Phantom Pain [JuriMayu + YukiRena] w/Llyloo - Chapter 2 ~ 10/23/16

[LoyalFlutist]

LoyalFlutist's A/N:
I couldn't help but agree to a collaboration project with a precious writer that I am truly glad to know, speak to, and become friends with. Although I wasn't fond with writing in this field, she is an exception. (So go thank her for the birth of this fiction.)

The main theme of this series is a dark one. In contrast to our past works, this may be our darkest one as of this forum post's date. Personally I wanted to explore many concepts: as a storyteller, I want to tell a cruel tale of four extremely special soldiers' life (Mayu, Jurina, Yuki, Rena) out on the battlefield; as a writer, I want to push the boundary of materials suitable for the audiences; as myself, I want to break out of my discomfort in writing a piece that captures true darkness and tragedy.

Hopefully with the help of my beloved onee-sama here, we both will support each other into finishing this product. Plus, juicy JuriMayu and YukiRena materials! As an additional note, the Prologue will be broken into two halves; one for JuriMayu, one for YukiRena. Please look forward to this piece from yours truly!

- LoyalFlutist

Llyloo’s A/N:
…
…
…
OMG I’M WRITING A COLLABORATIVE FIC WITH DEUKIE-CHAAAAAAN. #FANGIRLOFF
Oh and yeah i’m not dead, I know it been a while since my last update or my last OS but I want to come back >< So here I am with my dear imouto.
I don’t know what to say, just try to enjoy that fic (... If you can say “enjoy” about a angst fic 8D), we will try to not fail  our reputation. (Especially me, since you know, i'm writing with the queen)

Prologue [Part 1]

Soldiers are known to the world as individuals courageous enough to stand for their country. With flags held up high and rifles secured in their grasps, they march onward to defend their nations.

Civilians admire the troops, saluting and dreaming that, one day, they could rise up to the challenge. Deaths do not scare them, and they are willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good; a noble deed that only a handful would step up to. A positive connotation is attached to their status once they return back to their homes. The blood shedded by their very own hands are pridefully proclaimed in honor. There is nothing better to call them other than a hero to their people.

Although soldiers are stereotyped by many that they fight in the frontline of battles, there are actually multiple different roles in the heated field. Infantry soldiers, military tactical operations leader, intelligence analyst, combat medic, and air crew officer is but a few to name. The quality and quantity varies heavily on each job; all of them important and crucial to the armed force as a whole.

However, the prophets proclaimed that desolations will fall upon the planet. Society will be engulfed in their own flames, and sinners will pay the ultimate price of their actions. The price tag of everlasting conflicts will be raised to its highest stake.

That is the current crisis that rest between the UA and Japan.

Matsui Jurina and Watanabe Mayu are both soldiers in the "Land of the Rising Sun". Respectively, their code names are "Center" and "Nezumi".

After two years of boot camp upon graduation of high school, the two friends rapidly escalated up the ranks and earned themselves the status of special operations soldier. Thanks to their lack of flaws and cooperation with each other through hard work, the both were unstoppable in even the most intense assignment given. Many respect them just as much as they resent them.

"Center."

"Yes?"

"I think we'll able to finish this mission before the sun rises."

The younger of the two glanced over at the speaker. Cladded in camouflaged uniforms to match the sand, the two had been prepped for the upcoming mission that they were about to face. The tech-savy woman pulled up the accompanied light brown scarf as a couple coughs erupted from her throat. In their leather gloved hands, they've held one of the few equipments with granted permission to carry.

Jurina gripped ahold of a personalized Colt Model Revolver, as Mayu curled her fingers around a night vision goggles she tinkered with consistently. Two hand grenades and pouches hooked to the females' waists, containing extra ammunitions, painkiller pills, electronic compass, and binoculars. Both carried a light carbine rifle and silent pistol as it too hanged from their waists. Independently, they carried their own types of knife fit to their style.

There the two females stood on top of a rocky cliff, looking down on a small town.

In the midst of the dark and cold desert night, the only form of light present (excluding the moon's rays) are from the few street lamps and four active watchtowers. Guards and soldiers are seen to patrol the area. A couple wandered inside of the small buildings, staying for as long as five minutes before exiting back out into the open.

What they are witnessing isn't a town anymore, but a base. Whatever happened to the civilians that once resided will never be known to the public; the UA intent on sealing the truth from the rest of the world. This is one of the sole reason to why they stood here in the desert's harsh conditions.

A tactical espionage operation, Mayu and Jurina are faced with the task of capturing one of the key lieutenants from the country. It would further serve as a gateway to abolish the rising tension of conflict between both the country and Japan by exposing the political nature of UA. If the duo are successful, then they'll be able to come back to their base in time for breakfast. The amount of bragging rights will surely be given to them if they too come back alive; not to mention their own country would keep a stable relationship between itself and the UA.

However, there is a downside part of the mission: They have to go in alone.

Due to the politically sensitive nature of the assignment, back-up is not an option for the special operatives. Should there be a single mistake that triggers a domino effect, Jurina and Mayu will be considered lucky to come out of it alive. Failure is simply not an option.

The moon's rays shining down on them, Jurina twirled the silent firearm at hand. A faint grin began to grow as her brown eyes kept its gaze on the serious female.

"So, how are we going to tackle this then, Nezumi?"

Upon hearing her speak, the mouse flickered her sight over to the questioner. Both hands began to move as she proceeded to wear the goggles. Once it has been adjusted to fit her head, a single push of a black button on the side prompted a bright green light publicly. Through her rather greenish vision, she was able to see Jurina standing in front of her along with scrolls of data from the upper left corner running; a blue marker was immediately flagged and outlined the soldier.

Then looking back to the quiet town, she finally answered her comrade's curiosity.

"I'm going to mark down any enemies in my field of vision as I recon the premise. You'll have to go in headfirst, however. I'll stay right behind you a couple feet to watch your back and feed you information on the guards' locations."

As a few red markers perked up from the enemy soldiers wandering about and guards standing near a small number of entrances, Jurina, in the background, used her free hand to pull out a black, blocky device from her upper left chest. The electronic compass at hand, she pressed her right thumb against the side to emit a bright white light from the glass orb buried in the center. A hologram featuring the map of their current location is then shown before her; blue markers highlight their locations, and red markers indicate foes that are located in their surroundings.

Based on the map, it appears that it would take some effort to get through the town without being caught. However, this is their speciality. They were trained and molded into the warrior they are today by their government. Due to the time of the day and condition of the setting, this should be fairly simple in comparison to their past work.

The young girl's eyes studied the hologram once more before equipping it back on her chest. She skillfully twirled the revolver once more, clicking it into its case. Jurina then allows her fingers to comb through her black hair, pushing the bangs back.

A couple steps taken forward, she faced her back to Mayu.

"It's a solid plan, Nezumi."

Black combat boots resting on the edges of the cliff, a smirk ran across the young female's face.

"Let's do this."

With that uttered, Jurina seemingly disappeared from the area.

She has fallen from where she once stood. However, the special operation soldier is clearly prepared for this. Ten feet of dropping distance, the young lady immediately sumersault once she came into contact with the sand. A single roll was made before coming to a complete stop on all four. Posture similar to a fierce jaguar, her head lifted; sharp brown eyes fell upon the high security that surrounded the town.

The initiation of their mission is about to go underway.

Getting up on all two, Jurina realized that the wired gates surrounding all four sides of the town had barb wires on the top. Yet to the mistakes of the lieutenant residing within the camp, the watchtowers were located from outside of the premise. A plan instantly popped into her mind as a clear, radio voice crackled within her left eardrum.

"Center, can you hear me? Over." Mayu questioned.

A hand brought up, the girl pressed her index and middle fingers' tip against the tactical radio earpiece.

"Loud and clear, Nezumi. Over."

A soft exhale was heard on the other line.

"Perfect. Center, you should be able to get to one of the four towers. Luckily, there's only one guard for each. If you manage to take any of them down without attracting attention, getting inside should be a breeze."

There was a faint pause before she continued.

"Try not to make too much trouble. It would be a pain to clean up after your mess. Over."

Jurina couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"I won't Nezumi."

Retracting her finger, she began to record their actions over the radio for both future archiving and relaying the start to the intel team.

"This is soldier #17 with codename Center. Commencing mission with soldier #18, Nezumi. Over."

Another voice outside of the two speaker then crackled into the two girl's earpiece.

"This is Otabe," Yokoyama Yui, the head of the Intel Unit, spoke. "I'll do my best to send any form of advice to your positions if the need arises. Good luck out on the field, Center and Nezumi. Don't you dare die on us."

Now was the time to move forth.

A mile roughly needs to be covered before coming to the borders of its base. Thankfully, Jurina didn't need to hesitate in the extensive transverse. She, along with Mayu that soon joined from a couple feet behind, blended in well with the darkness provided by the multiple environmental obstacles.

Quickly, they scuttled ahead to their desired destination.

By the time they neared, the two slowed down. Both scrambled to their nearby barriers, hiding behind to avoid the lights from the moving watchtowers' beams. Down on one knee, Mayu peeked out from her cover. Through the singular green lit goggles, her eyes rapidly recon the premise once more. Due to the earlier work of labeling the enemy's whereabouts, she was able to forge a strategy.

Eyebrows scrunched together, the older girl began to tell Jurina about it.

"Center," she said. "Take out the enemy in the nearest watchtower. Over."

"Copy that. Over."

The young female peered from one of the two corners. A beam of light went over her cover briefly, highlighting the entire sandy rock. (Thanks to the camouflage, even if she were to be seen, it would be difficult to distinguish her appearance from afar.) She carefully observed it moving away from her location. Once the entirety of darkness has fallen on her figure, the soldier hastily traveled to the nearest watchtower.

It took approximately fifteen seconds to go from where she once hid to where she currently stands. Directly standing next to the high tower, Jurina found the lights swoop around once more to the huge rock she used as a cover previously. To her blessing, the guard in charge of the huge lamp is unable to bring the light at a sharp 90 degree angle downward; it was impossible to have them spot the female figure from the sheltered watchtower alone.

A silent exhale escaped past her barely parted lips.

She then found her hands to be clinging to the bars of the attached metal ladder. Four of her limbs began to move in a pattern; her entire figure ascending to the top in hopes of ridding of the watchguard from the tower.

By the time the young Matsui girl has reached the top, she proceeded to peek from the above surface.

The watchguard was standing underneath a roof, directly at the center of the tower's shelter. Right smack dab in the center, there was the source of light. Its black lamp produced a bright, white beam that shined and made darkness disappear from its aim. A fairly lean and tall man kept his gloved hands resting on the handles, allowing the lights to swiftly move every five seconds in a counter-clockwise direction. 

Jurina immediately ducked her head once the huge lamp faced her direction. She bit the bottom of her lip as sweat began to form on the side of her head. Despite the chilly night that is bestowed to the harsh land, the tension was enough to bring the salty substance to life. If the girl messes this up, the entire base would be alarm at her presence. This may be a fairly simple task to the two, but anything could happen. (Looking at it optimistically, Mayu will punish her severely with a textbook to the head should they come out alive.)

A lift of her head once more as the light passed by, she quietly proceeded to scramble onto the platform.

The soldier now crouched on the metal surface, she needed to be quick. After all, the woman is vulnerable to the sights of her enemies. Mankind isn't blessed and cursed with five major senses for nothing.

One of her two hands reached back to grab ahold of the knife's handle. Her gloved fingers curled inward in hopes of a strong grip. Keeping that same posture in line, Jurina rapidly approached to the man with an arm behind. His back facing the crouched female, ten whole seconds were only given in order to take him down before being caught red-handed.

Of course, that was more than enough time for the special operative. It'll be all over for the man serving under the UA's government.

Brows furrowed, the short-haired female swooped in for the kill.

A combat knife immediately deposited from its leather casing in a singular motion. Jurina's eyes widen as she swung her left arm out. Reeling back, she then launched forward with the weapon at hand.

Its sharp tip plunged straight into the guard's vital neck. His eyes then enlarged at the sudden sensation. There was the sound of a faint gasp emitted from the victim's mouth, body jolted upright from the ambush. Whether he felt excruciating pain or not will never be known as his last breath through the respiratory system was given out.

Within the next three seconds, the man's figure became limp; deprived of all signs of life.

She caught the deceased individual from roughly falling forward onto the ground. In a slow, gentle motion, the young woman lowered the watchguard till he laid on his front silently. A hand then reached out to latch its fingers around the solid handle. Blood pooled out of his now-open wound upon removal of the sharp device.

Now standing up, the female moved the pointed direction of the light away from the sandy town. Once Jurina has shifted the lamp's position, she properly stuffed the bloody combat knife back into its placeholder; a slick metal sound produced upon sheathing. At that same time, the crackling of her earpiece hinted who was coming on the line.

"I see that you took him out, Center," the mouse muttered a remark. "Remain in your position. I will head to your current destination. Over."

"Don't take too long, Nezumi. Over."

Two minutes passed by till the two were reunited. Both now standing in the sheltered watchtower, Mayu removed the deactivated night vision goggles from her face; a faint imprint of its pressure against her skin is visibly seen. She allows it to rest on top of her head as another hand pat a few times on Jurina's shoulder.

"Good job, Center. It appears that we've completed the first step of the operation." A glance sent over to the base, it's seen that there is a good number of remaining guards and soldiers wandering around the premise. Her nose scrunched at the sight. "However, it's only going to get harder from here on out. There is a lot of guards out on patrol."

The intelligent soldier knew that their current position isn't safe to remain for long. Suspicions in regard to the lack of the light's movement from the lamp will shortly arrive from the others. At the very least, another guard will wander over to the tower to check on the deceased man's status. That would easily corner the two into a tight situation. Even if the two went on ahead to take down the three other active watchtowers, precious time would be wasted. It doesn't help that gunning down any potential threats will blow their cover instantly; this dangerous game of chess requiring the two knights to take down their opponent's whole set alone under a set time. 

"My question is... do we really need to capture the lieutenant and bring him back alive?" Jurina mumbled. "Why can't we just silence him?"

"Complaining isn't going to get us anywhere. Besides, we're not allowed to kill him. It's--"

"--for the sake of our nation, right?" The puppy waved a hand in the air, letting out a soft sigh. "I get that, I get that. The general really likes to make things more difficult than it really is though..."

She then walked over to the large windowless wall. Gloved palms resting against the windowsill, the youngest out of the two squeezed her eyelids shut for a brief moment. It's clear as day that Jurina needs to leap over the barbed fences and into the camp. However, she knew very well that there is no backing out whatsoever once she makes it inside. Besides, this was their only chance to take what was required of them.

"Still, we're the only ones that can take on this mission today. I don't think we even have a choice."

Upon reopening her eyes, her legs moved on their own. Combat boots pressings its sole against the windowsill, it provided the perfect height as support. The special operative then pounced forward as both arms were outstretched on both sides. Chilly wind brushed against the exposed skin as her knees bent slightly, keeping her figure in an appropriate posture.

The distance is great between the ground and where she leapt from. Should Jurina land, however, it would easily bring about broken bones and vulnerability. To sustain such damage can hinder the female from progressing any further into the mission. Yet there is a nearby roof of a building to her luck. 

For the second time that day, the young girl somersaulted to safety on the solid, rocky surface. The palm of her hands planted themselves on the rough surface beneath, stopping herself from rolling off the rooftop. Head raised once again, her brown eyes skimmed the premise as she straightened her figure.

Located at the corner of the base, it seems that Jurina has found a blind spot within the camp. By merely taking out one of the four watchtowers, an advantage is presented by providing a temporary relief from being seen; the special operative blending in well within the shadows. Not to mention only a potential handful would bother to shoot a glance up at where the camouflaged individual stood.

