Chapter 21 – Marathoning it

Toshiro sat on the stairs, and watched as the two prepared the water stand. Then, he thought he saw an optical illusion. Approaching him were Trude, Mio and Minna in identical clothes. They all had sleeveless tops, short enough to reveal the toned bellies of the three. And to add insult to injury, the décolletage revealed just enough breasts for Toshiro to start sweating. Looking lower, he saw that they all had track shorts, tight on the thighs, and only as short to have barely any leggings. The three stood before him with their hands crossed under their rather ample bosoms. Trude did so with her legs in a wide spread. Toshiro eyed her crotch, and saw a perfect camel toe formed.

"So, Toshiro, how is it?" Minna asked with a sly smile.

Toshiro joined his hands as if he was about to pray, raised his eyes to the ceiling and said, "Amaterasu, do you see what beautiful maidens I have before me? This alone is worth living! Thank you for your continued support!"

Toshiro rubbed his hands and clapped twice.

"That good?" Trude asked with a small blush on her cheeks.

"Yup. The only one that could top you would be Adolfine, but I doubt you'd drag her here, right?"

"If you'd presented that idea sooner…" Minna muttered. "So, let's begin a warm up, shall we?"

"But what about Yoshika?" Toshiro asked.

"Waaaaait for meeee!" Yoshika shouted and ran up the three.

She was wearing her usual clothes.

I am disappointed…

"Oh, wow… You all have such nice clothes… Well, Toshiro doesn't have any besides the trousers, heheh…"

"Minna got really serious about this. She dragged us to Pescara on foot to buy these threads…" Mio mumbled.

"But we at least look a bit professional…" Minna muttered. "Okay, let's commence with the warm-up."

They did some warm-up exercises for the next quarter of an hour.

"We might as well begin…" Toshiro said. "I think that an hour fifty five is a reasonable time… I'll be the pacemaker."

"Yuki, could you do the math for me?"

"Sure, sure… Okay, done."

"What the fuck?!"

"I used the spare capacity of your brain. It's a lot by the way."

"Toshiro, is that fast?" Yoshika asked.

"Fast as hell. You run your own tempo, Yoshika."

"Oh no!" Mio protested. "At least one lap with our speed!"

Yoshika shifted her gaze rapidly a few times between Toshiro and Mio, and ended up with a confused look.

"Do as Mio says. I don't want to interrupt her training regime."

"Oh okay…" Yoshika sighed.

"Everyone, come on here!" Erica shouted and waved them in with her hand.

After they approached, she showed them a watch.

"I'll be watching your times!" She said proudly.

"Good job, Erica." Minna said. "Everyone, let's form a line and start."

"Hold your horses, Minna…" Toshiro said. "There's a fundamental question I have…"

"And I can answer it right away." Mio said with a smirk. "We can use our passive magic all the way, but you can go all out on the last lap. And no time magic."

"Aaaaaaawww… Last lap? Then I will really have to adhere to Yuki's calculations…"

"Yuki, did you account for fatigue?"

"You think I'm an idiot? Of course I did!"

"Anything else you want to know?" Minna asked.

"Nah… Let's proceed."

They formed and orderly line at the center of the junction. Erica stood beside them and raised her hand. The runners bens slightly forward, and Erica shouted/

"GO!"

They didn't run off like sprinters. Their tempo was rather average, since it was the first lap. Minna and Trude were on his left, Yoshika and Mio on his right. He looked at the place where every man on his spot would look, and saw that the breasts of the three were only slightly jiggling, instead of jumping up and down like mad as Toshiro predicted. He then looked at Yoshika.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw…"

"You know what…? I'll put in a word at Kuji… Maybe he can boost some hormones or something…"

"Please do! A C-cup would be the pinnacle of my dreams for Yoshika! A D-cup is beyond my wildest imagination"

"Don't expect wonders, and don't expect anything soon."

Yoshika kept up the tempo for a whole lap, much to Toshiro's enjoyment.

"Hey, Yoshika, nice job so far. I'm proud of you."

"Heh… Thanks…" Yoshika said, a bit out of breath. "The daily training with… Ms. Sakamoto seems to pay off."

"Of course it does! I was trained in the same way, and you will see that training bear fruit is an hour fifty minutes!"

The second lap wasn't that fast for Yoshika. She started to slow down. At lap three, she was a hundred meters behind them. At lap four, she was half a lap behind them. When she was ending the fifth lap, she was doubled. She simple fell flat on the start/finish line, and she was taken care off by Erica and Lynne.

At lap thirty-five, Minna started getting visibly tired.

"Minna, maybe you should slow down, so you can finish?" Toshiro said.

