Chapter 40 – Guess who's coming?

Yoshika's idea was a bit... forceful… She used her magic, and told me to bang her while using my own Super Strength magic. While my brain was still working, I decided we should do it on the floor. Good call…

Anyway, the next day, Perrine approached me before breakfast. She showed me the letter she got. It had contained a letter and a photo of some kids on some shoddy makeshift bridge. Perrine told me those were the children from the school she supported. She also told me that I could save my money for later. I gave it to her anyway. And after breakfast, what a busy time that morning was, Minna agreed that we should help the Maltese, for free if it came down to it. We sent a verbal petition up to HQ and waited. In the meantime, Trude and Erica volunteered for the operation, although volunteer was too much of a leap when applied to Erica… Since they volunteered, I didn't have to make my hands dirty.

Yoshika regained the ability to walk in an upright position about time for dinner, heh…

Today, two days later, the 7th, I have to get up earlier. Brass called in Minna and me yesterday. They said they'll send a plane inbound at 0800.

During his morning jog, Toshiro saw Mio concentrating at the beach. He quickly ran up to her, wanting to witness her progress from up close.

"REPPUZAN!" Mio shouted and unleashed a furious attack with her sword.

Ho ho! Another day, another Reppuzan, another bit of progress.

Mio suddenly swayed and almost fell to the ground, but she managed to kneel, using her sword as a rest. Toshiro ran up to her and asked, "Mio, are you okay?"

"Oh… Morning…" Mio said between deep breaths. "I'm just tired… You know, a Reppuzan… isn't childplay…"

"You worry me, Mio. You were never so pumped out during morning training…"

"But did you see… the size of it?"

"Yes… I suppose I could be proud of you, if you were my protégé…"

"Oh pfff… You should be proud as another swordsman!"

"Yeah, yeah… Come on, Mio, let's have a cup of Joe."

"Might as well… But don't act as my support, I can walk on my own."

They walked up to the dining room, and saw Minna meditating over a cup of coffee.

"Minna? You here at this hour?" Mio asked.

"I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep… I'm always nervous before visiting HQ…"

"Afraid they'll pull a Maloney on us again?"

"Somewhat… I hope they'll consider our operation…" Minna said.

"Me too… Even if we were to do it for free, it's still something right to do."

"I'm glad you didn't throw that letter to the dust bin. This can improve our relations with the people substantially."

"I know, right? Can we join you for a mug?"

"I'll even make you some, sit down."

"Minna serving me coffee, what an event…" Toshiro sneered.

Time passed, Yoshika and Lynne prepared breakfast, and everyone ate. Toshiro went to his room and dressed himself up in his 'outgoing' uniform, sans the coat. After venturing down the stairs, he met Minna at the junction, in the company of Yoshika who carried some bag with her.

"Yoshika? What's up?" Toshiro asked.

"I made you some obento!" Yoshika cheered. "For the both of you! You never know how long you're going to be out."

"Oh how nice of you… Thanks, Yoshika…"

She stood up on her toes and pointed at her cheek.

"Oh okay…"

Toshiro leaned down a bit and gave her a smooch.

"Heehee… Okay, I'm going training now. Bye!"

"Bye…"

"Can I have a kiss on the cheek to?" Minna asked with a wry smile.

"You'd wish! You look good though, maybe I'll consider it…"

"I don't look good, I look professional…" Minna pouted with red cheeks.

"Oh whatever… Come on, lets's go."

They slowly went to the runway, basked in the early morning sun. The Ju 52/3m slowly descended on the runway, and taxied before the hangar. They approached the plane, the door opened, the stairs were dropped off. The familiar soldier waved them inside. They went to their usual places, and the plane took off.

After landing at the Sicily HQ, a familiar jeep with a familiar drive drove up. He was more timid and official this time, compared to earlier when his family heirloom was seriously crippled by Mio's knee. When they entered the HQ building, the familiar blonde haired girl greeted them.

"Good morning, Oberst, Oberstleutnant."

"Good morning." Toshiro and Minna said at the same time.

"The generals are waiting in the conference room. Please, follow me, we will use the… official entrance."

"Ah, so for official business we are using a different door, huh?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes, precisely, Herr Oberst."

They were lead to a big double door.

