Hello, and welcome to the next chapter of "Strike Heroes".

Now, before we get going into the story, you guessed it...review-responding:

fuji92: I probably won't be disappointing at this point. I can't guarantee that (have to let the readers decide whether the chapter's disappointing), but I will do my best to make the story interesting.

Dragonman75: Thanks. Now, as far as the story and the events are concerned, I have explained in the first chapter that this was going to be a fusion of alternate and canon. Not sure how well that's going so far, but I used the episodes for a reference. It was a challenge in itself (had to replay segments to check the dialogue), but so far it's paying off. However, after this arc concludes, expect some more original ideas. But don't fret: I'll still use the episodes as a basis.

As for me being the better writer...I'm fairly certain that there's someone else out there who's better than me. However, I do appreciate the compliment.

Anyways, enjoy the conclusion to the Eila-and-Sanya arc.

XXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 10: We're the Same (Part 2)

The next morning, Perrine and I were staring at the inside of a small cup of something in front of each of us.

"What's this?" Perrine asked as she stared at it.

Yoshika, who was just walking past with a big bottle, said something about it being liver oil and being good for eyesight and temperament.

Temperament? I asked myself as I picked up the cup and stared at the contents, my right eye doing the examining.

"It smells kinda fishy," Erica said as she examined her cupful.

"It's fish oil," Gertrud told her. "The nutritious benefits should more than outweigh the difficult flavor."

"Ah," I said as I continued staring at the cup's contents. Um...what kind of fish are we talking about?

Perrine laughed, making me look at her.

"Are we back in kindergarten, Yoshika?" she asked. "What an absurd choice."

Are we back in...?

I opened my mouth to say something, but someone else beat me to it.

"Is that so?" Mio, who was behind her, asked Perrine. "I'm the one who brought it."

This screwed Perrine up completely.

I, however, couldn't stop laughing.

Okay, I was laughing mentally, but I was trying not to burst out into laughing. Instead, I gave off a few quick sniggers.

Man, I said as I stopped my internal laughter. I can't believe she didn't see that coming!

"I love fish oil!" Perrine, probably not wanting to get on Mio's bad side, said as she grabbed the cup and drank it in one sitting (or was it standing because she was on her feet?).

Unfortunately, she didn't like it, and Francesca agreed a few seconds later.

"Ew!" she said as she held the cup away from her. "What's this?"

"Tastes pretty similar to engine lubricant," Charlotte added as she tasted it.

It tastes similar to engine lubricant? I asked myself. Okay, anybody else starting to question what exactly Charlotte does in her (what I would probably call) "tinkering time"?

Eila and Sanya didn't like it either; in fact, Eila was busy trying to get the taste out of her mouth by spitting.

"I was forced to drink this as a cadet," Mio informed us, "and I couldn't stand it either."

"I couldn't agree with you more…" Perrine said as she stayed there, trying to not fall to the floor.

"Another round?" Minna asked, the only one who actually liked it, as she waved her empty cup. I noticed Erica looking at her commander as if she was crazy for wanting more.

I looked at my cup and drank it. Soon, I found myself coughing badly.

Okay, I have to agree with the major on this one...and it's probably a good time to learn how to consume disgusting foods and drinks...starting with this one...

XXXXXXXXXX

Yoshika sighed ase found ourselves back in the room designated Sanya's Room...and Temporary Office for Night Patrol. I found myself feeling queasy, and it's probably no wonder: I had a second cup of that fish liver oil alongside Minna (to the surprise of everyone else), and I think I was feeling like paying the consequences now...

Probably didn't help that I was sitting with my back against the bed as I sat on the floor.

"Um…Eila and Sanya, where are the two of you from before all this?" the little Fuso Witch asked.

"I'm from Suomos," Eila told her.

"Orussia," Sanya added.

"Oh," Yoshika replied. "Where are those again?"

Eila lifted her head to look at Yoshika. "Suomos is in the northern part of Europe. Orussia is in the east."

Okay...quick reference to my world's version...Russia and...I guess either Sweden, Norway, or Finland...hard to tell.

"Alright," Yoshika replied. "Wasn't most of Europe destroyed by the Neuroi during the first round of attacks?"

"Yes," Sanya told her. "The city I lived in fell a long time ago."

"What happened to your family?"

"When the Neuroi came, they fled the city and took shelter further east. Over the Ural Mountains."

"Thank goodness for that…"

"What's so good about that?" Eila asked her as they sat up. "Don't you hear what she's telling you?"

