Chapter 37 – Petrolheads
Oh bother… Yoshika really didn't come… I kind of hoped she would get that subtle subliminal messaging, but nope… But I don't blame her, she really looked tired, and I doubt she would have energy for snuggling. Or something more, heheh… So today's the race... Not bad, at least I'll have something to do… Shirley will be gung ho to win it, but I don't give a fuck, I'm just there to help her in a pinch. And I can't wait to see her squeal once she sees the Shinden, heheheh…
Toshiro stood up, but when he opened the door, he saw Yoshika.
"Whaa…"
"Oh no you don't!"
She dragged him inside and threw him on the bed.
"Snuggle time!" She shouted
Fifteen minutes later, they were lying beside each other on the bed.
"Nice surprise, Yoshika… But did you have to wake up so early in the morning to do some snuggling and… additional service?"
"I woke up early because I felt like it. I was really tired yesterday, but now I'm okay. But Lynne is still sleeping, snoring even, heehee…"
"So if you're so energetic… Maybe some morning jogging? Mio's jaw would drop and bruise her legs, heheh…"
"Hmmmm… Okay! I want to get on her better side anyway, maybe she'll teach me some secrets, heehee…"
"Come on then."
They ran out of the castle and to the beach where Mio was usually training. After she spotted them, she indeed open her mouth in surprise.
"The world must be ending…" She said. "Or you two are just pulling my leg."
"The latter, Mio. Want to join us?"
"Only if I can set the tempo."
"Be my guest."
"Heheh… Miyafuji, today, you will cross the gates of hell…"
Yoshika gulped and looked at Toshiro.
"Sorry, your knight in shining armor will help a well-endowed maiden ride her fiery chariot today. I won't be your Vergil, Danteshika."
"Oh pfff… I can train on my own…" Yoshika pouted.
"No blabbering, running time!" Mio shouted.
"Yeees…" Yoshika sighed.
After doing the usual route, the three ended up in the dining room.
"I'm not ready for this…" Yoshika moaned and slumped down on a chair.
"What… is… it… Miyafuji? Too hard?" Mio said between breaths.
"Mio, you know that we ran at a speed that could guarantee us a new record in a marathon?"
"Yes."
"And you did it on purpose?"
"Yes. If Miyafuji can't keep up, what point is there to train her sword techniques?"
"Well still, Yoshika made a bit of progress, you know? Last time she fell flat after half the distance."
"True, true… I'll tell you both something – if Miyafuji masters the Unyou, and can run a full marathon, I'll start teaching her the Reppuzan."
"I agree." Toshiro said.
"Hmmm… Okay, I accept the challenge." Yoshika said.
"A good first step, Miyafuji. The second one would be fetching us all some water. Properly hydrating the organism is also a vital part of training."
"Yes!" Yoshika said energetically and ran to the kitchen.
"Yoshika is so gullible sometimes…" Toshiro sighed. "Don't exploit that, Mio, or I'll punch you in the face."
"Hey, I'm right about the water…"
"Yes you are. But really, you think she could pull off a Reppuzan?"
"I doubt she can do before fall, or even winter, but… she could do it, I believe in her."
"It's reassuring to hear you speak about Yoshika like that."
"Yeah, yeah, I know where you're going at… You see…"
"Ahem…" Toshiro mumbled.
Mio looked around and saw Yoshika approaching with the water.
"Fresh and cool tap water!" Yoshika cheered.
They guzzled it down in silence, with Mio giving Toshiro a thankful look.
"Hmmm… I should go and wake up Lynne… Can I?" Yoshika asked.
"Go." Mio said.
Toshika left the room, and Mio said, "Why warn me about Miyafuji standing behind me? You probably want her to be recognized by me, right?"
"I want you to tell it to her directly, not for her to eavesdrop on you."
"Oh… Well, you are right… Don't worry, Toshiro, I will give praise where praise is due. I just have a high threshold set, that's all."
"A good deed done, I can go to sleep again heheh… By the way, you should let her practice with the Shinden, so she gets the grip of her new capabilities."
"Why not sword training?" Mio asked.
"The link between me, Yumemaru and Yoshika can only be maintained at five kilometers in a straight line."
"I see… Well okay, we'll make another mock battle today, I'm dying to see the results."
"I bet a 2:1 for Yoshika."
"Not a flawless victory? What boyfriend are you?" Mio asked sarcastically.
"I'm a realist. Yoshika will probably forfeit the first round, because she'll have troubles controlling the Shinden. But afterwards, she'll get revenge for the day before yesterday, heheheh…"
"I'll say straight win for Miyafuji."
"Now you're unreasonable, Mio.