"Well… Maybe… But… It would give… bad example…" Minna answered between her heavy breaths.

"Just finish, please. If you get around under two minutes thirty, I'll give you a bottle of that Neblowhateveritscalled wine."

"Really?!" Minna suddenly looked as if she gained strength from the universe itself. "Then I will finish no matter what!"

"Atta girl! How about you, Trude? You also seem a bit… pooped."

"A True Soldier of Karlsland never gives up!" She said on one breath. "But yes… I'm tired… as fuck…"

"Then just support Minna. You can also get a bottle of wine."

"No… You can… Keep it…"

"Then I'll let you phone Chris."

"JAWOHL!" She shouted and ran forward.

"Well that worked…" Toshiro mumbled.

But it didn't work for long, because halfway through lap thirty seven she was almost crawling from fatigue.

Mio and Toshiro passed her with a snicker. As the things currently stood, at lap thirty-eight, Toshiro and Minna had a really good time, Minna was slowly trotting a lap behind them, and Trude was walking slowly to regain some stamina.

Just as the two were about to start the last lap, Mio said, "So, Toshiro, are you preparing for the final spurt?"

"Yeah… But I'm sure I'll drop dead after it…"

"Well… I don't care; show me what you're made of!"

They were nearing the table at which Erica has made herself comfortable.

"Sis, time!"

"Minute fifty five dead!"

"Be ready to jot down my time, cause I'm gonna rip that record of Marseille apart!"

"Go bro!"

After he passed the imaginary start/finish line, he activated the Sacred Flame and ran forward like a lightning bolt. He passed the slowly jogging Minna and Trude, who were apparently having a nice chat, and crossed the finish line in a grand style, flipping the table at which Erica sat by sheer wind pressure.

Now I have to slow down… Phew, I'm tired as a hundred fucks…

Toshiro started gradually decelerating, which took him another lap, and he fell down on the cold stone floor before Erica, who was setting up the table again.

"Hoho! That was amazing, bro! It took you ten seconds to run the last lap!"

"So… What's… My… Time…" Toshiro said totally out of breath.

"One hour, fifty five minutes and twelve seconds! Incredible!"

"Eheheheh… That jogging… paid… off…"

Toshiro's vision went black and he drifted off.

"Whoooa… That was hefty… I've never felt so spent since… I don't even remember…"

"Not every day you run a marathon and top it off with using magic to super-accelerate your legs…"

"How much time has passed?"

"Only an hour."

"Okay then, time to wake up…"

Toshiro opened his eyes and saw the familiar ceiling of his bedroom. With some difficulty, he lifted himself up.

Ugh… My head is spinning a tad…

He looked to his right, and lo and behold, he saw Yoshika.

"Well, actually NOT seeing you here would freak me out now, heheh…"

"Always there for you, Toshiro. Why don't you take a bath?"

"Sure… Could you run the water for me?"

"Okay."

Yoshika turned the tap and the cold water started flowing into the bathtub.

"You really did give everything today, Toshiro. You are a boyfriend I can only be proud of, heehee…"

"So why won't you give me a nice reward then?"

"You won't get THAT reward, if you're thinking about it…" She pouted.

"No, I was thinking of something a rung lower on the skinship ladder… I want to take a bath with you."

"Oh…" Yoshika's face reddened. "Well, I suppose I could take a bath with you, since we already somewhat did it in Fuso… But don't try any funny stuff, okay?"

"I'm too tired to try funny stuff…"

"Heehee, then why not…"

While the water was still running, Yoshika started undressing herself. After a minute, she stood before him, like a brown haired Venus.

"My, my… I've seen you naked a few times already, but I always find pleasure in watching you…"

"Oh stop…"

Toshiro crawled down from the bed, and turned the water off. He carefully heated it up, and started undressing himself. He stood before Yoshika like a Greek sculpture.

"You go in first…" She said. "Up to the front of the tub…"

"Don't want to have my loins behind you? Heheh…"

Toshiro climbed into the bathtub just as she ordered him. Afterwards she climbed behind him, and she started scrubbing his back. She did it so skilfully that Toshiro had to let of a few grunts of pleasure.

"T-Toshiro, don't moan like that!"

"The tables have turned, Yoshika…"

After she scrubbed his back, Yoshika washed his long hair thoroughly, and temporarily tied it in a knot.

"I must look really stupid right now…" Toshiro muttered. "So, now it's my turn I guess?"

"Yes… Turn around…"

Toshiro turned around and suddenly Yoshika's lips and his connected as she embraced him.

"Duhhh… Yoshika, you should really stop ambushing me like that… You're spoiling me."

"If it takes only kissing you once or twice daily to keep you at my side, I'll do it till I'm a hundred years old!"

