PROLOGUE

"That's all? Lieutenant?" The DIA interrogator asked. He calmly stared on the eyes of a young man who sat in front of him. The said man wore the US Army grey ACU. His right hand was handcuffed to the table in front of him as he calmly leaned on the chair.

"If I know more than that, I'll tell you," He said. His brown eyes glared on the interrogator.

"You could have hiding it. A US Army pilot defecting to the Soviet along with a prototype TSF, that's an uncommon thing," The other interrogator, a CIA agent retorted, causing the young man to sigh.

"Look, I NEVER defected to the Soviet! I may have deserted my post, that's for sure. I'm doing that so I can save Barchenova and Sestina from that crazy witch doctor. I have been telling you that for a hundred times!" He said, half shouting.

"So, why are you in their ranks during Operation Cherry Blossom?!"

He exhaled deeply before answering, "Barchenova's only wish…was to protect the world I'm living. That's why I participated."

The CIA agent chuckled. "Heh, do you thing you can fool us by telling that tragically shitty Romeo and Juliet kind of story?!" He then hit the table hard which failed to make the young man surprised. "Don't hope you can shit us! Who do you think you are? James Bond?!"

He just snorted lowly. He turned his gaze away. "You both said that I only 'need to fill the blanks', am I correct?"

The CIA agent gritted his teeth while the DIA kept his nerve calm. "You should consider yourselves lucky you're not in front of a firing squad right now!"

"So what are you going to do, huh? Bury me? Do it! You can do all you want to me but I won't give a fuck," He replied as he glared on him. "Everything is done for me."

"You-" The CIA agent pointed his finger on the TSF pilot but the DIA agent stopped him.

"Gentlemen, please maintain our head cools. I don't want any unneeded bloodbath here," He said as the CIA agent backed away. He then placed his hands on the table, leaning forward. "As for you, Lieutenant Bridges, we don't need to bury you, you're already dead, and decomposed," He said coldly. "I need you to tell everything we want without bullshitting us, or the thing is going to be very hard…for you. Are we cleared?"

The Lieutenant looked to the DIA agent. "Crystal."

"Okay then…" The DIA agent then took a file document, searching for something. "You told us that you have hanged out with those…ESPers, and they have some kind of super power, isn't it?" He nodded. "So, please tell me what this is…" He slid a photo toward him. Yuuya took the photo and learn it was the XFJ-01 Shiranui Second with blue clouds around it.

"This is called Nastroyka Effect, closely related to that Pafka Phenomenon that I've tell you earlier. The cloud around it was some kind of physic energy. I don't know how this happened…" Yuuya then gasped as he looked to his boots. He then began to remember the time when 'Cyrska's ghost' came to his side during that Operation. He tightened the grip on the photo as he tried to hold himself from crying.

The CIA agent stared toward him in confusion while the DIA agent slowly took the picture from his hand. "You don't need to force yourselves."

He then nodded, wiping the nonexistence tears on his eyes. "There are a lot of thing I don't know."

"But are you sure this Jerzy Sandek know everything?"

"I can't make sure he knows everything, but of course, he knows lot of things I don't know," The DIA agent nodded and exchanged glance with the CIA agent.

The CIA agent nodded and started. "About the XFJ-" But he was interrupted by the knock of the door. "Come in!" He said in irritating tone.

"Sir!" An armed guard entered the room and approached the DIA agent. He then whispered something on the agent's ear.

The agent looked surprised and replied. "Understood," the guard then left as the DIA agent turned back to the American-Japanese pilot. "Well…I got a bit surprising news that President David Hamilton and Shogun Yuuhi Koubouin has freed you from all of your charges, plus you are going to be promoted to First Lieutenant," He chuckled lightly, unlocking the handcuff on his right hand. "Congratulation, Lieutenant Bridges. I didn't expected they would go this far, but that was expected because we all need you back in action."

Yuuya was left dumbfounded as both the agents left the room, leaving him alone, again.

January 1st, 2002. Hundreds of thousands of people died, but humanity won that day…

An SAD Operator led Yuuya out from the CIA HQ after months of his imprisonment. The newly promoted First Lieutenant walked calmly with his backpack around his right arm.

With the war against BETA closing to end, Eishi like me won't be needed anymore…

As they finally in the front gate, the Operator taped his shoulder. "The POTUS gave you freedom. So do your best, LT," He said before left.

As he watched the SAD left, someone called him. "Long time no see, Top Gun," He surprised because a familiar voice called him with his old call sign. He turned to the source and saw a person he never thought to see again.

Or so I thought…

"Major Bishop?!"

The person just chuckled. "It's Colonel now."

Like what that old man said, humanity will shed bloods…again…

Finally…I did it…

I didn't expect I really did this. This story has bugging my mind since I re-watch Muv-Luv, noticing tons of Ace Combat References there. About this story, it will be told from Reaper and the other Muv-Luv Main Protagonist point of view –More from the former though. The story started some times after the event of Total Eclipse –Sorry for the spoiler- but the timeline will follow the Infinity and Assault Horizon. By the way, I have never played ACI before -because of the lack of Wi-Fi and PS3- but I watched the walkthrough over a hundred times, so it's like playing it.

This one is just the prologue. Next chapter is going to be the real first chapter, 'Lost Butterfly'. See ya~