Chapter 53 – Raison d'etre

"Wake up, Chosen One. Wake up and… smell the ashes…"

Toshiro slowly opened his eyes. His vision was all blurry and his hearing muffled. He saw red on one eye.

"Where am I…" He mumbled. "Am I… flying? Wait…"

Toshiro pulled his arms.

"Why can't I move my legs…"

He tried to move his legs.

"My legs won't respond…"

"Finally, retribution will be ours…"

"Yuki? No… You're not Yuki… You're the Neuroi…"

"Chosen One, you disappoint me… Let me… regulate you a bit…"

Toshiro felt as his body went ablaze but he couldn't scream of pain. His vision and hearing improved momentarily. He saw that he was surrounded by hundreds of small, black round Neuroi. He looked down and saw that his legs were trapped in something red and translucent. Also, the Neuroified Yamato was still floating like nothing happened. He looked to the left and saw his arm trapped, with only his wrist above the same matter that trapped his legs. Looking to his right he almost gasped. Not more than half a meter away from him, Mio was hanging trapped as if she was crucified, with her uniform missing.

"Mio! Mio!" Toshiro shouted.

"She won't be conscious for a while yet… She's almost dried out, despite your best intentions. After I blocked your familiars influence, she started using all her magic at once. She only has a little bit left."

"What did you do to us?!"

"I assimilated you into me. You are now both a source of my power. Well, she is only for a while now, but you… you are like a big power plant… Oh look, I'll demonstrate now."

Toshiro scoured the sea below and saw that the Venezian warship Littorio was aiming its guns at him. The cannons were fired. Toshiro's heart almost stopped as he saw this. He desperately tried to pull up his shield, but he could only see the enormous projectile flying directly towards him, accompanied by a slew of other ones.

"Forgive me… Yoshika…"

"Too early to make amends, Chosen One!"

Suddenly, a red shield appeared before him, stopping the almost 900 kilogram projectile, and making it fall down to the sea. Then Toshiro realized it.

"That was… Mio's…"

"Yes, Chosen One. That was your companion-in-misery's shield. But now she's ultimately dried out, I'll leave her like that. Killing her off right now would be... counterproductive… Oh, and look, looks like somebody wants to rescue you… Too bad your communication equipment was taken by me…"

Toshiro looked forward and saw her.

"Yoshika… No… No… Stay away!" He yelled.

"Toshirooo… Why are you making such a racket…" Mio mumbled from his side.

He looked at her, and she looked at him.

"By all the Kami… Toshiro, what the fuck is happening?!"

"The Neuroi trapped us in the core… But it goes worse – the Yamato is still Neuroified, the core uses us to project shields and…" He shook his head to point out something.

"Oh shit… Miyafuji!"

Yoshika was bravely powering towards them, but three beams combined were a bit too much even for her, and she stumbled mid-burst. One of the bullets plinked of the shield projected by the core.

"Gods… You were right…"

Yoshika was only about two hundred meters away from them.

"Miyafuji! Stop! Fly away now damn you! Leave me be!"

"Miss Sakamoto, I want to protect everyone, but especially Toshiro!" Yoshika yelled back.

"Toshiro…" Mio mumbled disgruntled, turning her head around to Toshiro.

"Yoshika, for fucks sake! Run! The Neuroi is sapping my power to generate shields! Hell would have to freeze over for you to get past!"

She blocked off another beam and shouted, "There's nothing a Witch can't do! I'll go to Hell and kick the devils ass to save you!"

"Miyafuji…" Mio gasped.

That passion in her eyes… Did I always look like that when Yoshika was in trouble?

"I will never give up!" Yoshika shouted.

Toshiro saw something that put a smile on his troubled face. Approaching from behind Yoshika were the rest of the girls.

"Yooooshikaaa!" Lynne cheered.

"You got us too, you know?" Perrine said.

"Guys!" Yoshika cheered.