"I'll motivate her so hard, that she won't give Perrine breathing time."
"Wanna bet?"
"Ten pounds say it's going my way."
"You're on."
They shook hands. Lynne and Yoshika went inside the room.
"Good morning Toshiro, Miss Sakamoto." Lynne said.
"Morning." They both answered.
"Okay now… I'm leaving you all for now, I have something to do…" Mio said and left.
Breakfast soon began. During it, Shirley said to Toshiro, "Hey, T-man, we're leaving after breakfast, so get ready."
"I can go like I'm here now."
"Good. Traveling light is something you should do today, heh…"
"Oh, so it's today already? I'm rooting for you, bro!" Erica cheered.
"I'm just deadweight, Shirley will be driving."
"I have a feeling you'll be needed…" Eila said. "I did some card reading, and you should watch out."
"I'll take your warning with a pinch of salt, Eila…"
"Or a whole fucking bag of it…" Trude mumbled.
"Shut up! My predictions are…mostly…accurate!"
"Yeaaaah… That one time you said it would be sunny the next day. I did the damn laundry, and left it to dry for the night. Next day – boom, fucking thunderstorm!" Trude shouted with just rage.
"Not my fault…" Eila pouted.
"Girls, girls… Quiet…" Minna calmed them down. "That was three years ago…"
Both of them puffed their cheeks like small children.
"My, my… Like kids…" Minna sighed.
Breakfast ended, and Shirley went to the hangar with Toshiro. Just as Toshiro predicted, Shirley ran up to the Shinden first she saw it.
"Woooah! What is it? Whose is it?! How fast?!"
"Calm down, Shirley… This is the J7W1 Shinden. It's Yoshika's new prototype unit and… heheh… I saw Yoshika go about… give-or-take… circa about… 0.97 Mach."
"You're shitting me! Yoshika going so fast?!"
"Yuhum."
"I want to fly this!"
"Ask Yoshika."
"First thing I'll do after we return!"
"Save your energy for the race…"
"Ah, yes… Well, come on, we have to pack the spare tires and fuel, and go to the start line north of Pescara."
"Don't you think we have enough fuel for ten laps and the way home?"
"I reckon we will have fuel for about eight laps. We didn't go serious on the engine, remember?"
"Ah, right… Well, let's do it!"
They packed the cans into the boot, and tied down two wheels to the boots cover.
"Done and done." Shirley said. "Well, time for us, Toshiro. Forward onto victory!"
"Uh… Hurray… I guess…"
"Your lack of enthusiasm is debilitating…"
"All the more to fire you up, heheh…"
"Shiiiirleeey! Toshiroooo!" Francesca's voice rang across the hangar.
Before Shirley could spot her, the little Romagnan was already grabbing Shirley's ample bosom.
"Good luck, Shirley!"
"And you have to wish me luck by grabbing my hooters?"
"You could die, and this would be the last time I could grab them…" Francesca said in a melodramatic way.
"Hahahah! You always find a way to excuse yourself…" Shirley patted Francesca on the head. "Wish Toshiro good luck too."
"Of course I will!" Francesca cheered and jumped up to Toshiro.
He could feel the pressure of her small lips on his right cheek.
"A kiss from a fair maiden, heehee!"
"Fair in what way?" Toshiro asked, causing them all to laugh.
After calming themselves down, Shirley and Toshiro jumped into the car. Toshiro's foot bumped into something. He picked it up, and it turned out to be the Shirley's 'survival kit'.
"You never know…" Shirley winked and started the engine.
The paddock was bustling with people. With a total of fifteen registered participants, of course not counting their co-drivers, mechanics and next of kin, it was a really crowdie place. Shirley drove up to the third-to last spot. Immediately a man well in his forties approached them with a clipboard.
"Ah yes, Colonello Edelweiss and Miss Yeager?"
"Yes." They both confirmed.
"Welcome to the Gran Premio di Pescara Edizione Speciale. We hope you will have a good time."
The man left them, and a young Romagnan approached them.
"Alberto, the caretaker of your hmm… place. If there's anything to take care of while you are out racing, I'm the one to do it."
"Take care of one of our spares and one jerry can. We'll take the others with us." Shirley said.
"Si."
He approached the car, took out a can out of the booth and unstrapped a wheel. He laid it on the ground behind the car, and stood by it with a fierce face.
"Well, at least it's guarded…" Toshiro said.
"Toshiro?" He heard a familiar voice behind him.
He turned around, and saw four witches, all known to him.
"Anne? Karen? Godfrey? Gentile? What are you all doing here?"
"Racing!" Anne shouted.
"Well, us two aren't racing." Karen said.
"We are in charge of aerial security." Anne said.
