Chapter 22 – Higher than a mountain

A few days have passed since the marathon. On the morning following it, Toshiro opened his eyes and wanted to get off the bed, but pain seared through his body all of a sudden.

"Ouch… Fuck… Why… Ow…"

"That's weakness leaving your body."

"Don't talk like you're my sensei or something. Lactic acid from yesterday?"

"Yes… But if you can't move, I can only guess how the rest feels, guhehehehe…"

"Let's see then…" Toshiro muttered to himself. "Mio dearest, how are you doing?" Toshiro threw a caustic remark through the transponder.

"Uuuuugh… I'm impressed you can even lift your hand to fire up the transponder…"

"Well, you did it too…"

"I turned my head on the pillow and activated it…"

"Damn… So, what do we do?"

"I really don't know… UUUUuuuuGGGgghh… Minna, please, be awake…"

"I'm awake…" Minna moaned. "The gods have forsaken us…"

"Morning, Minna. So… We lie it off in the beds?" Toshiro proposed.

"Yes…" Minna said. "At least till breakfast, then we have to move… somehow…"

"But what about Trudy then?" Toshiro asked. "She'll force herself to move sooner…"

"Good for her, it's not like she ripped her tendons or broke her legs, right?" Mio said.

"Yeah, I suppose so… But I doubt she'll do it, heheh… Maybe I should fetch Yoshika, so she'll caress me?"

"At five AM? She's probably dreaming about Lynne's breasts right now…" Minna mumbled.

"So you know about that too, huh?"

"My magic and wits will find out everything, heehee…"

"And the good old cold stare, huh?"

"Are you implying I used it against Miyafuji?"

"Whatever… So, we get off our beds at seven?"

"Yes…" The both answered him.

"Good…"

Toshiro dozed off until seven, and after being woken up by Yuki, he slowly crawled to the dining room. While he was before the building in which it was placed, he saw Mio walking towards him, using Reppumaru as a walking stick.

"This takes me back…" Toshiro said with a wry smile.

"Yeah, yeah… Rub it in… At least I don't have a feeling of shame right now."

"Wait until Perrine sees you, haha!"

"Oh fuck… She'll probably jump on me and pamper me to death… Oh well, that's the fate of a warrior… But I wouldn't oppose if you'd support me…"

"Come here…"

They both went inside, and saw both Trude and Minna in the same situation before them. When they saw themselves like that, both the pairs burst out into laughter.

"Hah… Yeah… Okay, we had our laugh, now let's go." Minna said.

Slowly the walked into the dining room, and they sat on the chairs.

"I never thought a simple chair would bring me so much pleasure…" Trude said.

Everyone looked at her, and she quickly replied, "It's not like I'm going soft or anything…"

Soon Yoshika and Lynne came to the kitchen to make breakfast.

"Oh, hello everyone." Yoshika said surprised.

"Hi…" Everyone mumbled in accord.

"Is everything all right?" Lynne asked.

"Besides the fact that we are sore as if we were squashed by a steamroller, everything is simply peachy…" Toshiro mumbled.

"Oh my, Toshiro, can I help you?" Yoshika asked concerned.

"Can your magic cure lactic acid induced muscle soreness?"

"I never tried it to be honest… Maybe if you agree…"

"Yes, come on. It won't hurt anyway."

Yoshika approached him, and started using her healing magic. After a minute, sweat drops formed on her forehead and she stopped.

"How is it?" She asked.

Toshiro moved his arms around a bit, and with satisfaction he said, "Not perfect, but at least I can move my limbs like a normal human being… Thanks, Yoshika."

"Heehee… But if you could help me with the rest, I'm a bit spent…"

"Sure thing, Yoshika."

He helped Yoshika boost her magic, and after a few minutes, everyone was jumping on and about.

"Thank you, Miyafuji. But that doesn't relieve you from your daily training!" Mio said firmly.

"I had a feeling it would end this way…" Yoshika sighed and went to the kitchen.

That happened on the day after the marathon.

Today is the second day of May.

After a normal beginning of the day, Toshiro went on a shift in the radar room, expecting for the day to boring as usual. It stopped being so around the end of his shift, as the PA panel woke him up from daydreaming.

"Toshiro, some men just dropped off an enormous crate at the base entrance. What should I do?" Trude asked.

"Haul it inside; I'm coming to see the content."