"Let's go, girls. Formation Victor!" Minna commanded. "Cover Yoshika!"

"Roger!"

Yoshika started charging, but not directly for Toshiro and Mio, but towards the Yamato. Countless enemies crossed her path, but the girls were helping her as they could.

"I believe in you, Yoshika! Defeat the Neuroi!" Minna shouted.

"Yes ma'am!"

She gained another few meters, but she stopped before another wave of enemies. But Shirley swooped down, giving her safe passage.

"Knock it out of the sky, Yoshika!"

Yoshika started going forward again. Before her, Trude was cutting a path for her spinning like a tabletop.

"We'll cut a path for you. Now go, Yoshika!"

"I bet you won't even break a sweat!" Erica cheered and cut through at least fifty Neuroi with a Sturm.

"I'm counting on you, Yoshika." Perrine said and waited for the Neuroi to surround her. "Tonnerre!" She shouted and zapped the enemies.

Sanya was firing salvo after salvo of rockets from her Fliergerfaust.

"You'll be fine, Yoshika!"

She then fired a salvo after Yoshika. The rockets got in front of her and destroyed the enemy in her path. Eila was on Yoshika's side, zipping around and shooting like crazy. She pulled out a tarot card and said, "Luck's on your side today, Yoshika!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, Francesca buzzed between the Neuroi and cheered, "Go, Yoshika!"

Yoshika was almost over the Yamato. Lynne was fully utilizing the firing speed of her new rifle in aid of her friend.

"You can do it, Yoshika!" She cheered while popping a new clip in.

A single Neuroi flew before Yoshika. It hit her shield, but Yoshika dodged the enemy and peppered it with lead. Now Toshiro saw the gun she was using – it was his own.

She looked towards him apologetically and threw it away.

Is that… Unbelievable… It's there!

Yoshika flew above a certain spot over the deck of the Yamato. Slightly buried, stood Reppumaru, seemingly also Neuroified.

She grabbed the blade and tugged it with a fierce expression. She mumbled something he couldn't decipher. Magic enveloped her whole body as she increased the revs of her Striker's engine. It looked as if the Striker was at maximum output, but then the noise from it intensified even more. A magic circle half the size of the Yamato appeared under Yoshika, and with a fierce roar, amongst a shower of crystal flakes, she liberated Reppumaru from the Yamato. The sword gave off an intense flame, something Toshiro only saw when he himself was doing a Shin Reppuzan.

"Oh crap…" Toshiro murmured.

"Miyafuji…"

Yoshika flew in fifty meters before the hive core. She was wielding Reppumaru with a fierce stare, looking at the Neuroi in which Mio and Toshiro were trapped in.

"Yoshika, throw away that sword! It will kill you!" Toshiro yelled.

"But how… how can I save you otherwise?!" She shouted back and flinched a bit in the air.

Toshiro pointed his trapped left hand at Yoshika. Suddenly, Yumemaru was resting in her left hand.

"You can throw Reppumaru away now…"

Yoshika smiled bitterly and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Sakamoto…"

She extended her hand, and let out the sword out of her hand. It tumbled in the air, falling down into the Mediterranean Sea.

Toshiro felt as his energy was drained, and the core shot a beam at Yoshika. The beam split in half once it traveled to Yoshika. Once the view cleared, he saw that she had Yumemaru up before her.

"I wonder what she wants to do… She's didn't even master a Rending Gale…" Mio mumbled.

"I have a bad feeling… A really bad feeling…"

Yoshika suddenly flew up a few dozen of meters. Yumemaru started faintly glowing blue.

"I will save you, Toshiro!" Yoshika shouted.

"How?! A Cloud Spark won't do shit against this monstrosity!"

"Who told you I will do a Cloud Spark?!"

OH FUCK… Cancel! Cancel! Why is the sword not dispelling?!

The sword suddenly went ablaze with a blue flame.

"Miyafuji, stop it right now! It will rip your magic apart!"

