AN: Before I begin I just want to say that the weather in Japan in the Manga and Anime was kind of inconsistent. I mean it's cold enough for Tuka to see her breath and there's a Christmas Tree set up, but the grass is still green and the trees are still green as well. So I'm going to roll with the assumption that it's a super mild winter in Japan.
"Legate, I must protest to your decision. The Soviets are not something to be taken lightly."
"You may protest all you like Centurion Octavian, it will change nothing. They have been here for a number of months and other than building their fortress they have done very little. We are a hundred miles from Mt. Rubicon. Any attack on this fort and we would have at least a weeks advance warning."
"Legate Accius, please, I ask you to reconsider. They have taken the Big Deep and they did it in but a single day! They had no advance warning despite being fifty miles from Rubicon. Stories from the survivors tell of iron beasts flying through the air, spitting fire and metal at all those they gazed upon. We must ask for help."
"Help?" It was a statement of someone repeating an idea that was totally unacceptable and the Legate turned sharply on his heel, coming face to face with the Centurion. The slaves carrying the umbrella shading the Legate having to stop quickly to stay abreast of the general.
"Help to do what? What kind of help could we receive that has not already been sent? 150 000 men, dragons, and beasts were sent to help. The majority of that help is now dead or scattered. The Empire paid top coin for help from those blood thirsty Messalonians. Not to mention the Andulsians, and the Carthites. The holy order of the Twin Peaks even offered us their services to reclaim the mountain. They even scraped together 40 000 slaves to use as spear levies from across the Empire. What did we get from all of these famed mercenary companies? From those gleaming knights? From the hordes of slaves to fill our ranks? So touted were there skills? So vast were their numbers? For all the gold and silver we paid? Nothing. And that is exactly the kind of help that we would get even if the Empire sent us all of its legions."
Accius let out a bitter laugh, shaking his jowls as he did so, the double chins jiggling from the motion. His white toga with crimson striping across the shoulder to signify his membership of the Legion doing little to disguise how the rest of his frame jiggled like pudding with the laugh.
"Look around you Centurion. Go on look."
"My lord, that is not-"
"I gave you an order Centurion."
"I see stone walls my lord. Sixteen feet high and five wide made of stone and overgrown with moss at the base. I see buildings made of stone and wood meant to house men and beasts as well as bakeries, a smithy, and a fletchery. All with red tiled roofs and white washed walls. I see wells, training grounds, and a parade ground with men in armor walking about on cobbled ground and training."
"Good. Come on top of the walls with me and continue. What else do you see?"
"I see a valley my lord, with a single long and twisting road leading up to the fort, with the forests cut down for a mile all around us. I see a river making its way through the mountains and how a stream passes through our fort linking it to us. I see a central keep made entirely out of stone flying the flag of the Empire and the 21st Garrison Legion. On the walls I see ballista and scorpion spear launchers as well as catapults. I see two thousand men here with the potential for many more. I also see a village farther down in the valley."
"Very good Centurion Octavian. Now tell me, what do you notice about the village?"
"Home to two hundred people perhaps and maybe another three or four hundred scattered about in the farms around it. I see buildings, a mill, and what smells like a tannery."
"Yes. And do you know what that village is not?"
"No my lord."
"It is not burning. It is not razed to the ground. Crows and birds of carrion are not gorging themselves on its inhabitants, because it has not been set upon by the some forty to fifty thousand survivors of our mercenary army. Do you know why? It is because we are here. It is because the Imperial Legion is still ever watchful, ever vigilant, and ever present. Our fort here is not merely more men to throw to the wolves, it is a symbol of law and order. Of peace and security. To maintain that order, our men must continue to hunt the bandits and deserters that litter this land."
"Yet we allow an enemy to grow ever stronger a mere four days march from here my lord. What will happen to our law and order when they come here with their steel beasts and their magic?"
"Centurion I have indulged you quite enough I think. You are a citizen of the Empire so I can not whip you for your insolence as I might another barbarian bearing the marks that you do upon your arms, but remember whom you address. My brother is a member of the Imperial Senate, my father, gods rest his soul, was praetor of the Southern Imperial District. My wife, 98th in line for the Imperial Throne itself. My very rank in the Legion far above yours."
"Forgive me my Legate, for I have overstepped," said Octavian, bowing his head and striking his breast with his fist in proper salute, making him wince at his half healed wounds from those metal rods.
"Yes, you have. It is of no matter now. Your remaining troupe of mounted legionnaires will do well to help me patrol this region. Their horses will be an asset when they arrive tomorrow. I sincerely believe that so long as we do not anger these outsiders they will leave us in peace."
"That may be a problem my lord."
"Why?" it was not so much a question as a great rumble of angle only beginning to surface.
"I employed three warrior bunny wind dancers to end the life of the leader of the outlanders. From what my spies have told me, they failed."
"Damn you! Citizen or not you're still nothing but a filthy barbarian from the frontier! Not only did you do this without consulting anyone but yourself, but you hire beast women to do it? How did you ever expect it not to fail?"
"While the warrior bunnies did lose the war to the Empire sir, individually they are extremely skilled and capable warriors. Their success rate for assassinations and information gathering is second only to the dark elves. With their former position within the Plains Confederation, I had assumed they would be successful."
"You assumed incorrectly Centurion. God grant us clemency for that act and hope that the Soviets do not discover who sent them."
"I paid them in advance sir. Warrior bunnies don't talk, they're too tough for that."
"So you claim. They are beasts, creatures unable to be understood by the human mind."
"Legate, I-do you hear that?"
"A thunderstorm? Now? With no clouds?" said Accius looking to the sky above. "I saw no flash of lighting, and why is it getting louder?"
"Dragon approaching!" came the excited yell from one of the fort's watchtowers.
