Chapter 17 – Pizza über alles

A few days have passed. Monday, just after breakfast, Vincenzo came to the base. Accompanied by the girls he made a roundabout through the base. It was decided that the kitchen would be renovated first, then the rooms would be equipped, and lastly, the bath would be made. The girls made their requests regarding decorations, and on Tuesday, work began. The ETA for the kitchen renovation and additional pantry was about a week, but Vincenzo also said that the bath could take a bit longer than that, since they had to start from scratch. However, as a deal sweetener, they planned to make a sauna for half-price. On Wednesday, Toshiro got a call from HQ, stating that the next day, a small Neuroi force was suspected to strike north of the base. He also paid Vincenzo extra, and a second crew came and set up a PA system for the whole base.

That day was today, Thursday 19 April 1945.

After the morning jog, Toshiro waited a bit and sounded the bugle. Before he would get to the hangar, Trude was already there peeling potatoes.

"Trude, for the love of whatever god you believe in, stop with the Kartoffeln already…" Toshiro moaned. "I know that you make good food out of it, but sheesh…"

She looked at him with an indifferent expression and said, "We barely scraped the top of the enormous crate we got them in. I suppose you were raised in belief that food shouldn't be wasted, right?"

"Yes, Trude. My economic situation for a few years taught me it very well. But Trude, we might as well give half of that to the people in Pescara or somewhere else, there's no goddamn way that we will eat them all until they sprout…"

"Hmmm…" Trude pondered. "You are right… Let's discuss the matter with Minna at breakfast, I believe she would want to have a saying…"

"Right, I can't act selfishly like that… Want some help with peeling those taters?"

"No. This is my punishment, and I will carry it out with dignity and alone." She answered with a stern face.

"I just offered to help…"

A small smile appeared on Trude's face as she said, "I know, Toshiro, but a punishment is a punishment."

"Heh… Okay, carry on, Hauptmann."

"Jawohl, Herr Oberst."

Toshiro decided to sit back at the table, and observe Trude. She was doing her job diligently, and she finished just as Yoshika and Lynne came by.

"Good morning, Toshiro. Good morning, Trude." Lynne said, humble as usual.

"Morning." They answered.

"Hi, Toshiro." Yoshika said.

"Morning, sunshine." Toshiro answered, getting a blush on Yoshika's face in return.

"Good morning, Miss Barkhorn."

"Morning, Miyafuji. As you can see, the potatoes are ready."

"Thank you. Now let's prepare a good breakfast, because we will need energy to fight!" Yoshika said with her eyes ablaze.

"Not considering a homestay, Yoshika?" Toshiro asked.

"This time I want to fight. I can't just leave all of you without medical support…"

"That's my Yoshika… How about you, Lynne? Feeling okay?"

"Yes, Toshiro. If Yoshika wants to fight, I might as well join her."

"Heheh…" Toshiro laughed briefly.

He watched as the three bustled around the field kitchen, knowing that in a few days, they will move on to a proper kitchen room with a joined dining room. The rest slowly started pouring in, with the obvious exception of Sanya.

"I wonder if the Neuroi will attack…" Shirley said while stuffing a potato cake in her mouth.

"Of coushe! Command hash nevew been wong!" Erica mumbled with her mouth full.

"Hartmann! A… Oh whatever… You're a lost cause…" Trude sighed and nibbled her potato cakes, to which Erica shot a wide grin.

"Speaking of which… Toshiro, if you would put up a roster for the coming battle, what would it be?" Minna asked curiously.

"Roster you say… It all depends on where you place me, Minna. And if you would be a participant."

"Now that's a tricky question… Your only weakness now is the lack of good melee capabilities… At least for now… Let's say you would do ultra-long range engagements, of which I know you're perfectly capable of. And I would stay in the base at the radar."

"In that case… I could form a rearguard long-range sniping team, consisting of Lynne and me. Before me, I would place Sanya and Eila, as medium range support. Of course, if Sanya will still be sleeping at the time, Eila will be moved to one of the close range support teams. I would pair her with Yoshika, since their abilities combined would bake them nearly invulnerable. The next support pair would be Francesca and Perrine. As for interceptors, I think Mio and Shirley would be a good pair, and a second one would be Erica and Trude. "

"A rather interesting choice…" Minna said slowly. "But why Mio and Shirley?"

