Sonja wasn't terribly surprised Andy had bested her, even in spite of her luring him and his comrades into areas perfectly suited for her skills. Evidently, the presence of an advisor was an unprecedented advantage. Still, as she boarded her designated helicopter and her journey home commenced, her ego was a little wounded. It was irritable to lose to an opposing commander.
It was a greater bother to lose to a boy who could be swiftly tricked with the flagrantly dubious promise of new tools, resulting in them falling asleep for days.
Sinking herself into her seat, she recalled a memory of her father telling her how special she was for progressing into the army, as a commanding officer no less at such a young age. And now she had learned Orange Star's infamous, yet impressive force was run by someone as young as her, who didn't even have a famous, overruling parent that could be attributed to their success.
Still, by the battle's end, she understood the trust placed within Andy. The circumstances she'd forced upon him were most unlikeable, yet he'd persevered with greater enthusiasm than his commanding colleagues. She couldn't say she felt that alone was grand enough to justify his inclusion among an army's elite. Compared to the likes of her father and Sensei, with their monumental histories on their backs, accompanied by their refined abilities and their strategic smarts (regarding Sensei at least), they'd have been appalled by the decision to appoint someone like Andy.
Perhaps then, one could conclude that by making such a unique decision in appointing him, Orange Star had an additional advantage. One the opposing armies couldn't perceive.
Dwelling on the notions, Sonja contemplated if Andy fascinated her. He was neither as demonstrably capable as Max, nor as tactical as Sami. Yet without him, they would not have formed the progress they have.
Her mind flashed to when Andy had slept. And slept. There had been little else to set her mind on while waiting for Sami to catch up. And perhaps it was inevitable from mindlessly keeping a watchful eye on him through her screen, but in his narcoleptic state, Sonja had thought him unfittingly cute for the warfare-heavy context they inhabited.
She began to blink repeatedly and shook her head out of her thoughts. The helicopter may have a ways to travel, but there were greater details to focus on. Adorable or not, Andy's demeanour had provided Sonja the evidence she needed to assert whoever was responsible for waging war against Green Earth; it wasn't him.
The sun rays protruding between the window bars, into her cell were notably brighter and warmer than throughout the prior two weeks. From her slouched position against the cold, grey wall, Sonja gazed up at the confined, singular view to outside. She didn't believe in a higher power, but she applauded the coincidence of such light shining upon her, just as she was beginning to learn to smile again.
Suddenly, a smash and clang caused her to spring in place, shattering her wondering thoughts. She turned to the metal, rusty, sealed cell door. From beyond it, such chaotic noises would sporadically occur, though never predictable. In the initial days locked away, only footsteps and laughter were what broke the terrible silence. Every reminder of Sturm's existence had solidified his horrifying, unstoppable status. Though still glad to rarely see him, she felt the feeble walls of intimidation begin to crack.
The weight of the transceiver in her pocket, she was brutally conscious of. Resisting the urge to grab it and stare into the microphone was a task she had so often failed since her capture. As desperate as she was for continuous reassurance that the tide of the final battle was turning in her favour, her faith in her allies had risen to the point of overshadowing it.
Bzzz Bzzz
Sonja jumped so hard, her consciousness could have abandoned her. Digesting the sound, eyes wide, for one absurd second, she believed it to be proof the hallucinations had begun. She frantically undid her pocket's button, momentarily cursing its existence. Once the transceiver was in her hand, she was shaking so frantically, her finger initially missed the button. Fortunately, she was soon successful.
"H-Hello?" She asked.
"Sonja! Still with us!?"
Her heart accelerated further. Over the last fortnight, Andy's distorted voice had grown electric with heroism and promise. An unexpected far cry from how she'd heard him before.
"Yes! Is everything still going okay?"
"Well, you probably don't have a coat with you. But I think at times like this, I'm meant to say, 'get your coat'!"
Her breath hitched.
"Does that mean-"
"We're aiming for tomorrow." Said Andy, "Maybe two days. Another meteor might be coming, but we can handle it. Every soldier's pulling out all the stops!"
In the blink of an eye, Sonja was on her feet.
"Okay! Just don't do anything stupid!"
"Stupid? You're talking to the wrong guy for that."
Despite everything, Sonja laughed. To laugh felt ever so good.
"And I'll break my own leg if it gets you out of there sooner!" He added.