"What? Dragon?" murmured Octavian, looking towards the mouth of the valley in the sky. He saw something glint and saw something that looked like an arrow head with a flat nose approaching them. Then coming from the sky above, he saw more of the same arrowhead like craft descend. MiG, that was what his spies had told him these things were called.
"MiG attack! MiG attack! Shoot them down!" bellowed Octavian to the surrounding legionnaires, those not on the wall looking around for whatever was causing the sound.
"Now see here Centurion, I command here and as such I will give the orders!" reproached Accius.
A moment later Octavian saw one of the MiGs climbing higher into the sky as it crossed over the fort, but two pods were falling from it. They fell down inside the fort and stuck a barracks. And then the barracks erupted as if the earth was retching forth wood and stone from its gut.
The sound was deafening, reducing Octavian's hearing range to high pitched ringing and his chest vibrated as if someone had punched him. Dust and heat washed over him as he shielded his face from the debris cloud that washed over him.
"TAKE COVER!" yelled Octavian, even though he could barely hear himself shout it. He reached the bottom of the wall just as the other MiGs started passing over the fort.
More pods fell as they passed overhead, hitting buildings, training yards, and the keep itself throwing stone and timbers around like an angry child does to their toys. Each impact sent vibrations through Octavian and tore gaping wounds into the stone at their feet, gouging the earth beneath it.
He saw men disappear in the blasts of light and fire, watching them merely cease to be and others picked up and tossed as if they were caught in a great wind. It seemed that nowhere was safe and all they could do was cower like rats as they wre assaulted from the air. He saw the MiGs spew fire from their backs as they climbed higher into the air after attacking like some kind of hell spawn.
Just as quickly as it had started though, it seemed like it was over. The sky once again clear of anything other than blue or clouds. The fort was a mess though.
Not a single building had been spared though. They had been torn open, the keep especially with gaping holes in both its roof and walls, exposing its innards and broken wooden beams. And yet most of the legionnaires were alive. Some were dazed, others wounded, but on the whole they had survived this assault on their fort. It was cratered and pitted, but the walls were still intact and its defenders still of able body and carrying steel.
"Another wave! Another wave sighted!" came the call from one of the only surviving towers, the legionnaire blowing for all he was worth into a warning horn.
"Everyone, out of the fort! Everyone out now!" yelled Octavian. He didn't know why he was yelling. They had weathered the last assault, but for some reason he felt almost a natural instinct to flee danger rearing its head. As if what was coming next was to be far worse.
"Damned barbarian, you have no courage at all do you!?" shouted Accius down at him from the top of the wall, followed by a slew of other insults.
"Everyone out now, everyone run, go!" Yelled Octavian trying to get stunned legionnaires to respond.
"Belay that order and stand firm! Man the ballista and catapults, we'll bring these iron chariots down in short order!" yelled Accius a moment before the roar of the MiGs began to build to a frightening volume.
The first passed overhead and began to climb away, releasing iron pods just like the others. Yet Octavian watched these fall with a sense of dread. When they hit, they consumed everything in a roar of hungry flame.
The fire lashed out in a wave, consuming man and beast alike in its hungry maw. Screams and whinnies cut short and silenced by the roaring flames. Devouring all it touched with insatiable appetite. The heat was unbearable, like standing inside of a bonfire, feeling like it would make his skin crack and peel away. The air became hard to breath and felt like it was scorching the inside of Octavian's throat.
It was not the last MiG to hit them and soon scores of others were passing over their walls, iron pods falling into the now exposed innards of the fort, their stone casings cracked open and the flames slipped through those cracks greedily. Men were consumed as they ran, unable to resist as they were bathed in hot flame and immolated. Flash cooked inside their own armor.
The training grounds, the barracks, the armory, the fletchery, and even the keep were all burning. In just a few moments this fort had gone from being a symbol of Imperial power to a burning ruin, and soon his tomb if Octavian did not leave quickly.
Legate Accius was still cursing his name to every god that Octavian had ever heard of when an iron pod fell on the wall he was standing upon and his form took to flame like a candles wick.
Octavian had had the underworld described to him many times by many different priests. They said that the Goddess Hardy kept a special place of fire and brimstone for those who had been truly heinous in life. A place of suffering and fire, devoid of water or anything but burning coals and unbearable heat. This seemed like that place.
He watched men running, turn to shadows before disappearing as the fire washed over them. Those farther away, running around and letting loose the kind of screams not imagined possible for the human throat to make. Yet, the MiGs were not done with them. Coming from the near side of the mountain, more were coming down and coming fast to hit the near side of the wall that up till now had sheltered the legionnaires who had sought shelter behind its stone.
Their arrowhead like bodies green on the top he now saw like the land below. Contrails of air coming from the ends of their wings, so great was their speed. A single bulbous eye on top peering like an insect down upon them, and capable of as about as much mercy as one.
Looking around quickly, Octavian saw that the gates were ablaze and there was no escape that way. There was however, an irrigation tunnel that funneled the water flowing down from the mountain to the river below. It was a closed tunnel though one that was never made with the intention for living things to use it. It could narrow and trap him in there, stuck and unable to move, drowning him at the least. Still, he had no choice.
Octavian threw himself down the chute, his hand immediately cut by a sharp rock protrusion as he started his descent down the dark watery tunnel. It was lit up red for a moment as fire roared in after him, but banging off a wall, Octavian was quickly directed downwards and the flames were lost from sight.
As he was rushed deeper into the tunnel, he was drawn under and water rushed into his open mouth and up his nose. He tried to hold his breath, but his head rebounding off a stone wall robbed him of his senses momentarily and much of his air.
He dropped down unexpectedly down a vertical shaft and for a moment he could breathe. He sputtered and attempted to draw air into his lungs, but as he did he was once again engulfed in water, this time filling his lungs with water.
Unable to breathe, unable to see, and his lungs burning for air as his body protested angrily to the trauma and his unhealed wounds, Octavian realized that he was going to die. As his vision began to darken even more than the oppressive blackness of the tunnel had allowed, it suddenly brightened, though remained gray.
