After the rest of the village left, some of them grabbing dragon scales as a souvenir, Itami, his team and the abandoned villagers waited close to the fire dragon carcass. The team called in aerial pickup for them and the what was left of the dragon. But since the elf woke up, Verona had been checking her out after handing her some clothing. But aside from some scaring, she seemed to be ok. As for things to do, the kids where playing with Bear who loved to play with kids.
Leiei however was more interested in the devices used by the EDF. Verona was more then happy to show them off. Currently the young witch wore the helmet that the medic wore and was amazed with how it worked. The object that she has over her eye allowed her everything that the area had to offer. What the air was like and more. While she didn't understand all of it, she got the basic idea for what it was meant to do. Tell the wearer what was around.
She had learned so much, but then something met her ears and she looked up. Her eyes widened as two large birds approached. From the sound she thought that they were more dragons but as they got closer, she was proven wrong. Looking up in awe she saw two metal birds fly in. Each one had four windmills, two on each side, that somehow kept it up in the air. As they approached the blade then turned so that they now faced upwards before coming into land.
"What are those?" her master cried out in shock.
"Some kind of flying machine," Leiei said coming to the only logical conclusion.
"But…." her master began to stammer. "….that's impossible!"
"Apparently not," Rory said with a smile walking up next to them. "Let's not forget, these people took down a flame dragon like it was nothing. Who knows what wonderful things they have,"
And with that she left to go look at the flying machines. The EDF were nothing if not powerful.
OOOOO
An elf ran though the forest as quickly as he could. He was panicking, as he moved. With the village in sight he jumped from tree to tree and landed on a wooden bridge before running into one of the dwellings.
"Chuka!" he yelled out entering the building then ran up to a sleeping blond elf. "Chuka wake up!"
The elf woke looking up at the male elf. "Dad?" she asked with surprise and waking up more.
"You have to run!" he said making her look to him with even more surprise.
But the man fell silent as he looked outside. Chuka followed his eyes only to see a flame dragon flying in their direction. The shock and horror then dawned on her about what was going to happen. She could only watch as it breathed fire taking out several archers before they could even let their arrows lose. Her father picked her up bridal style and ran out of the building. He ran to the village well.
"Hide here," he said.
"Dad," she tried to complain but he just dropped her in the well.
She could only watch as he was eaten by the dragon with a smile on his face. Chuka woke up only to find herself inside the metal beast of the people who saved her. One of them looked over her with a smile.
"Guten morgan," she said.
All Chuka could do was look around her mind spinning as to where she was. Looking outside she could see more people who fought the fire dragon walking and talking.
"Come on miss, ve need to moffe," the woman said offering her hand.
She nodded and took the woman's hand and was helped up before she was led off the metal beast. As she exited her eyes then fell onto the flame dragon. Her eyes widened as what happened came flooding back to her. She hid behind the woman who helped her who frowned worrying about her mental state.
"Ok roll it out!" someone yelled and the dragon began to move.
Chuka didn't see it, but what happen was that the dragon was transported back to Anlus base to be taken for research. If there were more of these things, they needed to know everything they could. But one soldier wasn't too happy about this.
"No fair!" he yelled. "I'm meant to be the fire dragon slayer! How dare they kill one without me!"
"Come on Todd," another spoke up, "You were a voice actor not an actual dragon slayer,"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" he yelled but only got a fist to the back of the head sending him into the floor.
"Enough," a red-haired woman said. "We have a job to do,"
"Yes.. Captain," he muttered.
Everyone began to laugh at this and Chuka smiled as well. These people seemed to be like a family. But the rest of the villages just looked around at the buildings made up of stone and steel. Towering pillars that stood higher than the walls, flags of multiple nations and more. The EDF were mighty if not impressive.
OOOOO
The survivors had moved to several different towns and villages. One family had relatives at one of the larger villages who had a pub. The relatives where more than happy to offer them a place to work for the time being. But the pub was closed off to all sunlight and the only light was a fire. As they day passed, they served many until a group of regulars. As they entered, they noticed the new waitress serving people
"Hi miss," one of them said with a smile. "You new here?"
"Yes, I am," she smiled. "Me and my family had to evacuate from our village,"
One of them decided to press for more information. "What was the reason?" he asked. "I've heard that there's an enemy at Alnus, was it because of them?"