"The two behind us are racing… Oh, is that…"
"Miss Shirley!" Anne and Karen both shouted, and ran up to Shirley.
"Ohoho! The twins! How are you doing?"
"Fine!"
"Splendid!"
"Good, good. But why are YOU two taking care of 'aerial security' as you so nicely said? Our damn unit is only a few kilometers from here!"
"Maybe because we're the unit indigenous to this country…" Anne pondered.
"Well, whatever… What are YOU TWO doing here?!" Shirley pointed her finger at Godfrey and Gentile.
Gentile popped a gum bubble and said, "Racing."
"No shit? I thought you were here to show off with your lover." Shirley replied sarcastically.
"Lover?" Toshiro asked.
"Ah, yes. You see, those two are lovey-dovey's, even bigger than you and… you know who, or Eila and Sanya. And they aren't a bit ashamed of it."
"Dominica doesn't have to be ashamed of me!" The Liberian in question shouted. "Right?"
"Yup, Jane." She replied. "So… Yeager… Is this your car?"
"Yes! Toshiro and I made it from a Bentley 4 ½ Liter."
"Impressive… What engine did you put inside?"
"A Bentley 5.4." She replied proudly.
"Even more impressive… You know what?"
"What?"
"That's exactly what we put in our car."
"Whaaaaaat?!"
"To add to it, we used the same chassis as you."
"Impossible!"
"Very much possible. So what do you say, Yeager, a friendly bet?"
"What's the bid?" Shirley asked.
"Ten thousand lire."
"A hundred pounds… Toshirooo?"
"You're on your own here, Shirley. I gave you enough money."
Toshiro looked at him, then at Dominica, back to Toshiro, to Dominica, and repeatedly like that five more times.
"I accept!" She shouted.
"I knew you would." Dominica said. "Colonel, I wish you luck, you'll both need it."
"Likewise, Captain."
Dominica and Jane went their way.
"We have to go too." Anne said.
"Have fun!" Karen cheered.
The two ran away behind their comrades.
"It seems you know the two…" Toshiro threw a remark.
"Uh, God Almighty… We were in one boot camp…"
"Say no more."
"Let's see their car, huh?"
"We could…"
Toshiro and Shirley followed the Liberians, and saw them stopping at a car almost identical to theirs. Almost.
"Pffffffhaaahahahahahahaha!" Shirley fell on the ground and started rolling while laughing her ass off.
The car was painted fluorescent pink. It shone so brightly in the morning sun that Toshiro had to squint his eyes.
"I-I-I can explain!" Jane shouted.
"Please… Do… Or I'll burst into laughter myself…" Toshiro chuckled.
"There was a mix-up and we had this paint delivered. Since we were short on time, we decided to use it. The only alternative was white…"
"You could have gone with white, really…"
Jane sighed and said, "We should've… And we ordered such nice olive drab paint… Ehhhh… Scoop that redhead from the floor, and leave us, we have to prepare…"
Toshiro took the still laughing Shirley under his arm and went back to their spot.
"Ooooo… Hooo… Hooo… Ehhhh… Oooof…" Shirley calmed herself down. "We should do a last checkup too, there's only five minutes left."
After a brief checkup, speakers mounted everywhere woke up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please proceed to the start line in an orderly manner, accordingly to your numbers. We will now do a qualifying lap to assess the starting positions."
"Time for us, Shirley."
"Let's make a record here!"
When the results came in, Shirley spouted such foul curses, as if she was the daughter of a gravedigger and a shoemaker, and she herself was working as a sailor.
"One second behind those two pink… Uggggh!"
"Don't worry, Shirley… We are, only a car length behind them on the start line, we can still make it…"
"Yeah, yeah… Ughhh… The two are coming here…"
"Well, well!" Dominica shouted. "Not half bad! But we won't give an inch in the race itself, nu-uh!"
"The track was more worn out in the dirt sections, because we were starting from the thirteenth position… You had an almost ideal surface…" Shirley pouted.
"Maybe… I hope you have that money on you, because I won't let you go, hahah!"
"Likewise, Gentile…" Shirley mumbled.
The two Liberians went to their car.
"Shirley, Shirley… Don't get down so easily, you can beat them!" Toshiro tried to cheer her up.
"Well, we are starting just behind her… Yeah, you're right! No time for pouting, go me!"
"That's the spirit!"
"All drivers, assemble at the starting line accordingly to the results." The speakers said.
"Ready, Shirley?"
Shirley put her arm in her cleavage, and pulled out her Alkion Racing Special goggles. She put them on and shouted, "Ready!"
