Alright, it's time to continue the story with the next chapter in "Strike Heroes".

Let me begin as usual by responding to the reviews:

fuji92: Thanks for the review. I can't go into it too much, but as indicated in the preview Roland will have to make choices that could very well end with something happening to him.

Colonial Marine (Guest): Thanks for the review.

Dragonman75: Thanks for the review as well. At this point, Roland's origins are going to be closely tied into the story. Especially considering the fact that he's hiding it from everyone.

Now, with the reviews out of the way, it's time to move on to the next set of problems in Roland's adventure.

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Chapter 15: What We Want To Protect (Part 1)

"Lieutenant Sage," Mio said as her katana was trained on my neck. "The commander and I wanted to talk to you about the incident with the Neuori earlier today."

"That?" I asked as I glanced at what I could see of the major. "I don't know what happened. It just happened." I wasn't kidding: I could remember what I did, but I didn't have a single moment to actually contemplate on the event.

"I don't think that's the entire truth," Minna said as she tightened her grip on the pistol in her hands.

You think I'm lying about that considering the katana at my neck, the Fuso Witch holding it, the pistol trained at my head, and you, Minna? "You think I know anything about the prototype? You were there when I first received it, commander."

"Well, either way there's something up with you," Mio added. "How did you use that attack, and why was your Striker Unit open and glowing red?"

"I'm not sure." I put my right hand under my chin carefully so that Mio didn't decide to let heads roll. "I think my rage activated it, but I can't be certain. I mean, I didn't want to lose anyone out there, and I guess I finally snapped. I'm thinking aloud right now, though."

"The bigger concern is the fact that your body had red glowing lines," Minna inserted next. "Whatever was inserted into your Striker Unit activated when your little stunt occurred."

"I swore that the blast looked like a Neuroi's beam," Mio noted.

I was shocked, as indicated by my next comment: "Are you trying to imply that I'm a...?"

"We can't be certain that you're what we think you are, but if you could do that then the implications are rather high."

"But that's a little..." I furrowed my eyebrows in worry.

"Impossible? Unlikely. I just have this to say: I don't want you flying for a while. Until we can decipher the events that occurred, you need to stay grounded at all costs. Understood?"

This time, I knew why the commander wanted me grounded: with that power inside my Striker Unit there was no way I could tell what will happen. If it didn't require me to activate it of my own consent, who knows what would happen if I did end up going Neuroi (if I could even do that. Damn my memory blackout: something must have happened between me leaving and me waking up in that orphanage).

"Understood, commander," I said as I nodded my head.

"Okay," Mio said as she pulled the katana away from my neck and sheathed her weapon. "Go get some sleep."

"Yes, ma'am." Looking at Minna, I added, "Can you lower your gun please, ma'am?"

"Hmm?" Minna asked as she hastily lowered her weapon. "Sorry. Just thinking, that's all."

Sighing in relief, I walked out of the office, not even wanting to turn around in case it was just something to catch me off guard. I then booked it down the hall quickly.

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I entered the kitchen around lunchtime the next day and found no one in there...except for Gertrud. The captain looked like she was reading a note or something.

"Barkhorn?" I tried, hoping that I could get her attention.

Gertrud turned her head to see who it was before looking back at the note.

"Lieutenant," she simply said.

There was something about her tone... "What's up?"

Gertrud looked at me, a confused look on her face. "'What's up'?"

For some reason, I decided to tease her a little. "The ceiling right now." I shook my head lightly. "No seriously...what's that in your hands?"

"Huh?" She showed me the letter. "We got this in the mail. Mind reading it?"

"Uh, sure..." I grabbed the letter and read its contents to myself: "To who it may concern. It is wisely noted that your investigation into the Striker Unit prototype will get you nowhere pretty. Refrain from your investigation or face the consequences." I soon looked at Gertrud. "Any idea who would write this?" Better question: she was investigating my prototype? Should I even be surprised?

"Well, it could be you."

I blinked. "How can it be me?"

"Well, you haven't exactly been very...reliable lately."

Was she referring to that weird thing I did yesterday or the fact that she knows something I don't? "Well, excuse me for having my own secrets around here. Everyone else seems to be hiding things, so why can't I?"

"That's not what I'm referring to. You disregarded the commander's orders and flew in the air."

Is she still hung up on that? That was-oh, right, that was yesterday... "Okay? It was a damn emergency!"

"Well, be grateful the commander didn't just kick you off right now. She still thinks you're a part of what holds us together."

What holds us together? What kind of talk is that to hear out of Gertrud Barkhorn, a Witch who's supposedly very disciplined? "Uh, captain?"

Gertrud simply stood up and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a few things to start cooking some lunch. "You want some food, lieutenant?"