Coughing and sputtering, Octavian greedily gulped in air even though his lungs were still half full of water, causing him to cough even more. Yet nothing had ever felt so sweet as the air filling his lungs, even with the coughing it produced.
He was floating on his back down the mountainside from the fort, though at a more gentle slope and speed. It gave him an excellent view of the Imperial fort, fully ablaze and sending dark plumes of smoke into the air. Of the some 2000 men who had inhabited it, there was no sign. Perhaps some had survived, at least 200 that had been on patrol for sure. Of the rest, it was unlikely.
By the time that Octavian had regained his senses and strength well enough to remove himself from the water duct, he was already at the river and he had all but come to a stop, the water almost gently rushing past him.
With an aching body, he rolled out of the stone channel and crawled forwards a few feet, stopping when he saw a steel armored boot. Looking up, it was followed by more armor and on the breastplate was a standard symbol. One of crossed swords and a cloud. The Skyraiders company. Messalonian mercenaries. And there wasn't just one.
Xxx
Feliks woke before his alarm, but he stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling. He was to speak to the Japanese Diet this afternoon and Itami was to speak to them earlier in the morning. He knew what he was going to say, or at least he thought that he did. He'd rehearsed it many times in his mind and made flash cards to practive, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought that he would make a fool of himself and the Union. He didn't like speaking in front of large groups of people, especially formal gatherings like government committees. He was actually rather surprised at Itami's open reception to him, especially considering what he'd done. The woman sergeant with him though, Shino, only ever glared at him with contempt and outright hatred whenever she was in the same vicinity as him. He couldn't fault her for that though. The other man with them, Feliks hadn't caught his name, but he seemed to be in the middle of the two opinions. He didn't seem to outright hate Feliks, but he wasn't rushing to be his friend either.
Itami's reason for needing to go was rather benign compared to his so far as he knew. He had gone against orders and some villagers fleeing a fire dragon had been killed under his watch. To Feliks it seemed more like a matter to be solved before a military tribunal, not a civilian government inquiry. People died in combat zones, it was an inevitability. To fault someone for that was just foolish. That being said however, cutting off communications with your superiors and not alerting them to your intentions or actions that resulted in people dying under you watch was another matter entirely. But again, that was a matter for a military tribunal, not a civilian one.
So far as he understood it though, there was great division within the government as to even what the role of Japan should be in Falmart. Some merely wanted a defensive fort on Alnus hill, others to expand their area of influence and control. Another faction yet wanted to fill the gate with concrete and pretend that it just didn't exist. Itami and his recon group's Diet summons was likely an attempt by one group or other trying to push their agenda for the Special Region as he heard the Japanese keep referring to it as.
His summons though, and the explanation that he gave could very well shape the future relations between the Union and the Japanese and their allies. If he did well, the incident may turn out to be nothing more than a bump in otherwise healthy relations between the Union and Japan. By extension, possibly the rest of the nations of this world. It was a lot of pressure on him and Feliks had to be sure not to disappoint.
If the technology that was available to their citizens was any indication, the Japanese were far, far more advanced electronically than the Union was. Their targeting systems, communications, and even reconnaissance abilities would outstrip what the Soviet military was capable of by a wide margin. As yet though, the Union held a major numbers superiority in both men and equipment in Falmart. The real question being though, was how large was the gap in capabilities? If it was small, the casualties could be acceptable, it not... it was a question best left unanswered.
A soft sigh make him look over and he saw Ianthe sleeping in the bed next to his. It was almost funny in a way. She had even gotten an extra blanket to throw over the usual amount of bedding and was now practically buried in a mountain of comforters and quilts. It seemed that she had never experienced a winter before, even one so mild as this in her sunny island home.
It was almost shocking to see her elf like ear sticking into the air like a flag through her hair, twitching when a draft of air hit it. Until he had been held by the SDF, he had not even suspected that she wasn't entirely human, or that it was possible for humans and demi-humans to have children. She looked peaceful when she slept. Without the look of agitation that she normally carried when awake, like she was relieved of a great burden only when she slept. She actually looked cute like this, especially her ears, not that he'd ever tell her that though. Most likely she'd take it as an insult.
The more he looked though, the more he could see the features that were more elvish than human. Her face had a symmetry to it that was just a little too perfect, apart from a faint scar that cut into one of her eyebrows. She was tall and lean, but not quite as stocky as a woman with her size and strength should be.
An electronic ringing broke the silence and in an instant he saw Ianthe's ice chip blue eyes shoot open. In a flash she had thrown her blankets off and was on her feet, longsword in hand, head whipping back and forth looking for a threat. Not even entirely awake yet.
Calmly Feliks picked up the ringing phone on his nightstand table and confirmed their wake up call.
"All good," said Feliks simply in Common.
"All good," repeated Ianthe, sheathing her sword and looking embarrassed. She had slept with her sheathed blade next to her which either spoke of paranoia or else far more likely a reflex from years spent on the battlefield where an unwary moment that left you unarmed could be your last.
Ianthe's eyes opened wide and her hand flew up to her unbound ears. A look of either shame or embarrassment crossed her features and she looked away from Feliks quickly. She grabbed her two brass clips off of her nightstand and went quickly to the washroom. When she emerged, you would never be able to tell that she was part elvish at all.
Xxx
"It's so soft," marveled Tuka, stroking the sleeve of the kimono.
"They told me that it was silk. I've had silk described to me before, but I've never actually seen or felt it. It's so nice. What's yours made out of?"
"Umm, polyester and cotton."
"What's polyester?"
"I'm not sure," said Tuka putting a finger to her chin contemplatively. "Maybe another kind of cotton?"
"Maybe, but it doesn't feel like cotton."
"Well then I don't really know."
"Tuka, I was wondering, why did you come by yourself? Did your dad not want to come to Japan? I was hoping to meet him and see about you two coming to live with me," asked Luella innocently.