"I don't care! I have to save what's precious to me!"

"Toshiro, how the fuck can she even pull that off?!"

"She is forcing the sword do the Shin Reppuzan by itself… She only needs to feed it an appropriate amount of magic… Or maybe she's begging the sword to do it…" Toshiro said with a distant voice and dead eyes.

"Dear gods! But her connection to her familiar will be ripped apart when she overdoes it!"

"YOOOOSHIKAAAAA! Why are you doing this?! Why do you want to sacrifice your gift?! You wanted to protect many people with your power!"

"Because I love you! And if it takes as little as my magic to spend the rest of my life with you, if that wish can come true, I WILL DO IT!"

Yoshika rushed down to the core like a swooping eagle.

"YOOOOSHIKAAAA!" Toshiro shouted.

Magic particles were leaving a trail behind her, as she dived down with her sword raised.

"REPPUUUUZAAAAN!"

This scene… I remember… The first vision I had when Yuki and I met! That blurry girl with the sword was Yoshika all along!

She swung the sword with fury, and the magic wave flew with hypersonic speed towards the core, right between Toshiro and Mio. The core tried to defend itself with a shield, but it was as defending against a tank round with a dinner plate.

"NO! It can't end like this!"

"Shut the fuck up you scum and die like a… man or something!"

It ripped through the shield, and through the core itself as if it was made out of plush. The Neuroi around disintegrated in a blinding flash of light, and the Yamato, pride of the Fuso Navy, was now turning back to normal, and soaring down to its watery grave.

I can feel how my magic returns to me, amongst the dying cry of the Neuroi in my head. Time slows down as I look up, and Charles Gounod's most known piece is somehow now stuck in my head.

If I was an ancient warrior of the north, giving my last breath, I would interpret what I'm seeing now is a Valkyrie, sweeping down from Valhalla, to make me one of the einherjar. But this wasn't the North… This is the South…

I see a holy maiden flying down, her clipped wings, the Striker Unit, falling away from her. Her fiery sword, Yumemaru, dispelling and disappearing. She has a radiant smile on her face, her arms wide open.

I see an angel.

An angel, who saved her lover through her selfless sacrifice.

An angel, who saved her friend and mentor.

An angel, who saved her other friends.

An angel, who saved countless soldiers.

An angel, who saved countless civilians.

An angel, who is now a normal girl.

My angel.

"Yoshika!" Toshiro shouted as Yoshika was about to fall into his arms.

"Toshiro!" She shouted and fell into Toshiro's arms.

"Yoshika… Why…"

"I protected many people… I fulfilled my lifelong dream, Toshiro. And you are my… ra…rais… Oh, Perrine taught me such a nice expression for such an occasion…"

"Raison d'etre?"

"Yes!"

"Miyafuji, Miyafuji… Damn you to hell…" Mio said from below.

The two looked down, and saw Mio clinging to Toshiro's leg. He gave her a hand and pulled her up.

"Now we are both dead out of magic, Miyafuji… And falling down to the sea… From about three kilometers… Without Strikers…"

"Mio… Yoshika just saved your ass, and you still call her by her family name. Just this once you could call her by her given name…"

"Oh all right… Just this once… Thank you, Y… Yoshika…"

"Awwwwww…" Yoshika hugged her tightly.

"Hey, hey, don't get too cuddly! We're still on a teacher-student relation, superior-subordinate even!"

"I don't care now, Mio… I'm dropping out of the army once we set foot in Fuso…"

"Now you're calling ME by my given name… Sheesh…"

"I don't want to interrupt you two, but we are now falling to down, pulled by the Earth's gravity, and methinks my magic is a bit weakish right now…"

"Well, you're right, Toshiro…" Mio said. "We are soaring into a watery grave…"

"However!" Toshiro interrupted. "We are a twelve, remember?"

"Don't forget me!"

