Disclaimer: None of us own Gundam SEED. Goddamn Sunrise… Furthermore, any franchises that make cameos here belong to their respective owners.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Radio"
Chapter Fifteen: Fangs of the Tiger
Mugen Kano, Deck
"Jinn-kun, not so rough…" a low moan sounded out through the air. "Ahn~"
Jade, Shinn, Flay, Dearka, Nicol, and Yzak all froze as they heard those words filter in from the deck through the door they were just about to pass. "I'm… not the only one to hear that… right?" Dearka asked slowly. "And does it sound like someone is… 'getting busy'?"
"Y… yeah…" Flay replied. "I definitely heard it, too… but… that's the outer deck… they wouldn't do it out in the open… would they…?"
"That hit the spot… Jinn-kun, your hands are so warm…" the voice came again.
Stunned silence echoed again. "Isn't that… Hanami?" Jade questioned, identifying the speaker. "... Is… is she so shy because she's… an exhibitionist?"
"That… that doesn't seem right to me…" Shinn muttered.
"Ji-Jinn-kun, I'm sen- HYAAA!" a muted scream filtered through the door. "I'm sensitive there!"
"Wow… where in the hell did he learn whatever he's doing to her from?" Dearka questioned in shock. "I… I just don't know what to say…"
"Well, I say we just keep moving," Yzak remarked. "I do not want to risk wrath from either of them if they catch us even listening in like this… but especially her."
"Where did you learn this from? It feels so… so… good…" a relaxed sigh came next, followed by a low moan of pleasure. "Ahhh…"
"Ryu-nii taught me some," Jinn's voice filtered through. "The rest I picked up through reading."
"I… see…" Hanami's reply came between loud pants. "Should… I take it… off?"
At that point, Yzak simply could not take any more. "That's it, I'm getting away from this door before it gets any worse," he said, taking off at quite a good clip.
"I… I have to look," Dearka said in a monotone voice. "I… I must… the power of the boob compels me…"
"Oh no you don't, buster," Jade said, her hand clamping firmly onto Dearka's ear as she began dragging him away. "We are not disturbing them."
"But… the boob…" Dearka whined piteously as he reached for the doorway. "It calls for me…"
"I mean… do you need more… skin contact… to get a better kick out of the rub?" Hanami moaned.
"Not really, but if it makes you feel more comfortable," Jinn informed as everyone stared at the doorway. "A backrub is different for everyone, some prefer skin on skin while others find it better when they're clothed."
Shinn's jaw dropped. "OK… anyone else feel weirded out by the fact that Jinn apparently gives backrubs that make the recipient sound like they're having sex?" he asked.
"No, it's not just you," Jade informed. "I guess Jinn inherited what mom called dad's 'magic fingers'…"
"L… let's go find Yzak…" Nicol said after a moment. "Not sure what his reaction would be to learning we were hearing a really good massage, rather than… that, but he still probably needs to know, anyway."
"Jinn-kun, I think I heard something…" Hanami said. "Is someone there?"
"Ah, it's just us, Hanami, Jinn," Flay called out. "We… overheard you guys…"
There was a short, pregnant pause before killing intent started filtering through the door. "Ara ara, it's impolite to eavesdrop…"
"I… it was an accident, really!" Flay replied, as they edged away from the door. "We were passing by on our way elsewhere, and… we couldn't help but overhear…"
"Flay, you didn't have to reply!" Shinn hissed quietly.
"But you did hear us… right?" One of Hanami's trademark Noh masks actually phased through the wall of the ship beside the door and started glaring at them.
"Uhh… BYE!" Flay replied, before they all started running in terror in the same direction Yzak had.
"WHAT SHE SAID!" Jade screamed out as she tripped Shinn before taking off, following Flay.
Shinn stumbled a bit, but got his feet back under him relatively quickly as he continued running as if his life depended on it.
Moments later, the door opened and the silverette and Jinn stepped back into the ship, the former stretching, with her red eyes twinkling with mirth. "Did I overdo it, Jinn-kun?" Hanami's alter ego cuddled into Jinn's side.
"Not really, I don't think anyways," Jinn informed. "I'm not sure what they find so scary about that mask you… project, for lack of a better word, it's rather fascinating…"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kagami chuckled. "I could teach you how to do it, though… I've been wondering what happens if I do it in a mobile suit."