Nice capacity…
Nine laps – so much did the fight between Dominica and Shirley last. The other cars were just pushovers compared to these two. Already after a lap they were over ten second ahead the rest of the participants. Nobody gave in, not for a second. About lap eight, a peculiar sight unfolded. Both Jane and Toshiro crawled out of the cabins, and jumped back to the boot. After opening them, they took out jerry cans, and started refueling.
"Nice weather we have today, huh?" Toshiro said.
"Yeah, perfect for mid-race refueling!" Jane answered and started laughing.
Suddenly, the car jumped up on a bump. Jane was thrown to the back, and everything pointed out to the fact that she will fall out. Toshiro didn't want to calculate the odds – he simply jumped forward to their car, and held Jane back.
"Waaah! T-T-T-Thanks!" She stuttered. "That was close…"
"No problem. Be more careful the next time."
"I will…" She mumbled.
Toshiro jumped back to Shirley's car.
"Ho ho! A knight in shining armor made his entrance!"
"Ha ha…" Toshiro laughed sarcastically.
"Don't be so grumpy, it's nice of you to help her…"
Lap nine begun with a surprise that everyone would have liked to avoid.
"Toshiro, Shirley, do you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Minna." Toshiro answered, because of course Shirley didn't bother to take a transponder.
"There's a Neuroi coming towards Pescara, be wary! I know that the twins are hired as security, but don't let your guard down."
"Roger. I'll be vigilant."
"What is it, Toshiro?" Shirley asked.
"A Neuroi is coming our way. I hope the girls will make short notice of him…"
"Crap… And we only have two handguns with us…"
"I'll contact the twins to see if they are aware." Toshiro said. "Anne, Karen?"
"We know already, Toshiro." Anne said.
"We are already airborne, scanning the perimeter." Karen said.
"Good. Toshiro out." He said and turned to Shirley, "They're on it."
"Swell. I hope it doesn't…"
A beam suddenly shot in the ground before the car.
"What the fuck?!" Shirley shouted.
"Your hopes just got crushed, Shirley!" Toshiro shouted and looked up.
A barrel shaped Neuroi was hovering over them. Toshiro raised his shield over the car just in case, but this time it didn't attack them. It attacked Dominica and Jane. The latter didn't think about pulling a shield, so the beam smoldered the front-right axle, ripping the wheel off. Thankfully, the car didn't tumble, as it just plowed the ground in front of it and stopped.
"Ha! Hahahahahah!" Shirley laughed maniacally. "They're out of the race!"
"Oh shush, Shirley! Time to pull that thing down from the sky before it follows us to a bigger village!"
"Take my gun!" She shouted.
"Are you sure? You should be the first one to shoot it…"
"Fuck this shit, just rip that Neuroi a new one! It just came to me that the bet will be now forfeit…"
"Aaaah, so that's what pains you…"
Another beam was fired by the Neuroi, but Toshiro reflected it off. He pulled out Shirley's novelty Colt 1911. He pulled out the mag.
Full.
He snapped it back, and pulled the slide. Then he pulled out his Red 9, and pulled the cocking mechanism.
"There's no kill like overkill!" He shouted and activated the Sacred Flame.
Instead of outright shooting the Neuroi, he stuck the pistols behind his belt and summoned Aganaimaru. With a swift wrist flick he pulled off a Rending gale, which cut off a third of the Neuroi. Then, he pulled out the pistols, and started akimbo shooting supercharged bullets. The sound that the pistols made were comparable to two linked Bofors cannons. The barrage of 9mm and .45 bullets ripped the Neuroi like Helvet cheese, but the core was still undamaged. Toshiro was about to reload, but then he saw the girls zooming in and firing a barrage at them. The Neuroi started slowly regenerating, but that was its swan song.
The girls clapped their hands together and shouted, "NOBORIRYUU!" The flaming dragon appeared from behind them and rushed at the enemy, burning it to a cinder, and destroying the core.
"Good job!" Toshiro shouted through the transponder.
"Yay!" The twins cheered amongst the burning flakes.
"Hahah! They did it!" Shirley also cheered. "Woohoo!"
"Yeah, they did it…" Toshiro muttered.
"Why the long face, Toshiro?" She asked.
"Girls doing a man's job…"
"Hahahaha!" Shirley laughed. "You could have ripped it apart, you know?"
"I'm saving myself…"
"Whatever… Let's finish the race, kay?"
"Yup…"
Shirley drove calmly to the finish line. When they approached, he could see that Shirley was all giddy. A man with a checkered flag walked out to the side of the track. As Shirley passed the finish line, he fluttered the flag like mad.
"We did it, Shirley."
"Yeaaah… But it's a bit lacking…"
"Your only competition got knocked out, huh?"