"I'm not alone, I'm here with Lelei, and Itami, and everyone else. Besides, my dad wasn't involved in the dragon attack so he didn't have to come. Still, it wasn't like I could find him to ask him," giggled Tuka.
"How wasn't he attacked by the dragon with you?" asked Luella perplexed. "Weren't you taken from your village well when the SDF saved you? How did your father know where to find you or where to go if you weren't together when the dragon attacked? Did you send for him, or was there not enough room in the SDF vehicles?"
"Well, my father was...my father was," trailed off Tuka getting a far away look in her eyes. It wasn't the look of someone trying to remember something, but of someone retreating from the world around them. Empty eyed and blank, almost like she had become a doll instead of an elf.
"Tuka?" said Luella gently, worried for her friend, shaking her shoulder.
"Oh? You know I never really thought to ask him, he just kind of showed up one day," said Tuka, coming out of her stupor and smiling widely. "That's kind of odd isn't it? You'd think a daughter would want to know where her father was wouldn't you?"
"Yeah, it's good that he's well though," said Luella, not entirely convinced. Whatever that look had been, it had been frightening. Like Tuka's soul had drawn in on itself and away from the world, like someone might draw the curtains and curl up on their bed to feel safe.
"Are you girls ready yet? We have to be downstairs in five minutes," came a voice after a polite knock on the door.
"We're ready," answered Luella in Japanese.
Soon they were downstairs in the lobby and waiting for their bus to come around. There were other men too, men in dark suits that were with their group wherever they went although they never talked too much except to each other or to Feliks and Itami. They had their own black carriages that they rode in, cars she had heard them called and they followed their group wherever they went.
At the moment Luella was trying to fix the bow on her obi, but with little success. She had meant to study the book about it more this morning, but instead she had spent it with Tuka and the time had slipped away from her.
"Here, let me help you with that."
It was the SDF woman Shino who had said it and with a few deft movements of hands long used to dealing with kimono's, she had both tied the obi and straightened her kimono.
"Thank you, that was very kind of you."
"No problem, you're a guest here and if you need anything else don't hesitate to ask. Besides, I took a course on how to do it properly."
"Perhaps I should have as well. They gave me a book, but I didn't read it as well as I should have," admitted Luella sheepishly. "I was worried of looking foolish before your Diet today."
"Don't sweat it, learning how to dress in a kimono properly is hard. Most people actually need to take a course on how to wrap it properly and tie the obi. I know I did. Say, I've been meaning to ask you, how did a nice girl like you end up traveling with these guys anyways?" asked Shino, casting a glance at the Soviets in their group.
"Well I guess similar to Tuka's story, they saved me. I was helping to gather wood for our village when we were attacked. I was supposed to head back to the village where our sages are to protect us, but I panicked and ran deeper into the forest. Many of my kin did as well. We were not...prepared for violence. They chased after me and shot me with an arrow. I was scared that I was going to die, really scared. The next thing I remember was waking up with Volkov pinching my ear. Then I, well, kind of punched him," said Luella sheepishly. "The pinching hurt though," defended Luella quickly. Shino laughed.
"You elves all need help getting rescued at some point eh?"
"We do not! But we do like you helping us when we do, it's very much appreciated," added the elfin girl sweetly.
"Did those guys make any jokes about you after they found you? I know that some of the guys in the 3rd made some joke about Tuka being wet when they found her. Pigs so far as I'm concerned."
"Well, no, I don't think so. At least they never told me that they did. But how is that joke funny? She was in a well so of course she's going to be wet. There's water in a well."
"Uh, well, I'll tell you when you're a bit older then."
"I'm 136, how much older do I have to get?"
"150," said Shino quickly.
"Why do I have to wait till I'm 150 to do everything?" huffed Luella.
"It's just the way things are."
"I guess so," said Luella dejectedly.
"Alright, bus is here, everyone get ready to move," called out Itami to the Assembled parties lounging around the reception area.
The bus ride from the hotel wasn't a great distance, but traffic still made it take nearly a half hour to make it to the Parliament buildings. Luella spent most of the trip watching out the window at everyone and everything outside the bus.
There were so many people here, more than she had seen in her entire life and that was with the arrival of the Soviets. How did they manage to feed this many people? How many cities like this were there in Japan? Did the other nations have them as well? Were there other races besides humans in this world as well?
The questions burned at Luella and she needed to have them answered. She wanted to know how all of these inventions that the Japanese and Soviets had worked. She had an idea of how some of it worked, but no real understanding of it. Despite her age, she was like a child next to these people. Perhaps her own people had been too complacent, too sure of their own way of doing things that they had never pushed nearly as hard as these humans had? It was not a pleasing thought, but one that she had to consider all the same.
In no time at all, they were at their destination, or close to it anyways. Everyone except the Royals and an SDF soldier got off of the bus and walking as a group they made their way down a stone walkway with other carriages passing by them on the road. Both sides of which were packed end to end with their carriages that they called cars. Empty though, almost like they were abandoned.
It was sunny out despite the chill, though the towers blocked much of that light, casting long shadows across everything, dark and foreboding. There were trees here though. Not a naturally occurring forest, but trees all the same and it calmed and comforted Luella to hear the gentle sigh of the wind through their leaves, and the creaking of their branches. It reminded her of home and even when exploring a strange and exciting new world, it was nice to have something familiar.
Even here there were so many people, many of them holding black objects or looking through them. Things with glass lenses in them and many would flash repeatedly. They were behind a line and uniformed...police did they call them here? Were in front of them, and all of them were watching their group approach. Luella found it more attention than she wanted and positioned herself behind Boris, the bulk of the large veteran hiding her from view.
Some of the other Soviet's were fearful of Boris' gruff manner and imposing appearance and did whatever he said not just because of his rank over them. What they didn't seem to know was that Boris was actually just a little rough on the outside and cuddly on the inside, like a big bear.