"Obert Edelweiss and Oberstleutnant WIlcke!" Their guide announced them loudly. "You can go in now."

Toshiro pushed one part of the door opened, and entered the room. It was the same one that held the press conference which Toshiro was part of, only this time, they were where the reporters stood, and the places behind the desk were taken by Generals Montgomery and Kesselring.

Wow… The view from here is overwhelming… It just screams "drop down on your faces, plebe".

"Please, before you start saluting, come closer, I don't want to yell at you…" Kesselring said with a smile.

Minna and Toshiro looked at each other surprised, but they went forward, stopping five meters before the Generals.

"Is that good enough, Herr Generalfeldmarschall?"

"Perfect. Now you can salute."

Toshiro shrugged, and both Minna and he gave a regulatory salute.

"Ruht euch…" Kesselring said.

"So, Toshiro, I heard you and the Lieutenant Colonel here petitioned an operation to liberate Malta?"

"Yes sir, that is true." Toshiro responded.

"I see… Well, your unit has some perks, I won't lie…. Liberating Gallia and the Britannian Channel… You yourself saved Rommel… Your unit…"

"Pardon for the interruption, Monty, but I feel bad when you refer to the 501st as my unit. Minna has been commanding it for far longer than me, and…"

"Okay, okay, I understand… Let me resume then…. The unit you're now supervising…" Montgomery said with a smile, "… has granted safe passage for the Yamato, which is now a key factor to winning the war."

"Sir, but I believe the objective of the Yamato was to reinforce our troops in this area, was it not?" Minna asked all of a sudden.

"It's true, Oberstleutnant." Kesselring answered. "But coexistence with the Neuroi is not an option anymore. Operation Trajanus was the proof of it…"

"Our only remaining choice is whether we destroy them or allow them to destroy us. A strategy solely reliant upon Witches won't suffice." Montgomery said.

"And a Wizard…"

"Hah, pardon, Toshiro! You're such a rare occurrence that you sometimes slip my mind."

"So what's the Yamato for, actually?" Minna asked.

"That's not your concern, Oberstleutnant. Not yet…" Kesselring said with a firm voice. "Returning to your operation… What do you plan?"

"A select group of Witches would perform a surgical strike to destroy the enemy."

"There are some difficulties with that, but…" Kesselring pulled out a package of documents and slammed them on the desk. "…these papers will tell you everything."

"Thus, we approve of this operation, and give it the codename Operation Limelight." Monty said.

"Limelight?" Toshiro asked.

"You see, we have an idea… Enter!" Monty yelled.

The door behind them opened, and Toshiro's old acquaintance walked in.

"Tina?!" Toshiro shouted surprised.

"Toshiro!" Marseille ran up to him and hugged him, pressing her enormous breasts against his chest. "Long time no see! Oh, is that someone from your unit?"

"This is Oberstleutnant Minna Dietlinde-Wilcke, my former commander."

"Ah, I heard things about her… Hanna-Justina Marseille." Tina extended her hand to Minna.

"So you are the famous Star of Africa?" Minna asked while shaking her hand.

"The one and only!" Tina said proudly.

"So, what's up? Why are you here?" Toshiro asked.

"Hauptmann Marseille will be joining you on the operation, part of because of her skills, partly because… well, her fame will profit after the operation…" Kesselring explained.

"I see… So a publicity stunt?" Toshiro asked.

"To put it bluntly – yes."

"Okay, if that's necessary, I'll take Tina in."

"I knew you would be reasonable, Toshiro." Monty said. "But guess what? You have another guest."

"Oh?"

"Coooooouuuuusiiiiiin!"

A sudden shout pierced the relative silence of the room, and a white-red lightning struck Toshiro, bringing him to the ground.

"Woah, Mami?! You too?!"

"I'm on leave, cousin! When I heard Tina is going to Romagna for a mission, I forced Kei to sign my leave immediately!"

"Hahaha!" Toshiro laughed and stroked Mami's head, causing her to purr. "Okay, get off me now, and introduce yourself to Minna properly."

"Kay!" She cheered and got off Toshiro. "Warrant Officer Mami Inagaki, cousin of this log lying down here, heehee…"

"Lieutenant Colonel Minna Dietlinde-Wilcke, pleased to meet you."

