Chapter 24 – Two sweet duets

"Wake up, Toshiro, you have a Neuroi to bust today."

"Correction, Sanya has. I'm only giving her a lift."

"You don't know if you'll have to destroy a Neuroi on your own…"

"I wouldn't know…"

Toshiro stood up and went out on the balcony. The early May morning was cold, despite it being the Mediterranean. Fog was lying low over the runway and the sea, covering everything in a silver veil. Toshiro slowly stepped down the stairs and went for his usual morning jog.

Feels weird not being able to see your feet while you are running… I should go and run inside the castle before I…

Toshiro fell forward and smacked into the ground with his nose, hitting a brick that was probably made when people in northern Europe still worshipped trees.

…trip…

He stood up, and when he leaned forward, he felt pain in his nose. He touched it slightly and felt pain right away.

Ouch… And is this… Great, it's bleeding… And I don't even have a damn handkerchief to stop it… Fuck, I have to go back to my room and try to stuff the ends of a towel there…

Toshiro carefully went back to his room, and found his towel. He rolled up two corners of it and carefully stuffed them into his nostrils.

I can't just run around with a towel dangling from my nose… I'll just throw it over my head…

He walked up to the mirror and looked at himself.

The towel ends are already getting red from my blood… And now I look like a stereotypical thief from Fuso… What a fine way to start the day… I'll just fucking go to the dining room and wait for Yoshika to fix my nose…

Thus, Toshiro walked to the dining room, fetched himself a glass of water, and sulked on for the next hour.

After that time, Yoshika and Lynne slowly waltzed it, visibly groggy.

"Oh hi Toshiro… Uwaaaah… Why are you dressed as a thief?"

"Oh I don't know…" He said with a nasal voice.

"Why do you sound so funny?"

"Y-Yoshika… Could you clear your eyes?" Lynne said afraid from behind her.

"Oh… Kay, wait a second…"

Yoshika rubbed her eyes a bit and looked at Toshiro.

"Oh my! Toshiro!" She shouted and ran up to him. "What happened?!"

"I tripped…"

"After training for four months, you still do such things…" Yoshika sighed. "Can I check that snot of yours?"

"Be my guest…"

Yoshika grabbed his nose and moved the cartilage around slightly.

"Ouch…" Toshiro hissed.

"As I thought… You've broke your nose, buster. We have to set it straight before healing."

"Then do it."

"But… I don't think I'm strong enough…"

"Use your magic to simply hold it tight, I'll yank my head backwards."

"But that will hurt you even more…"

"You want a husband with a nose like an escarpment?"

"Heehee, nah… Okay, grabbing your nose…"

Yoshika grabbed his nose, and Toshiro had to endure the pain. Her animal ears showed up, and she said, "Ready?"

"Ready."

"Okay… Yank."

Toshiro did a few quick breaths and quickly pulled his head back. He felt as his nose cartilage popped in place, along with searing pain radiating through his whole head.

"Aaaaaah!" Toshiro shouted.

"Shhh, shhhh, Toshiro…" Yoshika calmed him down and started her healing magic.

Toshiro grabbed her hand and said, "Kuji, crank Yoshika's magic usage down to the bare minimum, she has a mission today."

He felt as his magic was sucked from him at an accelerated rate, but it didn't even make a dent on his reserves. The blue ball of magic faded away, as did Yoshika's dog-ears. Toshiro wanted to touch his nose, but Yoshika stopped him and said, "Na-ah! A professional has to see it first!"

Yoshika grabbed his nose gently, moved the tip a bit, nudged the base and said, "Good as new! Now to pull that towel out…"

She pulled out the towel with a plop, placed it on the floor and gave him a handkerchief.

"Blow your nose out."

"But…

"No buts. If you are worried about the handkerchief, you don't have to be. Since Britannia I'm a master of doing the laundry, so I will have this and the towel clean in a jiffy."

"Okay boss…" Toshiro grumbled and blew his nose out.

He looked at what he left on the handkerchief and shuddered.

I shouldn't have looked…

He folded the hankie and gave it to Yoshika. She took a curious look at it, and then at Toshiro. He firmly shook his head. She took another look at the hankie. Toshiro shook his head with even more resolution. Yoshika looked inside anyway, and got green on the face immediately, being a hair from regurgitating.