They were near the road that led to the Japanese Diet, when a loud horn cut the air, startling Luella before a thunderous crash of steel and the sound of breaking glass so loud that it hurt her ears and assaulted her eardrums. She brought her hands to her ears, but cried out in surprise when Boris grabbed her in one her his bear sized arms and hauled her quickly up and away from where she had been.
Luella's heart stopped as her vision changed from Boris' back, to a silver car toppling end over end, towards them. Boris and everyone else was running to get out of the way and there was shouts of panic both from their group and the people assembled behind the police.
Luella shut her eyes and gripped Boris tightly, listening to crumpling metal and something else cracking and crunching. With a crash and crack of wood it ended and Boris stopped running. He let Luella down and it took a moment for her to figure out what had happened. A large carriage with a boxy back had hit this other carriage and sent it spinning out of control. The boxy carriage was stopped in the roadway, but the other had come to rest upside down against a tree.
There was also a man in front of the carriage on the grass. He was bloodied and his clothing was torn with pieces of glass sticking into him. Some of his limbs were bent at unnatural angles and seeing him made Luella feel sick at heart. In all the confusion and shouting people, no one noticed Luella begin walking towards the man until she was already kneeling at his side. If a wood elf doesn't want to be noticed, you have to be looking at them to even be sure that they are there at all and even then sometimes it's not a guarantee that you will see them.
This close to the man, she could smell the blood on him and alchemical agents emanating from the car. His hair was dark and well trimmed, though stained with blood and his brown eyes were hazy, almost unseeing. He didn't seem that old, perhaps 30 years old by human standards at most. He was dressed well, like he was going to a formal event, his dark suit stained darker by his own blood. Through a rip in his pant leg she could see a shockingly white protrusion of bone. His chest looked wrong on the side, like it was sunken in and his breathing was short and shallow. Reaching out with her power she could tell that at present he was not long for this world.
Yet through his fear and pain, it was not his own mortality that consumed his thoughts. Images of a woman, around his age with raven black hair came to the fore, smiling and serene looking. With her, a young child, old enough to walk and play, but not old enough to fend for herself by her side. A fear of what would become of them. That was his fear.
Luella cradled the man's head in her arms and looked into his eyes with her own, though he did not see her. Then she began to sing.
As she drew upon her power and the magic responded to her wishes and guidance, a golden radiance began to take shape and move as if by their own free will. Sending streamers of the purest gold into the air to dance around them and twist like they were each caught in a different wind. Pulsing and moving to the beat and tempo of her voice.
She sang of life and rebirth, of mending and healing. She sang high and clear in soothing tones that at times were no louder than a whisper but carried as if though she had shouted at the top of her lungs. Broken bones mended, with soundless pops and crackles. Flesh reformed like water returning to form, free of any abrasions and the glass removed itself without so much as a drop of blood.
When the task was done and the last clear note of her voice had died away, the man was whole again, though his apparel was still torn and bloodied. Around them a circle of flowers had formed, coaxed to life and form by the presence and power of what had just transpired. A rainbow of colors from flowers in full bloom. Letting off an array of sweet aromas.
"Are you well?"
The man just stared at her with wide eyes, almost wild like an animal caught before a predator. His breathing short and uneven, but not from physical injury.
A click made Luella remember where she was and she looked up to see a man with a black square with a long and wide glassy snout.
"Hello," said Luella not impolitely. A flash almost immediately proceeded by a click followed and Luella was momentarily blinded, having to blink several times as she stood up. When her vision began to return with dark spots dancing across it, Luella found herself all but surrounded by men and women with such glossy black boxes and she was assaulted with rapid fire clicking and flashes that made it almost impossible to see.
No matter where she turned and half blinded as she was, all she could see where the men and women surrounding her with their glossy black boxes. Constantly flashing and clicking. An elf's vision and hearing are greater than that of a humans, but in exchange it also makes their senses much more sensitive. The bright flashing all but making it feel as though her eyes were going to burn out of her skull. Luella suddenly felt trapped and fear began to blossom deep within her breast. It was too much too fast, and everything around her was just too overwhelming.
"I can't see," said Luella, but no one could understand her, because in her disorientation, she had spoken in her native tongue of elvish. With its light, lilting, and almost lyrical cadence, they no doubt thought her to be enjoying the attention.
With everywhere she turned blocked by clicking and flashing boxes with no escape, the fear grew to outright panic and desperation, spreading from her chest to her entire body like a toxin. Her breath began to come in short gasps and besides the assault of clicking all she could hear was her heart hammering in her ears.
"Boris," murmured Luella, the name all but a quiet and almost piteous moan from her throat as she took a step back from the people surrounding her. The attention and flashing lights was all too much and the panic metamorphosed inside its cocoon and emerged transformed into hysteria. Her head whipping back and forth looking for an escape but finding none. Unable to even find a familiar face and feeling truly alone.
"Boris!" shouted Luella louder, feeling her self control beginning to break and tears start to flow.
"Boris! Boris! BORIS! BORIS! BORIS! BOOOORIS!" Luella was all but shrieking the name now and weeping openly. A powerful arm wrapped around her and even with her vision dominated by dark spots and lines like black snakes she knew that it was him. She buried her face In his dress tunic and held on tightly as he roughly pushed his way through the throng of reporters and cameramen.
Most of them had stopped taking pictures now, seeing what they were doing had caused, and most had looks of guilt on their faces. A few however, kept on taking pictures.
One such reporter was still taking pictures as Luella was being led away when his camera was slapped roughly out of his hand.
"What the fuck is your problem?!" snarled Itami, seething with rage.
"Hey, I'm just trying to make a living and you wrecked my camera asshole."
"Fuck your camera and fuck your living!" raged Itami stomping on the Nikon until the lenses cracked and the thing broke apart.
