"" Dialogue
'' Thoughts
Disclaimer: I do not own "Strike Witches", so this is just a fan made.
Chapter 17: About Resolves
(Sorry)
Later that day, by the afternoon
The nine Witches were once again sitting the meeting hall, almost all of them in their usual places, commenting about what Commander Barkhorn had left for each of them earlier that day. They continued waiting for their superiors to come and quite a bit passed, and Minna and Mio finally made their way to the podium.
"While we made lots of progress yesterday, Ingolstadt is still far from being safe zone." Minna stated with a serious tone. "There are still Neuroi hidden in the city and in its outskirts, therefore, our job is not done yet."
The whole group nodded in agreement.
"The troops cannot advance unless the zone is completely safe." Mio added.
"The primary objective of the mission was carried successfully, as we all know, therefore, the whole Wing is not needed to complete this mission." Minna announced.
"That doesn't mean anyone of you would be sent alone, that would far too risky, what Group Captain Wilcke is referring to, is that small teams would be sent."
"Three to be more specifically, I haven't decided who will be leading each one but since we will restart operations tomorrow, I suggest you all, to rest for the rest of the day, am I understood?"
"Yes, ma'am." The group said in unison.
"You're all dismissed," Minna wrapped up, as the group stood up from their places. "Yoshika, please come to the office." She added, the group just exchanged glances but they still left as they were ordered to.
Yoshika on the other hand, just nodded in agreement and waited for their superiors to leave and she followed both officers from behind and so did Lynette from way further behind. Not long after they made their way to the office and Yoshika closed as now it had started to become a custom. Lynette was left alone in the corridor, she headed to the closest window from the office to stare at the landscape, while she waited for her roommate.
Meanwhile, both commanders headed to in their usual places, behind the desk, Minna was sitting while Mio was at her side, standing. While, Yoshika was just staring at them, with her hands in her back.
"Please take a sit, Yoshika," Minna said with a somewhat polite smile, and she did so, reluctantly. "Your punishment is going be left for later but that's not what I called you for."
Yoshika, meanwhile, just continued staring at Minna with a now more troubled demeanor.
"I've seen how hard you trained these past few months to continue helping us with the war efforts, here in Karlsland. I have been training you myself and I know how much progress you made, and I even taught you everything I could." Minna sighed as she served herself a glass of wine. "You're an important member of the squad, Yoshika, of this family." She took a long sip of her wine. "You've helped us to achieve lots of victories throughout these years but above it all, it's your health, I hope you understand me."
"I- I do actually and I guess I will become a medic sooner than I anticipated, but that's a good thing, I mean… that's- that's what I wanted to become before joining you." Yoshika then just covered her eyes with her forearm. "I'll ask Althea to help me to catch up with the studies at Lausanne but it sure will take me a long time" Yoshika said, now with a polite smile. "Thank you for everything Group Captain Minna and Major Sakamoto, I'm sorry I've never expected to end this way."
"Yoshika, if you want to continue with your studies, I'd not argue against that decision. It's your own life but I haven't finished yet." She took another sip. "I know you're feeling better, and the doctor thinks likewise but you know your health issues haven't been solved just yet."
"Huh?" Yoshika rubbed her eyes. "What does- what does it mean?"
"I am going to supervise you, personally, these upcoming days that we secure Ingolstadt and after that I hope to have enough time to take you to a Witches hospital."
"I- Thank you, I'm really thankful for giving me another chance and I'm not going to let you down," Yoshika said now with happy tears from her face.
"Miyafuji, what are you talking about?" Mio interrupted her. "I'm frankly baffled that you're so willing to disobey orders, but this doesn't have anything to do with that." She added, yet Yoshika did not mutter anything else. "There're some things that you cannot control, Miyafuji, you should know that."
"My grandma told the same." She sighed. "It's just that I've been disobeying you, causing problems and… I thought that…" She gulped. "You'll be better without me."
Both commanders just exchanged glances as Minna served another glass of wine. "Here Yoshika, it'll help you to calm down a little."
Then, Yoshika gulped through it, as both commanders watched her now a bit perplexed.