"Lynne… Remind me… To wear… Gloves… Hurrrrg…"

"Yoshika! Breathe!" Lynne shouted in panic.

Yoshika bent over and after a few deep breaths, she carefully placed the handkerchief on the bloody towel, as if it was a tube with the Ebola virus.

"You know what? I'll let it soak… Toshiro, can you do the sandwiches with Lynne for me?"

"Do I have any choice in that matter?"

"Not if you want to have a happy and healthy relationship with me." Yoshika stuck her tongue out in a girlish manner.

"You are worse than dysentery… I suppose I should be thankful I don't have to wash a handkerchief covered in snot and blood by myself…"

"See what sacrifices I make for you? And you're hesitating to replace me for a few minutes…"

"Okay, okay, go already, sheesh..."

Yoshika pranced out of the room, leaving him alone with Lynne.

"Soo… Toshiro… Could you get me all the stuff needed to make a sandwich?"

"What will we be using? Pastrami? Salami?"

"Salami for a change."

"Kay."

Toshiro went to the pantry next door, and after two minutes, he returned with both of his hands full of bread, pastrami, butter, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. He laid it all out on the kitchen counter, and they both began preparing the sandwiches.

"Okay, finished…" Toshiro said out aloud.

As if by use of magic, Yoshika entered the room immediately.

"Did I hear "finished"?" She asked almost authentically surprised.

"Finished, you idler."

"Hey! I did the laundry!" Yoshika pouted.

Providing a distraction, the Hartmann sisters came in, surprisingly fresh.

"Morning!" Erica cheered.

"Good morning, everyone." Ursula said more calmly.

The three that were initially in the kitchen greeted the newcomers as they sat at the table.

"What is it? A lover's quarrel since so early in the morning? You go bro!" Erica said with a caustic smile.

"Very funny…" Toshiro mumbled. "While we are talking about lovers…"

"Everything in ordnung, Toshiro." Ursula said.

"Good to hear." Toshiro said and sat at the table. "Let's wait for the rest."

The girls soon all came in. Sanya sat at the farthest point possible away from Eila, shooting lightning bolts from her eyes as soon as the latter looked at her.

After breakfast, Ursula abducted Yoshika with a lewd smile and ran away with her, leaving the stumped Erica with Toshiro.

"Bro, what is this about?"

"I don't really know, but I think that Ursula probably wants to teach Yoshika something before she leaves…"

"Teach her what?"

"Things that would make us both blush…"

"Oh… OOOOOOH…" Erica did indeed blush.

"How was the night by the way? And don't get the wrong impression from my question…"

"Heheheh… Ursula cleaned a bit around my bed, and we slept beside each other, like in good old days."

"How cute… I can't sleep with Yoshika because of stupid regulations…"

"Hey, you are the Kaiser's nephew, fuck it!"

"Erica, please… I have to keep up some reputation… If the press or my superiors get wind that I'm sleeping with Yoshika, things could go south pretty fast."

"Oh right… I never bothered about regulations myself, heheh…"

"And that's why you aren't a Captain yet, Erica. If you put your back into it, you could be the same rank as Trudy, and you could just shrug her every time she bugs you."

"Too much bother, bro… I'm off! See you at the mission start!"

"Yeah, you too!"

T minus three hours… What am I going to do? Ursula nabbed Yoshika to give her some dirty albeit purely theoretical love advice… Ah fuck, my snowsuit is a one piece… I have to tell that to Minna…

Toshiro turned around and saw Minna huddled up with Mio, Shirley and Trude. He approached them inconspicuously.

"…we will hang the… WAH, TOSHIRO!" Minna shouted surprised. "Why are you sneaking up on us like that?!"

"For fun and profit. What are you all discussing her secretly? Do we have a mason lodge in our midst?"

"No, absolutely no! We were just… discussing how we should lift all of you on the start of the mission!" Minna answered nervously.

The rest nodded nervously to Toshiro, trying to confirm her words.

"You ALL are behaving VERY strangely… But since Minna already assured me you aren't planning some assassination, I can't help to give a fuck… Just scheme in places I can't hear you, okay?"

