I decided that now was as good a time as any to give this fic another update. Just didn't want to make you guy wait as long this time around.
"Hostile tank unit spotted at sector R-17. The unit's at full strength, but appears to be on standby. It's waiting on an open road, so it's vulnerable."
Ryu spoke all of this information into a radio that connected directly to HQ, and more importantly, directly to his CO, Sonja. Her battalion was the only one in the Yellow Comet army that had its reconnaissance units relay intel directly to the CO, instead of to a radio operator who would then do the same. Not that Sonja didn't trust her own men, but she preferred to hear intel reports firsthand, directly from the men on the field who were seeing things for what they were. She could not afford for some important piece of information to be lost in transition between the recon unit, a radio operator, and herself.
"Very well. I'll relay this info to our rocket units immediately. Excellent work Suzukai."
It had been two weeks since Sonja had come to personally speak with Ryu in the barracks. Since then, Ryu had become a gunner and spotter in one of Sonja's recon units, and he had already performed in several missions as Black Hole's offensives into Yellow Comet territory grew more fierce.
Another strange side effect of Ryu's new position was that he now had much more interaction with Sonja. Ryu was personally still uncomfortable around her or even speaking to her, and he had been hoping to avoid contact overall, but his position as one of Sonja's intel units meant that he spoke to her during every mission. Then again, these exchanges were purely professional, and rarely included more than him relaying enemy positions to her, so it wasn't all that awkward.
Ryu's thoughts were interrupted as a barrage of rockets from the skies above bombarded the black tanks he had spotted into pieces. A single member of the unit survived, and wasted no time in rolling away from the scene of devastation before it was attacked again. While he felt no love for Black Hole whatsoever, Ryu felt a little sympathetic to the crew of that lone tank. One lone tank was hardly useful for anything other than a decoy or a shield; just like Sakura had been.
A sudden surge of anger overtook the man, specifically directed at his CO, but Ryu managed to subdue it quickly. Little emotional attacks like that had become more and more frequent lately, and he didn't like them one bit.
As the jeep he rode in began to move in search of enemies once more, Ryu had a hard time staying focused on his surroundings. Before his traumatic experience with the tank, Ryu had viewed the battlefield in a logical, professional way, and he rarely had trouble staying focused. But now, everything was more personal, carrying more emotion. He also found himself distracted by his own thoughts more often than not, which was undoubtedly dangerous for a soldier.
Yet even though he was distracted a lot, Ryu was now paranoid and afraid of finding himself in danger again, so he rarely took his eyes off the field around him. He was constantly watching the shadows on the battlefield, his imagination producing black uniforms and metal from the darkness. More than once he had nearly unloaded a few rounds into some wayward deer or rabbit.
In fact, if anyone had cared to do a psych evaluation, Ryu would probably be barred from duty at the moment. But apparently he was faking sanity pretty well, so no one was going to take an able-bodied soldier off of the field.
Still, surrounded by woods and fog, anyone would have been a little jumpy. After all, Black Hole blended in with the shadows far better than Yellow Comet did; if it came down to who was spotted first, Ryu would likely be out of luck.
As if he had somehow jinxed the whole unit with his thoughts, a sudden hail of gunfire pelted Ryu's unit, pinging off of the jeeps' light armor or bullet-proof glass. Quickly deducing the direction of the enemy fire, Ryu and the other four gunners in his unit turned their machine guns in that direction, spraying bullets into the thick foliage that obscured the infantry that had fired at them.
Ryu honestly had no idea why a normal infantry unit would open fire at them; even though recon units were lightly armored, they were more than a match for regular infantry. Only a mech unit would be a problem...
The scarred soldier quickly decided to stop thinking such thoughts when a volley of rockets came their way, thankfully missing every recon unit, though one round exploded dangerously close to the jeep in the rear.
Ryu and his comrades continued firing into the brush, but their drivers now began to move in reverse as well. One solid hit from a rocket launcher would take them out, so it was better to stay moving. Besides, it was difficult for both parties to see through the foliage that separated them, but it was easier to spray and pray with bullets than with rockets.
This was apparently not lost on the enemy either, but they sought to rectify their lack of sight very foolishly. Seeking to gain a straight shot at their enemy, the Black Hole mech unit accosting Ryu and his allies ran out of the woods that separated them, trying to level their RPG's at the enemy before they were killed.
Unfortunately for them, the combined machine fire from five jeeps tore the entire unit to shreds before they could fire their rockets. Ryu watched with satisfaction as the rounds he fired ripped apart the enemy before him, taking some amount of sadistic pleasure in killing Black Hole's troops. Those bastards had razed Ryu's homeland for too long for them to earn any regret from him.