Sonja wasn't sure why her stomach muscles contracted inward at that statement. Her brain waves briefly seemed to jitter over Andy caring for her so. Unless he'd be behaving this way towards anyone in danger? Was she not special in that sense? More importantly, why did she feel that mattered?
"Hello, are you still there?" Andy asked.
Sonja snapped back to the present day.
"Sorry! Yeah, I'll be waiting. Thank you so much again!"
"You've thanked us more than enough, but don't you worry. See ya soon!"
There was a click, the transmission ended and Sonja fell against the wall. Moments later, another barrage of stomps and smashing noises followed from the nearby Black Hole battle station. She smiled. Maybe she could understand the cause now.
"So... can we breathe now, father?" Sonja asked calmly.
Kanbei's hand appeared unnaturally stiff as he brought the transceiver to rest at his side. Slowly, he inhaled and exhaled before forming a statement, the sides of his mouth negligibly managing to push upwards.
"For the moment; yes, we may."
On pure impulse, Sonja's neck loosened its tightness and she rolled her head back, withdrawing an enormous amount of air. It was as if the heavens had just been lifted from her shoulders. Though she didn't smile, the gravitas of the situation still too abundant, the ability to take her time to think, if only momentarily was a gift.
Though as soon as her thoughts were allowed to gather, she focused once again on her Father, in immediate need of clarification.
"In which case... I gather you've heard about Blue Moon's specific predicament."
Kanbei's already stifled half smile of victory progressively waned until unmistakably grim. She hated to deflate it.
"I have. Commander Olaf, forced to lead a skirmish against a missile that'll destroy the country within a matter of weeks." Kanbei's eyes narrowed with total venom over Black Hole's dishonour.
"Deplorable." He whispered, pressing his fingers into his nearby desk.
"Please tell me we can send forces of our own to aid them." Sonja pleaded, raising her hands outwards.
"I've sent a small fleet. But our every resource remains too precious for the situation we're in to discard more. And truthfully, unless every star aligns in our favour, I don't believe they'll reach them in time."
Sonja stared downwards, her lower eyelid twitching. A year ago, perhaps she would have swiftly spiked in anger over not aptly preparing to aid Blue Moon sooner. But with how they'd struggled to push through the countrywide invasion and how impressively Kanbei had guided everyone, she learned better than to demand the unreasonable.
"Will they even have a proper commanding officer to help them?" She asked.
Kanbei's silence didn't bode well for that precious, pitiful battalion sent Olaf's way. His skin even seemed to pale at her asking.
Sonja hung her head downwards, processing the most likely result.
"Commander Kanbei. Come in, do you copy!?"
Both their postures sprang in unison and Kanbei almost threw the transceiver back to his face.
"I'm here, please explain the call immediately."
"We've been requested to return back to Yellow Comet, sir! Blue Moon has received sudden, tide turning reinforcements!"
Sonja gasped, as did Kanbei. Though an unsettling string of anxiousness began slithering through her being that she was sure her Father recognised too. It wouldn't be their first instance of deliberate, insidiously delivered misinformation.
"Where did this knowledge come from, soldier?" Kanbei asked.
"Commander Andy, Sir!"
Sonja's eyes amplified.
"But why didn't we receive word of that plan sooner!?" Kanbei demanded.
"He says he made the decision unprofessionally, sir. He heard Blue Moon was in trouble, gathered any troops available and ran into danger without another thought."
The most vivid scene irresistibly enveloped Sonja's mind. Of Andy, volcanic with vigour, rallying the soldiers together, uncaring of rationale and the advice of his colleagues. To think, he was still embodying the heroic stature she couldn't help but see him in, no matter how she attempted to discard it as unrealistic.
The vision of him riding atop a tank, hopelessly reckless, grinning with devilish excitement was clear as day. The sincerest driving force of hope among all military. Even Olaf, in his constant gloomy disposition would surely have felt the atmosphere brighten up around him, as if a second sun had appeared to forward the army's morale.
"Sonja?"
"Hm?" She tugged her head back into the current moment. "Yes, Father?"
"Do you know why your face is red?"
Her body jolted and clenched itself with swift, suffocating discomfort. She didn't need to be a strategist to recognise that act wouldn't assist her. Evidently, his call had concluded without her realisation.
"Uh, not at all. And that seems wildly irrelevant!" She stammered. "Shouldn't we check on Sensei?"
Kanbei's stare was piercing, unusually calculated and Sonja's logical assurance that he couldn't possibly see through her hardly comforted her.
"I suppose we should, yes." He finally answered and made to depart from the briefing room.