"Okay!" Minna answered resolutely.

"Oh, and I will be using my heat magic after all, my snowsuit is a one piece, and I don't want to cut it up."

"Do whatever you like, just be decent…"

Toshiro went out of the dining room, and on outside. He turned his eyes to the north, and through the now clear air of the morning, he saw it. A black vertical line on the horizon, about sixty kilometers away.

It's coming all right… Oh, might as well check up on those mechanics…

He went down to the plane, and found them in a similar situation as yesterday. This time, they didn't even bother to interrupt their actions, however one of them approached him and said, "We want to thank you for the wine, Herr Oberst. We didn't get drunk, but it was surely a treat for our parched mouths."

"I'm happy I could help you, guys. Did you see the Neuroi tower already?"

"No, Herr Oberst."

"It's already visible in the north, be sure to take a peek before we make ground crystal out of it, heheheh…"

"We will surely do, Herr Oberst. But for now, we are bound here by order of Fraulein Ursula."

"You call her Fraulein?"

"Ah well… She treats us so nicely that we got maybe a bit too… informal…"

"Meh, I don't care. Ursula looks like she needs some warmth, she's always just number crunching and probably gets an explosion to the face every week or so…"

"I can confirm that, Herr Oberst. Fraulein Ursula regularly fumbles when doing something with prototypes, heheh…"

"Prototypes and explosions go in pair it seems… Okay, bye for now."

Toshiro exited the plane, being greeted off, and went up all the way to his room. He went out to the balcony, and jumped up on the top of the angel figure on the roof.

"I might as well look at that son of a bitch tower… Not like I have anything better to do…"

"You could always paint a wall and watch it dry…"

"Wisecrack…"

"You think I'll need to summon Aganaimaru for this battle?"

"I have a feeling that Sanya will manage."

"Huh, Sanya?"

"Well, I have nothing against her… Besides, she's a carpet muncher, so how is she a threat to your relationship?"

"You really have a potty mouth, Yuki… How would Sanya feel if you called her out like that?"

"Dunno… Should we check out?"

"Should I check out how you endure a 24 hour lockout?"

"Faggot..."

"Au contraire."

Toshiro looked at the tower for an hour or so, when he heard a voice from his transponder.

"Toshiro, where are you?"

"Up on the angel, Yoshika."

"Oh, just the place I wanted!"

"Just come up to my balcony, I'll hoist you up."

"Kay, wait a moment."

Toshiro slowly dropped from the statue to his balcony, and awaited for his girlfriend. She stormed into his room and up to him on the balcony.

"So, wanted to see the Neuroi, or just make out?"

"Not too horny for this time of the day? I just wanted to see the Neuroi from afar, before we get in close."

"Okay. Come on."

He grabbed Yoshika around the waist, and jumped op to the top of the statue.

"Yay, thank!" She cheered and looked to the north. "Woooooow… It's so far away, but I can see it perfectly…"

"You didn't get a closer look back then?"

"No, I was watching Eila as she picked up something in the forest. She gave a conifer branch to Sanya."

"Oh? Why so?"

"She said it reminded her of the Orussian tundra or something like that…"

"Quite possible…"

"I feel some bad energy between the two, Toshiro… You think it will be all right?"

"I decided not to intervene seriously for now."

"Maybe it's for the better… Some things should go at their own tempo…"

"Like you and me?"

"Yes… Like the both of us… I should thank you for not rushing things…"

"But I'm growing restless, you know? I've been getting the cold shoulder the last two days…"

"I told you already, you will get your reward soon. And I mean really soon. Not today though, that's 120% sure."

"Well, at least you gave me a rough estimate…" Toshiro ruffled up Yoshika's hair. "We should slowly start preparing, you know?"

"Naaaaaawwww…" Yoshika scurried closer and embraced him. "I want to be with you a bit longer…"

"Sure… We still have over an hour left…" Toshiro said while hugging back Yoshika.

"Hummmmmm... I always feel so warm and calm while hugging with you… Are you using your magic?"