Still, as the last of the enemy fell, Ryu couldn't help but wonder why they had moved so foolishly. Was it their own choice, or orders from their CO? Ryu already knew that Black Hole did not use human soldiers; was their intelligence lower for some reason, or were they simply more expendable to their superiors? Either way, the enemy had wasted a mech unit that could have proved useful, and the enemy infantry from earlier had seemingly retreated. All that was left was to inform Sonja of the engagement.
With that in mind, Ryu reached for his radio once more. "Recon unit Foxtrot seven-seven to HQ, over?"
After a brief moment of silence, Ryu was answered by Sonja's voice once more. "Affirmative Foxtrot seven-seven, this is HQ. What do you have to report?"
"Our unit engaged and eliminated a hostile mech unit. We suffered no casualties, but think that an enemy infantry unit may be hiding around sector R-06, over."
"Understood. Continue scouting enemy positions. Be careful."
Ryu found it comforting that his CO actually urged caution when speaking directly to her men. Still, he did not know if she did so for personal or strategic reasons, so some of the sentimentality was unclear to him. Either way, it was time to continue the mission; he and his comrades had to identify the enemy for Kanbei's main force when it came through, and failure was not an option. He had to stay focused, at least for the time being.
When Ryu's unit finally returned to base after hours of reconnaissance, they were thankfully in one piece. They had encountered several enemies throughout their recon, and had even had a terrifying encounter with enemy medium tanks, but in the end everyone in the unit returned alive, though not unscathed. One of the gunners had taken a hit in his right shoulder, but it was nothing that couldn't be handled at the field hospital.
While their jeeps were now riddled with bullet holes and covered in mud, they had returned alive once again, and for that Ryu was eternally grateful. Ever since his mission against that Black Hole fortress, Ryu's fear of death had increased dramatically. The idea of death had always been grim and unsettling, but he had managed to bury it during battle before that point. Now Ryu was incapable of deploying on the battlefield without suffering a near panic attack. He was scared to face the enemy now, and while he was ashamed of his cowardice, Ryu could also do nothing to allay his fears.
He had also developed an unconscious habit of stroking the bandages that covered his scar. He did not know when he had acquired the mannerism, but could only assume that it was within the last two weeks. Besides, he rarely ever noticed when he was doing it; he did not even realize it now, as he sat against the wall of the vehicle bay at the forward operating base for Sonja's division. Unfortunately, he did not realize that his position was visible from the window of the command post; where Sonja resided while she was issuing orders and analyzing battlefields.
And while she was usually very busy, Sonja had just finished relaying all of the intel her troops had gathered that day to Kanbei's division, and now she was simply thinking; and looking out of the window.
In fact, Sonja had been watching Ryu for several minutes now, silently analyzing him from behind the barrier of glass that separated them. Of course, for her, the first analysis of a person was never emotional. It was always a matter of logic.
His recently acquired mannerisms and behaviors point to obvious P.T.S.D., yet he performs on the field as well as expected. Is it because he manages to subdue it while on the field? After all, he sounds fine when relaying intel over the radio... perhaps it only manifests when out of combat situations? Or maybe he feels the effects all the time but manages to maintain some semblance of control, for sake of appearance?
Of course, while logic and reason was her normal Modus Operandi, Sonja could not help but make a very rare emotional analysis of Ryu as well.
I wonder if he will be alright? Somehow I doubt it. He no doubt needs help, and being the direct cause of his suffering, it is my responsibility to provide it...
Unfortunately, Sonja was no expert in psychology. She could not provide the mental assistance Ryu probably needed, and there was no time to send him back to a friendly city for professional help; as Black Hole encroached ever further into Yellow Comet, every available soldier was needed on the front. That included Ryu, even if Sonja was worried for his health. After all, he had no problems performing on the field, and therefore there was no reason to send to Ryu away from the front, not realistically.
And realism was Sonja's forte, so it took predominance over emotional response. She was worried for Ryu on an emotional level, but on a logical level he was a soldier who was needed on the front lines. She would not send Ryu away from the front. Not until there was a logical reason to.
But even so, that unusual level of emotional concern that was so alien to Sonja guiltily tugged on her conscience. She would never betray logic, but surely she could find a real reason to provide Ryu with the help he needed? There had to be something...