"It looks heavy…"

"Sheesh, then just wait for me…"

Toshiro walked down and to the gate, and found Trude carefully looking at an enormous crate.

"Toshiro, you know what the hell this could be?"

"No damn clue… Let's see inside…"

Toshiro approached the crate and ripped off the top of the crate. He peeked inside, and cackled like a lunatic.

Trude looked at him with a weird face, and looked into the crate herself. She looked at Toshiro with a pale face and said, "Mercy…"

"Nu-uh! Revenge is mine!"

"Damn you… Okay, I'll lug the piano myself. I hope this will make us even."

"It will. Now, chop-chop, lugging time."

"You won't help me in any way?"

"I can stabilize the piano, and make way for you, not more. Oh, and I can carry the bench that came with it, heheheh…"

"Fair enough…" She mumbled.

Trude demolished the rest of the crate, unveiling the piano wrapped in cloth, and a small bench also wrapped up for protection. She went under the piano and lifted it over her head.

"Lead the way…"

Toshiro went before Trude, warning he about any bumps that could make her trip, and carrying the bench with one arm. When they got in front of the door building, he opened the double door.

"Well, Trude, it seems like I'll have to help you after all."

"What is it? Second thoughts?"

"No, I just feel that you could drop the piano if you tilt it to fit in the doorway."

"You are a dick sometimes…"

"A helpful dick. Come on, let it down slightly."

Trude lowered the piano on her arms, and Toshiro grabbed it with his free arm. They tilted it about 30 degrees to the right and moved it through the doorway.

"Wooooooaaaah!"

They heard and ear piercing shout all of a sudden. When they turned their heads in the appropriate direction, they saw Eila with a serious case of bed hair, running all fired up in their direction.

"Is that what I think it is?!" The giddy Eila asked.

"Yes, yes, it's a piano..." Toshiro sighed. "I bought if from an old lady in Rome."

"Sanya will be thrilled!"

"Knowing Sanya she will be like "Oh… Thank you…" and that's it. Well, maybe she'll shed a tear or something…"

"You wanna fight?!"

"Hey, I'm a realist. If you would buy the piano for her, you would probably expect some…"

"Um, Toshiro, I don't want to interrupt your very interesting conversation with Eila here, but… my arms are getting numb…"

"Oh, okay. Excuse us, Eila. We have to place the piano in the common room."

Eila immediately threw her hands up and stood aside. As they passed here, she started following them. The common room didn't have a door, and the doorway was big enough for them to pass through.

The two placed the piano on the floor temporarily, and Toshiro asked, "Where should we put it?"

"I don't know…" Trude shrugged.

"Maybe there, by the wall, so Sanya will face the wall when playing?" Eila proposed.

Toshiro pictured that setting, and said, "Good idea, Eila. Come on, Trude, one last effort."

"Okay…"

They lifted the piano and placed it just as Eila wanted, slightly turned.

"Perfect!" Eila shouted in joy. "Now unpack it!"

"When did you became my superior?" Toshiro threw a snide remark.

"Oh pfff…" Eila puffed her cheeks. "But maybe you shouldn't on the other hand, Sanya will have a bigger surprise…"

Toshiro saw movement behind Eila's back, and then a small voice asked, "What surprise?"

Eila was instantly paralyzed, and Toshiro saw Sanya peeking out from behind her.

"Oh, is that… A piano?" She asked with a sleepy voice.

"I won't be telling you that black is white… Yes, it's a piano. We just lugged it in here. An old lady in Rome sold it to me."

"Oh how nice of you… Let me repay you."

"You have to be jesting… How I spend my money is my thing, and mine alone. You can repay me by playing something nice."

"Heehee, oh okay… I have to see if the piano is tuned anyway… Could you please unwrap it for me?"

"With pleasure."

Toshiro undid the cloth covering the piano, and his eyes were feasted with the view of the same gorgeous piano he saw back then on the streets of Rome.

"Oh so pretty…" Sanya gasped. "I won't just play, I will sing for you all."

"Woah! I never heard you sing!" Trude shouted surprised. "Your humming doesn't count by the way…"

"I didn't have an occasion…" She explained calmly. "Ummm… Could you get everyone here? I would like everyone to hear this, since… ummm…" Sanya's face was reddening with each second.

"You don't have to say anything more, Sanya…" Toshiro said and approached the PA panel.

He switched the channel to 'ALL' and said, "Everyone, assemble in the common room ASAP, Sanya has a performance for us. That's an order. You have five minutes."