"Hey! That's assaulting the press, what's your name asshole! I'm going to own your ass by the end of this!"
"1st Lieutenant Itami Youji, learn to read you stupid piece of shit!" yelled Itami, all but ripping off his name tag as he showed it to the reporter.
"Let's go Itami, he's not worth it," said Shino, grabbing hold of her superior officer and pulling him back and away from the reporter who made a big show of writing down Itami's name.
When the reporter looked up again, he saw the only one that had not moved throughout everything that had happened was the Soviet officer with dark red hair. He had a pistol on his belt, but it remained holstered and his hand nowhere near it. His face was completely neutral, showing neither rage nor joy or even agitation, but his eyes were like two storming blue seas. Devoid of anything other than what could be described as killing intent. Unlike everyone else who was reacting and moving around and expressing what had happened, if you didn't stare into his eyes, you wouldn't have known he was anything but a statue. So intense was the stare that the reporter found that he had to look away. When he looked back again, the officer was lost among the press of Security Police Division officers that formed a human wall around them.
Xxx
"So how did your hearing go?" asked Feliks. He was sitting in a chair in a relatively plain hallway of the Diet building, contemplating what he was going to say to the Japanese Parliament.
"Pretty good I think. Looks like me and my unit are in the clear. It mostly devolved into a platform for everyone to talk about what our policy should be in the Special Region. I'm still going to get a reprimand though and most likely a pay deduction, maybe a demotion," said Itami mournfully. "Honestly I don't even think that they were upset about the dragon attack. I think it was just a PR thing since a lot of other nations are getting really curious about what's going on in the Special Region and Japan hasn't been letting anyone else but America in. Everything that comes out of there is classified information. I actually got praised by the MP conducting the interview at the end for my efforts as odd as that sounds. How's Luella by the way?"
"I think that she's doing better now. She's with Boris and Ianthe in a break room and they've been feeding her juice and cookies. Tuka went to go and check on her not too long ago actually. It was just too much for her I think. She was really shaken up about it. She's older than my great grand parents and sometimes she seems so wise and independent, but at other times she's almost like a kid. A very happy and cheerful kid, but still a kid. I think elves develop in maturity a lot slower than we do."
"Yeah, I think you're right. Tuka is 165 and yet she acts just like a teenager, and with that comes the impulsiveness and occasional moodiness. Still, she's very caring and kind. I think that's an elvish thing too."
"It's still weird to think about in all honesty. They seem very human in how they act, how they talk, and besides a few physical differences they seem to be human. Then they do things like Luella just did and...I don't really know what to think of it," admitted Feliks. "They just seem more than us if that makes any sense."
"Well I don't know about that. Tuka's always seemed like an ordinary girl to me. Well, besides the being 165. And the magic. And the pointed ears," continued Itami.
"Do you ever think that all of this is just too damned weird to be real?"
"Every day of my life since Ginza," huffed Itami. "Still, it's amazing. I wouldn't trade it for anything else. I mean elves, dragons, emperors and magic? It's an incredible time to be alive. As a kid I always loved stories and animes about this kind of stuff. I always imagined that I would be a dashing hero, rushing in at the last second to save the day," said Itami with a laugh. "I think that's why I joined the army to begin with. Well, that and the steady paycheck with little chance of getting laid off or having to actually fight. When it became pretty obvious that I was wasn't going to be doing anything but training all the time and a lot of running I kinda slacked off. A lot."
"Hey Itami, I have another question for you if you'll answer it."
"Sure, what's it about?"
"In your world, this world, why did the Soviet Union collapse?"
"Well, I'm no expert, but I remember a few things," said Itami scratching his head. "The biggest reason was they spent way too much money on their military to the point where it started to cause problems in their society. I've heard some people talk about bread lines and stuff like that before. Other than that I had one of my university professors go off on how their economic policies strangled innovation and growth. If you're really interested in it there's a lot of articles and papers online you can read about it."
"I'm sorry, online?"
"The internet," said Itami like it was the most obvious thing in the world. You know, www anything you want to know or see?"
"Could you show me how to use that after we are done here?"
"Sure. Lighten up, you look pale as a ghost."
"I am merely a little nervous."
"Yeah, I get that. Me personally, I don't get too worked up about things. If it goes well it goes well, if it doesn't it doesn't. So long as I get time to enjoy my hobby and a little bit of money I'm happy."
"That is a very carefree attitude Itami, unfortunately I need things to go very well for me today and not only for myself."
"Worrying about it isn't going to help, just be yourself and it should work out fine."
"That probably would not turn out well. I've solved most of the problems I've encountered in my adult like with a Kalashnikov."
"Ehh, maybe don't do that and things will go fine. You've still got a couple of hours until your hearing, why don't we go get something to eat?"
"I thank you for your offer, but I have to ask why are you being so friendly to me? I killed two SDF soldiers and wounded others. I understand being civil, but I don't understand this."
"I could hate you," began Itami after thinking for a moment. "I know Shino does and so do a lot of the others. The marines especially hate you since you burned a few of them in that explosion. It might even be right to hate you, but I don't. Hate has never done anything for me, but make my life worse. It's not healthy to feed it and I don't want to carry it around with me. It's too heavy for me. I don't like what you did and I can't approve of it or agree with why you did it, but I don't hate you for doing it. If I had seen you running around Alnus with a rifle I might have killed you and then would it have been right for your friends to hate me for killing you? It's just something I like to avoid. I suppose if you had killed any of my friends I would hate you. I don't think I'd be able not to. People are just funny like that I guess. Well, I'm hungry. Come along if you like or don't, but I'm getting some food," waved Itami as he walked away.
After contemplating for a few moments, Feliks got out of his chair and followed the Japanese officer.
Xxx
"I am Senior Lieutenant Feliks Volkov of the Red Army of the Soviet Union," said Feliks plainly into the microphone, watching the various reactions of the assembly as he answered their first question.
