pulling myself from their grasp and walking out still fully clothed.

Later that night I was heading back to the room with a chess board in my hand. Reaching the door I kicked it three times lightly to get someone's attention. "Who is it." I hear Erica call from the inside. "It's me, my hands are full so could you open the door if you both are decent." I call back before Erica opens the door. "What's with the chess board?" Erica asks as I step in. "Well it's to help with your little problem." I answer as I place the board down on a small table and pull up three chairs. "We're also going to have a few bets placed for fun." I said. "So for you Erica, you have to get up on time everyday until the end of the war, and Marseille, you will extend the olive branch of peace to Barkhorn." "Then you have to confess your feelings to Barkhorn." Erica said. "Wait, your single?" Marseille asks. "Yea, always have been." I answered. "Well then, I'll take your first kiss." She says. "Fine but that means you have to win." I said smirking as I knew a four move check mate that would, even if it failed, allow me to win. The first five rounds were wins for me but then they tied it up with me so we were even. "Well that's unexpected." I said looking over their fifth win. "Well, now we're tied, shall we have a tie breaker?" I ask. "Of course!" Marseille shouts. "Alright." I say as I make my first move, setting up a four move checkmate. After the next two moves they effectively prevent me from preforming the four move checkmate. "You May have stopped the four move checkmate but, I still have other skills. I'm not a one trick pony." I say as I settle in for a long game. The next hour is full of them trying desperately to outmanoeuvre me in chess. "You two need to work together not independentally to win this. I purposely set it up so we would have a tie breaker." I say waiting for them to make a unified move. It took them another ten minutes of chasing me around the board to finally make a uniformed move. When they did I stopped running and made some offensive moves against them to see if I could break them. It didn't break them. In fact they managed to take my queen after I took theirs. They match went on until we were both down to a handful of pieces. They then made a move I was hoping they wouldn't see. Marseille then said. "Check." "Mate." Erica finished. "Heh." I said while fixing my officers cap. "I wasn't expecting you to see that opening. But I guess I need to reread the Art of War." I say before looking outside. "It is very late and we should get some sleep."

The last couple days were fine until Commander took my whiskey last night. I ended up waking the whole bass to the sound of my screams. It wasn't pleasant or fun to relive those dark days. Stepping outside the room with Erica I noticed Barkhorn leaning against the wall. "Hey, Trude, What's up?" Erica asked her. "Um... No, it's nothing." Barkhorn says before turning and starting to walk away. "Do you want Hanna's signature?" Erica asks. "It's not for me. My little sister's a fan." Barkhorn explains. "Chris is?" Erica questions. "S-So I thought it might make her happy..." Barkhorn continued. "Okay, I'll ask her for you." Erica says before taking the picture and walking back inside. "Have fun Erica." I call after her. "Here Vadim." I say before Vadim crawls out from under the bed and walks alongside me. Soon we reach the Mess hall and enjoy a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee for me. Vadim got some bacon from Barkhorn. "Don't spoil him Barkhorn, I don't want to return home with a fox that only eats bacon cooked by Yoshika or Lynne." I tell her. "I'm not spoiling him, just feeding him." She responds. "Anyway, the operation should commence soon better get ready." I say before walking off.

