"Tunnel strike group reports 80% destruction of the enemy forces, commanders," Reported one of the many comms techs manning the HQ tent, "PKP believes the remaining are no factor."
"Good, inform them to proceed with placing charges and begin wrapping up," Matt answered the tech with a nod.
Beside him at the main holo table, Commander Gentiane let out an exhausted sigh, "Oh thank god it's almost over."
Gentiane had done well, by Matt's reckoning. Though initially startled by the sudden loss of communications with their forces, she'd not panicked and had been quick to recover once their comms were restored. Still…
"We are far from done, Commander Gentiane," the ever cheery Jasinski grunted.
"True," Matt added, "any word from the geothermal teams?"
Gentiane quickly checked her logs, "Yes, they've reported the SF lines are buckling and have begun entering the facility itself. We'll likely be hearing from them again shortly."
Matt clapped his hands together, "good, once Heartbreak one has recovered Roseglass, lets have Aloha start flying support for them."
"Okay, yeah," Gentiane nodded.
"Mmmm," Jasinski grunted with a curt nod, "Your dolls are efficient Reyes."
He couldn't help but grin at the compliment, which coming from the old Pole was about the highest he could receive, "they're well trained, thanks to my adjutant."
"RS9?" Gentiane asked.
"Indeed."
"She encourages too much independence however, effective though it has proven so far, it may lead to problems later," Jasinski added, stroking his bearded chin, "take caution Mr. Reyes."
"If they were any more dependant on us, today would've ended far different Luboslaw."
"Perhaps," the pole grunted in reply.
Across the room, another of the comms techs cleared her throat before speaking, "Commanders, report from Piorun two, as follows: ' spotted SF marked freight train arriving from the northwest along the main line, approximate ETA is twenty minutes.' "
"Reinforcements?" Gentiane groaned, "Great."
"Wrapping up will take at least a few hours," Matt grumbled, before looking over at the first comms tech, "Contact PKP with the following: Orders are to immediately destroy the northwestern rail tunnel with any and all means necessary."
"Yessir," the man replied.
"That will only delay them," Jasinski grunted, "the terrain in that direction is not so harsh, those forces could still arrive within the hour."
"Should we start pulling out then?" Gentiane wondered.
Matt nodded with a sour expression, "We're in no shape for another fight, let's start pulling back while we can still claim a win here."
When their trucks rolled up on the old theater, Rs was surprised to see Griffin dolls milling around with seemingly little concern or caution. A few manned positions in the theater windows, others near the doors, but most were seated chatting on the steps out front or gathered in a circle around Intruder's corpse.
"We're here," Groza chimed from the driver's seat of the JLTV.
"Thanks for the pickup Groza," Rs said as she popped her door and dismounted.
"My pleasure," the doll answered.
Behind her the dolls of sixth Echelon, Team Groza, and Anti-Rain similarly dismounted and began trotting over towards the theater, with the notable exception of the drivers of each truck who instead wheeled their vehicles around to park in line with the rest of their vehicles.
Ahead, one of the dolls gathered around the dead SF ringleader peeled off from the group and moved over to meet her.
"Rs, good to see you."
"Likewise Famas," Rs greeted the blonde doll, "this area is secure?"
Famas nodded, "No contact for the last ten minutes, HQ claims there's nothing in the area."
Rs approvingly puts a hand on her shoulder, "Good work, for now, get everyone ready to start wrapping up, but stay alert."
"Wilco," Famas said simply, before casting a quick glance over RS' shoulder, "Is that… M16?"
Glancing back, Rs finds the AR-team slowly walking over towards them, each chatting away with each other, save a grumpy looking Star.
"Yep, we found her on the way back. Want me to introduce you?"
"I-" Famas began, before changing her mind and turning away, "I'll get to it."
"Right."
Rs let her go, and turned to face the T-dolls coming up behind her.
"Was that…" M16 commented first, looking past Rs.
"Indeed, her name is Famas," Groza commented, "She's finally gotten out."
"Huh," 16 grunted, "good for her."
Star glanced around her sisters to look at the two of them, "You two know her?"
"Mhmm," 16 hummed before looking at Rs, "so, Rs9, what's the plan?"
Rs flicked her head over her shoulder, "Let's get in doors. Prefer to keep M4 here out of sight until we can evac."
M16 nodded, "sounds good, les' go."
