"" Dialogue
'' Thoughts

Disclaimer: I do not own "Strike Witches", so this is just a fan made.

Chapter 18: About Medicine

(or about heartrate)

The next day

The sun had already made its way to Munich and after being done with the breakfast, the whole group was sitting again in the meeting hall, and not long after, both commanders made their way to the podium.

"I hope everyone rested well for today's sortie." Mio stated staring the whole group with serious gaze, as she usually had. "Lieutenant Yeager, Pilot Officer Lucchini, Pilot Officer Hattori, prepare yourselves."

The three Witches stood from their places, "yes, ma'am." They said in unison, in attention.

"Mio will inform you of your objectives." Minna added, and so the three Witches followed Mio. "The rest of you are free to continue with your daily activities. You're dismissed."

And so, the rest of the group stood up from their places, and Yoshika as well, reluctantly. Noticing that, Lynette waited for her, halfway between her sit and the door. Minna on the other hand, stayed watching the two Witches as the rest of the group had already left the meeting hall.

"Lynne, please come to the office for a minute." Minna said, drawing both Witches' attention.

"Yes, ma'am," Lynette said as serious as she could yet now, she had a worried expression on her face. Yoshika, was at her side, accompanying her, holding her hand.

"Yoshika, please, it's a private reunion, I don't want you to overhear what I'm going to talk with Lynne." Minna stated now heading to the duo of Witches. "Don't worry, it doesn't have to do anything with your punishment."

"I understand." Yoshika nodded in agreement. "I'll be in my room studying for a bit, to keep my mind occupied." She added, yet she headed to the opposite direction of her room. Minna just sighed, noticing that and she continued walking with a now troubled Lynette besides her.

Not long after, both Witches made their way to the office and Minna headed to her usual place while Lynette stayed in front of the desk.

"Please take a sit," Minna said. "Well, you may now have an idea what I called you here."

"It's about Yoshika." Lynette said, now sitting.

Minna then crossed her hands. "I know you may have reflected in what happened by now."

"I… have." Lynette said.

"But as I told Yoshika, I didn't call you for that." Minna commented, serving herself a glass of water. "You know she's having health issues and I'm sure she'd have told you by now that I would take her to a Witches hospital."

"She told me."

"And as you know the medic is not entirely sure what is happening to her other than she has an erratic heartrate." Minna said, as Lynette nodded in agreement, still worried, yet now she had a pensive expression. "Therefore, it would be better to gather as much information as possible so that the medics could give us a defined diagnostic of whatever her condition is." She took a deep breath. "It of course be better if I took her to the infirmary to monitor her, frequently, but I've seen how stressed she is when she's there and it'd be even more stressful for her to be there every single day, numerous times a day."

"I understand." Lynette said, with a bit more of resolve.

"What I am requesting you to do, as a special favor, is to measure her pulse." Minna stated. "Since you're the person Yoshika spends the most time with, it should not be too difficult to fulfill this request."

Lynette leaned up a little to the desk. "I'd do anything for Yoshika, but- but I don't really know how."

"I'm aware of that. The medic will teach you how to do it properly and I've already spoken with Perrine so that she could be your test subject." Minna made a pause. "I know Yoshika is an early bird but try to measure her just when she climbs down from her bunk, if possible."

"I'll- I'll try to wake up before she does," Lynette said, a bit red-faced, now playing with her fingers.

Noticing Lynette's reaction, Minna kept her glance fixed on her for a few seconds, expecting something else. "Is there something I need to know, Lynette?"

"No- nothing." Lynette said, trying to keep a hold of herself.

"Well, I hope it's the truth." Minna said, still wondering what was going with Lynette. "And also measure her after she's done with her usual warm-up session."

"I can do that." Lynette added, as her redness started to fade away.

"I know you can, but Lynette, don't lie to me, if we really want to help Yoshika, you must report whatever you find, whether it's good or bad." Minna said with now staring the blue-eyed Witch deeply in her eyes. "I know how deeply you care and how… fondly you are of her and lying to me, would not help her at all and could make things worse for her."

"I will not Group Captain," Lynette eagerly said. "The only thing that I Yoshika's healthy again so that… she can be happy as always."