The young female reached her silent pistol and pulled it out. A weapon that can tranquilize foes, its only downside were to manually reload the handgun for every fire. Still, the suppressed firearm was needed for the targeted lieutenant. If the puppy accidentally put him down permanently, then so will her job as a special operative with Mayu.

A binocular was soon in her grasp. Jurina used the powerful device to skim the area once more. Her eyes immediately found their target resting on the opposite side and corner from her current position. His now-red outlined figure were seen within the lieutenant's quarter; he's currently sighted working on signing files from inside. Every five seconds or so, the ranked individual would shift his seated posture.

'There he is... like a sitting duck.'

The girl then spotted two guards stood from the doorway. They were fully armed with a machine gun at hand, standing in their uniform with uptight figure. Not a single inch was budged from their current position. This caused Jurina to grumble in distaste at the trouble the men provided as she shifted her gaze away from the targeted building.

'Of course he would have guards nearby...'

Based on the observation of her surroundings, it appears that there are a few buildings that she can hop around without arousing attention. Lights from the watchtowers would be unable to highlight their presence. However, a little past halfway through the pathway, the soldier has no choice but to remain on ground level. It was risky since it increased her chance of being seen, but she didn't have any other option to pick from. It was now or never.

Placing the equipment back in one of the many pouches, the young woman then communicated with her comrade.

"Nezumi, I'm going to head in now by rooftop first. Over."

"I'll follow right behind you then, Center. I'll also provide cover. Over."

After their quick exchange, it was time to move onward to their next step.

Jurina, with her fingers curled tightly around the silent handgun, ran towards the edge of the rooftop. Once the female came close, knees were bent before leaping at great length. She was in the air briefly till her boots touched another roof of the nearest building. The same action were repeated a couple times; the individual proving to be graceful for every hop and landing.

By the time she reached to the last building she could stay above ground, her sister-in-arm is watching from behind. Mayu positioned herself on the third construction, night vision goggle actively worn again. One knee resting against the roof's surface, she wielded the military's carbine rifle.

Her fingers began to toy with the weapon. The optional equipment of a flashlight was taken off, deposited into one of her many pouches as a suppressor was twisted and snapped on. Bullets were fully loaded into the dangerous device in preparation for back-up. Based on her current role, this was the perfect spot for the soldier; the entire camp was in plain sight for the older female and was within the range of her weapon.

The mouse flickered her aim left and right as she kept her gaze on the marked enemies. She could take down a few that would dare stand in Jurina's path as she makes her way towards the main quarter.

'Be careful, Jurina.'

Tension trembled in the atmosphere. Anyone with a weak will can easily succumb to the nauseating terror from the amount of pressure placed on their mindset. Yet this was nothing for the duo, especially with Jurina.

Crouched like a wolf in the darkness, she hurried from cover to cover and corner to corner. Her back was constantly pressed against the cool, dirty surfaces, sweat running down the side of her face as she licked her dry lips. At times, Jurina threw herself on the ground to avoid the guards' line of sight. Then there were two times when the girl was nearly caught red-handed by her foes. Thankfully, their idiocy and lack of curiosity saved her soul from being torn apart by bullets.

Among her progression, Mayu found herself shooting a couple bullets to silence their enemies from getting too close to the other soldier. Due to the suppression she has installed earlier, every bullet that exited out of its casing lacked the sound that would garner attention.

For every kill, her victim's life were extinguished in agonizing silence. Within that same moment, the mouse whipped her aim at the watchtower located near the quarter. From the observation she had made earlier, it appears that the lights from the tower would consistently pass over the building. Combined with the two guards' presence, it would be difficult for Jurina to approach the area without raising awareness of her presence.

The young woman didn't have a sniping gun, but it's apparent that her skills as a sharpshooter with almost any firearm was not to be joked. With the assistance of her goggles, she made adjustment to the aim at the guard near the lamp. A deep inhale was made as the man turned his back towards the desired area. Then once an exhale came out of her mouth, the trigger was pulled back.

A trail of smoke zipped right out of its launcher. It didn't take more than five seconds to reach its target; the lights that was suppose to keep in motion came to a complete stop on its spot.

As for the two guards that stood nearby, the special operative did what was needed once Jurina came into her sight.

Flat on the ground, Jurina crawled as rapidly as possible to blend in with the shadows. When there's a lack of covers nearby, the individual has no choice but to rely on the darkness of both the day and the nearby buildings. Sand and rocks softly were crunched and forcefully shoved to the side with every movement she initiated. Sweat that ran down the side of her face slid down till her chin. At that point in time, the sweatdrops then dripped to the ground's surface as the soldier proceeded forth.

By the time she arrived near the quarter, her entire figure rose from the previous posture. Now crouched, the youngest of the two quickly pressed her back against the building's wall. A short pause was needed in order to catch her breath. Their mission is almost over at this point; the result at reaching distance of her grasp. Then with great care, Jurina slowly approached the front area of the zone.

She came to a halt upon reaching the edge. The soldier took the time to cautiously peek out from the corner of the building.

Through her eyes, the young woman saw the two guards from earlier. They remained still in their spot, hands gripping ahold of their weapons. Sharp gazes were plastered onto their eyes, able to stab without knives through a mere glance. Every passing second or so, Jurina could pinpoint their jawline as they clench. It's apparent that, not only are they vicious, they could and would unleash a fiery storm should they spot an intruder.

"Center," Mayu's voice softly crackled within her tactical radio earpiece. "You should be able to go in right about..."

Although her friend's sentence has trailed off, the sight of one of the two men collapsing provided enough explanation to why.

The surviving individual turned his head at the sudden fall his comrade has performed. Terror entered into his system and brought him to a fight-or-flight simulation. The muscles contracted within his arms and legs, bringing up the machine gun that created sins.

Sadly, he wasn't fast enough to register the demise that was going to befall on him. His figure then fell in the same manner as his friend; the blood pooling underneath the two guards' head.

This all occurred within the time span of three seconds. The fate of two guards came to an abrupt and surprising end for the victims themselves.

"...now. Over."

Jurina let out another exhale.

"Roger that. Over."

Now that the two guards were out of the way, she needs to hurry. Knock out the lieutenant with her silent pistol, drag him out of the base, and the two should be able to call in a military helicopter. Then and only then will they be able to return back safely to their base; their one and only home for the time-being. The hours spent on this task will finally be rewarded with relief and a sense of accomplishment for their nation.

Jurina bit the bottom of her lip as she readied her silent pistol. An appropriate grip on the tranquilizer with both hands, the soldier rushed into the wide open doorway of the quarter.

She instantly aimed the tip at the young male sitting behind his personal desk. Without hesitation, the trigger was instantly pulled back as a needle was spat out of the device. It then directly hit the seated lieutenant on the upper chest. As a result from the sudden and close impact, he leaned backward on the rolling chair, causing it to be pushed till slammed against the wall.

Eyes droopy, the lieutenant growled at the enemy before him. The female soldier took the time to manually reload another clip into the handgun as the effect of the dosage overwhelms his senses.

However, his entire mind refuses to let his consciousness slip away.

His shaky, heavy hand were raised from the chair's arm. Jurina, at first, thought he would be knocked out by this time. In this case, the male manages to reach from behind his figure. Hidden from the woman's sight, his fingers curled around the handle of the alarm.

"Y-You won't be able to get out of here alive... little girl..."

His lead-like eyelids finally closed. Yet at that same time, the hand that was resting on the handle also dropped downward. Jurina's eyes widen at the sight of the entire scene unfolding in his favor.

An alarm then rang out from within the quarter. The production of the rather loud, shrieking sound startled the poor sharpshooter from her position. Mayu nearly dropped her firearm, hastily getting back up on her two feet. She immediately raised her goggles and rested it on her wet forehead, eyes widening at the turn of event.

'Oh no... Don't tell me--'

The soldier didn't hesitate to leap off of the roof. Roughly she somersaulted on the ground as both hands kept its hold on the weapon. Back on her feet in a crouched position, the tech-savy female immediately straightened her posture. Frantically the young woman hurried over to the location of the lieutenant. Soldiers that caught sight of Mayu in this moment were instantly put down by a single pull of the trigger.

She didn't spare a second glance to check if the shot victims were truly dead, however. What's more important is the source of the alarm. The longer it rang, the more dangerous their crisis is becoming.

Heartbeat having quickened, the operative mind only operated through instinct. Her two feet then stomped hard on the ground upon nearing the entrance. The pair rooted themselves, causing the female figure to briefly skid on the sandy surface. Its dust flew up into the air as Mayu came to a complete stop.

Panting, her brown eyes gazed upon a scene. Beyond the doorless way, there was Jurina with their target. She had just successfully tossed him on her back. Despite the positive news of gaining ahold of the lieutenant, the soldier's lips curled downward in disgust.

"Center! What the hell did you do!?" she exclaimed.

The youngster adjusted her grip on the unconscious man, head shaking in the process.

"I didn't expect him to pull an alarm on us!" 

The older female was so close to tearing her hairs out of her own head. If only Jurina was more cautious, the two of them could've avoided this fate. Yet as much as the mouse wanted to headbutt her comrade for this, there was no time to waste. The duo needs to escape from the premise. Should they be overwhelmed by the sheer number of soldiers, the result will truly be ugly.

With great haste, Mayu called out to the intel team back at their base.

"Otabe! We need a chopper ASAP!"

As she whipped around to scan the surroundings, the voices of Yui crackled into their tactical radio earpiece.

"Roger that, Nezumi. Dance and Miso should arrive in approximately five minutes outside of the hot zone. The LZ (Landing Zone) is marked on your electronic compass."

Five minutes doesn't seem long, but it's surely enough time to get the two special operation soldiers killed in action.

While Mayu stood outside with her firearm, Jurina took out the blocky device. Having grasped the object in one hand, she allowed her thumb to activate its hologram. A white circular icon became present on the map. Based on its location, it was roughly two miles from the premise.

"It looks like we'll have to get out of here with guns blazing, Nezumi," she remarked as she equipped the electronic compass to its original spot. "I just hope the helicopter won't be in harm's way--" 

"Center, don't jinx the situation, please!"

The oldest of the two swiftly flicked the tip of the weapon left and right. Triggers were pulled, held, and released every couple seconds to bring a devastating fate upon the enemy soldiers. However, due to the massive usage, the suppressor cease to work. Every time a bullet exited out of its barrel, a loud bang echoed into the harsh desert night; unwanted attention began to bunch together at their current location.

Jurina smoothly pulled out her powerful Colt Model Revolver. One hand keeping ahold of their live target, she raised the firearm up midair. Eyebrows furrowed, the experienced individual then rushed out of the building and frantically hurried to the nearest exit. A couple bullets were shot out of the special gun, knocking back unfortunate enemies that stood in her way. Her sister-in-arm hastily followed suit, providing as much cover as possible to the vulnerable.

Thanks to her crouched figure, speed was easily gained from her posture. It was a must for bullets zipped past her body. A couple managed to graze her cheek and arms, causing the soldier to scrunch her face in displeasure at the wet sensation being produced. Loud gunshots continuously rang into the air; boots clomped on the sandy surface from below. Their heart slammed against their chests as they scuttled to the destination. Should they run any slower, the tide of the mission could potentially end in failure.

All fires aimed at their body soon came to a complete stop once they reached their designated area. This startled the two. When they turned their gaze back around, the guards were nowhere to be seen. Both fighters remained in their position, watching in anticipation of an ambush. Yet another minute passed by before a conclusion could be made. 

Panting, Jurina let out a faltering smile towards her comrade.

"I-I was right then, Nezumi. The helicopter shouldn't be in any danger now."

The chase sequence didn't last as long as they had expected.

However, this was odd to the female.

Mayu couldn't help but sense how strange it was for the enemies to cease following their tracks. They could've traveled a couple dozen more steps before effectively cornering them. Should their aims be precise, it was easy to disable one of the two operatives. Yet here the two soldiers are, standing a distance away from the base. Though the alarms continuously rung out and guards were in a frenzy, those that chased disappeared from their sights.

'Wait a minutes... Don't tell me...'

She twisted her neck to the direction of the now-approaching chopper; her teeth softly sunk into the sensitive part of her bottom lip.

"This is Dance--"

"And Miso!"

"We have now arrived at the LZ."

Strong gust of winds blew from the propellers of the helicopter. The two soldiers instinctively raised able arms to shield their face from the impact; the scarves giving an extra hand to their blockaged. By the time it was hovering above the ground at a reasonable level, Jurina instantly threw the lieutenant aboard. As she jumped on the copter, Mayu glanced over her shoulder once more. Her eyes scanned upon the premise, and surely the pair widen.

Soldiers that had chased them earlier approached to their destination. However they hid earlier from their senses bewildered the female. To make matters worse, a huge number of enemies came rapidly at their direction. Armed with militarized weapons and firearms, they were prepared to shoot down anything and anyone that stood in their ways.

After all, they need to get their lieutenant back.

"Dance! Miso!" she hollered and leapt straight into the passenger space. "Ready the automatic machine turret!"

From where Jurina resided, the left side of the helicopter provided an attachable machine turret manually used by a user within the vehicle. Kanon flicked down a button after mashing a few bright keys from the front, loading it with available bullets for the young female. As for Mayu, she pointed the carbine rifle tip at their foes. Although she has been provided the same treatment as her comrade, the special operative soldier preferred a lighter firearm to wield.

"W-We really did it, Nezumi!" Jurina exclaimed, hands now beginning the turret. "Remind me next time not to jinx!"

"You idiotic puppy!" Mayu hollered back as she then gunned down an incoming foe. "Just shut your mouth and SHOOT THEM!"

It's apparent that they are in grave danger. The drivers, Yagami Kumi and Kimoto Kanon, would be risking their only option of returning back to their base if they recklessly elevates their level. In this extreme case, there is only two options to choose from: surrender to the enemy or risk defeat at their hands.

Bullets scraped against the flying vehicle, causing Kanon to exclaim loudly. Both of her gloved hands pressed, clicked, flipped, and pulled specific keys out of desperation to maintain flight. Kumi, on another hand, exhaled softly through her oxygen mask; mist briefly clouding the hard plastic's surface. Through the dark bulletproof goggles, she reacted in an opposite fashion. The contrast of personalities between the two pilots can easily be seen by witnesses.

"Center, Nezumi, we're lifting off."

Without warning, she brought both hands around the console. Leather fingers curling around the solid handle, she began ascension in a heartbeat. It was a risk she was willing to take. If it's to get home safely, then Kumi would gladly do so; the sliver of chance being better than doing absolutely nothing.

As for Mayu and Jurina, they scrambled to pin down any surrounding rivals that could potentially bring this vehicle down in flames. With the young puppy operating the heavy automatic machine turret, and the other emptying her cartlidges, a barrage of lead were unleashed and exchanged to their foes.

Many men went down with a cry as a couple fires made their way into the helicopter's passageway. A few struck the two girls, but hardly sensed the pain; their entire attention heeded to escaping with the lieutenant safely. Then and only then could they lift the pressuring atmosphere hovering above their heads.

The chopper's propellers worked their hardest to lift the object into the air as high as possible. Kumi pushed the handle forward in attempt to ascend at an angle away from the bunched ground soldiers. Sweat trickled down the side of her face as Kanon assisted in reloading the automatic gun's bullet capacity. (Despite how deadly the crisis is, her swift movement were solid in providing support.)

Every second that passes by is a miracle for the four girls. Their lives could end spontaneously at any given moment, literally. Any form of slip ups from the four would mean eventual deaths. Trust, skills, and critical thinkings is a must for this group.

Firings of the bullets ensued, yet it soon dawned upon the two soldiers that they were out of range. It was now impossible to precisely shoot; the enemies that were once littering the vehicle with lead seen as ants from high above. 

