It had been only a day since the latest infraction between Kaiser and Natalya after he had seen her firing on the school's range. He had failed as many times as he tried to initiate a conversation with her since then. The result, only for her to storm off without a word.
The day proved fruitless in progress aside from learning that Natalya repeated the same routine at the firing range on the day's end once more. Though today she had not even spared a glance at him, he remained unphased by the treatment. He found the irony too immense at how he would have been just fine with the current situation not even a day ago. Yet he had shot himself in the foot with his newfound conviction.
With no leads. Kaiser resorted to square one, probing for information. Eventually, he was lead to a few teachers who spared him an ear due to his credibility. Through roundabout questioning, he ensured there was no problem with outside students training on the range lanes such as Natalya, who he believed would return a third time.
Tactfully, he had left out Natalya's name and the fact she had no supervision. The last thing he needed was further complications pushing the girl away. His search then lead him to the Marksmanship team's manager and coach.
Currently, the marksmanship team was focusing on 'increasing their lung capacity' and stamina, further increasing their steady breathing techniques. To improve these, they were absent from the range this week, hopefully improving physically and introducing new routines.
Normally the range remained locked up because of their absence, and yet Natalya seemingly had no problem getting her hands on the keys. Now Kaiser simply had to find who gave them and ask nicely for his own, that or strong-arm them.
Today the marksmanship team remained behind slightly longer for the weekly maintenance of their weapons and he had luckily caught them as they were leaving the school gates to begin their short run.
The majority of the student members idly walked out the gate in small groupings for their warmups while the coach and team manager were keeping a headcount as they left. Kaiser approached quietly and greeted the two figures. He received a jump of surprise from the female manager and a double-take from the coach.
Keeping a "politician's smile" on his face, Kaiser waited patiently as the two regained their composure and greeted him in return.
"Ah hello. You're cadet Kaiser correct?" the coach asked, snapping a finger. Kaiser gave a polite nod in response knowing that for one reason or another his name, as well as Virtanen's, were well known amongst the school staff.
"Nice to meet you again Sir'' greeted Kaiser, turning to address the female adjacent to them.
"I'm sorry for being so surprised" she apologized. "I am Melissa, it's nice to meet you," she said extending a hand.
Seeing her offered hand, Kaiser reciprocated with a firm shake, immediately getting to the point. "No worries, I don't wish to waste your time so allow me to be brief. I'm here about Natalya."
The manager stiffened at the name while the coach hummed to himself, unacquainted with her. Picking up on their cues, Kaiser proceeded cautiously. "I only need to speak with the manager Sir, you should probably tag along with the other students. I won't keep her long."
The Coach gave his thanks, slapping a hand onto Kaiser's shoulder and giving a thumbs up. "I appreciate it! And smart move getting advice from another female" he muttered, giving another slap to Kaiser's back. He then leaned in with a hushed whisper. "I don't know who this Natalya lass is but I can say relationships aren't easy. But it doesn't mean you should give up."
Despite his poor attempt at secrecy the manager obviously heard his insinuation, her surprise showing she knew Kaiser's presence must have been for a far different reason. Rather than waste time explaining, Kaiser grit his teeth and nodded his thanks with a clenched smile. With a final encouragement of "I'm rooting for you" and a wave, the coach departed.
As the man's figure began to rally his students and run them down the road, the manager eyed Kaiser nervously. With an exasperated sigh, Kaiser glanced at her. "Why does everyone seem to correlate our age with romance?" he asked.
The girl struggled for an answer, settling for a nervous shrug. With an enticing grin, Kaiser faced the girl, enjoying her anxious disposition. "Relax. It was a rhetorical question. Now about Natalya, and don't worry you're not in trouble. Yet".
The girl flinched at his last comment, her anxiety visibly doubling. Uncaring for her tension, Kaiser explained himself. "You see as I've mentioned, I'm here because of Natalya Prokov. You can imagine why." Again she did not answer, either not knowing or waiting for him to affirm her suspicions.
With a click of his tongue, Kaiser continued. "I know Natalya approached you for permission to utilize your range without the coach's acknowledgment. It was self-evident from how he didn't even recognize her name. You're the only one who could have gotten her a spare key."
The girl was at a loss for words, an opportunity for Kaiser as he continued to entrap her. "I also know that she is there without any supervision from any credited staff or club members in defiance of school rules as well" He tutted as the manager shrunk in on herself. The implied threat taking its toll. He then began to pace a small semi-circle around her maintaining the mental assault, keeping her unable to form an argument. "Now I just need you to give me the same."
Confusion set upon the girl's features. "Why would you need that?" she asked warily. "You drive and fire tanks. I doubt you'd find a use for our range". She responded abashedly grasping at one arm, looking away.