"Are you perhaps implying something?"

"Well, ummmm…"

"Oh right, I wanted to discuss something that popped up in a discussion with Minna… Without beating around the bush, Yoshika, tell me how friendly can I go with the other girls?"

This question stumped Yoshika, as she made a dumbfounded look.

"Come on, Yoshika, I know you can answer that…"

"I… To tell you the truth… It would be best if you wouldn't get too friendly with anybody…"

"Now you are simply being possessive, Yoshika… I thought I healed you of that condition…"

"You did but… These are my true feelings, not some dark energy clouding my mind…"

"I see… So I can't even shake hands?"

"No, no, you can shake hands, you can talk garbage, you can make fart contests, you can even, bah, you can even ogle them naked and wash their backs but… getting romantic only a slight bit is forbidden, okay?"

Toshiro stroked her on the head and said, "Glad that we got that skeleton out of the closet. Come on, I'll wash that hair of yours.

He washed her head gently, but applying firm pressure, almost making Yoshika purr.

After the bath, they both went to the dining room, where Lynne made a Britannian dinner. The four of them, which did the marathon today, devoured two helpings each. Toshiro saw an empty wine glass before their plates, and a familiar bottle at Minna's side. Seeing that Toshiro slowly starts linking both facts together, Minna said, "Yes, Toshiro, I claimed my prize by myself… Don't be mad at me…"

"Well… You pinched the key from me… That could cost you a few days in solitary…" Toshiro said with a caustic tone. "But whatever, just pour me some wine, woman!"

"Toshiro being ribald, that's something new, heheheh…" Trude laughed dryly.

The four of them drank a glass of wine, with Minna reaching a palatal orgasm by the looks of it.

"I must admit, this wine is really something…" Toshiro said.

"Minna, you look like you came twice already, bahahahahaha!" Mio shouted red on her cheeks.

"Let me guess, drunk?"

"Yes…"

Minna shot her an angry look and said, "And you Mio look like you've had enough wine for today. Your toleration for alcohol is inversely proportional to your combat abilities."

"What can I say, that's my only weakness…"

The rest of the girls looked at this weird spectacle with a mix of surprise and enjoyment.

After dinner, Toshiro was approached by Trude.

"Hey, Toshiro… What would you say to calling to the 31st?"

"What for?"

"You have to rub it in that Marseille's record just got shattered into bits!"

"Nah… Why should I?"

"Oh come on! I bet you want to talk to your cousin…"

"You've got me there… Okay, fine… If you want, follow me."

They went into the radar room, and after a few minutes, Toshiro was connected with Keiko.

"Keiko Katou, please state your business."

"Why so serious, Keiko?"

"Oh, Toshiro! What's up?"

"Oh, nothing basically. I could ask you the same."

"Also nothing here. So, what's on your mind?"

"Could you fetch me Hanna?"

"Okay, wait a second."

Toshiro could hear that Keiko yelled after Tina, and after a minute, he heard her bored voice.

"Yeah?"

"Sup, Tina?"

"Woohoo, the man himself! What's up?"

"Well, my friend here wanted me to call you to rub in something…"

"And that friend would be?"

"Trude."

"Hah! Vengeful bitch…"

"We're on speakers you know…"

"Meh, we're equal ranked now. Bite me, Trudy!"

Trude leaned violently over to the microphone and shouted, "Exactly that behavior made you a black sheep of the military before, you dunce!"

"But now I don't give a fuck. So, what did you want?"

"Toshiro beat your marathon time by almost five minutes."

"Impossible!"

"Hah! Ask him yourself."

"Is that true, Toshiro?"

"Yeah…"

"Ugh… Well, I guess you can bear that record with pride; I don't have anything against it. But don't be too cocky, I will take it back from you!"

"Hopefully! Too many records are in my grasp, I'm starting to feel anxious about it."

"Bahahaha! Okay… I think that there's somebody who would like to talk you right now, jumping up and down by my side. Take care, Toshiro!"

"Bye!"

"COUUUUUSIIIIIIN!" Mami shouted cheerfully.

Their eardrums almost popped from her shout and from the feedback the speakers produced.

"And why does my cute but obnoxiously loud cousin want to deafen me and my friend?"

"Oh, heehee… Sorry, I got a bit too excited…"

"Yup, I could hear that clearly… How's life treating you?"

"Super! Thanks for all the gear!"

"How do you know it was me who sent it?"

"Matilda picked your scent off of the cannons, heehee…"

"Not bad… So, how are the hand me downs from your cousin doing?"

"The 50 mil is breathtaking! And the Mk108's are marvelous, thank you!"

"Heh…"

"But that means you probably got something even better, huh?"

