Chapter 23 – Confession
Five AM, time to start the day like a boss!
After opening his eyes, Toshiro saw that it was still dark outside. He quickly scanned the rooms with the Hebigan, and saw that Mio just stood up from bed.
Very good…
When Toshiro moved, Yoshika grabbed him and mumbled, "Too early…"
"You forgot I have two redheads to discipline."
"At five? Hurrrrmmm… I hope you know what you're doing…"
"I'm taking a rough gamble, but hey, you got to have die of something, right?"
"I'm not in the mood for such morbid jokes…" Yoshika said and yawned. "Can I go back to sleep?"
"Sure you can. I bet you're sleep deprived, right?"
"Heh… How do you know that?"
"Well… You were probably worrying about me for two weeks, so I figured you had troubles sleeping…"
"Yeah… I tried… Kuji even tried to put me to sleep, but I could only get brief periods of shuteye…"
"No need to dwell on it, Yoshika. Sleep tight, and remember to wake up to make breakfast. Oh, and the two will be helping you."
"Sure, sure… They need to pull their own weight, right?"
"Precisely. Now, sleepy time for you, torture time for me."
"Okay…" Yoshika mumbled and went asleep with a glad face.
"Livy."
"Yes, Master?"
"How about taking my spot in bed?"
"Mmmm… If the Mistress won't refuse…"
"I'm counting on you, Sweetie."
Livy appeared where Toshiro lied, and she gently hugged Yoshika.
"Mmm… Livy… How warm…" Yoshika mumbled with closed eyes. "Good night…"
"Sleep well, Mistress…" Livy whispered.
"Atta girl…" Toshiro quietly added.
He quickly dressed himself and went out of the room, just to cross Mio's path.
"Oh, good morning," Mio silently said surprised. "What are you doing up at this godforsaken time of the day?"
He pointed out to the door to the guest room.
"Ah… Haha… Yes… Yes… You want to steamroll them from dawn till dusk, huh?"
"Yup," Toshiro said with a mischievous smile. "Oh, and… What did Kye-slash-Alissa tell about herself after I left?"
"She didn't tell anyone that she's a goddess herself. Nor that her offspring also are…"
"I didn't tell you that the redheads are goddesses…"
"But it's self-explanatory, right?"
"Sort of, yeah… But they are mortal now, so they don't have the full extent of their powers. Which, by the standards of our world, are fucking obliviously powerful."
"Well, they ARE goddesses… I hope they won't be abusing it, right?"
"They have been slightly adjusted," Toshiro snickered. "And as you heard, I forbade them using their powers, so if you sense that the two are cheating during training, just gimme a word."
"Sure I will… Heheh… Okay, we're going in?"
"Just don't yell to loud, the others are still sleeping."
"Right, right. I guess kicking down the door is no longer an option now?"
"As much as I would like to do it, I can't. Sleeping 501st and shit."
Toshiro turned the doorknob quickly and opened the door. He went inside with Mio and closed the door behind himself.
The two were sleeping on one bed, despite the fact that there were two beds.
"How damn sweet…" Mio whispered.
Toshiro approached the bed and said, "Wake up you two, training time."
No reaction could be observed whatsoever.
"Oh well, if you want to play it that way…"
He leaned over their legs and started tickling them in the feet. Both started squirming and snickering quietly, but soon, in unison, both said, "Okay, stop!"
Toshiro stopped his torture and said, "Why not cooperate from the beginning, huh?"
"It's five in the morning!" Kaylie protested.
"The best time to run!" Mio took initiative. "Out of your beds and let's go!"
"But Mio…" Layla said.
"And when did I allow you to call me by name, huh?! It's Miss Lieutenant Colonel Sakamoto to you, Sergeant!"
"Yes ma'am…" Layla mumbled. "Just like home…"
"Told you I won't make it a weekend trip to Baden-Baden, heheheh…" Toshiro laughed bitterly.
"But we don't have warm clothes…" Kaylie muttered.
"Layla can make you some, I permit it."
"Snap…" Layla said. "Okay then…"
Layla stretched her hands out, and from an orb of energy, two pairs of skirts, legwarmers, and head warmers fell on the bed.
"Speaking of which… Mio, how are we with warm clothes?"
"As a matter of fact, we've received a shipment of those along with some food and supplies. If you look into your closet, you'll find some new clothing items of your own."
"Ah, thanks for the info. Now, girls, you have two minutes to get dressed and I'll go outside."
"Oh come on, stay…" Kaylie smiled wryly.
"No damn way!" Layla shouted and slammed the former on the shoulder.