The woman thought for a moment. "Well they did say that they were from Alnus, but they were not the ones who forced us to move. As a matter of fact, they helped us to evacuate due to a flame dragon. Which they killed," that last part shocked the everyone who heard what she said.
"They what?" asked the regular with eyes wide. "They killed a flame dragon?"
"Yep, saw it myself," the waitress said proudly.
"You don't expect us to believe you?" another asked.
"It's true," the waitress insisted.
One of them smiled as he thought about a logical solution to this. "Sure, you weren't knocked out and dreamed the whole thing?" he then began to laugh while a group of knights listened in.
Princess Pina was interested but didn't put too much weight to the story.
"What do you think?" her friend asked one of her fellow knights.
"What do I think?" he asked. "I thin that her bar is filthy, the beer is nasty and so is the food,"
"Norma," Grey said looking to him with a warning look. "We are on a secret mission to Aluns hill, and they are talking about a flame dragon,"
"You are too loud," Pina muttered. "Hamilton keep going," she encouraged her friend.
"Right," she said quickly and continued. "This rumour has spread like wildfire. A band of mercenaries in green with strange weapons and armour. While evacuating the residents Coda village, they killed a flame dragon, with a weapon that severed part of its neck. Not one of them was cared, or even feared it. They charged in without hesitation and with their weapons killed it as if it was nothing,"
"There are all kinds of dragons," Norma said. "From ancient dragons and newborns, and winged dragons too,"
"It was a real fire dragon sir," the waitress said as she came over and placed a jug on the table.
"You can't fool me," Norma said raising to the challenge.
"Not only did I see it with my own eyes…" she said pulling something out from her cleavage and held it up for the table to see. "I have a scale from it," that made their faces drop in surprise.
Gray, being the more experienced knight took a hold of it and looked at the scale. Despite never seeing them, he knew that there were differences between the different types of dragons and their scales. The shape, size and colour… there was little doubt in his mind that this was a flame dragon scale.
"Amazing," was all he said before Hamilton spoke up.
"Would you please tell us about the ones in green?" she asked.
The waitress then began to think. "Humm, I'm not sure what to say," she admitted.
"Please," the young knight said offering a gold coin which the waitress took with blinding speed.
"Well then let me tell you a story," she then said with a smile. "When the dragon attacked us that day, they saved us. They had a magic weapon that looked like a great iron clock, rode in mighty, unyielding wagons made of iron with an iron ogre, and all dressed in green like the forest," the knights began to listen.
OOOOO
Itami stood in the commander's office who was going over the paper for the refugees. He sighed in frustration.
"While cahmmahnd hahs expected us to tahke een refugees," he began. "Sahme wahrneeng would hahve been nice!"
Itami just stood that with a nervous smile as the commander went of speaking French while in Hazuma's room Lieutenant Akira walked in with a clipboard in hand.
"Lieutenant General," he said as he walked in. "I've got the reports ready for you,"
Hazuma smiled. "Excellent, did we learn anything?" he asked.
"Well, the translators are still having some trouble with the language but we have made peaceful contact," Akira said handing the clipbord to the general who began to look at it. "Most of them appear to be human, and practice agriculture and forestry. There's more about their manufacturing and trade good in the documents. Every village seems to have an elder, but we have no detailed information about their political structure," he then sighed. "I do hope we can bring a number of them here for talks,"
"Given how our communications are with them, we may need to hold off on that idea until we can understand them better," Hazuma. "They might take it as a sign of even more hostilities,"
Akira nodded at that. "Itami's team has brought in several refuges. And refuges can be explained to anyone. Military or otherwise,"
"Just like back in the war," Hazuma said leaning back in his chair. "That's fine with me," he smiled with the confidence of experience.
After muttering in French for a while, the commander smiled. "Well we hahve gaht sings ready fahr ziss seetuation, but seence you drahpped ziss on us weethout wahrneeng... you ahre going to look ahftair zem ahnd observe zem,"
"What?" the Lieutenant moaned.
After finishing his talk with the commander Itami walked down a hall in a slump with four members of 3rd recon. "Angel, Hertrich are to go and get some extra rations. Mitchel and Tomita, go and requisition some bedding and clothing from supplies. I'll handle the paperwork,"
"Roger," the four said as they continued to walk while Itami sighed in frustration.
OOOOO
A table was set up in a section of the fortress that was still being built. This section was meant for any and all refugees that come in. They were built like small apartment blocks, and since most of the refuges were kids at least three people, who were former teachers, were set up to look after and each the children. One building was done, but the others were still being built due to the area being low priority.