"No. However, I suspect our familiars of influencing us a bit…"

"Oh right… They are lovers too…"

"Tell me something, Yoshika... You are behaving a bit strangely lately… No deep kisses, but you hug me as if I was about to float off from this world…"

"Hugging is always okay, Toshiro… And I really, really, really promise you, it will all be over soon."

"I hope so… Minna is also behaving strangely, and I think it's infectious…"

"That's also a secret, Toshiro. And I also promise that that will too be over soon."

"You are really causing me a headache…" Toshiro said. "Talking about heads…" He tucked his nose into Yoshika's hair and sniffed it. "Nice fragrance… You really stand up to your name, Yoshika."

"You and your flattery… Oh, I love you, Toshiro… I'm so happy we met…"

"That feeling is mutual, Yoshika. I love you more than anything else… But at the same time, I feel guilty that we are the only pair here… Well, besides Eila and Sanya…"

"We don't have more wizards, heehee… I heard the Army is rather strict about… what was it called? Fraternizing?"

"Well, they can't afford the witches, the last bastion of humanity, to get knocked up, to put it bluntly, before they expire as witches… Imagine what would happen if Mio at age 18, by some divine intervention, because such a force would be needed, got into a passionate relationship with… well, maybe not a wizard, but a mechanic or a recruit. Their relationship blossoms and they do it. Alas, Mio miscalculates her safe days, because how the fuck would she even notice, and the morning sicknesses start, she is diagnosed, it is pregnancy, a shitstorm brews etc. At least for nine months, Mio is useless, and who knows if her maternal instincts wouldn't have awakened on such a level that she would quit the Navy. Therefore, Mio's witch expectancy was shaved by at least two years, during which she could serve her country, and in turn the whole world. See where this all comes to?"

"They treat us like slaves…"

"Maybe not like slaves… Rather like every normal soldiers. You just can't, pardon my language; spread your legs. That's all."

"But I heard that sex is such a fine thing… You should know about it too well, much to my worry…"

"Yes… It's really something… And yet, you are reluctant, Yoshika."

"I have to wait for my safe days… I have to triple check, both Kuji has feel it, Yuki has to feel it, and I have to feel it. I don't want you to get into trouble, and I certainly don't want an abortion…"

"My, my…" Toshiro stroked Yoshika on her head. "My girlfriend is so self-conscious about her own body, and so considerate about me… I really won a nice prize on the carnival of life…"

"I've won the grand prize already… But I have to go now. I have to pick some clothes for the launch. What will you be wearing?"

"This. I'll just use magic to keep warm."

"But you had a snowsuit…"

"It's a whole. I don't want to rip it apart so I can fit into a Striker…"

"Oh… Well, whatever suits you…"

"Wear a few layers of clothes and a warm cap, Yoshika. It may be warm now, but in the troposphere, it's colder than on the South Pole. Of course it gets a bit warmer in the stratosphere you will be in at the end, but still, it's under sixty Celsius."

"I will. Bye for now!"

"Bye…"

"Feeling it?"

"More like smell it. Estrogen, progesterone, etc. Kuji has a better overview, since he can tap into her body directly, and taste it."

"Yuck… That sounds… visceral…"

"Oh don't worry, I'm speaking figuratively. And you, sir, at least wear a damn scarf."

"Afraid I might get a cold?"

"You'll at least look somewhat prepared. And pull out that long sleeved uniform top. And gloves."

"Okay mom…"

Toshiro did as Yuki told him, and the clothes lied down on his bed in an orderly manner.

"It's a bit too early to pull them on; it's like twenty degrees Celsius outside."

"Then wait, sheesh… Oh, go to the hangar with those clothes and wait."

"And give the girls a free strip session?"

"Pfeh, of course! Let them run off some steam before the mission! You are their boss after all!"

"Ugh…"

Toshiro went down to the hangar with a handful of his clothes, and saw that Ursula and her men were bustling around, tinkering with the Strikers and assembling something.

"Ah, Toshiro! How are you doing before the mission?"

"Fine. Did you brainwash my poor girlfriend enough?"

"Oh…. Eheheh... She is a very good listener…"

"Heh… Thanks, Ursula. I have the feeling she is doing this just for me…"

"Maybe… Who knows?"

"Is that the thingie we will be riding on you are assembling?"