"As I was saying, um, while that is partially true, the fact that you've been disobeyent, almost every Witch has gone through a similar phase, that doesn't mean I excuse you, but I understand you." Minna stated.
"I'm going to be more obedient from now on, I assure you," Yoshika added, cleaning her eyes.
"We'll see Yoshika, we'll see." Minna sighed. "You're dismissed and enjoy the rest of the day and don't think like that, everyone appreciates everything you've done for us, Yoshika."
"I will and thank you again," Yoshika said, as she stood from her place and left the room afterwards, leaving to thoughtful commanders behind. But to Yoshika's surprise, the corridor was empty.
"Huh? No one's here…" Yoshika said to herself. "I was expecting Lynne or Shizuka to be here…"
"Am I no one to you?" Eila chimed in, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't see you there Eila," Yoshika exclaimed putting her hand over her chest. "What are you doing here?"
"I was waiting for you, dummy."
"Do you want me to do something?" Yoshika wondered with a curious expression. "For you? To you?"
"What do you…?" Eila blushed a little. "I mean I'm gonna talk with Minna now."
"Oh, thanks again for that," Yoshika cheerfully said.
"Wish me luck," she added, as she knocked the door.
"Good luck!" Then, Yoshika headed to search for them once again but as she was traversing the corridors, she ended bumping with another Witch, with her face just above her chest.
"Yoshika!" Shizuka exclaimed, as she gave a step back. "Did something happen with Group Captain Minna?" Shizuka questioned her, rubbing her chest while Yoshika did the same with her face.
"Nothing actually, she just called me to tell me that she'd take me to a Witches Hospital after the city is secured." Yoshika dropped her smile.
"Are you- are you feeling sick again?"
"Of course not," she added, with a somewhat neutral tone. "it's just to find what's going on with my heartbeat."
"I hope there's nothing wrong with your heart," Shizuka said, putting her right hand in the middle of Yoshika's chest. Yet, she just gave her a kind of surprise look, making Shizuka blush in the process. "I'm sorry, I let myself go." She added, taking off her hand.
"Don't worry about it and actually the doctor thinks the same." Yoshika then put both her hands on her chest. "And I really hope she's right, let's go outside, I need the fresh air." She added, grabbing her hand.
"Actually, I was going to…" Shizuka was about to say, yet Yoshika just gave her puppy eyes, "it can wait actually, it's not that important."
Meanwhile, in the office
After Yoshika left the room, the silence took hold of the room. Minna rested her head on her hand with a thoughtful demeanor while Mio gazed the alps through the window.
"Miyafuji is still not her old self," Mio commented.
"I'm afraid so, it seems I really underestimate her emotional state." Minna added.
"Miyafuji can be quite good hiding her true feelings, you can't hold yourself responsible for that." Mio said, now taking a sit beside her.
"At least, Trude's advice seems to have a positive on her." Minna sighed.
"She's still the joyful girl I recruited more than three years ago; it would take time for her to overcome it." Then someone knocked the door.
"It's open," Minna said, wondering if Yoshika came back yet soon enough, she was giving an answer. "Is there something we can help you with, Eila?" Minna asked as Eila made her way to the front of her desk.
"Well, no, I… yeah." She gulped, heading to their commanders. "I'm here to… apologize, I really lost my cool that day and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did with…" She heaved a sigh. "…with everyone actually."
"Apology accepted." Minna exclaimed.
"Huh?" Eila tilted her head. "This was way easier than what I expected," she happily said, taking a sit in front of both commanders.
"Did you expect otherwise officer?" Mio asked her.
"Um, I mean, I didn't." She nervously added, "but, but that's not the only reason I came here for, it's actually to talk about Yoshika."
Both commanders just sighed softly. "Did something happen with her? She just left." Minna added, serving herself another glass of wine.
"Nothing actually, at least not today." She rubbed her chin. "I better get to the point; I know she screwed up by sortieing and so did Lynne." She gulped. "What I mean is that they don't deserve to be grounded, she only wanted to help y'all in good faith!" She added with most convincing she could use.