Meanwhile, in the hangar

The three Witches were already equipping their Striker Units, carrying their respective guns. Their former commander at their side.

"…are we clear Lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am,"

"You're clear to take-off, then" Mio added, and thus three magic circles appeared as the engines started to rev, and soon after, they flew into the Karlsland's sunny sky. Mio stayed there, watching how smaller they became until they could no longer be seen, then she unexpectedly turned around.

"Have faith in your comrades, Miyafuji." Mio loudly said, making Yoshika show herself slowly, near the hangar's door.

"I have, I just wanted to them see depart." Yoshika said, with a worried expression. "I'll be in my room studying." She added, leaving a dubious Mio behind.

In the sky

Munich had already been left behind and the three Witches were now flying over the not-so-leafy, orangish and brownish forest. They were in V formation, with Charlotte in the front, leading them as she was instructed to, Francesca at her right side and Shizuka at her left side.

"Lieutenant Yeager, I know it may be bit early, but have you got an idea what's wrong with Yoshika's strikers?" Shizuka asked her.

"Is something wrong with Yoshika's strikers?" Francesca questioned her loudly.

"They not only suck up magic power like there's no tomorrow but also oil as well."

"That oil thing can be pretty bad," Francesca said, "kinda like it was with your rapid."

"Don't mention it," she retorted.

"I'm not very knowledgeable of engines' operation but what could be the worst thing that could happen?" Shizuka said with a questioning tone.

"Death!" Charlotte firmly stated.

"What!?" Shizuka exclaimed now visible worried.

"Death of the engine of course," she said, "it'd get stuck, and it'd destroy itself."

"And what could happen with Yoshika?"

"I've never heard of something like that happening with a Striker but in worst case scenario, with no engine, she'd fall." Charlotte stated, making Shizuka stare her from her side with now a frightened expression.

"Don't look me like that, we just need to find how much oil it uses but I think it'd use a lot if Minna is asking me to check it."

"How the heck Yoshika made it home then?" Francesca commented.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that!" Charlotte rubbed her chin. "But it should have become worse since then." Charlotte squinted her eyes. "There's the city, let's get this over with."

Meanwhile, in the base.

After clearing her mind for a quite a bit, outside Minna's office and noticing that Yoshika was indeed, not there, overhearing them. Lynette slowly made her way to the infirmary, and as Minna told her, Perrine was there, speaking with the medic, sat in front of her desk, still she headed to them.

"Sorry for my intrusion, but Group Captain Wilcke asked to come here." Lynette said a bit nervously, playing with her hands.

"We were waiting for you, Lynette," the medic stated with a polite tone. "Let us begin with your medical training." The medic added as she gave a quick look at Lynette's hands from her desk. "It seems you don't wear a Watch." She opened the drawer next to her and took off a smallish bag. "Here, I have a spare, it's a pocket watch."

"Thanks, I'll take care of it." Lynette said as she began inspecting it. Perrine on the other hand, was already sitting on the gurney.

"Put the tip of your middle and index finger on her wrist." The medic said as she went to their side, and Lynette did so, while checking the watch with her other hand.

After two minutes, Lynette took off her fingers from her. "I can barely feel it."

"I was afraid about that." The medic said, making Perrine a bit nervous. "The pulse there can be faint and whatever you find would not be of much use."

"I'm really sorry."

"Nevertheless, you can also feel her pulse in the carotid artery," the medic stated.

"In the neck, right?"

"That's an easier place to feel it" The medic said, as she grabbed Lynette's hand and put it on Perrine's neck.

"I can- I can feel it." Lynette happily said.

"Now try to measure it." The medic said with a kind tone and a couple minutes went by, with Lynette with the watch on her hand and the infirmary completely in silent while the medic continued measuring her in the wrist.

"It's about 70 beats per minute, I measured it three times." Lynette stated.

"You did great, I also could measure about the same." The medic commented. "You're a quick learner."

"She really is." Perrine commented with an approving tone.

"Thanks, it's still a little difficult to feel but I think I become better with more practice." Lynette added with her cheeks a little red.

"I'm sure you will, Lynette." The medic said with a polite smile.

"If you had a stethoscope, you could also hear the apical pulse which is the most accurate." The medic stated.

"Commander Barkhorn gifted Yoshika one." Lynette excitedly chimed in. "And I'm sure, she'd let borrow hers."