Jinn was silent for a moment as he considered it. "It would be interesting…" he agreed. "Might be something to experiment with during down time… when Yzak walks into the hangar…"
"I still have photos of his scared shitless expression from last time," Kagami grinned. "Priceless - though I had to clean up the kitchen afterwards. When I said scared shitless I mean it literally."
Jinn chuckled slightly as he pulled Kagami closer to him. "Have I said I love you recently?" he asked with a small smile.
"I believe you last said that half an hour ago," the silverette grinned. "Can I get the remainder of that backrub now? Although we should probably move to one of our rooms for that - I think the skin-on-skin type of backrub suits me more… plus it was getting rather hot outside just now."
Jinn nodded in agreement as the two of them stood. "Sure," he agreed. "Let's go."
Desert Dawn Command Tent
"OK, I think that's a sound plan," Kira remarked, looking over the map with Sahib again. "What do you think, Sahib?"
Sahib nodded in agreement. "I agree, your husband has left already? I know he took a few of our men to help transport an Ultracompact Energy Battery," he commented. "Won't they need a mobile suit defending them?"
Kira shook her head. "They're bringing a Mobile Suit, yes, but they're not going into the main fighting." She pointed to the location Ryu had marked for Sniper Support. "I'm assuming the Energy Battery is to prolong how long he'll be able to stay out there sniping."
Sahib nodded. "I'll have my men get ready for the assault," he informed. "Which mobile suits will you be sending with us?"
"I'll go in the Valkyrie to the main target, along with the Viral, Exodus, Exceed, Strike, and Blitz," Kira replied. "The Buster, Duel, and Thor will be moving to support the secondary assault - we have a new asset in play that will be joining in, as well. The remaining Mobile Suits will stay here as a reserve, in case ZAFT tries an assault of their own while we're gone, or decides to make a counterattack."
Sahib nodded in understanding as he looked at the map. "While we do not have mobile suits, we are more than willing to fight with what little we have," he informed. "While it is not easy, we can at least disable some of their units."
"Right, just be careful," Kira replied. "While you may be able to disable their machines, they can easily kill you - if we tell you to fall back, you fall back."
Sahib nodded. "I'll make sure our more… hot headed members understand that," he informed. "Good luck."
Kira nodded. "Good luck to you, as well," she said, as she left the tent.
Mining Tunnels
"Damn, talk about a tight squeeze," Ryu groaned as he moved the customized Strike Dagger through the mining tunnels that ran through a good portion of northern Africa. "Well, thank god I didn't give it a paint job, else it'd be ruined by now."
Behind him, Dearka and Yzak were driving one of the Mugen Kano's Support Trucks. The truck was pulling a spare Ultracompact Energy Battery in a trailer behind it, along with a coolant system to keep the barrel of the rifle from overheating.
"You boys remember the plan, right?" he called out to the pair over the radio. "You guys are my spotters and make sure the coolant keeps pumping."
"Yeah, yeah," Yzak replied, a bit out of it. Mostly it was because they would be needing to fight ZAFT, but he was also a bit disgusted regarding what had happened earlier - he'd heard from Dearka about the truth of what had gone on on the other side of that hatchway, and was still coming to grips with how Jinn apparently could give a girl an orgasmic massage.
"Look, I know you rooks don't want to fight your fellow countrymen, but, you're not members of ZAFT Military right now, you're Mercs," Ryu informed. "Sides, ZAFT isn't as pure as you think…"
Dearka was looking a bit blase at that, his typical laid-back self, but Yzak bristled a bit, even if he didn't say anything.
"Take this region for example," Ryu commented. "The locals managed to push OMNI to just their Mass Driver, and along comes ZAFT, taking away their lands once again."
Yzak could kind of see the point there, they'd already cleared out one government rule only for another government to swoop in.
"Nothing is black and white, you will see that in this line of work, boys," Ryu informed with a sigh. "After all, we see the war from all sides."
"Gotcha," Dearka remarked, before smiling a bit. "Bet you see lots of pretty girls from all sides of the conflict, too…" he mused.
Ryu let out a small chuckle. "Well… since I've got a wife, I can't really say," he informed. "Although there is Rena Imelia and Jane Huston from the EA… worked with them for a job once before I met Kira, nothing happened, but they were lookers."
Dearka grinned, while Yzak sighed. "Honestly, Dearka, is there anything that wears a skirt that you won't chase?" he asked exasperatedly.
Ryu let out a chuckle as they continued on. "Right boys, if you haven't, better buckle up, Hughes said it got rather rough in the area ahead," he informed.