"Isn't that a bit… against the regulations?" Trude asked.

"As if I would give a fuck… If Sanya wants to sing before everyone, she will sing before everyone, even if I have to haul everyone on my back to her."

Sanya went to the piano, and unpacked the bench. She sat on it, adjusted the height, and played a few notes.

"Hmmmm… It seems tuned rather well…"

Toshiro looked at the doorway, and saw Shirley and Francesca coming in.

"What's this about a perf… woah, a piano!" Shirley shouted. "Where'd you get that?"

"In Rome."

"Hah, not bad. You are as resourceful as usual."

Then came Erica.

"Hey bro, I was about to take a midday nap and you are spouting something about a performance by Sanya…"

"Yeah."

"Oh… A piano… Now I understand…"

The last were Perrine, Yoshika and Lynne, huffing and puffing, with Mio and Minna behind them.

"My, my, you bought a piano?" Minna asked. "I hope you didn't strain your budget."

"Forty pounds? Please…"

"You really made a bargain, Toshiro. You should have paid at least a hundred if not more."

"A True Soldier of Karlsland is always economic." Toshiro said with a smirk. "Since we are all here, everyone get seated."

The girls all sat on the couches, with Yoshika insisting that she would sit on Toshiro's lap.

Sanya looked at everyone, and she began her performance.

Oh, these gorgeous eyes, dark and glorious eyes,

Burn-with-passion eyes, how you hypnotize!

How I adore you so, how I fear you though,

Since I saw you glow! Now my spirit's low!

Darkness yours conceal mighty fires real;

They my fate will seal: burn my soul with zeal!

But my love for you, when the time is due,

Will refresh anew like the morning dew!

"Toshiro, hug me… This song is so beautiful…" Yoshika whispered.

Toshiro hugged her gently, and she pressed herself against his chest, squiggling a bit in search of the ideal position. They both listened to the rest of Sanya's song.

No, not sad am I, nor so mad am I;

All my comforts lie in my destiny.

Just to realize my life's worthiest prize

Did I sacrifice for those ardent eyes!

When Sanya stopped playing, everyone was so mesmerized that they just gawked at her silently.

"Ahem…" Toshiro cleared his throat. "Yoshika, start clapping." He whispered.

"Oh, yes!" She shouted in the total silence and started clapping.

Soon everybody started clapping, which turned into a standing ovation. Sanya looked like she was going to melt before that piano.

"Okay, okay, stop!" Eila shouted and grabbed Sanya's hand. "Sanya is too overwhelmed by such a reaction."

The clapping stopped immediately.

"Thank you, Eila…" She said silently. "Thank you, everyone… It seems you liked it…"

"In a one to ten scale that would be a strong eleven." Shirley said.

Everyone nodded to those words.

"Oh… Heehee…" Sanya giggled. "Excuse me for now, Eila and I didn't eat anything yet."

Sanya bowed slightly and went out of the room with Eila.

"Okay, show's over girls, back to work!" Mio commanded. "Perrine, Miyafuji, Lynne, follow me!"

"Yes ma'am…" The three moaned and went out of the room.

"Toshiro, why don't you do some paperwork with me?" Minna asked. "There's a fat stack of papers on my desk waiting since Monday."

"Remind me why you didn't force me to do it on Monday?"

"On Monday you didn't want to do it since you were servicing our Strikers, and on Tuesday you were just plain lazy."

"Heheheh…" Toshiro gave off a dry laugh. "Okay, let's give back the Caesar what belongs to Caesar…"

"A proper attitude for a man of your rank." Minna said mocking Perrine, making a smile appear on Toshiro's face.

They went to the office to do the paperwork until dinner, and after dinner, they resumed. It was a rather short job, because shortly after 1500, Shirley barged inside the office.

"Minna, Toshiro, come into the radar room!"

"What is it?" Minna asked.

"It seems that we are needed, come on!"

The three ran to the radar room, and Shirley pointed out the map.

"I marked the location in which we are needed. South Tirol, almost the southern border of Ostmark. They spotted some unidentified Neuroi near the great forest."

"Thank you, Shirley." Minna said in a serious tone. "Any info on the number of enemies?"

"Dozens and dozens, as the man reporting it said."

"So those are probably some drones… Okay, I'll stay back in the base, with Sanya and Hartmann. Toshiro, get everyone into gear."