"That's a good thing, it would be better if you could measure her before she sleeps and after she wakes up." The medic said with a polite tone. She took off her stethoscope and began cleaning it. "Please unbutton your clothes." She added and Perrine did so while, she handed the stethoscope to Lynette, and she put it on afterwards. "Please, lay down," the medic added and after doing so, Perrine uncovered her chest while the medic grabbed Lynette's hand and put the stethoscope's diaphragm on her left breast, just below her nipple.

Noticing that, Lynette now was struggling to keep the stethoscope steady and not even a minute passed when she unexpectedly took off the ear tips as well as moved the diaphragm off from her chest. "I can't do this with Yoshika, it's- it's way too embarrassing." She backed off, now blushed.

"Where did you expect the apical pulse to be?" Perrine facepalmed, covering her chest with her other hand.

"I forgot!" Lynette exclaimed, now red as lobster, taking a sit near the desk.

"Could you give us a minute, please?" Perrine added, and the medic just nodded in agreement and headed to the other side of the office, leaving the two of them alone.

Perrine sighed. "We're both girls."

"I know but it's really embarrassing, I cannot ask Yoshika to let me do that." She added, now curved forward.

"If there is person that is able to do it, it is you." Perrine then stood up and grabbed both her hands. "And we usually take baths together, it's not really that embarrassing if you really think about it." She stated, as she tried to gaze her in the eyes.

"It's just that…" Lynette just avoided staring her back.

"Remember what I told you the other day," Perrine said, now drawing Lynette's attention. "This is for Yoshika's well-being."

"Yeah, you're right…" Lynette added with a bit more of resolve in her tone.

"She's ready," Perrine and the medic came back, while Lynette put on the ear tips again and grabbed its chest piece. Then, the medic slowly grasped Lynette's hand and place the chest piece over Perrine's breast again. Still, Lynette was becoming blushed again and her hands began sweating as well.

"It's embarrassing only if you make it embarrassing." The medic stated with a soft smile and a polite tone. "Just think like you're taking care of a dear friend and that's nothing to be embarrassed of."

"Taking care of a dear friend, a dear girl..." Lynette said to herself. "I can do this." She averred, now taking a look at the pocket watch.

After a few minutes, Lynette took off the ear tips. "It's fast now," she exclaimed. "It's about 90 beats."

"I concur with her, it seems you became a bit nervous, Lieutenant." The medic stated, taking off her hand from her wrist.

"I'm sorry." Perrine added, covering her left breast with her other hand.

"It's only natural, you can button your clothes back on." The medic stated and Perrine did so. "You can also measure the pulse behind the knee, but it would not be too strong, try it on yourself."

And Lynette then took a sit on the gurney besides Perrine and put both her middle and index finger behind her knee and few seconds went by. "I can barely feel it." She commented.

The medic went in front of both Witches. "There's another place where the pulse is strong, and you can feel it without a stethoscope but…"

"I'm sure Lynne is able do it." Perrine said, now finishing dressing up.

"Yes, I can do it."

"Then, please pull down your tights a little," The medic stated, and Perrine did just that, still sat on the gurney, Lynette on the other hand, was now standing up.

Both of them gathered around Perrine. "In the groin area, there's the femoral artery which carries lots of blood, making it easier to feel." She stated, pointing the crease separating her leg from her groin, just in the area of her white panties.

"There?!" Lynette asked now red-faced again, yet the medic just carefully grabbed Lynette's hand and slowly put in the right side of her crotch. "Yes… you're right. It's strong." Lynette added.

"There should not be no reason to measure it there." The medic stated. "But since Yoshika's uniform doesn't require the use of pants, it would be a little less intrusive for her than to measure the apical pulse."

"I see." Lynette said with now a pensive tone, still a bit blushed.

"Nevertheless, until you become better, it would be wiser if you measure her in at least two different places, just to be sure that you're doing it right." The medic commented, still with a politely smile.

"I understand."

"After you're confident enough of your skills, fifteen seconds would be more than enough to assess Yoshika."

"Fifteen seconds," Lynette repeated to herself. "That sounds quick enough."

"It really is, and this is everything I can teach you for now." The medic wrapped up.