She waited several seconds for him to be undoubtedly out of earshot, alongside several more seconds after that before her body unbounded into free mobility again. Now was the time to gather herself, ensure all military preparations were maximised in efficiency, check for additional intel, accomplish all they could. But as the image of Andy's fear diffusing smile shined through her thought process, she felt a blanket of safety that no amount of tactical planning could replicate.
She made her way to the folders of battle notes and took the one that happened to be closest. Sitting down and rereading the contents, she was already conscious she'd struggle to concentrate. She almost selfishly hoped Yellow Comet would need Orange Star's help soon as well.
No matter how her arms and legs were positioned, Sonja couldn't settle herself comfortably. How exactly were you supposed to be seated when spectating a military battle? Perched on a foldable chair, atop the near edge of the cliffs, a few feet from an infantry tent, she beheld the event as it begun. Several miles beyond, to the far left, beginning by the sea shore stood the humble beginnings of her father's army. Closer to the centre, though of an equally far distance from her was Max's initial force, ready to grow into something undefeatable.
As much as she couldn't fathom a stronger duo between the two of them, Sonja felt a modicum of selfish guilt muddled with slight disappointment that this map didn't suit her and a differing Orange Star officer. Honestly, when did she start sparing thoughts for such pitifully brainless imaginings?
"Heya, Sonja!"
Sonja's frame paused, mouth hung open. That voice was too vivid to be the result of her delusions. She turned around to see Orange Star's poster boy preparing a chair of his own. To sit beside her, she dared to dream.
"Oh, hello, commander Andy."
'Commander Andy!?' Was there honestly any need to still address him so formally?
Fortunately, he gave her the most immodest grin and her heart practically rose as it glowed.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, immediately realising the rude implications behind that question. She opened her mouth to apologise, but Andy was faster.
"Us Orange Star COs stick together. Needed or not!" He exclaimed, sitting himself down relatively close to her.
"Unless a missile in Blue Moon is involved." Sonja couldn't refuse the jab, despite her nervousness.
"Wellll, I thought it'd surprise Olaf." Andy chuckled.
The two of them turned to enjoy the view. Even accounting for the pleasantly sunny weather, watching artillery shells rain upon military contraptions wasn't exactly how she would choose to spend time with Andy. Her mind was attempting to form worthwhile topics of conversation, but she was spouting zero of them. For a demented second or two, she considered deciphering how many inches he had placed his chair from her and what that meant, psychologically. Luckily, she had at least some sense of reality left to banish that idea.
"Has Kanbei gotten even stronger?" Andy tilted his head towards the increasing golden units.
"Yes. Power doesn't tend to have a threshold that he's satisfied with." Sonja answered. "Has Max gotten the hang of indirect units yet?"
Andy snickered again.
"I'd give it a couple more wars before any chance of that."
They stayed in silence for a moment before Andy added.
"Ya know, he used to coddle me so much when we first met."
"Really?" Sonja turned to him, thoughts leaping to when her father would explain basic strategy to her, reciting unit names at the most phenomenally, condescendingly slow speed. That was only a year before the Cosmo Land war.
"Yeah. Always taking any excuse to make himself look soooo pro."
"Did he ever try and stop you from tackling the most simple missions without realising he's talking down to you?"
Andy's head spun to her.
"All the time!" He grinned. "Does Kanbei sometimes start looking around when he uses his CO power, like he really wants people to watch him?"
"Constantly!" Sonja beamed.
For a moment, they stared at one another in mutual validation. Sonja hadn't felt this seen before. Andy turned back to their view, leaning back in his chair with outwardly extra contentment.
"I'm glad even the smart ones know the feeling."
Such a simple compliment seemed to lighten her head, as if it was the first time she'd heard the sentiment towards her. Either way, there was no doubt she was definitely imagining how the sun light blanketed Andy, highlighting his wonderfully upbeat appearance But she could still freely admire him for it, no one was around to stop her.
"Hey, guys!"
Both pairs of eyes darted to Andy's left and Sonja huffed at her old, scholarly rival of a sort marching towards them.
"Heya, Sami!" Said Andy. "Come to enjoy the show?"
"This is war, Andy!" Sami snapped before omitting a small shrug. "But I may as well."
Her eyes met Sonja's stare.
"Sonja."
"Good afternoon, Sami."
"Glad to see you on the same side this time."
"Well as far as you know."
Sami's eyes sparked in response.