"Then what about Natalya? She does the same as I." he replied. The manager grew more nervous, tightening the grip on her sleeve.
"No response then?" he pressed. "Then, she must have threatened you or she is somehow a special case" he reasoned. The girl's eyes furrowed slightly despite remaining silent. Given his answer, he relented. "That's unfortunate. Without your assistance, I'll have to find another way. But first, I'll have to report your impropriety."
Turning to leave on his warning, the girl reached out, grabbing Kaiser by his bicep. With desperation in her eyes, she tried to speak, hesitating to make eye contact.
'I didn't think she would cave in with a threat of being reported. I thought of her as a harder nut to crack when I looked into her.' he dismissed internally. To his surprise, his thoughts were quickly tossed aside at her plea.
Defiantly looking into his eyes she shouted. "Report me if you want! But don't involve Nat! She doesn't need any more trouble!"
Kaiser froze at the request. 'This was… unexpected'.
Grabbing her hand gripping him, Kaiser gently removed it, watching her face begin to tear up. Cautiously, he spoke. "Nat? That's a nickname I've only heard her sister use." At his observation, the girl looked up in surprise, realizing her slip of the tongue. "I will admit. You surprised me there, that's a rarity. So why don't you tell me a bit about… this." He said, gesturing at her distressed form then to some campus seating nearby.
Wiping the tears at the edge of her eyes the girl nodded and followed him as he looked back, cautious of any more uncomfortable tears. Slowly Melissa began her story, from the edge of tears to slightly more comfortable, speaking her mind and divulging her issues.
She began with how Natalya and she were acquaintances at Kuromoromine. Friends, even at one point. Soon, she started to give vague details, however. On certain topics she would avert her face, dismissing him, before he could inquire any further.
Eventually, their talk whined down, falling into a session of reminiscing of old times in middle school and before her transfer. Her tone shifted quickly when speaking of how surprised she was upon finding out Natalya had transferred to Transcendence as well. The surprise only mounting after she had heard of Natalya joining the Senshado team.
The climax of unexpected events for her began when Natalya approached her for permission to use the range. Melissa's attitude quickly becoming downcast as she recalled Natalya stating "she owed her at least this much".
Their talk then concluded, Kaiser sought to calm the girl down from her emotional state slightly before departing, however. "If you feel this strongly then you could either forget each other or forge a new bond." he reasoned.
The advice surprised her. With a sniff and teary eyes, she gave a small nod. "Perhaps". Feeling a vibration she checked the time on her phone. Quickly she saw the few calls from her coach and teammates. "I have to go now!" She announced jumping up with another sniff.
Kaiser nodded as she excused herself, leaning back, and watching her clean up. "Take care of yourself and be sure to give your coach my apologies for the inconvenience. And to let your team know I wasn't the one who made you cry," he commented, slowly getting up and straightening himself.
Looking up, he saw the girl's fist held out before his chest. Inquisitively he saw a small smile now accompanying her red-tinged eyes and nose. "You are the reason though" she replied with a chuckle. "But thanks. I needed to talk about this, and thanks for the advice. I feel you're the best suited to help fix this mess".
Her fist opened slightly to dangle a few keys on a chain. "This will get you into the range shed and lockers. Try not to make her cry too, okay?" she asked with a smirk.
Kaiser clicked his tongue as he took the chain and placed it in his pocket. "I never speak of certainties".
The girl chortled at his response before settling down. "And if you can…" she wavered. "Can you, if it goes well, and you think there's a chance she's willing to be friends... let me know?"
Kaiser raised a brow at the drawn-out request. "Of course," he answered, raising a hand in farewell. She nodded her head thankfully and left to join her team for their remaining practice.
-Afterschool, The Next Day-
After practice had been much the same. Kaiser was promptly ignored and Natalya would leave with her sister shadowing close by while he dealt with dismissing the cadets. Now however he had a chance to begin closing the distance yet he loathed to think about what the situation would devolve to.
Possible scenarios plagued him and ran through his head as he approached the chainlink fence ahead. It wrapped around the entirety of the narrow five hundred meter shooting range and back with its only entrance being the "range shed" as the marksmanship team had come to call the squat building housing their supplies.
Past the building were lanes for individuals. The left, for shooting in the prone and kneeling. The right for sitting and standing. A small sheet metal structure lay overhead to provide some protection from rainfall, provided it wasn't coming down sideways as usual when at sea. The range's location itself was in a corner of the ship's surface area with its impact area facing away and out to sea so no stray rounds could hit the civilian areas and at worst fall into the sea.