"Well, they may be far apart right now, but at least they can get back together someday."

"Orussia is a huge place. Past the Ural, it's dozens of times the size of Fuso." Eila laid back down. "It's not so easy to find people once you lost them. Besides, there's a Neuroi Hive between here and there."

"I see what you mean, but I'm still a little jealous…"

Eila sat up quickly. "You're kinda stubborn, aren't you?"

"You don't understand. What I mean is: you wanna see your family again, right, Sanya?"

"Yes," Sanya replied.

"Well, I bet they wake up every morning, just like you, thinking and wondering about the day you'll be reunited as a family."

"Yes."

"If neither of you ever gives up, then someday you'll have to be together again. It must be so wonderful to think that way."

"I have to agree," I said as I held my stomach and groaned. "Ugh...I think fish liver oil is going to be the end of me...Anyways, it's important not to forget your family." Who knows? If I can outlast this season then I'll help Sanya with finding her family. No matter what.

Yoshika blinked as she looked at me. "Roland-kun, are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah. Just an upset stomach right now..."

"Hang on." Yoshika climbed down and sat next to me. "You want me to help you?"

"I think I'm good, thanks..." I stood up and walked about a foot until I found my makeshift bed for this room. I then lied down and covered myself with the blanket I wasn't sleeping on. "Now, good night, you three."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ugh," I said as we got out of the room for the night. "My body feels stiff all of a sudden…" I remembered something about getting "bed sores" (or whatever the word is for sleeping inside a bed for too long), and somehow I don't particularly enjoy it that well. Luckily, my stomach didn't hurt as much.

"Why don't we go to the sauna?" Eila suggested.

"Sauna?" Yoshika and I asked.

"Come on, you've never been to a sauna before?"

I looked at Yoshika before shaking my head. "Uh, no?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Um, Eila?" Yoshika asked as she lied on the top of a bench in the sauna. "This is getting really boring…"

Eila and Sanya were sitting on the bench's seat, while I sat on the part Yoshika was on. We each had a white towel covering parts of our bodies, though mine looked like a kilt. That, and I was handed a second towel by Eila, and instead of arguing I simply used it, so that was covering my chest.

Okay, before we continue with this, I know that one could compare this to the bath we have on base, but there are a few key differences: one is that at least the girls are using towels (no being shocked unconscious, thank you), and another is that Mio wasn't in here. Though I'm trying to figure out who exactly uses this facility.

"In Suomos," Eila started to explain, "we want saunas more than baths."

I looked at Eila as she explained this fact, and somehow I could understand: the steam...right? Hang on, how does that even make sense when put with Yoshika's comment?

"Sanya, your skin is so white…" Yoshika said as she looked at Sanya.

"Hey! What are you looking at?" Eila asked as I saw her stick her head in Yoshika's vision. She was sounding like she was trying to protect Sanya.

"Nothing! She just has really pretty skin." Yoshika looked a little past Eila in order to study Sanya some more.

Eila was now getting really upset. "Stop looking at Sanya like that!"

"Geez," I said as I sat there. "Calm down, Eila. She's just trying to be friendly…"

I think… I added in my head. After that incident with Charlotte I wasn't too sure about things like that.

Feeling bored, I tried to let my aura -reading power wander. However, I think Eila was sensing me about to use it and decided to stop me. "Don't even try it, lieutenant."

"Try what?" I asked as I powered down my magic. She was really good at foreseeing my actions, dammit.

XXXXXXXXXX

After the sauna, the girls went to take a bath, leaving me alone. To deal with it, I decided to return to my room and relax before takeoff. I wasn't too sure about how long I was in there, but I did sense someone at my room's door as I decided to read one of the letters I had written.

"Huh?" I asked myself as I put the paper inside my left leg dressed in my equipment again, I opened the door to find Minna standing there.

"Good evening, lieutenant," she said.

I blinked quickly. What was she doing here? "Uh, hi. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I just wanted to talk. Can I come in?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, sure."

Minna entered my room and sat on my bed, me following her lead and taking a seat next to her. "Kinda simple, isn't it?"

"It works for me." I hadn't exactly spruced the place up, so it was difficult for it to look like Yoshika's or anything. Yeah, I had a dresser for spare sleepwear, the swim trunks that had been torn from the last time we went to the beach for training, and my military outfit (which I need my slacks replaced) and a small night table for the lamp I had, but other than my bed that was it. As far as weapons went, I only had the crowbar and the sword in here, resting on the dresser: the BAR and Browning HP were with the other guns.