"We're aware of that officer." Mio stated with a serious tone and yet with a soft smile.
"Yeah," Eila tilted her head. "This went way better than I expected!" She excitedly added, as she stood from her sit. "Thanks!"
"Actually, there is something you're forgetting, officer Juutilainen, the four of you, hid that from me and disobeyed direct orders," Minna added with a serious smile, as Eila stopped on her tracks. "And as I told all of you, there would be consequences."
"I should've foreseen this," she added taking a sit again. "Just give me… just give me whatever punishment you were going to give us, four times," she firmly said.
"Eila, you know things do not work that way." Minna stated in a somewhat gallant tone.
"I guess it wouldn't be that easy, then," she added in a somewhat carefree tone, putting her hands behind her head.
"As I told Yoshika, the punishment for the four of you is going to be left for later." She took another sip. "Moreover, I haven't decided yet what to do with you all."
"You have more things to worry about now, don't you officer." Mio added.
"What are you talking about?" Eila wondered, "Yoshika had already forgiven me and so did Lynne and Shizuka. It's just Sanya that's left."
"That's what she's talking about," Erica chimed in, opening the doors widely and taking a sit on the couch near them.
"What are you doing here?" Eila asked her.
"I was passing around here, I wanted to see what you were all doing locked up here," Erica said smirking.
"Are you implying something Lieutenant?" Mio asked.
"Just kidding, I saw Eila coming here," she stated with small grin on her face.
"Enough of that, what do you mean by that?" Eila wondered, as the three stared at her.
"I spoke with Sanya and she's filling a request to be transferred to the 502nd," Erica said with a stoic tone.
"What the!" Eila clucked, stroking her silvery hair. "You're joking."
"Do I look like I am joking to you?" Erica questioned her, dropping her smile and half lying down on the couch.
"Oh crap! You aren't." She exclaimed now visible worried, now rubbing her hair. "I didn't expect that she'd be that mad."
"I am actually, but she told me she'll ask for another room for herself, though." Erica added, still with a serious expression, yet no one muttered anything. "Or you know, she could move to mine, we could have so much fun each night!" Erica claimed, hugging herself up, as Eila's blood rushed to her face, now giving her an intense glare.
"Another joke!" Erica playfully added, with a mischievous smile.
"I better apologize now, she's been madded with me long enough," Eila added, standing from her sit, trying to get rid of her redness.
"It's just a day actually but I can give you hand with that, we're very close… friends." Erica drawled now sitting.
"Of course you're." Eila added trying to maintain her calm. "And I accept your help, let's do it now!" And thus, both Witches headed to the door.
"Lieutenant, let us know, whether the transfer request must be passed," Mio added, making Eila froze on her tracks, now staring them back.
"She's joking…" Erica said, grabbing her from the jacket, yet both commanders were dead serious. "I think?"
"Just let get this over with." Eila added, opening the door and both left the room afterwards.
"At least, we can't say that we're not entertained here," Minna commented, finishing with her wine.
"No doubt about it," Mio added, now serving herself a glass of wine.
Meanwhile
Both Witches made their way outside just as Yoshika wanted and though Shizuka was expecting to head to the river as Yoshika usually did, they went to the garden, just outside the base. The sun was shining yet it felt cold wind that came all the way from the snowy mountains, making it feel rather fresh, somewhat cold eve. To Yoshika's surprise, Lynette was not there either but Sanya was there, with her sleeves rolled up, wearing brown gloves and a hat as well.
"What are you doing Sanya?" Yoshika asked her. "We've already loosened up all the soil."
"Commander Barkhorn brought us seeds," Sanya said, showing both girls a few seeds packages. "I hope they can sprout before the winter comes."
"Let me help you, then." Yoshika picking up the shovel and then she began digging the soil.
"I'll get us some water." Shizuka picked up two buckets and headed to the water well.
Thus, the trio began gardening and quite a while passed, and after the seeds were planted and watered and so where the rest of the plants, Yoshika laid on the still greenish grass, Sanya just took a sit, cross-legged, besides Yoshika and so did Shizuka, on her other side.