"What are you making a fuss about? He saw us naked in the bath anyway."
"I have some principles, contrary to you."
"Shut up, or I'll teleport you on Mt. Everest!"
"And I'll turn your panties into worms!"
"Then I'll teleport you on…"
Mio swiftly caught the heads of the two and slammed their foreheads together.
"Ooooooooooow!" the two cried.
"Dress up now!" Mio yelled.
"Y-yes ma'am!" the two shouted and started dressing lightning fast.
Hooohoooo! Mio is in her element!
After no more than a minute, the two were dressed from top to bottom.
"Let's go, quietly," Toshiro said.
They exited the building in the dark morning.
"So dark…" Kaylie said.
"We'll be running across the runway, so if you start feeling grass under your feet, yell," Toshiro said. "And now, let's begin."
"Okay…" the two mumbled.
After a few minutes, Layla asked, "Are we there yet?"
"If you start the "Are we there yet" shtick, we'll double the amount of laps, right, Mio?"
"Bah!"
"But I guess you're bored, so let's sing a good ol' jogging song! I will never play pranks on anyone!"
The girls were silent.
"You repeat, damn nincompoops."
"I will never play pranks on anyone…" the two mumbled half-assedly.
"Because playing pranks is fuckin' dumb!"
"Because playing pranks is fuckin' dumb…"
"More life!" Toshiro yelled. "Momma told us not to do so!"
"Momma told us not to do so."
"Now we're running laps like some average Joe!"
And so, they ran until 0730. Toshiro led them to the common room where they slumped down on the chairs at the table.
"Waaaaaateeeer…" Kaylie moaned.
"What she said…" Layla moaned.
Since Yoshika was already there, she gave them what they asked for. The redheads chugged the water down as if they found it after a weeklong march through the Kalahari.
"And now, you are going to help me peel potatoes," Yoshika said with a smile and threw the two knifes.
"Whaaaaaaaaaaa?" they responded.
"Don't look at me; it was Toshiro's call…"
"Yoshika would never do such a thing on her own! Faith in humanity restored!" Kaylie shouted.
"Oh really now? But I could do something else on my own…." Yoshika said with a devilish grin.
"Huh?" the two tilted their heads.
"Ahem…" Yoshika demonstratively cleared her throat.
"Oooooh…" Kaylie finally caught up. "But wouldn't that be something… hmm… pleasant?"
"I would make it unpleasant… At least afterwards… Heheheh…"
"Yoshika, don't fire up their hopes unnecessarily. Get those taters, and get on peeling. I have to catch up with the paperwork and all of that."
Toshiro started turning around slowly, but then he saw that Layla spawned some special type of knife in her hand. He quickly ran up to her and gave her a slight conk on the head.
"Heeeey! What was that for?!"
"And what is this?" Toshiro pointed at the knife in her hand. "A comb?"
"Errr… Heh..." Layla scratched her head. "But…"
"You probably wanted to cook with Yoshika using your powers, right?"
"Busteeeed…" Kaylie mused.
Toshiro smirked and said, "Although you have the experience, I'm not comfortable with you using your Creation Magic to cook."
Layla raised and eyebrow, but she quickly furled both of them and said, "You're still holding a grudge for THAT?! Wow…"
"I had full mastery of my power, Layla. I could turn the whole base into fucking ramen. Now, I'm basically on a newbie level. You spoiled my fun, you damn redhead…" Toshiro puffed his cheeks. "And now I'm spoiling yours. Yoshika?"
"Yea?"
"Don't let them use an ounce of their magic. Don't be a rule breaker yourself though."
"Kay!"
He went on to the office and saw no one other than Minna, waiting for him silently.
"I knew you would visit the office."
"It seems that that officer training, my common sense, and attitude are helpful. So, what kind of Sisyphus grade work am I to undertake?"
"I took care of most of the paperwork while you were out cold, but I still need you to review everything I have done and sign it with your name."
"A deputy commander has to be graded, huh? Ah those military regulations… Let me at them!"
Minna shot a sly smile and pulled the mother of all paper stacks from under her desk. Toshiro's eyes opened wide, as did his jaw.
"I have to review all of that?!"
"Yes, Toshiro, heehee… Take your time, but don't dawdle too much."
Toshiro sighed and said, "Okay… I'll do a centimeter or two from that stack…"
"By the way… Uhmmm… Is everything okay between you and Yoshika?"
"Yup, fine and dandy. If I can't forgive her, then what human being am I? Besides, she saved Mio's hand, and thus, her whole future military career."