"I saw the insane agility and speed that Mio can put out thanks to her new Striker, so Shirley will be the best choice when it comes to defend Mio's back against beams. Also, if Mio goes all suicidal, Shirley can keep up with her, and shield her while she closes in on the target at full speed and sword drawn…"

"Hahahah! You really are a genius, Toshiro!" Mio gave of her trademark laugh. "That's really an inconvenient setup you gave me, but I guess we would have to try it to see if it works, right?"

"But Mio…" Minna said with concern. "That's a really reckless strategy…"

"But at least I'll have a shield by me, right?"

"Yes… Well, good job, Toshiro. This is the formation you will assume if a Neuroi attack comes today. But you know that the situation may change on a coin flip?"

"Yes, I know. That's when I'll holster my cannon and rush into battle, heheheh…"

The girls giggled, and everyone continued to eat. After breakfast, Toshiro went on his usual shift at the radar. The green monocolored screen was flickering slightly. Toshiro was bored, and counted the frequency at which it flickered using magic. The result was 50 Hertz, the exact same frequency as the AC current.

Halfway through, he was joined by Eila, who looked a bit uneasy.

"Hello, Eila, what is it?"

"Well… I wanted to know why you assigned Miyafuji to me…"

"What? Don't you like Yoshika? Did something happen between the two of you?"

"No, no, God forbid! I know that if tension arose between Miyafuji and anybody in the unit, than you'd probably move mountains to repair it…"

"Then what is it?"

"Well… You said something about invulnerability…"

"Ah, yes… You see, your future predicting combined with Yoshika's shield power would make an impenetrable and swift defense, and I wouldn't have to sprout gray hairs about Yoshika's wellbeing."

"Oh… I understand… So you want me to be Miyafuji's bodyguard?"

"Well, sort of… I know that you'd be best suited to do so in a way that won't make her feel like unnecessary weight."

"I see… You really care about her... Maybe even more than I care about Sanya… Okay, I will protect her for you. But remember that Sanya has bigger priority, okay?"

"Yup, I expected as much. The next battle will be one big experiment, so things could get ugly…"

"I like experimenting." She said with a wry smile.

Toshiro raised an eyebrow, intrigued by what she meant by that.

"Don't get ahead of you…" She puffed her cheeks and went out.

Oh that Eila… Rough on the edges, but a real dear when it comes to protecting her friends…

Toshiro went on with the immensely boring task of radar watch, and just as he was about to call in Shirley through the PA system, he saw four blips on the radar. He pressed the button on the PA microphone and said, "Well, girls, it's time to move your sweet butts! Four unidentified targets nearing us from three-five-eight, move it!"

He started sounded the siren for ten seconds after saying that, which was enough for Minna to get into the radar room. She silently walked up to the radar, and reassured that what Toshiro saw was correct.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Toshiro? Weinachten (Christmas)?"

"I don't know either…" Toshiro replied and ran down into the hangar. He bumped into Shirley and Mio on the junction.

"Hah, Toshiro, I will finally see your Striker in combat!" Mio said.

"Me too, haha!" Toshiro laughed in response.

"A shame you positioned yourself so far back… No use of your speed…" Shirley mumbled.

"When the time comes, I'll let 'er rip, don't worry."

As they entered the hangar, they saw that Trude was already waiting for them in her Striker.

"How the hell did you get here faster than me!?" Shirley shouted confounded.

"I was browsing through the potatoes in the storeroom." Trude replied honestly.

"Huh? What for?"

"Elwyn, are you going to talk about spuds right now, or will you prepare for battle?"

"Oh can it…" Shirley pouted and mounted her Striker.

Toshiro loaded his new backpack with four MG ammo tape boxes, and four mags for the new cannon, 2 containing regular APCR ammo, one containing APCBC-HE and with only HE rounds. With his new FFG strapped to his forearm, he jumped into the Wotan. In the meanwhile, all the other girls were present, with the exception of Sanya.

"Toshiro, I didn't really hear that thing start. You are really skimpy when it comes to using it outside of combat…" Shirley threw a snide remark.

"Because it's too valuable to just fly around like a maniac." Toshiro replied. "Since everyone is here, the time to start has come…"

Toshiro gave an impulse to start the turboprop engine. It slowly gained power, which was one of its flaws – a quick jump start was impossible, the engine had to be brought into revs before starting.

Francesca gave him a distrustful look, still remembering her own adventure with the Me 262, but once Toshiro flipped the switch that enabled the propellers, she tilted her head and smiled.