"I can't argue with that. Hey, Roland, why are you not with Miyafuji and them?"

"They went to go take a bath outside or something or other..."

"I see. Roland?"

"Yeah, ma'am?"

"You can drop the formalities for now, Roland. I just wanted to talk normally, without any sort of formal procedure."

"I'm free to speak my mind?"

"If you wish."

Should I tell her about the fact that I come from another world where this is only a show for our entertainment? I mean, how would she respond? I shouldn't have these powers due to being born inside a world away from this one, but how can I have them here but not there? Why am I trying to hurt my brain trying to figure out this "paradox"?

"Minna?" I asked.

"What is it, Roland?" Minna replied.

"Do you…believe in other worlds?"

"Well, what makes you ask that?"

"See…these Neuroi just came out of nowhere, right? To me, there has to be other worlds out there that support life. I mean, maybe that's the question I should be asking."

"Do I think there's life out there? Since the Neuroi came, I think that there has to be other forms of life out there."

This was rather interesting. I was having an intellectual discussion with Minna, who looked beautiful…and I think the blush returned, for she was laughing now. "What?"

"Nothing." Minna stopped laughing. "It's just that you're acting a little strange right now."

"Strange? You don't know the half of it." You really don't: I could tell you all about what I know of my world...well, what I should consider the version of Earth I remembered.

"I guess I don't, Roland." She stood on her feet and, as I stood up as well, gave me a light hug. The only thing I could do was put my hands on her back.

"Uh, Minna? What's the hug for?" I could feel my aura starting to copy Minna's magic.

"You can come to me for anything, alright? If you want to talk, I'll listen."

"Uh…thanks for letting me know." Why did she hug me, though? And should I tell her my secret? Maybe she can help me out, but then again what if she doesn't believe me?

Minna let go, and I followed her lead in leaving the light embrace. I soon watched her walk out the door, giving me a quick glance before walking down the hall. I walked up to the doorway and watched her for a bit. Somehow, I thought I saw a hint of sadness in her eyes as she glanced at me.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yoshika flew over Sanya as we were in our patrol and said, "Hey, guess what? You'll never guess, but today's my birthday!"

"Really?" I asked as I blinked in surprise. "Happy birthday then, Yoshika."

How did I forget that this was around the time Yoshika turned fifteen?

"Why didn't you tell us it was?" Eila asked her.

"I usually ignore it because that was the day my father died," Yoshika said, sounding slightly sad.

My body felt a slight chill.

So that's what she meant when she said that the person she wanted to see wouldn't come! I thought quickly. Then again, I should have seen it coming, but I wasn't around for the events of the first two episodes to confirm that what she said was so. Besides, I needed to keep in character.

"It's a long story, and I didn't want to explain it to everyone," Yoshika added.

Eila flew next to and above Yoshika. "Well, that's just plain stupid. If it's your birthday, then we're obligated to have some fun, right?"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course!"

"I agree," I said as I flew in closer. "Birthdays are the times to celebrate life for a specific person."

Sanya flew between Yoshika and Eila.

"Miyafuji," she said. "I want you to listen closely. Roland, you too."

"Um," Yoshika said carefully. "Okay."

Soon, our radios started buzzing with radio signals. Talk shows, music, anything on the radio.

"Hey!" she said in surprise. "I can hear something!"

"It's the radio," Eila explained.

"At night," Sanya added, "the sky's quiet, so I can pick up radio waves from distant places over the horizon."

"That's amazing!" Yoshika said quickly in cheerfulness. "I had no idea you can do that!"

"Yes, it keeps me company when I'm flying at night."

"Must be really lonely up here sometimes, huh?" I asked her.

Eila flew close to Sanya and said, "I thought this was our little secret,"

"I'm sorry," Sanya told her, "but tonight is a special occasion."

"It's your magic. Do whatever you want." Eila flew downward as Yoshika flew closer to Sanya.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Is something up?" I added.

"You'll see," Sanya told us.

Eila flew between Sanya and Yoshika. "Tonight just also happens to be…"

Suddenly, Sanya's antennae started flashing different colors, and she noticed the problem.

"What?" Eila asked quickly as she noticed Sanya's surprise. "What is it?"

"It's a song," Yoshika said, listening to the noise around us.

My powers were working overtime right now: whatever I copied from Minna could feel a presence, and my aura powers could feel Sanya starting to get worried.

"But how could…?" Sanya tried asking.

Soon, we all stopped, me ready to fight by placing my right hand on the strap of the BAR on my back.