At this point in time, the both of them let out a simultaneous sigh. As Kanon took the time to retract the heavy weaponry from Jurina, Mayu pulled herself into the vehicle. Carbon rifle dropped on the ground's metal surface, she allowed both of her bloodstained gloved hands to pull the sliding door shut. Her comrade immediately followed suit with her action.

Mayu couldn't help but let all of her tightened muscles loose for this one moment. She slumped on a nearby seat, resting her back against the firm, yet comforting, cushion. Although they were soldiers, exhaustion can be easily obtainable. Out on the battlefield, this tactical espionage mission can be a heavy burden for them.

Jurina, on another hand, realized that she gained wounds. The pain receptor that were once numb during battle now inflicted its flames and aches from the injuries. Her entire expression became sour at the sight of a patch of blood soaking on her right shoulder; camouflaged uniform were partially dyed with the crimson liquid of hers and those that died from her very own hands. Any attempts at moving her right arm resulted in a flash of anguish. A wince escaped her mouth instinctively as a response.

"Here. Let me help you, Jurina."

She didn't even glance over her shoulder to figure out who it was.

The hands that once wore its black gloves were gone from sight; a white gauze originating in the emergency medical kit seen in the mouse's grasp instead. Though the other too sustained injuries, it was minor in comparison to the one on Jurina. (A couple band-aids would do the trick for Mayu.) The gauze soon wrapped around the affected area on the female's shoulder, providing ease and a sense of suppression to the stings.

"We can properly treat the wound back at Mother Base," Mayu said as she tightened a knot of the gauze. "This should at least stop the bleeding for an hour or so."

A smile crossed her face as she was assisted in being placed on the nearest seat.

"Thanks, Mayuyu."

At that same moment, the sun's rays began to brighten the land from below. The two then glanced over to the front of the helicopter. Past the pilots, the moon that had shined its quiet light was now gone from their sight; the huge star in the center of the solar system now rising from its slumber. Multiple clouds that were hidden within the darkness minutes ago eventually showcased its appearance to the world.

It was a breathtaking scenario to witness. Even the two pilots in the front made mentions and remarks of the scene that unfolded before their very eyes. With the targeted lieutenant securely captured, and all four of them coming out of the task well alive, the atmosphere relieved all sense of concern and stress that accumulated from before.

Jurina then heard her partner chuckle. The mouse, now sitting across from the injured, has curled the corner of her lips upward.

"See? I told you we'll be done with this mission before sunrise."

[bunny_rabbit]

FIRST BLOOD

somehow I can smell lots of death and despair are waiting ahead

[sakura_drop_]

oh my gosh, shachou, this was a LOOOOOONG prologue... 

I loved this a lot, have so much to say, but right now I will take some time to think things over, okay?

*saves spot*

[LoyalFlutist]

[Replies]

Llyloo:
> bunny_rabbit : NEXT BLOOD. MORE BLOOD. BWAHAHAHAHAHA.
> Sakura : … You still didn’t write anything even if you saved the spot TwT #PAN (and yeah… Deukie-chan wrote so long prologue… >< )

LoyalFlutist:
@bunny_rabbit: Your senses might be right or it might be wrong!
@sakura_drop_: I know you've spoken to me about your thoughts on the first part of the prologue, so all is good. Though I'm sorry it's long! I didn't expect it to go at this length, cries.

[A/N]

Llyloo's A/N
I kinda feel like I’m exploiting Deukie-cha, she wrote everything while i’m just fangirling **

LoyalFlutist's A/N
Oh isn't Angie-onee-sama SO SWEET. Joking joking, she's amazing at giving ideas. Anyway, I apologize for having more than a month pass by without an update! I was extremely busy with midterms and still am, so I'm going extremely slow on everything. However, I did enjoy writing this second part of the Prologue featuring Yuki and Rena. It's much more action-filled than the first part! Hope you all enjoy it and as always, thank you for taking the time to read and/or comment on our work! :-)

Prologue [Part 2]

Tension affected the way Matsui Rena's muscles operated. They constricted, tightening and stiffening her movement. Every breath out of her respiratory system comes a beat from her cardiovascular system; the blood carrying oxygen throughout the body.

The atmosphere hung heavily in the air. For any normal person, they will encounter a suffocating sensation. Instincts would immediately kick in, painfully warning the present witnesses in the swamp to leave. Yet this was a normal sensation for the female soldier. The sensation of fear is far too common for anyone.

Scent of fresh rainwater plastered themselves on the current location a lone female figure stayed in. The soles of her black boots slightly sunk into the soft marsh ground as she sat on the edge of a sturdy rock. Camouflaged uniform with bulletproof vest to blend in with the lush, green background, the older Matsui carried a submachine gun in one hand. Black fingerless gloves constantly tightened and loosened its grip on the weapon; her brown eyes slowly shifting left and right. Carrying similar equipment as Jurina, the only difference were her choice of firearms and the lack of a scarf and binocular. Two combat pistols latched on her waist, the soldier is more than prepared to take on a daunting task; her type of equipment heavily implied as a frontline soldier than a special operative.

A soft exhale then escaped out of her lips.

Matsui Rena is a veteran out on the battlefield. Having spent half a decade out in danger, the hot-headed woman knew the inside-out of war. Murders, assassinations, beating down her foes, tortures, and rescuing of her comrades were only but a few. Her hands that was once clean is now tainted with the blood of her enemies. Scars that littered her once smooth skin boldly proclaimed the dangers she underwent in five years; the most noticeable ones are the deep, but brief, claw-like scratches scars on the young woman's left cheek. There was no reversal to the cruel effect of becoming an infantry soldier. 'Danger' is everyone's middle name in this occupation. Yet that didn't stop her from relentlessly pursuing this occupation.

All she wanted to do was serve her nation, and did everything the government wanted her to do for the sake of keeping Japan and the UA from waging war. Should another World War erupt from the conflict, it would bring forth chaos she wouldn't want to witness.

No, that wasn't it...

Rena just wanted to stop all of the fighting. The clashing of two great countries pained her greatly, but the knowledge of constant bloodshed tears the young woman apart. She believed it to be a noble act to enlist in the military. Just knowing how much of an impact the female soldier will be able to personally have on the world gave her just enough courage to push forward.

Rena wants to stop war from occurring.

Rena wants to end despair from occurring.

Rena wants to stop fighting from occurring.

Rena just wanted a world where the terminology 'peace' could finally exist.

Rena will do anything to make that dream become a reality.

Rena will literally do anything to make that dream become a reality.

Another soft sigh was heard from her direction.

The raven haired female's left foot tapped then rapidly on the ground's dirt. Her head was lowered as the grip on her weapon slightly loosened. Eyelids closed, she firmly bit the bottom of her lip. Every passing minute caused the veteran to increase the pressure placed on the sensitive skin, biting stronger and stronger. Even when the skin broke, the infantry soldier heeded no attention to it; a metallic taste erupted from her tastebud the instant crimson liquid touched the tip of her tongue.

Rena's boot then decreased the tempo of its tapping. She reopened her eyes and lifted her head. From the corner of her crisp sight, she saw another female enter into her vision. A soldier dressed in a similar style as Rena trudged through the ankle-high murky water. One hand gripping ahold of a binocular, the combat medic took the time to attach the device back to her waist. The veteran's pupils enlarged as her partner wiped the sweat from her own forehead.

"Gekikara," Kashiwagi Yuki called out to the sitting soldier. "I've managed to find the whereabouts of our Intel leader."

'She's fast...'

Teeth that sunk into her bottom lip retracted; the numbing sensation eroding away upon removal. Ignoring the small fresh wound she had created, Rena couldn't help but mentally compliment on how quick her comrade reconned the nearby village. Yuki wasn't her longtime partner and friend for no reason.

Thumb pointing behind, the medic added, "If we head towards this direction, we'll be able to save her in time. I doubt the UA's going to leave our Intel Leader alive for too long."

Muscles within Rena's hands tighten. Her jaw clenched till the jawlines were formed, showcasing the bony structure of her skull. Immediately the female stood up from her seat. The submachine gun shifted in her grasps as the veteran soldier narrowed her eyes. Heart quickening, a reminder of how time-crucial this rescue mission was brought forth the pressure to succeed.

Their general, Aki-P, had received news a couple days ago about a missing member from their base by their own Intel Unit. One of the two Intel Leaders from Japan's Mother Base unit, she was out in-person to gather information when she taken unexpectedly by the UA. With no weapons other than a pocketknife at hand, the young woman was easily abducted. It is questionable to why someone from Japan's military would walk out unarmed.

However, their occupation's description clears it up. There are two sectors within the unit: Scouting and Information Relay. As a leader, the soldier embarked in a dangerous task as a scout specialized in gathering information. The best way: blending in with the enemies as allies and civilians. By reporting over to the main Mother Base's group in real-time, scouts like her deserve a medal for courageously performing their jobs at a risky work setting.

Yet a worst-case scenario occurred. It didn't help for a fact that this is one of the main leaders in Japan's armed organization, and she's considered the best there is. The situation is grave for them. Should the UA's soldiers get any information out of her, Japan could be at risk of exposing their weaknesses and vital data.

Both countries are desperately struggle to keep their guards up and pummel the other down to ashes, after all, and so far, the result is favoring the UA. Failure is not an option for both Rena and Yuki. Screwing this up not only means the end of a teammate's life, but another beginning to war. That was the last thing Rena would want to see, and the last thing Yuki wanted her partner to witness.

The combat medic soldier then placed both hands on her hips. "I can't exactly say we're one to sneak into the village, but it appears that both Mayuyu and Jurina are out on their special tactical espionage mission."

"How long were they gone for?"

"Since last night."

A faint grunt was heard from the older Matsui. "I hope Aki-P doesn't mind the fact that we're about to wreck some havoc."

"I doubt he would mind. We were assigned to this task for a reason."

That's when Aki-P sent both Matsui Rena and Kashiwagi Yuki out on this job. There was a time limit, and he needed the results fast, and the duo was a perfect match made from heaven. Excluding Matsui Jurina and Watanabe Mayu, this tiny party were always sent to the most dangerous task. Skills of the veterans combined together produced a satisfying result that would make any leader proud of their accomplishments. With Rena's trigger-happy fingers, resilience, determination, and stubborn personality along with Yuki's medical knowledge, maturity, calmness, and firm personality, the two were both balanced and unstoppable. However, unlike the first duo, they specialize in blasting anyone and anything in their sights; the skills of complete silence just isn't their forte.

Rena gently bit the bottom of her injured lip while raising an eyebrow. As Yuki whipped out the blocky, electronic compass from her waist, the infantry soldier mumbled, "As long as we can change the course of killing each other, then I'll do anything it takes to make it a reality. Besides, we have our Intel Leader to rescue."

Her sister-in-arm didn't respond to her remarks; not the kind of person to utter one too many unnecessary words. Pulling up a hologram of the UA's map, the raven haired female then merely pressed on forward without hesitation. Rena took the cue to follow after her partner within the wilderness.

Black boots sunk slightly into the ground of the wet marsh as they proceeded forth. When they pass through ankle-high waters, splashes were created as wild fishes swam away in alarm. In contrast to their friends' mission, there was clearly a number of organisms breathing life in the premise. To march through the environment gave a sense of tranquility; it was almost as if the heated crossfire of the UA and Japan never existed.

The UA's island had a plethora of landscape. Varieties ranging from the swamp they're trudging on to the desert that Mayu and Jurina were sent to would make anybody ponder about its unique geology. An independent country standing nearby Japan, there had always been a sense of conflict since their creation fifty years ago. Fights have broken out since the beginning, and just recently dwindled its violence down. However, the straining relationship between the two nations remained in spot, and so far their confrontations rate is rapidly escalating once again; soldiers on both sides are desperately fighting to keep their homeland safe and obliterate the other.

It's darkly comedic to think of how the term 'peace' is so far away from this fight. It's not impossible to achieve, but the chances are slim, and Rena is willing to make it happen.

A scoff was heard from behind Yuki's figure. It was quickly followed up with a soft, but forced, giggle.

"Hey... Black," she called out. "How long do you think this war has been going on for?"

"I believe it's been fifty years."

"Eh... So it's been that long, huh... You would think they would be done fighting and ordering us around at this time."

Yuki let out a soft sigh, closing her eyelids briefly. "It's just become more quiet. The United States nor our neighboring countries are planning to stick their nose in either, since this isn't a big issue to the world."

"It might just be, though."

This prompted the female medic to raise an eyebrow as her hand tightened around the electronic compass. Despite the reaction, she didn't question her comrade's sudden proclamation. After all, it was common to hear the older Matsui find an ironic amusement to their country's predicament.

The fighting for fifty years is still going strong and the conclusion to the bloody tale has yet to be reached. Even Yuki herself wondered about the fate of everyone involved in the conflict. Would it really come to a satisfying end for Japan or the UA, or would this become the next World War installment? Questions revolving around has yet to contain an answer. Only time will tell for the curious folks.

Boots that slushed through the shallow body of water managed to reach onto land once again. The trees that blocked the sun's rays of light finally fell upon their figures. Their movement slowed to a halt. Standing from afar, the two young women are now facing the small village.

From the distance, there is a dozen of houses littered throughout the wetland. Made out of wood and mud bricks, the establishment is almost in ruins; a few standing with all four sides and a roof intact. Short green plants grew in patches as a larger body of water resided from their left. Civilians that once occupied the premise were nowhere to be seen. Instead, they were replaced with the UA's soldiers. Men and women formally dressed in their dark green uniform, the carbine rifles and shotguns rested snuggily in their grip. This entire village was a military base.

Yuki tucked a strand of her own hair behind the ear. Her sharp brown eyes skimmed the destination once more before moving her lips.

"Antonio should be located..." Her fingerless gloved hand pointed out to one of the many buildings. "...here."

"You sure about that, Black?"

She waggled the electronic compass in the air. The light blue hologram was seen to showcase red and green markers; the red confirming enemy's presence and the green confirming a prisoner. "I'm confident."

Rena then raised an eyebrow. The submachine gun was lifted into its firing position as the female let out an exhale. "Very well. I trust you with your answer."

Her partner lowered both of her arms. "When was the last time I ever got us into trouble?" The raven haired medic glanced over her shoulder with a faint smile scrawled on her face.

A scoff was heard as a response. "Let's just get a move on and save Antonio."

It amused the youngest of the two from hearing the quick reply. Yuki knew very well how the older Matsui wasn't exactly someone that liked to be wronged. Whenever someone pointed out a mistake, the other wasn't afraid to strangle the speaker without warning. Literally. Yet an exception was made with the soldier; Rena knew better than to violently lash out on her closest and most trusted comrade-in-arm. After all, the first time she had done that to Yuki was the last time she did.

The electronic blocky device that was once on the medic's hand was now turned off and reattached to her chest. With that same hand, she pressed both her index and middle finger against the black object within her right ear.

"You heard what Gekikara said, Otabe," Yuki spoke to her tactical radio earpiece. "We're going to head in. Over."

A crackle emitted from the device before a voice went through.

"As expected from our elite veterans... You both are ready to dive in head-first without hesitation," Yokoyama Yui murmured. "Please be careful out there, Black and Gekikara. There is a dozen guards armed and ready. Over."

"We will."

Yuki reached behind her back. Both of her hands soon held onto a light carbine rifle similar in model with Mayu's and Jurina's. A suppressor already attached to the weapon, she gave it a click in one swift motion. Her eyes darkened as the raven haired female let out a soft exhale. The calm woman was more than ready to join her comrade's fight.

"This is soldier #4, codename Black. Initiating rescue task of Antonio and engaging enemy's force with soldier #3, codename Gekikara. Over."