"Yay, now that's better! Not that constant hhhhhhhhh sound!"

True. The jet sound is a bit unsettling for me, so the propellers flailing in the air are something very reassuring, given the experience with the turbojet Striker… Still, it gives me the creeps, because I have the feeling it could explode every second… Especially that it houses a small secret… Maybe I should reveal it to everyone?

"So, is everyone ready?" Toshiro shouted.

"Ready!" Everyone shouted back raising their fists into the air.

"Yoshika, stay with Eila at all times, do you hear?"

"Okay."

"Everyone, go go go!"

The combined roar of all the engines filled the hangar and they flew into the azure sky. After a minute, they assumed formation, and were flying towards the enemy in the north.

"Nervous, Toshiro?" Mio asked during flight.

"Why should I be?" Toshiro answered trying to be calm.

"You will be commanding a unit for the first time in your life, that's something, huh?"

"Well, I lost my commanding virginity in a tank in Africa, but yes, commanding our unit is a first."

"If you feel you aren't up to this, just give me a word anytime."

"I will, Mio, don't worry. Now stay sharp, and scan our twelve for enemies. I'll try to help you a bit."

"Roger."

Toshiro flew above the formation slightly, and pulled up the cannons sights to his eye. The new Zeiss SZF-14a gave a crystal clear image, and when Toshiro turned the dial, it went from 2.5x magnification, to 5x and finally 10x. He saw four dots flying in a formation about 10 kilometers ahead, according to the rangefinder.

"Mio, do you see what I see?"

"Yes, four enemies in formation. Time for you to shine, Toshiro."

"Right! Interceptors, move forward, medium range support, three to five hundred meters behind them, Lynne, on me."

A collective "Roger" was heard across the skies, and the interceptor groups buzzed forward, carefully followed by support. Toshiro and Lynne moved a kilometer behind Yoshika and Eila.

As they approached, Mio threw a report through the transponder.

"Four Delta types identified, Toshiro. What are your orders?"

"Delta's?"

"They look like delta symbol in mathematics from above, thus Delta."

Toshiro recalled the symbol in his memory.

Δ

"Interceptors, move out to the ones on the sides, Lynne and me will take care of the two middle ones."

"Oh will you?" Mio asked with doubt.

"Will we?" Lynne said beside him.

"We will, you'll see." Toshiro spoke with confidence.

Lynne looked baffled at Toshiro, but he calmed her down.

"Use my left shoulder to rest your rifle. I have something to test now."

"Oh… Okay…"

Lynne moved the bolt of her rifle back and forward to load a round into the chamber while Toshiro mounted the cannon on his shoulder.

Lynne slowly flew up to Toshiro, and rested her weapon on his left shoulder.

"Now what, Toshiro."

"Now, concentrate on the second Neuroi from the left."

Toshiro felt that Lynne's breathing became calmer and slower. He also felt that the beat of her heart slowed down. Them, he activated the Sacred Flame. It slowly engulfed the upper half of Lynne's body.

"Toshiro? What is this?" Lynne shyly asked. "I feel warmth… But it's coming from the inside of my body…"

"One of the properties of the Sacred Flame is calming people down. Focus, Lynne."

"Okay!"

He heard Lynne exhaling and the rifle kicked up from his shoulder. Through the scope of his cannon he saw that the .55 bullet flew straight into the center of the Neuroi, and caused the latter to explode.

"Yay! I did it!" Lynne cheered.

"Nice stuff, huh? Wait a second; I'll destroy the second one. Cover your ears, this goddamn cannon is louder than a steam locomotives whistle."

Lynne holstered her rifle and covered her ears with both hands. Toshiro slowly aimed at the Neuroi, which still flew in a straight line.

Three thousand meters… Piece of cake…

He pressed the trigger button, and a five kilogram APCBC-HE projectile left the gun barrel at over 1100 meters per second. It almost ripped the Neuroi apart and detonated at the rear end of it.

"Nice fireworks, huh, Lynne?"

"Wow… Nice gun, Toshiro. I wish I was stronger so I could use a bigger gun…"

"Considering your sniper abilities, the only thing that you could use is the Orussian PTRS-41."

"Oh, is that better than my Boys?"

"It has a bigger bullet, a 14.5 mm tungsten carbide core AP round. It has over 50% more penetration than your Boys does, and it also has a 5 round mag, albeit loaded via stripper clip."