Sonja laughed. "Only a joke."
"It sure better be." Sami growled before walking to the tent.
"I still haven't forgiven your sleeping on the job!" She yelled.
Andy quivered, lowering his eyebrows. Sonja noted she'd never seen him appear embarrassed before and found him unfeasibly endearing.
"Well, I still found you a very impressive combatant." She said towards him. He looked back at her and smiled genially; there were those incessant feelings again.
"Hmph." Sami grouched, approaching Sonja's right with her chair. "Did you know Andy kept whining about not wanting to fight you?"
Sonja felt her heart almost reach her throat.
"Excuse me?"
"Hey, Sami..." Andy whimpered.
"Yeah, this same kid trots through every freaking army, having the time of his life, but then Sonja takes the opposing helm and ohhhhh, suddenly it's too traumatic an experience for the poor boy!"
Sami shook her head mockingly as Sonja shifted her attention to Andy.
"You didn't want to battle me?"
Her mind scrambled for logical explanations as it so often did, but few were conjuring. None that didn't reek of wish fulfilment anyway
"Honestly, the madness I had to put up with in that first war, the way he got all suddenly pansy-like when we needed him most, I'd swear you hypnoti-"
"Sami, shut up already!" Andy raised his voice, his face altering to not quite anger, but clearly towing the line of irritation.
Sami raised an eyebrow, but conceded.
"Alright, I'm sorry." She said. "For what it's worth, you've been doing really good as of late. When that black cannon first showed up, we-"
Sonja's attention span failed Sami's ramblings. She was hyper focused on Andy, as he stared out to the battle ahead, appearing either dampened or mildly uncomfortable. Just as she was progressively learning to feel normal in his presence, her body temperature was thrown for a loop again. Though always a girl of logic, was it so terrible to dream of what his hesitancy towards battling her could have meant? Of course the possibility that maybe, terribly, he had thought too little of her to entertain facing her pecked her brain, but she insisted on dispelling it for the moment.
However, it was brand new of her to instinctively turn away when he looked back at her. She glanced back at Sami, whose attention was entirely on the fight, thankfully not on them. Sonja settled on watching as well, though her eyes kept averting downwards in awkward discomfort. She didn't know what she would have said to Andy, but she rather wished a legion of Orange Star units would suddenly get thrown into an immediate death promising situation that required Sami to leave. Maybe she could craft a manner of distracting Eagle with rancid timing in return.
Innumerable divisions of golden weaponry were being stored, one by one, back into their respective containers. The dishevelled army members, lined in an orderly fashion, were beginning to load themselves into their transport back to Yellow Comet. If her father wasn't looking for her already, he most certainly would be soon. But return home, Sonja couldn't. She was dreadfully busy with infinitely more pressing matters.
Predominantly, standing partially obscured against a semi-crumbled wall, waiting for an Orange Star artillery commander to cease conversing with Andy, so she could approach him as she ever so desperately needed to. A plan that she would undoubtedly succeed in, as opposed to 12 minutes ago, when Andy was conversing with another soldier in the exact same spot and she hadn't snatched the opportunity after he'd fled. But it was perfectly fine. There was no rush, so she'd say, despite the incipient venom she felt every single time their conversation seemed on the verge of a natural end only to continue. Now and again, she'd garner the urge to just barge towards them and insist she speak to him. If she felt enough of a drive in the moment, she might even budge herself a millimetre in their direction.
'Politeness, politeness.' She internally recited. The anxiety over how little time she might have left began to escalate through her body like a virus.
"Anyway, I must thank you for the time you've blessed me with as a mere soldier." Said the artillery commander.
"No sweat! You guys are still the coolest ones in my book." Andy grinned.
"Few would speak so kindly, sir. But now, I must join my fellow troops."
Sonja's breath escaped her. Finally. With a little courage, this was her chance.
"Though I have suddenly recalled some artillery design plans I'd like to consult with you over."
Something inside Sonja snapped. That was it. Gritting her teeth, eyes malicious, a sudden charged surge of bravery pulsed through her and she passionately advanced right up to the conversationalists. The soldier noticed her entering their direction first.
"Oh, good evening, Commander Sonja, how are-?"
"Begging your pardon." Sonja raised her chin to assert attempted confidence. "I need to speak with commander Andy."
She didn't monitor the reaction of the aforementioned to her statement, curious though she was.
"Yes, of course. In fact, thank you for indirectly encouraging me to attend to my own duties. I shall bid you both farewell."