Lynette then bowed down, "thanks, I really appreciate it."

"Likewise, thanks for teaching Lynne." Perrine added.

"There's no need to thank me, I'm glad to be of help for you."

And thus, both Witches left the infirmary afterwards and stayed just at the other end of the door. Lynette still had the same thoughtful expression as before, wandering in her thoughts as her redness had already disappeared.

Perrine then adjusted her glasses and put herself in front of her. "So, how are you going to tell Yoshika?" Perrine asked her, making her came back to her senses.

"I'm going to tell her the truth." Lynette stated, rubbing her chain. "I'm sure she'd not mind it."

Perrine sighed, "I hope you're right, nevertheless, let me know if you need my aid."

"I will and thanks again for being my… patient?"

"Um… it was- it was nothing" She added, and slowly began walking away. "I need to help Sanya with something."

Then, Lynette was left alone in the corridor, and she headed to the closest balcony, to give herself some air, and to refresh herself about what just happened. Though, the sun was shining, there was a strong and cold breeze, that even wove her ponytail as well as her jacket.

'It's easier than done,' she said to herself, feeling the blood rush to her head again. 'The wrist and the neck should be…'

She heaved a sigh. "I mean, I can't ask Yoshika to show me her…" She said to no one.

"What can't you ask me to show you?" Yoshika asked, now just at her side.

"Nothing!" Lynette exclaimed loudly, putting her hand on her chest. "I didn't hear you coming."

"I didn't mean to scare you." Yoshika stated, as she held her hand. "It's just that, it's been a while since Minna called you and… I was worried that something may have happened."

"She- she just wanted me to do something."

Then, Yoshika put herself on her tiptoes and got her face close to Lynette's. "Was it something difficult? Because it seems you're sweating." Yoshika claimed with inquisitive expression.

"Am I?" Lynette wondered, backing off herself of little to make some distance from Yoshika, feeling the sweat rolling down on her face then touching her forehead. "I- I better told you in our room." Lynette added, cleaning the sweat with her sleeve.

And so, both Witches headed to their shared bedroom, yet Lynette walked way faster than Yoshika and after both made it there, Yoshika took a sit while Lynette stayed at the door frame, and then she looked the door, surprising her bedmate in the process.

"So… what Minna asked you to do?" Yoshika wondered. "And I'm really sorry I got you punished, for real."

"There's first a time for everything, isn't there?" Lynette stated with a polite smile, now a bit red-faced, taking a sit beside her.

"I didn't know you weren't punished before," Yoshika added with a bit of regret in her tone.

"Well, now you know," Lynette said with a kind tone. "Don't think about it, please."

"I try not to." Yoshika stated now with a pensive tone. "So… I guess whatever she asked you to do had something to with me, right?" Yoshika wondered. "If you can't tell me, I understand but I just want to know if she was mad with you or… with me."

"She wasn't, and actually I can tell you what she asked me to do but I don't really know if you'd like it." Lynette added as calm as she could, yet her body did not cooperate as her hands had started to sweat as well. 'Or if I could do it…' She added to herself.

"What she asked you to do?" Yoshika wondered with an inspecting face.

"To look after you," Lynette said, taking a deep breath.

"You always do that, since I became a Witch a long time ago." She cheerfully said.

"It's only been a little than two years and you always do the same for me."

"We look at each other's back, but is it really just two years? Huh? It feels like an eternity," Yoshika scratched her cheek. "But I don't know how else you can look after me."

"She asked me to…" Lynette gulped. "…measure your heartrate."

"I can do that myself actually." Yoshika stated, yet Lynette just tilted her head in response. "Second opinions, I should NOT have said that." Yoshika stroked her own short brown hair. "But do you know how to do it?" Yoshika asked gazing her in the eyes. "I can teach you how."

"That's why I took so long." Lynette said as stoic as she could. "I was learning how to do it, properly. The doctor even gave me a Watch." She added, taking it from her chest pocket. "But I still need to practice."

"You can practice with me, I mean, that's why you learned it." So, Yoshika extended her hand, with her palm, facing up and Lynette put both her middle and index finger in her wrist while she checked the watch with her other hand, a couple of minutes went by without nothing being muttered.

Lynette just locked down. "I'm sorry I can't really tell how your heartrate is."