The refugees walked up to the table and were handed open tins of food. One of them tried to touch the tin, but it was hot. He pulled back with shock before one of the soldiers walked up and opened it for him. Inside was rice with both vegetables and meat. He looked up at the solder who smiled and nodded. The kid also smiled and began to eat. It was soo good that he couldn't stop eating. Soon they were all done and night fell over and the fort went to sleep.
The next day after taking a register of the refuges, Leiei and Kato watched the other section of the other half of the section that they were on. The metal ogres that they had where moving and assembling what looked like to be buildings similar to what they stayed in the pervious night. But unlike the green ogre they have seen, these ones seemed to be bulkier and were yellow.
"What are they doing?" Kato asked watching them.
"I think that they are building more houses," Leiei said. "It seems that they are expecting more people to turn up,"
"They are?" he asked looking to his apprentice.
"Yes, I may not understand the language but it does seem that they have experience with refugees," she replied matter of facly.
Kato nodded. "Well I'll get started with getting our books out and into our room," he said before walking off.
Leiei then looked to see Chuka standing watching one of the ogres working. But there was something about her that seemed off about her, almost like she wasn't all there. Curious the young witch walked up to the blond elf.
"Is something wrong?" she asked getting the elfs attention.
"No," the elf said turning to look at one of the ogres. "When my dad learns that he missed seeing something like this, I'm sure he'll be disappointed. I'll have to tell him about it later,"
That last part made Leiei look at the elf with an odd look before two soldiers waring yellow jackets walk up to them.
"It's not safe here, please leave," one of them said.
Leiei nodded and took the elf's hand leading her away and behind a barricade. As she did this, a smell met her nose. It smelled good, so she followed the smell to a tent and where a few of the soldiers where working on pealing some vegetables that she had never seen before. One of the soldiers, who had a white headband, looked at what she was looking at and smiled.
"This is daikon raddish, daikon," he said.
"Daikon," Leiei repeated.
She stayed watching the cooks cook, but keeping a distance away trying not to get in their way. But soon enough the food was ready, and the other refugees were brought back to the table. Unlike the previous night, they were given bowls full of soup and bread to go with it. Itami smiled as he stood before them.
"Please go ahead and eat," he said with the translator doing most of the work.
Kato picked up the bread and took a bite making him yell out in joy. "This is delicious!" he declared. "This bread is amazing! So soft and fluffy!"
"Daikon, bread," Leiei muttered before picking up the odd utensil that most of the EDF troopers used. "Chopsticks," she then placed her hands together in silent prayer with the chopsticks held between her thumbs.
"Aren't you going to eat?" her master asked.
"Some of the EDF do this before they eat," she replied before falling silent for a moment. "Let's eat,"
OOOOO
"Goddamn leaches," General Hazuma yelled as he slammed his fist onto the table.
Everyone turned to look at him then at the paper. "Ahh, shit," one of the others muttered.
The headline was as straightforward as they came. 'Are the EDF responsible for civilian deaths?' it asked.
"How in the hell did they get their hands on this?" he asked as one of his assistants picked up the paper.
"EDF accused of letting 153 people die in the special region," he began to read. "Reports indicate that this is the work of a literal dragon. Why the EDF didn't kill the dragon sooner and prevented this remains a mystery," he shook his head with disappointment. "And it's a loyal EDF paper. Bloody office politics," he muttered with others nodding.
While the EDF was united in every sense of the word, the problem was that even the loyal EDF groups had their own agenda. Fighting for one's species, united the EDF but not the rest of the world. As such different groups had different ideas as to what the EDF should be and do. It ticked the high command off when humans tried to do things that went against the EDF.
"We need to deal with this," Hazuma said looking up. "Any ideas?"
OOOOO several days later.
Itami as fast as he could to one of the newly built recreational areas. He opened the door to one of them with a yell of join before getting his clothes off and jumped into one of them.
"Ahh this is blisss!" he moaned and sank deeper into the water.
After working on the small apartments, the EDF build crews began work on the recreational buildings. The first one on their list and Itami was going to take full advantage of it. The same was said for the female baths as Rory entered with a couple of kids. As they entered her eyes fell on the blond elf, who was only starting to undress.
"Oh, someone's here already?" she asked.
"Err well," Chuka muttered before heavy breathing met their ears.