The soldier bowed towards them, which Sonja thought a bit needless, before he turned to walk to where his allies presumably resided.
"Are you doin alright, Sonja?" Andy asked.
Sonja turned to him, ignoring her nerves as best she could.
"Fine enough. I've felt more comfortable with this war than the last one, on the whole."
"Same. Guess that's just the difference having people to rely on makes." He smiled optimistically.
Sonja crossed her arms, rotating her head.
"Hmm, I suppose so." Her focus on him withered a little as she momentarily dwelled on his belief.
She additionally wasn't sure If the subsequent silence was comfortable or awkward.
"Anyway, I just wanted to say..." She began, as she had rehearsed in her head. But her sentence failed her and she began to blink unnaturally. Now that she was actually saying it, it felt so unimportant.
"Yes?" Andy murmured. Uttering that word, his voice sounded very different to his usual tone. In the moment, Sonja could only surmise it was impatience.
"Just that..." Sonja swallowed and then jerked her head up. For some reason, it was vital that she look right at him when she said this.
"I thought you were really brave back there."
Andy's face sobered to a blank and he seemed to struggle to process her statement.
"Huh? Back where?"
She mentally deflated. This remarkable saviour was still a boy who needed things spelled out.
"When Sturm was threatening to destroy us, along with himself. The way you dove in after him," said Sonja, "it was reckless and mad. But it was very heroic of you as well."
Andy faltered, appearing a little apprehensive from her belief. He opened his mouth, catching his tongue's end between his left teeth as he seemed to ready his response.
"Oh, right. Thanks. Well I couldn't just let him ruin everything we'd done."
Sonja glanced to her adjacent surroundings in thought.
"I don't know. The rest of us did."
Andy didn't say anything for a moment before omitting a small snicker.
"Hmm. Well maybe a team is at its best with people who act with their heads, while others act with their hearts."
Her eyes recentred to his own. Her external reaction was subtle. If he hadn't lit up from that statement, he was glowing in her eyes with his wisdom.
"Andy. I'd never thought about it like that before."
"Well then it can't have been a smart sentence. Or else you would have."
"Oh, don't be silly." Sonja lightly slapped his arm, faintly smiling.
Andy laughed. Though his smile was progressively blemished with a sombre expression.
"I don't know. Maybe it's just because of how I see the others." He looked to his left, across the distance, as if he could see their comrades now.
"They're all so strong. And they all seem to know exactly what they're doing. Maybe I'd just like to prove myself to them."
As Sonja watched him, she felt her expression's tenderness soften to match his. Accompanied with a dreadful realisation that this boy didn't see himself at all how she did.
"But you've already proven yourself, Andy."
His eyes seemed to reawaken as he turned back to her.
"You think so?"
Perhaps a need to make him see his value was what propelled Sonja's bravery. She took his hands into her own. An instantaneous shot of excitement streamed through her. Goodness, how warm and delicate his hands were.
"You're the most heroic person I've ever met. I thought that even a year ago."
Andy's lips parted a little, as if struggling to comprehend her statement. She hoped it was for the better. Unusually, though her heart pounded, letting him realise this felt too important for her to submit to her nerves and back down now.
"I hope your Father didn't hear you say that."
It was a progressive moment of digesting that reply until Sonja giggled.
"He's honourable enough to accept second place."
Tiny, modest, intimate laughter echoed between them.
"I'm still waiting on those new tools though." Said Andy.
Sonja rolled her eyes, though she still smiled.
"Truly, I don't know how you ever forgave me for my cruel promise."
"Well..." Andy's tone grew warmer, "as much as they would be nice; in the end, maybe you matter a lot more than they would."
Sonja paused, her mouth opened. Fresh shell shock enraptured her over his words. She couldn't even try to logically assess if he meant so much via them. Her heart accelerated so profusely, it was hard to insinuate it mattered.
Without blueprints, without hours of tactical planning, with gentle support from their interlaced hands, she leaned forward and kissed Andy on the mouth. Only long enough to affirm the softness of his lips. Her heart was bouncing and somersaulting as she drew herself back. Gazing at him as his lower lip had fallen in disbelief, though her mind was clouded, the mental haze was beginning to clear and the molecules of fear were starting to fester inside her.
Andy looked to her side and she begun to worry he was wishing to be anywhere but her company, until he looked back to her.
"Well now I really hope your Father isn't around right now."