I wish I could say that it would improve his battlefield performance, but so far Suzukai is doing fine. Of course, it's only logical to assume that his condition will worsen over time, and by extension his performance will as well... but in the end that is only an assumption. It is a logical one, but not something I could use without due cause. I need evidence of a threat to his performance. I wonder if the men in his unit have noticed anything?
Then again, Sonja hardly had time to go around the base, hunt down several soldiers during their down time and question them individually about a very recent member of their unit. In fact, for all they knew, Ryu was acting completely normal. They had only been around him for two weeks, and probably didn't even know what 'normal' was for him.
No, if Sonja wanted to find proof of a worsening condition, she would have to ask the man himself, and as fortune would have it, she had just a few minutes to spare at the moment.
Notifying the soldiers inside that she would return to them soon, Sonja stepped out of the command post with her usual determined steps. Once she set her mind to something, it was impossible to stop her from tackling it full force.
Ryu, lost in thought, did not see the young girl approach him at all; at least, not until she was casting a shadow over him with her small yet commanding frame.
While he still had mixed feelings for Sonja, Ryu acknowledged her as his commanding officer, and so rose to his feet to salute her. However, this only earned a small frown from the girl, for reasons he could not understand.
"At ease, Suzukai. There's no need to compromise your no doubt comfortable position for my sake."
Not for the first time, Sonja confused Ryu easily. He could not comprehend why she saw respect to a CO unnecessary, especially when that CO was herself. But nevertheless, he obeyed her wishes and dropped his salute. "What can I do for you ma'am?"
Her expression as devoid of emotion as it always was, Sonja answered his question cryptically, which was also quite common for her. "I'm actually here to see what I can do for you, Suzukai. Walk with me."
Ryu underwent a brief feeling of deja vu as she uttered those words. Strangely, while Sonja was a complex girl, she also had some very predictable tendencies. For instance, she usually preferred to walk and talk at the same time. Perhaps she thought more clearly when on the move?
Either way, Ryu answered her with only a nod, following Sonja as she turned away from him to walk in whichever direction she chose. They walked in silence for several minutes, in which time Ryu took to examining the girl beside him, albeit discretely.
The bruise he had left on her was all but gone. After two weeks, it had disappeared almost completely. Only looking very carefully could he spot the faintest purple hue on Sonja's cheek. Just the sight of it made him feel guilty. Which reminded him; had he ever apologized for that? More importantly, did he want to?
Putting that aside, Ryu was once again struck with how pretty Sonja was. He had thought as much many times, but mostly because he always found it somewhat strange for her to be in such a prominent position in the army. Not that he had a problem with a young girl like her doing so, but it struck him as odd hat someone so smart and so beautiful would choose to lead soldiers on the field of battle. Then again, she was the daughter of Yellow Comet's emperor: perhaps she had not had a choice?
As these thoughts were going though Ryu's mind, very different ones were occupying Sonja's. She had never provided anything even remotely similar to psychiatric assistance; she had no idea what to say or do in this situation. That in itself was out of her comfort zone, because Sonja was used to always knowing what to do. Being unsure of herself was foreign to her.
However, it turned out that Sonja didn't have to say anything at all, as Ryu decided to speak first, much to her surprise.
"Commander, remember when you asked me why I joined the army?"
"Of course, it was hardly a few weeks ago. What of it?"
"I was wondering if I could ask you the same."
Honestly surprised to hear such a question, Sonja cocked an eyebrow at the man beside her, wondering why he would be interested in the story of someone he despised. "I suppose I see no harm in it... I was taught the ways of war from a very young age, being the Emperor's daughter. At first it was just a part of general studies, and as time wore on, I grew less and less interested in it. But I prided myself on being the best at everything I could, so I mastered the art of war all the same, even though I had no intention of commanding armies one day. It wasn't until a few years ago, when Sturm first invaded our world that my desires began to shift."
Ryu said nothing to interrupt Sonja, genuinely interested in what she was telling him. Seeing that he had nothing to say at this point, Sonja continued her story.
"When Sturm first made his appearance, it was only after our nations realized he had been pitting us against each other, and playing us for fools. He was the enemy of course, but I admired his cunning and strategy. I was arrogant. Despite my lack of true experience, I believed that only I was competent enough to defeat Sturm. Instead, I was captured and held hostage like some helpless princess in a tower, and everyone else had to come and rescue me. It was without a doubt the most humiliating event of my life. But it also gave me new motivation to push myself. I decided that such a travesty would never happen again, because I would use the gifts I've been blessed with to become the best military leader in Yellow Comet. I swore if Black Hole ever showed their face again, that I would be the one to defeat them. I refuse to be useless once again. That is why I joined the army, Suzukai."