"It's okay, you can try on my neck," Yoshika said, tilting her head, and Lynette put both her fingers on her again and continued checking the watch.

"It's about sixty or seventy beats per minute, I'm not really sure." Lynette stated.

"I'm sure you'll get better with more practice." Yoshika happily said. "And what else the doctor told you?"

"That I- that I need to measure your pulse in another place." She quietly added.

"And where?" Yoshika wondered, with a curious tone.

Lynette gulped loudly and took a deep breath. "She showed me how to use the…" She pointed the medical instrument where Yoshika left it yesterday after explaining Francesca what they were doing yesterday. "…the stethoscope." She added, now with her cheeks a bit red.

Hearing that, Yoshika's gaze just shifted between her bedmate and her former's captain gift, several times. "I- I guess that makes sense, I mean, you just want to find what's wrong with me."

Lynette just nodded hesitantly in response. Yoshika, then stood up from the bed and picked it up the medical instrument and handed it to Lynette.

After taking off her scarf as well as her jacket, she took a sit beside her. "Guess we're going to use it way sooner than I expected." She added with a polite smile and took a deep breath. Then, she slowly pulled down her swimsuit.

Lynette, on the other hand had already put on the stethoscope and was holding its chest piece with her right hand and the watch with the other hand.

"You can begin when you're ready, Lynne." Yoshika cheerfully added.

"Ok...ay," Lynette stated as her trembling hand slowly made her way to Yoshika's left breast. Then, she tenderly put it below her nipple, just as the medic showed her; but to her surprise, as soon as it made contact with her skin, she gasped loudly.

"I'm sorry!" Lynette exclaimed in surprise now red as she could get. "I don't know what I did wrong!"

"It's just cold," Yoshika claimed. "I forgot to tell you that you're supposed to warm it up a little before using it." Then, she grabbed the chest piece and used her breath to warm it up. While Lynette cleaned off the sweat of her face with her sleeve and was able to get rid her a little of redness. "There you go."

Thus, Lynette slowly put it on her breast again with both hands still shaking and couple minutes went by, yet she did not mutter anything else.

"So?" Yoshika asked her with a curious tone.

"It's- it's about the same. I'm sorry it took me so long." Lynette commented, still trying to hear her heartbeat. But then, to her surprise, Yoshika put her right hand over hers, covering it, the diaphragm and her breast as well.

"When you're learning medicine stuff, you have to learn about very embarrassing things and do very embarrassing things, but it's what a doctor does so don't be so embarrassed about it…."

"I could never become a medic…"

"…I'm not even close to do my residency but I know because I practiced back home..."

"...I just learned to feel the femoral pulse..." Lynette bashfully added in a lower tone.

Yoshika then, put both her hands on the bed. "So, I know how… What!?" Yoshika loudly exclaimed. "Why she taught you that?"

"Because- because..." Lynette then took off the ear tips. "…I couldn't feel anything on the wrist or on the knees."

"Now that I think about it, we will not always have a stethoscope with us." Then she covered her breasts with both her hands, now becoming a little flushed. "And it's not like… I can take my clothes off everywhere either."

"That's- that's what she told me." Lynette added, cleaning the sweat of her face again.

Yoshika then, pulled up the straps of her swimsuit to cover herself and took a deep breath, to try get rid of her redness. With her left hand, she moved a little the bottom of her swimsuit to the inner side of her crotch and then slowly grabbed Lynette's hand and put her two fingers over her groin. "There, you…" Yoshika gulped. "…you must feel my heartbeat now."

A couple of minutes went by, and Lynette was becoming even more red-faced and so was Yoshika, noticing her expression, yet Lynette did not say anything, making Yoshika also a bit nervous.

"So soft…" Lynette quietly said, making Yoshika stare at her in her blue-eyes, and she was now who started to sweat, now red as lobster, making Lynette realize what she just said. "Faint, I meant faint!" She loudly said, taking off her fingers and her hand from her and backing off a little.

And an embarrassing silence took hold of the place as both girls rubbed off the sweat off their faces and after few seconds, that felt like an eternity to them, Lynette heaved a loud sigh.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything else." She quietly added, playing with her fingers.