"Yes, precisely. It's made out of hollow aluminum rods, so it's weighs almost nothing."

"But still, it has to hold the weight of about, what, five hundred kilograms?"

"Give or take. But it will handle it. And I guess Gertrud could lift you all alone, but she doesn't have the Me 262 to deliver the thrust…"

"Somebody has to do the dirty work… Okay, you go on, I'll just dwindle my thumbs waiting for the rest here."

"I don't need anything from you, so you can do that…"

"As if you could order me…" Toshiro pouted. "

Ursula giggled and went back to work. Toshiro sat behind the table and took a nap.

As usual, somebody woke him up by poking him in the ribs. Toshiro opened his eyes and saw Yoshika smiling from behind a big box with clothes.

"You are really a sleepy head lately…"

"I have the liberty to do so, heheh…"

"Pfff…"

Toshiro stood up and saw that the rest was also slowly gathering. Lynne brought a boiling kettle and a dozen of cups filled with some brown-white mixture on a white platter. Every single piece of china was marked with the badge of the 501st, since Minna fancied it so.

"Okay girls, put on your clothes!" Mio commanded. "Everyone already took a pick, so no fussing or fighting over who takes what!"

The girls started slowly taking clothes from the box, and soon everyone who was to be in stage 2 and 3 was clad like Inuit's going for a hunt.

"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuh… It's so hooooot…" Francesca mumbled.

"You'll be cold soon enough." Shirley said as she pulled ear warmers out of the box. "Here."

She put them on Francesca's head, and she made an expression as if it was a steaming dung pile.

"Waaah! Hoooot!"

"Hey, Toshiro…" Trude said sneaking up on him. "Why don't you switch those clothes of yours, huh?"

"Okay."

Toshiro stood up, and everyone started looking at him. He made a smug face, and dressed using time magic.

A collective moan of disappointment ran across the room, and Trude even slapped him on the back of his head.

"Trude… Did you just attack a superior officer?" Toshiro said with an emotionless voice.

"Damn well I… oh fuck… I'm so sorry, Herr Obert!"

He turned around, and with a smile he said, "Gotcha."

"Aaaaaargh! I fell for it again!" Trude shouted.

Everyone had a hearty laugh, and afterwards Lynne said, "Please, everyone, this is ginger tea. I tried to make it as sweet as possible… It's supposed to warm you up."

They all took a cup, and Toshiro saw all the same reactions as when they drank lamprey oil in Britannia.

Shirley with an 'I'll puke, but I will drink it' face, Mio stern as usual, Erica fussing and nagging, Trude moralizing her, Eila and Sanya drinking it silently, Perrine almost in a catatonic state, Francesca doubling for Erica, this time not wanting to see anyone's tongue, and Minna wanting another cup.

"Not half bad… But the sugar ruined it to be honest…"

Ursula approached them and asked, "Everyone ready?"

"Affirmative." Minna said. "Everyone, mount your Strikers!"

"Roger!"

They all ran jumped into their Strikers. Toshiro saw that the conical construction was moved to the end of the runway. One of the mechanics had signal flags, and stood in the center of the hangars exit. He signaled 'Prepare for taxiing'.

The engines of the Strikers roared, and Toshiro's turbojet engine finished warming up.

The man signaled them to start moving, and Minna doubled that order verbally. Slowly they approached the end of the runway, on which the construct was placed.

"Okay, everyone, Stage 1 team should pick up the construction." They heard Ursula in their intercoms.

"Trude, Mio, Erica, Shirley – into positions." Minna commanded.

They formed a circle around the cone, and Ursula followed with instructions.

"Now, Stage 3 team, climb to the top."

Sanya and Yoshika slowly rolled up, and they were hoisted to the top of the cone.

"Now, Stage 2 team, mount the center position."

Toshiro and Francesca, Lynne, Eila and Perrine climbed up.

"Stage 2 and 3; disengage safety from your boosters."

Toshiro and the girls flipped all the switches necessary for enabling the functioning of the boosters.

"Stage 1 team, lift up the cone."

Toshiro felt a small judder, and they were now lifted up on a height of one meter.