Turing, they saw a someone in a mask and heavy coat. Two of the kids reacted in fear, but then that someone removed the mask and hood to show Leiei was inside it.
"Was investigating outside, found this," she said. "All sweaty now,"
A few moments later they found themselves in the bath relaxing.
"This feels so good," Rory said as she sank into the water. "I can't believe they'd build a bath in a place like this,"
"I've never had a bath indoor either," Leiei muttered getting the oracles attention.
"You too?" she smiled.
"I was originally part of a nomadic tribe called the Rurudo. So, I've only ever bathed in rivers and streams," she then looked toward Rory. "Do you have an indoor bath Priestess?"
"Call me Rory," she smiled.
"You can call me Leiei," the young witch replied.
"Sure," the priestess smile. "The temple had a luxurious Imperial bath. But as an apostle, I'm fated to wonder throughout the land. So, I'm pleasantly surprised to find a bath like this in the middle no nowhere,"
"Itami said that there would be a bath every day," Leiei said remembering what the EDF soldier was going.
"Itami?" Rory asked with a curious voice before realising who she was talking about. "Oh, the EDF,"
"Is that the man who saved me?" Chuka asked out loud but then looked away in shame. "Um I was wondering if he was the one who saved me when I was lying unconscious in the village well,"
"Yes," the young witch confirmed. "It should have been Itami's squad that saved you,"
"Itami…" the elf muttered.
"You've mostly revered from all that, then?" the priestess asked with an evil smile.
"You lost your family and village a short while ago," Leiei added. "I'd understand for you to be in a state of serious shock,"
"Ever since that day…" Chuka mumbled. "I haven't been able to repay those who helped me. I wonder if it's ok for me to be here,"
"It's fine," Rory spoke up with a smile of understanding. "Most of the people here just lost their families. The same goes for the EDF. When they faced that dragon, I felt rage, loss, and an anger I have never felt. They faced something before, and they see you as one of them," that made the elf smile.
After having a nice bathe, the three got out and began to was the hair of the kids who where in the bath with them. Rory looked to the blue haired witch with a smile.
"Anyway, you've learned a lot about their language, haven't you?" she asked inquisitively.
"Well the one that is being used by the majority of them," she smiled. "There's at least 20 different languages I have noticed, but the one that most of them speak is Japanese. Which is the one I'm studying,"
"20?" Rory asked in surprise. "But I saw 24 flags,"
"Four of those nations have the same language, but different accents," that surprised both the Priestess and elf.
"Nations? So, they are a joint army?" Chuka asked.
"Yes, the Gate opened up into a nation called 'Japan'. There are other nations as well, but it seems that Japan is a member of the EDF, the Earth Defence Force. Earth is what they call their world,"
"Their world?" the elf asked with a curious raise of the brow.
"Yes, there is a whole world out there that we know nothing about. But most of them talk about two things, a war that happened 10 years ago and aggressors. I'm not sure what they are talking about however. But given their voices, and their unconscious actions it seems that the war was more costly than any of them care to admit," Leiei said making the two interested in who the EDF really are.
OOOOO
Princess Pina stood before a door with some hesitation. She had heard about the EDF from the waitress, and if half of what she said was true then her father is in way over his head. She gulped opening the door and walked in. One of the nurses then lead her to one of the rooms. Inside on the bed was the wounded form of King Duran. Her eyes widened as they fell onto his missing arm and leg.
"King Duran," she said with surprise.
"Princess Pina," he replied. "What brings you here?" he asked.
"When I was searching for information about Alnus, I heard that a high-born man was recuperating from his wounds here," she answered.
"Information?" he asked with an odd tone. "You don't know what happened at Alnus?" her reaction told him everything. "You haven't heard anything about what happened? What happened to the allied nation's armies? The Imperial army was defeated before we even fought, yes? The Emperor knew that, and yet he called upon the allied nations armies anyway. We were a potential threat to the empire, so he used the enemy to get rid of us,"
Pina moved up to his side. "I'm aware that the Imperial army was defeated beforehand, but…"
But before she could continue the King continued. "Princess the allied armies fought until the very end. But our true enemy was to our rear,"
"The rear?" she asked.
"Do you not understand? The Empire!" he said. "The Empire was our true enemy!" that shocked the princess.
"Your highness please tell me, what you know about the enemy!" she pleaded moving close to him but he shooed her away.
"If you want to know go to Alnus hill yourself," he said making her look down.