The two then proceeded to move towards their target's destination. Unlike Jurina and Mayu, they weren't afraid to walk out into the open in broad daylight. The vibe emitting from the duo contrasted greatly from earlier. Once they were in offense, they're prepared to squish anyone and anything that obstructs their goals.

It didn't take long for them to get into the opposing force's contact. Two soldiers gasped at the sight of the intruders walking at their direction. Without hesitation, they raised their weapons and pointed at the Japanese women.

However, the male and female were unable to pull back their index finger on the trigger. They were instantly greeted with bullets piercing through their bodies. Since they weren't clothed in a bulletproof vest like the other two, it didn't take much of an effort to gun them down. The suppressor did its job by concealing the loud gunshots as the foes were soaked in their own blood. As they collapsed, the older Matsui allowed the now empty clip to drop on the ground. The hollow object bounced slightly off the ground while her other hand snapped on a new one.

It wasn't surprising to see alarmed soldiers from nearby hear their comrades drop to the ground with a brief cry of surprise from the impact. A couple of them appeared at the scene of event with firearms ready.

Rena, now the lead of the duo, brought up the submachine gun. The trigger was pulled and held back as an unexpected carnage was unleashed upon their enemies. They didn't have time to react. Even if they did, they still met the same fate as everyone. For Yuki, she provided immediate back-up. She felt her light carbine rifle recoil for every stray UA member her partner was unable to mark down.

They all did this while calmly moving forward. The entire scenario almost seemed as though it was part of a flawless gunfight sequence from a movie. Each and every shell flung out of the weapon as it was unloaded upon the poor victims. It was their unlucky day to go against them.

By the time they reached to one of the many one-story buildings, the two stopped briefly and simultaneously glanced over their shoulders. It appears that they've left many dead bodies behind. Blood was spilled indiscriminately; life extinguished by a single exhale from the the females. Such power and strength in crushing the base's defense at a short time frame can only be the work of the devil.

"Looks like they won't be bothering us for some time," Yuki mumbled.

She then glanced over at the infantry soldier. The other female stood in her spot with fresh blood dripping from her body and face; a rather disheveled and dirtied appearance compared to the medic. Yuki's eyebrows furrowed as the older Matsui's grip on the gun began to tremble. Head lowered, her gaze was no different than of a madman. The sanity that Rena once had is now blending in well with insanity. If she were to snap, now would be the perfect timing.

Although this kind of reaction is abnormal, it wasn't surprising when one considers her having an unofficial diagnosis of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The anger, the sorrow, the irritability, the countless traumatic encounters, the hot-headed personality, the delusions, the fear... A discovery only found by Kashiwagi Yuki and Itano Tomomi, these young ladies sealed their mouth shut from the public about it, even from Rena herself. Usually a soldier with PTSD would be sent home without further questioning. They are too much of a danger to be around others. Despite the therapist's words, however, Yuki understood how much Rena wanted to perform her duty for a better future, and she couldn't stop her from the well-respected goal.

Quietly she reached her hand out on the woman's shoulder. Upon contact, she felt the older Matsui's shoulder stiffen.

"Gekikara... It's okay. It's over now."

That was the reason why she partnered with Matsui Rena. She was the one and only person that could care for her.

She felt her shoulder's muscle slowly relax, grip on the firearm following in a similar fashion. The other raven haired female raised her head up as she looked over at her comrade. Droplets of the recent kill stained her scarred face as she bit the bottom of her lip. Her eyebrows scrunched together till there were creases on her forehead. A scowl was written all over her facial features.

"I'm more than okay, Black," she growled. "Stop acting as if I'm crazy."

Yuki lifted her hand. "Sorry about that."

There was a sharp exhale accompanied by the same negative expression. "Just open the door for us."

The raven haired soldier nodded at her partner. Her black gloved hand was then placed on the blue wooden barrier. With an inhale shortly followed by an exhale, she pushed it open.

They were faced with a dark room. She squinted at their new surroundings as it took some time to adjust. A couple steps were taken into the condensed wooden box; a sorry excuse to call it a house in the first place. Her boots produced creaking sound from the boards below till she stopped. By the time Yuki was able to see, a gasp nearly left her mouth and her eyes widen at the sight.

Yamamoto Sayaka's hands were handcuffed together. The metal object was attached to the bloodied wall from behind. Civilian clothings had been stripped down to her dirty white t-shirt and brown baggy pants; everything else was taken away. Fresh color of red splattered the female's rugged attire as the Intel Leader ragged breaths escaped her throat. Bruises and cuts decorated parts of her body, especially with her face. One eye swollen painfully, Sayanee was seen to be unconscious at the time of their arrival.

As Rena stood with her mouth gaped from the doorway, the combat medic soldier didn't hesitate to hurry over to the leader's side. Her examinations were made first in order to diagnose and determine how severe the injuries are. Then and only then they will be able to figure out if they're able to save Sayanee's life.

The raven haired female took off her gloved hands. Both index and middle fingers were pressed against one of the two vital points on Sayanee's neck. To her relief, there was a weak pulse. (It was better than having none.) Left hand were retracted as Yuki saw the woman's chest faintly rise and fall; each breath short and abrupt through the respiratory system. That was another box checked off on the victim's status. Finally, she placed her ear against the female's chest. A 'lub-dub' entered into her eardrum as Yuki narrowed her eyes. The sound of her heart beated at a consistent and normal rate.

"Antonio's still alive," she finally proclaimed. "They didn't kill her yet, so we made it in time."

A soft sigh was heard within their individual earpiece. "I'm glad to hear that she's alive... I don't know how I would take the news if my closest comrade and co-leader died..." Yui whispered. "Anyway, good work on arriving on time, Black and Gekikara. I'm sending a chopper over to the designated LZ for extraction. Check the map on your electronic compass for the exact direction. Over."

The result of their mission is a success. However, despite the blessing that God must've bestowed upon the Intel Leader, the other female thought otherwise. She tightened her grip on the submachine gun's handle. Eyebrows scrunched together, she bore her teeth. Frustration, irritation, pure anger, desperation... Those emotions slammed into one another. This mission was no success; it was complete and utter failure since the beginning to the older Matsui.

"Whatever it is that they've done to her... They deserve to pay with their lives," Rena snarled. "People are not supposed to hurt one another. Why would they do this?"

"Most likely the UA's leader wanted to get information out of Antonio," her partner replied. "If you capture a specialist, you might as well demand everything from them with... some persuasions."

"Persuasions... right."

The older Matsui saw this sort of scene one too many times. Every single time their comrades were abused till their foot was in the grave, it made her blood boil. She remembered so well the first time she witnessed her old friend in a similar predicament. The smell of blood, the chilling sensation, and the sight confirming the death of the young male. It was a grotesque scenario to relive. If only Rena reached there in time, then his death could've been prevented. If only she was much stronger than before...

She turned her head to the side in disgust. The infantry soldier allowed both of her hands to raise the firearm into armed position.

"I have to kill them," she declared. "They'll stop hurting others. I have to kill them."

Rena hated murder, but she truly HATED those that harm one another through torture. People that continue to create violence should be disciplined. If they can't, then... it was time that she put them down for good. This was crucial to progressively head towards an event called 'peace', and Rena was more than willing to make it happen.

Her comrade, on another hand, raised an eyebrow. "We already killed them earlier."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"There isn't anymore soldiers left standing--"

"Dead friendly here!" a woman's voice rang out in the background. "We got a dead friendly!"

The two of them instantly looked out of the doorway. To their dismay, there was a group of six soldiers heading straight to the affected area. Based on their appearances, they were different from ordinary guards in this base. Each of them wore a black mask with a helmet and clear face shield. A couple of them carried shotguns and assault rifles. The rest had pistols and revolvers attached to their waists. Darker green clothing differentiate their status from those they've faced earlier. These folks are clearly on a whole new level.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Rena hastily hid by the doorway. Back resting against the cool surface, she peered out to continue her observation.

"The UA is here once again..." the infantry soldier grumbled. "Looks like a back-up squad was requested."

"I doubt they were requested." Yuki returned her gaze back to the unconscious figure. Still in the same spot, her hand reached down to one of the many attached sacks on her waist. Two thin metal stick was pulled out. As the raven haired female began to fumble with the handcuffs' lock, she added, "They might've wanted to check in on the others."

"Talk about bad timing to crash in..."

A faint click was heard from the back of the room. Both of Sayanee's arms dropped down as a ragged exhale left her cracked lips. The medical combat soldier proceeded to gently adjust the victim's posture from sitting to laying on her back. She groaned upon feeling someone's hand on her body. Both eyelids slightly lifted, Sayanee let out a hoarse exhale; any words that she wanted to say never came out.

"We need to get you treated ASAP," Yuki proclaimed to the awakening woman. Shooting a glance over her shoulder, she then requested, "Gekikara, can you keep the enemy occupied until I'm done patching Antonio up?"

There was a scoff coming from her comrade. A hand slamming a new magazine into the submachine gun, the female murmured, "It's not like I can say no to that."

She clearly wasn't going to let them go. This way a great excuse to vent her anger out on the unfortunate souls.

Sweat running down the side of Rena's face, she then leaned out of her wooden cover. Bullets began to blaze towards the present men and women in the premise. At this point, the suppressor had already been worn out, rendering it useless. Every single shot loudly rang out into the tensed air. The female then hurried out of the house and towards the nearest cover. A quick slide was made as more bullets exited the barrels. Whether it hit her targets or not didn't concern the infantry soldier. She had to keep them from getting anywhere near Yuki and Sayanee. They were vulnerable from any form of attacks at this moment in time.

As she kept them busy, the medic began her emergency treatment. The white, metal container was unclasped from her waist. Placing the object down on the musty floor, fingers clicked the box open. Medical items crucial for EMTs (emergency medical technicians) were included alongside with syringes and surgical equipment. Taking into consideration of her medical assessment, Yuki took out the necessary objects for the groaning victim. There were a couple major cuts that require stitches as others needed both antibiotics and bandages. Bruises, on another hand, were left alone. There wasn't any treatment to it other than ibuprofens (painkillers).

Yuki clenched her jaw. She couldn't believe how much beating their poor leader had taken from the UA. It's almost a surprise for Sayanee to regain some form of consciousness in the aftermath.

White latex-free gloves snapped on, it was time to perform.

The female swiftly grabbed the required materials for the healing procedures. Disinfectants were used on open wounds to clean them as gauzes were securely wrapped around the affected areas; pins respectively placed in position to keep the bandages from loosening. Throughout the event, Sayanee was seen to be grimacing at the stings and aches. This made Yuki work harder, sweat glands began to produce its substance as she continued. The soldier is not allowed to make a single mistake. She has to efficiently and accurately take care of the wounded. Last thing she wanted to face was a death due to an infection or avoidable ailment.

Soon she cautiously took off her bloodied gloves. Placing the contaminated objects into a sealable plastic bag, she tidied up the area of operation. The emergency treatment took five minutes. With skills like hers, the quick finish is a norm to the medic.

She then used her forearm to wipe away the sweat from her forehead. Her patient looked to be in stable condition for her physical health. The abnormal breathing pattern that once plagued Sayanee cease to exist; chest rising and falling at a consistent rate. Relief washed over the raven haired female.

After she clicked the medical kit from the back of her waistband, Yuki immediately took out her electronic compass. As the vicious gunfight ensue in the background, she activated the device. The hologram of the land's map popped up once again. Her gaze flickered over to the destination Yui had marked for the helicopter to pick them up from the field. So far a white circular marker was highlighted afar from the base. She huffed as she turned off the compass. They had to get out of the hot zone if they were going to be safe from any further danger, and it was not going to be easy.

"Gekikara," Yuki began to call out to her via transmitter. "I need you to cover for me as I carry Sayanee over to the extraction point. Can you do that? Over."

It took a couple seconds before she got a response.

"I got your back. However, these soldiers are much tougher. I could only gun two out of twelve of them... So remain alert if worst comes to worst. Over."

A warning from the older Matsui was never a good sign. If the young woman declared that they were difficult to tackle, then it posed a huge problem for Yuki. She was not a frontline fighter like Rena. Her role was to provide back-up and support for the charging assaulter. Being caught in enemy's fire, especially from a tough foe, was the last thing she wanted to see happen. The soldier has to be extra careful in escaping the premise with an injured leader.

Yuki knew that it wasn't going to work if she supported Sayanee into walking with her. Their Intel Leader was in no position to be able to move even! So it left her with no choice but to carry Sayanee over her shoulders and upper back. (Weight of a fit individual wasn't an issue due to the strict boot camp sessions every month.)

After some careful lifting and positioning, she now stood upright with the other female's body resting like a sack of potato. One arm through the legs and keeping ahold of the figure, Yuki didn't hesitate to pull out her silent pistol with her free hand. Although it wasn't effective in silencing her enemies, at least she could neutralize them if the situation arises.

She inhaled. Then she exhaled.

"I'm now moving to the extraction point. Over."

At that instant, Yuki stamped her boots on the ground with as much force as possible to push her figure forward; her legs swinging out at a consistent rate. With Sayanee's life at hand, the soldier was forced to strategically run from cover to cover. It wasn't surprising to see enemies noticing their presence. Yet Rena prevented the nearby UA soldiers from gunning her vulnerable allies down.

It was a difficult chess-like game. Every single move mattered and they were under a time constraint. Consequences immediately went into full effect should the wrong action be taken. Yuki was tasked with safely bringing Sayanee to the soon-to-arrive chopper landing zone. Rena was tasked with protecting the pair while keeping the enemies at bay. All of this must be done while keeping themselves alive. The two were faced with immense responsibilities that placed extreme pressure. Failure was not an option.

Rena performed the best of her ability to not only keep up with Yuki's fast travel, but to shoot down any that came close to her comrade. A couple more armed soldiers were gunned down as they progressed out of the village. Eight soldiers were left chasing relentlessly after the now-regrouped trio, and it was only going to get harder onward now that they entered into the dense surrounding of a swamp.

Multiple boots slammed down against the earth's surface as everyone hectically reach out to achieve their results. The peaceful vibe that once coated nature was dramatically overwhelmed with intensity and danger. Not a single living animal was in sight as Yuki, Sayanee, and Rena make their escape; their loud pants could be heard as they desperately rush to the location.

The older Matsui suddenly pressed one of her boots down on the ground. Coming to a complete halt, with knees slightly bent, she twisted her entire body around with the submachine gun. The firearm's aim pointed directly at the two soldiers rapidly approaching. Then her index finger gave a quick pull inward on the solid trigger.

There was a click. Multiple fires were shot. Yet the soldier noticed that it wasn't coming from her own weapon... Her weapon ran out of ammo, giving her enemy a favorable round.

If it weren't for their bulletproof vest, Rena would've been littered with holes like chedder cheese. Even so, the impact did not stop the female from tumbling backward; each bullet sending a sensation of mini-punches. The infantry soldier's back slammed against the tree. A sharp exhale came out of her opened mouth. Then with teeth gritted, the older Matsui hastily tossed aside the useless submachine gun. Both hands immediately reached down to her waist. Almost as if she were a cowboy, the combat pistols rose up to their positions. It didn't take long for the female to pop the remaining enemies off from their track with as much bullets as possible.

'These soldiers are tougher than I thought.'

A faint smile ran across the woman's face. Even though these were the enemies that had to die, they valiantly hunted down their victims with the best of their abilities. It's been a while since Rena had to face such opponent. Erasing them from the face of the planet would be another step forward to the 'peace' she had in mind.

As the female proceeded to rejoin Yuki and Sayanee, the medical combat soldier was frantically dodging any stray bullets from the gunfight. Her gloved hands tightened its hold on the barely conscious individual. It would be a lie to say she wasn't beginning to grow tired. She may be fit, but it didn't mean she could go on forever. She's clearly not a superhero.