"Yeah… Say… Toshiro…"
"Are you thinking of what I'm thinking?"
"Maybe…"
Shirley parked the car in the paddock. Spectators and the press swarmed them immediately. Shirley smiled and made a V-sign with her hand. Toshiro simple followed her, with a fake smile glued to his face. They had to wait for the second and third place to come in, a minute and two respectively after they arrived. It seems that the driver of the second car was a true gentleman, as he picked up Dominica and Jane. Jane looked at Shirley and Toshiro with a long face and said, "Well, you two won… Congratulations…"
She shook both their hands, as did Dominica.
"If it weren't for that Neuroi, you two would've won." Shirley said. "Wait a bit after the award ceremony, okay?"
The two tilted their heads, but Dominica said, "Okaaaay…"
The award ceremony went smoothly. The 1st prize was twenty thousand lire and an enormous gilded cup. The second prize was ten thousand and a smaller silvered cup. The third prize were a measly five thousand lire and a teensy-weensy bronzed cup. The journalists were making photos like mad, but Shirley and Toshiro didn't bother giving long interviews, quickly throwing a few vague answers. They approached Dominica and Jane, and Shirley gave them half of the prize money.
"But… But why? You've won fair and square!" Dominica protested.
"We may have won per se, but it was clear that you would win if it weren't for that Neuroi. You had something special under that hood, did you?" Shirley asked.
"Heheh… We had methanol injection rigged just for this occasion…" Jane confessed.
"See? So take your money, you've won the bet. But the cup is ours!"
"I always knew, and always will know that you're a good gal, Shirley…" Dominica said with a soft voice. "We just had a rough start…"
"Don't sweat it, Dominica. Do you need a lift or something?"
"No, no… Not now when we have this wad of money. We can just load the car on a truck and transport it back to the base. Have a good day, you two." Dominica said, and the two of them walked away.
"It sure feels good to do something like that…" Toshiro said. "Now pay up, Shirley, you owe an arm and a leg."
"Oh pfff, straight to the point…" Shirley puffed her cheeks. "How much?"
Toshiro pinched off the required amount, and some more.
"That will be enough. And a tip for me, for being such a good sponsor, heheheh…"
"Well, still something left… What's the time, T-man?"
"Stop calling me like I'm some kind of post-modernistic impresario…"
"It's 1350." Yuki said.
"Oh, thanks. Ah well, we can go back home…"
"Yeah, let's go back…" Toshiro said.
"Want to drive?" Shirley asked.
"I thought you'd never ask!"
Toshiro jumped inside, and turned the engine. But just as he threw in first gear, a horrible sound came from the gearbox and engine stopped.
He looked at Shirley dumbfounded, but she didn't laugh.
"I could laugh at you now but… The gearbox was already fidgety during the race, it's a miracle we came in…"
"For fucks sake… I didn't even drive a meter as a driver…"
"I promise that I will repair it, by myself, for my own money, in my own free time."
"Well okay, but what now? We hike?"
"I can do that. We going?"
"We should call in somebody to be honest… We'll be leaving the car just like that?"
"Well, we should have someone take care of it… Hmmm…"
"Colonnello, is there a problem?" A familiar voice said from behind Toshiro.
He turned around and saw none other than Vincenzo.
"Ah, Vincenzo… Don't tell me you're also doing car towing?"
"As a matter of fact yes, hahaha! Want a lift back home?"
"How much?"
"A mere hundred lire should compensate me…"
"Shirley…"
"Okay, okay…" She sighed and gave a bill to Vincenzo.
"Grazie. Hey, Fabio, Angelo – come here!" He shouted to the rabble surrounding them.
Two youngsters sprung out of the throng, and stood before Vincenzo.
"Fire up the tow truck, we're going to tow the winners back home."
Without a word, the two ran back somewhere.
"Just a minute, Colonnello. They have to fetch the truck."
The sound of an engine that severely needs maintenance hailed their arrival. Then, a truck with a big winch arrived before them.
"Uhhh…" Toshiro tried to say something, but was interrupted by Vincenzo.
"The Lancia 3 RO NM. It's a model from 1938!"
"Errr… But it sounds like a model from 1918…"
"Ah, well, the engine is a bit rickety, but it works!"
Toshiro looked at Shirley, whose face was pale already.
"I am reckless, but this is just…"
"Don't worry, Capitano! Everything will be okay! You two nitwits, hook up the car and scram!"
The car was hooked up by its front fender, and slightly raised.
"Are we going?" Vincenzo asked.
"Yes…" Shirley sighed.
Vincenzo took the driver's seat, Toshiro sat in the middle and Shirley by his side. The engine rumbled the whole truck when Vincenzo put in first gear and they went off.