Flying in formation with everyone else I double check my equipment for the hundredth time. "Sword check, guns check, everything's here." I mutter as I go through the check list. "Can you hear me? Captain Marseille? Lieutenant Hartmann?" Commander asked. "Yeah, you're coming in fine." Erica answered. "The target is Malta Island, which has been taken over by the Neuroi. The Neuroi that attacked the Fuso fleet is believed to have come from here. The Neuroi has formed a fortress above ground, and they'll be difficult to attack. So we'll use a submarine to get you inside, and we'll defeat them from there. Are you both ready?" Commander explained. "Ready whenever." Marseille answers. "I'm ready, too." Erica chimes in. "Commence operation!" Commander says as I draw my blade and dive rapidly towards the dome shaped Neuroi. 'Jarvis, give me the weakest point.' I call out to my Neuroi core. "It's aproxametly 300 meters above the water line." Jarvis answers me. "Good luck and Godspeed." 'Thanks.' I answer before I dive down to the point and charge up my sword. The wait is terrible, I could hear Erica and Marseille counting down the Neuroi. When they hit four I strike the Neuroi with four slashes creating a square. I slam my full weight into the Square and watch as it flies in and takes out two. "Two!" I call out before they call out. "Zero!" "338!" I fall out as we destroy the core. Then the exhaustion hits me like a freight train. "Damn, that used to much magical energy." I mutter as Erica and Marseille fly out of the widening hole in the top of the Neuroi. I climb slowly, looking up I see Marseille chasing Erica. "We're at this point now. Huh?" I state while watching the show. I watch as they break and preform a head on pass firing away at each other. They continue their aerial dance as I climb up towards the group as slowly as before maybe a hundred meters a second. They then both point their guns at each other and find out that they are both out of bullets. "Then they didn't settle things..." Barkhorn mutters as I reach their altitude. "They're to evenly matched to settle things. Anyway I just got kill 338 throught 340, score!" I shout as I raise fist in the air before my left engine quits on me. "Woah, damn it I thought I atleast had anoth five before they started to quit on me." I say startled. "Here, I'll help." Barkhorn says as she and Sanya grab ahold of me. "Thanks you two." I say before my right engine quits.

Returning to bass I immediately went to bed, only to be awoken the next day to deal with the press. "Ahh! I don't want to deal with them!" I shouted as I was dragged throught the halls by Barkhorn, Erica and Marseille. "What's so bad, it's not like they're going to kill you." Barkhorn says. "It's too early in the morning to do this and I hate pictures being taken of me." I answer while attempting to stand. "It's just a couple pictures for the newspaper, it's not so bad." Erica says. "Have you ever wondered why I've never had a picture in the newspaper until today, it's because I run from them so they can't get my picture." I say. "Why do you bother running from them?" Marseille asks. "Because I'm the only male witch in the world. Think of how I'll be used by the press to increase the amount of people who join up." I respond as I was finally dragged to the lounge doors. "Fine, I'll sit still for one picture." I compile before they drop me. "Oof. Atleast give me some warning." I say as I stand up. Walking in I spot the camera's and freeze. "Fuck, this many, I thought there was only one or two." I say to Barkhorn. "We'll deal with it, now sit." She says as she points towards a couch that Erica and Marseille were seated on, only the Center seat was left. I give off a sigh before taking my seat. "Morrison! Why did you advoid the camera's so long, you're famous?!" One reporter called out before a rush of questions arose. Standing up I lifted my revolver into the air and fired a single shot. "ONE AT A TIME PLEASE!" I shout as soon as they quiet down. "Now to answer the first question I heard. I advoided the camera's because I don't like being in the public eye, I am only agreeing to one picture of me today. ONE!" I snap as they all rush to take a picture. Then I feel a hand pull my chin towards one direction and watch in shock as Marseille claims her side of the bet. "Not half bad for a man who drinks a lot." She says before returning to the newspaper reporters. "That's you're one picture good I'm done here!" I shout at them before walking off. As I leave I notice Barkhorn was gone and some of the girls were giving me the stink eye. 'What did I do wrong?' I ask myself before Jarvis pipes up. "You kissed Marseille. What do you think went wrong!" 'Wait what..?' I try to process what went on. 'Damn her!' I storm out quickly and head for Barkhorn and my room.

creaking open the door I nearly receive a fist to the face. "How dare you show your face around me!" I hear Barkhorn snap. Looking in again I see she has been crying and clearly isn't happy. "Barkhorn I'm sorry but it was all part of a bet I made with her and Erica." I try to explain as I duck under another punch and pop up beside her. "Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes! I bet you slept with her!" She snapes as I duck under an elbow heading my way. Popping up behind her I trap her in a quick grapevine. "Barkhorn, you're making assumptions, nothing like that ever happened between us." I explain before spinning her around and trapping her in a bear hug. "Then why did you kiss her... why..." she trails off. "She is competitive and wanted to beat you to my first kiss. But now I have to finish my end of the deal with Erica, Barkhorn... what are your feelings towards me? I'm aware of mine towards you, so Barkhorn... will you date me?" I ask while holding her close. "Wha... you idiot... of course I will." She said finally calming down and allowed me to loosen my hold on her to a more comfortable hug.