"Sure, why the hell not?" I shrugged my shoulders.

At least Gertrud isn't suspicious of the fact that I'm lying to her and the others. Though I really hope I don't get to find out how she would take it.

"Hey, captain?" I asked.

"What is it, Sage?" Gertrud asked in return.

"Um...what are your feelings towards me?"

She looked at me and furrowed her eyebrows as she looked like she was trying to think of an answer. "What kind of question is that to ask me?"

"I mean, you did go against my wishes to die that day...so I don't think you're a bad kid for that. I mean, you had no real right to, but I'm still grateful."

I wonder... "Do you even think of me as anything else but a teammate?"

"Eh?" Gertrud looked a little embarrassed. "Well, you're like a member of the family...though you're more like one of the sons, with Commander Minna and the major being the parents."

Especially given Minna's personality... "And what does that make you?"

"Well, I'm like the older sister."

I crossed my arms. "Really? How so?"

Gertrud shook her head and turned to the task at hand. "I should get cooking, Sage."

I couldn't help but give off a small smile.

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Yoshika's POV

I finished getting back into my uniform after getting done with a bath with Major Sakamoto. I really don't know why, but I think the major really likes the fact that we have a bath everyone can use at the same time. Well, now that I think about it...I don't really see Commander Minna taking one with anyone else, and Roland rarely takes one with us. Then again, the only times he actually does is when Major Sakamoto drags him inside. Honestly, I think he's handling it well when he's dragged in like that more often, but he still avoids eye contact with us and even turns around while cleaning himself. That wasn't to say that he didn't talk. He just usually kept to himself.

Speaking of Roland, he was standing right behind me as he had his eyes covered with both hands.

I looked to make sure the major wasn't around before I tapped his right shoulder.

"Is it safe to look?" Roland asked. He had a hint of a blush on his cheeks.

I nodded, though he couldn't see it right now. "Hai. You can look, Roland-kun."

He removed his hands from his eyes and looked at me as he sighed in relief. He also looked around to see if the major was out of the area. "I still don't see why she drags me into this place...I don't exactly like being in this sort of position, especially the first time she did it to me."

I blushed slightly, turning my head away as my right hand covered my mouth shyly. I remembered what he was talking about: the incident with Shirley... "is it that bad, Roland-kun?"

"Huh? Oh no, Yosh. There's nothing really bad about it. I just-"

"Hmm?" I stopped and turned to look at him, my blush starting to go away. "Did...did you call me...Yosh?"

"Well, it's shorter than Yoshika. Besides..." He furrowed his eyebrows. "If I recalled correctly, you started calling me Roland-kun."

I was a little confused. "Is this some sort of way to get back at me for starting with your nickname?"

"No way, Yosh." He smiled. "You and the others don't really deserve me to call you guys names you don't like." He then frowned a little. "Do you hate the name?"

"Huh?" I blinked. "No! It's just...odd...I mean, Lynne's been calling me that, so..."

"I'd die laughing if we had thought of it at the same time." He chuckled a little.

I joined him for a while before I watched Perrine enter the room.

"There you are, Miyafuji," Perrine said.

"Uh, hey there, Perrine," I said hesitantly. "What can I help you with?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Miyafuji. You and Lieutenant Sage were taking a bath with the major, huh?"

"I was dragged into it, thank you very much..." Roland inserted, but I don't think Perrine heard him.

"What's wrong with it, Perrine?" I asked her. "I mean, Sakamoto and I-"

Perrine looked irked. "Did you call her Sakamoto?! You're supposed to call her Major Sakamoto, got it?"

I frowned. "What's wrong with me calling her that? I did say that she let me, right?"

"That's not the point. How come the major likes you a lot? And you!" She then turned to face Roland.

"What'd I do?" he asked in his defense.

"Don't give me that, lieutenant. Major Sakamoto keeps on dragging you into the bath."

"Against my will..."

"I don't care!"

"Why are you getting like this again?" I decided to ask. "This is Sakamoto we're talking about. She has a right to decide for herself. Right, Roland-kun?"

"And another thing: why give your superior a nickname?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "And what's wrong with me calling him that?" I looked at Roland really fast, and he was pinching the bridge of his nose in what I could only guess was irritation.

"Sage is higher in rank than you. Don't you understand?"

"Why are you acting like this right now?" I was mad: she was trying to change my habits?!

"Can I say something?' Roland tried.

"Not now!" Perrine and I both told him.

Roland gave off a whimper as he shirked away from the argument that was brewing.

"Why are you asking me that? You've been nothing but a hot shot!"

Hot..shot? I'm being a hot shot?! "Look, it's not my fault that Sakamoto likes me a whole lot better than you! Why don't you say something to her about it?"