"Ohh… You think I could get one somehow?"

"Yes. But it could take some time before I would get my hands on one."

"Oh… But there's no rush… If I would get it, I would be happy… And it's nice that you know so much about it."

"Well, it was the prized possession of my boss when I was an apprentice gunsmith."

"Heehee… Oh, it looks like Erica destroyed a Neuroi!"

Toshiro looked at the flake storm and saw Erica coming out of a Sturm attack.

"Good, very good. Now where is the other one…"

"REPPUZAAAAAAN!"

Toshiro's transponder almost exploded from the wild shout of Mio, and he saw the magic attack slice a Neuroi in half.

"Mio… I will murder you…" Toshiro said through the transponder.

"What did I do?!"

"My ears are almost bleeding because of your shout…"

"Oh… Sorry… But the result is positive, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, good job, Mio. I would pat you on the head, but I prefer to keep my hand with me for the rest of my life."

"Hahahaha!" Mio laughed out loud.

"Hey, bro, what about me?" Erica pouted over the transponder.

"You also did well, Schwesterherz (sister dearest)."

"Heehee, thanks!"

"Okay, girls, let's return to the base. Minna is probably waiting to hear our reports."

"No rush, really…" Minna said with a bit of sarcasm.

Yoshika flew u to Toshiro and pouted, "I didn't even get a shooting occasion… You two killed the Neuroi so fast, and Hartmann and Sakamoto also didn't pull any punches…"

"How terrible…"

"Yes! I wanted to shoot a Neuroi and… Hey, you are mocking me!"

"Yes I am." Toshiro stuck out his tongue.

"Oooooh!" Yoshika puffed her cheeks and flew away.

In her stead, Trude flew in and dragged him a few meters away.

"Hey, Toshiro… How are we celebrating today?"

"Celebrating what?" Toshiro asked with a dumb face expression.

"You don't know, right?"

"Know what?"

"Herr Gott… You really don't know…" She leaned over to his ear and whispered. "Today is Erica's birthday."

"Oh fuck…" Toshiro whispered.

"Yuki…"

"Yeeeeeeees?"

"For two people to forget this date?"

"Heheh… Sorry… But I'm not your personal secretary!"

Toshiro's brain churned on highest gear to produce a viable plan to escape Erica's wrath. After being looked at by Trude with a perplexed face, he answered, "I have an idea… But I will need you to play dumb just for a little while… This will be a totally guerilla birthday…"

"Maybe you should just apologize to her you forgot about it?"

"I will, but after I organize something… I'll only need some of my money and Shirley's motorcycle…"

"I'm rooting for you, Toshiro. I've known Erica for so much time, and today she finally turns eighteen!"

"You sound as if that would change anything…"

"You never know..."

"By the way, I haven't paid attention, but does Erica have her earlobes pierced?"

"Yes, she did it recently in Sint-Truiden. Why do you ask?"

"You'll see."

Toshiro flew away from Trude and joined Shirley who was already accompanied by Francesca.

"Hey, Shirley… I have a request…"

"Huh? What is this all of a sudden?"

"I need to borrow your motorcycle for an hour or so…"

"Sure… But why so sudden? Are you planning something?"

"Maybe…"

"Oh, Toshiro, is today a special occasion?" Francesca budged in bluntly.

"Yeah… So, about that motorcycle…"

"Do I look like someone who wouldn't lend her motorcycle to one of her best friends in need?"

Toshiro mocked her by ogling her profusely for a few seconds.

"Nah…"

"Pffff…" Shirley huffed.

The whole lot returned to base, and just as Toshiro stowed away all his equipment, he slowed down the time to slip away from the hangar and run up the stairs. He entered his room, picked up the Romagnan moneybag, and went down. Unfortunately, for him, he bumped into Minna.

"My, my, you are fast!"

"Minna, please, not now… If you want a report, I'll write it later, but please, not now…"

"Oh, what's the matter? You look… tense."

"It's Erica's birthday today, and I ain't got jack shit for her, so I'm now going to do an emergency trip to Pescara…"

"Oh my… Well, if that's the case, then I won't press you or anyone for that matter. Go, and make Erica's eighteenth birthday something she'll at least remember for some time." Minna said with a radiant smile.

"Thanks for understanding, Minna."

"But remember that after the festivities everyone is to deliver a report, even you."

"Mood breaker…" Toshiro mumbled.