He heard a familiar slow and steady crack resounding from behind the range shed. Only today, lighter in tone. 'Perhaps she is using a different rifle today?' He pondered before pausing at the entrance. 'Let this go smoothly and without any migraines' he prayed almost as if to tempt fate.
Quietly pulling out the key he received, he entered. A rather symmetrical design lay inside. On all corners, four walls lay lockers standing up to a person's waist, and above them lay locked cases of varying weapons. From the left wall next to him and wrapping all-around to his right were the marksmanship teams' competition rifles neatly aligned and maintenanced, only now waiting for their owners to return and use them next week once more. Proceeding to the right the weapons slowly became more spaced and varied. More for recreational shooting and simply for fun as far as he could tell were shotguns, SMGs, LMG's, long rifles, and everything short of weapons utilizing anti-tank calibers.
A reception desk in the center of the back remained empty for the team members to check out their rifles and record time on the range. In the corners lay small changing rooms for male and female teammates. Usually, the coach, team manager, or an assistant would log in range usage and what ammunition and weapon they were to rent out before they departed out back. Now the building lay silent, the risk of any curious, wondering staff writing he and Natalya up for being here against without proper authority.
Slowly Kaiser walked around observing the weapons in the cages noticing a space amidst the older Russian weapons. Taking note of it he walked over to the American weapons section and, using one of the rings on the chain he'd been lent, opened the cage without a sound.
He observed the weapons before him, Automatics, semi's, bolt actions, belt feds. He recalled the steady tempo occurring just outside. Gently he grasped an m1903 Springfield bolt action rifle and locked the cage once more. Finally, he headed to the storage room behind the main desk to retrieve his ammunition. The live ammunition was locked up only to be accessed by the coach for safety reasons and therefore only InfanterieKampf grade 'dummy' ammunition with internal paint cores were available. Seeing as how paper targets and plastic silhouettes were the targets, it posed no problem.
Rifle slung over one shoulder and a couple of boxes of ammunition in his other hand Kaiser felt reminiscent of his time before Senshado. His nostalgia was cut short at the recollection of the stifled tears he saw yesterday from the manager and her request for him to help Natalya. Their interaction stood profound in his mind. Just as fast, his thoughts switched to the usually stoic and defiant face of Natalya. He took a breath and stepped outside onto the range.
At first, he was unnoticed by Natalya as she sat there once more. Her light brown hair was tied up and her jacket off. Comfortably sitting to her left side, a loosened necktie dangling and shake violently at the recoil of each shot. Her shirt untucked, slightly unbuttoned to allow for mobility and flexibility. Firing at the same target design as before. A black silhouette on white paper with the addition of a service cap outline. It clearly showed an officer's silhouette and he could guess her imagination was bringing it to life with his face.
It wasn't until a good half-minute later that she had noticed. Five slow and steady shots were sent from the rented Mosin Nagant she was using for the day, then slowly she leaned upwards with a pair of binoculars in hand to look at her groupings before noticing movement in her peripherals, darting her head to the side.
Kaiser had already set up his target and the automated system was sending it downrange. As if rehearsed he loaded five rounds into the rifle and offset his footing.
She seemed to want to demand he leave from what Kaiser could see from a quick glance unfortunately for her, she had missed her chance. Having not said anything when he arrived was her misstep. She was prideful and couldn't just demand he leave now admitting she was so focused she hadn't noticed him. Bitterly she seemed contempt to watch him warily for the moment.
Taking a comfortable standing position, Kaiser took aim at his target a hundred meters away. He leaned into the stock, resting his cheek against it. A slow breath before exhaling and he fired once. Hit. Grabbing the rifle by the center with his left he took his free hand and pushed the console that controlled the targets. His target retracted another hundred meters.
Operating the bolt system he again took the same stance and fired, Harder to see the results but he seemed content nonetheless. Repeating the process once more at three hundred meters he shifted his body further forward and squared it to the target. Steadily he raised the rifle, took a breath, and fired. He did this twice more up to the max range of five hundred meters.
As his final shot connected he let out a satisfied breath and recalled the target. it rattled down towards him as he glanced away. Natalya seemed awed at his performance. His target arrived and his satisfaction was immediately dismissed. The one, two, and three hundred shots were in a tight grouping of holes at the center of the silhouette's chest. The four and five-hundred-meter shots had also connected but began to drift away from the grouping slightly. 'Rusty' he chastised himself. Despite his berating thoughts he turned the target slightly, showing Natalya with a slight tug of his lips. Immediately she took the disappointed gesture for a smug grin. Her eyes darted away now focused on placing a new target.