"Yeees… I thought of punishing her, but she looked so sorry that I didn't have the heart to even give her a day of solitary…"
"And you did the right thing. Speaking of punishment, the redheads are being given a run for their money, heheheh…"
"I hope you won't wear them out too much… Kye might get a bit ticked off…"
"Minna, please… They are as resilient as I am; don't let their girly looks fool you."
"That's what Kye told us during the briefing. Weird that she didn't mention that all of the three are divine entities…"
"You came to the same conclusion as Mio, huh?"
"Heehee, the gears in my head are turning well, don't worry. But I guess the rest don't have a damn clue about it."
"Ugh… I wish I was a god… Do you know how many times people almost washed the dirt with me? Sheesh… The power scale between our worlds would tip over, hit rock bottom, pierce it, and find a hidden cave…"
"Oh? Who was the first one?"
"Kaylie, still as an immortal in this world. You won't guess who the second and third one was."
"I really wouldn't…"
"I got accidentally punched by Trude, and had a spar with your counterpart."
"Oh? How'd it go?"
"Let's say that that worlds you is more powerful than me and Yoshika combined…"
"Holy shit… Well, after what I've saw on that film, I'm willing to believe you. How all of you fought was mind-blowing… But it's a shame you couldn't take that power you had with you…"
"I would become an even bigger anomaly than I am already… And trust me, the world doesn't like to being fucked with…"
"Still, a shame… You could have single-handedly ended the war by now."
"Or not… Well, time to do the paperwork, before another stack like this grows on me, but with current stuff."
It didn't take long before Yoshika hailed in everyone for breakfast. Toshiro and Minna, who was helping him with the paperwork, went into the common room. The rest was already present and waiting for them. And it seemed that the two girls have found some fans already.
Or at least one, since Francesca now had a stare off with the two.
"And why do you insist on burning a hole in Francesca with your eyes, huh?" he asked them.
"You can guess why…" Kaylie said while still looking fiercely at Francesca.
"Lemme guess… She tried to cop a feel?"
"Like every damn Lucchini and their ancestors…" Layla said.
"I just wondered what size that is…" Francesca said. "I think that can be a 32D…"
"They both are 34D's," Toshiro shrugged.
"Hey!" the two protested, taking their eyes from Francesca on to him. "How can you tell something like that in public?!"
"You'll be bathing with us, so everyone will see your valor's anyway. And shouldn't you be proud of those knockers?"
"We are but… geez, have some decency…" Layla mumbled.
"You should know well what a perv I can be…" Toshiro sighed. "Okay, we're closing the matter of tits whatsoever… Anything anyone wants to forward right now?"
"I want to perform a scout mission over Weissach in Wurtemberg," Erica said.
"And you base your motion on what ground?"
"Urrm… I wanted to see how my home looks like now…" She said shyly.
"Oh… Hmm… I have a fuckton and two metric assloads of paperwork to do, but… I guess we could fly over there after dinner."
"Thanks, Bro!" Erica cheered.
"No problem, Sis. So, anything else? Anyone?'
The girls shook their heads.
"Then let us eat."
The redheads couldn't get enough of Yoshika's cooking and ordered seconds and even thirds.
"Hah, I see you have a big appetite?" Toshiro asked.
"Bah!" Kaylie admitted. "It seems that this worlds Yoshika has cooking skills no worse than ours!"
"Heh… Thanks…" Yoshika blushed.
"Good that you found it tasty and ate so much, because now, you'll have training with Mio."
The redheads frowned immediately upon hearing Toshiro.
"Toshiro… Seriously?" Layla asked.
"Yup! I don't have time to babysit you, so I'll leave you under the care of somebody who is actually qualified. Mio, your time has come."
"Like hell it did! The usual five! You two! Follow me!" Mio yelled.
"Aaaaaaaaw…" the redheads moaned.
"Did I hear moaning?" Mio asked.
"No…" Kaylie said.
"Then what in everything that's holy are you fucking doing here yet?! Move!"
The redheads rushed out of the room so fast that Toshiro could suspect them of using a bit of their powers.
"Geez, Mio, you don't have to be so uptight…" Shirley said.
"I'm only doing this because I was asked to. The girls look really nice, and after the morning jog, I can already assess that they are indeed insanely powerful," Mio said with a stern face which quickly turned into a warm smile. "The second Toshiro says the punishment is off, I'll start behaving towards them like I've started towards Yoshika."
"And that would be?" Toshiro asked.
"Mio started being real pals with Yoshika, heehee," Francesca giggled. "I so waited for this!"
Mio blushed slightly and said, "Okay, okay… No need to spread the news… Come on, my trainees, time to go."