"Roger."

Toshiro approached the siren control panel, and ran it for five seconds. Then he fired up the PA system and said.

"This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill. Mio, Trude, Shirley, Francesca, Eila, Perrine, Eila, Lynne and Yoshika, get into the hangar and let us go shoot some Neuroi!" Toshiro turned back. "Shirley, any more details?"

"Nope."

"Okay, then let's go!"

"Yahoo!"

They both ran down to the hangar like madmen, and saw that Eila was already there.

"Let me guess, your magic?" Toshiro asked.

"Heheh… Nah, I was just taking a stroll around…" Eila answered. "Why isn't Sanya on the mission?"

"Beats me. Go ask Minna if you feel like it."

"Heh, maybe not…"

Toshiro took all his equipment and jumped into his Striker.

"Hey, Toshiro, why don't you show me the full power of that Striker?" Shirley asked.

"I don't know…"

"Oh come on!"

"Okay… If the occasion comes…"

The girls started running into the hangar and mounting their Strikers. Mio and Trude came up to Toshiro.

"What's the plan?"

"We fly to a remote region of Venezia, near the border with Ostmark. A load of Neuroi was spotted there."

"Oh, where to?" Francesca interrupted.

"South Tirol, somewhere north-north-west of the Lago di Anterselva lake."

"Ah, then I know where that is! I can guide us there flawlessly!"

"Me too, I was there yay ago…" Mio said.

"Well, at least we'll get there, hah!"

Toshiro waited until everyone was ready, and after warming up his Strikers engine, he nodded to Mio.

"Everyone, mission start!" Mio shouted.

The Strikers roared (or whizzed in Toshiro's case), and they went off. Flying at a speed of 500 km/h they got over a large forest, with a lake on its south-east edge.

"There, that's the Lago di Angerselva!" Francesca shouted and pointed out at the enormous lake.

"You'd better look before you, Lucchini." Mio reprimanded her. "Enemy, 12 o' clock! Scramble!"

A massive swarm of octagonal Neuroi rose up from the cypress forest underneath them.

"Yuki, I think I see something in the horizon but…"

"Let's worry about it later, it seems dormant for now."

Damn it! Why did I even bother taking the cannon…

Toshiro took his MG and flew in behind Mio. He fired a burst and destroyed a Neuroi.

"Personal bodyguard, amount – one." Toshiro said with a smile.

"You know what? Good idea!"

He flew alongside Mio, plowing through the enemy ranks with like a white hot sword through a bucket of jelly. Yuki was rather lax in helping Toshiro, but every time she felt a beam is flying in Mio's direction, she slowed time and poked Toshiro in the right place. Shirley and Francesca were zipping around all over the place, not letting the Neuroi target them. Trude, as usual, akimbo wielded her MG42 and hailed lead upon the enemy. Lynne was sniping from a distance, and Yoshika was serving as her bodyguard.

Toshiro looked at how Eila fought. As usual, she didn't bother to use her shields, instead dodging all the beams in advance. When the enemy numbers thinned out, she even started to sing a song in a carefree way, dodging Neuroi and shooting back at the same time.

If rain pours from the sky, it's no big deal.

If spears pour from the sky, it's no big deal.

No matter what happens, it's no big deal.

Yoshika probably noticed it too, because she flew up to her. Using Yuki's powers, Toshiro heard the two talking.

"Eila! Not using a shield is dangerous."

"Huh? Didn't you watch carefully?"

"Huh?"

Eila flared up and started raking in some more shot downs, and when Neuroi surrounded her, she made a glamorous pose and said, "And there you have it."

The Neuroi exploded just like that.

Not bad…

He saw that Yoshika opened her mouth wide in awe.

The battle raged on for a few more minutes, when Mio commanded, "Okay, assemble everyone!"

Everyone flew to Mio's position and they assembled in a loose line formation. Mio took of her eye patch and started looking around.

"Is this all of them?" Shirley asked.

"Looks like we shot most of them down." Trude answered. "But something's odd…"

"They're all drones, we're looking for the one in command."

"So it's still operational?" Perrine asked.

"Ya sure we didn't shoot it down at some point?" Francesca joined in the conversation with a question of her own.

"Um, Toshiro… That would be a good moment to turn around… I sense some activity from that 'thing' you saw…"

Toshiro turned around and saw that the thing was quite discernible now.