Perhaps it was her pride but she no longer sat prone instead she adopted a kneeling stance, a flexible position supporting her left hand on her left knee while her right was pinned close to her chest and in the back of the right knee. She adjusted the iron sights to the appropriate range and began firing at her own pace without distraction.
Kaiser looked on, admiring her performance. Good form, strong focus on the basics, and skillfully reloading while controlling her fire. He had been approached by the marksmanship team before and could easily imagine she was scouted as well. Obviously, she must have refused them to their dejected expectations just as he.
Though he had to wonder if she knew just how suggestive her currently disheveled clothing was. He looked away finding it hard not to notice when observing her form. Instead, he focused on her shot placement through a pair of borrowed binoculars. Five shots at five hundred meters and she retrieved her target. She frowned, dissatisfied as he was but still turned to show her results with a blank face.
Leaning his head against one hand as he sat Kaiser looked over the target and nodded his head. "Now do it standing and without the sight adjustment," he said. She bristled at the critique. Before a retort was given Kaiser stood and set his target at five hundred meters. Natalya did the same, only a step behind him, and not one to shirk from a challenge to her skill.
Kaiser opened his bolt. A stripper clip of five rounds in, and out, then the bolt forward. A short breath and he sent his first shot. As it cracked through the air Natalya's soon followed. He operated his bolt and she did as well. They repeated and fired again, and again.
Five shots from both and the sound of the targets returning to them. The two looking over the hits and showing the other. Kaiser held his usual calm while Natalya held smug expectations. A moment of observation and Natalya stooped down and snatched her empty boxes of ammo while slinging her rifle and school uniform coat over her shoulder.
As she retreated to the door, Kaiser saw the frustration in her eyes. They begged the question 'Why was he here?'
Kaiser watched her hurry away and called after her. "You may want to correct your clothing, lest some onlooker thinks you were up and about doing lecherous activities," he advised.
Natalya stopped in her tracks immediately at his comment. He saw the back of her head bob down slightly, looking herself over. Sure enough, she noticed the skirt that had ridden up a bit too high and her unbuttoned shirt, a bit too open for propriety. She snatched at both articles of clothing correcting them as she exited in a huff.
Kaiser began cleaning up the range, casings, targets, and the general area. Taking his time doing so as he had not seen Natalya exit the other side of the chain-link fence. She was most likely cleaning her weapon before depositing it. Disposing of the targets in a bin, he glanced over them noting her grouping against his. Her shots were more spread with one almost missing.
'Other than being aloof at strange times, she's clearly dutiful and inherently talented in firearms.' he noted. He had high regard for her skill, leading him to hang his head as he came to a realization. 'I got too caught up in shooting after so long. I suppose I should be glad she's stubborn and will likely be back tomorrow'.
As Kaiser contemplated the day's outcome he heard a door shut and saw Natalya's figure leaving the range shed. It was getting late into the day and he was prepared to take his leave as well.
Kaiser returned to his after-school routine finally feeling the fatigue set in as he crashed in bed. Another busy day had come and gone with many more to go. Turning in bed, he thought of the circumstances hoping he would pass out mid-thought.
'If I don't give her any leeway she'll make herself my enemy, too much however and she'll abuse it. Perhaps I should let friendlier minds handle this' he contemplated, rolling once more in his sheets. The dark gloom of his room was illuminated only by dim lights peering through his window. He glanced at a frame containing a family photo in the dark. One of the only decorations aside from old awards hanging on his walls.
'If only she had friends I could contact and help guide her...' He thought.
An idea emerged as his eyes drifted shut, pulling him to sleep. The image of that manager, teary-eyed and at a loss, Natalya constantly frustrated and ostracized. And finally her sister Valerya choosing to accompany her through it. 'Perhaps her sister can enlighten me somewhat.'
With a new lead, he gave in to sleep's embrace.
-The Next Day-
It began as early as any other. Up at 5:30 and completing the usual morning routine. Then getting around and out the door in his black and gray school uniform with his bag shortly after.
Though practice was held after school at 15:30 and ending at 17:30, He would always arrive early to prepare for the day's practice. His reason? Feeling the need to prepare and sort out the supply of ammunition and fuel for the day as well as inspecting the vehicle's upkeep. A lot to take on himself but as untrusting as ever he took to it.
A short and peaceful walk due to the low morning traffic and he would find himself on school grounds. He would then pull out a personal key to enter the hangar, one of a few made for the squad commanders.
As he walked to the files of tanks his eye caught an oddity. The lights were on as usual due to the night staff that patrolled but today there was a black-clad figure stooping next to one of the vehicles. Without hesitation Kaiser apprehended them in a vice-like grip, grasping their shoulder, and tearing them away to face him. No words were exchanged as he looked at the usually melancholic face of Sokolov now slightly surprised.