The pacing slowed down as it went from a mad dash to a jog. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she pushed herself on.

'Come on, Yuki! You could do this!'

They finally reached to their destination. At that same moment, Rena regrouped with her comrades. It was also when the surviving UA soldiers appeared from the backgrounds. They and the older Matsui immediately raised their firearms up. Although the odds favorably rest on the UA, no one pulled their triggers.

"Lower your weapons, you Japanese, and we won't kill you," one of the males spoke. "Make a move against us, however, and we'll have to shoot you."

Rena clenched her jaw.

It's clear that the enemies wanted them to surrender rather than kill them off. After all, this might be their chance to gather more information about Japan's next military action. The female knew nothing more worse than being captured by them. It happened to her once, and she wasn't planning to let it occur again. However, their current situation left an extremely slim room to get through.

"Otabe," Yuki harshly whispered through the transmitter. "We're in a pinch and we still don't see the chopper. Over."

"Can you still keep the enemy from firing? The chopper is still heading over to your way. Over."

The combat medic soldier let out a forceful exhale. Her hands readjusting the grip on Sayanee's limp figure, she glanced over at Rena. Although the two wouldn't have any issue dealing with them, they have their Intel Leader with them. If any harm comes to her way, it would lead to an inevitable fate of death and the mission would be deemed as a failure. That was something the two will not allow.

"Looks like this task had a twist in the end..." Rena uttered. Shooting a look to her partner also, she felt one corner of her lips curl upward. An irony to how the two oldest active members in the battlefield will meet their fate. Dual combat pistols aimed at one of the six, she added, "Let's see how long we've got till we drop dead."

"You got a long time to survive, that's what," a voice different from Yui crackled in their earpiece.

A massive storm of bullets then rained down upon their setting. The remaining six soldiers that had them cornered all fell down in a bloody mess. This turn of event alarmed the duo, causing them to shift their gaze over to the source.

Kimoto Kanon and Yagami Kumi had finally arrived with the helicopter, 'Black Hawk'. Nearby trees and plants were violently blown against as the flying vehicle lowered itself just enough on the wetland. The huge gust of wind riled up by the propellers forced both of the soldiers to raise their arm up, shielding their face.

"It's about damn time you showed up!" Rena barked as she lowered her arm. "What took you both so long?!"

Without hesitation, as it hovered above the ground, the two hurried to it. The infantry soldier hopped into it first. She then lent a hand to Yuki in gently bringing in Sayanee to the helicopter, letting one of the two Intel Leaders to be safely buckled to the seat in the back.

"Glad to see you two still alive," Kumi remarked as she glanced over her shoulders. "It would be a pain in the ass to report your deaths to General Aki-P. As for Sayanee..."

"She's going to be okay, Dance," Yuki replied while getting on the vehicle. Her eyes flickered its gaze over to the now-sleeping leader. "I treated her wounds, but we need to hurry back to Mother Base though in order to let the surgeons treat her wounds."

"We got your backs. It shouldn't take more than half an hour to return." Kanon then flicked a couple of switches while speaking over to Yui. "Otabe, this is Miso. A request is needed for Antonio to be sent to the sickbay upon arrival at Mother Base."

Once their leader is secured to her spot, Rena slid both of the doors shut as they were elevating up into the air. Now that the concept of danger was free from the atmosphere, the two felt an immense wave of exhaustion wash over their fatigue figures. The duo were now sitting on the seats near the doors, opposite to each other. Not a single word was spoken to each other after the liftoff. Weariness colored their facial features as a simultaneous sigh escaped from their lips.

Kumi and Kanon couldn't help but glance at each other when they heard their exhaustion. A faint smile was exchanged between the two as they refocused their attention to driving the vehicle.

Outside of the glass windows, the land of the UA was soon replaced with an endless color of blue that extended beyond what their sight could provide. The sun that beated relentlessly on the trio earlier now began to set from the distance. It was a relaxing scenery even for the two soldiers. For a trip that would roughly take half an hour, it wasn't bad staring silently at it for a while.

In the meantime, one of the two raven haired female glanced down to her lap. The hot-headed soldier curled in both of her fingerless gloved hands into fists, the sound of its material tightening at the action. She may be relieved of Yamamoto Sayaka's rescue and wiping off the UA soldiers located at the village, but she understood there was much more work to do. A mission is a stepping stone to the 'peace' that she wanted to achieve; to a better world where war and bloodshed would be nonexistent.

'I will make change to this world. I know I have to.'

Yuki retracted her gaze from the scenery through the window. Her dark brown eyes fell upon her comrade. A frown was formed when she saw the contemplating female. Unlike Rena, this calm female felt a huge wave of relief and gratefulness in succeeding their mission.

Upon lowering the chopper on the landing platform, a couple of soldiers stood nearby. Cladded in the dark green uniform and choice of armed weapon, the members all saluted the moment Rena slid the door open. As requested from earlier, there was also a small medical squad rushing in with a white stretcher. The two veteran soldiers immediately gave them a hand after getting off from the chopper.

Kanon and Kumi proceeded to fly off from the LZ platform as they tended to Sayanee's care. Once she was on the stretcher, their Intel Leader managed to awaken once again. However, it was only for a brief moment. Her bandaged hand shakingly grabbed ahold of the nearest soldier of the two; her action startling the older Matsui.

"Thank you... for saving me..." she managed to utter.

The grip she had on Rena's sleeve then loosened as her heavy eyelids gave way. Hearing her thank the woman caused her eyes to widen. The corner of her lips curled downward as Sayanee was taken away to the nearest sickbay by the emergency medical staffs.

'You shouldn't be thanking us... We couldn't save you in time...'

As the other soldiers dispersed and returned back to their guard posts, both Yuki and Rena were approached by both Mayu and Jurina.

"Well, don't you both look like you came from Hell," the young Matsui remarked upon closing their distance.

"I didn't expect you both to be back so soon," Yuki bluntly spoke. "I would expect the dangerous tactical espionage to take at least two days."

Jurina almost let out a chuckle. She pointed at her gauzed shoulder, shaking her head. "It didn't mean we got out scathe-free."

Based on a quick observation from the two females, it's apparent that they have gotten minor injuries during their task. Bandages were plastered on their faces and a white gauze tightly wrapped around Jurina's shoulder. Despite the comment Jurina has made, Yuki found it astonishing to how little damage they've received. When considering the amount of time they've used up, this mission could only be performed and completed by the best of the best.

Rena, on another hand, clenched her jaw tightly. She was impressed by their performances. Unlike her partner, whose showering compliments ensued, remained silent. As a veteran of war, her sharp eyes were able to perceive the skills that lay hidden underneath these two youngsters. She didn't need to give them remarks. She knew that they possess abilities that would, one day, rival against hers and Yuki's. The thought of them overcoming the two brought a tinge of jealousy to the plate, but that was minor.

"But look at you both!" the youngest of the four exclaimed. "You don't even have a scratch on your bodies!"

Immediately Yuki waved a hand in the air with a bewildered expression. "It's nothing, really! We were actually wearing bulletproof vests throughout the missions--"

"I'm sure it's not only from that. As expected from our veterans, you both really know how to handle our enemies!"

"I don't think so... We ran into some trouble that required Kumi's and Kanon's help."

"Having some extra help doesn't automatically mean you're not good!"

"Jurina... I think you really give us far too much credit for our work."

"Really? You both deserve it!"

Mayu, who was watching both Yuki's and Jurina's exchange, found herself glancing over at the quiet female. Although the two were not one to speak to each other as freely as Jurina and Yuki, the special operative soldier couldn't help but properly welcome the duo back from their mission.

"Rena," she called out. "It's good to see you and Yukirin back."

The older Matsui shifted her attention over to the ponytailed female. A faint, worn out smile ran across her face as she nodded her head.

"Yeah... It's good to be back."

[sakura_drop_]

*speechless*

 

[nezukara]

...

EPIC.

 

That's literally it. EPIC. You two are amazing for getting to write a fanfic of such awesome propertions! I'm totally awaiting the next update, no matter how long it takes!

[bunny_rabbit]

thank you for the meal~

this is a sweet dessert after all those gory main course from "I Shall Seal The Heaven"

"a perfect match made from heaven" man, it's been a long long time since I read that line in a story...nice one

I'm wishing for a staple YokoYamamoto here

[sakura_drop_]

oh my gosh, shachou, this was a LOOOOOONG prologue... 

I loved this a lot, have so much to say, but right now I will take some time to think things over, okay?

*saves spot*

especially for Shinigami I will say this. This fic has given me so many feels, I cannot put to words anything I want to say about it. ASk shachou, I spazzed to her so much I think she got tired of it, LOL.

I am dying to read the first chapter, all of it actually. Even Season 2 and 3 and however many you have 

THIS FANFIC IS FANFIC GOALS.

#TRUTH

[LoyalFlutist]

[Replies]

Llyloo:
NOWHERE TO BE FOUND BECAUSE ONEE-SAMA IS ONEE-SAMA

LoyalFlutist:
@nezukara: I'm glad you think so! I think there's so much more we can improve on, but thank you very much for the compliment! Hope you enjoy this (slow-paced) first chapter!
@bunny_rabbit: Wow. You're enjoying your gorey feast, aren't you! Let us see what becomes of those two as we progress through the story... (Slight warning, you are dealing with TWO angst-lover writers!)
@sakura_drop: I know you've told me about your thoughts on this series, but here is the first chapter to the story! Sorry to keep you waiting! (And I apologize if it's slower than the prologue.)

[A/N]

Llyloo's A/N:
i love you all. (WAIT? WHAT? Too lazy to reply properly ? Yaaay). Thanks you guys, even if I did nothing than giving my minds on the story and character >///<. AND SAKU, You're mission, and you can't dare to refuse, is to write a "Deukie comment" BWAHAHAH

LoyalFlutist's A/N:
Goodness, how many months has it been since we've last updated? Let's just say the second year of college decided to be Hell. All is well though as I am now done with it, and beginning my third year starting tomorrow after my two last finals! Thank you very much for supporting this, and enjoy (or not) the first chapter to this series. Let's jam.

[Chapter 1]

Every soldier needs a place they can call ‘home’. Food, warmth, comfort, love… Necessities for a human-being in a single, confined area is the definition of ‘home’. It was the only thing that could ground their sanity. In the midst of war, the only home they can look forward to returning to is their operative base.

Mother Base. Matsui Jurina, Watanabe Mayu, Kashiwagi Yuki, and Matsui Rena reside here ever since they were enlisted into Japan’s military.

Mother Base was located out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was built was thanks to the generous help from engineers and construction workers for two decades. Blueprints and government files showcased the base’s importance. Standing between Japan and the UA, it had everything the soldiers needed. Multiple platforms ranging from Combat Unit and Intel to R&D and Support assist the fighters both in and out of the field. It was the perfect base the Japanese government had created, and it was proudly led by General Aki-P. Whispers and rumors worldwide predicted that, one day, Japan will lead the world with its technological advancement.

Jurina and Mayu thought that was silly.

“Japan? Lead the world? I think we’re light years away from even achieving that result,” Jurina loudly spoke. The female, fully recovered from her injuries, was seen driving in a military jeep (ZaAZ-S84/4W model) fit for two people. By her side, the mouse chuckled. Mayu placed both hands on the back of her head as she replied, “These predictions are ridiculous. Only fools would believe in such fantasy.”

“Talk about it.” The younger Matsui tightened her gloved hands on the steering wheel. In front of her, the long, metal bridge that connects all of the platforms together was split into a Y path. With great precaution, the special operative turned the vehicle to their left. “It seems as if everyone has forgotten that the United States and Russia are our biggest concern with world power.”

A brief period of silence fell between the two. Mayu decided to use this chance by closing her eyelids, and enjoying both the salty breeze and sunlight within their surroundings. A faint exhale came from her nose.

“I wonder if we’re going to make a difference in this war?”

The question Mayu has brought up perked Jurina’s attention. She glanced over at the passenger.

“A sudden change of topic, don’t you think?”

The mouse shrugged her shoulders. “I had to ask. I mean, the war has been raging on for countless years, yet there’s no end in sight. Least, that’s what the textbooks say about the war.”

“Maybe, but I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

“Figure something out, huh? Well, I hope you’re right about that.”

----------

A familiar raven haired female got off of the vehicle. Kashiwagi Yuki gave a quick thanks to the male driver before returning her attention to the facility. Now on the Medical Platform, the combat medic saw a few soldiers. Their stiff postures and readied firearms made them almost unapproachable. It was the perfect image to portray for protecting this platform. Anything other than a bone-chilling aura would be a sign of weakness to the enemies.

The combat medic walked over to one of the four tall metal structures. In the background, a few soldiers passing by performed a salute to the older female. (To their dismay, she was more focused in getting to her destination.) A flash of her identification card was more than enough to slide open the door.

Then, a flash of the color white entered into her vision. Yuki briefly squinted her eyes. It was a huge contrast to the color General Aki-P had done to this base. The same could be said to the building’s interior. One step into the building could lead almost anyone into believing they were back in their homeland. Everything in this shelter was a replicate of a hospital. The metal barrier slid shut from behind as the female inhaled… and exhaled.

Sterilization was common in the medical bay. A whiff of the peculiar smell was like the smell of home to this soldier. It invited a sense of a safe haven, yet, at the same time, death brooding over their shoulders. Lives can be saved. Lives can end. A heavy responsibility of handling one’s precious life hung over the shoulders of medical staffs and soldiers. It wasn’t something Yuki was unfamiliar with.

“Kasai.”

Keys rapidly pressed on the laptop’s keyboard came to a halt. One of the five nurses on the first floor’s station glanced up at the call of her name. Kasai Tomomi raised both of her eyebrows at the sight of the medic. It was accompanied by a sly grin.

“Yukirin~ You here to see me?”

Yuki almost rolled her eyes. The brown haired female should know better than to ask her that question.

“Are visitors allowed to visit Yamamoto Sayaka today?”

“Avoiding my question, aren’t you~?” Kasai stood up from her seat. Then, she leaned forward, pressing her abdomen against the white counter. Same-colored attire appropriate for a nurse was notably tightened by her action. There was a considerable amount of pressure applied to her chest. Slightly tilting her body, the nurse reached out to place a hand on Yuki’s cheek. Warmth seeped to the female’s face as the medical staff caressed and gently bit her own lips. “You still thinking about the steamy night we had together~?”

A tinge of red colored Yuki’s cheeks, but she calmly grabbed Kasai’s wrist. “No. I need to see Sayanee,” she firmly spoke as she removed the woman’s hand.

Kasai narrowed her eyes as she tore her hand away from the raven haired grip. “Today’s the day you can visit her.”

“Room number...”

“15.” 

“Thanks.” The combat medical soldier then turned her back towards the nurse. A couple steps were taken before she stopped in her track. Without looking back, Yuki murmured, “Also… Please don’t talk about that anymore.”

An amused smile was formed by her lips.

“Oho~ I see then~ Very well, Yukirin... I’ll see you later~”

The other four nurses whispered to each other as Kasai waved farewell to the other.

“She did it with Kashiwagi-san?”

“Didn’t expect that at all…” 

Words about her side occupation was an epidemic in Mother Base. It was a given fact that the nurse was one of the few reasons soldiers maintained a sane demeanor. On the other hand, her reputation fluctuates between groups. Some praised her. Some despised her. Some even idolized her. No matter what they say, Kasai was always there for everyone. That included Kashiwagi Yuki, and it was something the soldier hated to talk about.

After gaining some distance between the two, the warrior pinched the bridge of her nose.