"I know and…" Yoshika then put her hand on her chest. "…and I think, it's pretty fast now." Yoshika breathed, then she grabbed her jacket and buried her face with it. "And I think I really need to take a cold shower now."

"I need the same," Lynette commented, making Yoshika take her jacket off from her face and gave her surprised look. "After you, I meant after you!"

Yoshika then took a few deep breaths to sooth herself, while Lynette side-gazed her with an ashamed face.

"We usually take baths togethers, today- today's not different…" she extended her hand.

Meanwhile, in Ingolstadt

After flying for a longtime together in formation and dealing with a few small Neuroi with low fire power, the trio of Witches decided to split up to cover more ground.

"Francesca, have you found anything?" The Witch in charge asked through her intercom.

"Just hungriness..." She dramatically said.

"I'm talking about Neuroi..." she bafflingly said.

"Nothing!" Francesca cried through the intercom.

"What about you Hattori?" Charlotte asked her. "Something?"

"Just two ground Neuroi with little fire power but it's been a while," Shizuka commented.

"Let's reunite at the fortress from the other day."

"Understood," Shizuka firmly replied.

"I hope I can make it there." Francesca added.

"It's been just a few hours; we've been through worse Francesca." Charlotte added.

Not long after, the three Witches were now overflying the fortress, and to their surprise Charlotte landed where the jet was stationed the other day, still carrying her gun. After leaving her strikers, she started to wander around the place and then she put her gun down.

"It's safe," Charlotte loudly said, beckoning her to land. "Everything's safe actually."

Shizuka started to overflow her superior. "I'm not sure Lieutenant."

"I know, but without magic, I don't think we're going to find anything, unless we check building by building!" Charlotte exclaimed loudly and thus, both Witches landed.

Then, to their puzzlement, Charlotte took a sit on a stair nearby, and got herself comfortable, as much as she could, on the sit made of wood.

Francesca then put herself in front of her, hands on her hips. "So why are we here again?"

"To wait." Charlotte carefreely said.

"For what?"

"For someone," she added, Francesca just shrugged at the response and took a sit beside her.

Shizuka slowly made her way to them. "Yoshika's not going sneak out this time."

"She told you that?" Chalotte asked with a hint of incredulousness in her tone.

Shizuka just put her hands behind her. "She more or less did, she even told me she's really sorry for being overprotective."

"That's… progress I guess but I don't think it'd be that easy." Charlotte commented, crossing her legs. Shizuka just avoided staring at her superior.

"Why's that?" Francesca said, resting her head on Charlotte's lap.

"I'm not sure actually, intuition I guess?" Charlotte hinted, stretching herself up.

"Intuition?" Francesca quoted her with a hint of sarcasm in her tone, giving her a quizzical look from below her.

Shizuka, on the other hand just keep staring at her superior.

"It's just a theory, but whatever happened to her, I think it affected in more ways than what she thought, and at least to me it seems it even affected her tail, I mean it's no coincidence it's changed since Berlin." She commented. Though, now Shizuka had a troubled expression on her face. "I'm not blaming you, or anyone actually, it was an accident."

"You sure?" Francesca questioned her.

"Heck, it did not even change a little when she lost her magic, but now her attitude even changed." Charlotte added.

"Yoshika's happy as usual though," Francesca commented, now sitting.

"I've seen that Francesca, but it'll be better to keep an eye on her to find out if she acts odd again." Charlotte stated, now standing up. Shizuka just keep staring now even gloomier and not relieved in the least. "Don't feel so pity about it, Yoshika's gonna overcome it, she always does, it just seems it'd take more time than usual"

"I'll try not to, Lieutenant." Shizuka said, still a bit troubled.

"I hope you're right, Shirley."

"Let's go back, there's no need to stay here anymore." Charlotte added, heading to her Striker Unit. "She's not coming"

"Let's hope she made us something yummy."

"Agreed." Charlotte wrapped up; thus, the two other Witches equipped their Striker Units and afterwards they began heading back to Munich.

Meanwhile, in the base.

Both girls were now in the bathtub, at each side of it, curled up in the coldish water, with their heads half submerged, pensive sights on their faces and the occasional droplet dropping on the tiles was the only thing that could be heard for quite a bit.

"I'm really sorry for making it so awkward." Lynette bashfully said, disturbing the silence.