The truck drove into the bases hangar. Nobody was waiting for them. When the stopped, Shirley exited the vehicle on wobbly legs. Toshiro jumped out and supported her.
"Like riding on a damn jackhammer…" Shirley mumbled.
In the meantime, Vincenzo uncoupled the racecar and said, "Have a nice day!"
"You too…" Toshiro answered.
Vincenzo drove out, and the door closed.
"Nobody here to welcome us…" Shirley pouted.
"It's about dinner time you now? Maybe they're eating?"
"Maybe…"
Shirley body suddenly became very honest, and a rumble was heard from her stomach. Her cheeks blushed, and she said, "It seems I don't know how hungry I am…"
"Hahaha!"
Slowly walking to the dorm, with Shirley holding the cup, they entered the dining room.
"The victors have arrived!" Minna shouted.
"Woohooo!" Erica, Eila, Francesca and Trude cheered.
Francesca ran up to Shirley, and Yoshika hugged Toshiro.
"It seems that news spreads reaaaally quickly…" Toshiro said with a sly smile. "Yeah, we won…"
"I heard a Neuroi attacked you! Are you okay?" Yoshika asked concerned.
"Naaah, we're both fine. The tow truck shook us a bit, but nothing beside that."
"Tow truck?" Trude asked.
"The gearbox probably went to the big junkyard in heaven, heheh…" Shirley explained.
"Hah!" Trude laughed. "As expected from your skills!"
"Wanna fight?!" Shirley shouted.
"Oh shut it, both of you." Minna said. "Let's feast!"
"Now that I look at the table… I shall dig in with reverence!" Toshiro shouted.
Dinner ended with everyone stuffed like turkeys for Thanksgiving.
"So… Whom do I owe thanks for this regale?" Toshiro asked.
"Yoshika and me." Trude said proudly.
"I had a feeling that the choice of dishes was unusual for Lynne and Yoshika's cooperation…"
"I helped too…" Francesca pouted.
"Yeah, yeah… You helped…" Trude mumbled.
"So anyway, what did my precious girls do today?" Toshiro asked.
Mio's face twisted, and she pulled out money from her uniforms pocket.
"Ah, thank you, Mio." Toshiro smile wryly.
"It was exactly as you predicted. Miyafuji couldn't control the Shinden when performing tight maneuvers, even her perfectly learned Swallow Turn. But after getting the first hit, the battle turned around one hundred eighty degrees, and Perrine could only smell her exhaust."
"You didn't wish me a flawless victory? What kind of boyfriend are you…" Yoshika pouted.
"The kind of boyfriend than knows his girlfriend from top to bottom, and can predict her performance based on that knowledge. It's not that I wished for Perrine to win, right?"
"Heehee… Yeah… Oh, could you lend me Yumemaru now? I want to train with it!"
"And what does Mio say about it?"
"I was about to propose it. Miyafuji, take your blade, we're going training."
"Yoshika, right hand over your head." Toshiro commanded.
When Yoshika raised her hand, Yumemaru appeared in it.
"Thanks! See you at supper!"
"Don't overdo it!"
Yoshika ran away, with Mio slowly following her.
"What eagerness… I don't recognize her…" Minna said.
"She has a dream after all… To protect many people…" Toshiro said with a melancholic voice. "Now she has even more means to fulfill that dream."
"Dream… Hmmm… Doesn't 'yume' mean dream?"
"Yeas it does, Minna."
"A fitting name for the sword… There's some paperwork to do by the way…"
"Coming right after you. I have to do a phone call anyway…" Toshiro said while looking at Lynne.
Toshiro sat in his chair and called a certain someone.
"Hi, Adolfine."
"Ah, our great driver!"
"Seriously, what the fuck, do you have spy planes everywhere or what?"
"Heheh, nah… But we have people… So, what do you want? I'm a tad busy…"
"Do you have good relationship with Orussians?"
"Orussians? Why do you ask?"
"You see, I have this little request…"
Toshiro explained her in detail what he wanted.
"Hmmm… It will cost ya…"
"Hey, a present is a present."
"Hmmmm… Okay, I'll pull some strings, but I don't promise shit."
"That's all I wanted to hear, Adi."
"Toshiro, do you want to be transferred to the 502nd just to get that item yourself?"
"Ah, heheh, sorry…"
"Hmmph… Bye, Toshiro."
"Bye, Adolfine."
He hooked of the receiver.
"I see that you're making preparations already, Toshiro." Minna said.
"This is the only thing I needed to secure so early. The rest can be done two to three days before the event itself."
"I see… Let's do the paperwork, then I'll think about what I can do myself."