"Countdown läuft! Zehn, neun, acht, sieben, sechs, fünf, vier…

The Stage 1 team started revving up the engines, enveloping everyone in a cloud of smoke.

"Drei, zwei, eins… Abschuss!"

He felt as they lifted up from the runway. Steadily rising, they reached the designated altitude of ten thousand meters, as Toshiro saw on the FFG.

"Stage 2, enable boosters!"

After the sound of twelve switches clicking, ten HWK 109-503 KsMa and two HWK 109-509 E-1 Ma liquid ether booster engines spat fire in a deafening roar, giving off a combined thrust of 120 kN. They accelerated at a blinding speed and Ursula's next command reached them in less than twenty seconds.

"Stage 2, detach! Stage 3, fire up the boosters, and good hunt!"

"Time for me, Yoshika! Keep your aim true, Sanya!"

Toshiro started freefalling down with the rest, closely observing Eila. She had a stubborn look on her face, keeping her eyes on Sanya and Yoshika. Suddenly, she slowly started moving her hands to the control switches of the boosters.

Oh no you wont!

Toshiro, with the help of Yuki's magic rushed up to Eila, pushed her hands aside slightly, pulled out the pins on the 'eject' switches, did something with Eila's transponders, turned his own engines to hover mode, put his fingers on the switches and resumed the normal time flow.

Eila's hands moved down, and touched his. She startled a bit, but then she said, "Toshiro, I have to…"

"You have to what? Go and beat up Yoshika and try to protect Sanya with your circus grade maneuvers?"

"I can do it, Toshiro. Please, trust me!"

"Such last second changes are most unwelcome, Eila. How can I trust you to protect Sanya? My Yoshika can probably do that better than you with her eyes closed… And besides, Sanya doesn't want to have anything in common with you after yesterday…"

"NO! I will protect Sanya! I love her more than anything else in the world! I love her more than my own life! I will protect her no matter the cost! Sanya! Do you hear me!? I love you! Forgive me for yesterday! I will change! I will listen to you! I will stop being so childish! If its true love you want, I will give it unto you!"

"Eila…"

"You heard me…" Eila said shocked.

"Of course. Your transponder is on…"

"Wha… Toshiro! You damn… bastard…" Eila said with tears in her eyes.

He saw that Yoshika was descending to them, which Eila didn't yet notice. He grabbed Eila around the waist, and set his jet booster to full power with the auxiliary chamber.

"Waaaah!" Eila screamed as she was yanked up suddenly. "So… You…"

"Look up, you twit…"

Eila looked up and saw Yoshika diving to her with her hand extended.

"But… Miyafuji…"

"Eila! Come on!"

"I really… don't…" Tears started to fall from Eila's eyes.

"Just thank her afterwards. And stop calling her Miyafuji."

"Kay…"

"Up you go!"

Toshiro threw Eila upwards. She grabbed Yoshika's hand, and they started rising to Sanya.

My dear Yoshika… It seems that she is still as altruistic as ever…

The two managed to fly up to Sanya, and Yoshika started falling down slowly, straight into Toshiro's arms.

"Upsie Daisy!" Toshiro said when he caught her. "You really are something, Yoshika…"

"Well… I can't stand in the way of love…"

"Heheh… Let's have a watch…" Toshiro said and switched the booster to hover mode.

Sanya and Eila leveled with the core. It unraveled itself, creating four tentacle like growth with red tops, like some squid from Hell. The whole tower suddenly turned read, and beams started focusing on the core. The Neuroi fired a massive beam at the pair, but to everyone's surprise, Eila split it with a shield she conjured up from her left hand, while holding Sanya with her right. When the beam finally weakened, Sanya finally pulled up the Fliegerhammer, and fired a deadly salvo at the core, creating a violent explosion. For a second, Sanya was swept away by the force of the blast, but Eila managed to keep hold of her, shielding them from the rest of the explosion.

They both embraced themselves tightly, and their lips started coming together. Toshio peeked at Yoshika, who was all giddy, and looking at the two like at a good movie. Toshiro grabbed her and started diving.

"Heeeeeeey!" Yoshika protested.

"Let's give that sweet duet a bit of privacy, Yoshika…"

"Oh… Okay…"

"As compensation, I'll give you a super speed dive, okay?"

