In the name of every possible god, please do read the AN after the chapter, it's VERY important!
Chapter 22 – Who are you?
The two days have passed at a crack of a whip. Since Adi had to work; I would spend the whole days lazing around. Well, actually I didn't. I bought a scarf, a civilian coat and a fedora, and I walked around the city, so nobody would recognize me. Buenos Aires is truly a wonderful city with a very unique architecture, and I'm really sorry I couldn't explore it more… During my trips, I have bought some stuff for my favorite Karlslanders. Erica of course will get an assload of sweets. Trude will get a crate of original Karlslander beer and Minna, in the same spirit, will get a few bottles or reaaaaaaly aged Jägermeister. And of course I have a little something for Yoshika…
Also, Adi gave me the last thing to complete my transformation into a general, namely a new visor cap, with the original silver bullion embroidery changed to a golden one, just like she had.
And today is the day I'm flying off to Sint-Truiden in Belgica. Oh I will miss my fans, heheheh… And I'll miss Adi somehow… Speaking of which, she's lying beside me, sleeping in a cozy position, tucked into my side. Oh Adi… I really would like to be with you, but Yoshika was already miles ahead of you at the time we met, heheh…
"Toshiro, you look like you're thinking…" She mumbled.
"Is that such a rare sight for you to spell it out?"
"Nah… But I bet you're thinking about Yoshika, the three in Belgica and… probably about me…"
"Did you learn to read my mind or what?"
"Heeheehee… So what are you plotting for me, Toshiro?" Adolfine asked.
"I want you to marry Uncle and be my step-mother."
Adolfine looked at him with eyes the size of dinner plates.
"Toshiro, I don't know if you're serious or just pure fucking stupid…"
"Half-half. I guess Uncle could need a second half too…"
"Stop, Toshiro, stop… I understand you're worried about everyone around you but yourself, and I even understand worrying about my love life, but playing matchmaker for the Kaiser is overstepping it."
"Why?"
"He told me that he won't marry a woman as long as he lives. He just wants to have one less problem in life. Simple."
"How down to the earth pragmatic… Did he tell you when he made such an oath?"
"The same day he found out about you being a son of your father. He decided you'll be the heir, and your recent actions only solidified his resolve." She explained calmly.
"Ah well, since Uncs is out of the picture… Adolfine…"
"Oh please, Toshiro, do we have to talk about it?"
"You're not getting younger, Adi… You're at the peak of your beauty right now, and men would kill to have you as your wife."
"A shame I'm out of the question for you…" She sighed.
"Indeed, off limits like fuck. Basically every other girl lost in the start blocks once Yuki came to me."
"But we can still fool around a bit, right?"
"Let's leave that for the goodbyes, okay?"
"Okay. But I want such a kiss for goodbye that'll leave me speechless!"
"Don't worry, I can do that, haha! Come on, last round of morning chores!"
"Coming!" She cheered.
During breakfast, Adolfine gave him some info after he asked.
"You have a plane leaving at 1200. You'll stay here and Joachim will come for you. Be sure, and I mean really sure now, that you'll take everything with you. Unlike your trip to Rosario, during which you thankfully took everything, it will be a little bit problematic to deliver you anything you've forgot. All your gear will be onboard, so you don't have to rack your brains about that. You'll also have some supplies for the girls, besides those you've bought personally, heheh…"
"Good to know, I'll pack diligently! Like a True Soldier of Karlsland!"
"Hahaha, that always cracks me up! Okay, time for me. Some of us have to work."
"Hey, I'll be working too…" Toshiro pouted. "Closer to the soldiers than you!"
"Believe me, I would ditch this job in a blink of an eye if I regained my shields… But both the Kaiser and Keitel won't let me…" She said with a sad face.
"But Keiko and Hanna can sortie… Weird…"
"Both have signed a stack of releases, and as you probably saw with Keiko, they tend to be commanders, not active fighters."
"So why can't you be a battle commander?"
"I wanted to, but then I was promoted to Generalmajor, and my fate was sealed. A witch in her retirement age with such a rank or higher cannot go into sorties, that's the law…"
"Yeah, it would be a shame to loose such a fine Generalmajor…" Toshiro said with a smirk.