Doing the paperwork went like a breeze, and soon after, the plan of the operation "Union Jacqueline" was devised in detail.
"Two heads are better than one…" Toshiro said.
"Planning ahead is the cornerstone of every operation, heehee… I want to take a bath…"
"Nothing holding you back…"
"You know what… I could use your tub…"
"Why not the big and fancy open air bath?"
"I'm a bit shy towards the rest… This way of bathing is… a bit too exhibitionistic…"
"But you don't mind undressing before me or Mio, right?"
You two are special, heehee…"
"Okay, okay… Get your bath supplies, I'll go make the bath."
She pulled out said supplies from her desk.
"Been there, done that."
"Impressive… I guess you want something more than a bath?"
"Ah… Well… A backrub… Hair and stuff…"
"Maybe also a boob massage?"
"Well… I woul… Hey, no!"
"Heheheheh… Follow me then, your simple pleasures await you soon."
After preparing the bath, Minna immersed her splendid body in the water.
"Mmmmmmmhhhmmm… Perfect…"
"So, what do you want first? The backrub or hair wash?"
"Baaackruuub!" Minna cheered like a child.
"Hahaha, okay!"
Toshiro proceeded with said procedure.
"Oh yeeees… Toshiro… A bit lower… Aaaaaaahhnn…"
"For fucks sake, stop moaning as if I was shafting you…"
"But you're so good at it! Aaaaahh..."
"Good? Well thanks…"
If you'd saw my blood pressure when I was massaging Amaterasu… 300/150 guaranteed… But at least I learned something…
"Hmmmm… You can stop now, Toshiro… I think I'm good now… Hair please…"
"Kay."
Toshiro started washing her red hair, but he couldn't resist to massage her scalp a bit.
"Hnnnnnn… Toshiro… You're doing this on puuuurpooose!"
"Of course I am! I want my former commander to have some joy in her life."
"Awwww, how cute of you… Maybe you could also scrub my ass?"
"I could kiss it, but I would have to have a very good reason..."
"Hahaha, Toshiro… You're really a barrel of laughs sometimes…"
"Laughing is good for you, Liberian scientists confirmed it."
"Liberian scientists… Right… Heheh… What do Liberians use when trying to laugh out something?"
"Orussian scientists I believe, heh…"
"Haha!"
"Toshirooooo… I want a baaaaath…" Yoshika moaned from the outside of the room, and waltzed in. "Oh, it's taken…" Yoshika mumbled visibly disappointed.
"No, no, come in, Yoshika. Let me wash your hair." Minna said in a friendly manner.
"Reaaally?! You would do that, Miss Minna?"
"Drop the miss when we're alone, you make me feel old…"
"Okay!"
Yoshika undressed in the blink of an eye, and jumped into the tub with Minna.
"Toshiro, shampoo." Minna commanded.
He gave her a shampoo bottle, and she squeezed some on Yoshika's hair after moistening it first.
"Hey, Yoshika, maybe I should scrub you?" Toshiro proposed.
"Oh pleaaase, would you do that?"
"Yes, Yoshika, you probably trained very hard, right?"
"Yes!" She cheered. "I'm getting the hang of Yumemaru! And the Shinden!"
"My, my… We have a prodigy here, heehee…" Minna giggled while washing Yoshika's hair.
"Ah, well, I'm not that gooOOOOOD! Toshiro, you surprised me!" Yoshika almost screamed after Toshiro touched her armpit with the wet sponge.
While expressing her discontent, she flailed her arms, and by a twist of fate, her right hand landed on Minna's right breast. Probably led by some primal instinct, Yoshika squeezed it, still not consciously knowing what she's doing.
"Hnyyaaa…" Minna moaned silently.
"Waaaaah! I'm sorry!" Yoshika turned around and started apologizing.
"Ah, don't mention it… If you'd do it out of malicious intent, then I could probably punish you… Or do you maybe want a replay?"
Yoshika's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Toshiro chuckled a bit and said, "Hey, Yoshika, keep your tendencies at bay."
"Sssshhhh!" She tried to silence him.
"Oh? What tendencies are you speaking about? Tell me, Yoshika…"
"Um, well… Uh… I swing both ways…" Yoshika said with a face redder than the dirt on Mars.
Minna was truly dumbfounded by Yoshika's statement, but she quickly regained her composure and said, "Hmmmm… Then maybe I could have use of you, Yoshika…"
"W-w-waaah! No! No way! Toshiro will be mad, right?!"
"Meh… I guess you can do it with the others… Not that I have to actually be afraid of you running off with Minna to live somewhere in Liberion…" Toshiro shrugged. "And you know, imagining you going down with Minna for example, or Shirley… Hmmm… Paint me red if I'm not getting horny…"
Both made big eyes looking at him. Minna reacted first.