Sighing, Kaiser asked what he was doing here. "Why are you here so early?"
As his expression loosened again, Sokolov responded. "I could ask you the same sir...But first, can you let go?" Kaiser looked at his hand clamping down on Sokolov, and though his face portrayed no emotion, he slightly shook in presumable pain.
Releasing his hand, Kaiser motioned for him to speak. Rubbing the kink out of his shoulder Sokolov lethargically answered. "I was looking into my vehicle. Its traverse, it's spec's, and design." To enforce his point he gestured to the top of the Stug IV chassis in which schematics of the vehicle were laid out.
"Tedious work for someone of your attention span wouldn't you agree?" Kaiser asked. Sokolov yawned and nodded. "To be honest sir, it is. But I can't help shake this feeling of the upcoming match. I may not be participating in it, but eventually, you will need my squad. I figure I need to start taking this seriously if I am to rid myself of this unease in my gut".
Kaiser nodded his approval at the remark. "I'm sure you'll be ready once we call upon you." Looking up and over at the Stug IV he decided to begin his inspection with it. As he walked up, down, around, and inside of it he continued speaking with Sokolov. "So why are you wearing the Team's uniform when we haven't even issued them yet?" he asked, inspecting the cannon.
Sokolov Gave a single awkward chuckle to himself followed by a slow pause. With a limply raised arm, he pointed at the office Virtanen and he stored Paperwork for the hangar and vehicles in. "In case you didn't deduce it, Virtanen lent me the key to enter. He then told me to leave it in the office as you would be coming along. I saw the team uniforms had come in and decided to, well, see how it fit me." Raising both his arms, then turning and projecting himself to Kaiser he adorned a tired grin. "I can see why you wear yours so often, I like it."
Kaiser then descended into the vehicle with a warning. "Well don't forget your cover and awards when you leave. I'll help you put them on if need be but don't forget outside of special occasions we stay in our school uniform during the school day".
With a lax salute to no one in particular, Sokolov agreed. "Yes sir".
A few moments of silence reigned as the two went about their business in which Kaiser wiped his hands clean on a rag before addressing Sokolov once more. "So how is it with your team? No problems I presume?"
"My team and I get along despite the fact we don't speak much." A moment of quiet signaled his contemplation. "It is somewhat bothersome not knowing what they're thinking or if they even like me as a commander but I'd rather we be comfortable with each other and perform our best so that way we can provide results when needed."
Kaiser gave a mocking laugh. "Well, at least that's the worst of your problems. Imagine if you were forced to get to know someone who rebuffs you at every chance out of some reason that isn't even clearly stated. Dreadful thought isn't it?".
Sokolov stared at Kaiser's head above the hatch before responding. "Prokov is it, sir?" Kaiser gave a thumbs up as he descended into the hatch, finding barely any energy affirm. "If it's any comfort, Sir, I don't believe many males here would know what to do if someone gave them that problem, let alone a female. Though I suppose on the other end of the spectrum that means you're the best suited for this situation."
Kaiser placed his head against the cool steel of the tank at the comment. "I'll take that as a sign of encouragement Sokolov," he replied.
The two then worked separately thereon as Kaiser finished his inspections and rationing while Sokolov cleaned up, changed, and departed. Kaiser then continued in silence without another soul in the Hangar for some time as he awaited classes to start. Caught up for now he figured he would do minor maintenance and check on his Squad's vehicles personally. Changing into disposable clothing and using a mechanics 'creeper,' he inspected his Tiger before moving on to the other heavy vehicles.
He ensured the transmission and tracks were in good order due to the notoriety of heavy tanks having issues in the areas. He then moved onto the KV-85 and Natalya's IS-1. He could already imagine her becoming upset at "tampering" with her vehicle. With a single dismissive laugh, he went to work. Under the vehicle and left alone with his thoughts in the enclosed space he couldn't help but bicker to himself. Eventually, his thoughts found themselves manifesting in a mutter. He began reciting his studies, and things to do for the upcoming match. Even the eventual gripe found its way in as he worked.
A voice called out to him stopping his self-contained conversation. "Well aren't you just a riveting conversationalist?" chirped the small voice.
Kaiser looked around his surroundings. He saw no feet around the vehicle before sliding out from under the chassis. As the ceiling lights were about to hit his eyes a shadow cast over his face. Past the long blonde locks that flowed down to his face, his eyes locked onto a pair of green orbs. "Prokov" Kaiser acknowledged with disinterest.
"Call me Val" she insisted, laying atop the chassis of the IS-1.
-End Chapter-
