Chapter 11

Before the Storm

"Alright, guys, nap-time's over. Asses up and to the target, ASAP." Alexis's voice wakes her squad at five-thirty in the morning.
"Alexis, Ma'am, what about the enemy spy?" Touko says, looking around.
"Either they're gone, or they'd've seen us anyway." Alexis says. "You know the drill: Hope for the former and expect the latter. Now, move out." she says, tossing a laser rifle to everyone.

"Miss Yukari, wake up." Ran says. "The outsider force is preparing to attack."
"Hmm? Already? These outsiders have a strange sense of time." Yukari says with a yawn.
"I believe they were trying to catch us asleep, Miss Yukari." Ran says.
"Well, best wake everyone else, then." Yukari says

"You're sure you understand how to use your ability, Alex?" Keine says, after everyone's awake.
"Yeah, I think so. Well enough to fight, at least. Although, I'm still not sure about how I feel fighting other people." Alex says, twirling the bokkun.
"Well, think about it this way. It's either we kill them or they kill us." Chen says.
"Is that so?" Rumia says.
"Yeah. Life's a lot easier when you think simply." Chen says. "Look at Miss Ran. She's always so worried about percentages and probabilities that I'm surprised she's not a grey fox." This brings a small laugh to the group.
Ran pats Chen's head and says "Well, one of us has to worry for Miss Yukari, Chen. She spends too much time asleep to do it for herself." Another chuckle is had.

"Perhaps I do. But now, we need to focus on our strategy. The outsider force is used to working in four predetermined groups of three. As such, any three who were on the same team before they grouped up will naturally work better together. I propose we split into four groups as well. I will attack their leader. I do not know what she is capable of, and do not want to risk any of you fighting her. I suggest that the other three teams be Keine and Alex, Ran and Chen, and Rumia and Reimu. Splitting the remaining outsiders into three groups, we come up with two groups of four and one of three. Keine, Alex, you will be fighting the group of three, as, no offence, you are our weakest team. I imagine the outsiders will arrive grouped into their original teams. We need to try to split them up, make them fight alongside strangers, instead of their own teammates. Now, this will not be wholly accomplishable, as if we did it, there would be two outsiders left over. However, try to have no more than two members of any original team fighting beside each other. I do not know if any group other than Reimu's could survive fighting an intact one of their teams. Does everyone understand, and does anyone have any issues with my strategy?" Yukari says.
"Yeah, we understand." everyone says.

The UNSRFGOU squad has made its way to the shrine in the middle of the forest. "Alexis, any estimates on how many we're fighting?" Touko says.
"Definitely at least four. As Battery said yesterday, we couldn't see them, but there were four distinct voices." Alexis says. "Also, since it appears they were attempting to buy time by scaring us off, I'd say, probably at least that number were also preparing some sort of defenses. So, let's put the estimate at eight enemy targets." she says.
"Hmph. Eight targets versus twelve of the best trained soldiers in the world. I think we'll be done within an hour." Gilgamesh says.
"Must I remind you that at least one of the targets is able to cause a local temporal distortion so great that it is both day and night at the same time? We need bravery, not overconfidence." Alexis says.

"Since you know so much more than us, o mighty leader, might I ask if there is anything else important that you aren't telling us about the targets?" Mirielle says.
"Hey! Don't talk about Alexis like that, bitch." Chaz says. "If she thinks we don't need to know something, I trust her judgment."
"Thank you Chaz, but actually, there was something I forgot to mention. It is likely that at least one of the targets will appear to be a young girl. Do not be fooled, each one of them is likely at least as dangerous as any one of us. Do not let the fact that they appear young keep you from killing them, because God knows that they'll kill you, and have fun doing it." Alexis says, sending a chill down everyone's spine.
"You sound like you've fought them before." Gilgamesh says.
"Now's not the time for that. Let's move. They're hopefully either just waking up, or just going to sleep." Alexis says.
"Nocturnal?" Touko says.
"Some of them, yes." Alexis says, moving into the shrine.

Moving through the abandoned shrine, the squad comes upon a well maintained door, with a solid lock on it. "Gilgamesh, Mirielle, you and your teams stay here. I imagine they're on the other side of that door, but I want to make sure no surprises follow us in." Alexis says.
"Understood, Alexis." both captains say.
Alexis and Touko sweep through the rest of the shrine, verifying its emptiness. They head back to the door. "Safeties off and minds cleared, guys. It's showtime." Alexis says, before kicking the door in.

The squad charges into the room, guns ready, only to find that it's empty. "That's not what I expected." Battery says.
"You don't get to state the obvious, Battery. You're not a captain yet." Chaz says, bringing a small laugh from the group.
"Alright guys, stick together and let's search this place. I don't want any of you going more than a few meters from your teammates. We all know we'll fight better with our original teams than if we get all split up." Alexis says. They move from the back of the shrine to the entrance, every room being devoid of life. When they reach the entrance, they find Yukari and the others waiting for them outside. Alexis starts shooting at them immediately, but all the lasers enter a gap that opens in front of her gun. The rest of her squad stands dumbfounded by the group of 'targets'.

"Now, now. Before you start shooting things and we're forced to get violent, can we not at least try the diplomatic approach?" Yukari says. Alexis huffs, but she stops shooting and lowers her gun ever so slightly anyway.
"Fine. Surrender now, and I'll make your deaths quick and painless." Alexis says, glaring at the inhabitants of Gensokyo.
"Wait, Alexis," Battery says, pointing at Alex, "Isn't that the kid that was kidnapped? Alexander Johnston, or something?"
"Johnson," Alexis says, looking at Alex, "But, yeah, it is. Alexander Johnson, do not worry. We are here to save you from these creatures." She turns to look at Yukari, and is about to say something when Alex shakes his head.
"I don't need to be saved, miss." Alex says.
"Are you here of your own volition, then?" Alexis asks, staring at him.

Alex says "Not originally, no. But I am now, and I also understand now why Yukari brought me here. You see, what happened was, I was practicing magic, and after seven years of trying, I finally got something to happen. I was going to go to the reporters about it, and prove everyone that I was right and they were wrong. But, if I had done that, I now see that the governments of the world would eventually have looked around for other magic users. After all, why spend years training someone to make a light object float, when you can just find people who can blow up mountains? Eventually, they, as you did, would have found this place, and the relative peace of this land would have forever disappeared. Or worse, they, like you, would be unable to accept people different from them, and-"

"People? That's a good one." Alexis cuts him off. "The whole reason I'm here, is because in my time, 597 billion years in the future, these 'people' killed everyone. These monsters destroyed my family, my friends, my life! And they were laughing the whole time!" Everyone in the vicinity takes a step backwards, their eyes wide at Alexis's sudden outburst. "That is why I'm here. I'm going to wipe you all off the face of the planet before you can kill anyone I care about. None of these demons deserve to see another day. I'll kill you all myself!" Alexis roars, lunging at Yukari.