"It sounds like…" Sanya said.

"Is it the Neuroi, Sanya?" Eila asked.

Yoshika started panicking. "The Neuroi? Where?"

"Calm yourself," I told her.

"You need to leave right now!" Sanya said before taking off higher into the air.

"Sanya, wait!" I said as I powered my Striker Unit harder in order to catch up.

The Neuroi fired a shot that, while it missed Sanya, managed to obliterate the Striker Unit on her left leg. I barely managed to put on the brakes before the blast.

"Sanya!" Eila shouted as she and Yoshika followed my lead.

Eila caught Sanya as I entered a defensive stance, ready to cast a barrier if necessary. I floated next to them.

"You idiot," Eila said to her friend. "Why fight him alone?"

"The enemy is after me," Sanya told her. "I can feel it." She tightened her grip on Eila's shirt. "You have to get away from me. If you're here…"

"Come on, what are you talking about?"

"We can never do that!" Yoshika added.

Sanya looked at them. "Please go…"

I put on a look of determination. If this bastard of a Neuroi wants Sanya so bad…

I grabbed the BAR off my back and sighted down the barrel, my Striker Unit humming more noisily as I hovered there.

…then it's going to have to get through me!

Eila grabbed Sanya's weapon and set it in her right hand, her left hand holding her own weapon.

"You can't see it!" Yoshika told us.

"Sanya is going to tell us where that Neuroi is hiding," Eila told her as she looked back. "After that, I'll be able to predict the enemy's movement short-term with my magic, so I'll be fine. You are not the same as that thing, Sanya. It might be alone, but you've got us! Together, we can't be defeated."

Yoshika, who was now having the Orussian girl on her back to keep her aloft, smiled at Sanya, who looked concerned as she gave off the position and the distance. Soon, according to her, the Neuroi closed in, and Eila fired off a barrage of rocket while I shot a flurry of bullets at it. At the same time, the Neuroi fired, and luckily it missed us as it passed by underneath.

As it passed by under us, Eila asked if she missed.

"No," Sanya told her. "It's decelerating. It's sustained heavy damage."

"Perfect," I replied as I saw the sudden streak of red in the clouds.

"It's coming back!"

"Oh no you don't!" Eila shouted as she fired off a second barrage.

The Neuroi dodged each shot quickly.

"It dodged it!" Yoshika cried out as she supported Sanya.

"Dammit, show yourself!" Eila demanded as she fired off a final shot that nailed the Neuroi. As it screamed, I reloaded my gun.

"It's there!" Eila said before it decided to charge at them.

As Eila and I fired our guns at the incoming Neuroi, Sanya said, "Eila, Roland, stop. Get out of here!"

"There's no time!"

The Neuroi's armor started to chip away as Eila and I saw a barrier form in front of us.

"Good thinking, Miyafuji!" Eila said as she noticed that we were floating in front of her.

"I've got this!" Yoshika announced. "We're not gonna lose to that thing!"

"'Cause we're a team!"

"That's right!" I shouted in determination.

I looked back at Sanya, who looked like she couldn't believe it, as I reached for another clip. Soon, I watched as she grabbed Yoshika's gun and readied it.

Soon, Sanya fired at the Neuroi, adding to our barrage of bullets as I refocused on it. I soon ran out of ammo for the BAR, and I slung it back on my back as I readied my pistol and continued firing at it.

Between the bullets we were all firing into it, the Neuroi had no chance of winning, its core being destroyed as soon as it was exposed.

Luckily, Yoshika's barrier held up or else we would have been killed by the sudden burst of particles zooming past us.

After a while of silence, everyone was floating there. Then a song played on our radios.

"I can still hear it," Eila said.

"Why?" Yoshika asked. "Didn't we destroy it?"

"That's not it," I said as I looked at Sanya.

"That's my father's piano," Sanya replied.

Sanya's lone half of the Unit activated, and she flew up toward the moon.

"I see," Yoshika realized. "The radio. It's reaching to us from down there. Wherever he is, it's a miracle."

"To be expected really," Eila noted.

"Huh?"

"After all, it is Sanya's birthday too. Technically yesterday, but you know…"

"It's the same day as mine?"

"What better way for a father to celebrate his daughter's birthday then to play the song he wrote to her? That kind of love will last for moments like this. For those who are open to feel it. It's no miracle."

"Eila, you're so nice."

"No, I am not. Idiot."

"Idiot?"