"I really needed this," Yoshika said, stretching herself as much as she could as a starfish. "I guess I'm still a little tired…"
"Don't you want to go to rest?" Shizuka asked her with a hint of worriedness in her tone.
"I can rest here actually." Yoshika said, resting her head on her arms.
Shizuka then, putting both her legs behind Yoshika. "You'll be more comfortable here then." Shizuka beckoned her to rest on her lap.
"Thanks, Shizuka," Yoshika added as she moved her head to rest on her thighs. Now, there, Shizuka began caressing Yoshika's short brown hair, as Yoshika closed her eyes. "C'mon Sanya, Shizuka is very comfy," She cheerfully added, moving up a bit to make some space, and Sanya moved to her side with a little more of shyness. "Now I feel way more comfortable." She heaved a sigh of relief.
Both Witches were staring at the now somewhat orangish and blueish sky, feeling the wind still blowing on them and accompanied by the singing birds at the distance. Shizuka, now began softly massaging Yoshika's shoulder with her free hand.
"You're really good with your hands, it really makes me feel so relieved."
"I'm sure if it's not even close to what your healing magic can do." Shizuka commented, now massaging both her shoulders.
"No one has used healing magic on me, and you know I can't heal myself, so I don't know how it feels actually." Yoshika commented.
"I don't know how to describe it either, it's a warm sensation all over your body and you feel how the pain just... just drifts away," Shizuka stopped massaging her. "It even makes you feel… stimulated." She added with a lower tone blushing a little, yet to her relief, no one noticed anything.
"I guess I'd need to find a Witch who could heal me if I got injured or I don't know, maybe she could find what's wrong with me." Yoshika added, with a pensive tone and the quietness took place once again for quite a bit.
"I'm sorry Yoshika." Sanya murmured, interrupting the silence.
"What are you apologizing for?" Yoshika wondered with a curious tone.
"If I wasn't shot down, I'd have not been needed to be rescued." She took a sit. "And you'd have not overstrained yourself, I'm really sorry."
"You don't need to worry about me, I feel fine actually and I just need to find what's wrong with me, just in case." Yoshika added with a soft smile, taking a sit. "And accidents happen."
"You're here unharmed and so is Yoshika, and you can't blame yourself for what happened; You can't change it either, it's on the past." Shizuka added with a firm tone, yet Sanya not muttered anything else for a few seconds.
"It really is," Yoshika added.
"I agree, I'm glad that nothing happened to you." Sanya added with a polite smile.
"I'm happy for that too, but I'm- I'm not sure what can happen to me, actually." Yoshika said with pensive tone, rubbing her ching. "I guess the worst thing that could happen is that could lose my magic again maybe in the middle of a sortie, but I haven't had that problem since…"
"We know that Yoshika." Shizuka interrupted her.
"We would be there, Yoshika, just like you always have for us." Sanya added.
"I'm really glad to have all of you as my friends." Yoshika said with a somewhat tranquil yet happy tone. "That's why I try not think about it."
"I'm sure nothing would happen to you, but you still need to look after yourself." Sanya added with a soft smile, putting her hand over hers.
"I will, from now on." She sighed. "And may I ask you for a favor?"
"Of course, Yoshika."
"Don't-" Yoshika took a deep breath. "Don't be infuriated with Eila, please, she was just worried about you."
"She was very mean, and she shouldn't have said those things to you." Sanya raised her voice a little. "She should know better than that."
"Sometimes people cannot think things clearly because you really care about that person and you just you wish to protect her no matter what." She sighed. "I know that because… because… I've been behaving the same way… I'm really sorry about it… Shizuka." She added as both Witches stared at her. "I really shouldn't have behaved towards you that way, it's just that I've been trying to protect you after…"
"We both know what happened." Shizuka swore. "But please, I'm begging you, leave it in the past, you can't change anything about it." She added as tears now fell from her brown eyes.
"I know that Shizuka and I've been really unfair with you." Yoshika now staring her deep in the eyes from the distance.
"What do you mean?" Shizuka wondered.
"I know you can protect yourself and I've seen firsthand how great you had become in this time and..."