"Yuki! I'm so happy to hear your voice you old snake!"

"Hey, don't tell a woman her age, even if it's true! I'm happy you're alive, you dunce…"

"Yoooshikaaaa!" Lynne shouted suddenly from behind Toshiro's back.

"Broooooo!" Erica shouted from behind her.

"Toshiroooo!" Trude followed up.

"Major!" Perrine shouted concerned.

Perrine grabbed Mio, Lynne grabbed Yoshika and Trude grabbed Toshiro.

"Waaaaaaaah! Maaaaajoooor! Yooouuu'reee oookkaaaaay!" Perrine cried.

"Yoshika! You did it! You did it!" Lynne cheered around happy.

Trude sighed and said, "Eh, shit… Not a victory for Karlsland on this one… But I guess you had some part in the success… Yoshika was all "Toshiro, Toshiro, Toshiro…" down on the Amagi…"

"Really? Damn… I'm so sorry…"

"Apologize to her, but I guess she already forgave you, heh…"

Minna flew up to Mio.

"Get me besides Minna." Toshiro whispered to Trude.

Trude nodded and she brought him in.

"Mio…" Minna said silently.

"I followed your order, Minna. I'm back. No need to demote me…"

Toshiro looked at Minna, whose eye were now welling up with tears. She rushed up to Mio, embraced her and started crying.

"Welcome back, Mio…"

Erica who was holding Mio with Perrine made a cheeky smile and flew away.

"Yaaaay! The Neuroi are gone!" Francesca cheered flying around happy. "Romagna is free! Venezia is free! We won! Yaaaaay! Yaaaaay! Woohooo!"

"We did it, Yoshika!" Lynne said.

"Yes, we did…" Yoshika said with a distant voice. "Toshiro, are you okay?!" She shouted.

"Physically I'm okay…" He pulled out a small shield over his head. "Magic okay… But mentally… No so okay… I almost threw my life away yet again, and you had to use your magic up… I'm sorry, Yoshika…"

"Apology accepted, heehee…"

"Toshiro, what are your orders?" Minna asked, already calmed down.

"Are there any radio transmissions I should know about? My transponder got… stolen so to speak."

"Not only that, heheh…" Shirley laughed.

"Huh?"

"You're only in your undies, stupid."

Toshiro looked down and saw his almost naked body, only covered by grey boxer shorts.

"Oooooh… That explains the breeze…" He said flustered.

Minna rummaged in her pocket, and she flew to Toshiro. She popped something in his ears.

"I always carry a spare…" She explained.

"Thanks, heh…"

"Colonel Edelwess, are you okay?" Sugita's voice was heard over the transponder.

"Yes, where are you, Jinzaburo? And why so formal?"

"I'm in the Amagi, you can probably see me if you turn around."

Trude quickly turned around with him, and Toshiro saw Sugita in the bridge. Sugita saluted and said, "Once again, the 501st has saved me. This is really getting embarrassing… You all have my utmost thanks, ladies and gentleman. And you, Yoshika Miyafuji, your deed will not go unheard of in the IFN."

He bowed for a few seconds, and then went back from the window.

"Hey, Yoshika. The good Captain said something about a promotion." Erica snickered. "You should be at least a Captain for killing a core on your own, heheh…"

"Really? Nice, but I doubt I will stay in the Navy… My magic is totally and utterly kaput…"

"Girls, take me to the base, I need to make a call." Toshiro said.

"Is that a return to base order for all of us?" Minna asked formally.

"Ugh… Yes. Ladies, return to base, Operation Mars was a success!"

"Roger!" They all answered.

After only an hour they were back in the base.

"Stay here, everyone." Toshiro said. "And I mean it."

"But why?" Francesca asked.

"You want that to be an order, or will you just listen to me?"

"Okay, okay…"

Toshiro ran up to his room and dressed up in his best uniform. Then he ran to the office, and made a call.

"Galland, who dares to disturb me now?"