"Roger!" the girls responded with radiant smiles on their faces and followed Mio.
"You sucked up to Erica too fast, Toshiro," Trude said.
"And what bit you in the ass?" Shirley said. "The poor girl wants to see if her home is still standing, and you're going Ye Olde Grumpface already?"
"But this is simply unreasonable squandering of manpower," Trude said firmly.
"Should I bring up that?" Shirley asked with a wry smile.
"Shut up already…" Trude mumbled and exited the room.
What was that about?
"Oh well, time to do the paperwork. I need to get into gear…"
Toshiro went to the office, and after getting inside, he saw Trude sitting on one of the sofas.
"Hmmm…"
"Yes, I want to tell you something… I couldn't let Shirley tell it aloud…"
Toshiro sat beside her and said, "So?"
"After the Hive was destroyed, I wanted to visit my home in Munich but… you collapsed and everything… I couldn't bring it up before Minna, but I told Shirley about it… She told me to wait until you wake up…"
"You want to see your home too? Well, okay, we can go there some other day."
"Really?!" Trude jumped up.
"Yeah, really. But under one circumstance – you go with Erica and me today."
Trude sighed and said, "I was to join anyway…"
"You did? What the hell happened to you while I was out?"
"I've been thinking and… maybe I should loosen up towards Erica a bit… I'm banging her like hot iron, but I only bounce back… Maybe I will get to her that way?"
"Who knows, Trudy…? Who knows… Hey, will you help me with archiving the paperwork?"
"Sure, my dearest and most precious cousin!"
"Heheh… Then let's go!"
The two started processing the papers, with Minna joining in-between for bigger efficiency. About an hour before the time dinner usually was served, Mio came into the office and dumped herself on the sofa.
"Boooooy do those girl have energy… It's like trying to sap you dry, Toshiro."
"But you managed?"
"There's nothing a witch can't do, hahaha! But seriously… I had to reach new levels of ingenuity to make them fall flat on the ground…"
"They didn't cheat?"
"Not that I noticed, and I watched them carefully."
"I doubt you would notice anyway, but whatever… Where are they now?"
"The hell should I know… They were dismissed, and I couldn't care less…"
Toshiro scanned the base with the use of his Hebigan and he saw their magic signatures in their room.
Okay, they deserve to rest. For a bit, hahaha!
"Mio, when you see that Yoshika starts cooking, drag the two down from their room to help."
"Heheheh, okay, will do!"
"Ah, that reminds me… How are your cooking lessons?"
"Urm… They were postponed since Yoshika was a bit under the weather…"
"Then what are you waiting for? Resume from today!"
"Eh, okay…" she sighed. "I might as well start socializing with her a bit now that I accepted her as my successor."
"You could have just made me your successor back in Britannia, simple," Toshiro shrugged.
"I like challenges, haha!" Mio laughed loudly and stood up. "Well, time to move on. Will you be sitting here any longer?"
"See this stack here?" Toshiro pointed out a three-centimeter high stack of papers.
"Let's pretend I didn't ask the question…" Mio mumbled but she soon opened her eyes wide and looked at Minna and Toshiro.
"What is it, Mio?" Minna asked.
"Remember the event I canceled back in Sint-Truiden?"
"You mean? Nooo… Seriously?!" Minna shouted.
"Yup, seriously. Toshiro, call Galland."
"Heheh… I totally forgot about that… I'll call her later, okay?"
"I want to do it today!"
"Damn, Mio, hold your horses!"
"Would someone tell me what is happening?" Trude asked with a blank face expression.
"Should we tell her?" Toshiro asked.
"I suppose it would get out sooner or later…" Minna shrugged. "And Trude is our best friend… What do you say, Mio?"
"Meh…"
"Okay then…" Toshiro cleared his throat. "Um… Trude… How many of the girls in the unit you think I've banged?"
"Weird question… Elwyn and Yoshika I guess."
"Guess again."
"What? You had more?!"
"They are in the same room as you right now…"
Trude looked with a bleak face expression at both Minna and Mio, receiving nods from both.
"But… How… What… When…"
"You see, Trude… Yoshika is rather lenient when it comes to me banging other girls, but only if she knows them. I had Minna, I had Mio. And I had Adolfine, heh…"
"Galland?! You fucked Galland?!"
"Both only her, and in a threesome and foursome."
"Herr Gott…" Trude mumbled. "Then how the fuck didn't I have sex with you yet?!"
"Probably Fate itself had its way… I mean, I wanted to invite you to our first foursome, but five would be a crowd."