With that, she led them into the theater, stepping past the dead intruder with little more than a glance from each of them. Rs trailed along, watching the four of them interact alongside Groza and Tokarev, the two of them smiling as the four siblings began to descend into what all siblings inevitably do: bickering.
It started with Star.
"Sop, stop hanging on me," she grunted, trying to shake off her sister who was clinging to her arm
"No!" Sop barked," squeezing her tighter.
"Urgh, Stop it."
"NO!"
"Sop, let her go," 16 chimed.
"Noooooo!" Sop cried, peeling off of Star, before whirling around to then cling onto M4 just as they were passing into the theater.
"Tch, one to the next," Star growled.
"Be nice Star," M4 chided her, rubbing Sop's head.
"Don't call me that."
"No thank you, I quite like that name for you," M4 smiled.
"I- eh?" Star stammered.
"Oooohhhh, Star?" Sop squeaked, looking at Star with stars in her eyes, "Ca-can I call you that?"
"Absolutely not."
"Star huh?" 16 pondered, "I like it."
"Not you too… gah, why do I bother," Star stomped away, heading into the next room.
Following Star, they found themselves in the theater's main room, filled with rows and rows of dilapidated chairs with an empty stage at the far end.
"Alright, we'll settle in here until we get to evac," Rs announced, unstrapping her rifle and backpack before settling into one of the nicer looking seats.
Behind them, Groza and Tokarev began picking up a discussion and wandering around the room, while Sop started running around the outer ring of the room and investigating various nooks and crannies.
"Oof," 16 grunted as she collapsed into a seat near Rs, "Hey these aren't bad."
Star, arms crossed, began storming off after Sop, "Hey! Don't poke into there!"
"Bleeeh!" Sop shot a raspberry back.
Just as she did, Sop tripped on some unseen object and toppled right over, immediately Star and M4 began rushing over towards her.
"Are you alright?" M4 asked her as she helped Sop up.
"Y-yes."
"I told you idiot," Star growled.
Sop whimpered a little, and M4 pulled her into a hug. As she did, Rs was suddenly reminded of something rather important, and began rummaging in her backpack. She pulled out three small cloth items, tow beanie hats and a bundled up scarf. She pulled the pure black beanie over her head, before glancing over at M4 and Sop.
"Yo, kiddo!" Rs shouted.
As soon as M4 turned around, Rs tossed the two objects her way.
"Huh… oh!" M4 exclaimed, holding up the hat and scarf she'd gotten in Chernivtsi just days earlier.
"I guess we'll have to go back for more, now that we found 16 and 15 huh?" she shouted, grinning.
M4 nodded vigorously, slipping her black and green beenie before turning around and presenting her gift to Sop.
Sop, as soon as she took hold and realized that it was for her, began bouncing around excitedly before wrapping herself in the scarf. For just a moment, Rs could've sworn a flash of jealousy flash in Star's eyes.
"When'd you get those?" M16 chuckled.
"We took a trip to Chernivtsi, looking for Sop," she met 16's eyes, "figured we'd get her something as a warming gift."
"Huh, and you brought them here?"
Rs shrugged, "I was hopeful I suppose, and I figured M4 should be the one to present it."
"Uh, 16, Rs, we're gonna go up stairs, Sop wants to explore more!" M4 called from across the room with a wave.
Rs and 16 both offered thumbs up, and with that M4 scampered off to the eagerly awaiting Sop and a not so eager Star.
"Pfft, those kids."
"Haha, yeah they're a lot," 16 chuckled.
"Quite the handful," she shook her head.
16 grinned, leaning back in her seat and fishing out a hip flask form somewhere in her tattered jacket.
"So, who are you?" she asked casually, taking a sip at the end of the statement before eyeing Rs with a sly look.
Rs' eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, what's your name?"
She was, at that moment, now keenly aware that 16's hand had never left her gun. It'd been loosely gripping it since she'd sat down, not overtly threatening but still very much an indicator.
Rs leaned back, "I told you earlier, didn't I?"
16 flashed a sly, knowing grin, "You know what I mean, please, spare me. You ain't a doll, so 'RS9' ain't your name."
16 had chosen the moment well. There were no other dolls nearby all out at their stations or 'exploring'. The AR-team had been among the last to leave, Groza and Toka having wandered off somewhere out of sight even earlier..
"Heh, and here I thought I was being subtle."
"Eh, you weren't too bad, I just got lucky."
"How so?"