Toshiro darted down the stairs and into the hangar.

"Hey, bro!" Erica cheered at him with her hand raised.

"Not now, Erica!" He passed her nonchalantly.

"Oh!" Erica puffed her cheeks.

She really got her ears pierced… But nothing there...

Toshiro pressed the button to open the door, and hastily ran to the motorcycle. After a quick check of the fuel level, he started the engine and drove off into Pescara.

If this goes out as I plan, this will the best improvised birthday party I ever made yet!

Upon arrival in Pescara, the first place he visited was Carlo's pizzeria.

"Buon Giorno, Colonnello!"

"And a good day to you, Carlo. Listen, I need four of those gigantic pizzas of yours with everything, and one with a Karlslander flag made out of olives and salami. I need them all packed in an insulated box, and fastened to the sidecar of my motorcycle in thirty minutes tops." Toshiro said and slammed a hundred lire note on the counter. "Can you do that for me?"

"Colonnello! For that money, everything! Anything else?"

"Location of a shop with good sweets, and a jewelry store."

"The first you will find if you go out of my pizzeria to the left, take a left and then a right. The second one is straight along the main street…"

Toshiro listened to the directions, urging Yuki to remember them just in case.

"Okay, thank you. That BMW R75 is mine motorcycle, look after it."

"Si, Colonnello!"

Toshiro ran out of the pizzeria, hearing Carlo shouting in Romagnan at his kitchen hands. After a brief moment, he found himself in a shop with sweets far and wide.

"Buongiorno. What can I help you with?" The middle-aged clerk asked him.

"Morning. I need sweets. Lots of sweets. Two five kilogram bags for crying out loud!"

"Hoho! Are you eager, Colonnello! I can sell you ten kilograms of hardboiled candy of various flavor for… eighty lire."

"Sold!" Toshiro shouted, pulled out the money and slammed it on the counter. "Have it ready for me, I'll be passing by in a few minutes."

"As you wish, Colonnello."

Toshiro ran out of the candy shop and made a hike to the jewelry store. The amount of gold in that place almost blinded him, which the clerk probably noticed.

"Magnificent jewelry, si?"

"Yeah… A bit too bright for me…"

"Well, it's because of the time of the day. Benito Mussolini, what can I help you with?"

"I need a present for a girl… Eighteen years old, about a meter fifty four high, blonde hair arranged in a bob cut, gray eyes, Karlslander."

"Hmmm…" The clerk, who was bald but his bulky face gave him enough authority, pondered. "I think I might have something for you…"

He bent down under the counter, and pulled out a little box. He opened it, and Toshiro saw beautiful, small gold stud earrings with tear cut sapphires on them.

"Beautiful…" Toshiro whispered in admiration. "But I bet my arm and leg won't be enough to pay for it?"

"Hahaha! I will give you a fair price… Say… Four thousand lire."

Toshiro almost choked on his words, but something came to mind.

"Clearly they are worth two thousand at most…"

"This isn't a bazaar in Cyrenaica, Colonnello. Take it or leave it."

"Ugh… Fine…" Toshiro pulled out the money with a bleeding heart, and placed it on the counter.

"Should I wrap it up?" The man asked with a wry smile.

"For that price you should deliver it in your mouth and on all fours…" Toshiro muttered.

"Heheheh…" The clerk laughed silently and wrapped up the box with the earrings for him.

Toshiro took the present and hid it in one of his many pockets.

"I wonder what unfulfilled ambitions do you have to have to charge so much for such measly earrings…" Toshiro muttered.

"I was an aspiring journalist, but I saw the real money in jewelry." Mussolini responded.

"To each his own…" Toshiro sighed.

Toshiro walked out silently out of the shop, and slowly went back to the candy shop. On the way, he saw a rundown building with a concrete fence. He could hear the laughter of children from behind it, so he peeked through the sturdy metal gate, and saw children of various age, playing with old toys on the lawn.

"What can I help you with?" A voice suddenly sounded behind him.

Toshiro calmly turned around and saw an old nun in front of him.

"I was just looking… Is this an orphanage?"

"Si."

"But the building is so decrepit… The kids have old toys…"

"God's will… These children are all war orphans. We don't get money from the state, only what good people donate to our cause."

"I see…"

The money in Toshiro's bag suddenly weighed him down as it was made from lead.

I really should help these kids…

Toshiro pulled out a thousand lire bill and gave it to the nun.