They shook hands. After Toshiro stood up, Kesselring said, "Take the documents, Oberst. This meeting is adjourned."

Everyone saluted, and the Generals left. Toshiro picked up the stack of papers, and turned around to take a good look.

"My, my…" He sighed. "Two additional mouths to feed… Poor Yoshika will work her hands off…"

"I want to pull my weight, cousin! I'll cook for everyone! I want to settle the matter who cooks better once and for all!"

"If you insist… All the better for the rest of us! Come on you all, let's go back home!"

"Yay!" Mami cheered.

"By the way, where's all your luggage?" Minna asked.

"They're loaded into the plane right now from what I was told." Tina said.

"As I said, let's go." Toshiro said. "Mami, want to ride piggyback?"

"Do I ever!"

Mami didn't wait for an invitation, so she ran up to Toshiro and jumped on his back.

"Heehee, so high!"

Minna's eyes gleamed weirdly, and she asked, "The weather must be fine up there, Warrant Officer…"

"Ah, well… It's… HEEEY!"

Minna giggled at Mami's reaction and said, "I'm sorry, I just had to… No hard feelings?"

"Nuh, I'm used to it…"

"Oh don't pick on Mami, I have the exclusive right to do so!" Toshiro said.

"Yes, Toshiro has… No you don't!" Mami shouted.

"Heheheh… Let's go already…"

They went on to the plane by foot. Inside they found two big suitcases, one Striker Unit wrapped up in burlap and a gun with ammo beside it.

"That would be ours." Tina said. "Saaay… Is that boxed lunch?" She asked.

"Yes it is. Yoshika made it for the two of us." Toshiro answered.

"Uh, you see… We didn't eat breakfast…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Mami said while nodding fiercely and staring at the lunch boxes.

"Oh whatever… Minna, you ain't hungry, right?"

"No."

"You can have our lunches you two. But be sure to thank Yoshika!"

"We will!" Both shouted and snatched the boxes from the bench.

They started feasting as if they didn't eat for a week.

"Beasts… Okay, Minna, let's look at the papers during the flight."

"Good idea, the Generals were a bit vague…"

"Good?" Toshiro asked Tina.

"Dewishush!" She said with her mouth full of sushi.

"I shouldn't have asked…" Toshiro sighed, and opened the briefing pack.

The plane started its engines and went in the direction of Pescara.

When they were slowly approaching the base, Toshiro put down his batch of papers and said, "Incredible… Simply incredible…"

"So, what's up?" Tina asked.

"They want to launch you and someone from our unit from a submarine, since the Hive's cores is hidden under an impenetrable dome."

"No shit?"

"I shit you not, Tina. The sub will approach from the docks, shoot off you and someone else inside and there you go…"

"I see… Whom do you propose?"

"The original unit composition was Erica and Trude, but now I'm thinking of going myself…"

"No fucking way!" Tina protested. "You would just fly in there, massacre the Neuroi without batting an eyelid and poof – all the limelight is yours! I refuse!"

"You're not in a position to talk back to your superior, Hauptman…" Minna said with furled eyebrows. "But I guess because Toshiro is your good friend… Ugh, Toshiro, you're giving me a headache with you being so friendly…"

"Heheh… Anyway, it looks like we're going to land soon."

"Hey, can I do a flashy landing of my own?"

"What are you planning?"

"Jumping out and landing just like that."

"Without a Striker? You sure you can pull it off?"

"I trained it, don't worry."

"Okay, off you go. But I'll jump behind you just in case, okay?"

"Just don't overshadow me…"

"Then I'll just go invisible, like this." Toshiro said and cloaked himself.

"Woah, nice trick! Let's go then!"

"Kids…" Minna sighed.

Tina opened the planes door. Toshiro peeked out, and saw that Yoshika and Lynne were hanging the laundry out to dry on the side of the runway.

"Ready, Toshiro?"

"Let's go."

Tina put on the goggles she had on her neck, and jumped out. Toshiro sighed, and also jumped out. They plunged down onto the runway, aiming at a place about fifty meters before the laundry hanging. When the runway was mercilessly nearing to them (from their point of view), Tina did a front flip, activated her magic and landed gracefully. Toshiro simply landed with the grace of a sack of potatoes on the stone runway, but without damaging both himself and the place he landed on. He then uncloaked himself.