"Felt your pulse when we shook hands, heart was pounding enough for me to feel it through your palm. I guess you were still a bit too excited."
"Ah," Rs chuckled, "dammit."
16 shrugged, "happens to the best of us."
"Doubt it."
"True," 16 chuckled, "so?"
"Klein, Johanna Klein."
16's face lost something when she said her name. Her hand gripping the rifle beside her just a little tighter.
"Hauptfeldwebel Klein, 1st GJK?"
"Ja, the same. Problem?"
"You could say that. Aren't you dead?"
"Seems not."
"I guess so. Who knows about you?"
"Commander Reyes, Kruyger, and a couple others at my base."
"Persica?"
"She's unaware. If you looked in my file, I imagine you know why."
M16 nodded slowly, "I do, it's the reason I even bothered looking into it."
"She ever talk about that day?"
16 pursed her lips for a moment before answering, "once… she said it was the most terrified she's ever been."
"I imagine," Rs replied grimly, leaning back into her chair, "so you got curious and read up on it then?"
"Yeah."
"How'd you have access to those files? Were they declassified?"
"Through my previous contractor."
"Statesec…"
"Yup."
They went quiet, each sizing each other up. Rs could still feel the threatening aura coming off the doll, decades of experience and instinct warning her of the danger she was in. She wanted mainly to diffuse the situation, just get away from the doll before deciding what to do next.
Yet 16 was the one to break the quiet first.
"So… why are you here?"
Rs shrugged, "It's a job."
"That's all?"
"I don't have many places I can go in the world, and even fewer I want to go to. Here though, I figure I might just do some good, right some wrongs."
"Is that why you risked so much for M4?"
Rs chuckled, "Partially, but she's a good kid so I like to think I'd help out regardless of my history with her creator."
"For a doll? A weapon?"
"We weapons need to stick together."
M16 raised a curious eyebrow at that last statement, probably wondering just what she meant by that.
In the distance, there was a series of concussive explosions, the first signs in a little while that this was still a combat zone. RS couldn't help but glance out the window to watch the distant smoke plumes rolling up into the sky. Over the net the relevant teams reported that the rail tunnels and geothermal plants had been destroyed.
"All units, mission complete. Due to a detected incoming reinforcement wave we will be skipping most of our planned wrapping up operations. Those with critical taskings, standby, all others report to designated extraction zones immediately," reported Matt on the general comms network.
16 stood, "Well I guess that's that."
RS raised an eyebrow, "So I just have to trust you then?"
"Nope, I don't think you will," she answered, walking off.
"The hell's that mean?" Rs said, rising to her feet.
16 glanced back, her eye cold, "you're gonna cover your ass. "
Rs glared at her, a look 16 matched back to her.
"Speak plainly M16," Rs growled, "what are you saying?"
"Well, Sergeant, What I'm saying is that you're gonna do what every other human with something to hide does to dolls. Maybe you like to relate with us, pretend we're people, but at the end of the day you're still human."
Rs' eye twitched.
"Your point?"
16 shrugged and turned away once more, "No point, I guess. Just an observation."
Rs didn't have a retort, instead she simply watched the doll stroll out of sight, before finally letting her breath go.
Rs stepped off her ride home, the rotors still turning above her head as she got clear. Behind her the remaining members of the AR-team hopped off in sequence.
She trudged across the pad towards the door ahead, illuminated only by a single white light above the entrance. The wind blew a biting cold across her face, even cutting in through her jacket.
It was quiet, save the whistling wind and beating Helicopter blades.
Entering was a sharp contrast.
Dozens of dolls were packed into the entry room just beyond, wall to wall with gear on their bodies and battle damage scarring nearly every one of them.
Yet they were all cheering, celebrating and gathered around the center of the room.
At the heart of the crowd, Rs spied four familiar dolls.
Third Echelon, Roseglass, was currently being barraged with cheers, congratulations, and hugs from all sides. In particular, Tec-9, down one leg and looking quite overwhelmed, was held aloft on M14's shoulders as the rest of the crowd regaled her with chanted cheers.
"TEC-9 TEC-9 TEC-9!" they shouted in near unison.
"Who is that?" M4 asked, leaning over Rs' shoulder.
"New girl, I found her just after we got ambushed."
"Why are they cheering her name?"
Rs grinned, "She's the one that undid the jamming today."
"Oh, Wow."