"Mio, Yuki told me to turn around, in the direction of the mountains."

"Really now?" Mio asked while turning around. "But there's nothing…. Therewhatthefuck?!"

Everyone turned around in an instant. Between the mountains stood an enormous black tower, with its tip nowhere to be seen.

"What is that thing?!" Trude asked.

"It goes right up to the clouds…" Perrine said.

"Woooow…" Lynne gased.

"So that's the one controlling them?" Shirley asked.

"Toshiro, what's the maximum altitude of your Striker?"

"Dunno, but if it's basically the same construction as Trude had, I should get about seventeen thousand meters, maybe even more if I use the special feature."

"Fair enough, follow me, the rest stay here."

"Roger." Toshiro responded and they both flew away.

"Major!" Perrine shouted concerned, but it was too late already.

They started flying dead straight up.

"Toshiro, tell me when we will reach nine and a half kilometers, I have to grab on to you then."

"Why not do it now?"

"Oh pssshhh, you have a girlfriend…"

"And what's the difference when I grab you now and in…" Toshiro looked at the altimeter on the FFG-4. "Five thousand two meters?"

"You know what I mean…" Mio blushed.

"Hah, afraid that it might be interpreted as you showing weakness? Come on…"

"The girls need somebody to balance you off, Toshiro…"

"As you wish…"

After a few moments, Toshiro reported, "Mio, we are nearing ten kilometers."

"Good, let me get a hold of you."

She wrapped her left arm around his neck and said, "Now you can go full out."

"Yes ma'am!" He answered with enthusiasm and powered on, increasing the climbing rate threefold. Toshiro held his left hand high, so Mio could read out the altitude.

"Fifteen thousand… And I think I see something… A red glint… But I have to be sure, more altitude!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Oh and… You could turn the heating up…"

"Feeling a bit chilly?"

"Yes. Despite using magic, I'm starting to turn into an icicle."

"Okay then…"

Toshiro enveloped both in a thin orange layer of magic.

"Much better. Thanks." Mio said.

After a minute Mio said, "Seventeen thousand and the revs are dropping."

"Crap… Okay, I've decided… Mio, grab my FFG and pull away the safety from the button on its front side."

Mio did as she was told and asked, "Should I press the button now?"

"Yes. We should lose power instantly, but we will regain it in about five seconds."

"You sure about this?"

"Absolutely, hit it!"

Mio pressed the button and the engine shut down immediately. Toshiro felt vibrations inside of his Striker, counting down to five in his mind.

5…4…3...

They stalled and Toshiro started to lean on his back.

2…1…

And then, flames shot out of the exhaust ports, causing Mio to hold Toshiro tighter, almost suffocating him.

"Damn it, Toshiro, what's that?!"

"You see, the Jumo 022-004H Hy is a hybrid engine, a combination of the Jumo 004H and the Jumo 022 engines. When I press the button, the internal components get rearranged, the crankshaft gets disengaged, the rev limiter gets removed and my Striker turns into a full blown Jet Striker. It's a bit expensive in terms of magic cost, but not much more that the boosters I had on the Akuma."

"I see… But hopefully it's not like that shitty Messerschmitt?"

"No, it should be safer."

Toshiro climbed even faster than before, but soon his engine sputtered.

"So, Mio, how high?"

"Nineteen thousand… And I think I saw the core clearly… It's on the damn top!"

"How high is that?"

"I don't know, but my estimate is about thirty or so kilometers…"

"Gods dammit fuck… How are we going to fly that high?"

"You said something about boosters…"

"Oh… OOOOOH…. OHOHOHO! Genius! I would kiss you, but Yuki would probably zap me."

"What did I say?"

"Boosters, Mio. They run on liquid ether, not needing air to function. If only we got some like I had in my Akuma, we could destroy that core!"

"How are we going to do that?"

"I have to phone Ursula, maybe she has something in store… But… Now… Mio, did you ever fly at a supersonic speed?"

"Um… No?"

"Would you like to try?"

"Sure, step on it!"

"Hold tight! The maiden flight of the Jet Wotan!"

They were already at an altitude of seventeen kilometers by the time their conversation took end. Toshiro straightened them out into a dive and gradually accelerated.

"So this is what Shirley likes about speed, huh?!" Mio shouted through the wind swirling in their ears.

"Yeah! How fast are we going?!"

"Two thousand five hundred, altitude ten thousand!"

"How are the parameters?!"