I smiled slightly. I loved it when people showed a more gentle side when they usually act all disciplined or rude. It's nice to see someone act like the opposite of what they're usually like.

I then looked at Sanya one last time. She looked like she was at peace.

XXXXXXXXXX

I woke up the next day inside the kitchen.

Well, technically I wasn't sleeping…rather, I was napping at the table until the morning.

News of both Yoshika's and Sanya's birthdays had spread across the team, and later in the evening, about two hours after eating dinner, I was eating cake.

The cake is a lie.

I smiled when I remembered that.

That same feeling that the Rat Man had was almost the opposite of mine. In fact, I felt like I had earned more friends.

Even if Eila doesn't really think we are.

Sanya, on the other hand…

"Hey, Roland?" Sanya asked as she tapped my right shoulder gently.

"What is it, Sanya?" I asked as I turned to face her.

She had a second plate with cake on it, which confused me greatly.

"Huh?" I asked.

"This is for you," Sanya said, setting it in front of me.

Usually, I only got one piece of cake. Two pieces was rather unheard of for me.

"I'm not too sure…" I said, placing my left hand on the plate as if to push it away.

"This is for you helping me last night," she explained. "Everyone helped out, but you never received anything for your help."

"Um, Sanya?" Now I was embarrassed. "I don't mind helping. Also, it's nice that you're willing to give me a second piece, but I didn't really do much. All I did was fire my weapons at the Neuroi..."

Wait… I thought as I remembered what I told her when I volunteered for the patrol.

"Besides, you don't need to be alone. Especially not for the Neuroi."

That still wasn't much, I added. I looked at Sanya, whose eyes looked like she was pleading like a cute puppy. Either that, or my sanity chose now to break.

Maybe it was enough for her, I added in reply as a slight smile crept onto my face.

"Besides," Eila said as she came up behind me. "You can't say no to more cake. Even if it's given to you by one of the birthday girls…"

Chuckling, Eila grabbed my fork, cut off a piece, and nearly ran it down my throat. I, in surprise, coughed up the piece and was wheezing now.

"Eila," I started. "That's not a *KAFF* good way to *KAFF* feed some-*KAFF*-one cake *KAFF KAFF*!"

"Well, it got you going, didn't it?"

"That's not the point *KAFF*."

I grabbed a cup of water that was located nearby and drank the entire content, breathing deeply.

"Let me guess..." I said as I looked at Eila. "Is this...in retaliation...for me volunteering...for the night patrol?"

Eila gave off a mischievous grin, and I somehow found myself gulping.

"Let's…try this…again," I said hesitantly as I took my own piece off of it and placed it in my mouth.

Soon, I was done with my second piece of cake, which made Sanya smile slightly.

No one noticed it except me and Eila.

And hopefully it would stay that way.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dear Letter,

Yep, still writing letters. I can't help it: it keeps me busy, right?

Anyways, you're probably wondering what I did this time.

Well, for starters I did some night patrol and nearly got killed by a Neuroi that was going after Sanya. In case you forgot, Sanya's the one who wasn't seen much.

What was stranger was that Yoshika and Sanya both had the same birthday, which made it easy: one cake for both.

Well, one large cake.

Hey, try explaining to Perrine that a small cake works wonders.

Anyways, as for my analysis, I managed to study Sanya at night and found this: she's great at her position.

I mean, think about it: she's usually tired, which translates into being up all night. Plus, it's rather…quiet for her.

Perfect, really.

Eila? I guess she's a jokester or something. Can't be too certain until I can see her doing more things. All I have so far to go on is her reference to Lynne's breasts being bigger than Yoshika's (back when I first got here) and her little blueberries stunt with Perrine. Oh, and her ramming a cake almost halfway down my throat.

Ah…I'm tired, so I guess it's goodnight for now.

Signed, Roland Sage

P.S.: I am not doing night patrol for a while. Minna said that I need a break from it.

XXXXXXXXXX

Roland: Next time on Strike Heroes-

Minna: It's nothing special, Roland. We're just going to get Erica's medal and do a few things.

Roland: Well, it's still nice to get out to places.

Lynette: I have a question...

?: I see that Roland is a good team member for the team.

Roland: Uh, who is she?

Minna: We don't have time to answer that.

Roland: But I've never seen her before-

Lynette: Next time on Strike Heroes...

?: ...Nice and Breezy.

Roland: Goddammit, who the hell is she...and did I just get a sudden chill from a breeze?

XXXXXXXXXX

There's the next chapter.

As usual, please read and respond. Thanks.