Eyes groggy, sun too bright.
Didn't want to wake up.
The beams of sunlight choking what was left of my desire to remain among the living.
"Good Morning!" She ripped the curtains open without mercy, and the burning sunlight forced my eyes closed and even through eyelids squeezed shut the pain of unrelenting sunlight was unbearable. I rolled the opposite way and frantically tried to cover my head with the blanket for relief.
She tore the blanket from the bed and the cold morning air sent shivers down my spine. Finally after a minute or so my eyes began to adjust to the sunlight and the grogginess I had drained from my body.
"So… what's the reason?"
"The Akagi is moving out, get your gear and meet me in the hangar."
"Which hangar?" I asked.
"You know which hangar." She said with a smirk.
She handed me a package, a brown large envelope. I peeled the top back and looked inside. Clothes.
"What is this for?"
"Your official 501st Joint Fighter Wing Uniform."
I slowly turned my gaze to her. "You fully understand that I'm not a witch and that I'm male right?"
"Mm!" She nodded her head quickly and went to go find Yoshika Miyafuji, I assumed. Opening the door to the barracks and leaving me to get changed.
Removing the contents from the package and setting the contents mostly undisturbed on the surface of the bed. The ones that stood out the most to me were a note, and a one piece, black. Karlsland Black.
Major Mio Sakamoto personally requested a prototype outfit be designed for a specific individual of the male gender who may have the ability to pilot a Striker Unit.
Lack of Materials and Reference aside I was able to complete this request with due haste.
It was designed in the style of Karlsland and functions as a one piece and a flight uniform.
Enjoy.
- Ursula
"En-enjoy?" I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. I picked up the one piece with both hands and rose it in front of me. Designed by a Karlsland scientist of all things. A Patent Leather flight suit. Shiny. New. Black. Revealing.
The final pieces were a karlsland trench coat modified so that it wouldn't interfere with the props of a striker unit and the front cut out to put my legs on exhibition. The only reason for the coat existing was the block wind against my upper body it seemed. The final piece was a hat.
My power was entirely capable of fortifying my body, but I was thankful for the semblance of decency it brought. So life wasn't all bad.
I slid my clothes off and got into the new uniform without a moment's hesitation and took my time exiting the room to find the hangar.
The walk turned from nonchalant and non-embarrassing to one of the most painfully indignant experiences of my life. I was met by various whistles, winks, and laughter from passing crewmen.
To which I answered by lowering my gaze to the floor, closing my eyes and continuing the journey of humiliation to the hangar. I stood there for what felt like hours just thinking about it. Face flushed red, hot with embarrassment. It felt like steam might start coming off my face.
"I didn't expect there to be a bulge like that." Sakamoto said thoughtfully.
Gritting my teeth in reply but managing to control my facial expression to deny her the joy and pleasure of seeing me flustered.
"So." I began and took in a deep, extra long breath of air before speaking. "Care to tell me why I'm in this, and what we're doing here?"
"Before that. I'd like you to go and convince Yoshika Miyafuji to come along with us."
A flash of anger, my eyes shot open and a pulse of my power erupted from my body. Knocking her back a single step. Sometimes my emotions get the better of me. Since my power originates from hatred, I try to keep a lid on my negative emotions, which usually just ends up with blasts of involuntary energy pulsing from my body in all directions.
As I opened my eyes I saw a flash of fear overtake her expression, but it was gone as quick as my anger.
"Understood. I'll see it done. Sorry you had to see that." I answered her then apologized. I brushed past her.
She replied by grabbing the arm of my sleeve.
"Don't hurt her…"
I grimaced, I'd think that you'd think more of me Major.
"No promises." Was how I replied to that request.
"You know what I mean." She stated with a stern tone in her voice in reply.
"Again, hearts and minds aren't my strong suit. I'll show up in this outfit and we'll have a compelling and serious conversation about why she should join us. She's probably curious about my power anyway."
"Knowing her clumsiness, I wouldn't be surprised if she forgot about it entirely. Then again, she was pretty focused on saving her friend."
"Going now." I tugged my arm from her grasp and turn to look at her. She seemed mirthful again. That was good.
The embarrassment began to subside as I made my way off the carrier. The clothing was beginning to feel normal, if not somewhat breezy. Rather the front cut out than the back.
Time to find Yoshika. Made my way to the motor pool where I parked the car. It was located in a large compound that housed various types of small lightly armored automobiles and buildings. There was a multitude of cars available of the military variant for driving from locale to locale and need to go places. These cars were for officers only, high level officers.
To get one of these cars you had to speak to a quartermaster at the armory, which was in a large building next to the motor pool. The quartermasters were basically members of the logistics companies that handled the paperwork and supplies of military operations. Right now, most of them were busy loading supplies into containers which were being loaded on the Akagi.
Hmm…
Scanned the complex for the Captain, the man in charge. Didn't take long for me to spot him, the delicious looking head of short peach colored hair of a small teen aged sixteen. He stood a whole head shorter than me. His limbs were slender and he was barking orders which were carried out with due haste. One would wonder how he managed to garner so much respect.
He was Kurojima Momo. For somebody with such a high rank he didn't seem to have the age to match. Yet they all followed orders without question. Perhaps this bright smile and illustrious set of teeth were to blame. Perhaps the beaming smile was nothing more than a façade.
"Momo-chan!" I called out to him.
He pretended not to notice.
"MOMO-CHAN!" I shouted to him. Heads turns my direction, and they started snickering as they walked and worked.
"Momo-!" I elongated his name this time and his hands and arms visibly shook as he turned around.