"Regular orgies are going on behind my back, and I'm still a fucking virgin! What the fuck?!"
"Oh, you're envious?" Minna asked with a sly grin. "Toshiro can't do you, since you're his cousin, but… if you want to get laid badly, there's always Yoshika."
"Yoshika? Huh?"
"She's bi," Mio said.
Trude's jaw dropped wide open.
"My dear future cousin… Bisexual… What…"
"Don't be such a prudy, Trudy," Toshiro said. "We're all adults, more or less."
"So… You want to haul in Galland just for a shag?" Trude asked.
"Pretty much yes," Minna said.
"And I thought Hartmann checking on her house was squandering of resources… Okay, okay… I'll keep a lid on it… You can call her now."
"Heheh, I knew you'd be reasonable, Trudy," Toshiro said and started calling for Adolfine.
"Sint-Truiden Air Base," he heard in the receiver.
"Sup, Adi?
"Ah, Toshiro! How are you!? Everything okay?!"
"Yes, yes, thank you for your concern. I have veeeery good news for ya."
"I'm all ears."
"Mio gave us a green light."
"With what?"
"Remember Sint-Truiden?"
"Uhhh… Oh… That?! When should I come?!"
"Even today if you want…"
"Mmmm… Today won't do… Tomorrow?"
"It's not like Mio or the rest will disappear suddenly, right?"
"Okay then, tomorrow it is! I'll get over after dinner to perform the inspection."
"Heh, sure, sure. Bye, Adi.
"Bye, Toshiro."
Toshiro placed the receiver on the hook and said, "Tomorrow."
"Good, good," Minna nodded.
"Adi? Seriously?" Trude asked.
"Only I can call her that and not earn a lump on my head. Don't ask why."
"Come on, tell me!"
"Yeah, I would also like to know," Mio mused.
"Argh… Her first lover called her Adi."
"First lover you say… But given the fact you nailed her…"
"Yes, Trudy, she's single. Her lover betrayed her with another woman, and to add insult to injury, he did it in Adi's own bed, which they both shared."
"Damn…" Mio said. "What an ice cold mother fucker… That's why I don't have a man of my own yet."
"Whatever…" Toshiro sighed. "But remember that the other Mio also had a guy. Can't be worse than here in that aspect, right?"
"Ugh, yeah… Combat wise I'm a thousand years too young to reach her, but at least we could be equal on that level, hahaha!"
"Toshiro, go back to processing the paperwork…" Minna sighed.
"Hey, I needed a little break…"
"Yes, you did. But now back to work or winter will greet us with open hands before you go through all of this."
"That would surely be a cold reception…"
The girls around him chuckled and Toshiro continued his work. He finished just in time before dinner, and he went to the common room. There, he saw that the kitchen annex was crowded as Never. Yoshika, Lynne, Kaylie, Layla, and even Mio were bustling around the pots and pans like in some kind of big restaurant kitchen. The few who were already at the table were looking at them amazed.
Toshiro sat on his chair and asked Shizuka, "So, how does it feel seeing your sensei wearing a cooking apron?"
"It's…. weird…"
"In July 1944, if somebody told me this would happen, I would probably tell him to look for mold spores in his room…" Toshiro said and smiled.
"The Ma… Lieutenant Colonel cooking…" Perrine sighed in wonder. "I should help her when the two redheads vacate our unit…"
"I'm surprised they didn't kill themselves yet in that small space…" Shirley said.
"Combat proficiency I guess…" Toshiro shrugged. "Hey, where's my grub!?" he yelled for kicks.
"Ten minutes!" Yoshika yelled back. "I have to make more, since you're probably still weak!"
"Okay, thanks!"
Dinner soon rolled in. This time the twins didn't even get seconds, because Toshiro devoured everything.
"I'm a little embarrassed by this turn of events…" he said with a slightly red face.
"Hehe, Bro eating like me and Lucchini combined… Heheh…" Erica laughed slightly but her face turned serious. "Bro, we're going now, okay?"
"Sure, come on."
"I'm going too," Trude said.
Erica looked at her surprised, but she smiled and said, "Okay, Trudy, come on."
"Be careful you three," Minna said. "If something happens, radio in immediately."
"Yeah, we'll help!" Kaylie cheered.
"Oh no you won't!" Mio shouted. "Yoshika, give the two mops and buckets, and it's hangar cleaning time!"
The redheads were now on the verge of crying, but Toshiro simply turned around and went out of the room. He went on with his two companions to the hangar. Before he went to his Striker, he noticed the two new Strikers of Perrine and Lynne.