"Your favorite Oberst."

"Toshiro! I heard already! The airboat will be in the base in thirty minutes, congratulations!"

"What do you know?"

"The hive was destroyed by Yoshika, damn, you have a really feisty girlfriend…"

"She paid for it by losing all her magical abilities. Mio is also magic devoid right now."

"Oh… Oh… Sorry to hear… Well, that will legitimize the orders I have for you a bit, heheh…'

"Orders you say? Let's hear them."

"Ahem… Oberst Toshiro Edelweiss, you are to disband the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. After that, the Karlslanders under your command have to go to Sint-Truiden in Belgica. They have fourteen days to do so. Major Sakamoto and Sergeant Miyafuji are to accompany you back to Fuso, where you will be on indefinite, paid leave. The rest is free to go wherever they wish, but they will have to report their destination to their HQ's. You have until 1200 tomorrow to vacate the premises. Everything clear?"

"Jawohl, Frau Generalmajor."

"Heh, good..."

"By the way, I have a question.. What would happened if I wanted to disband the unit in say… April?"

"You'd have full right to do so, but… heh… you'd have to file a lot of paperwork for it to happen, the paperwork would have to be processed, blahblah…"

"So you gave me candy I could only lick through the wrapping?"

"Yeah, pretty much…"

"Ugh… Ah, about paperwork…"

"Don't bother, just offload everything to Minna, I'll call her in an hour or so."

"Heheh… Okay, bye, Adolfine.

"Bye, Toshiro. I'm rooting for you!"

Toshiro rummaged his desk, and took his seal and writing utensils. He went to his room, and put everything in his chest.

This room… I wish I could take it with me to Fuso… Damn it…

He took the chest and went down to the hangar, where the girls were already getting antsy.

"Huh, you're packed already?" Erica asked, tilting her head.

"Everyone, attention!" Toshiro commanded.

The girls were a bit surprised but they all stood in one line.

"Ladies! I have orders from HQ! Minna, Trude, Erica – you have fourteen days to travel to Sint-Truiden in Belgica. Mio, Yoshika – you have about twenty minutes to get packed, there's an airboat coming for you two and me. The rest is free to go, but you have to leave the base before 1200 tomorrow, and report your destination to HQ. And now… by the power vested in me as the Grand Supervisor of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, I am disbanding the unit with immediate effect. Everyone – dismissed!"

"Wooohooo!" Everyone cheered.

Everyone instead of Mio and Yoshika, who approached Toshiro and asked, "Airboat?"

"We're returning home you two…" Toshiro said with a soft voice. "Go, Mio, Yoshika. Take Lynne and Perrine with you and pack. I promise that this haste is justified."

"Okay…" The both murmured.

"Lynne, come with me!" Yoshika cheered.

"Okay!"

"Hey, Perrine."

"W-what, Major?"

"Want to help me pack my bags?"

"Y-yes! It will be an honor!"

"Hahaha! Let's go then!"

The four of them left. Minna approached him and asked, "Why are you so fast to leave the base?"

"You will get to know… Well, on the seventh at quickest."

"What are you planning… I can't tell…"

"Oh this will be something… Anyway, Adolfine will call in an hour, so you'd better prepare for some paperwork, heheh…"

"Offloading it to me? How rude…"

"I'll leave the key to the wine cellar in the door…" Toshiro winked. "Get your camera, we need a group photo!"

"Oh, yes! On the job!" Minna said and ran away.

"Belgica, huh? I love their chocolate, heehee…" Erica giggled.

"I like the air in Sint-Truiden…" Trude said. "But you say we have fourteen days, right?"

"Yup."

"So… We can… wander around a bit?"

"Trude… Are you perhaps trying to sneak off some free time with your sister?"

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Trude said with her back turned to Toshiro.

"Tell Minna when she comes back, maybe she can negotiate a plane to Britannia from Adolfine…"

Trude turned around with her eyes sparkling and hugged Toshiro tightly.