Perrine blinked in shock as she turned her head, her anger quickly exploding into a blush. "Well, see...um..." She then looked like she got her fire back. "It doesn't matter! Miyafuji, I challenge you to a dogfight!"

"A dogfight?"

"Just you and me. Deal?"

Deal? Of course, you!

Before I could voice my answer, Roland slid between us, an arm holding us at bay.

"Enough of this, you two!" Roland shouted. "We're a team here. This is no time to start picking a fight with each other."

"But-" I tried.

"No exceptions. I don't exactly have very high respect for you right now, Perrine, but I at least accept that you're a part of this team. Now make up and be nice to each other. And for crying out loud, Perrine, lighten up. You're better off telling the major how you feel instead of taking out your frustration on Yosh here."

"This has nothing to do with-" Perrine tried as well.

"I have spoken. I don't have time to pull you two out of trouble right now." Roland then walked out of the room.

A few seconds after he left, I furrowed my eyebrows. Roland said not to pick a fight, but if Perrine wants it so badly, then...

"I accept," I told her.

"Accept what?" Perrine asked as she was blinking in confusion. Then it looked like she knew what I meant. "Oh, right. Okay. we'll settle it in two hours."

I nodded.

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Roland's POV

I meditated inside the woods, letting my aura control my actions as I sat on an old stump.

I thought about what was going on currently. The girls received that letter (I'm certain of that because I showed Minna after lunch along with Gertrud), and Perrine tried to challenge Yoshika to a dogfight about two hours ago. While I stopped it at the time, I wasn't sure if they still went through with it. Besides, I didn't want to worry about it right now. I just wanted to calm myself down before this suspense tried to kill me.

I then turned to the questions I needed to answer. Who was responsible for that letter? I didn't remember for some reason, but I felt that there was something I forgot soon after arriving in this world.

I tried digging deeper into my memories. I remembered something happening that got me here...but it all went black until I woke up inside the orphanage. After that, I fought to even remember the bit before coming here. How the hell did I not remember exactly how I got here in the first place? I mean, I left the computer on...or did I?

Dammit! Now I'm starting to second-guess myself. Am I even still me? After that little incident with the unknown powers, how sure am I about me actually being...well, me?

No...I'm me. Anyone else would have probably made a mistake somewhere in the story...maybe. Or have I at some point?

Ugh! Shut up, you idiot! You're over-thinking this whole situation!

I felt my aura lift up something followed by a girl giving off a yelp in surprise, and when I opened my eyes and looked I could see Charlotte hanging upside down in the air, a thin sphere of aura holding her by her ankles.

I quickly willed myself to set her down gently as my aura died down, and I soon looked at her.

"Yes, Shirley?" I asked her as she caught her breath.

"What's the big idea with that stunt, Roland?" Charlotte asked as she looked at me in annoyance. "Trying to practice for something sick?"

"Well, I didn't expect someone to be coming near me for a while." That, and why was she here?

Charlotte stood up and dusted herself off. "Alright, I'll let you off for now, seeing as you're just trying to relax, I guess."

She took a seat next to me, and we just sat there. I could feel the suspense building up quickly, and I think I was feeling a little queasy at the build-up.

"You know," she said after a while. "You're not a bad kid, Roland. I mean, you try hard and mean well, so..."

I looked at the Liberion girl. "So...?"

"Well, I just feel envious, that's all. I've broken the sound barrier in my Striker Unit, but you...you've done more. You've taken the fact that you're wearing a prototype Striker Unit that hides in your watch rather well. Me? I'd have some problems accepting it. I mean, really: who built it?"

"You know, Shirley, I don't know either."

"Well, I hope that when you find out it won't mess up your life a lot."

"Thanks..." How would they feel if they found out that I've been lying to them this whole time? Would they be understanding? Would they hate me? Would they even...

No, they wouldn't just kill me...right?

Suddenly, a stray bullet hit the ground rather close to us.

"What the hell?" I asked as I stood up. I could see Yoshika fly by while being chased by Perrine. Both had a Bren in their hands.

Oh crap...if the duel's going on now...then...

"I need to go," I said to Charlotte as I powered on my Striker Unit. "Now!"

"Wait a second..." Charlotte tried telling me, but I was already gone by the time she could say anything.

If the events from the original occur, then this was going to get a lot worse for us all. Especially me.

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The next chapter is up and ready. This particular arc is probably going to be a little bit of a challenge for me right now, but at this point it's going to get rough for all involved. Can Roland handle this up-coming situation or will this be the beginning of the end? Let me know how this chapter went for you guys in the reviews.

Please read and respond. thanks, and I'll see you in the next chapter.