"RS! You bitch!" a familiar voice screeched from behind her, cutting through the crowd's excitement.
Rs wheeled around just in time for a pink haired Italian doll to slam into her.
"Wha-? Cano!?" she yelped, overcoming her initial shock before the excitement overcame her.
"Siii~! Miss me!?"
Rs wrapped her tightly in her arms, feeling the dull rumbling of the doll's cooling system as she pressed against her. Suddenly nothing else really mattered that much.
"Miss… Carcano…?" M4 asked, walking up to them tentatively.
"Hey M4! How are you?"
M4 rushed them, joining in on the hug, "I'm sorry…"
"Wha- huh?" Cano exclaimed.
"Yeah," Rs said, her tone dropping, "me too."
Images of Cano's lifeless body replayed in her head as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"What are you two on about?" Cano asked, looking between the two of them, "I'm the one that died."
That didn't improve either of their moods, but did convince them to let her go, Cano in turn releasing Rs from her grip.
Rs met her gaze, "You okay?"
"Mhmmm~!" she grinned, "100%!"
"Do you… remember anything from…" M4 began.
Cano paused, then shook her head, "just until a little after we departed, I guess. Singing in the car?"
Rs reached into her pack, and withdrew a black lump of soft cloth which she held out to Cano, "I- you owe me a favor."
Cano took the item with a confused look, "huh?"
"Me as well," M4 added, adding her own.
"I'll give you the details in a little bit."
"Do you… want me to modify these?" she asked, cocking her head, "Where did you get these?"
"Embroidery," Rs and M4 said in near unison.
Cano stared at the pair of them, obviously lost, "al-right… sure. Send me the designs and I'll get on it."
"Thanks."
"Thank you."
Around them, most of the dolls had quieted down. Increasingly they were staring at the three of them, Rs just now beginning to realize it.
Rs took a step away from Cano and M4, turning to the crowd with a smile while puffing up her chest.
"Alright!" she shouted over the crowd, "Tec-9, Roseglass. From what I hear you're the heroes of the day. However, you all did a damn good job."
She smiled, letting the dolls soak in her words before continuing, "now go stow your gear, get checked up by Damek, and get some food and rest. We're back to business as usual tomorrow."
There was a chorus of affirmatives, followed shortly by the crowd quickly descending into a hundred voices as the dolls began to mill out.
"Not a bad speech," M16 commented, coming to stand beside Rs.
"I've had a lot of practice," she muttered, "Usually on worse days than this."
"Mmmm," she nodded, "Yeah, I'll bet."
"I see."
Rs stared into Matt's cold eyes, trying to discern whatever emotions her boss might've been feeling at that moment as she finished her report.
"Well, I must say I'm a little disappointed that this happened, however we both know that this was bound to happen eventually."
"Yessir."
Matt sighed, "luckily this is a better time than most to handle it. As a part of post operations maintenance we'll be running Level III diagnostics on all the dolls who were involved, to make sure the SF's EW didn't cause any damage."
"So we'll be wiping her then?" Rs asked, already certain she knew the answer.
"And the rest of Anti-Rain, and Team Groza just to be safe, though I'll have to find some excuse to give Luboslaw as to why. Any other doll's you think might reasonably have come into contact with M16 without us knowing should be added to the list."
Rs bit her cheek, and nodded, "Understood sir. I can't think of any others, save perhaps Famas."
"Okay, her too. Now if I recall correctly, you mentioned once that most doll's have personal data lifeboats correct?"
She nodded.
"Find out if any of the designated dolls possess one, confiscate and scan it. If its clean, return it, otherwise wipe it."
"Even if it contains other data?"
Matt nodded, "Even then."
"Wilco, sir," she said, keeping her face as blank as she could.
"Chin up Klein," he said, "We're doing this to keep you safe. I like Anti-rain, but I just got word that they won't be stationed here for much longer. Even if they'd never intentionally compromise you, we can't keep a close enough eye on them to ensure one of them doesn't slip up in front of the wrong person."
She nodded, "they won't be staying?"
"No, they'll be here for the week, perhaps a little longer depending on how their repairs go. After that, Kruyger's got new taskings for them in other areas."
"I see…" she mumbled, "that sucks."
Matt smiled, a strained, weary grin, but one she felt was genuine.
"It does, those four are quite a colorful bunch, aren't they?" he leaned back in his chair, "Anti-rain is going under in an hour, I'll inform Damek, you get started on looking for those lifeboats."