Rather than laugh, a beaming smile graced her, feeling embarrassing, untempered, forgetful of how insecure over displaying all her teeth she usually was and entirely unapologetic. She readied to speak, yet felt a sudden lacking knowledge of how to.
"I... Does that – are we-" Drat, nothing threatened Sonja's methodical image like unfamiliar emotions. "I mean, should I have – sorry, I-"
"Can we do that again?" Andy asked, managing to look into her eyes, yet brimming with such conscious, boyish embarrassment.
Sonja swallowed. Well then, that was that.
"Yes, we may."
In hindsight, she would have chosen a more secluded area. But as Andy timidly learned how his arms felt around her, such details seemed only a pointless delay.
'Curse you, you unmoving blemish.' Sonja stared daggers into a brown spot, occupying an undoubtedly tiny portion of an otherwise blissfully polished shelf that stood in her entrance hallway. She'd rubbed it with cloth after cloth, employing every liquid and herbal substance they had available and still, the spot remained.
"Sonja!" A muffled voice beckoned.
"Yes, father?"
"Please don't use up all of our cleaning material in one day on one shelf."
Sonja laughed, almost attaining a high enough pitch to justify admitting her to a psych ward. Despite this irksome spot threatening to ruin this otherwise potentially perfect day, she was in a good mood. A fact of which was surely attributed to the lovely weather and absence of any war being wagered.
After sparing but a few extra seconds of staring, sighing in defeated acceptance, she took her cloth back to their kitchen. As she stepped into the room, she glanced to her right at the thin, hazel sliding door.
"Haven't you done enough training today?" She asked.
"A warrior must never become too complacent with their skill level, Sonja."
Sonja shook her head in exasperation.
"Well could you at least make sure Andy doesn't see your swords?"
"On the contrary, any boy in control of my daughter's heart needs to know exactly the price they'll pay for their mistakes."
She gulped. A flicker of worry seeped into her, pondering the wiseness of this idea.
Her thought process was promptly broken by a knock at the front door.
Her concern was replaced with incoherently topsy turvy rushes of exhilarating anticipation.
Her lips mimed, 'coming!', yet her vocal chords failed her as she walked briskly through her home not wanting to answer so quickly that she would appear bizarre. Returning to their entrance hallway, the front door suddenly seemed to gleam like a polished trophy.
Refusing to pointlessly dwell further, she sped towards the door and shakily slid it to the right.
"Heya."
Scruffy and casual in a plain blue t-shirt and shorts, the most wonderful boy in the world looked deceitfully ordinary. How terrible of her to not see through that aura sooner.
Before Sonja could process her nonsensical action, she threw herself at Andy, who with surprising reaction time, lifted her off her feet, gleeful as he spun her in the air. She giggled, hands on his shoulders to push herself up to ease her weight before he twirled her back down to his level.
"So you're happy to see me then?" Asked Andy. "That's good, I get a little unsure sometimes."
"I hope that clears the air for a while." Said Sonja, hands still on either side of his neck.
"A little. You know me though, I could always use a bit more clearness." He grinned.
Sonja snickered before slowly leaning towards her boyfriend's face, eyes sealing themselves shut.
A muffled static emanated from within her household and she instinctively pulled away from Andy. She looked back into her hallway, distressingly. She recognised the sound of that transceiver all too well.
"Is that what I think it is?" Asked Andy, his pleasant tone falling.
Dropping her hand to link with his, Sonja paced back into her home. Footsteps other than her own were audible and it was evident Kanbei would get there first.
"Emperor Kanbei, come in, do you copy?"
Once she came into sight of the transceiver, he had begun speaking into it.
"I'm here, what is the meaning of this?"
"Your help is being requested sir. It's Black Hole, they-"
Kanbei sauntered into their living room to speak with the soldier. But Sonja and Andy had heard all they need to.
"You've gotta be kidding." Andy muttered.
Sonja was at a loss for words. She only managed to stay standing there, waiting for Kanbei to be finished. A minute or two later, her patience was beginning to fail her before a small beep was audible and Kanbei returned to the room.
"I'm sorry, Sonja. I must leave immediately."
"Father, what's going-?"
"Black Hole's antics are as heinous as ever. Apparently this time, our allies had seemingly vanquished them for good, only for an organised ambush to corner them."
Kanbei turned to his left towards the armoury. Sonja already knew he'd be grabbing his signature sword.
"They're requesting immediate assistance. Other officers will be joining them, but they need me."