"Got it," Dearka replied as he and Yzak both double-checked their safety harnesses.
Aboard the Archangel
"Ma'am, we're picking up three IFF's, Fenrir, Buster, Duel, and Thor!" Chandra informed. "They're sending us the coordinates of the ZAFT base and a countdown timer."
"Link us into the timer, and bring the coordinates up on a map," Murrue ordered. "Let's get a look at where we're going."
"Yes ma'am!" Chadra replied as he brought up the timer, showing one hour left, and the map showing their objective five miles out.
"Alright, get ready to bring the Buster, Duel, and Thor aboard," Murrue ordered. "We'll get into position, then prepare to attack."
"Roger that!" the crew called out as they began preparations.
Mugen Kano, Pilot Ready Room
Jinn breathed evenly as he sat in the ready room with the rest of the pilots leaving base for the mission, all of them save Kira were clad in their flight suits. "Alright, you guys, here's the plan," Kira announced. "Shinn, myself, and Kagami will be loaded with our unit's heavy weapons to bombard the base, Jinn, Jade, Flay, you three will be running interception on enemy units, Kagami, load up with a medium range weapon or two just in case you need to switch to interception operations."
Kagami thought for a moment. "That'll mean taking the Heavy Weapons backpack with the Schlagen Kanone and hand-carrying a rifle I guess. If I need to get in close combat I can always eject the thing."
Kira nodded her understanding. "Load up, people, we're launching in ten!" she shouted out.
The pilots all nodded, before heading out for the hangar to get on their machines. "Flay, Jade, be careful out there," Shinn told his Fiancee and their mutual lover. "Make sure you come back in one piece."
Jade grinned. "Of course… master," she assured, her voice dropping into a husky whisper. "Will your slave be rewarded later?"
Shinn blushed, but nodded. "Yeah… I think you'll have earned it if we survive this," he said, smiling, before his expression became nervous. "I'm also thinking we might visit the medbay in the next day or so. I know it's only been about a week since you… joined us, Jade, but I'd like to check, and make sure whether or not you're…"
"Bearing your child?" Jade finished, her smile softening as she brushed a hand against her abdomen. "I can't say I'm against the idea…"
"Yeah…" Flay added, brushing a hand against her own abdomen. They already knew she was pregnant, the red-head having checked the evening before. "I'm looking forward to being a mother… and doing so alongside you, Jade…"
Jade giggled. "Should warn you though, Mom was the oddity in her family for not bearing twins," she informed. "So we might be getting more than we bargained for."
Shinn nodded, though the prospect of twins did make him nervous. "Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough," he said as they reached the hangar, moving to their machines.
Soon enough the Strike, Exodus and Valkyrie were loaded with their heavy weapons as Jade and Jinn were loaded into the catapults. "This is Jade Hisanaga!" Jade shouted out as she settled into the cockpit, ensuring the seals of her special flight suit to reduce the strain of the G-Forces were good. "Exceed, I'm beginning interception!"
She was launched out of the catapult, climbing up in altitude as Shinn and the Strike were loaded up after her.
"Jinn Hisanaga, Viral, ready to launch," Jinn informed plainly as he braced himself. "Launching!"
Jinn was shot out of the Catapult, Kagami and the Exodus being loaded up behind him.
"Shinn Asuka, Launcher Strike, Heading out!" Shinn announced before the Strike was hurdled out of the catapult, quickly replaced by the Valkyrie.
"Kagami Yukikaze, Exodus, ready for long-range bombardment!" Kagami gripped her controls tight as her unit was launched out the catapult, slightly slower than the rest due to her heavy weapons. "This feels a lot more sluggish than normal!"
"When the mission is over, you can have Ryu modify the Exodus to deal with the extra weight in the future," Kira told her over the radio. "Kira Hisanaga, Ragnarock Pack Valkyrie, taking flight!"
"That would definitely be a lifesaver… this thing is flying like a bull right now. Maybe I shouldn't have brought all the extra ammo along," Kagami agreed, making a few test turns and grimacing at the horrible handling.
"Extra ammo is always a lifesaver, Kagami," Kira informed. "We might be able to modify your heavy weapon backpack to have thrusters on them so that the added weight doesn't screw with the flight balance."
"Sounds good, in the meantime I guess I'll just have to make do…" the silverette nodded.
"Raider group two, this is Overwatch." Ryu informed, breaking over the radio. "Please respond."
"Group two here, we read you," Kira replied.