‘Idiot... It was only one time...‘

Memories of the passionate night in desperation from the stress was burnt into her brain. No matter how much she wanted to pretend it did not exist, the scars and dark blood oozing occasionally from maltreatment in her mind served as a painful reminder of the odd relationship between her and the nurse. There was no love. There was nothing but the desire of a sweet release. Kasai did what she had to do, and Yuki had gotten what she called for. Shame and regret washed over her every single time she encounters the brown haired prostitute. It was an irreversible event.

Yuki released her hold on her nose. She didn’t want to think about it anymore. The reason she came here was not to be a masochist to the nurse, but to see a comrade-in-arm.

It did not take long for the raven haired female to reach her destination. She stood in front of the door with hands tightened into fists.

’I hope Sayanee is okay…’

She placed a hand on the doorknob and, with a twist, pushed it forward.

The sight baffled her. Compared to the last time she had seen Sayanee, this made way for relief to come crashing into the soldier. Gauzes and patches were plastered on many parts of the Intel Team Leader’s body, but fared far better than before. She was seen sat up on the soft, white mattress. Oxygen tanks and EKG machines were settled nearby, yet not in use anymore. The sound of a visitor entering into her private patient room caused the female to see who it was. When their eyes met, Yuki gently smiled as she approached the patient.

“Sayanee, how are you feeling?” the combat medic questioned as she stood by the bed.

Sayanee faintly chuckled. “Aside from nearly dying a week ago… I think I’m fine.” A soft groan slipped past her barely parted lips when the Intel Team Leader adjusted the position of her left arm. After settling in a more comfortable posture, her brown eyes snapped back to the soldier. “Thanks for saving me. I don’t think I would last another day tied up in that shack.”

Yuki’s eyes flickered to the side. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she bit the bottom of her lip. “If we had gotten to you much sooner, you wouldn’t have had your foot in the grave.”

“I guess so…”

A period of uncomfortable silence hung in the air. The combat medic tightened her grip on her arm. Sayanee, on the other hand, turned her attention to another direction. Her eyes now trained on the glass window, she witnessed an incredible sight of the sun setting. When the rays of the burning star come into contact with the seawater, sparkles emitted from its watery surface. A breathtaking sight, the longer she gazed into it, the more powerful the soothing effect reign over the injured female. It reminded her about many things that, had she died, would never be able to see or feel ever again.

“Yukirin.”

“Yes?”

“To be honest… I was scared.” Sayanee exhaled, her eyes still fixated to the window. Her heart began to speed up its pace as she spoke again. “Every single punch I received, every single slash I got, every single threat I heard… I thought I was going to die. I know serving in the army meant giving your life to your nation, but… I never realized how scary it was.”

“...”

She shakily exhaled as her right hand weakly formed a fist. “It… It’s making me doubt if I should continue being a leader. I was never caught before… but when I did, I…” the soldier trailed off. Vivid flashbacks of the horrors she experienced back in the dirtied shack sent a chill down her spine. Goosebumps appeared on her exposed skin as she forced herself to swallow a choking sob. It was a pathetic sight to see Japan’s Intel Team Leader begin to tear down her shields, showcasing her vulnerable side to her savior.

There was nothing Yuki could respond. She did not know how to talk to Sayanee about this. A combat medical soldier she may be and a caretaker of Matsui Rena, but she is, in no way, a counselor to others. One wrong word would shove the other into the abyss of insanity, and if this awkward socialization continues, her comrade’s mental stability will be beyond saving. The raven haired female wanted nothing to do other than back away from this sensitive topic. However, if the medic did that, it would damage Sayanee’s fragile emotional well-being. She was stuck in a deadlock. Regardless of what she chose, it would end badly for the patient.

“Yamamoto Sayaka, you can talk to me.”

Just in the nick of time, a young woman’s voice interrupted their one-sided conversation. The soldier glanced over her shoulder to spot Itano Tomomi standing by the doorway with her clipboard.

“I-Itano…” Yuki breathed out as she watched the psychiatrist shoot her gaze at the soldier. The combat medic stiffened her posture. Itano’s sharp-like eyes were uncomfortable to the female; it felt as though she could see through and read her mind by a single glance. They narrowed as she began to walk and brush by the gaping female.

Yuki watched the therapist approach Sayanee. With a hand gently placed on top of the injured leader’s arm, Itano was able to bring a sense of comfort to her patient. It was one of the many techniques taught for therapists: contact.

Soldiers that came back from a traumatizing event was threatened with the same disorder that plagued the older Matsui. Many were sent back home with an honorable title, but a few lucky ones recovered from the horrible side effects. Itano knew how to handle these cases, and she was the only person that could properly treat her patients. As a psychiatrist, it was her duty to begin and proceed with the healing process. There was just one problem…

“I want you out, Yuki.”

The cold tone that painted over her words was more than enough to shake the veteran’s core. Same pair of piercing eyes were aimed at her direction. Itano may be a counselor bringing comfort to others, but she herself has a disorder that involves the lack of emotional connection to members in Mother Base. Those unaffiliated with her treatment were casted aside as nothing more than an object of hindrance. It’s a wonder to how she still remains in the military as a therapist.

Yuki slightly bowed her head to the two. “If you would excuse me then…” It did not take long to find the warrior out of the room and in the hallway. She felt her heart thumping slightly louder than usual after their odd interaction. Despite being a long-time member of Japan’s military organization, the Kashiwagi female could never shake off the terrifying aura emitted from Itano.

’I’m glad I got out of the mess--’

She then saw Rena. The comrade-in-arms had her arms crossed, and back resting against the wall near Sayanee’s patient room. Teeth were seen sunk into the soft flesh of her lower lip. Her fingers curled inward, nails digging into the black cloth of their militarized uniform. Questions immediately popped into Yuki’s head at the sight. The medic opened her mouth, but, instead, she decided to clamp it shut.

The older Matsui bit even harder into her lip. A crimson substance began to appear on its surface as she snarled, “Sayanee did not deserve this… She didn’t deserve being scared out of her wits.”

“...”

“I’ll make the UA pay,” she tightened her fists. A thin sliver of blood ran down to her chin, and the warrior narrowed her eyes. “They have no right to harm another, especially our comrade.”

She was, once again, only met with silence from her partner. Yuki wearily watched as her partner uncrossed her arms. Then, without warning, slammed a fist against the wall nearby. Passing nurses and soldiers nearly leapt into the air from her sudden action. An unfortunate soul had accidentally tripped from surprise, and spilled an open bottled water on the woman. Kashiwagi Yuki’s eyes widen at the unfolding scenario. Time slowed down for the combat medical soldier as she reached both hands out towards Rena’s twisted body.

Both of her arms managed to thrust underneath Rena’s and bring it up in a way that securely held the furious female back. The fist that was aimed at the man’s face was unable to do its deed. Then, time resumed for Yuki as she desperately kept ahold of her partner.

“Let me go, Yuki!” she shrieked and struggled. “I’m going to beat him up for spilling water on me!”

“Rena, calm… calm down!”

The tug-of-war for power ensued between the two. Rena wanted nothing more than to rip apart the guilty’s face for his heinous act. Yuki wanted nothing more than to calm her friend down from murdering anyone on board. She knew this was one of the many violent episodes that the older Matsui had. The infantry soldier was prone to violence and inappropriate conducts that would put others’ health at a risk. Yuki knew Rena did not mean to hurt others out of selfishness, but the image she is portraying said so. It was a consequence to hiding PTSD status from everyone on board, and continuing to serve in one of the most stressful occupation with the mental disorder. If only Itano, the only other person with this knowledge, could come out and assist Yuki in handling Rena…

Another soldier then came into their view. Yuki nearly groaned from the number of bad events that was occurring in one day.

’First Kasai… then Sayanee’s mental breakdown… the scary encounter with Itano… and trying to deal with Rena here… What’s next?!’

“Am I… interrupting something?”

The thick Kyoto’s accent could only come from one person. Yui was staring in horror at the messy scenario before her eyes. A male soldier was barely able to get up on his two feet before apologizing over and over. As for Rena, who was fumbling in Yuki’s grasp, was shouting profanity that would make any child cry to the man.

Yuki furrowed her brows. She managed to mutter to her partner, “Matsui Rena, you’re… you’re not capable of saving the world if you keep acting like this.”

The words were nothing special. Most anybody would brush it aside with a laugh or a scoff. To Rena, however, it was an effective mean to click her back to reality. All of her rage was immediately drained as she widened her eyes. Fists that were in the air were loosened and lowered down to her side. Yuki was finally able to release her tight hold on the female. It was a strange sight to see the medic out of breath, and the infantry soldier hardly exhausted.

“I… I apologize for causing a ruckus…” the raven haired female wheezed. “Is there something you need to inform us?”

“It’s okay.” Yui forced a smile as she motioned a hand in the air. How she felt after witnessing the horrendous and loud scene was unknown to both Rena and Yuki. “I have an order from the general that you both are to meet with him in the Commanding Platform.”

“R-Right now?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

----------

It took some time for the two veterans to reach the Command Platform, especially when Yuki had to pull Rena out of the hospital. Many LZ platforms were seen scattered throughout the main premise. Helicopters are constantly coming in and out, dropping off small supply crates and members in-between. It was one of the noisiest platform out of all in Mother Base.

Both Rena and Yuki trudged up the staircases. Every once in a while, Yuki would salute and greet the passing soldiers on their way to their destination. As for Rena herself, she remained mute. Not like it made much of a difference. No one was particularly invested in wasting their breath on making banters or minor exchanges with the older Matsui other than her partner. After the incident in the hospital, it only strengthened their resolve in keeping contact with the infantry soldier to a bare minimum. If possible, it would be better if there were none. Only Yuki was able to handle the toxicity. As for Mayu and Jurina… Perhaps they are too young to understand the violent tendency Rena could withhold.

When they reached to the top floor, the two were greeted by a wide range of technology. A blue hologram of the global map was seen projected from the center of the dark room. The rest of the wall was littered with holograms of other countries. Videos filled with newsfeed from multiple parts of the world are silently playing behind the empty general’s desk. It could be mistaken to be another room for the Intel Team.

“Oh! There’s Yuki and Rena!”

The sudden call from the two youngsters twisted their attention to the rapidly approaching soldiers. Jurina and Mayu gave the two a firm handshake upon closing their distance.

“Did the general call you both up too?” Yuki asked as she retracted her hand from Mayu’s.

The mouse let out an exhale. “Looks like it.”

As for Jurina and Rena, the two had an awkward exchange. The cheerful puppy grinned as the older Matsui responded with sealed lips. One was bright, the other was full of darkness. It was a stark contrast between the two individuals. If there’s anyone Rena wanted to talk to aside from Yuki, there was Mayu. She was the least of the annoying bunch on the base. If there’s anyone Jurina would talk to aside from Mayu, that would be everyone. Literally. Jurina loved nothing more than to befriend her comrades, and work together to complete their missions against the UA.

“I’m glad you four could make it.”

All four instantly stood firm and tall as their general appeared from the side of the room. With his white gloved hands behind his back, General Aki-P wandered over to his desk. A man full of wisdom, courage, and experience in the battlefield, his charismatic level sky-rocketed beyond any of the other generals enlisted in Japan’s military force. His full attention was focused on the four as one of his hand reached inside of his black uniform jacket.

“Our interrogation with the lieutenant of UA gave us the results we needed.” With that uttered, he proceeded to pull out a yellow envelope. It was then placed on the surface of the desk. His index finger lightly tapped on the thin parasol. “We know exactly how to turn the tide of this conflict into our favor. I want you four to work together and take control of a key base located on the borders of the UA.”

[bunny_rabbit]

after hours of translating and was about to call it off, my phone suddenLy vibrate : a new post for Phantom Pain
  finalLy

*clicked on the link - start reading*

*feeling refreshed - I can continue translating then*


angst? bring it on

[MogiG]

That... is amazing, both of you are to be congratulated for doing something so amazing as well ! I love how the details are described ! Thank you  !

[LoyalFlutist]

[Replies]

Llyloo:
@bunny_rabbit + MogiG: thanks you both for reading hope you all appreciate some more angst and conflict o/

LoyalFlutist:
@bunny_rabbit: I'm glad the previous update gave you some energy to continue your translation! Hope you enjoy this recent update.
@MogiG: We're grateful to receive your compliments! Hope this next update will be enjoyable for you.

[A/N]

Llyloo:
Sorry for the wait, I have no excuse

LoyalFlutist:
It's been far too long since we've last updated this series. I apologize for it! It took us months writing bit by bit during our busy lives... Well, there's not much for me to really say other than hope you all enjoy this update. Things are getting hectic the older we get, huh...

[Chapter 2]

“So.... this is our first time together, huh.”

“You could say that.”

“Ah~ I’m pretty excited to be working with the best of the best!”

“...”

A faint muse. A reply. A smirk. A cold glare. Black Hawk flying over the blue ocean. Remarks uttered between the four of them. The scenario played out as if it were the start of an action flick.

Objects gently mixed were heard in the background. Yuki’s eyes focused down on her lap. The combat medic’s black gloved fingers rummaged through her white metallic box as she murmured, “It looks like I have everything in here… Hope I didn’t forget anything...”

Her partner frowned at the sight. How could her sister-in-arm be checking the medical supplies after leaving the base? Rena wasn’t pleased, but knew better than to start an argument with Yuki. Mouth that was slightly opened clamped its jaw shut. The aberrant attitude from the PTSD-stricken woman would lead to something far worse than that. (There was a reason why she hardly fought with her partner.) 

Appropriate attires and equipment were required at the start of the mission. Many of them were already attached on their bodies. Upon comparison of the two pairs, there’s a drastic difference in appearance.

Mayu and Jurina were outfitted with their black sneaking suit. (Compared to the outfit they donned from their previous operation, this was the best, special military wear from Japan. It boosted the wearer’s resilience and strength thanks to its clingy material.) A gray scarf were wrapped around their neck in preparation for the UA’s wet terrestrial land. The two special operative soldiers also carried their respective silent pistol, light carbine rifle, hand grenades, painkiller pills, handheld binocular, and personalized items.

For Yuki and Rena, they greatly contrasted from the operatives. Thanks to a recent upgrade from the R&D Platform in Mother Base, a heavy, black suit concealed all but their head. Gray armor and bulletproof vest clung to the thick material, making it near impenetrable from most common weapons. Although Yuki possess similar weapons as the special operatives, she had a bit more offense than them. As for the older Matsui, she gathered the best of the best militarized firearms. Her fingers curled inward, tightening its grip on one of the best submachine guns produced by the Japanese.

Preparation was complete. Not a single detail was left behind. A frontline infantry soldier, a combat medic, and two special operatives could only work in perfection. Defeat was never an option.

Within the flying chopper piloted by both Yagami Kumi and Kimoto Kanon, a slightly tensed atmosphere began to hang over the soldiers' head. Although Yuki and Rena are used to this kind of sensation, Mayu and Jurina... not so much. They weren't used to working without anyone but their partner. Now that Aki-P placed the four together, it was an oddity. Was it from the large gap by experiences? Perhaps the tension from the critical mission? Or was it from the current relationship they have as seniors and juniors? Two of them weren't able to put their fingers on it. Two of them only understood their own reasoning to staying quiet. It did not matter, though. The atmosphere became heavier as the minutes pass by.

The young Watanabe’s fingerless glove toyed with her silent pistol. Index finger and thumb pulled and pressed against the metal weapon, brown eyes gazed downward at the held object. She did not mind glancing up to initiate a conversation, especially with Yuki, but something held her back. A gut feeling tugged at her tongue to remain in place and kept her pink lips sealed tight. Her heartbeat continued to jog at an abnormally fast rate ever since she plopped into the air vehicle with the experienced warriors. A click was heard as she deactivated the safety lock of the gun.