"Yessir," Rs nodded, turning on her heel, and left.
Finding the lifeboats ultimately proved pretty easy. As Anti-Rain had until very recently been traveling light, they didn't have much in the way of personal items. M16 especially, seeing as how she'd only just arrived on the base and hadn't had time to do more than lay her gear on her bunk.
A torn and ripped jacket, a large, metal, oversized case of some kind which Rs couldn't fully open, but didn't hold more than a half empty bottle of Jack in the largest compartment, a phone which she pocketed, and in her jacket pocket, the lifeboat.
Similarly M4's was in her desk drawer, and was the only item inside. Star's was in a bag, and Sops was in her hoodie pocket. All found easily enough, along with all their phones and anything else that might carry files.
Rs quickly got the devices down to the Den, where Damek was currently pouring over his screens with Anti-rain and a couple other dolls plugged in and unconscious on the repair beds.
"Anything?" she asked on entering.
"Just M16 so far," he grunted, "Starting from when you two made contact to the evac order, she hasn't told anyone."
"Any chance she could've deleted the memory of it?"
He gestured to the rest of Anti-Rain, "that's why boss is having us do them all."
"Mmm," she mumbled, snagging another chair and sitting beside him, then revealing her trove of devices, "this is everything."
"Okay," he pointed to one of the computers in front of her, "Plug them in there, and open them with the program 'memsearch'"
Rs did as instructed, plugging each lifeboat and phone into the computer, locating the program Damek mentioned, and using it on each device in sequence.
As she did, loading bars labeled as 'scanning' appeared with a percentage beside them.
"What's it doing?" She asked.
"Looking for any mention of you, your name, or anything else I could think of that might correspond to you."
"Huh, did you make this?"
"Mhmm, boss had me come up with solutions if this kind of thing were ever to happen. This was the best I could come up with."
"I'm sure it'll be enough," she said, then glancing at the screen as a little chime indicated that the first of the scans had completed, "hey, what now?"
"Uh, if there are any hits they'll be displayed for review."
The first finish was Star's pod, which had exactly one hit. Reasons for flagging a file were listed to the side, in thai case due to the file having been added with some specified time window.
"Hmmm? Oh she added this two days ago, that's why it was a hit," Damek commented, looking over her shoulder, "it's probably nothing, but just open it to be sure."
The file was small, just a text document that listed a few sets of coordinates, and a pair of names that Rs didn't recognize. Searching the coords brought the town that Star's assignment two days ago had sent her to.
"Clear, what now?"
"Hit 'ignore' and move on."
Rs complied, moving on. Sop's lifeboat was next finished, containing two hits, which Rs chuckled on seeing. Chocolate pancakes and when M4 first found her back at Chernivtsi, Rs was present in both so that was why they were flagged.
After that were Star and Sop's phones, neither of which flagged anything, as was the case with 16 and M4's phones.
M4's pod followed shortly, with four flagged files. One was her reunion with Star, Sop, and 16 just earlier today, two more finding Sop and Star separately each time. Earlier than that though, was her memory of Chernivtsi in one long file. Rs found it odd that she'd choose to save that one, however it wasn't just video. There were numerous notes, pertaining to her and Cano, as they trekked through the city, and a lot of her personal thoughts. It was like watching a diary.
Observations, questions, and little reminders that Rs felt began to verge on the overly personal. She quickly skimmed the rest of the file, trying to forget anything not relevant while searching.
She closed it once done, feeling a little guilty that she was prying into memories that were proving to be so personal.
Last up was 16's pod, which she found to be stuck mid scan.
"Dam," she said, ushering the engineer over.
"Huh," he said after staring at it for a moment, "I wonder…"
Damek pushed her out of the way as he took over the computer. After a few moments whatever the hell he was doing, Damek glanced her way with a puzzled look.
"It's encrypted, partially at least."
Rs frowned, "why?"
"Could be a few reasons, let's see if I can get in."
Damek opened another couple programs and began running them, and within a couple minutes he turned back around and announced that 'they were in'.
"Lets run this again real quick," he said, once more starting the scan.
Within a couple minutes it was done, with eight flags raised.
Rs' stomach turned over at the news, however when they started reviewing the files, her mood shifted.
"These are…"
"The same files as on the other pods…" he pondered, "all added earlier today."
"Why encrypt these?"