"RG-2, you have more enemies then expected at your base," he informed. "I count 10 GiNN OCHER Types, Five GiNN Assault Types, Seven DINNs and fifteen BuCUEs with one unknown BuCUE-type unit, from the colors, I'd say it's the Desert Tiger piloting it."
Kira sighed. "Roger," she said. "Well, this just got more complicated…"
"So… six of us, against… thirty eight machines," Jinn commented. "Seems fair I guess…"
"We should have the element of surprise after all. Let me find a good place to set up for indirect fire support - I don't wanna be anywhere near the fight when it gets started with this kind of equipment," Kagami added as the Exodus scanned its surroundings.
"Right," Kira replied as Flay joined them in the Blitz. "Let's move out!"
"Sending coordinates for you, RG-2-3," Ryu informed as a set of coordinates were uploaded to the Exodus. "Best position for Howitzer, good cover for you, spotters with the Desert Dawn will provide you targeting data."
"Got it," Kagami nodded as the Exodus jumped over behind a rocky outcropping and took a knee, even as the gigantic 450mm cannon on her back unfolded to point skywards. "Deploying stabilizers and switching to indirect fire mode," she added as a pair of stabilizing arms on the side of her backpack swung out and drove large spikes into the ground.
"Exodus, this is Abraham of the Desert Dawn," the Desert Dawn spotter reported. "I have the targeting data for you, Overwatch has recommended focusing on ammo dumps and hangars for the mobile suits…"
"Oooh, nice and juicy targets," Kagami grinned, rubbing her hands together as she looked over the data. "Is that an ammo dump right between a pair of hangars? How confident are they in their defenses? Locking on… HE shells loaded. Overwatch, signal when you want me to fire."
"Roger that RG-2-3," Ryu informed. "Long-range bombardment begins in three… two… one… All bombardment units, begin attack, RG-1 team move in to your target."
A loud crack resounded through the air as a massive 450mm high-explosive shell exited the Exodus' 'Schlagen Kanone' howitzer. Several seconds later there was a series of loud explosions coming from the direction of the base as the shell detonated right in the middle of the ammo dump, setting off even more munitions and causing severe damage to the hangars on either side of it. "Direct hit confirmed, reloading. Overwatch, should I take out the radar system?" Kagami reported.
"Do it RG-2-3," Ryu informed. "RG-1-2, watch your six…" a beam was seen lancing across the sky. "Good spotting Spotter-1."
Kira unleashed a blast from her heavy cannons, destroying another hangar. "Take down as many as you can, before they can regroup!" she ordered.
"DiNNs Incoming! I'm on 'em!" Jade shouted as she switched the Exceed into combat mode and fired the Dual Beam Cannons.
Another high-explosive shell tore into the base's radar station, reducing the effectiveness of the anti-air defenses as they switched to their individual, weaker backup radars. "Those things aren't going to be hitting the broad side of a barn anything soon," Kagami grinned as an empty shell canister was ejected from the side of the gun on her back. "Targeting the cluster of hangars to the northwest."
"Targeting data sent," Abraham informed. "Ummm… the orange BuCUE-type is coming in hot!"
"Intercepting," Jinn informed as he fired his beam submachine gun, charging the unit. "Hacking will be… problematic…"
"Jinn-kun, can you hold him back? He's moving too fast for me to hit him, even if I use the flak rounds," Kagami said worriedly as she attempted to get a good lock on the orange newcomer. "And he's too close…"
"Will do, focus on the base, Kagami-chan," Jinn informed. "I'll protect you."
"Thanks, Jinn-kun," Kagami flashed her partner a relieved smile as she turned her attention back to the base and fired off another shell at her original target.
Jinn ducked under a twin beam cannon blast before returning fire as the orange unit attempted to close in on him. "Brother? Fire support would be nice," Jinn informed.
"Sorry little brother, he's moving too much for a clean shot, has to be Waltfeld, he's using the sand dunes as impressive cover," Ryu informed.
"Done with the hangars, going to help lay down suppressive fire on him," Kagami said somewhat hesitantly as she looked at the targeting screen, her hands slightly shaking on her controls. "Loading flak rounds, setting altitude detonation to 10 metres."
Moments later a shell impacted the ground near the orange BuCUE-type's location and a cloud of explosions formed all around it, completely missing the target. "Missed, he's still moving too fast…"
Jinn frowned as he used the cloud of sand to obscure him activating the Mirage Colloid and launched himself into the air and targeted the unit, only for it to dodge. "How?"
