My name is Erich Jager. I'm a journalist of the war of 2019. I found myself asking many people on the war. And they all are talking on one pilot. I searched for the "Grim Reaper of Iyuli", the merciless fighter pilot. After the second battle of Tokyo, both the 'Butterfly' and 'Reaper' disappeared into the sky… Reaper never came back home after the mission, and his squadron never heard from him since.

I found another person to talk to, the head of "Project Shattered Skies", and the "Butterfly". Hopefully, with the position of the Butterfly, and the Reaper.

Kacper Cohen

Former Head of Military Development,Werhner and Noah Enterprises

Iyuli, Southern Russia

September 20, 2019

His house was empty, rugged, filled with trash and dust

"We should had died that night... All of us... my family," He started, "20 years ago, the stars fell from the skies, splitting the heavens. Lost our home. After that, we left for Iyuli. We fought all the time, my wife and I. So much as to go our separate ways. She took the boy, and I took the newborn daughter. She was born in 2000. Born into a world of disaster. I tried to keep her safe, but then the riots came, and now she's afraid of everyone. Probably even her own friends she made. Then, Wernher came, and I took a job. In return, a better home."

He waved his hands around, "This is the home. Now...I hadn't heard from my wife ever since... And also my son. My daughter kept asking if her brother's gonna come back... He never did. 19 years, without an older brother to watch over her when I can't. All of a sudden, Wernher came. They….They took her…. away from me to experiment on her… I didn't know what to do… I tired calling my wife, but… she can't…. she's now in Japan… with my son… and I can't do anything anymore."

He walked to his bed, and looked at his picture, him, holding a baby boy, around a woman in bed, holding a baby girl.

"Then, she died…. My beautiful wife, died, just 10 years after the meteors. When I told my child, she cried and cried…. And I just comforted her the best I could. She then no longer talked to me….She just stayed at the facility. I only stayed there for 8 hours, and can't see her when I do… But, I was involved in her experiments. The experiments of the ENSI. They say, she can fly a plane, with just her mind, and don't need to spend her life in a school…I say that's rubbish. They made the plane for her… and the weapon for them… the so called "Sons of Troy". And they sent her to fly the drones to Tokyo… to the place where my wife is now buried… And my son…. now where to be found…The attack was stopped…. by mercenaries… I thought they are the ones to free my daughter. And so I deliberately gave them the plans of the OLDS… And I was fired…. I can't watch my family anymore….a week….no a month later… and she came back…. her face so sad, wet with tears….she knows who the 'Reaper' is…. it's…my son…. and every night…. she kept saying to her self, "I think… I see the Reaper coming for me…"

He broke down in tears, "My family, now enemies…What had I done?…."

He turned towards me, "Do…. Do you think 'he'll' see this… You'll meet him?"

I just say… "I think so…"

"Well, if you do, give him a message,'Yo buddy, still alive? And thank you…. I hope I'll see you again, my son…'"

Simon Cohen

"Reaper"

Bone Arrow Squadron

Arrows Air Defense and Security

Sand Island Airfield, Pacific Ocean

September 26,2019

I finally found him...

I see him working on a plane, a F/A-22 Raptor. It's easy to identify it, being the pride of the USAF. But I am seeing things from a fence. There are no one else in the base, but him. But, there's another plane. a plane in blue and white, with… the crimson butterfly emblem! The butterfly…. I thought that….Oh shoot! He looking this way! Gotta hide! Where?! Just… ah….uh… in the grass!

Oh great, what are you, an idiot!?

"I know you there!" A voice rang out.

"HUH!?"

"You gotta be better when it's hiding in plain sight…. grass is not a good place."

I got up and see the man walking towards me….wearing a flight suit.

"Who might you be?" He questioned

"Uh….Erich Jager. I'm a journalist of the war. I was wondering if I could talk to you about your experiences….."

"Sure…But let's head into the hangers."

His hanger…is his room?…

It has two beds, and some pictures. I can see his flight helmet. It's black, scythe bearing Reaper, in it's ghostly form...

He sat on a chair, "My name is Simon Cohen. I'm a mercenary of the Arrows Air Defense and Security. I was the new guy… the 'Grim Reaper of Iyuli'."

It's him!

"Why 'of Iyuli'?" I asked

"I lived in Iyuli…" He began to recalled his story, "I was just a baby when the stars fell from the sky… and I had saw the cannons to destroyed them…. but it didn't prevent the wars…I was forced out of my old city in Russia… to Iyuli… but it was no better… every night… I can remember, hear yelling… and… crying… crying of a baby… my baby sister… just born…. into a world of destruction….soon, I can't see my father any more…or my sister… My mother took me east… towards Japan… where the rebuilding was mostly done by the time we got there…2001…I took school there… learning just Japanese from the teachers, and my mother… but not English... nor Russian…It was 2005, when I was just 6 years old…when I saw something in the sky… objects in the sky… drawing contrails…planes. I was fascinated by them… and so.. I dreamed to fly in the sky… but then… my mother died…"

"When?"