Yoshika and Lynne ran up to them. Tina took off her goggles and said, "Hello, Kitties."

"Kitties?" Lynne asked.

"Hey, Toshiro, who did you bring with you?"

"Don't recognize her? Think!"

"Hmmm… Ah! Now I know!"

"I don't do autographs, sorry…" Tina said.

"But I already have one!"

"Oh? Hey, wait a second… Brown hair, cute… You're…"

"Hey, Marseille! What the fuck are you doing here?!" Trude's angry voice was heard suddenly.

She stood a hundred meters behind Lynne and Yoshika, with Erica by her side.

"Oooooh! Hey, Hartmann! It's been so long!" Tina waved her hand and ran to the two.

"Toshiro, so that's that Marseille from the autograph?" Yoshika asked.

"Yes."

"What's she doing here?"

"All in due time, Yoshika. Wait a second, I'll have to defuse the situation."

Toshiro ran up to Tina. In the meanwhile she grabbed Erica's hands and started shaking them.

"How long has it been? Since pilot training? No… It was the Vierte Staffel, the 52nd Jagdesgeschwader! Do you remember that one officer who was so grouchy all the time? What was her name..."

"Barkhorn!" Trude interrupted.

"Ah, that's right. It's been a while, Barkhorn. How have you been?" Tina extended her hand.

"Oh, just fine…" Trude grabbed her hand, and they started staring at each other fiercely, laughing like creeps.

"You two good?" Toshiro asked.

"Peachy!" Tina shouted.

"Very good!" Trude did the same.

"I see you have a rather rough friendship… Oh whatever… Trude, Erica – you can both go now. There will be a briefing later."

"Well, okay… The longer I'm away from HER, the better… Come on, Hartmann…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Erica sighed.

The two went away, just as Minna and Mami landed in the plane.

"Come on, Tina, take your shit from the plane."

"Coming…"

Toshiro followed Tina, who jumped into the plane and came out of it with all her stuff in one bundle.

"Where can I dump this?"

"Uhh… Under the rack with my cannon, you'll see it right away."

"Cool, thanks…"

Tina went on, and Minna with Mami jumped out.

"Wooooooaaaah! So beautiful! So biiiig!" Mami stood there with her mouth wide open. "I envy you, Toshiro. Even our new base doesn't look so good!"

"Ah, you have a new base? Tell me about it."

"It's similar to the one that Patton has. Solid barracks, solid pantry and Kei has her own office! And the kitchen, a piece of art!"

"Hahah! Probably the most important part!"

"Hey, Toshiro… Who's that?" Yoshika approached Toshiro from the behind, with Lynne at her side.

"This, Yoshika, is my cousin Mami."

"Aaah! Toshiro told me about you! Nice to meet Toshiro's family!" Yoshika grabbed Mami's hand and started shaking it violently.

"And nice to meet Toshiro's… lover? Girlfriend? What's the status of you two anyway?"

"Lovers with aspirations." Toshiro said. "And with deep knowledge of each other… If you know what I mean…"

"Ah! So you did it!" Mami gave him and elbow to his stomach, which looked comically on its own, given the height difference. "You sly devil you…"

Yoshika's cheeks burned read and she slapped Toshiro in the ass.

"You don't have to speak so openly about our sex life, sheesh!"

"Hey, I'm just proud that I have such an open minded and… able girlfriend…"

"Don't you try to flatter me so cheaply! How was my lunch?"

"Dunno, ask Mami."

"It was delicious, future cousin-in-law!"

"Cousin-in… Wait, wait, we're not into marriage so fast yet!" Yoshika waved her hands before her.

Or are we? Heheh…

"Then I'll call you Yoshika, okay?"

"Sure. But why did you eat Toshiro's lunch, huh? I put effort into it!"

"We were hungry, and the visit went fast so…"

"Okay, I see… If it served a good purpose, then it's not wasted… Toshiro, but the next time you won't eat my obento, I'll… you'll know what I'll do! Or what I won't!"

Toshiro gulped and said, "You da boss… Oh, Tina, you came back. Come on, I'll give you two a tour."

"Where should we leave our luggage?" Tina asked.

"I can carry it for you now, then we'll just find a spare bed on the dorm attic for you two… Or something, dunno, haven't thought about it yet to be honest… Yoshika, Lynne, can you rummage around and find something?"