"Temperature reaching the red zone, revs too!"

"I can do better than that!"

Toshiro pushed more magic into the turbojet engine and he had to squint his eyes because of the immense air pressure he was opposing.

"Mio!"

"Two thousand nine hundred! And we are nearing the ground! And every red zone there is on this device for that matter!"

"Roger that!

Toshiro saw that they were indeed lowering the ground, so he gently changed the approach angle to make a smooth curve, which took him two kilometers at this speed. After he finally flew straight, he raised altitude again and shouted back to Mio, "Okay, press that button again and secure it."

"Are you positive?"

"Hey, your Striker should work now, you'll slow me down if something happens."

"Okay, pressing the button!"

The engine died immediately and Toshiro's Striker was now a glider for the next five seconds. After that time, the engine started warming up, and Toshiro could fly on his own.

"So, Mio, you can let go now."

"Oh, right…"

Mio let go of him and they both flew up to the speechless crowd. Toshiro saw that Shirley was behaving a bit oddly, so he flew up to her.

"Yo, Shirley, how was it?"

"I WILL KILL YOU!" She shouted furiously, but then she cleared her throat and said. "Damn you to hell, how am I going to beat you…"

"Hey, maybe your country will start making jet Strikers soon, I'm sure they will ask the biggest speed freak on the northern hemisphere for a test run, right?"

"I suppose so… So, what the hell did Hartmann's sister mount in your Striker."

Toshiro explained how his engine worked briefly.

"Oh… I would never think about that…"

"Me neither… Anyway… Everyone, are you tired? Answer truthfully."

"Yeees…" He heard from everyone besides Mio and Trude.

"Okay then, we'll reduce our cruise speed to 300 km/h."

"Toshiro, Toshiro!"

"What's up?"

"That Neuroi tower is moving."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. But it's very slow… About 10 km/h…"

"Odd… I suppose I have to report it…"

"Anyone know if there's a military base nearby?" Toshiro asked.

"There's a naval base in Trieste on our way back. We will only have to make a slight detour."

"Then lead the way, Mio."

"Why do you need to go there?"

"I have things to report."

"Well… Fine… Everyone, on me!"

It took them a bit but they landed in the Trieste Naval Base. They were approached by a man in an officer uniform immediately after touchdown.

"Maggiore Luca Bergolini. What is the famous 501st doing in my humble base?"

"I want to use your phone, Major. And I have some intel about a peculiar Neuroi I saw north of Lago de Anterselva."

"Please then, follow me. Your friends can wait for you here, Colonnello."

"Whatever…"

Toshiro followed the man into his office, where they sat down.

"So, Colonnello, what intel do you have?"

"There's a Neuroi in the shape of a tower, about 30 kilometers high, moving at a rate of ten kilometers per hour where I told you."

"Yes… We know about it… We didn't want to bother your unit, but it seems that you already found out about it. We have a naval operation planned against it tomorrow, so if you could restrict yourself and your unit, Colonnello…"

"Fine… But when shit happens, we go in."

"Of course, Colonnello. We prepared a briefing package for you just in case." The man pulled out a fat folder out of his desk and gave it to Toshiro.

"Thank you, Major. Now about that phone…"

"Ah yes, please, use mine. I'll go get a smoke in the meanwhile."

Toshiro called the obvious person in this case.

"Hallo, Ursula Hartmann am Aparat (at the phone)."

"Hi, Ursula."

"Oh crap… Oh, I mean, hi, Toshiro."

"Expected to be berated from the start?"

"Somewhat…"

"Nah, I have to praise you, that new engine is something mind-blowing."

"I guess you used the switch, yes?"

"Yeah… Nineteen thousand meters and almost three thousand km/h are the lucky numbers for today."

"Magnificent!"

"Heh… Listen… I'm in need of reaching and altitude of over 30 kilometers and…"

"Why would you want to do that?"

"There's a bigass Neuroi with its core at that height…"

"I see… I see… Say no more, I have just the perfect solution for this. Second-generation rocket boosters, something we finished a few weeks ago. And something VERY special for you, heehee… I will be there in about thirteen hours."

"Thirteen hours?! But…"

"You'll see yourself, Toshiro, heehee… Anything else you want to ask for?"

"Nah… Have a nice day, Ursula."

"A nice day to you too, Toshiro."