"That coming from you, means a lot to me, it really does." Shizuka cleaned her tears with her hand.
"And I'm glad you did what you did back then, if it weren't for you, I'd not even be here, you really saved me back in the dome and- and even when you just met me, back in Fuso." Then, Yoshika then crouched to her and finished cleaning her eyes with her sleeve. "I'm really sorry for everything."
"You know I'll always be there when you need me, and I know you'll be there for me when I need you but…"
"I've been getting in everyone's way and caused problems for everyone." She gulped. "I even broke Eila's strikers."
"It was an accident Yoshika." Sanya added.
"One that could have been avoided." Yoshika countered.
"But you rescued me," Sanya countered.
"I- I didn't do it alone, everyone helped, and Eila too."
"She even told us how you were ambushed…" Shizuka added.
"I understand she was concerned about me, but she should not have behaved without regards of the safety of everyone here."
"Even though her intentions were good, Eila knows it was not the right way to do things." Shizuka stated.
"She's been apologizing to everyone." Yoshika added. "She even wanted to go back by herself to rescue you."
"I didn't know that." Sanya said with a pensive tone. "And I shouldn't have hit her; I should apologize too." She added as she got up and so did the two Witches.
A while before
After leaving the office, both Eila and Erica were searching for Sanya around the base and after checking on the former's room, and not finding her there. They continued looking for her, after passing around the hangar they noticed that Charlotte was still there, with her Strikers still teared apart.
"I don't think you can get more speed out of it." Erica said as both Witches gathered around her.
"Yeah, I'm starting to think the same," Charlotte stated, cleaning the sweat with her sleeve. "And I am actually kind of stuck here," Charlotte said rubbing her head.
"Why don't you, I don't know take a break…" Eila added with a persuasive tone.
"That sounds good actually, I'm gonna get the sauna ready." Charlotte cleaned her hands with a towel.
"I was actually thinking more like…" She began playing with her fingers. "…painting Sanya's strikers."
Charlotte sighed loudly in response and gave her tired expression. "Do you even have paint?"
"Of course I do," she argued back. "Barkhorn sent it as well." She added with a lower tone.
"Why am I not surprised? But I could do it to..."
"Just paint Sanya's and I owe you one." Eila interrupted her.
"You're really want to make up her, don't you?" Charlotte with a quizzical expression.
"Sanya threatened her to move to my room."
"She didn't," She barked. "We haven't even spoken." She mourned.
"Well, that could be a good thing for you Hartmann," She stated with a suggestive smile, crossing her legs on her sit. "You both could try new things each night so when…"
"That's the idea," Erica added, biting her lips, while Eila watched both Witches now red-faced.
"What the hell you're talking about? Sanya's not like that." Eila barked back.
"Maybe not with you." Erica putting her hands behind her head.
"Just paint it please…" Eila begged her, with her hands.
Charlotte sighed, "I'm not even sure what exactly I need to paint."
Eila then rushed to her launching platform and lifted up last Sanya's striker and took it to Charlotte. "There, that's what you need to paint."
Charlotte then started to inspect it, "I gotta trace it first, but it doesn't look that difficult" She stated. "Are you even sure you have every color?"
"Of course I checked it, I'd not even bother asking you if I didn't."
"Better start working then," Charlotte added, then Eila went to the box that was opened earlier that day and brought both Sanya's new striker and put them on the table.
Then, the two Witches took a sit near the table Charlotte was working before and quite a bit passed, and she finally got the traces ready of the emblem. Then, she started cover both Strikers in paper.
But just when she was to paint it, she stopped. "Don't take it the wrong way but I was surprised you could not take Sanya with you." She questioned her. "You can see the future for crying out loud."
"Don't you think I thought the same? But Her Striker handles kind of different in comparison to mine."
"But I thought you'd be able to handle that, I mean, you are no rookie." Charlotte stared at her.
"I really tried to get both of us out there but there were too many and…"
"And what?" Both Witches said in unison.
"The thing is… Sanya's got heavier."
"Huh?" Both Witches gave her a surprised look.