"Sure! Come on, Lynne!"

"Okay."

Toshiro took the bags of both and they went into the hangar. Mami's eyes sparkled as she saw the content of it, but they almost exploded with the light of a supernova when she saw Toshiro's new stuff. She ran up to the cannon rack immediately and started jumping up and down.

"Toshiro! Toshiro! Is that your new cannon?!"

"Yup."

"Sooooo cooool! Can I try it for size?"

"Suuuure…"

"But Toshiro…" Lynne tried to say something but she was interrupted.

"Ssssh, Lynne, look."

Mami jumped up, and lifted the cannon of the rack as if it was a stick. She placed it over her shoulder, and looked through the sights.

"Woooooohoohooooo! New sights! I want!"

"What, the hand-me-down cannon is already bad?"

"Ah, no, don't get me wrong! The cannon you sent me is simply mind blowing! I rarely use my old equipment now!"

"Good to hear. Now put it back on the rack."

"Sure! But you'll give me a go, okay?"

"Of course."

"Toshiro… I noticed this earlier but… Your Striker is also new, right?" Tina, who approached his Striker asked.

"Well yeah, it indeed is. It's has a hybrid engine."

"A what?"

"Well, in the default configuration, it's a turboprop…"

"A turbowhat?"

"A turboprop. It's basically a Jet Striker, but uses a propeller instead of magic induced thrust directly."

"Aaaah, I see… So it's like a gimped Me 262?"

"Somewhat… But it can switch into full jet mode, and that's when shit gets serious."

"And you wouldn't be yourself if you wouldn't show off, right?"

"Heheheh… Later, Tina, later… Now I'll show you my crib. Ah, there to the left are the stairs to the storage room, wine cellar and… hmm… if you'll be a good girl, I'll show you what else. And don't try to raid the cellar, it's locked, and I have the only key…"

"What tells you I would…? Heh…"

"Just a gut feeling… By the way, I heard you have a new pantry?"

"Mami told you already? Yeah, it's now a hole in the sand, under a cooled down bunker. There's a common storage room, and we all have our private compartments! Oh, and by the way, we now have a three-phase line and a hangar, so we can use Launch Units instead of those shitty wooden racks!"

"Hah, good! Okay, up we go!"

As they were scaling the stairs, Tina asked, "Why didn't we take the lift?"

"It's defunct, and I always forget to either repair it on my own, or get somebody to do it…"

"Okay…"

They arrived on the penultimate floor.

"Most of the castle is broken down, so we use only a few rooms here. To the left – radar room, not exactly the top notch equipment but… Room on the right of the staircase – archive, boring. The room to the left – the office. Care to take a peak?"

"Sure! I want to know how my dear itoko (cousin) works!" Mami cheered.

He opened the door and let the two in.

"Wooooah!" Mami shouted. "Kei's new office ain't half as spiffy as this! And this desk… It's as big as an aircraft carrier! A granite top! Aiiiiaaaaaa! You really know how to roll, cousin!"

"I got it as a gift from uncle…" Toshiro answered a bit embarrassed.

Tina stroked the top of the desk, and jumped onto it.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah… So coooooool…"

"You're cooling your ass off my desk? Shoo! Shoo!"

"Okay, okay…" Tina jumped off with a grumpy face.

"Now, my room. I believe you'll be in for a surprise, Tina?"

"Oh do tell…"

Toshiro led them to his room, and yet again, Mami couldn't contain herself.

"Cousin! You have a better room than Tina!"

"I have to admit that pint-size isn't lying…"

"Who you calling pint-size, you milk drinking cow-tit sorry excuse for an eagle?!"

"Jeez, Mami, calm down…" Tina tried to calm her down.

"Humpf!" Mami pouted.

"Fine, pout all you want, what do I care…"

"You might find your soup a bit… salty… heheh…"

"Oh sheesh, fine… Hop on, I'll give you a ride…"

"Yay!" Mami cheered and jumped on Tina's back

"Okay, kids, let's go back. I think it's time for the briefing, I'll show you the rest later.

"Okay, cousin!"

Toshiro approached the PA panel and said, "Everyone, to the aula. There will be a briefing about the incoming mission."