"Please, this is for the children. I'll send something in the next few days."

The nun's eyes sparkled with tears and she said, "Grazie… Molto grazie… I never knew that such people still exist in this war torn world…"

"It may not be a widow's penny, but money is money. If any of the children possesses a talent for magic, please send them to the base of the 504th on the west of the country."

"Si, I will. Grazie once more, may God have you in His grace!"

"Oh don't worry about that, I have just enough of divine help." Toshiro sneered and walked away.

"Oh Toshiro… You are such a good guy when it comes to it…"

"Getting mushy, Yuki?"

"Oh shush…"

Toshiro returned to the candy shop and picked up the two bags of candy. After arriving before the pizzeria, he saw a man in an apron approaching his motorcycle with a big package wrapped in a blanket.

"Hey, what a second." Toshiro said.

The man stopped and said, "Yes?"

"The Karlslander flag pizza, which is it?"

"The one on the top, Colonnello."

"Thanks."

Toshiro placed the candy in the sidecar, and helped the man tie the wooden boxes with the pizza to the sidecar. Afterwards, he rushed back to the base as fast as he could.

Upon arriving, he saw that everyone was sitting at the table and even Sanya was there. Toshiro inconspicuously approached the table, and asked, "What happened?"

"We are waiting." Mio said.

"For who?"

"For you." Minna replied and winked.

"Ooooh, riiight… Wait a split second."

Toshiro ran back to the motorcycle with time slowed down, and unfastened and unwrapped the gigantic pizza boxes. He took them in one hand, and the candy in the other. With the time still slowed down, he ran back to the table, placed the candy bags at his feet, the normal pizzas on the table, and the special one, opened and ready for consumption before Erica.

The time flow resumed, and everyone was surprised that new things appeared on the table out of thin air.

"Erica, if you would look carefully before you…" Toshiro said.

"Huh… Woah! Is that for me?"

"I hope you share…"

"What's the occasion?"

"A certain blonde Karlslander is going legal today…" Toshiro said.

"Oh! You remembered!" Erica cheered.

"Well, not entirely… Trude had to remind me… That's why you only have pizza with a Karlslander flag, not a bigass birthday cake… But…" Toshiro bent over and picked up a bag of sweets. "…this is to sweeten your life a bit. I have a second bag for all, heheh…"

Toshiro could see that Erica was on the brink of tears, so feeling some sadistic vibe, he approached her, and gave her the gift.

"It cost me a small fortune, so don't even try to say that it sucks…"

Erica ripped the wrapping paper to shreds, and unveiled the box. Everyone drew closer to Erica, and when she opened the box, everyone held their breaths. Erica poked the earring, as if she couldn't believe what she saw on her own eyes. She turned her head to Toshiro, with tears streaming down her cute little face. She jumped out of her place and hung herself on Toshiro's neck.

"Thaaaaank yoooouuuu! Waaaah! Thaaank youuu brooo!"

"Frohes Geburtstag, Erica…" Toshiro said with a soft voice, patting her gently on the back.

Everyone started singing Happy Birthday for Erica, and they started eating the pizza. Erica pinned on her new earrings, but a mirror was nowhere to be seen. Mio unsheathed her sword before Erica, making her twitch, but she realized that the highly polished side of Reppumaru was almost as good as a mirror.

"Wow…" Erica gasped.

"You really look good now, Hartmann." Yoshika said.

"Heehee, thanks, Miyafuji. Now I have something to throw in your face if you decide to wear that flashy necklace of yours."

"Toshirooooo…" Yoshika turned her face to Toshiro and made puppy eyes.

"No." He said with a firm voice.

"But why?!"

"No occasion, my dear. Besides, I'm not that rich to buy you expensive jewelry on a whim.

"Oh… Well, that's a good argument… But still, I'm officially jealous!"

Everyone laughed a bit, and continued eating.

"And now, it's time for my present!" Trude shouted suddenly. "Miyafuji, help me!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Everyone looked surprised, at Trude, as she started preparing something near the kitchen. She poured yolk of one egg in a glass, and covered it with a thick coat of sugar. She placed a spoon inside of the glass, and gave it to Erica.

"Yaaaaay! Zuckerei!" She cheered wildly and started churning the contents of the glass with the provided spoon. Then she simple took some of it on the spoon and ate it.

"Yuuuumm! Trude, I didn't know you knew how to make Zuckerei!"