"Oh shush… I'm going to dress myself to work… You'd better start practicing that kiss, because this is our goodbye!"
"Jawohl, hahaha!"
Adolfine went upstairs to her room.
"So, Yuki, can I go full out?"
"Meh, I stopped caring… But I'll make you squirm in pain if you don't confess everything to Yoshika… Mark… My… Words…"
"Oooookaaaay…"
"And if she blames ME for everything, I'll probably flip…"
Toshiro waited for Adolfine to come down. She slowly descended down the stairs with a mysterious grin.
"So… Decided on how to do it? Or should I lead?"
"If you'll feel better, you can start."
"A true gentleman…"
She took his head in both hands and gently lowered his face down to her level. She kissed him delicately, as if Toshiro was made from un-tempered glass. But then, she clung on to his body and hugged him violently, stopping kissing him.
"Hang tight, Toshiro… I'll miss you…"
"Oooooh… I hope you're not crying?"
"You must have mistaken me for somebody…"
She let him go and looked at him with a teary face, but with a wide grin.
"And what's that? Your eyes sweating?"
"Haha, precisely! I have to do something about that…"
"Adi, Adi… I'll also miss you… But go now, or you'll be late." Toshiro said warmly.
"Yeah… Bye…"
"Bye, Adi…"
Adolfine went out of the front door. Toshiro sighed deeply and went to his room. He started packing his stuff, minding not to misplace anything.
I have to do some cleaning in this chest, my new stuff barely fits inside…
He took the chest downstairs and placed it before the stairs.
Such a nice house… I need to ask Adi for the blueprints when the war is over, this one's ideal.
Toshiro sat on the couch in the living room, and went for the last round of music.
Joachim came half an hour before time. Toshiro took his chest and went to the car. Joachim locked the door and the gate, and he joined him in the car. They ventured to the airport in silence.
As the car stopped, Joachim said, "Good luck, Toshiro."
"You too, Joachim." Toshiro said with a sly smile.
"Oh no, I won't try again. Nu-uh!"
"Suit yourself… You really don't know what you're missing out…"
"What…"
Toshiro grabbed his chest and went to the plane. He was surprised, because it wasn't the Ju 290, but the BV P.216.03, a sophisticated prototype jet plane. The ramp in the back was opened, but instead of some random pilot, he saw Udo there.
"Herr Generalmajor, a bit early are we?"
"Well, I'm a bit giddy for the trip. But now I'm fired up!"
"Hahaha! We didn't know we would be transporting you! Come inside, we'll be going then."
Toshiro went inside and saw a lot of covered goods in the plane. There was a single padded bench mounted, so after placing the chest down on the floor, Toshiro sat on it. The ramp behind him closed slowly, and the jet engines started coming to life. Soon, the enormous plane started.
Few hours later, Toshiro was getting all but bored with the trip. He was flying a BV P.216.03, a prototype dual-purpose emergency jet transport craft with his destination being the Sint-Truiden base in Belgica, where he would see his friends
Behind his seat, under a big burlap sheet, were his new toys. One was a simple upgrade to his previous cannon, the 8.8 cm NaK 45/2 L/71 ME. Stabilized with a prototype gyroscope and with a top loaded experimental breech that enabled a shorter body, it was surely a fine work of art from both Krupp, the manufacturer and Ursula's team of scientists. He also had a separate new cannon, the early stage prototype 12.8 cm NjK 82 L/55, made by the same manufacturer. It was basically the cannon ripped off from the Neuroijäger Tiger Ausf. B. or the 'Jagdtiger' Neuroi destroyer. It had a steel frame slapped to it, so it could be wielded by Toshiro and the scope, nothing more, thus it had to be loaded with the big and heavy two-piece shells manually. And somewhere between those two, a crate with his new MG, the Mauser MG 151/20/3, was lodged. Stripped of the cooling system the Type 99 had, but with a detachable scope for longer range engagements. It was also capable of firing seven different ammunition types, which names in original could break the tongue of a Liberian or Fusojin.