"Heheh, you really are an incurable siscon, Trude…" Erica sighed.

"Wait here, gals, I have to take some wine from the cellar. Yoshika's mom will kill me if I won't get her some Romagnan red wine…"

He ventured on to the wine cellar, and he picked up a few random bottles. He left the last Nebbiolo for Minna, and the key in the door.

After he returned and stowed away the bottles in his chest, Mio, Yoshika, Lynne, Perrine and Minna crept in. Yoshika had a big suitcase, and Mio sported a duffle bag with her.

"Okay girls! Let's go to the runway! I want a nice big photo with the castle in the background!"

"Roger!"

The camera was positioned on a tripod. Toshiro sat on his chest and took Yoshika on his knee. Everyone smiled and the shutter of the camera was heard.

"Now, everyone, a kiss for Toshiro!" He said. "And tell me your plans for the future."

"Whaaaaaaaaaa…" Everyone asked

Yoshika was the first to act, and she gave him a big wet smooch.

"Done!" She cheered. "Next!"

Since the Karlslanders seemed to have, figuratively speaking, balls, they lined up before Toshiro.

Erica and Minna gave him a peck on the cheek, but Trude surprised everyone. She gave him such a kiss that Toshiro unconsciously rolled his eyes.

"Damn, Trude… I should have acted with you when I had time…"

"Heeey!" Yoshika slammed him on the back of his head. "Owowowow… Were you always so hard?"

"Not only there, Yoshika, heh…"

"Oh shush…"

"You know our plans, we're going to Belgica. After that, who knows…" Minna said. "Next!"

Sanya and Eila approached him with red cheeks.

"Ooooh, what's the matter? You're afraid to kiss a man?" He asked with a wry smile.

"No way we are afraid!" Eila yelled, and both she and Sanya gave him a smooch on the cheeks at the same time. "We want to look for Sanya's parents again."

"You have my blessing you two. Next!"

Perrine and Lynne approached, jittering a bit. Taking after the previous pair, they gave a quick peck on his cheeks. Their cheeks were so red that they could be used as landing lamps.

"We are going to Gallia." Lynne said.

"Lynne wants to help me with what I started back then." Perrine said.

"A just cause you two, have fun. Next!"

Shirley and Francesca approached, and they also gave him a fast one.

"We're going to Venice!" Shirley shouted.

"Yeah, Venice!" Francesca cheered.

"Not Liberion?" Toshiro asked.

"Scaredy cat is too afraid to fly over the ocean with me, so I'll be staying with her."

"Heheh… I hope you have fun. Next!"

Mio stood before him.

"Oh, Mio… Hmmm... Just show some restraint, heheh…"

"Oh shut up, you won't be the boss of me!" She shouted and kissed him no worse than Trude did.

"You and Yoshika in one plane for at least five days… Damn, this will be something, hahaha! Speaking of which, look!" He said and pointed out to the east.

The girls turned around and saw an airboat approaching to land on the water, aiming for the small dock beside the runway.

Toshiro stood up from the chest and said, "Ladies… It was so fun to be your commander for all this time. Remember – telephones and telegrams exist, we should be in contact, because, as Yoshika said once, we are all connected under the same sky."

All the girls swarmed him for a group hug. Once they let go, Toshiro noticed that the boat already approached the dock.

"So long, everyone!" Toshiro shouted. "Aufwiedersehen!"

"Sayonara!" Yoshika cheered. "I'm sure we'll meet soon!"

"Byeeeee!" Everyone cheered and waved at them.

Toshiro, Yoshika and Mio stepped down the stair. The side door was opened, and a pilot greeted them.

"Please, come inside. We are on a tight schedule."

They went inside, and as soon as the door was closed, the airboat shot forward, carrying It's passengers to where it all began – to Fuso.

Mr Freeman...

Ahem, anyway, one chapter left!

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 :]