"Because it's retardedly easy, duh. You could do it on your own, you little idler…"

"But you made it for me… Thank you, Trudy…"

"Don't mention it, Erica. Now, Miyafuji, make more of that, and let everyone have a taste!"

"Yes ma'am!"

As Yoshika copied Trude's recipe, Toshiro asked Minna, "What's Zuckerei?"

"You've seen it, yolk and sugar. It's known as Kogel Mogel in some countries."

"I wonder how it tastes…"

"Sweet of course. It's very nutritious, too."

Yoshika of course gave the first glass she made to Toshiro.

"Thanks…" He turned his head to Minna. "I just churn it?"

"Yes."

Toshiro churned the ingredients until he thought it's enough, and took a spoon of it.

"Hmmmm… Good… Not mindblowing, but good… Thanks, Trude."

"No problem, Toshiro."

After the feast, duty called. Toshiro had to write his own report, but first he had to take everyone's report in. Trude, as an exemplary, gave an excruciatingly accurate report, which gave Toshiro respect for medieval scribes, copying books letter after letter in a dim lit monastery.

The rest of the day went rather smooth and normal, but Trude decided to destroy that harmony after supper, approaching him with bath supplies.

"Toshiro, could I get a bath?"

"Sure. The usual treatment?"

"Yes."

"Come on then."

After they arrived in Toshiro's room, he prepared the water; Trude undressed herself and climbed into the tub.

"So, Trude, what bothers you?"

"You know… Erica turned eighteen… Minna and I turned nineteen lately... Mio lost her shield power just after her twentieth birthday… What will I do when I don't have a shield anymore? Can I fight, knowing that a stray beam can hit me no matter how hard I try to defend against it? Knowing that Chris is waiting for me?"

"You seek answers to which I don't have an answer, Trude. I can only tell you to listen to your heart when the time comes. You don't have to force yourself into fighting, because as a fellow Karlslander, I will gladly replace you on the battlefield. Hell, maybe even Erica could churn out some enthusiasm."

"Hah… Erica… Until I cure here from sloppiness, I can't consider her a worthy successor, despite her combat capabilities… And besides, she's only a year younger than me…"

"Still, a year more to pound the Neuroi with full prejudice, Trude."

"You are right, Toshiro… Maybe I should stop bitching on her so much… But I just can't stand how lazy she is sometimes!"

"Everyone has some flaws, Trude. But Erica's pros outweigh her cons. I would understand you if her good sides were like a corn cob in a cesspool, but right now, she's just being a bit unorganized."

Trude sighed and said, "Well, whatever… Thanks for hearing me out, but now, start washing that hair of mine!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

After he washed her head, and have her a solid backrub, he dried her off with magic and let her go. Half an hour after that, Yoshika came in.

"Toshiro… What did Trude want?"

"A bath."

"Oh…"

"Only a bath."

"Okay, I understand… But you didn't do anything… indecent?"

"I washed her head like a genderless professional."

"Glad to hear it…" Yoshika started approaching. "Because if I found out you are cheating on me…" She was only a meter before him. "… I would stop doing this."

She grabbed hold of Toshiro and they kissed so passionately that Yoshika was moaning.

"Wheeew… Ahhhh…" She was panting after they stopped. "I almost went a bit too far there…"

"I'm waiting, Yoshika…"

"I told you already, when the time comes, you can possess my body to the whole extent."

"Just this year, okay? I'm feeling so randy whenever we kiss, that I might resolve to… force…"

"Toshiro, are you threatening me?" Yoshika answered harshly. "Yuki would probably be against you taking me by force."

"Yes, I would. So hold your horses you un-satiated pervert!"

"Yeah, she's brewing me up a storm right now…" Toshiro sighed. "Okay, could you at least give me an ETA?"

"Asking won't change it, Toshiro. I'm thinking of one occasion, but I have to see that you deserve it…" She said with a mysterious smile and outright walked out of the room.

"Deserve schmerve… I should have picked Shirley, but she was so damn afraid that it didn't cross my mind to even think about it…"

"Stop babbling you moron. I have something that might interest you."

"Oh?"

"According to Kuji, Yoshika is repressing a great amount of sexual tension. When she decides to go all out, she'll probably rape you herself."

"Ugh… Raped by Yoshika? Wonder how that would look in a report…"

Toshiro pondered on for the next hour and he went asleep.

And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]