"It's okay, I knew it'd be like that…" Yoshika said, glancing her from the side in the bathtub. "…but I also know you're just doing it because you're really care about me." Yoshika said with a polite smile. "Thanks for that, Lynne."

"It's nothing, actually." And the silence took place once again, as both Witches were now just resting themselves with their eyes closed.

"Though, I wonder how much time you need to deal with that or with me…" Yoshika commented softly. "And I'll be lying to you if I said it's not a little embarrassing." She added, now covering mouth again on the water, but Lynette, on the other hand, raised herself up a little.

"If-" She gulped. "If it makes you feel better, you can- you can feel my heartbeat too…" She added, as she stuck her chest out a little.

Yoshika just felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "I don't need to do that, it's not like you need it." Yoshika exclaimed eagerly, gesturing her to stop. Yet she could not help it but be surprised, puzzled even, as she was not expecting Lynette to make such offer. "I'd- I'd take care of you whenever you need it but you're healthy, so I don't need to feel your… heartbeat."

"I know you will, Yoshika," Lynette said a bit embarrassedly.

"That's only if you don't get tired of having to put up with me." She added.

"That will never happen," Lynette added, now half submerged in the water again. "If you're feeling stressed about the whole thing, can I, at least, give you a massage?"

"I'd love that actually," Yoshika happily said, and thus Lynette raised her hands and spread her legs a little. Yoshika then, turned around and slowly moved to the now available space. Afterwards, Lynette began massaging her shoulders, as Yoshika slowly rested her body on Lynette's chest. "It's such a nice feeling knowing you're right on my back." She happily commented.

Quite a long time passed, with the two girls cuddled up in the bathtub, half-asleep, with Lynette's arms now wrapped around Yoshika's neck and until the speaker disrupted the silence all around the base, waking them up.

"Was that Minna?" Yoshika wondered, stretching herself up.

"Not sure, we better find out." And so, both Witches got out from the bathtub.

Minutes later

After searching all around the base, and not finding anything unusual and no one either, they decided to check on the hangar; only to find that every striker was already there, thus they both rushed to the meeting hall.

To their surprise, the door was not locked, just closed so Yoshika slowly opened it and inside, they could see that every Witch were there, on their usual places, with Minna and Mio at the podium.

"Sorry, we're late," Both girls said, bowing down, yet the rest keep staring at them, silently, with quizzical expression on their faces, noticing that Yoshika's hair was wet and so was Lynette's and moreover, it was also down. Still, both took a sit and nothing else was muttered.

Then, Minna closed a few agendas, "…So are we clear?" Minna said, as the almost the whole group nodded.

"I didn't hear you came back, Shizuka." Yoshika whispered, yet it was a loud enough as everyone was now watching her. "And I'm glad y'all are safe."

"We came back a while ago." Shizuka murmured with hint of gladness in her tone. "And we are about to finish the meeting actually."

"That's true, Flight Lieutenant Miyafuji and Flight Seargent Bishop," Mio called them out from the podium.

"I'm glad nothing happened," Yoshika happily said then she shifted her glance to the podium. "So…" Yoshika drawled. "What was it about?" She asked with a quizzical expression.

"To convey today's progress securing the city and to define the next group." Minna announced

"And… why didn't you wait for us?" Lynette asked the group, also with a curious tone.

"We waited for you for a while; Minna even called you thrice through the speaker, but you never came." Charlotte chimed in, making the two Witches exchange glances. "Where even you were?"

"We- we were taking a nap," Yoshika nervously said.

"Yeah, that's- that's what we were doing," Lynette added, a little shily.

Erica smirked, "Huh? Where exactly? Floating on the river?", making the two Witches blush a little.

"This late in the afternoon?" Charlotte added with a teasing her tone, making they even redder.

"That'd be something new for both you, ladies." Mio said with more a serious tone.

"The afternoon?" Lynette quoted with a now surprised demeanor and so was Yoshika's.

"It's that late?" Yoshika added.

"Regardless of that, it's a good thing that you rested, Yoshika, Lynne," Minna interrupted them. "As the two of you are going to sortie tomorrow, with Sanya and myself at 900 hours."

"All right," both Witches said in unison.