Mayu wasn't scared of anyone. Mayu wasn't even scared of the mission tasked to them. Yet she could not lift her head and make eye-contact with the older Matsui.

No... Maybe she was afraid of the intimidating and piercing gaze that the assault soldier possessed.

Back on base, Rena's eyes were that of a serious, but approachable, person. Maybe a little too hot-headed at times. Here as an active soldier, however, when Mayu saw her, she nearly felt her heart leap out of her chest and into her throat. Rena's sharp eyes could cut down anyone in her way with a single glance. The first time their eyes met an hour ago, the young female froze in her spot. If it weren't for the oblivious Jurina slapping her back as a wake-up call, she would be rooted to her position like a stubborn old tree. It's no wonder why Matsui Rena is one of the most feared member of the Japanese military force. It’s no wonder why everyone is… so afraid of Matsui Rena.

As for her partner nearby, Jurina was like a puppy. Despite the suffocating atmosphere, she kept a wide smile plastered to her face. She gently knocked her elbow against Mayu's black sneaking outfit. When her partner ignored her physical calling, the soldier repeated her action.

“What is it?” she harshly whispered. “Can’t you see that I’m busy--”

“Mayuyu, look at how fluffy those clouds are.”

Mayu resisted the urge to let out a groan at her best friend. How childish could Jurina be? It took a bit of time for the female to raise her head and look out at the window near Rena. Since the infantry soldier isn’t looking up at anyone at the moment, some of her tensed muscles loosened..

Blue ocean. White fluffy clouds. An orange sunset shining the star’s gentle and warm rays upon the watery surface. Sparkles from the light’s impact. A photographer would’ve felt like they hit the jackpot at such sight. A faint smile ran across the special operative soldier’s face as the younger Matsui roughly wrapped her arm around the girl’s neck. Jurina pressed her face close to Mayu’s with a silly grin.

“You see them, right? Don’t they look like cotton candy?”

A chuckle came from Watanabe. Even though they’re at war, she can’t help but be grateful for her friend’s cheerful, but kiddish, personality.

“They sure do. Too bad we’re on a mission,” she muttered and gently shoved her partner away. It was followed by a playful nudge against Jurina’s right side. “Maybe we should go sightseeing once we return to Mother Base.”

“Sounds like a date, don’t you think?”

“Jurina, please don’t twist my words.”

“I’m not twisting it! You’re implying that it’s a date!”

Jurina’s pouty expression. Mayu’s constant sighs and rebuttals. The exchange that occurred between the two special operatives was more than enough to dispel most of the thick atmosphere. Any sign of stiffness they possessed eroded away the more they conversed. Even Mayu had forgotten about how terrifying Rena’s presence is in the flying vehicle. Yuki’s watchful eyes did not miss this observational fact. The corner of her lips curled upward as she remarked, “I’ve heard from General Aki-P and our comrades about how strong and close you both are together, but to see it in person… I could see why he would say so.”

Hearing one of their two seniors speak about their relationship was, simply put, awkward. The short-haired female scratched the back of her head as she forcefully laughed. As for Mayu, she hardened her facial features. However, a tinge of pink colored her cheeks, eyes looked away from the experienced medic. How blunt of Yuki.

“I’m surprised the general would say something like that about us,” Jurina commented. “Should I be flattered?”

The medical soldier shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I should be asking you that.”

Jurina chuckled. Perhaps she should ask her general about his thoughts on the pair from his own mouth. Ask him why he would think of them that way. Not to mention request that he and the others refrain from spreading gossip about the special operatives. Mayu had similar thoughts as her partner in regard to this topic. (Although her idea might be less bold than her partner.) The youngest of the four then lowered her hand. Any features from embarrassment were now erased.

“By the way, Yukirin, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Hm?”

Legs spread out as both palm of her hands pressed against the seat, Jurina leaned forward. Her personalized Colt Model Revolver dangled on her waist as she furrowed her brows. “So… Why did you join the military, Yukirin?”

That question is commonly asked after getting to know an acquaintance for some time, especially within the army. It’s a rarity to find someone joining one of the most stressful occupation without a reason. Curiosity is something many can’t resist. The gentle countenance was, surprisingly, still plastered on Yuki. She leaned back against her seat as she answered the youngster.

“I joined in hopes of saving soldiers out on the battlefield-- No... I actually joined for a different reason.” The combat medic gently clicked her box close. Then, she closed her eyelids and exhaled through her nose. “There’s… a friend of mine who enlisted in Japan’s army. I simply followed after her.”

Jurina blinked at the response.

“Oh? Kind of like me and Mayu,” she grinned.

“Mm… You could say so.”

She remembers her friend. Back when she was an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) at a hospital in Tokyo, an unfortunate motorcycle accident became a fortunate meeting for the two. Angelica… That was her name. Her patient and her best friend.

“So, where is your friend? Is he or she back at Mother Base?”

Yuki reopened her eyes. “No. She died in the line of duty.”

Jurina felt a sharp pang of guilt, her eyes lowered as she bit the bottom of her lip.

“Oh… I’m so sorry to bring up a painful topic--”

“Please don’t apologize, Jurina,” the combat medic raised her hand in the air. A smile, though desolate, painted on her face. “The past is the past. She served with honor, and I am proud to have her as my friend.”

Although the young warrior gulped down her spoken words like soup, Mayu narrowed her eyes at the woman. Something about Yuki’s response felt heavy. Positive terminologies were chosen for the statement, but the emotion behind them is disparate from what was uttered. A click was heard for the second time from Watanabe’s silent pistol. The safety lock was activated on the firearm. Her eyes continued to observe the raven-haired female as Jurina shifted her focus to the quietest of them all. 

“How about you, Rena?” she asked.

The infantry soldier’s breath hitched, her pupils contracted. Then, without looking up at the questioner, muttered, “World peace.”

“World peace? What do you mean by that?”

She gritted her teeth. Brown eyes narrowed, she finally flickered her gaze over to the talkative female. Speaking to others was a pain in the neck, but when it came to the younger Matsui, it was exasperating. It was already unbearable being in the same team as she is. A slightly louder version of the mutter was heard from the scarred female.

“I enlisted in the military five years ago. I saw too many sins committed and hardly any sinners being punished for their crimes. There’s also the war raging on, killing many innocent lives. I want to get rid of the cruel people on this planet and make sure conflict doesn’t ever show its face ever again.”

A dream that many heroes, both fictional and reality, dream of. Everyone screams out for bloodsheds and crimes to come to an end… In a world run by lust of power, only the strongest survive. Those left behind would be eaten alive. Dismembered, picked to the bones, disintegrated by history. Fate is cruel to the weakest and most innocent. World peace seems like a fantasy, but Rena truly believes in herself that she possesses the power and ability to bring change to the world. Even if the steps taken to achieve this result destroys her body and mind, the soldier is willing to partake in it. Anything in the name of peace.

Jurina, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow. “Your goal is admirable, but isn’t that… rather selfish?”

There was a pause. Then, an outburst from the veteran.

“Selfish? This is in no way selfish,” the older Matsui growled. “The desire for world peace is a serious feat that can only be accomplished by being selfless.”

“I don’t see how that works. It’s delusional--”

She wasn’t able to finish her sentence. It all happened fast for the other three. Mayu immediately reached out to grab ahold of Rena’s wrists that desperately stretched out towards her comrade’s throat. Yuki, on another hand, placed a firm hand on the woman’s shoulder. The two of them were barely able to keep the short-tempered female from choking the life out of the younger Matsui.

“Rena! What the Hell do you think you’re doing!?” Mayu hollered. Her grip on the woman’s wrists were violently trembling, faint outlines of the bones and veins within her hand showcasing themselves. The amount of strength exerted from the experienced warrior is terrifying. She clenched her jaw as she struggled to keep the assaulter’s hands from reaching her partner’s throat.

While the special operative soldier kept the powerful female from successfully hurting her friend, Yuki leaned in. Once her mouth was close to the furious soldier’s ear, they opened.

“Rena,” the medic softly spoke. “Can you please forgive Jurina? She’s young and inexperienced in war.”

Another one of those statement that could be brushed aside by most anybody when they’re angry. Maybe even lash out to the speaker. Yet those words uttered by her partner was more than enough to press the stop button on Rena. She tore her wrists free from Mayu’s hold. The older Matsui loosened her muscles and felt the immense anger slowly seep out of her body. Irritability, however, was seen scrawled all over her body’s posture.

In the background, the younger Matsui allowed her unconsciously held-breath go from her lungs. She slumped in her seat, eyes wide and heart thumping. A simple expression of her opinion resulted in a nasty scenario like this? Jurina never expected something like this to happen. Her shaky brown eyes barely managed to look at the female. Then, she immediately felt her chest tighten once their eyes met. She looked up to Rena as a senior, but to see the very person she respect lash out at her is more than painful. It didn’t help that the soldier saw nothing wrong with her opinion. Both of her fingers curled inward.

’Why is Rena angry at me? I didn’t say anything wrong...’

Mayu took notice of her partner’s shocked demeanor. The mouse scrunched her eyebrows together and shot a glare at the older Matsui. Back at base, Rena greatly contrasted to the Rena she saw today. This revelation was a little too much to swallow. Her hand placed on Jurina’s shoulder, eyes still locked on the infantry soldier.

“I respect you, Rena,” she harshly whispered. “But I won’t let you harm my best friend.”

“You should blame your hyper friend for questioning my resolve then,” Rena spat. She finally shifted her gaze towards the special operative soldier. Watanabe nearly felt her heart’s function cease. Those eyes. Those intimidating eyes that could freeze just about anyone in her sight. They were aimed at her. The ponytailed female desperately kept her ground against the angered woman. An index finger roughly jabbed against the young lady’s chest from Rena. “Tell Matsui Jurina to keep her opinion to herself. The next time I hear her speak badly about me, she’ll regret it.”

“Rena, please calm down--”

“I AM CALM!” she roared at her partner. Any leftover fury began to cluster together into clumps as the troop smacked the medic’s hand off of her shoulder, teeth now bearing at her partner. “I think YOU and EVERYONE should just SHUT THE FU--”

“Oi oi! You four should really pipe it down back there,” Kumi’s voice was heard from the front. As her partner kept her hands on the cyclic stick for steering, the older, more experienced pilot glanced over her shoulder. Despite wearing a bulletproof helmet suited for the driver, a piercing glare could be sensed behind the tinted glass. “We’re getting close to our destination, so stop bickering back there. I don’t care if you resort to violence or anything. Just… You all can continue your fighting at another time.”

The four became quiet at an abnormally fast rate. Rena’s heavy respiratory rate, Yuki’s concerned expression, Mayu’s scowl, and Jurina’s confusion were seen. However, a silent, mutual consensus about their upcoming task at hand allowed them to push aside the heated debate. It could be discussed at a later time. This mission, on another hand, can only be completed by the next morning. Time-sensitive tasks gave little room for failure.

Those that were standing proceeded to take their seat. The scenery shifted dramatically once the military personnels arrived to their destination; the shorelines of UA. Village homes scattered about on the sandy ground. Sunset more than half-way escaping to the other side of the planet. Warm orange background with a plethora of clouds. This would've been the perfect resort place if it weren't a war zone. Kanon exhaled through her helmet as she slowed the flying vehicle.

"Otabe, this is Dance, pilot #1 with Miso, pilot #2 of the Black Hawk," the helmeted female proclaimed as she reached up to flip a couple switches. "Landing on designated LZ for sortied group. Over."

Crackling was heard within the pilots’ helmet.

“Roger that. Remember to keep distant from the village,” Yui reminded. “There has been reports of armed UA troops with missile launchers in station. Over.”

A smirk formed on Kumi’s lips. Another switch was flipped as she responded, “You know us, Otabe. We’re not that stupid to fly into hostile territory. Over.”

The whole chopper began its descension. Mayu's hands reached out and, with a pull, slid open the door. The special operative soldiers both adjusted their black scarfs as the gust of winds blew against the other two members' face. Its rotating blade blew off tons of sand the closer the vehicle came to the ground. At this point, everyone had pulled out their desired firearms. Once the helicopter was a few inches above the surface, Mayu, Jurina, Yuki, and Rena in that order leapt out into the open one-by-one. Combat boots slammed down from both the combat medic and infantry soldiers. It was a huge contrast to the sneaking boots worn as a part of the special operative's suit. The four straightened their knees and looked up to the pilots.

"Good luck out there," Kanon radioed in to them. It was followed by her partner's thumbs up. “We’ll pick you all up once you radio us.”

Then, they were alone, only the faint sound of the chopper flying away in the distant. It did not take long for the heat to get into their system despite the time of the day. All four military members felt their sweat glands activate, the thick uniform increasing its reaction speed. The medical soldier raised her arm up to wipe the sweats that began to form on her forehead. Yuki let out a soft exhale.

As both Mayu and Rena adjusted their equipment, Yuki then placed a gentle hand on the puppy’s shoulder. Jurina’s body stiffened at the touch. However, when she realized who it was, her tension eased.

“Yukirin, you scared, me.”

A faint, but forced, smile ran across the combat medical soldier’s face. Then, she leaned in close to the puppy’s ear.

“Jurina, listen to me,” the raven haired female whispered. “I want you to keep your opinion to yourself anytime you’re around Rena.”

“I could tell,” Jurina mumbled. “I didn’t expect her to lash out on me like that...”

“Looks like I don’t need to tell you, do I?” Then, Yuki pat the young girl’s shoulder a couple of times. “Can you please forgive Rena? She’s just… sensitive.”

Silence. However, the young Matsui nodded. A relieved exhale exited out from the other. Whether Jurina truly forgave Rena or not wasn’t clear to the medic. She could just be bobbing her head out of obligation towards her seniors. However, the female truly forgave Rena. She believed it must’ve been the stress that clouded the older Matsui’s rational decisions. Yeah, that’s what the operative decided to conclude from.

Both of them then returned back to their partner’s side. Rena was seen deactivating the safety lock from her submachine gun, clicks and necessary adjustment made in swift movement. On the other hand, Mayu detached the electronic compass from her chest. A single press of her thumb against the side of the equipment activated a beam of white light, a hologram of a map pinpointing their current location.

It appears that it would take about five miles to reach their destination. By foot, it would easily eat up half an hour. When their equipment and environmental setting is taken into consideration, another half an hour was added to the equation. It would take at least an hour to get there by foot for the four of them. She narrowed her eyes.

“Here’s the plan,” Mayu explained to the other soldiers, eyes still glued to the held device. “Center and I will scout on ahead by a meter. We’ll relay any information to you both.”

“I assume Gekikara and I will be in charge of the dirty work?” Yuki asked.

A nod.

“If the time comes for it, yes. Otherwise, we need you both to provide support.” Reattaching the blocky object back to her chest, the special operative adjusted her hold on the light carbine rifle. “Nightfall will descend upon us once we arrive. Be prepared for anything.”

“Roger that.” A brief pause hung in the air before the raven haired female continued with an accompanying grin. “I look forward to working with you both. Our general showers praises about you all.”

Watanabe was unable to resist a faint tinge of pink from the compliment. This was the second time that they were spoken well about. She was not used to this. A fist was brought close to her mouth as she let out a forced cough. “Let’s… Let’s just move out.”

----------

The sky’s color transitioned from orange to black. Stars twinkled up above their heads, assisting the moon in shining its gentle, white rays upon the land. Sand grounds shifted into lush forest. Then, as if on cue, the clouds came rumbling like a giant. Dark and vengeful, the heavy clouds emptied big, sopping drops of moisture. The leaves from nearby trees hardly protected the members from the watery substances. Top to bottom, all four were soaked. No one had expected this to occur. Thanks to the weather change, the assault duo were forced to cluster back with the special operatives, the group still moving forward without hesitation. Boots clomped and splashed among the soft, muddy ground. Weapons readied at hand. Determination burning within their core.