"You guys have a PA system? How convenient…" Tina muttered.

"They forgot to install you one?"

"We only have some makeshift crap…"

"Buy one that's better…"

"Eheheh… We don't have that kind of money…"

"Money… Money… Tina, am I right in thinking that you owe me?"

"Aaaaah, well, you said you wouldn't demand compensation for that little loan…"

"True, just testing ya. Let's go."

After descending the stair, and walking outside, they met Mio halfway to the dorm.

"Oh, we have guests?" Mio asked surprised. "And at least one I recognize… Marseille was it?"

"Exactly." Tina responded.

"Tina will be a part of the upcoming operation." Toshiro explained.

"And who's the knee-high to a grasshopper?"

"Why I oughtmffffmmmfmfmfmm…"

Mami was quickly gagged by Toshiro.

"That, my dear Mio, is my cousin Mami."

"Ooooh, would you look at that… Major Mio Sakamoto, pleased to meet you."

Mami calmed down and slipped from Toshiro's grasp and from Tina's back. She bowed and introduced herself.

"Warrant Officer Mami Inagaki of the 31st Joint Fighter Squadron, obviously from Fuso, damn sensitive about my height…"

"Ah, sorry, the height remark just slipped. So what are you doing here?"

"Visiting my dear cousin until the mission is completed."

"Oh how cute… So, going to the briefing all of you?"

"Yes." Toshiro said. "Join us, Mio."

"Of course I will. I am the third in command here, right?"

"I remember a paper I wrote on some occasion… Yeah, you're third in command… Officially and without doubt. Minna, give Mio the papers. Mio, look through the first few sheets while we're walking, I did some cherry picking for you on the plane."

They ventured on to the aula. After entering, Toshiro saw all the girls, sitting in their preferred pairings. He dumped the bags on the floor.

"Shirley, Francesca!" Mami shouted.

The two in question turned their heads around surprised and in unison they shouted, "Mami!"

Francesca ran up to her and hugged her dearly.

"Mami, whatcha doin' here?"

"Visiting cousin dearest!"

"Oh, I see. Will you be cooking? I missed your meals!"

"Oh, hey!" Yoshika protested.

"Sorry, Yoshika, but Mami cooks the best goulash in the world…" Francesca said.

"Yes, yes, I plan to help Yoshika in the kitchen. Maybe even cook on my own…"

"Weehee! Yay! Goulash! Cold soup! Yay, yay, yaaaay!"

"Okay, calm down, Lucchini." Mio said. "The briefing will commence."

"Wait a second, Mio, I have to draw out something on the blackboard first. Mio, could you give me the sheet with island cutaway please?"

Mio approached him, and gave him the said page. He picked out one drawing, and copied it to the blackboard using colored chalk.

"Okay, everyone, listen." Toshiro said. "First things first – some introductions. The foxy lass before you is an ace worth her weight in gold – Hanna-Justina Marseille from the 31st JFS. The small framed Fusojin on the other hand is Mami Inagaki from the same unit. She's my cousin by the way."

The girls that didn't see the two looked at them carefully.

"Now, let's proceed with the briefing itself. Mio, Minna? Or should I present it?"

"I didn't get enough to read to be honest. I'll pass." Mio said.

"I can do it, Toshiro."

"Okay, go, Minna."

She took a pointer.

"This is a cutaway of the island of Malta. The dome you see, is an impenetrable shell made from the same material as Neuroi are. The only way to get inside of that dome, is through here…" Minna pointed out the water. "…through the port, underwater."

"Underwater?" Yoshika asked.

"Two witches will be launched from a Fuso Sentoku I-400 class submarine when it reaches the waters under the dome. Unfortunately, only two Witches can participate in the operation directly due to size constraints of the sub. The rest of us will serve as guards for the naval units. Toshiro, care to announce the participants?"

"Gladly. Sadly, it won't be me taking part, but we already cleared that issue, heheh… Well, anyway… The first one is standing before you and smiling like she's fucking Gioconda – Captain Hanna-Justina Marseille."

"The fuck?!" Trude shouted confounded. "What is the meaning of this?! The strike force was supposed to be Hartmann and me!"

"Orders from the top…" Minna sighed. "Only one member from the 501st will be participating, and that will be you, Trude.