"2009, 10 years after the Ulysees Disaster."

"I'm sorry about that… After that, what happen?"

"I kept going… but… I also went on the search…"

"For who?"

"My sister… she's the only family I have left. I only know one way to find her, to fly. I tried to get to the JASDF, but was rejected due to lack of English knowledge. So I left to the United States to learn it… but was not a U.S. citizen. So I have no way to find her again. I was lost… until I find Arrows." He passed me a picture of his squadron, "That's my squadron. Viper. Tough, old, but like a father. Omega. Funny, gets shot a lot, talks a lot, but also a good wingman and friend. Bronco is… well there's not much… just a quiet guy. Then, there's me. Reaper. Merciless. Silent. And lost… on a journey to find someone… only to kill people on the path."

"Yeah… a Kacper Cohen gave this message to you" I read the message, and he just closed his eyes, and put his hand under his chin.

"So he's my father… and now… I look over my sister now."

I was dumbfounded,"What do you mean?"

He stood up, chuckling,"You forgot who the 'Butterfly' is?"

He walked over to the runway, and waved to the QFA-44 about to take off. I followed him. He motioned the pilot to abort takeoff, and comeback.

It did complied, and I stood in awe as it came over...

I asked about the plane,"Russian, is it? That plane?"

He responded,"Soviet. Made by Wernher. Made for her, and just for her."

"Why's that?"

"The ENSI. She is the only one who can use it." The plane stopped in front of us, and the cockpit opened up…to reveal a girl.

She jumped down on to grass, and ran over to us.

I can tell she was slightly annoyed, "Simon, what is it? I was about to fly!"

"Yeah, just want to introduce you to someone" Simon replied, "Rena, this is Erich Jager. A journalist. And Erich, meet my sister, Rena."

When she saw me, her expression changed. Her face showed signs of fear. She ran behind Simon, and peeked shyly from behind.

She's like a little girl...

I acted like an complete idiot to say this next one, "Uh...How old are you?"

"…"

Simon answered for her, "She's 19. But she didn't talked much with other people. Myself included. I should know, for I hadn't seen her for 19 years."

I was getting curious ,"So how old are you, Simon?"

"20…. wait... You should know this! I was born during the Ulysses Disaster!"

"So Rena, you like flying?"

She just nodded…

"You had any friends?"

She quickly shook her head and quietly said, "I… I don't have any friends… anymore..."

As I look at her, I can see her blue hair and eyes…

interesting… she's…pretty...

"Okay!" Simon quickly announced, "Let's have some lunch!"

"Awww! I wanna fly!" Rena wined from his back.

"You fly everyday. Now Erich, I hope you like some canned food, cause that's all we have."

I was confused, but also…freaked out, "…Okay…"

"Come on, let's eat!" We started to walk to the hanger, "So…Rena, how about you make lunch today."

"Really?" She asked

"Yeah. Go ahead. Don't disappoint our guest here."

"Okay." She ran off ahead, and Simon stopped me.

"Now listen Erich, I have one question for you."

I starting to feel nervous, what is he gonna say? Is he gonna kill me now? Maybe… no one knows where they were, because they kill any one who discovered their new home and identity. Is he gonna kill me? What is he gonna do?

"Do you love her?"

"…huh?" I was surprised at his question…. Me? Rena? Love?… What?

"I said, 'Do you love Rena?' I can see your expression."

"Well, it's just that… I never knew that she's the one who you faced in Tokyo, almost 4 months ago!"

He just smiled, "It's a little ironic. Two kids, who's parents separated them and ran off to two different countries. One of the countries, stole the designs to drones and weaponry of the other. And, they used that child as their test pilot for future technologies, secluding her from any families. The other child, who want his family together again, stride to fly, to meet his family. And, they meet… on two different sides of a war… and as the top of their unit. Many times… they meet, unknown to them… the first in Tokyo, one was up high… controlling surveillance drones and the stolen drones…"

He walked to the hanger, and I followed, "The other, was down low, and attacking the drones… they heard each other… one of them sang a song, the other just remained silent, and only answered questions. A few times we faced each other, both us were shot down once, but not on the same day."

Now I was very surprised, "Shot down? You two?"

"Hey, we were the best. Besides, everyone makes mistakes right? Anyways, both of us were poised for the kill… but we didn't. Somehow, something in us spoke to our soul… telling us to let the victim live."

We began to walk into the hanger, where a table was set with plates and forks and knifes.

"Well, that's pretty much it. Your welcome to stay here, but you need to pull your own weight around."