But the big bulge, protruding visibly, was his biggest joy. It was something some could even call a second generation Jet Striker – the KVKU XF-1 Edelweiss, built by Ursula's team under the auspices of the Karslander Fighter Plane Builder Union, something Toshiro helped solidify thanks to his small intervention while he was still in Rosario.
Just thinking back at the moment all of this gear was revealed to him made him feel like a kid that just got his present from Santa.
He went over to the PA panel and chimed in at the pilots.
"How far?"
"We're about halfway there, Generalmajor."
"Thanks."
Only a few more hours, and he could make the jaws of his three Karlslander friends drop on the ground, both because of his promotion, and because of the little family colligation that was discovered between him and Trude. He turned around and started toward his seat, but he saw another person.
Where did she come from?
Sitting in the seat next to his was a girl he had never seen before. She was just sitting there, reading a book. She was wearing a uniform similar to Minna's, and upon closer inspection, she had the same collar patches as Toshiro, but her epaulets had something he hadn't, namely a deltoid shaped silver star, pinned on it slightly off the center.
Toshiro took immediate notice of her features, looking first at her long fiery red hair, then her deep blue eyes, then finally her figure.
"Wow... her uniform fits her... well, so to speak."
"Hands to yourself, Toshiro. And I sense something... odd about this girl."
"Anxious, are we?" The girl asked.
"I'm more anxious to know who you are, Generalleutnant. I don't think I've had the pleasure, and I also don't remember seeing you enter this plane before we took off."
She closed her book, stood up, and offered her hand to him to shake. "Kaylie Akari Maya. My middle name is my mother's surname, and my last name is my father's."
"Akari and Maya? Yuki, aren't those the names of..."
"Yes, Toshiro. Be careful around this girl."
"You don't think she's..."
"I don't know for sure yet, but I'm contacting Amaterasu."
"There's no need to contact Amaterasu, assuming that's where your mental conversation with Yuki is heading." The girl suddenly said. "She probably already knows I'm here."
"Are you a Chosen?"
"No."
"Toshiro, be on guard, I don't like this."
"How did you get on this plane?"
"I teleported."
"So you're a witch?"
"I suppose."
"What kind of answer half-assed answer is that?"
Black cat ears and a tail manifested in their respective places as Kaylie activated her magic.
"Now I'm a witch."
Okay...
Kaylie started gently rubbing her tail and lightly moaned.
"Feel's good…" She mumbled and quickly realized what she was doing, so she immediately stopped. "I haven't played with my tail in... Never mind."
"Uh huh..."
I have to see if that works for Yoshika…
"Anyway, are you satisfied with my answer now?"
"Toshiro, this is not right. She looks like a witch, but her magic is completely different. She knows about me and Amaterasu. I'm contacting Amaterasu now, this is dangerous."
"No."
"Come with me." Kaylie held her hand out again, but this time not for a handshake.
"No damn way, this smells worse than a tuna cannery…"
Kaylie snapped her fingers and spawned a black, circle shaped portal with a dark purple border.
"I could force you..."
Toshiro responded by summoning Aganaimaru.
"Using that will be harmful only to you the rest of the crew on board."
"You obviously don't know what this sword is capable of."
"I do." Kaylie pulled her hand back and summoned a black staff, seemingly made of wood.
"I hope you won't be disappointed when I cut that stick in two." Toshiro slowed time and quickly jumped toward Kaylie, intending only to cut through her staff, but she suddenly vanished before he could complete his attack.
He returned the flow of time to normal and looked around for her, finding her standing behind him a few feet.
"Toshiro, this is not a normal person. From what I can tell, she has powers similar to those I bestowed upon you and those coming from Amaterasus's Godly Particle, and was able to dodge your attack with time slowed down. Don't hold back. You'll never touch her if you don't aim to kill."
"Right..."
Toshiro activated the Sacred Flame and slowed time down as much as possible before attacking again. His target merely vanished before he could raise his sword, but he didn't miss a beat. He found her, standing behind him again, and continued his attack.
This time, however, she didn't dodge. She caught his sword.
Toshiro had a genuine look of surprise on his face.