"Hell no." Tina said calmly. "Barkhorn isn't good enough to be my partner."

Toshiro saw as Trude clenched her fists in anger.

"Although i would prefer Toshiro to be my wingman, but he would just rake in all the glory for himself…"

"What... What are you trying to say, Marseille?!" Trude exploded, slamming her fists against the desk she was sitting behind.

"Just what it sounds like. You're not good enough to fight with me, Captain." Tina said with a smirk

"Trude, calm down…" Minna said.

"I could probably choose that little boob devil, she could pull her weight in Africa buuuuut…" Tina started staring intensively at Erica.

Trude stood up, and wandered into Tina's line of sight.

"Where do you think you're looking, Marseille?" She almost shouted. "Your disrespect for your superior officers hasn't changed since the Battle of Karlsland!"

Trude's animal ears popped out and a thin veil of magic surrounded her body.

"What are we gonna do…" Lynne said silently.

"Trude, I'm warning you…" Minna said with an angry voice.

Then, Tina's eagle ears popped up and she shouted, "We're the same rank now, stuck up!"

They both clashed their hands together. Their magic surged and something akin to a tempest began blowing from them. Then, the rock floor under them cracked.

"Take it outside!" Eila shouted.

"Toshiro, disable them!" Minna shouted.

"With pleasure…"

Toshiro approached them, took them by the back of their heads and slammed their foreheads together. Their magic receded immediately, and they looked at him as if he attempted rape on them.

"Ooooooooow! What was that for?!" Tina protested.

"Look under you, for fucks sake, both of you! You know how much money will it cost to renovate the floor?!"

The two looked under them, and seeing the damage they've done, they said, "Sorry…"

"Ugh, Toshiro, you can let them go, I'll be Marseille's partner if she wants it so badly… What a drag…" Erica sighed, garnering the surprised looks of everyone.

"But Hartmann, you don't have to give into this bullshit!" Trude shouted.

"I'd rather give in then see you get another lump on your head…"

Trude blushed slightly.

"So you're officially agreeing to be Tina's partner on the upcoming mission?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes…"

"Then so be it.

"You two have to start training immediately, I believe your teamwork has taken a rough decline since Berlin." Minna said. "Shirley, Lucchini, set up a few dozens of aerial targets over the sea."

"Okay!" The two shouted and ran off.

Toshiro felt as somebody was poking him, and he saw Marseile with a pouty face and a ten pound bill in her hands.

"I hope that's 'nuf…"

"Will do I think. Thank you for your cooperation. Now, scoot off to Erica, you have to get in sync… Somehow…" Toshiro said and pointed Erica out. "Mami… Come with me for now…"

"Kay, cousin!"

They approached Yoshika, Lynne and Perrine.

"Yoshika, did you find something for the two?"

"Yes, we found two spare matrasses with bed frames on the dorms attic. We even pulled them out, they're ventilating behind the dorm now… Boy were they dusty…"

"But sheets won't be a problem?"

"No, no, we have some spares."

"Okay then… Mami, let's go to the kitchen, you have to know the battlefield, right?"

"Of course! Lead on, cousin dearest!"

"Come on, Yoshika, Lynne."

"Okay." They both said and joined the two.

Toshiro lifted Mami's bag and they went to the dining room.

"Hmmmm… Not too shabby…" Mami said upon arrival. "It has a family atmosphere to it…"

Mami moved on to the kitchen and looked around.

"Yeees… Well equipped… I like. So, when are we making some grub?"

"You can start ahead, Mami." Yoshika said. "I want to see how Marseille does her training with Erica."

"Okay! Leave everything to me! Toshiro, where's the pantry?"

"Next door left."

"Unlocked?"

"365/24/7"

"Then leave dinner to me. You can go and watch Tina with a clean conscience."

"Okay, bye, Mami!"

"Bye, cousin!"

Toshiro, Yoshika and Lynne exited the room.

"Do you think it's a good idea to leave her doing dinner?" Yoshika asked.

"Jealous?"

"Uhhh... No?"

"Oh you jealous, girl! Afraid my cousin will nab you from me? I didn't even see her naked, and that's something. Plus, I don't really think dating my cousin would be beneficial for me…"

"Hmm… Oh okay, I'll watch and wait… Let's see what she has in stock for us…"

"Good girl! And you always have the sacred right of culinary showdown, right?"