"So those are the Meteors?" Toshiro asked while looking at the squareish jet Strikers, painted in the same way as their predecessors.
"Yes. Britannia sure stepped up with it, but our XF-2's are still better, heheh…" Trude said.
"Heh…" Toshiro's eyes laid on another thing that changed. "Am I seeing double, or are there TWO eighty-eights on the rack?"
"A week into your… hmm… coma… there was an incident with some Neuroi."
"I think I saw the report in the papers…"
"Yes, you should have. The NAW proved unreliable at distances over a kilometer, so I ordered a proper gun."
"Good call on that. I'll be taking my MG with me, what about you two?"
"I'll also be taking mine," Erica said.
"Akimbo 42V's for me as usual," Trude answered.
"Let's go then. Erica, I trust you know the way?"
"Sure I do, Bro!" she cheered.
They armed themselves and after mounting their Strikers, they flew off in towards the south-west.
During the flight, Toshiro saw that Erica was tense, something rarely seen.
"Erica, everything okay?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah, everything's okay… I think…"
"We can always go back; nobody will do anything to you."
"We're halfway there, Toshiro… Would be wasteful to just turn around…." she sighed. "Thanks for caring."
"Any time, any place, Erica."
After a few minutes, Toshiro finally saw a small, destroyed town.
"Is that it, Erica?" he said while looking at her.
Erica's face was white as the finest paper one could buy.
Shit…
"Y-Yes… This… We'll be landing there…" she mumbled and pointed out a single ruin on the town outskirts.
They gently landed and dismounted their Strikers. Erica slowly approached the ruined homestead. Trude and Toshiro were walking a few meters behind her. Suddenly, Erica fell on her knees before the ruins. The two ran up to her.
"Hey, Erica, is everything okay?" Toshiro asked and saw that on her blank face, two streams of tears were slowly dripping down.
"Gone… Everything… Gone…" she said with a distant voice. "My… Home… Gone…"
Out of the blue, Trude did something that nobody would expect. She kneeled before Erica and hugged her tightly. Erica snapped out of her trance.
"Du musst tapfer sein, Erica (You have to be brave, Erica)."
"Tru… Truuuuuuuddyyyy…." Erica wailed and let her feelings flow.
Trude caressed Erica as if both were sisters.
Erica lost her home… A real home… Judging by the size, it was a good, solid house… I bet she had a nice and normal life before the war… A mother, a father, a twin sister… Who knows how many relatives around… A small town in which everyone knew everybody…
After a few minutes, Erica finally said something.
"Trudy… I have to tell you something…"
"No, I have to tell you something…"
"I'll go first, okay?"
"Sure, sure…"
"Then… Uhm… You know how my Sissy is the smart one, right?"
"Yes, and?"
"The thing is… I'm not different from her in theory…"
"Talk bigger letters, I don't understand you."
"Both my sister and I have an IQ of 170…"
Trude was truly stumped by Erica's words.
"So you mean… you are actually smart? I refuse to believe it!"
"But it's true," Toshiro said. "I saw her dossier in the OKW. Both Hartmann's are intelligent as hell."
"Then… Then why the hell are you behaving like a kid?! Always tardy! Always sleeping! Always messy!"
"Because…" Erica took a deep breath. "Because… I was forced to participate in the Genie Einführung Programm at the age of ten, just like Ursula… She was sent to Suomus to the Misfits, I was sent to Orussia… We were snatched away from our families to be the future aces of the Wehrmacht… We both were happy grade-schoolers, with our personalities being different back then already… Then Karlsland was attacked, and at the age of 12, I had to defend my home country… My childhood was forfeit… I did have a dream of becoming a full-fledged witch, but at times of peace, not war… So I decided that in combat I would give everything, but outside, I would be the kid I was supposed to be… That's why I'm behaving like this, Trudy… Ever since we met…"
"Mein Gott… You didn't tell me you also were in that program…"
"Revealing my genius intellect brought me harm once already, I didn't want you to judge me taking my IQ into the account… I wanted you to judge me how I am naturally… Are you mad at me, Trudy?"
Trude sighed and said, "You know what, Erica? You just showed me what a wonderful person you are under that mask of stupidity… I guess it really takes a genius to play a fool…" she sighed again. "If you promise me that you will tell all of this to the rest and at least start keeping your bunk clean, I promise to call you by your given name, and step down a little with my bitchiness."
"I promise, Trudy, but you don't have to ease up towards me. Really, our little quarrels are what keeping me sane during this war… Heh…"
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," Erica grinned.
"I really wish you were my sister…" Trude said and ruffled Erica's hair.