"How old are you Lieutenant Volkov?"
"I am 24 years old Ma'am, born September 22nd 1943 in the city of Oulu Finland."
"So you are a Finnish National then?"
"I have Citizenship in the Finnish SSR of the Soviet Union, but I currently reside and hold citizenship to the Russian FSR. My mother was Russian and my father was Finnish. After the Great Patriotic War they adopted my mother's maiden name as their family name to better integrate when they moved into Russia."
"Are you saying that in your world Finland is a part of the Soviet Union?" More murmurs traveled around the room and Feliks awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Yes ma'am, along with the rest of the Nordic countries except for Denmark." More murmurs filled the chambers.
"Do you know why you are here today?"
"Yes ma'am I am aware of why I am here."
"For the record, are you the same Feliks Volkov that on the night of December the 2nd shot and killed two JGSDF members and set off explosives wounding more in addition to United States Marines?"
"I am, and I did," said Feliks and a murmur swept the room. Some of the looks were noticeably hostile and that did not bode well.
"My next question for you is why you shot the two JGSDF members. Of the two you shot, one was armed with only a sidearm while you had a rifle and the other was not armed at all. Doesn't that seem like a disproportionate amount of force to use?"
"No, I found it an appropriate amount of force to use."
"Even for the man that was unarmed?"
"I didn't know that he was unarmed and even had I known it would not have changed my actions. I had been discovered by that point and I did not have time to question and think about what I would do, merely react in the moment. They were a threat and so I removed the threat."
"If you only wished to remove a threat to yourself, then would it not have been more prudent to leave when your men did, thereby removing chances for future conflict?"
"I could have, and with my men I could have ran as your search teams hunted us through the surrounding countryside, ending the lives of two of them. However, I had standing orders to comply with ma'am."
"And what were those orders?"
"To prevent Soviet equipment or maps from falling into the hands of hostile or potentially hostile forces. With my orders, I could not leave unless Japan and her allies did not possess any of our equipment, maps, or technology ma'am."
"Did you think the equipment that was being held by the SDF was worth the lives and damage caused to destroy it?"
"It was not a matter of what I though they were worth, but a matter of what my superiors had decided what actions I should take in the event that it was captured."
"Yet as an individual you had control over what you chose to do and as an individual you chose to take actions that were very likely to result in a loss of life."
"Yes I did and I accept full responsibility for what I have done. However, as a soldier of the Red Army I also had orders that needed to be obeyed. To have neglected those orders would have been to neglect my obligation and oath to my nation."
"Do you regret taking the lives of the two SDF soldiers in the process of fulfilling your orders?"
"I regret having to take their lives yes. It was not my intention to create friction between the Union and the people of Japan and her allies. Just as I am sure that your soldiers found it regrettable to have to take the lives of two soldiers of the Red Army. Most soldiers do not look someone in the eye they do not know and wish them harm. Yet it is our occupation to do so. It is not something we ever wish to do."
"Very well, moving onto another topic, why did you feel it necessary to attempt to violently leave Alnus Hill?"
"I found it necessary, because I was not allowed to leave peacefully."
"Did you find that you were being mistreated or abused while you were there?"
"No, for a prisoner I found my accommodations were quite satisfactory, luxurious even, going by prisoner of war standards."
"Were you made aware that you were not being held as a prisoner of war while in the custody of the SDF and United States military?"
"I was, but I also found that I disagreed with that assertion. I was at Alnus for three days in which time I was interrogated repeatedly and separated from my men, who themselves were confined to a barracks that was fenced in and away from the main encampment."
"Did you feel that you or your men were threatened at Alnus?"
"In what way?"
"That you would be harmed physically or deprived of basic human rights or decency."
"I did not know how to feel. I definitely felt trapped, but I knew nothing of you or your allies. For all I knew you were not human at all, but rather another species entirely that merely looked human. One with malicious intent. For all I knew I could have been released the next day, kept in a cell for the next fifty years, or even eaten for that matter."
That last comment drew a combination of snickers and angry harrumphs from many of the Japanese politicians.
"So then are you saying that it was a lack of information, or a breakdown in communication that led to your actions and the subsequent deaths of two SDF personnel as well as two soldiers from the Red Army?"
"Yes I do ma'am. My mission itself was a mission meant to make contact between our two worlds brought to Falmart, or the Special Region as you call it, with the intention of peaceful coexistence and cooperation."
"Very well then Mr. Volkov, there is still a few more topics that we must discuss in this inquiry."
"Of course."
"During your escape, there was a battle involving a reptile referred to as a dragon. Why did it come to your aid?"
"That dragon is called Maximus and it is the partner of my private contractor."
"The native inhabitant of Falmart that was acting as your guide and aided in your escape?"
"Yes, though she is not from the continent itself, rather an archipelago to the south."
"Reports from the medical staff at Alnus said that she faked an injury and attacked them once in the infirmary."
"Yes she did."
"Did you order her to do that?"
"No, she did that of her own violation. If I had, I would have been in the infirmary in my underwear."
"Was she responsible for the deaths or injuries of any SDF or American personnel besides the SDF personnel she injured in the infirmary?"
"No, in fact she was very active in preventing the loss of life."
"Why do you say that?"
"She has some skill in...spirit magic, not that I ever thought that I would utter those words and incapacitated two United States Marines without the need for violence or lethal means."
"The two assigned to guarding the barracks that held your men?"
"Yes ma'am."
"If she had this skill, why did you find it necessary to shoot and kill two SDF personnel?"
"From what I observed she was not extremely adept in its use and it appears to be a skill requiring a high degree of concentration and time to use properly. She tried to incapacitate the two SDF personnel in the same manner as the marines, but we were discovered before she could and as a result I made the decision to shoot and kill the SDF soldiers."
"So you did fire with the intent to kill? Not just to wound?"
"Yes ma'am, I fired twice at center mass in the chest where the heart and lungs are located."