Damek pursed his lips for a moment as he thought, "maybe… stability? The encryption method she used would improve file stability for some file types. Perhaps she's acting like a cold storage for the others."
Rs glanced at the still slumbering M16 in the other room, "A big sister protecting her siblings treasured memories…"
"Something like that."
"So it's all theirs then? Nothing from her?"
"Eh, this one isn't," he said, pulling up one of the files, "Though I don't think it's relevant either."
It was a memory of M16's from when she first found Sopmod in the alley to linking up with RS, Star and M4.
Rs was left without words as the memory finished replaying.
"That's it," Damek said, rolling back over towards his computer, "and there's nothing on the rest of Anti-Rain about you, just her. Also no memories or files indicating she spoke with another doll about you either."
"Huh," Rs sighed, "Well… I guess I ought to put all these back."
"Yeah," Damek nodded, "I guess we got lucky this time."
It was about O-one hundred hours when Rs stumbled in through the dorm's entrance, greeted on the other side by a dark living room and quietly humming climate control.
Carefully, and as quietly as she could manage, she snuck across the room towards her bedroom, mindful of the furniture and bits of gear the dolls had stripped off on their way to a well deserved rest.
She turned the knob to her door, carefully applying a bit of upward pressure on the hinges to keep them from squeaking before slipping in.
"You're late," Cano commented immediately on her entry.
Rs flicked on the light, finding the pink haired doll peering down at her from the top bunk.
"Busy night," she grunted, begging to strip off her outerwear and toss it onto her desk chair, "lost track of time."
"Of course you did," Cano sighed, "You alright?"
Rs shrugged, "yeah."
Suddenly Cano's arms were around her, the doll pessing her forehead against the back of her skull, "no, you're not."
"Cano..."
"Shhh, shush you stupid woman."
Rs obediently shut up, letting the doll slowly loosen her grip and turn her around to face her.
"So, what's going on?"
Rs pursed her lips, "M16 figured me out."
Cano raised an eyebrow, "how do you know?"
"She confronted me back at the theater, and was basically interrogating me."
"Pfft," Cano chuckles, turning away as she tries to hold back a chuckle.
"What?"
"You-? She interrogated you? What did she get out of you?"
Rs looked away, "name, purpose. She already researched me apparently."
"Why?"
"It's a- long story."
Cano took a couple steps back, then sat down on Rs' bed and patted the mattress beside her, "do you have somewhere to be?"
Rs stared at her, "really?"
"Really."
Rolling her eyes, she sat beside the doll.
"So, why did she research you?"
"Because… of a mission I was on once."
"Recently?"
She shook her head, "no, long time ago. During the war."
"What was the mission?"
"It was a hit on East Germany's top doll expert."
"Doll expert…" Cano's eyes widened, "Miss Persica?!"
"Yeah."
Cano nodded with a slight nervous shudder, "Well, then it makes sense she'd have looked into you then."
"Yeah, I know. It wasn't personal or anything, I was just on the job…"
Cano nodded, understanding, "So how did it go? I assume you failed."
Rs chuckled, "Barely. The old man pulled off a miracle and got her and his team out from under our noses. We thought we had them cut off, but when we made our final push they were gone."
"Mr Kruyger was there?"
"Mhmm."
"How did he get away?"
"Never occurred to me to ask, I should bring it up next time I see him."
Cano chuckled.
"What?" she asked, trying not to join her.
"Is that what this is all about? It was inevitable, you know."
Rs' head hung, "yeah, I know. But that's not it. I talked with the commander, and he recommended a selective wipe, and her lifeboat."
"Mmm," Cano nodded, her jovial mood fading.
"Yeah. we went through with it, on the whole Ar-team just in case."
"And?"
"She… didn't tell anyone. She even had her lifeboat on her, but there was nothing relevant in it."
"Well then you can trust her can't you?" Cano asked, cocking her head, "If she finds out again you won't have to worry."
"I suppose."
Cano punched her shoulder lightly, "You worry too much."
"Yeah," Rs grumbled.
She went quiet again, struggling to find the right words.
"So… what was all that embroidery stuff about?" Cano asked, filling the void.
"Oh, right. I forgot to get you the designs."
"Mhmm, but… why?"
"Cus," Rs shrugged, "I promised you I'd let you."
The doll gave her a quizzical look, "And M4…?"
"She feels guilty you died as much, if not more than me. We know you enjoy this kind of thing."