"It's actually kind of weird, we eat almost the same portions but even if she doesn't look like, she's way heavier now." She commented, putting her hands behind her head.
Then both Erica and Charlotte turned around, noticing that they were not alone anymore. "Eila there you…" Yoshika happily said. "Sanya, wait!" Yoshika loudly called her, yet it was useless as Sanya had already left the hangar.
"She heard me, didn't she?" Eila addressed the group.
"It seems so." Erica commented carefreely, "I wouldn't apologize today if I were you, just give her more time."
Eila just grunted loudly, echoing in the hangar, "tomorrow then." She loudly said, now with her head resting on both her hands.
"Huh?" Yoshika took a look on the place. "Lynne's not here either."
"She's not on the kitchen, Francesca and Perrine are there." Charlotte commented.
"I better look for her," Yoshika added, grabbing Shizuka from her hand. "Let's go Shizuka." Yet she did not move.
"I need to do something here." She stated with a serious tone.
"All right then, I'll be right back." And then she left the hangar.
"And that would be?" Charlotte wondered, with a curious expression and so both the other two Witches.
"I'm going to check a Striker." She said with a firm tone.
"You broke yours? I didn't notice anything weird yesterday when we flew back here." Charlotte questioned her.
"I'm going to check Yoshika's actually." Shizuka said as she headed to where she left it yesterday.
"Was it damaged yesterday when she dropped?" Erica asked her.
"I don't believe so." Shizuka added as the rest Witches gathered around Yoshika's strikers.
"It looks pretty scuffed though," Charlotte commented, as she gave it a better look on all their sides.
"What do you expect? It's the same one that arrived with the Yamato." Erica stated. "My sister reconstructed it once but it's been given only maintenance since before Berlin was liberated."
"Oh, I forgot about that." Charlotte commented.
Then, to their surprise Shizuka's shikoku ears and tail appeared as she jumped to the striker.
"Are you going to do a test flight?" Charlotte asked her.
"More or less Lieutenant" Shizuka added with a serious tone as a magic circle below her. Then, deep breaths could be heard as it slowly increased its size and to the surprise of everyone, she blasted off from the hangar, even blowing off some empty barrels.
"What the hell is she trying to do?" Charlotte loudly asked yet both Witches stayed with serious expressions on their faces. Then, they all headed just outside the hangar and continued glancing Shizuka's performance on the air. "She's kind of good handling it actually." she added.
"Not as Yoshika though." Erica added, now with a quizzical expression.
Moments later, she ascended way higher in the sky and even vanished into the now orangish skies of Munich.
"I wonder what she's trying to do." Charlotte wondered, squinting her eyes trying to find her, yet no one appeared for what seemed to be minutes to them.
"Not really sure…" Erica added, while Eila just continued staring at her with the same expression.
Then, to their surprise, she began descending in a straight line at high speed.
"Be careful!" Charlotte screamed yet Shizuka did a hard turn just before she hit the ground and slowly approached the hangar. Then she stationed it in its launching platform, then she jumped out of it.
"You have me worried for a second there, eh, Shizuka." Charlotte commented as the three Witches gathered around her. "Are you all right? You look a bit worn out."
"I'm fine actually…" She began panting as she cleaned off the sweat of her face. Then, she carefully touched both Strikers with her fingers then with her whole palm. "It's- it's not even a little warm…" She tried to regain her breath. "…to the touch"
"It's supposed to get warm..." Charlotte exclaimed, as she did the same. "It's still cold actually, but it's not that weird." Charlotte commented as she now touched the rest of its parts. "Then again, you pushed it hard; it should be warm at least."
"What are you trying to find exactly?" Erica wondered.
"Why it burnt her." Eila stated, making both Erica and Charlotte stare Shizuka back while she gave Eila a quick stare. "Hey, don't look like me that, I know that they'd not tell anything to her."
"My mouth will be shut." Erica said.
"So will be mine." Charlotte added.
"Yes, it burnt my arms a little, when I carried them back here yesterday." She said with a lower tone, yet both Witches did not look to appeased. "But… Yoshika had already healed me up."