"Hang on, Jinn!" Flay called out, slipping into Mirage Colloid. "I'll give you a hand!"
"Yo, kid," a familiar voice called out over an open channel. "Looks like my gut was right, Jinn…"
"Waltfeld-san, so it really is you…" Kagami sighed. "I really was hoping we wouldn't meet on the battlefield…"
"And the beautiful Hanami, huh. Well, sorry, but this is the fate of the soldier!" Andy shouted as he charged around Jinn, the cannons blasting at him as he rocketed past. "There is no mercy on the battlefield!"
"So, you're the Desert Tiger," Kira remarked, trying to lead her shots as she added to the suppression fire. "I have to thank you for helping my brother-in-law and his girlfriend out both during and after that Blue Cosmos attack they told us about."
Andy chuckled slightly as the dual beam saber cut the leg of the Blitz, sending the unit toppling as the beam cannons fired at the Viral again.
Another flak round detonated nearby, forcing Andy to move lest he get caught up in the secondary explosions and preventing him from pushing his attack. "Flay-chan! Are you okay?" Kagami shouted.
"I'm fine! I'm pulling back!" Flay informed as Shinn fired off another Agni Blast.
"I'll cover you till you're out of range, Flay!" Shinn called out, using Agni Blasts to force Waltfeld away from the Blitz and Viral. "Get back to the Mugen Kano as best you can!"
"I'll help out too!" Kagami continued firing flak rounds at the ZAFT ace. "But at the rate I'm firing I'm going to run out of ammo soon!"
Andy moved through the heavy Artillery with shocking ease as he suddenly closed in on Kagami. "You're far too hesitant with those shots, girl," Andy informed. "Nothing personal, but I need you out of the way," he commented before using the claws of his unit to slash at the Exodus' cockpit.
"I can't dodge!" Kagami realized in horror as she tried to dodge back only for her backpack's stabilizers, still rooted in the ground to stop her. Half a second later, the claws ripped through the Exodus' cockpit hatch, causing warning signs to blare out through what was left of the cockpit as she screamed out loud.
"KAGAMI-CHAN!" Jinn shouted out desperately. "NO!"
"Ji… Jinn-kun…" Kagami breathed in heavily as she clutched at the wound that had opened up across her left arm as she cowered away from the claw. Debris from the cockpit had gotten lodged in her back, however, and she was bleeding heavily. "I… I'm… so… so… sorry…" she gasped out through the pain as her vision started to blur and the Exodus collapsed to one side.
"YOU BASTARD!" Jinn shouted, a green-red streaked seed seemed to float through his vision before exploding, a wave of unnatural calmness washing over him, he calmly moved through the cannon blasts, his left hand flying over the keyboard at a speed he never had before, surpassing that of even Kira's.
The orange BuCUE-type seemed to try to fire again only for the power to fail as the entire unit came to a stop, Jinn hacking into the power supply controls. He proceeded to drop the beam submachine gun to grab his beam saber and raised it up. Screaming angrily, he plunged it down, impaling the unit before kicking the BuCUE-type away as a chain reaction began to run through it.
"Aisha, sorry," Andy whispered to his copilot shortly before the unit exploded.
"Kagami-chan!" Jinn shouted as he leapt out of the powering down Viral and rushed to the Exodus, he quickly climbed to the cockpit. "Oh no…"
"Did… did… you get… him…?" Kagami was barely conscious at that point, and she was trying and failing to blink spots out of her eyes as she stumbled out of the ruined cockpit, splotches of red decorating the entire thing. Her left arm had been cut through almost to the bone by the attack - she didn't last long before collapsing into Jinn's arms. "Jinn… Jinn-kun…"
"I got him… Kagami-chan, don't worry," Jinn assured as he gently held the silverette in his arms before moving as quickly as he could without aggravating her wounds. "Don't worry, we'll get you help soon…"
"Get her back to the Mugen Kano, Jinn," Kira ordered. "We can mop up here." She then switched over to the channel with Ryu. "Overwatch, this is RG-2. Did you see all that?"
"Medics are standing by," Ryu informed. "Cagalli and Athrun are moving up to reinforce you."
"Thanks," Kira replied, even as Jinn brought Kagami back into the Viral and took off to return to the Mugen Kano. "How did the other group do?"
"All primary and secondary targets destroyed, they're on their way to support your group," Ryu confirmed. "Now transferring to full sniping."