Processing the situation, Sonja felt the slow, poisonous sadness spread throughout her being. Not primarily because of the war or because of her Father's decision.
"Sonja, I trust you to watch over Yellow Comet. And Andy," his expression turned increasingly stern towards him, "I needn't tell you to look after her."
"Yes, sir!" Andy saluted.
"Except you can't go." Said Sonja, looking down.
She could sense her Father's naturally empathetic reaction to her words. Once the footsteps started in her direction, she knew what she'd hear.
"Sonja..." Kanbei slowly approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I know how short our time in peace always appears and how unfortunate the timing can seem. But it's for the good of all of us that I-"
"No, I mean you really can't." Sonja looked back up at him. "It hasn't been long enough since Black Hole's invasion here. People need you, a trained leader more than ever. We haven't even fully rebuilt yet. Regardless of the cause, for you to leave now would be dire for both our nation and our safety."
Kanbei only stared at her for a moment before making to respond.
"I recognise that. But when there's no other way, I must-"
"There is." Said Sonja. "I'll go."
Kanbei's head oh so predictably jerked back.
"Sonja, you can't-"
"We're not doing this, Father. I've long proven myself, we're not wasting time sheltering me, a qualified commanding officer from potential danger again."
"Good, because I wasn't going to." Said Kanbei.
Sonja's chin rose up.
"What I was going to say was, though disrupting the peace of my nation is abhorrent to even contemplate; that can't compare to the thought of ruining an afternoon my daughter's been looking forward to, day in and day out."
Staring up at him, Sonja's harshness seemed to effortlessly sooth and she felt a sudden rush of affection for her Father, peppered with moderate embarrassment over Andy hearing those last few words with her.
"I know better than to try and argue otherwise with you. Perhaps..." Kanbei spoke, "if you feel set in this decision, it would be adequate enough if Andy accompanied you."
Her lips parted. He looked towards the Orange Star leader, as did she. Though his face seemed morale wearingly grim.
"I wish I could." Said Andy.
"Pardon?" Replied Kanbei.
"The rest of Orange Star is already there. If I go as well, there won't be enough protection left."
Andy looked to the floor, playing with his fingers.
"Even this was tough to let Nell convince me to do."
Sonja looked at Andy and heaved internally. How naïve they were to think Black Hole would remain subdued easily.
"Well then it's settled." Said Sonja and her company peered towards her. "At least we'll have more allies than ever."
Kanbei's mouth contorted as if he could have delivered several differing replies before his eventual choice.
"Don't you leave us in the dark if anything goes wrong."
"I've learned better than that. And hey."
She shifted towards Andy and in spite of the situation, couldn't help an incremental smile.
"Maybe the two of you can bond in the meantime."
Without looking, she was certain her Father's irises expanded. Surprisingly, Andy's waned expression didn't alter.
"Honestly, the second you volunteered to go, that was all I could think about."
Sonja appreciated how she still had to suppress a laugh.
"Then you'll have a minute of extra prep time." She said before lifting a hand to Andy's cheek, leaning in and kissing him deeply. As she nestled her face perfectly against his, letting their lips sink into one another, her concentration began to wither, replaced with creeping insinuation that maybe their allies would be perfectly fine and if they weren't, they could surely fight for themselves and she deserved a little time in paradise with her sweetheart and -
She pulled away from him, forcing herself both out of utopia and staying to admire his dazed gaze.
"I'll see you before you know it." She added a punctuated kiss to his cheek for good measure.
"See you soon, Father." She spared a glance towards her humblingly surprised Parent before making her way to her bedroom or as she knew it on certain times of the year; the planning facility.
Sonja reminisced the first time she viewed the sea from where she was positioned. Though at the time, stationary naval military was disrupting it, the water was similarly serene then. The sunlight had shined in the water, scattering like the contents of a gleaming treasure trove. The clouds were frequent, yet their range of vaporous colours only ever added beauty to the atmosphere, rather than gloominess. Upon reflection, she felt it one of the most gorgeous landscapes she'd happened upon during her time as an officer.
"Are you alright?" Whispered a voice centimetres behind her ear.
She smiled and crooked her neck back and to her left until she was lightly nuzzling her cheek against Andy's. She felt his arms tighten around her abdomen.
"Alright enough to stay like this for another month or two." She replied.
Her spirit ascended as his lips pressed against her cheek, his warm hair intervening with her own. She fought to suppress the absurdist noises she'd surely make otherwise.