"I'm excited! Step on it!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Toshiro gave full force of both the combustion chambers of the booster, which almost toppled them midair because of the sudden acceleration.

"Weeeeeee! This is so faaaaast!"

"I can be even faster!"

Toshiro watched at the altimeter, and when the altitude was under eighteen kilometers, the Strikers own engine started working. Toshiro pushed it to the limits and they were flying at a stunning speed of three thousand three hundred thirty three kilometers per hour.

"Weeeheee!" Yoshika squealed.

This speed had only one drawback – Mother Earth would come and greet them fast, so Toshiro started decelerating at an appropriate altitude. He flew down in a gentle arc, and landed on the bases runway, where Ursula, her men and the rest of the girls were already waiting.

"Toshiro, what the hell was up with Eila?" Mio asked just as he stopped.

"She grew a pair and finally confronted Sanya after they had a fallout."

"Makes sense… But she still should be punished for going against the plan."

"I leave it up to you, or Minna. I don't have the heart to punish those lovey-dovey's. But postpone whatever punishment you have in mind until tomorrow at least."

"Oh okay…"

Toshiro looked down and saw that Yoshika was still clinging up to him.

"Hey, Yoshika, we are on the ground already."

"Oh, okay… I got a little… Sidetracked…"

Yoshika jumped off him onto the runway.

"Oh, they are coming!" Shirley shouted.

Everyone's gazes wandered over in the direction, which Shirley pointed out. Eila and Sanya were approaching to land, holding hands. After touchdown, and when they taxied to them, everyone started applauding them loudly.

Now, even Eila looked like a mass of molten glass, ready to melt and hide in the cracks of the runway. The whole lot taxied into the hangar, and stowed away their Strikers. Eila and Sanya immediately ran off, not being stopped by anyone.

"My, my… Those two are really going from hot to cold and back forth…" Minna sighed. "Ursula, you will be leaving now, right?"

"Yes. After we collect all the boosters, we will be going back."

"Aww, so no boosters for me?" Toshiro asked disappointed.

"No. This was just a prototype. It wasn't tested in the long run, and I can't risk another impaling because of faulty equipment…"

"Nah, to be honest, I don't want it. Too much is too much, and they overheat fast."

"Heehee… Excuse me for now, I have work to do."

Ursula went her way, and before Toshiro could make a move, Minna seized him by the collar and said, "And where are you going? There's a fat report to be written…"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Damn it to hell… Sometimes I regret taking this position. Oh wait; I was forced to take it. After you then, Minna…" Toshiro sighed.

Yoshika looked at him with sad eyes as she went past her.

"Maybe later, Yoshika…"

They went into the office, and Toshiro started writing a Karlsland Grade report, so nobody would have a doubt about what happened. It took him some time, but after he finished, it was already time for dinner.

As he and Minna went to the dining room. The first thing that he noticed was that Eila and Sanya were seated VERY close to each other, as if they say on one chair. The other was the absence of Ursula.

"Where's Ursula?" Toshiro asked.

"She went back home…" Erica mumbled.

"She didn't even say goodbye… Meh, it can't be helped."

Dinner passed, and Toshiro was nabbed by Trude to do archive work until it went dark. After supper, he said to himself, "This time I'm going out with Yoshika!"

He didn't need to beg her, because she gladly accepted. They walked along the bridge and to the beach. They sat on the sand and watched the moonlit Adriatic Sea.

"So peaceful… I guess it's true that there's also a calm after the storm…" Yoshika said.

"Yeah…"

"Say, Toshiro… If I were to lose my magic abilities one day, what would you do?"

"I would protect you with triple the might."

"I'm glad to hear that…"

Suddenly, Toshiro felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder blade and he fell down on the sand.

"Toshiro? Toshiro!" Yoshika shouted in panic.

He looked at the place where the pain was radiating from, and saw a cylindrical shaped object, like an enlarged arrow shaft, all black and red, sticking out of his body.

"Toshiro! What…"

"GREETINGS-CHOSEN-ONE." A metallic voice rang in his head.

"NEUROI!" Toshiro yelled furiously and started getting up. "Show yourself!"