"Right! I will challenge her to a cooking duel!

"But not now, let her make dinner in peace…"

"Sure, sure…"

"Uhhmm… Toshiro?"

"What is it, Lynnie?"

"Is that Marseille person really good?"

"Yes, she's a real pro, although she has a tough attitude if she doesn't like something or somebody. But she gives very detailed reports, which is a mixed blessing…"

They moved on to the runway, where Minna, Mio, and Trude were looking as Francesca and Shirley were setting up target blimps in the distance.

"Finished." Shirley reported through the transponder just as Toshiro stopped walking.

"Return to the ground, Shirley." Minna ordered. "Toshiro, could you please fetch Erica and Marseille?"

'Yeah, yeah…"

Toshiro crawled to the PA panel and he said with a bored voice, "Erica, Tina – showtime… To the hangar, now…"

After waiting a few minutes, Toshiro saw the fired up Tina entering the hangar with a rather sloppy Erica by her side.

It seems Erica ain't too fond of having to fight alongside Tina…

"Hey, Toshiro! Will you help me pull my Striker on?"

"If I have too…"

Toshiro approached Tina's Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2/trop and unwrapped it. He put it up vertically, and without further ado, Tina jumped inside.

"Umm… And my MG34…"

"Do I look like Matilda to you?"

"There's no amount of alcohol on Earth to do that…" Tina chuckled.

Toshiro fetched her gun and turned around to Erica.

"You'll be okay on your own, sis?"

"Yeah… Don't worry, bro."

Erica mounted her Striker on her own and took her MG42.

"Well you two, go give those blimps hell, heh…"

Both started their engines and flew out of the hangar. Toshiro ran behind them, and stopped amongst the girls watching them. Tina and Erica were really giving their best, shooting the targets during some daring maneuvers.

"They're both amazing…" Yoshika said in wonder.

But there's something off with them...

"Well, both of them are aces in Karlsland." Shirley said. "I saw her doing business in Africa, something incredible. I was jealous as hell sometimes…"

"So this operation is…" Lynne tried to ask something.

"Yes. It's an inter-squad, joint operation for top aces only." Minna interrupted. "The brass brought in Marseille as a publicity stunt to help the operation."

"If this operation succeeds, then I've got no room to complain." Mio said. "But it looks like that'll be difficult, as things stand."

"Yeah. They're not working together at all." Trude concurred.

"Same here, they look a bit awkward…" Toshiro also chipped in.

Suddenly, Marseille stopped midair, and aimed at Erica's back. Everyone gasped, and then they could hear Tina shooting.

"Dadadadadada!"

Erica looked at her dumbfounded, but then she grabbed her chest and started weaving around doing theatrical gestures.

"That's it!" Trude shouted. "Minna, Toshiro – I demand Marseille being punished! What she did was highly irresponsible!"

"What do you think, Toshiro?" Minna asked with a stern face.

"I guess I would be alone here if I opposed you… Yes, pointing a live weapon at your teammate is wrong, so they will be punished appropriately."

"Erica, Marseille – both of you return to base, now!" Minna shouted through the transponder.

"Yoshika, Lynne, do you know if there's a free room in the dorm?" Toshiro asked.

"There's a free room that we cleaned some time ago." Lynne answered.

"That will do."

"Please don't punish Marseille to hard, she's our guest…" Yoshika said.

"First and foremost she's a soldier, and military regulations apply to her." Minna butted in. "But I doubt Toshiro will make the punishment very severe, huh?"

"Oh don't worry, it won't be THAT severe… But justice has to be served nonetheless. Now excuse me, I have to go for it."

The two landed before the crowd. Toshiro and Minna went forward.

"That was a rather good performance, if not for one thing…" Minna said.

"Pointing your gun at a teammate is unforgivable, even if you're the goddamn Star of Africa." Toshiro said with a firm voice. "Into the office, double time."

"But…"

"Both of you, go!" Minna shouted.

The two twitched and taxied into the hangar.

"Thanks…" Toshiro said a bit shocked.

"No problem, Toshiro." Minna said with a cutesy smile. "The rest of you disperse, you're free. Except for Shirley and Lucchini, you clean up."

"Okay…" Both mumbled and went on to the hangar.

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 :]