"What the..."
"Don't stop! Now's your opportunity! Grab her hand and attack!"
Toshiro followed Yuki's instructions, but Kaylie broke free, twisted around behind him, and slammed him against the floor with her foot on his back before he could react. He couldn't maintain the slower flow of time anymore, thus it returned to normal.
Well, hell… First time on the floor since fifth grade…
"Chill. You're not going to one up me with time magic." She removed her foot and helped Toshiro up.
"So what..."
Kaylie held her finger up to Toshiro, gesturing him to wait.
"Three... Two... One... and..."
Amaterasu appeared inside the plane in a swarm of sakura petals.
"Hi, Ami." Kaylie said cheerfully.
Amaterasu gave her a clear look a disapproval.
"And what are you doing here, time bending squirt?"
"Boredom." Kaylie shrugged.
"Go be bored in your own world."
"In her world?"
"I'm almost certain, Toshiro."
"She's from another universe?"
"Not just that..."
"Oh, I have a good idea. Why don't you both come with me?"
"That's not such a good idea right now." Amaterasu said.
"Oh, come on, Ami. I can return you both to this same time." Kaylie gave Amaterasu her puppy dog eyes. "It'd be like you never left."
"Kaylie..."
"Pwease!" She kept up her puppy dog eyes.
"And you'll personally make sure Toshiro returns to this exact time?"
Kaylie waved her hand horizontally, giving a so-so gesture.
"Give or take five minutes."
"Alright."
Toshiro sighed as heavily, as he would have a rock on his chest.
"I'm guessing I don't get a say in this?"
"Nope!" Kaylie said as she started to pull both toward the portal.
"Before we go..." Amaterasu stopped her. "Toshiro, I believe I told you a little about Kye's universe."
"Yeah. She's the Goddess of Time and Space from that universe."
"Right."
"I guess I can add fighting a goddess just under training with a goddess to my resume… I suppose that's why Aganaimaru didn't put even a scratch on you."
"Or that she pinned you down like a frog while you had time slowed down." Amaterasu added.
"Yeah, I'm a little too durable for your atom-splitter, and I'm kind of the best time magic person around..." Kaylie said. "If you want, I can mortalize myself to make it a more even fight."
"Sure…" Toshiro mumbled.
"Alright, but after we get to my world. Let's go!" Kaylie grabbed the arms of Toshiro and Amaterasu and pushed them through her portal, whisking them away to her world right before the co-pilot spoke up over the PA system.
"Generalmajor, Udo and I were wondering if you would be willing to sign autographs for our daughters. They are young witches in the Luftwaffe and are fans of yours."
Kaylie had a brief look of distress and quickly teleported to the bathroom, where she locked the door from the inside and teleported out.
"Generalmajor?" The co-pilot asked. After a few more seconds of receiving no response, he got up. "I'm going to check on him."
Kaylie disappeared into the portal and closed it behind her just before the door opened. The co-pilot didn't see Toshiro anywhere, but saw that the bathroom was occupied.
He returned to the cockpit and reported to the pilot. "He's in the head."
Today is the day in which Toshiro X is going on hiatus for three months. This is due to the fact that Toshiro's adventure in Kye's universe will be published by Doran Maya himself in Legendary Witches 3: Cross World Battle. Be sure to visit his profile and read on from there. If you can't find it, the link is in my profile. If you haven't read his Legendary Witches series, and you just want to read CWB for Toshiro's shenanigans, drop a PM to Doran Maya and he'll try to summarize everything. Be prepared though, it's highly unorthodox in some manners. Moreover, don't worry, Toshiro will return to his world for more tomfoolery, and I will publish some shorts in the mean time, while working on some more SW related content, and possibly my original story. Until then, faithful readers! May the light of Zvezda... Oh wait, wrong quote...
If you feel like it, please leave a review. However, I have only one request – if you want to leave something the size of a short story, please consider discussing your points over PM. If you want to leave an anonymous review, I respect your decision to do so, but if you sign in, I can actually discuss anything with you, dear reader. Thanks for reading, and I hope the next chapter will also garner your attention!