Mayu’s eyes narrowed through the attached night goggles. Thanks to the tinkering during her spare time at Mother Base, she was able to guide the other three through the dense setting. Four soldiers were at an elevated level, their presence concealed with the assistance of bushes and large number of trees standing in the way.  A few steps were taken before she came to an abrupt halt. Left hand raised, everyone trailing immediately stopped in their tracks. This young lady was crouched onto one knee, head barely peeking over the cover. Silence hung in the atmosphere as the mouse scanned their destination. A village. The influential and elite official from the UA nation spilled out information of this crucial part of their land. Standing between one of the four borderlines and the heart of the nation’s capitol?  Perfect spot for a base.

Crackles emitted from all four earpieces, each of them pressing an index finger against the electronic device.

“Please be careful out there, everyone,” Yui’s voice transmitted through. “Your mission will be to infiltrate the base. Since we received reports from multiple Intel Team members, there shouldn’t be villagers. However, there will be soldiers.”

A pause. Then, in a softer tone, the female added, “Securing this base is a crucial move for our country, but losing your life will be meaningless. Over.”

Jurina chuckled after the spoken statement. She raised and rested her light carbine rifle over her shoulder, a grin stretched across her face. “Otabe, don’t you worry. Us four will take control of this base for our country. Over.”

“I agree with Center. We won’t let everyone down. Over,” Yuki added.

“Failure isn’t an option, Otabe,” the older Matsui finally spoke. She retracted her fingers from the earpiece as she lifted her submachine gun. Eyebrows furrowed, her mouth slowly moved. “We’ll come out alive. Over.” 

“Very well. I look forward to seeing you all back to base by tomorrow evening. Over.”

It was time to commence their mission. The rest retracted their hand from the communication device, eyes trained upon the dark village before their eyes. Watanabe Mayu scanned the premise once again. So far there was no one in sight. However, it did not mean there weren’t enemies. She bit the bottom of her lip and glanced over her shoulders, the green-colored goggles staring at her sister-in-arm.

“Center and I will scout ahead, marking down any enemies in the village. You both stay here. I will give the signal when it’s time to move forward.”

Once the plan is stated, without waiting for a response, the same female then used the chance to click and hold a button on the radio attached to her chest.

“This is Soldier #18, codename Nezumi. Initiating the operation of securing a vital base on the marked border of UA with soldier #17, codename Center, soldier #4, codename Black, and soldier #3, codename Gekikara. Over.”

“Don’t keep us waiting for too long,” Yuki joked.

The corner of Jurina’s lips curled slightly, not looking at the speaker as she raised the carbine rifle. “Don’t you worry about that, Black. We’ll wrap up our observations in ten minutes.” 

The initiation of their mission begins. Yuki and Rena crouched down to one knee, hiding behind the natural cover. As experienced soldiers, the two knew well not to leave each other’s back exposed. Rena kept her eyes glued to path they came from, Yuki kept her eyes plastered on the village in front. The special operatives, on the other hand, quickly, but quietly, dashed away from their original position, boots hardly splashing against the wet ground.

“You think we could do this in less than ten minutes?” the young Matsui asked her partner.

Coming close to the right side of the village at their high elevation level, the ponytailed female gave an answer upon reaching their observational location. “Give it seven minutes.”

“I like that answer better.”

A smirk similar to the one the puppy had done in response to the medical combat soldier was drawn across Mayu’s lips. Then, the light conversation came to its end. Atmosphere began to grow in its intensity and weight. They cannot fail this. Although there was enough pressure in partaking this risky mission, having two well-known soldiers watch over them emphasized the no failure part.

Mayu’s hand rested against her goggle, slowly and carefully searching throughout the entire village. Markers did not pop up-- well, excluding the blue markers marked on both the infantry and medic from afar. The corner of her lips curled downward.

“There’s no one in our sight…” she mumbled.

“Check again, Nezumi.”

“Right.” The mouse used her night vision goggles to pinpoint the UA’s soldiers once more. This time, she adjusted the settings on the device. Not a single individual was still seen. They decided to move to another spot in order to clarify their observational data. Even after the two operatives shifted their scouting position twice, all it resulted was an empty village.

“That’s strange… There’s no one, Center.”

“You should relay the message to our Intel Team, and make sure the connection remains between the both of us.”

Though there was nothing wrong with sharing their discovery with Yuki and Rena, the two special operatives needed confirmations before doing so. Unnecessary drama from a single mistake is devastating to a squad, especially when it came from the hot-headed infantry soldier. The last thing Mayu and Jurina would want to experience is another round of hollers and threats.

Mayu pressed her fingers against the earpiece as Jurina detached her electronic compass.

“Otabe, this is Nezumi. Careful observation had been conducted, and it yielded a result of no soldiers. Over.”

A crackle emitted from their ear. Then, there was a hum from the speaker.

“That’s strange… Earlier Intel scouts mentioned the appearances of soldiers… Over.”

“Could they have abandoned this base from their superior’s order? Over.”

“Possible. It’s also possible that they’re all asleep. Whatever it may be, you four should exercise caution. Over.” 

It appears that the two have no choice but to determine their next action by themselves. If the Intel Team were lost, then the four would have to improvise on the spot. Such scenario was not uncommon in war. Jurina scooted close to her best friend, showing the hologram map. Details pertaining to their location had multiple buildings raised up from the ground as blocks on the map. Other than the four members flagged as friendly allies in blue, there was nothing else.

“Let’s head in first, Nezumi. Check-in and see if we’re missing anyone inside the village.”

Watanabe agreed with her partner. Sometimes peeking in from the outside isn’t enough. Just like the female mentioned earlier to Yokoyama, soldiers could be sleeping at this time. Her goggles were not technologically advanced enough to see through solid barriers. Head turned towards Center, she whispered, “You lead us. I’ll be right behind you as back-up.”

As someone who isn’t as strong as the puppy, it was obvious why she decided to stay right behind. Jurina didn’t seem to mind. This was their usual routine. A grin flashed at the other. No words were exchanged, but they finally made their move.

Again, their boots barely created noise from their rapid traveling pace, rain gave them the advantages in this covert part of the operation. Transitioning from the left side of the premise, it took about five minutes for the duo to arrive at the front entrance. A gate stood in place. Wide open, the metallic rust showed its age as raindrops continued to slammed down on the setting. Both of their carbine rifles were raised. Suppressors attached to the long firearm, their index fingers were prepared to do its deed. Jurina and Mayu whipped their aim from left to right, slowly taking one step at a time forward. Still no sign of trouble. It looks like they were all clear once they scouted through most of the center pathway. Through every nick and corner, not a single soul was in sight.

Mayu lowered her rifle and pressed a finger to her earpiece.

“Black, Gekikara,” the mouse reported in. “We need you both to meet up with us by the village’s entrance. Over.”

“Roger that, Nezumi. Over.”

Another five minutes shuffled by till they were able to regroup. Jurina, who still kept her guard up, nodded her head upon seeing the experienced duo.

“I thought this would only take ten minutes,” Yuki lightly joked, finger pointed at a nonexistent watch on her wrist. “It’s been much longer than that.”

A chuckle came from Mayu’s direction as she took off the night vision goggle, allowing it to dangle from her neck. “We got something strange going on, so we had to confirm it.”

“Strange?”

“No enemies are in sight.”

It was very strange for the operatives, and Yuki has the same opinion. A vital base for the UA… What could possibly lead the guards to abandon their posts? If they lost this place, then it would be a huge lost to their side. The raven-haired female cupped her chin, humming softly under her breath.

“I see… We should take control of the village then. Mark it as our second base at the UA by setting up the communication line and call in our troops… After the rain stops, of course--”

A few gunshots in rapid succession rang into the silent night. It was nearby, startling both Jurina and Mayu. They whipped their head towards the source. Yuki looks unfazed as the older Matsui’s firearm pointed at the young Matsui’s direction. From afar, it was aimed at her comrade. In reality, an enemy soldier from behind just had her chest riddled with bullets. She staggered backward, hands dropping the machine gun and, in a few seconds, dropped down to both knees. All of the weight fell upon the lifeless figure, brown eyes wide open and gazing at the murderer.

“Looks like you both failed to do your duty,” the infantry soldier mumbled, pointing the tip of her submachine gun at another direction. Sharp eyes piercing at the two, she spat, “I thought they called you two the best rookie in our base.”

Sound of militarized vehicles came through the front entrance. Yuki shifted her gaze over to where the heavy duty tires rumbled through the moist dirt. Both of her eyebrows furrowed.

“Gekikara, listen, enemy soldiers could’ve just arrived without their knowledge--”

“There are no excuses out in war, Black, no matter how legitimate it is.”

Although Mayu and Jurina wished to argue back at the person they used to look up to, now was not the time. Just as Rena finished speaking, even more popped up in their range of sight. How in the world were they able to hide so cleverly in this setting? Soldiers who were dedicated in scouting should’ve been able to pick up clues and hints of their presence. Whatever techniques they utilized, it certainly fooled the group into thinking they were in for a clean mission. It’s no wonder why Aki-P placed the responsibility of this task to them. Otherwise, rookies who had close to zero experiences could’ve completed it in their sleep.

Everyone went into their proper positions. Despite the fact that this is their first time working together as a team, great minds think alike. Their formations was near perfect. The level of offensive and defensive abilities was at its peak. Infantry soldier at the frontline, two special operative soldier focused on the sides, combat medic at the back for support. If they were unstoppable as separate duo, then they were impossible to stop with combined forces. If there was a perfect team, they were the definition of what perfection means.

Smoke came bellowing out of their firearms, recoils apparent with every single shot. Screams of military men and women echoed into the wet night. Bodies were heard slapping against the moist ground beneath their feet. Blood splattered onto the four Japanese members. Scratches from passing bullets, minor bruises from being smacked by their foes’ physical assault… Nothing they couldn’t handle as they covered each other’s back. Bloodshed is an inevitable fate for warriors in conflict. It was either them or their enemies. 

“Watch out, Center!”

Jurina made the mistake of being far too focused on a group of wildly firing soldiers, not noticing one from the corner of her vision breaking through with a machete. Mayu did not hesitate to retract her attention from her role and aimed the carbine rifle towards the sprinting fighter. A single trigger was all it took to take him down. His figure immediately flung forward from being struck by the leg. As his face sunk down onto the dirty puddle, the machete in his grasp missed the young Matsui by an inch. Had it been any closer, it would’ve chopped off her hand. Jurina slightly lowered her weapons, head turned to her partner.

“Thanks, Nezumi. I owe you one.”

“Don’t say that just yet. You might just owe me another one.”

As she said that, another bullet whizzed into the air and hit one more target that neared Jurina. How embarrassing for the soldier. She needed to get her game on if she doesn’t want to become the mouse’s slave. Softly clicking her tongue, the short-haired female diverted her attention back to the battlefield. Hand reached into one of her pouches, she dropped the empty ammunition case and slammed in a new one.

Eventually, Rena and Yuki broke off from the special operative soldiers, now going all-out against their foes. Jurina and Mayu could hold off enemy soldiers, but it didn’t mean they did well with overwhelming numbers by themselves. Thus, the other duo’s role came to light. They weren’t called a monster for no reason at base. Veterans who could even shake Aki-P’s core, gun shells popped out of their weapons as the UA’s members dropped like flies.

The gunfight ensued for a long period of time. They may be strong, but fatigue soon seeped into their body. To their luck, no one was left standing. Well, just one more in front of Rena. An individual much shorter than the rest of the soldiers they slaughtered by bullets. The older Matsui squinted her eyes, taking a step forward in attempt to identity who it was.

It was a child.

Ah… It is a child. A young, bald boy at that. Drenched in the rain with no shirt, this youngster held a combat knife… and he looks ready to kill based on his posture. Rena needed to use something to tranquilize the kid. However, as an infantry soldier, she carried nothing remotely close to knocking him out without harm. The child didn’t wait for the older woman to finish contemplating. Blade raised, he dashed forward with a battlecry. Matsui Rena was unable to dodge his fast and precise movement.

The tip of the dagger sunk into her abdomen. Its brown, wooden hilt slammed against the surface of the protective wear. Bulletproof vest and combat dress may have prevented bullets, but the length of the sharp weapon dug deep and through the thick material. Blood spurted out from Rena’s bottom lip when she bit back her cry, gun dropped to the ground.

“Gekikara!” Yuki screamed as she raised her firearm. The combat rifle aimed at the assaulter, she readied her finger on the trigger. Right when she was going to make the bullets fly, her eyes widen at the sight. “A… A child?”

She couldn’t do it. The combat medic could not do it. No matter how much she needed to pull back the trigger, her index finger disobeyed her order. Yuki became confused. Should she shoot the little boy, who was out to harm her partner? Or should she withhold her fire, her morality pulling her back from bringing harm to children? Experiences in the medical field forced this soldier to rethink her actions. The firearm, however, was still raised and pointed at the tiny culprit. If it’s for the sake of saving Rena, then she has no choice but to overcome her emotional turmoil and shoot that kid.

“Don’t shoot him, Black!” That outburst from her comrade-in-arm startled Yuki. Rena bit the bottom of her lip, ignoring the blood that seeped out from the corner. “Please, don’t shoot him…”

Despite her words, there was the sound of a gunshot.

Rena widen her eyes. Time began to progress slowly. She barely turned her head, gaze shifting towards the small figure by her side. His body jerked backward from the bullet slamming into his exposed chest. He seems surprised too. Then, another gunshot-- No, it wasn’t just another. Plenty of gunshots rang into the air. Rain pouring down onto the land concealed the metallic barrels that dropped into the muddy ground. The boy, who had just stabbed the older Matsui, now flopped backward. There were no further movement from him.

A dagger still stuck within her side, the infantry soldier did not hide her surprise from the turn of event. She whipped her head towards her partner’s direction. Yes, Yuki is still keeping her rifle in the air. However, there wasn’t a single trace of smoke coming out of her weapon. It came from Matsui Jurina, who was standing by with her now-wielded Colt Model Revolver in one hand. Just the sight of who murdered the child infuriated the older woman.

“Center, what the Hell do you think you’re doing!?” she snarled once Jurina ran up to her.

She’s had enough of the older Matsui berating her. A bloody hand pointed at Rena, eyes darkening in pure fury. “Saving your ass, that’s what!”

“You just shot a child!”

“Impossible! It was a soldier--”

Without warning, Rena roughly grabbed the younger Matsui’s face. She forced Jurina to look at the deceased figure.

“Open your eyes, young one,” she snarled. “You just murdered a kid.”

It took a few seconds to adjust her eyes in the dark. Then, the blood-stained female widen her eyes.

“I…”

A child. It was a young, Asian child. A boy, no older than 11-years-old, lay in a puddle of his own blood. His eyes were glazed over and stared at the special operative’s. Mouth was opened in a failed attempt to scream from the pain bullets sprayed upon his small, frail figure. Holes littered his exposed, upper body. It was a gruesome sight that flipped her stomach upside-down. Rena tore her grip away from the soldier’s face as she looked down upon the female. The young girl felt her knees give away as she dropped her carbine rifle.

“No…” Jurina whispered. “It can’t be… I… I didn’t mean to kill him, Gekikara--”

“I knew we would never get along, Center,” she snarled. Rena knew all along. There was potential in the younger Matsui, but she never liked the gifted soldier. This situation just confirmed it. Even worse, it sprouted a newfound emotion towards the special operative: Hatred.

[MaYukiIsLife]

WOW....umm..I wonder how Jurina's gonna get out of that 1