"Heheh, I wouldn't say no to that."
Joy to the world, the Lord has come!
Toshiro looked into the sky and he saw that clouds were slowly forming over them.
"Girls, I know this moment means a lot, but we should go, or we'll get wet."
The ground started shaking suddenly, and from under the ruins of Erica's home, a Tower Neuroi shot upwards.
"Get back you two!" Toshiro ordered.
Trude immediately got back, but Erica stood there watching at the enemy.
"Erica, back!" Trude shouted.
"No! This monster destroyed the last bits of my home! Retribution will be mine!" she roared from the top of her lungs.
Almost instantaneously, two magic balls were formed in Erica's hands. She slammed them together, and the newly formed ball looked like Tesla's wet dream, sparking and shooting electricity vividly. Erica's hair spiked due to the current, and she was watching the enemy with unquenched fury.
The Neuroi started charging a shot, but then, Erica started running towards it with the ball of energy above her.
Shit just hit the fan.
Toshiro embraced Trude and put up a highly translucent shield before him. The beam of the Neuroi was already looking like it's fully charged, and then, Erica jumped towards it roaring, "BLITZKRIEG!"
At the same time, lightning struck the two, blinding and deafening Toshiro and Trude for a few second.
Aaaaaghfuck… My eyes… My ears…
Once Toshiro's eyes were good enough to see something, he took Trude's hand, as she was still in a daze, and ran with her towards Erica. The blonde Karlslander was lying on the rim of an enormous crater with her clothes in tatters.
"Holy shit, Erica! Erica!" Trude shouted and ran towards her on her own.
She kneeled at her side and raised her slightly.
"Heh… I finally did it…" Erica said. "Are you proud of me, Trudy?"
"Yes… Yes you stupid oaf, I am…"
"Heheh… I'm sleepy… Permission to pass out?"
Tears pearled in Trude's eyes and she said, "Permission granted."
Erica closed her eyes and fell asleep. Toshiro put his hands forwards, and Erica's whole uniform set appeared on them. Trude didn't need any invitation, as she quickly clothed her friend.
"Come on, let's go home," Toshiro said.
"Sure."
Toshiro took Erica's Striker and MG himself, while Erica was being carried by Trude.
Midflight, she asked, "Toshiro, was that an Ultimate back then?"
"Oh? How do you know what an Ultimate is?"
"Kye told us during the movie projection."
"Ah… Yes, that was an Ultimate, but since they can't be performed in their current form in our universe, I call them Final Arts."
"So how many of us have that already?"
"You saw Erica right now, Shirley's time slicing is also a Final Art, as well as Yoshika's super-enhanced healing and Perrine's chain lightning."
"I think we have one more…"
"Hmm?"
"Remember that incident I told you about? Mio's eyes BOTH glowed purple at one time and she could pinpoint a Neuroi in dense fog."
"Hmmm… I should talk to her about this…"
"You think I'm also capable of some devastating technique?"
"Yes, Trudy."
"Care to explain how I can learn it?"
"Sorry, but nobody knows an individual's way to unlock their Final Art."
"Snap… Oh, but do you have something up your sleeve like that?"
"Dunno, maybe I have something more to learn?"
"You're already stupidly overpowered, heheh…"
"Heh…"
They returned to the base and saw the hangar floor in pristine condition.
Well, at least the girls did their work.
Nobody was in the hangar, so they could peacefully stow the equipment. Trude carried Erica herself now, followed by Toshiro.
Once they entered the common room, they saw the two redheads sitting at the table with Yoshika by their side.
"Oh my!" Yoshika shouted and rushed to Erica. "Is it anything serious?"
"Examine her, just to be sure," Toshiro said.
"Oh, I can do that!" Layla shouted.
"Yeah, I know…" Toshiro mumbled. "Come on then."
Layla approached Erica and placed her hand on the latter's forehead. After a brief glow, she said, "She's just tired."
"Thanks. Trude, take Erica to her bed, I have to think how to make the redheads busy."
"Heheh, sure thing."
Trude went up the stairs, and Toshiro said, "You could wash floors in the connector and the corridor in the main building."
"But we just washed the damn hangar!" Kaylie protested.
"Do it," Toshiro said with a cold voice.
"What did we do to deserve this…" Layla mumbled.
"Toshiro, what happened?" Yoshika asked.
"Stuff, I'll tell you later. Paperwork is waiting for me."
"Okay…" Yoshika said with disappointment.
Toshiro went to the office, where Mio and Minna were drinking tea.
"My, my, done already?" Minna asked.