"Have you worked out where we are yet?" She asked. There was a soft, wet pop as she felt his lips leave her skin to reply and she almost condemned having asked the question.
"Yep." His smile could be tonally deciphered. "It took me a moment though."
"I gathered as such."
"Hey, I just never would have guessed you'd be this sappy."
Sonja might have glared at him if her entire body wasn't rendered too comfortable to make any substantial movement.
"Hmph, I only think it healthy to remember where you first met someone you care so strongly for."
"I can't argue with you there."
Andy's right hand moved to gently caress the back of hers. Her stomach squirmed.
"Although," he began, "maybe you're just trying to get me to move here sooner."
"Rats, you've found me out again." She laughed.
A second of processing followed and her smile immediately ceased.
'Sooner?'
She shifted her body to face him.
"Wait, what do you mean by sooner?"
Andy grinned.
"Well I don't want to stay a country away forever, do I?"
Sonja's mouth fell.
"But... I was going to talk with you about maybe moving to Orange Star myself."
Andy's eyes expanded.
"Are you for real?"
Sonja nodded avidly.
"But I thought you liked it here."
"I thought you loved it at Orange Star!" She emphasised.
"Sure, but I don't love anywhere enough to live that far away from you!" Exclaimed Andy. Sonja halted, her will to argue promptly melting. With every day, he always seemed to carry little self-awareness over how romantic his statements were.
"Always so sweet." She smiled softly, slanting down and playfully brushing her nose against his.
Andy reciprocated with a proud smirk.
"Sweet enough to tell me what's in the package?"
Sonja averted her eyes upward in contemplation of teasing him further over it. Though the possibility of building expectations too unachievable was undoubtedly a counterpoint.
"Oh, alright then."
"Really!?"
"Before I change my mind." Sonja shifted her body off of Andy and knelt to his right, getting a view of both him and the relatively large box that lay adjacent to him.
Andy spared her one last smile of excitement before turning to the package, lifting and placing it on his lap. He immediately winced, realising its heaviness and eventually managed to station it between his legs. Glowing with investment, he began to peel at the package wrapping. Only to struggle to make even a dent in any of the strict tape that covered it all.
"Geez, you sure know how to wrap a present." Andy huffed.
Sonja bit her teeth together. "Sorry. I kept wanting to be more and more careful."
"Well ya know I love a challenge." He insisted. Though following a subsequent minute of jabbing his fingers into every possible weak point, he appeared on the verge of withdrawing that statement. Sonja felt a blend of apologetic and amused. She was about to offer assistance, before he finally managed peeling back one end of tape.
"Aha! Here we go!" He yelled with the same enthusiasm as when he defeated an omnipotent, terroristic enemy.
His gleeful excitement persisted as he removed the wrapping bit by bit before his expression progressively altered into curiously piecing together what could be inside. It was when he ripped off another piece of wrapping and spotted the seam by a handle that he gasped.
"No." He murmured. "No way."
Her anticipation rose for him. As he managed to dishevel the packaging with greater speed, incoherent exclamations of disbelief escaped him. Finally, he shook off the last bit of cardboard and ran his hand over the bright red toolkit.
Plentiful time was spent indulging its new existence in his life before he looked at Sonja, visually suggesting he'd fail to avoid laughing at any moment.
"So..."
"New tools, huh?" Sonja smiled.
Andy let a snicker escape. Followed by another snicker. Then he began to chuckle. All of a sudden, he was up on his feet, leaning into the distance, cackling with absolute infectious merriment.
Sonja rolled her tongue, unsure if she should say anything, not that she'd know what to say. Eventually Andy's smile subsided and he peered down at her, still beaming.
"You do amaze me." He said calmly before entirely catching Sonja off guard by crouching down, latching one arm underneath her legs, his left behind her back and lifting her into the air.
"Oh, okay then!" She cried in welcome surprise.
"I guess I should say thanks." He said, smiling cordially at her.
"That'd be nice." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "But um, I can feel your arms about to collapse."
"Yeah, I didn't think this through." Andy slightly struggled to articulate and as Sonja stretched her legs out, he put her down.
"Guess I'm still king of the skinny." He smiled bashfully, running a hand through the back of his hair.
"Wouldn't have it any other way." Said Sonja, taking his hand into her own. "i hope the tools inside are good enough. I spent a lot of time thinking what might actually be newly useful for you."
"Who cares!?" Andy exclaimed. "Well I mean I do a bit. But the thought, the laugh, that's good enough for me."