"I said it was supposed to get warm, I mean it's air cooled but not that hot, unless you grabbed them from the exhaust pipes." Charlotte added.
"I didn't…" She took a sit on the stair of the launching platform, still regaining her breath. "Although, I used a lot of magic, I wasn't able to warm it up."
"It seems more to me it sucked you out dry." Eila exclaimed. "Don't you want some water."
"Yes please."
"Minna said the same thing." Erica commented. "She said it uses way more magic energy than our units."
"It can't be that bad, it's not a jet!" Charlotte exclaimed while Erica just shrugged and just then Eila came back with the glass of water and handed it to Shizuka, who was still trying to regain her breath.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Eila added.
"Let's test my theory." And thus, her hare ears and ears appeared, yet she did stay just staring at the Shinden.
"Having second thoughts?" Eila asked her, with a questioning expression on her face.
"None actually," Charlotte added, "but there's something I've been wondering, how the heck Yoshika managed to fly that fast to stop the nest back in Berlin; I've never seen her fly that fast again."
"She still can." Erica commented, putting her hands behind her head as the three now stared at her. "Minna just forbade her from do it again."
"Why would she do that?"
"It really drains her magic power, and it even makes her sleepy." Erica stated with a serious tone.
"Let's see if I can fly that fast." Charlotte jumped to the Shinden and a magic circle appeared as the engine started. "It feels different."
"Just be careful Lieutenant." Shizuka added with a worried look.
"I will, don't worry about it." Then, she slowly took off while the three Witches saw her disappear in the darkish sky not long after.
A few minutes later, the red and green light trail was seen blazing through the sky, while the three Witches continued glancing at the speedster now outside the hangar, Shizuka sat on the pavement.
"If you ask me, I'll say Yoshika was faster." Eila commented.
"Too bad she can maintain it."
"Was it that bad?"
"Minna said Yoshika could barely stay on her feet." Erica added, worrying both Witches and now only the engines revving could be heard revving at the distance.
Quite a while passed, and Charlotte slowly descended and stationed the Shinden in its launching platform.
"So?" Erica questioned her, yet Charlotte just took a sit on its stairs, while Eila rushed to bring another glass of water.
"I could speed it more, but it drains magic power like crazy." She exclaimed.
"Told ya" Erica added, with her hands behind her head.
"How the heck Yoshika flies with that thing?" Charlotte loudly said. "And it's still as cold as if no one had used."
"That's easy, it's Yoshika were talking about."
"Fair enough." Charlotte added, as Eila handed her the glass of water. "Thanks, I'd prefer a beer, but this'd do."
"It seems I was right or rather Sanya was."
"What are you talking about, officer?" Shizuka asked her a with a questioning expression and worried expression on her face.
"Sanya thinks that Yoshika can only fly with this model." Eila stated. "That's why she broke my Striker, Lynne said that magic limiter halted it from starting but it seems she broke it actually, kinda like what happened to her back in Venezia."
"And what happened then?" Shizuka wondered.
"Yoshika was not able to fly at all, not even with broom." Eila said. "Sakamoto said that her old model could not handle her magic power, and then this model arrived just in time, and she could fly just fine until…" Eila took a deep breath.
"…Until she apparently lost completely her magic when Venezia was freed, but you know the rest, don't you?" Charlotte ended.
"I do, thanks for telling me."
"But don't forget Yoshika was using a standard model just until Berlin was liberated, and since then she's been flying with this model." Eila commented.
"That's because Minna said that she's in total control of her magic and this is the model she performs best with." Erica added.
"It seems to me that's this is the only model that can handle her power." Charlotte then stood up noticing that her superior had entered the hangar.
"What are you doing officers?" Minna asked the group. "I sensed a few Witches flying around here."
"We were testing our Strikers, Group Captain." Shizuka said posing.
"It's an unscheduled flight but no harm was done, it's a little late to continue to continue doing flights test." Minna said crossing her arms with a polite smile. "And the dinner is already served, please join us."
"Thanks for telling us." Charlotte said.