"Yeah, and…" Toshiro told them what happened.
"How is she now?" Mio asked.
"Dead tired, but okay beside that," Toshiro answered. "Anywho, Mio, I've heard your Magan was a bit enhanced during the battle that took place while I was unconscious."
"Ah, yes. You know, suddenly, I had a very wide field of view, as if I had my eyes around my head. What's more, despite the dense fog present at that time, I could see the damn Neuroi almost like in clear weather!"
"Impressive…"
"I don't know when I learned such a technique, but… it's awesome!"
"It sure is… So, Minna, any paperwork to do?"
"What you've done before was stuff from the ten days following your little absence. As you can see, there's a new stack for you with the more recent stuff."
"Always something…" he sighed. "Mio, the redheads are now cleaning the floors, so after they finish, find them something to do until supper."
"I'll think of something."
Toshiro proceeded with his menial task until he was summoned for supper. The redheads looked beat, but Toshiro didn't dwell on the matter of how they were made busy.
"Okay, Kaylie and Layla, I believe you had violins in your baggage?"
"Violins?" Kaylie tilted her head. "We didn't even mffhhmmhhm…."
Layla who silenced Kaylie said, "We're going to fetch them!"
She took her twin sister by the hand and ran away upstairs.
"Want the two to perform a concerto?" Minna asked.
"Sure, why not. They play so good they would make the composers of the pieces they're playing jealous."
"A shame I don't have my piano…" Sanya said silently.
"You could have ordered one," Toshiro shrugged. "Want one?"
"If… If it wouldn't be bothersome…"
"Nah, not at all."
"Thanks…"
"Where's Erica by the way?" Lynne asked.
"She's tired," Trude answered with a soft voice.
"Something's smells fishy…" Shirley said.
"Your panties at most," Trude rebuked.
Shirley could only grumble something under her nose.
The two redheads jumped down from the second floor with violins and bows in their hands. They stood before the fireplace and started playing. The girls were listening with reverence, with Minna almost moved to tears.
"Recognize it?" Toshiro asked silently.
"Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D… Beautiful…"
"Impressive… No less expected from somebody aspiring for the Vienna Music Academy."
"Shush, infidel…"
After the girls finished, the girls and Toshiro gave them a standing ovation. The redheads bowed humbly before their audience. After the wave of congratulations, Toshiro said, "Okay, everyone, off you go. I have to talk to the two in private."
Once all "good nights" were said, the two looked a bit scared at Toshiro.
"Thinking I'll give you a night patrol or something?"
They nodded.
"Nah. I see that you worked honestly, and from what I was told, in perfect harmony. Either you're trying to pull a fast one on me, or you both calmed down a bit. I'll release you two tomorrow, but I don't know when exactly. And don't worry, tomorrow, you'll have a normal day, without me and Mio waking you up dead in the morning. But the ban on your magic stays."
"Really?!" the two asked in sync.
"Yes, really," Toshiro said with a soft voice and patted the heads of the two. "Now, go to your room."
"Yay, thanks Toshiro! Good night!" they mused in accord and ran away.
Toshiro turned away to the exit and walked to the office. He called Adolfine.
"What now, Toshiro? Want to cancel the previous appointment?"
"No, it's just that… remember the piano in Romagna?"
"Yeah… You had a piano in the common room… And?"
"What happened to it?"
"I believe it's stored somewhere… I can scour it out if you want."
"Please do. And send it here when you find it."
"And what else? Should I send you a million Reichsmarken?"
"Hey, you were the one to boot us from the base so quickly back then."
"Okay, fine. Good night."
"Night, Adi."
Toshiro went to his room and saw Yoshika lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling.
"Counting specks on the ceiling?"
"No… I was just thinking…"
"Of what, dearest?"
"Of children… The two redheads really poke my maternal instincts with a red hot rod…"
"I don't blame you… The two are really sweet beasts, heheh… If impossible came to impossible, I would even adopt them."
"I wouldn't oppose a bit. And it would save us the hassle of changing diapers and insomnia, hahaha!"
"Yeah, true that. I have good news for you by the way."
"Oh?"
"Mio agreed for the whatever-some."
"No way?!" Yoshika shouted and stood up from her bed.
"Yeah, and Adi will be here tomorrow after dinner or something like that."
"Hohohooooo… So what, our first sixsome then?"
"Damn straight!"
"But what about… a simple twosome this night, hmmm?" She asked with an alluring voice.
"Never refuse a lady, Mom used to say…"
"I'll stay out today, Master. Have a good night."
"Heh, nice of you, Livy. Night."
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