She got up and was about to leave before a thought crossed her mind. "At least tell me one thing," she said getting his attention. "I'm sure you've heard about the mercenaries in green. Is it possible for them to take out a flame dragon?"
"With the weapons they have, yes," he said and with that she left.
Outside Hamilton was finishing readying her horse. Hearing footsteps she turned to see the Princess walking towards them.
"Princess," she muttered. "Please don't tell the knights to charge up Alnus hill,"
"I'm not that stupid," she replied. "Doing so would be suicide. But either way, we need to visit Alnus. Norma, give the order for the main unit to move out,"
"Right," he said before the princess turning to Grey.
"Grey what's up ahead?" she asked.
"Italica lies between here and Alnus hill," he said.
"Italica huh?" she asked.
OOOOO
Looking at his phone, Itami ignored everyone around him as it downloaded something.
"Sweet!" he yelled ignoring Angel and Verona who stood beside him. "They must have finally got the tower up!" he said with joy. "Time to see what's out.
"Ummm," Verona said but the Lieutenant ignored her.
"Oh, wow, I've got to save this…" he muttered. "Crap I almost missed it,"
"Hello," Angel said as she began to curse the otaku.
"Well you never know when a web novel is going to disappear,"
"Lieudenant!" Verona practically yelled.
"Ok, I'm going to check this every day now," that infuriated the idol.
"Squad leader!" Angel yelled.
"Hey Captain they are calling for you!" Itami yelled earning himself a kick from the Jet Angel.
His face slammed onto his desk making him grunt in pain and moan.
"Kyon! If you were there you should have said something!" he said pretending that he didn't hear them.
"I did," she muttered.
"Lieudenant, Chuka's acting schtrange," Verona said with a concerned look.
"Chuka, the elf?" Itami asked.
"Food, clozing, lodging. Arh ! Sche's requests enough for tvo beople. Put sche alvays leaffes zee zecond borzion Hundouched. Arh ! Und zee cloths sche requests are alvays for ein man," Verona said with and analytical tone.
"I have a guess as to why," Itami muttered. "You ask her why?"
"I had Leiei ask," the medic said.
"Even with her Japanese, it's hard to make heads or tails of it," Kyon said with an apologetic tone.
"I effen asked Kato, put he zaid zat sche's ein fery rare tybe, effen among elfs," the medic added.
"So, he really doesn't understand?" Itami asked. "Sounds like PTSD, or at least some form of it,"
Verona nodded she also had that guess as well.
OOOOO
Chuka sat at one of the tables outside of the buildings looking at a pile of washing that she was given. Rory was sitting close to her as well.
"Chuka," the Priestess said breaking the elf's trance. "Something wrong?"
"N…nothing," the elf muttered.
"This is pretty impressive isn't it?" the oracle asked. "The EDF said that this was made for us,"
"Which explains the food and bath," Chuka said. "But this is actually a lot nicer than living in the forest. But…." she tailed off with a thought.
"What's wrong?" Rory asked.
"We'll need to provide for ourselves eventually," she said. "And I don't really know how. If worst comes to the worst, we might have to sell ourselves to the soldiers," at that moment Leiei walked up wearing the mask and heavy coat.
"The outside, seems ok," she said taking them off. "Come with me, I want to show you something,"
She then led the Priestess and elf onto the scarred field over to a pile of winged corpses. She then bent down and picked up a scale.
"Are all these… wyvern corpses?" Rory asked.
"This is where the Empire and allied forces fought the EDF," Leiei explained. "Itami said we can take all the wyvern scales," that shocked the elf.
"What? Wyvern scales sell for a very high price!" she nearly screamed. "And they say we can have them?"
"Itami said that the EDF aren't interested in them. They provide no commercial use except for jewellery," Leiei said. "But they have enough. We won't need to sell ourselves,"
Notes:
Hawk type 3:
The Hawk is a quad rotor aircraft meant for heavy lift transports. The design was based on the Boeing quad rotor and was fast tracked in development. While the first ones had problems the type 2's and 3's had more of a reliable streak and become the main heavy aircraft.
Kuratus Excavator:
During the Kuratus trials, one of them that was used was known as the Kuratus bear. This variation was made with heavy armour, structure, servos and more. But this made it heavier and more impractical for combat. However, this made it perfect for industrial use. After an exchange of equipment and a paint change the Kuratus Excavator was rolled out for both military and industrial use.