Toshiro placed the receiver on the hook and went out of the office. He returned to the girls and said, "Everything set. Let's go back home. I see that the sun is going down already."

"What's that file you got there?" Mio asked.

"Intel on that Neuroi we saw. We will have to study it when we're back home."

They flew back to the base, basked in the orange-yellow sunlight of the setting sun. Toshiro saw that Eila was teasing Yoshika, but he had something else on his mind.

"I think I stumbled upon a pothole…"

"What is it, Toshiro?" Mio asked.

"There's no air at such an altitude, how will our weapons work?"

"I see where you are going at… Cordite and other chemical propellant based weapons need air to combust… But I think we have one weapon that could work."

"That is?"

"The Fliegerhammer that Sanya has. It has an oxidizer in its propellant, so it should work even underwater."

"Not bad, Mio. So we have a volunteer for the mission."

"We will also need somebody to protect her. Sanya is very vulnerable like that."

"Then maybe Yoshika could go with her? She has powerful shields, maybe mine are stronger than hers but I'd rather sit back and let Yoshika gain some experience."

"Good idea, Toshiro. We will get Miyafuji to accompany Sanya. But how will we get up that high?"

"Ursula said she has second generation rocket boosters in store for us. Maybe she can think of something up when she gets here in twelve hours?"

"Twelve hours? How the hell will she get here so fast?"

"Dunno… But at least we have most of the thinking done already."

"Yes. Oh, speak of the devil, look who came to greet us."

Toshiro looked before him, and saw Sanya flying up to Eila and Yoshika, which stopped their shenanigans.

"Oh, Sanya, what brings you here?" Yoshika asked.

"I was bored, so I thought I start my night patrol earlier."

"Oh, did you eat something?" Yoshika asked.

"Heehee, yes, thank you for caring about me."

"Sanya, your night patrol is canceled for today, we have a mission briefing after supper."

"Oh?" Sanya tilted hear head in surprise.

They returned to the base, and Mio went to the office with Toshiro. She was sitting there already on one of the newly placed chairs, and on the newly placed table, she had three cups and a pitcher.

"Please, come and have a tea." She said with a smile and pointed the chairs before her."

The two sat on it, and Minna said, "Toshiro, I have word that you have intel for us?"

"Yup. What else did you hear?"

"The statement of that Major you've met is now invalid. We are taking over this operation from the Romagnan Navy and Army. Their naval operation still stands however."

"Would you look at that…" Toshiro said surprised. "Well anyway…"

Toshiro placed the file on the table and opened it. Inside were a few reports and big pictures, which they studied carefully.

"It seems I wasn't far off with the height, hah!" Mio said. "Only off by three thousand three hundred and thirty three meters!"

"A shame we don't have a projector or something to use these slides…" Minna grumbled.

"Me too… It seems we will show the girls the photos the old fashioned way, from hand to hand." Toshiro said.

"Old doesn't mean obsolete… Anyway, I'm hungry, let's get something to eat!" Minna shouted with enthusiasm.

They went for supper, at which they didn't utter a sound. Afterwards, they gathered everyone in the common room. Mio took over the briefing job for Toshiro. Minna gave out the photos, showing the Neuroi tower.

"The photos just look like a bunch of noise to me…" Trude said.

"These photographs were made by the Romagnan Air Force spy planes this morning. This is the Neuroi we have spotted today. The estimates say that it is about 33,333 meters long."

"Over thirty thousand? Damn!" Shirley shouted.

Toshiro saw that Yoshika tried to count something on her fingers saying, "So compared to Mt. Fuji its'…"

"Toshiro, don't sleep, unfold the map." Mio scolded him.

"Yeah, yeah…"

Toshiro unfolded a map with some lined and circles drawn on it.

"This is the estimated trajectory of the Neuroi. It's slowly cruising toward Rome at a rate of 10 kilometers per hour, so if we want to nab it, we will have to do so at most until noon of the day after tomorrow."

Minna gave out another picture, depicting the top of the tower.

"The most difficult part of this operation is destroying the core. It's located right on the top of that damn thing."

"The top?" Trude asked.

"Yes. I verified it myself with the help of Toshiro."

"So how high did you two fly?" Shirley asked.

"Nineteen thousand meters was it, Toshiro?" Mio asked.

"Yup."

Toshiro saw as Shirley's face went green in an instant.

"But our Striker Units top out at ten kilometers…" Perrine said concerned.