"So you say that if we did it before you… Wait, I take that back – if we did a threesome, or even a foursome, you would agree?"
Yoshika's jaw opened as wide as it could right now.
"You know what… I didn't actually consider a threesome… Or a fucking foursome for that matter… But now that you're proposing it…"
"I'm not proposing it per se, I'm just… inquiring…"
"If by some stroke of luck I would been proposed such an orgiastic event, then if I would get Yoshika's blessing as one of the participants, why not."
"Will somebody ask me for an opinion?!" Yoshika shouted. "What the hell?!"
"Oh get over it, Yoshika…" Minna whispered. "You're so modern as to be bisexual, why not do something like a little orgy, huh?"
"But Toshiro would have to bang you and/or Shirley! I refuse! I refuse with all my might! Toshiro's dick is now my sole property!"
Minna was a little surprised with that outburst, but she found a way out.
"Oh Yoshika… You would only share Toshiro with us this once… You know how sex deprived we are, right? We have both tasted the forbidden fruit…"
"Use your fingers…" Yoshika pouted.
"But this would be just sex, Yoshika. No love implied."
"You really want to get drilled, don't you?" Yoshika asked with furled eyebrows.
"Yes…" Minna blushed.
"I'll think about it…" Yoshika sighed
"Thank you…" Minna whispered into her ear and nibbled her earlobe.
"Waaaaah! What was that!?"
"You know… I just might be a bit bi too…"
"Impossible!" Both Yoshika and Toshiro shouted.
"You never know until you try, right? And I'm feeling weirdly comfortable with you in one tub…"
"So that's why you're shy around the other girls while in the bath! Hah! Your suppressed sexuality is manifesting!" Toshiro shouted with satisfaction. "All these years among women finally build up!"
"Really now?" Minna asked. "Maybe you're right…"
"Professor Toshiro, psychologist. I'll bill you later. Now finish up you two, this conversation is veering off into dangerous grounds. If Eila heard us, we'd be probably into a fivesome…"
"Eheheheh…" Yoshika laughed dryly.
After the two were squeaky clean and dry as pepper, they left Toshiro's room, who wanted to study the Shinden's documentation.
During supper, Shirley was looking weirdly at Toshiro.
"Did they… Already?! Damn perverted, bisexual, unsated…"
"Says the guy whose boner I have to control because his fantasies go wild…"
"Gimme a break, Yuki… I mean come on, you see your girlfriend, and her hot superior officer almost groping themselves in a hot tub, and add Shirley in your imagination. Wouldn't that turn you on if you were a man?"
"Maybe… Dunno, really… We snakes have a rather boring sex life… Not to mention I was killed before I got into puberty…"
"Waaaaaaaait a second…"
"Oh shit… I spilled the beans… Well, might as well say it out loud – yes, Toshiro – a virgin is governing your whole body…"
"Heheheh… The things you've saw and probably felt through my body practically eliminate you from the virgin circle."
"How did you come to the conclusion that I'm gaining pleasure from your sexual adventures?"
"Cuz you're connected to me?"
"Guilty as charged… As you've probably heard a few times, a woman has her needs… And what can a spirit do, huh? Did you even see a snake masturbating? And tantric sex is bullshit…"
"You freak me out sometimes, Yuki…"
After supper, Shirley approached Toshiro when he was alone.
"So, Toshiro… Some birds told me an interesting thing…"
"Oh and what would that be?"
"A certain… geometrical related event…"
"Nicely said, heh… So, what of it?"
"Nothing, nothing… Just telling you that I'm ready…"
"You're always ready, Shirley… If I told you, you'd probably rip the uniform off me, and you'd indulge yourself into wild and unrestrained coitus."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yes. To be honest, I'm rather curious how Trude and Mio are really feeling about me… I wonder if they don't want the best body part I can offer them…"
"Now your plain egocentric… But you have a point there… I wonder why Trudy didn't try to rape you yet…"
"Maybe Yoshika?"
"Maybe… Even a blockhead like her knows when to stand down… But I seem to be beyond hopeless, heh…"
"Oh indeed you are… Have a nice night, just don't rub yourself too hard."
"Hey!" Shirley have him a slight punch to the arm. "Night…"
As Toshiro exited the dorm, Yoshika caught him.
"Oh great… Now you… Good night, Yoshika! I'm in a hurry!" Toshiro tried to evacuate himself.
"Oh no you don't!" Yoshika held him back and kissed him forcefully. "Now you can go…"
"Dumping me like that… Pfff…"
Toshiro went away to his room, where after taking a bath alone and reading some more, he went to sleep.
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 :]