"Well, a 75 mil cannon, with all the features of the previous one, and even upgraded here and there…"

"Unfair! I want to shoot it!"

"Come here, and you can pop a few targets."

"Ummm, I can't… There's a bit of a turmoil in Africa now…"

"Whenever you have some free time, just come here, you don't even have to announce yourself beforehand."

"I will take up on that invitation one day, thanks!"

"You're welcome. Anyone else want to talk to me?"

"No, nobody here."

"Then bye, Mami."

"Bye, Toshiro!"

"You certainly have an energetic cousin, Toshiro…"

"Ain't she, huh? She always fetched me in my tent, if I was getting late for a meal. I feel that if her dialogue was to be transcribed, 80% of her sentences would end with an exclamation mark."

"Her voice sounds… small…"

"Well, she is 137 and half centimeters high…"

"Pfffhah! What a midget!"

"She would skin you alive if she heard that… Well, she looks a bit comical with an Acht-Acht on her shoulder, but she's a real dear…"

"I suppose so… Thanks for this small pleasure, Toshiro."

"No problem, Trude. Fancy a bath, by the way?"

"Nah, I'll make a drum bath for myself. Minna also wanted one, not to bother you."

"Kay…"

"Can I claim my prize right now?" Trude asked.

"A phone to Chris? Sure!"

"Thanks…"

Toshiro went out of the room, and as he climbed to his room, he saw Mio before his room's door, with her bath supplies in her right hand.

"Well now, Muhammad didn't come to the mountain…"

"Yeah, yeah… I really just want a scrub…"

"Be my guest… Entrez vous."

"Huh?"

"Just get inside…"

After all preparations, and when Mio climbed into the tub, Toshiro said, "You almost look like mom when you were young, Mio… The long black hair… The decisive yet serene face…"

Toshiro sighed heavily.

"Just don't get mushy on me, Toshiro…"

"Nah, I won't…" Toshiro said softly. "At least I got to talk to mother some time ago…"

"You what?"

"Oh right, I didn't tell you… Or anyone for that matter… So, hear me out now…"

Toshiro started washing her hair, and he told her about that fateful day in Africa, omitting things that she should definitely not know.

"If I wouldn't know you, I'd call bullshit. But I'm glad you got an occasion to talk to your mother. However… Damn, I would kill to see what your battle looked like…"

"I can call Adolfine and she can send us a film roll that an amateur camera man made."

"Please, do."

"Maybe you can do it yourself, huh? You got arms to hold the receiver, legs to take you there, a mouth to speak…"

"My, are you grumpy… Yoshika didn't let you do her or something?"

"Please, don't joke about that topic… Whatever, I'll call her, sheesh… I'm really too soft for you lot…"

"That's why we like you, Toshiro, haha! To be honest I am a bit nervous speaking to Galland… I know she's my friend, but she's a 1 Star General…"

"Don't worry, Mio. I'll protect you from the big, bad Adolfine!"

"Hahaha!"

After Toshiro dried up Mio, they went to the comms room. Toshiro did the usual hubbub, and soon the slightly sleepy voice of Adolfine ran through the speakers.

"Generalmajor Galland…"

"Oberst Toshiro."

"Heheh… Hi…. Uwaaaah… Toshiro…"

"Didn't sleep last night?"

"Nope… The R&D department made a late night presentation of a new tank prototype…"

"Cool. Listen… Mio would like to see footage of my battle against the Ziggurat in Africa…"

"Is she with you?"

"You guessed correctly."

"Hey, Mio, speak up."

"Ugh… What is it, Galland?"

"So Toshiro finally told you about his battle? Nice of him. But there's a problem…"

"Let me guess… It's Über Secret?"

"Yes…" Adolfine sighed. "And besides, you don't have a film projector, right?"

"No…"

"Tough luck, Mio. The film isn't exactly A-grade either."

"I guess Toshiro's description must suffice… Have a nice day, Galland. And drink a damn coffee; it doesn't suit a General to yawn like that."

"Little Mio scolding me… What has the world come to… Okay, I will adhere to your order, Major Sakamoto!"

"Hahaha!"

"Bye, Adolfine!"

"Bye, Toshiro."

"What a damn shame…" Mio muttered.

"Even I have my limitations, Mio…"

"Everybody has… Oh well, thanks anyway, now I have to go and torture Perrine and Lynne a bit."

"And only the two?"

"Don't worry; Miyafuji has trained enough for today."

"That's all I wanted to hear… I'll look up Minna if she doesn't have any paperwork to do."

Toshiro did exactly that, and he processed the papers with Minna until supper. After supper, Toshiro quickly organized some of the papers with Trude, and went off to sleep.

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