"I see. And your wounds that you received, how were they healed?"
"By the wood elf Luella, which I'm sure you've seen or heard of her ability by now."
"One final topic to discuss before we finish this hearing Lieutenant."
"Of course."
"Why did you come here exactly?"
"To repair the damage caused by these unfortunate events, just as Mr. Sugawara is doing the same right now before my government and the Politburo ma'am."
"Thank you, there will be no further questions."
"Thank you as well ma'am, and I must extend not only my gratitude, but that of the Soviet Union and her people at your hospitality and civil response to an unfortunate situation."
xxx
Feliks sighed and leaned his head against the cool stone wall of the washroom and closed his eyes for a moment, thankful that the hearing was over.
Had he said too much? Too little? Had he been rude, or not been regretful enough? Had be come across as too brusque or uncaring? Whatever he had done, it was done now and for better or for worse this matter was most likely closed, at least for the moment. Now it would be up to men who were much better spoken and much better versed in politics than he was. He had joined the regular army to get out of political missions, not get involved in more of them.
He stared dumbly at a faucet without a handle for a moment unsure of how to work it. He fondled it for a moment, looking for something to turn or move, but he found nothing. Then as if on its own water started flowing and he cupped his hands and splashed water on his face. The water stopped and he stared at it for a moment before swiping his hand underneath it again and watched the water begin to flow again. There was a small glass or plastic panel below the faucet that looked like it may contain a sensor. Would wonders never cease?
Thankfully the washroom had paper towels and that Feliks was at least familiar with. As Feliks left the washroom he was confronted by a more elderly man in a suit and tie, but he looked Russian, not Japanese.
"Can I help you?" asked Feliks in Japanese.
"I hope so," answered the man in Russian.
"What can I do for you comrade?" asked Feliks switching to Russian, but wary of this newcomer.
"Ah, it does an old heart good to hear that said once again. My name is Vasily Myshkin, ambassador of the Russian Federation to Japan. It is good to meet you comrade Volkov, you did well in your hearing for one of your age."
"I thank you for your praise comrade, but I felt that I could have done much better."
"You could have," agreed the elderly ambassador.
"If I may comrade, what is it that you want?"
"I just wished to let you know that the Russian Federation is more than eager to develop friendly relations with your Union and that we hope to make a beneficial partnership between our two states."
"I will be sure to pass that on comrade, but I have no authority to promise anything."
"Of course. Your Union though, will it be sending diplomats here to Japan?"
"I would assume so comrade. I can't say for sure, but it would make sense," said Feliks.
"Of course, of course, things like this take time to develop and take shape. I will however, offer you and your party an invitation to visit the embassy of the Russian Federation this evening or any evening that you wish as long as you are in Tokyo."
"I appreciate the offer comrade Myshkin, but I do not know if we will be in Japan long enough for that to happen."
"Of course. Just do remember comrade Volkov, that the Russian Federation is open and willing to friendship. Ah, that does feel good to say again," said the ambassador, a smile on his face as if remembering past glory. "Do take care comrade Volkov."
"You as well Comrade Myshkin," said Feliks.
Xxx
"Why are we going to take the subway?" asked Luella perplexed.
"Yes, I would like to know that too," said Feliks displeased at the new turn of events.
They were all assembled in another break room in the Diet building, Soviets, Japanese, Elves, mages, Falmartians, and Messalonians.
"Well, so far as I understand it, there was a fire at the hotel we were staying at and they're saying it looks like arson, so the Security Police Division are trying to keep us off of the radar," said Itami. "The fire started on the floor we were staying on so they're worried that some activist groups that have been opposed to us operating the GATE have taken to more violent means to protest. They're worried that we may be in danger."
"It started on our floor?" asked Tuka after raising her hand.
"Yes, but don't worry, no one was hurt," said Itami, smiling at the elf who smiled back. Then shared a guilty look with Luella.
Earlier that morning
"This is so neat," exclaimed Luella, flicking on and off the thing called a TV, watching it go from black, to showing an image of a woman speaking Japanese. "How do they make things like this? Is it magic?
"Look at this," said Tuka, holding up a metal rod as she emerged from the bathroom.
"What's that?"
"Shino told me that it's called a curling iron. It's supposed to be for your hair."
"Neat, Let's try it," said Luella, images of stylish ringlets dancing through her head as she made a grab for it.
"Wait, it's hot," warned Tuka too late as the 'young' wood elf grabbed the curling iron, only to yelp and draw her hand back, a small burn on her finger.
"Ow! Owwwwwwwwww!" moaned Luella holding her hand.
"Here, let me see," said Tuka tossing the curling iron off to the side.
"Owwwwwww!" mewled Luella.
"It's alright," soothed Tuka, grabbing hold of the younger elf's hand and blowing on the finger, used her own healing magic to treat it, cupping it with her hands that exuded a golden glow. The newly forming blister disappearing and the reddening skin turning back to it's original tone.
"Thanks Tuka, that feels much better now."
"You're welcome, sorry I didn't tell you that it was hot sooner. Hey, this is nice. It's so soft, what's it made of?" asked Tuka feeling the kimono. The hot curling iron forgotten near the bed where it had been tossed.
With that knowing and guilty look that they shared, both elfin girls made a solemn promise without using magic or having to communicate other than with that single look. A promise that neither of them would say a single word about this for the rest of their eternal lives.
AN: Well that's another chapter and relatively quickly too I might say. Well to answer a few questions, there will be much to come of hot demi-human chicks since that was one of the perks of GATE. I probably won't have Feliks go on a murder spree of the crimelords in the capital since that I want to keep my story fairly original (as it can be being a reinterpretation of existing literature). You'll find out who the person taking photos is in the next chapter, and other than that I think it covers everything.
Remember to read and review and if you don't you're an Imperialist Bourgeoisie running dog of the capitalist empires :)