"I'll keep that in mind." I responded.

"I mean, if you want to fly, you're welcome to, you just need some lessons. I'm sure we figure something out."

Rena came over with a bowl of… what looks like stew.

Simon pointed out, "Chili. With cheese and bean."

"Uh… how do you guys get the food? You seem pretty far out from the any civilization." I was surprised they had dairy.

This time, Rena answered, "We go to Tokyo a few times to get food… but we mostly stay here."

Her voice is just a whisper…. soft….

"Oh, so you visit other cities?"

"Yes…but here, we just stay together and fly…"

"Well, don't your friends and family missed you?"

"...We don't have a family anymore."

"Oh… right… sorry. I didn't know. So, Simon… how did you get fuel for your planes?"

He seemed like he get everything all planed out.

"We actually get shipments of fuel from my old squadron… They actually visit here a few times… even our 'rivals', the Ridgebacks."

"'Single Line'…"

"Yeah… before… we have a big rivalry… but… as the war progressed… we are now like partners."

Just then, I hear a sound… a sound… of fighter jets…

I look outside to see 7 planes past by…

"Oh… that's them right now…"

"Really?" Rena's expression lit up…

"Yep… it's been a while…"

We all walked out side to see the planes land… I can identify 4 of them… the F-3 Shinden II multirole fighter… the aircraft of Ridgeback Squadron.

The other… well… are harder to identify… I think one of them is a MiG-15….or was it a MiG-31? I don't know… I guess I better ask Simon on it… or maybe Rena… may be she knows all types of planes…. I hope so...

The plane with a…spider emblem…? It's pilot came out first…

He quickly ran up to us, "Hey, Simon! Rena! How are doing? Must be nice living here, huh?"

"'Omega'… nice to see you again! I hope you didn't reach a new D/K ratio."

I was dumbfounded, "Don't you mean K/D?"

"Not for him." Rena responded, "He's known to be shot down the most times… so his statistics for kills and 'deaths' are swapped."

Omega laughed, "Nah, mate! It's 1 to 5 planes now!"

"Good…. must be that because of you not talking to SOMEONE." Simon speculated… to himself?

"Nope…. now, he's talking to me." said another pilot… coming out of a double-seater plane… a F-15?… or was it a F-14… I don't know… I really suck when it comes to planes...

"Hey Bronco. How are you?" Simon greeted.

"Well, all things considered, NOISY… which is NOT what I want…" He complained

Well, this is quite the reunion...

Then the MiG came in… and Simon called out to him, "Hey Viper!"

"Hey kid. I see you are holding out. Good. Very good."

"And I see your still keeping the old plane… still can't believe it's still in one piece."

Viper commented on his pencil-looking plane, "The 'Fishbed'? well… I did repairs on it everyday… not to mention more major upgrades to the weapons, armor, engine…"

"Yes… we know…" Said one of the Shinden pilots… must be the leader… because he looks older than the others, "We all know of your SPECIAL upgrades…"

"Don't talk to my Godfather like that!" Rena shouted… she can speak in a loud tone!… wait…. 'Godfather'...

"You're not religious, 'Camilla'… how many times must I…."

"And don't call me by that name! I have a real name!"

"Leave her alone, John." said another pilot, and the other joined in… "She's Cohen's sister. So stop treating her as the enemy."

Wait… there's one more pilot… and he's not here.

Then Rena ran over to another pilot, hidden… so that's why I didn't see him

"Kei!" Rena shouted at the pilot

Isn't that a female nam… Oh…

"Rena! How are you? You didn't do anything weird now did you?"

What does she mean by weird?

"NO! Why do you think that? Why would I date my brother?"

Oh… that kind of weird...

Rena was quite defensive, "I don't even have a friend other than you guys."

"What about the new guy?" Bronco mentioned

"…W…Well… I…" Is she… blushing!?

"Ah! So you do like him!" Simon cheered, "I knew it!"

"You knew?" Kei asked

"Yep… I told you I have a good eye of emotion." He bloated, "So, what are you guys doing here? It's been like 3 days since you contacted us."

The leader of the Ridgebacks walked up to him, "You are wanted at the FOB in Iyuli for a ceremonial flight in commemoration of the UNF and the ending of the war."

"Really? Why us 'Pirates'? We are mercenaries." He questioned

"Orders came from Commander Foulke and Goodfellow."

"Well, I guess we should go then!"

"Um… what about me?" I spoke up

They all looked at me… even Rena… but not fully looked at me...

"You can fly with Bronco. His F-16F is the only Two-seater in this group." Omega suggested

So it's a F-16F. Okay...

"Sure!" I responded.

They all smiled, and Simon brought out his hand… as if I were to shake it...

I did, and he announced, "Welcome to Bone Arrow Squadron!"