"Roger that," Kira replied. "I think they'll make fine additions to our group."
"Indeed," Ryu agreed. "It also appears that Mu managed to get himself a Patriot they modified…"
"If that's the same ship I heard from Take-nii about, they might have purchased it from Terminal while they were stopped at Artemis," Kira remarked. "They're pretty resourceful if they could get it modified so fast."
"Possibly," Ryu agreed. "Did you get a look at Kagami's condition?"
"It didn't look too good," Kira replied. "She didn't look like she was in danger of dying anytime soon, but her wounds were still rather serious."
"Right, I'll notify her parents when we get back," Ryu said with a depressed sigh. "Right, looks like Kagami managed to deal some massive damage to the base before she was shot down, but we still got a bunch of angry ZAFT units after you guys."
"Right…" Kira replied. "Well, we still have myself, Shinn, Jade, and you, Athrun and Cagalli are coming up, and we've got the Archangel and their group coming, as well… I almost pity the remaining ZAFT units."
A GiNN fell to Ryu's sniper fire. "Alright then, let's begin mopping up operations," he announced.
"Agreed," Kira replied. "Also, let's make it a competition - the one with the highest number of enemies taken down once we're done gets priority for repairs and resupply."
Ryu chuckled a beam lanced through a DINN, sending it spiralling into a pair of BaCUEs, and sending all three units up into flames. "You're on," Ryu informed with a wide grin.
Few hours later, Desert Dawn Base
Ryu sighed as he and the other pilots finally returned to base, the Archangel and her crew in tow. "Well, that'll certainly cripple the ZAFT forces in the area," he muttered to himself as he knelt his custom Dagger down next to the command tent. "Sahib, how bad were your losses?"
"They weren't as high as they could have been, but we still took a fair number of losses," Sahib replied with a sigh. "Some of our younger, more brash members tried taking on a BuCUE all by themselves. They dealt some damage to it, but were crushed by it for their troubles before the Buster could stop it."
Ryu sighed in response as he lowered to the ground. "I'm going to probably have some Non-Coms coming here," he informed. "The family of the pilot of the Exodus, going to have to inform them that she was critically injured, goddamn that's going to be a hard one, let us know if you need any help with the burial rites."
"Understood," Sahib replied. "Let us know if you need help finding a place for the Non-Coms coming in, or exploring that unexplored area you saw on the maps."
Ryu nodded as he sighed. "May need the help of your boys with repairing the Exodus, mostly grunt work, but yeah," he informed. "Got a phone I can use?"
ORB Mainland, Yukikaze Residence
"My daughter went and did WHAT!? Hisanaga-teme, I don't care who the hell you are, you had better make sure she recovers or I will be right there to do to you what happened to my dear daughter!"
A middle-aged man slammed his phone right back onto his desk, breaking it in the process. A black-haired woman looked on worriedly as the man planted himself right beside her on the large couch she had been sitting on and rested his head in his palms, looking like he had aged several years in an instant.
"What happened, darling?" Setsuna Yukikaze asked her husband. "Did… did something happen to Hanami-chan?"
"She… she…" Akihiro Yukikaze paused, wondering how to break the news to his wife. How in the world were you supposed to tell your wife that your daughter was severely injured on a battlefield that she had no business being on? They had sent Hanami to Heliopolis for a reason that was most definitely not to join up with a mercenary outfit after all!
"What happened to her after she went missing on Heliopolis?" the woman asked tenderly. She had almost gone hysterical after she found out about her daughter's disappearance during the attack on Heliopolis - only her husband had managed to keep her sane through it all.
"Setsu-koi… where did we go wrong? Our dear daughter… she went and joined this mercenary guild and… and…" Akihiro whispered tentatively, not daring to look up at his life partner's face which was rapidly turning white in shock. "She got severely injured on the battlefield in Africa… This Hisanaga guy, the leader says she almost died, but she'll be able to recover, but…"
"What…? Our gentle little Hanami-chan…"
"I know… He says that if we want to see her, he'll arrange for transportation to Africa for us. Koi, I need to go see her," Akihiro pleaded with his wife. "I'm not going to be satisfied just hearing about her condition!"
"We'll all go, darling," Setsuna nodded resolutely. "She's as much my daughter as she is yours… I'll call Mori-san and ask her to take care of the house while we're gone."
Outside the room, a person with long silver hair reaching to their waist stepped away from the door, a tear trickling down their cheek. "Onee-chan… We'll be there to see you soon..."
END CHAPTER