"WHAT DO YOU W-!?" He laid his eyes on me and his eyebrow twitched as he struggled to stay mad.
He covered his mouth with one of his hands and I could hear him even over the voices of working personnel, power tools and running engines. He was snickering. Well, trying not to.
He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "What are you wearing?" Was all he asked.
"This is my official Striker uniform."
"Striker?!" He exclaimed. "Does that mean that you can actually pilot one?!" He looked excited, his smile returned.
"Actually… I was about to test that out, but the Major sent me to convince candidate Strike Witches Candidate Miyafuji before we did."
He looked disappointed, and didn't bother to hide it.
"Eh-! Why didn't she just test you before sending you. We don't leave for another six hours."
"Time is money." I stated.
He sighed, "I can relate to that." He looked around at the personnel around the compound. "So what did you come find me for? You know me well enough that my time can't be wasted with small talk."
I pretended to look hurt.
"I didn't mean it like that. I was saying you look smart… when you're not wearing that atrocious outfit."
"Thanks." I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"A man who demands respect… the Captain shows no mercy – not even to outsiders who aren't working for him."
The voices of those around us began to grow louder, he probably didn't hear them. Very noticeable to me though, and I began to understand why he was regarded as the quartermaster division's very own glorious leader. He seemed to be of a high-status and possessed great aptitude and a natural likeability with a clumsiness with words that came across as passive aggressiveness.
"I need keys for one of the black Toyota ABRs. Official Military business." I turned to look at the vehicles.
"Sign." He ordered, and when I looked back at him he was holding out a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other.
I took the pen, wrote down my name, date and official military rank.
"Captain, hm?" He asked. "Same rank as me now." He said with a smile. "Key is still in the ignition of the one you used last night which is reserved by her. Since you're on an errand for her and she's on board the ship taking care of your striker. You can take it."
"Thanks." I bowed my head slightly and left the conversation at that.
Immediately ran over to the car. Should be obvious based on the one that has a key in the ignition. Yeah very obvious. It wasn't cleaned yet so it was the dirtiest one there, covered by dust on the sides, because of how fast we were going on the dirt road. Mounted up and pressed down on the clutch then turned the key and she thrummed to life.
"Okay… looks like I remember how to drive." I murmured, first time was yesterday. Is starting a vehicle really driving though?
Without a second thought, I got moving. Easing on the throttle and made my way to the checkpoint out of the base, slowly and avoiding collisions with local military personnel. Made it to the bar without incident and I received a nod and a hand gesture waving me forward as a man rose the bar manually.
Ultimately driving forward, I took my time and headed to the Miyafuji clinic.
Took in the sights on the way there, a small town. Lots of terrain and beauty to see, people of all ages stopping to take a glance at my Karlsland gear and hat a car isn't commonplace material as well. They waved, as I was in fact foreign and nodded their heads with smiles. That respect for my service would likely be withheld if they saw the lower half of my body.
Time seemed to pass a little too fast, and the drive went by quickly. I came upon the Miyafuji clinic and pulled to a stop out front and shut the car down. Her mother Sayaka met me at the door.
She obviously knew that it was the military again. Her hair was tied back and she was already wearing her labcoat. A reluctant and forced smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.
"I would like to speak with Yoshika ma'am."
"She isn't home, she started running after Major Sakamoto left." Sayaka spoke with a somewhat exasperated but patient tone in here voice.
"You wouldn't happen to have a direction?"
She pointed in the direction of the dirt road that we had rushed Michiko down. Annoying. Looks like this might take nearly six hours after all.
"Ah, thanks. Sorry!" I said with a nod then got back in the car and drove with more vigor.
The twists and turns were familiar, and I'd most likely have to drive awhile. Though I had a feeling I knew where she was.
And I was right. Few minutes passed before I came to a full stop beside Yoshika at the side of the road, looking on in the direction of the port.
"Yoshika Miyafuji." I announced my presence.
She noticed, her head turned slightly then she looked back to where he gaze was originally. "Who are you really?"
"Classified Military Information." Was my final answer.
"I saw your power." She nodded at the rock outcropping that I took the liberty to destroy. Now that I think on it, there was no real need for me to do that, and it represented a significant security breach.
"Like I said, that's Classified Military Information."
"Yeah, just like the letter I got in the mail stating that my father's cause of death was Classified Military Information!" She rose her voice and turned to me, her face emboldened with anger, which turned to sadness. Both are familiar and relatable emotions. "He was declared dead on my Birth Day you know…"
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "My entire family was killed by Neuroi. I respected your father. His accomplishments and everything he did for humanity. And you turn your back on all that, because he died on your birthday!?" I exclaimed, in disbelief.
"No! Also… I'm sorry to hear that your family was killed." She muttered. "But I hate war, and I don't want to have any part of it!"
"War is what the Neuroi want and they won't stop until every last one of us is dead, your father did everything in his power to protect the world, to protect everyone and his final words to me were-!"
"—Even so… war took him away and I'll never join you!" She shouted.
"War didn't take him away!" I returned her anger with anger, I could feel it, heartbeats thumping resounding. Power resonating from my body. "I took him away!"
They grew in power, becoming faster.
"You want to know what happened to Ichirou Miyafuji!?" I clenched a fist and my voice turned to a low growl, "To humanity's best hope against the Neuroi?!"
Faster, even more powerful.
Badump, badump, badump.
Heartbeat became faster, my teeth became fanged and I felt them with my tongue, my familiar came forward… fighting me for control. A rogue beast.
"I killed him!"