"By the way Shirley, if you have spare time, please inspect Yoshika's strikers, the maintenance crew informed me that it's using a lot of oil, but they haven't been able to find anything wrong with it" Minna added, as she headed to the kitchen. On the other hand, the three Witches exchanged glances and then, they followed their superior.
A while before
Yoshika had already headed to the kitchen and Lynette was not there but to her surprise, Sanya was helping both Witches to prepare the dinner. Thus, a bit more relieved she headed to her usual spot on the river, and no one was there either.
"Where else could she be?" Yoshika asked herself. "Maybe she's in our bedroom." She added as she now went there. She knocked the door, yet no one answered, still she slowly entered their shared for room, only to find that Lynette's bed was empty and so was the rest of the place. But just before she left, she noticed that her shoes were there.
"Lynne, what are you doing up there?" Yoshika asked her.
Lynette just barely showed herself from Yoshika's bunk. "I- I needed time to think."
"In what?" Yoshika loudly said with a curious tone.
"Just silly things, actually nothing to important."
"Could come down for a minute, there's something I need to ask you." Yoshika said with happy tone.
"Just give me- just give me a second." She softly said.
Yoshika then picked up the stethoscope that Gertrud had gifted her earlier that day. "Do I look like a real doctor to you?" Yoshika asked her, looking at herself on the mirror. "I need to grow a bit to actually look like one but what do you think?" She wondered, yet Lynette was still on the bunk.
"Yes, you do. You look like a real doctor, like a full-fledged doctor to me." Lynette said now looking at her, and so was Yoshika.
"Why- why do you look so sad?" Yoshika questioned her.
"It's just that…"
"Without a lab's coat, I'll never look like one." Yoshika dropped her smile. "I'm really sorry but the lab coat you gifted me." Yoshika took a deep breath. "I need it to use it to bandage some people back when I was traveling to Helvetia when I couldn't use healing magic or magic at all."
"Don't be silly, I can sew you another one, but…" She rubbed her eyes. "But I'll have to send it to you to the medical school."
"Huh?"
"It's just that I overheard you talking with Minna, and you said that you were going back to Helvetia" Lynette stated trying to show a smile. "But I'm happy, even if I don't look like it, I mean, it's your dream and… we can still talk and I promise you, I'll visit you."
"I'm happy to hear that, but I'm not going anywhere actually," Yoshika said, yet Lynette just continued staring at her from her bunk. "I told Minna that, but she told me she'll supervise me these next few days until I'm taken to a Witches hospital." She added now just below from her bunk, and now happy tears started to fall from the blue-eyed Witch. "So, I guess you're going to still have to put up with me."
Lynette, then jumped from there and ended with her arms just on Yoshika's shoulders and rested her head on hers. "I think, I should've heard everything, I mean…"
"It's okay, I was also pretty nervous when she called me to her office," Yoshika cheerfully added hugging her back.
"Me too and… I didn't know that happened with the lab coat," Lynette said now staring her in the eyes.
"I'm sorry about that," Yoshika added now avoiding her sight.
"I'll make you another one," Lynette added, "but, you'll have to be patient, I'm- I'm not very good sewing."
"I forgot you didn't know, but I can teach you how to do it faster if you want to." Yoshika happily said. "My grandma taught me a while ago, when I went back to Fuso and even taught me to knit."
"Would you do that for me?" Lynette wondered, as she slowly wrapped her arms around her neck.
"Of course, you know I'll do anything for you." Yoshika cheerfully said. "But I think, we need to get some fabrics and wool," she added, trying to head to her chest. Lynette on the other hand, sat on her bed, still hugging Yoshika, making her stumble, and also making her sit with her or rather on her lap, with her legs opened up. "I'm sorry," she said embarrassed, starting to blush and so was Lynette.
"Lynne, Yoshika, dinner's ready," Francesca called them, pushing the door wide open. "What the heck are you doing like that?" She asked both girls, blushing them furiously.
"We were just…"
Author Notes:
Sorry for the late but I really had a writer's block this week(s).
I know I say there would be guest, it still is a bit early, hopefully the next chapter she will appear.
And finally as Mio said, Yoshika's still not her old self, so expect more ups and downs.