"You're dismissed," Minna wrapped up and thus, most Witches stood up and started to exit the room.

"Sanya, could you give me a moment to speak with you… please?" Eila stated, still sitting from her place.

Yet, Sanya stayed near the door frame, not even turning her back to face her. So, Eila slowly made her way to her side, only to notice that almost the whole group was at the other side of the door, though after frowning at them, the Witches actually started to scatter around the corridors, yet Yoshika just stayed there, while Lynette watched her from further away.

Eila sighed loudly, "I really should've listened to you, because I've ended up behaving like a jerk with everyone, guilting them like it was their fault but it was an accident." She stated, now in front of her. "I'm really sorry."

Hearing that, Sanya now stared her profoundly in her blue eyes. "I know you wanted to return by yourself to rescue me."

Eila just closed her arms. "It'd been an idiotic thing to do." She lowly added.

"Agreed, but thanks for caring so deeply about me," Sanya said smiling softly, and Yoshika did too, glancing at the scene, resting herself on the wall, now relieved.

"And this whole thing, at least, taught me when is better to let go." Eila murmured, and Sanya just tilted her head hearing that remark. "Anyway… I was wondering if we could be friends again?" Eila added extending her hand nervously, yet to her surprise, Sanya just reluctantly did so. "Wait, you're still mad?" Eilla exclaimed a bit surprised. "It's about what happened yesterday, isn't it?" Yet Sanya did not reply anything else. "I just told them what happened."

"So, you really think I got weight?" Sanya questioned her, a bit louder.

Yoshika chimed in, in front both. "Please don't fight about that."

"I'm not gonna lie to you." Eila said, now hands behind her hand. "Honestly, what's the fuss?"

"Maybe you have grown," Yoshika added, yet Sanya did not look in appeased in the least.

"Yeah, hear Yoshika, she knows about that, her bust had grown," Eila stated, nonchalantly.

"I wasn't talking about that, but I don't know, could it be?" Yoshika added, making Sanya blush a little, crossing her arms, shily. "Or maybe- maybe you're taller, or you have more muscle mass."

"Yeah, listen to Miyafuji, she's more imposing." Erica said, from the other end of the corridor.

"Is that really what I look like to you?" She said, giving her a quizzically expression as Erica headed to the group.

"I mean that you're a bit more ripped actually."

"Am I?" Yoshika said, touching her stomach.

Then, Erica bent down a little, between Yoshika and Sanya. "Now, that I see you better Sanya, you used to be about Miyafuji's height, and you still are."

"So what?" Eila asked her.

"Hattori said that Miyafuji's grown, that's why she had to get new underwear."

Sanya put her hand on her own head. "Do you really believe I've grown?" Sanya wondered, now a bit more soothed.

"Sure!" Erica eagerly said.

"So that's why you feel heavier to me, see, it's nothing bad!" Eila exclaimed, as she grabbed Sanya from her arm. "Let's go to the infirmary to measure your height."

Thus, after both sub-artic Witches left the afternoon, now only Yoshika and Erica were in the corridor, near the meeting hall's door.

"Yeah, it's either that or only your boobs and butt got more imposing," Erica said, now arms behind her head. Yoshika could not help it but cover her chest with her arm and try to extend her sailor jacket from behind with the other hand. "Do you agree with me, Lynne? Or not?" She loudly asked her, noticing that she was still watching both girls from the distance. "By the way, your food must be cold by now."

Author Notes:

A chapter that focuses in Francesca is about to come in two chapters, but it would not be that long, it would be like short character arc for her.

Yes, I know that Lynne's attitude may feel a bit ooc but it will be explained in a few chapters.

Now regarding the whole medicine thing, it's actually a bit of ironic, it's usually Yoshika who likes to feel up other's breasts, especially Lynne's but it's now she who has to get at least comfortable feeling up Yoshika. And it's going to get a bit more ecchier in the next chapters.

About the guest I said that will arrive, I've changed plans a little so it would take a few more chapters to get there.

And by the way, I wanted to publish this chapter last Friday as usual, but today's Lynne birthday and since she was the main character on this chapter, it only felt natural to wait for today.

And finally, since the upload schedule will become a bit more inconsistent from now on, I will follow the story if I were you and follows (and favorites) are always appreacited.