From the water before him, a humanoid shape Neuroi slowly emerged. A vision slit like shape glowed red in the darkness from the spot where it's face should be.

"What do you want from me you abomination?!"

"IT-SEEMS-OUR-OBELISK-DIDN'T-SUCCEED-AND-WE-SPECIALLY-CHANGEDT-HE-COURSE."

"What do you want from me?!"

"WE-HAVE-A-LAST-OFFER-FOR-YOU-ASSIMILIATE-WITH-US."

Toshiro looked shocked at the Neuroi, but then something unexpected happened. He felt that someone yanked the pistol out of the holster on belt.

"You… You monster! How dare you wound my Toshiro?!" Yoshika shouted angrily and started shooting the Neuroi.

The bullets were as effective as a mosquito biting a whale, but they had one effect, the Neuroi firing a beam at Yoshika. She barely made it with the shield, so that she was pushed back several meters and fell on the grass behind the beach!

"Yoshika!" Toshiro yelled and ran to her. "Yoshika, are you okay?!"

"Yeah… But we need you treated…"

Toshiro started laughing nervously.

"A-LAUGH? IS-YOUR-BRAIN-INTACT-HUMAN?"

"Hahahaha! Oh Neuroi… You just fucked yourself out of negotiations. Now please… DIE!"

Toshiro rushed at the Neuroi with blinding speed and sent it flying with a mighty uppercut.

He raised his hands into the air and started shouting with a voice clear as a cathedral bell.

"Spirits of the miko priestesses! Hear me out!"

Suddenly green particles started swarming around Toshiro, and two magic circles appeared, one under Toshiro, one over him, a few kilometers above, spinning in different directions, both bigger than the island that the base was built on.

"Grant me my wish to protect! To protect the ones I love! To protect the innocent and the weak!"

The particles started circulating in an orderly manner, and the magic circles started constricting.

"Join my battle once again! Gain shape once again, as the Blade of Redemption! The Crimson Atom Splitter!"

The ground started shaking as the particles started gather tightly around Toshiro.

"Come forth! I summon you, ad maiorem dea gloriam! Heed your masters' call! AGANAIMARU!"

A flash blinded Toshiro and any possible spectator. Toshiro felt it. That mass. That shape. That cold, ruthless blade. He regained vision quickly and looked at Yoshika. Her eyes the size of plates were proof enough she paid attention.

"Just a minute, dear." Toshiro said to her.

"Okay…" She answered with a distant voice.

Toshiro coiled up, gathering every ounce of magic energy in his body and jumped. With the Sacred Flame active, he looked like a rising star, flying towards the red dot of the Neuroi. The Neuroi stopped, and started gathering energy for a devastating attack.

"YOU-HUMANS-ARE-ALL-ALIKE. BUT-EVEN-YOUR-GODS-WONT-HELP-YOU-NOW!"

"Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo!"

The Neuroi fired a beam wide as a barn. Toshiro couldn't dodge it in any way, so he took a chip of Mio, and simply cut through it. He was only a few meters away from him and shouted, "Hachiken Rondo!"

Eight octagonal shields appeared around the Neuroi. Before each shield was a copy of Aganaimaru formed out of pure magic. Toshiro bounced off the first shield grabbing the spiritual sword, and lunged horizontally, cutting through the Neuroi. He delivered seven more cuts, each faster and harder. A trail of magic followed him, so at the end, one could see a glowing octagram. After the last cut, Toshiro jumped above the Neuroi, which was twitching and falling apart already.

"You will never win! I will make sure, that every fucking Neuroi on this planet will perish! IAI REPPUZAN!"

Toshiro summoned Aganaimaru and drove a vertical cut through the Neuroi, landing on the beach below in a split second. He dispelled the sword, and the flash of an explosion lit up his the vicinity. The immense bang it caused took nine second to travel down to Toshiro's ears.

He grabbed the rod, which was still in his body and yanked it out.

"Owwwww… Aaaaaa… Shit… It hurts…"

He saw Yoshika running up to him, as well as several other of the girls behind her. His legs became weak, his vision slowly darkened, and he fell on the soft sand.

Next chapter y'all! Wait for it!

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 :]