"Oh I see," she chuckled, "you dorks."
"Guilty," RS offered a tired hand raised.
A thought struck her, and her hand went for the underbed dresser by her feet. It slipped in, and felt almost immediately a carefully wrapped package she'd hidden within.
"Here," she mumbled, handing it to Cano.
"Okay…" she said, carefully unwrapping it to reveal her scarf, "Is this mine?"
"You got it the same place we got our stuff."
"I see…" she said, holding it up to the light. There was a tear about halfway down, the result of stray glass ripping through the fabric. Cano stuck a finger through carefully, examining the break, "thank you."
"Of course."
The pair of them sat there for a while, Cano ribbing Rs and trying to cheer her up. To some success as it turned out, by around 2 she was smiling with eyelids that were just barely keeping themselves open.
"Well," Cano said, standing and having noticed her fading state, "Shall we?"
"Ja," she nodded.
Rs got through her evening routine with a tired haste, Cano right beside making idle chatter while she brushed her teeth, tied up her hair, and got into her evening wear. Once she was all done they each climbed into their bunks, Rs watching the doll clamber up to her bed before she turned out the lights.
"Hey RS?" Cano asked after about ten seconds of quiet.
"Hmmmm?" she replied, her brain rapidly shutting down as she nestled into her warm sheets.
"What's your name?"
"Huh?"
"You told 16 but not me," Cano pouted softly, "What's your name?"
"Ugh," Rs groaned, any resistance she might've put up to the question long since exhausted, "Johanna."
There was another quiet moment, though this time she wasn't lured into almost falling asleep as she patiently waited. Eventually, she was just able to make out soft giggling.
"What?"
"Y-you… you called yourself 'J' when we first met. That was just the first letter of your name?"
"I-"
"Ahahahaaa!" Cano giggled uncontrollably, "I was expecting that to be a whole other story I'd have to drag out of you… but it was that simple!?"
"Haaah," Rs sighed, "Yes, it is."
"Pffffft."
"Gute Nacht," Rs grumbled, turning over.
"Hey… Johanna?"
"Urghh, what?"
"Can I call you that?"
"Can I call you Carcano Modello 1891?"
"Ew… oh, I see."
"Rs is fine."
"Jo… Joha? Hrmm, in English it'd be a hard J right? Jo Jo?" Cano pondered, ignoring her.
Rs sighed, "I've been called both. If you must, do so only in private, please."
"Or what, you'll wipe my memory too?" she smarmed.
"Cano!" she growled.
"Sorry, sorry, sensitive. You wouldn't do that to me anyway, I assume."
"Urmph," she grunted in vague agreement.
"Good, good…G'night, Joha," she mumbled, with a slight, giddy rise as Cano said the name.
"Night Cano."
Notes:
Lotsa notes this time, so buckle up.
This chapter is the end of Arc 1 of Lost Time, and the end of the first big writing project I've ever undertaken. I haven't written, much less published anything before this fic, and as those familiar with its early quality (and some parts of still posted chapters), it shows. However, I like to think I've improved a bit since then, and I've for sure learned to love this hobby way, way more than I used to.
This chapter is, as you just read, not about combat. Instead it focuses on Rs being thrust into a situation she can't just shoot her way out of. Despite how she often acts, she is still human.
There's something weirdly special about Girls' Frontline, besides the ridiculous art (*cough cough Kar Cough*), insane story, and endless retconns. It captured my imagination like very little else has, obviously enough to get me to publish this story.
As for this story, well, there's a lot left to tell. Originally this was going to end around Polarized Light, however I'm currently debating cutting it off earlier and transitioning into GFL 2 when that comes out. Either way though this current storyline is heading at least as far as CT, and possibly a bit beyond. We'll see though, life may get in the way.
And then there's all of you. Y'all nuts, really. I was expecting maaaybe one other person to ever read this, yet here we are with 2848 hits and 35 Kudos on AO3 and 6,383 views and 38 followers on FFN. You lot have gotten me up, off my ass and back into this thing at my lowest points of motivation with just a simple ' so and so read and left Kudos on your story' notification. I keep them all. Really. I love reading each comment, And I love talking with y'all on the fanfic Hub discord (which I lurk on daily, come say hi if you're not on! /x64QNwXw )
So, thank you for reading, and please stay tuned for the next installment of Lost Time
PS: please forgive me if that all came off as a bit corny, I'm a nerd.