Inwardly, Sonja wondered why she was sharing something so embarrassing. She didn't know Ryu that well, but she felt comfortable telling him this regardless. Maybe it had something to do with his seemingly meek personality; minus the time he had punched her in the face.
For a few moments, Ryu had nothing to say, but eventually he found words that he felt were appropriate. "I'm sure that with you on our side, there's no way we can lose to Black Hole ma'am. After all, you swore to defeat them, and I know your word isn't something to be taken lightly."
Sonja seemed pleased by this comment, but it hardly registered on her face. "Indeed. Even if I'm not the one who will lead the final charge or fight the most battles, I will make sure it is my intel that leads Yellow Comet to victory. Even if it's only as a supporting role, I will take part in our victory this time."
Ryu couldn't help but feel that Sonja's motivation was somewhat selfish. But then again, so was his. He wanted to take part in the fight against Black Hole too, not just for his countrymen, but also for his own pride. Sonja likely felt the need to protect her homeland just as acutely as he; she just didn't express it as much.
He also had half a mind to say that he had faith in Sonja, but to be honest, he didn't. Not completely anyway. She knew how to win battles, that was for sure, but at what cost? How many lives were lost to her strategies? What if she was so hellbent on victory that she sacrificed the lives of her men on some crazy battle plan?
Then again, Ryu doubted Yellow Comet's other CO's were much better. Kanbei was a valiant warrior, but not the most cunning strategist. His battle plans without Sonja's aid usually consisted of rushing the enemy with brute force. Sensei on the other hand was much wiser, but even experience couldn't stand in for natural aptitude. From what little he knew of the battles that had taken place so far, Ryu knew that Sonja always incurred the least amount of casualties. With that in mind, he realized that it was a little unfair to worry about how careful Sonja was during battle.
When he was lost in thought for just a little too long, Sonja picked up the conversation once again. "Regardless, this isn't what I came out here to talk about."
His attention drawn back to her, Ryu questioned the statement. "Yes... you said you wanted to help me with something. What did you mean?"
Cutting right to the point, Sonja stopped in her tracks and focused her complete attention on the man next to her. "I believe you are suffering from P.T.S.D. Mildly perhaps, but I can see it's afflictions already. Would you concur with me?"
Sonja's blunt and quite unexpected words left Ryu without an immediate response for her. But after a few moments, he managed to formulate some semblance of a coherent answer. "I...I mean, I don't... I don't think I am."
"You don't think, or you don't believe? Trying to deny that you may be suffering from a mental illness surely isn't going to help you."
The calmness with which Sonja spoke of this caused Ryu's anger to spark for a brief moment. He absoulutely hated that lack of emotion Sonja was so good at exuding. "I don't have a mental illness! I've been doing fine on my missions, haven't I?! What proof do you have that anything is wrong with me?!"
While surprised at the sudden outburst, and more than a little worried that Ryu would attack her a second time, Sonja managed to keep her composure in front of him. "There's no need to get angry Suzukai. I'm merely worried about you."
Ryu crossed his arms. "Worried about me, or just my performance?"
By this point, Sonja was actually growing angry. Why did this man assume that she did not care about her soldiers as people? What right did he have to make such assumptions?
"Suzukai, I assure you that my men are not tools or pawns. Your health and safety is of concern to me, so do not question it again. That's an order."
With little to say back without getting in trouble, Ryu said nothing at all, instead choosing to quietly glare off to the side. He really hated this girl.
Seeing that he wasn't going to say anything else, Sonja figured that she would have to take a less personal approach to this problem, at least for now. Ryu didn't trust her enough to let her help him yet.
"Suzukai, I want you to report directly to me after every engagement. Just so you know, this is also an order."
Ryu simply nodded, still seething with anger and not trusting his own ability to speak. Sonja took this as enough of an affirmation to continue on her way, and seeing as how Ryu was in no mood for pleasantries, she neglected to say anything to him as she left for her command post once more, feeling a bit more frustrated than she should have. Why couldn't that man just see that she wanted to help him?
Now alone in the base once more, Ryu put some actual thought into Sonja's words. The fact that he may have been mentally affected by his experience scared him. He refused to accept that he was no good as a soldier anymore. After all, after losing so much, being a soldier was all he really had left.
So, there it is. Short as usual, but short chapters for short stories. Hope it's enjoyable; I know this is Advanced Wars, but I suppose this story is more about the psychological aspects of war than actual fighting. I just hope you guys find that interesting enough to follow.