"Right. Therefore, for this mission, we will be getting some support from Neue Karlsland. Toshiro called in to Hartmann's sister, and we will be receiving rocket boosters for our Strikers."

"So that way we can fly up to the core?" Yoshika asked.

"No, I don't think it will be that simple…" Trude answered.

"We will ask Ursula to come up with a plan on how to actually get up there, since the boosters still probably use a fuckton of magic…" Toshiro said.

"Then we should carry someone part of the way up." Trude proposed.

Toshiro looked dumbfounded at Minna and Mio and said, "Trude, I didn't knew that under all that brawn you have some brain."

"Ahahah… Wait a second, you wanna fight?!"

"Stand down, Captain Barkhorn." Toshiro commanded.

"Yes sir… Hey, you are doing it again!"

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself. But anyway… you gave me a nice idea; I will think about it and consult it with Ursula in the morning."

"In the morning? So sis is coming that fast?" Erica asked.

"Yes. She was rather cryptic on why she will be so fast though."

"Yay, sis will be here!" Erica sheered.

"But at thirty thousand meters up, there won't be any air." Shirley, on whose lap Francesca was resting, said.

"Huh?! No air?!" Francesca suddenly livened up.

"Meeeeeh… Then we won't be able to talk…" Erica said.

"Well, that's probably true." Shirley said.

"Wha?! No sound?!" Francesca livened up again.

"Such an altitude is basically unknown territory for man." Minna said. "Well, except for one." She looked at Toshiro.

"Don't look at me; I was up there for maybe fifteen seconds."

"We're Witches, Toshiro, there's nothing we can't do!" Mio said with passion. "We have already determined the one best suited for combat in that environment. Sanya, you're up."

"Huh?!" Eila almost choked on her juice.

"Your Fliegerhammer is critical to this operation." Mio explained.

"Excuse me!" Eila waved her hand in the air. "I'd like to go with her, then."

"Oh really now? Eila, have you ever used a shield, by any chance?" Mio asked.

"Shield? Pffff! I don't mean to brag, but I've never once used a shield in combat."

"Then you can't go." Mio said calmly.

"Yes, exactly." Eila nodded. "Wait, what?"

"Sorry, Eila, but your reckless combat tactics won't cut it on this mission." Toshiro explained. "We need somebody who can deploy nice and strong shields, and not only dance around the battlefield like a dervish.

"But!"

"This mission will need somebody who can adapt to a harsh environment, and who can also deal with the high magic consumption of the boosters. That means that Sanya can't protect herself." Mio explained. "We will need another person to accompany her, and Toshiro and I have determined who that will be..."

"But it's not like I can't use a shield!" Eila protested.

"But you've never done it in combat." Mio said.

"That's right." Eila answered proudly.

"Ughh…" The collective sigh of both Minna, Mio and Toshiro could be heard.

"Miyafuji, this is your time to prove your worth." Mio said.

"Oh, okay ma'am." Yoshika answered, distracted from counting something. "Huh, what?"

"You are able to deploy very strong shields, on par with Toshiro's. Who knows if actually not stronger…"

"R-right…" Yoshika said silently.

Toshiro saw as Eila snuck up to Yoshika from her side and stared at her fiercely. Yoshika must have felt that, because she turned around and almost shouted after seeing Eila with a mad look on her face.

"Wah! Eila, please! Don't look at me like that!"

Toshiro only shook his head and went his way. He decided to go to his room and read the report again. While he was doing that, the door opened and Yoshika peeked in.

"What happened to knocking, Yoshika?"

"Well, I thought we are so close that I don't need to knock…"

"I suppose you're right. What brings you here?"

"Did you really pick me for the mission?"

"Yup. I though this could be a unique experience for you."

"Well… I'm a bit scared…"

"Don't worry, fear is a natural reaction to the unknown. Only idiots don't fear anything."

"Heehee… Okay then, I'm looking forward to that mission then. I'll have a rocket booster like you had!"

"Hah! My own RPG!"

"A what?"

"Rocket Propelled Girlfriend."

"Hahahahah! Good one, Toshiro! Well, I won't interrupt you now, have a good night."

"Night, Yoshika."

"Oh, and…"

Yoshika gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"That's all?" Toshiro moaned.

"After a fast, food tastes better, Toshiro…" She said cryptically and went out of his room.

I wonder what she's implying… Oh well…

Toshiro read the report to the end and hit the hay.

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 :]