Kurosawa87: omg, have you gotten into my computer and read my files??
I can't answer all or I'll reveal too mcuh
Damn you mind readers.....
rndmnweird: Though I am a very bad sucker for romance and so on, I am also evil (to myself too.........) and wont let the love grow too fast
muahahah!! There's still a lot go before that, but hey we have our ahocombi who are spreading their love~
darkacex99: heyyy yooooo to yourself and welcome!!!!
And thank you so much for your comment!! Its always nice to hear that the story you're writing is interesting etc. Hopefully it will be that in the future too~
Because nothing happens here and I am slowly starting to transform into a plant which irrigates itself (lol, this is something one of my boss said once...
), I decided to write more of this story~ Thank you again everyone for your interest and comments. They make me very happy~
The next chapter, here we go~
Chapter 13 – Don't fall for her, for she can never accept your feelingsIt took two more weeks, before the troops were back in the Castle. They all had dirty and bloody equipment and everyone was tired, but somehow there was a relief in their eyes as they were able to be back at home. A battle like this had taken many soldiers, which some warriors were ordered to inform to the fallen one's families. Sorrow was everywhere but there was also joy, when the ones who returned home met their families after a long separation. Risa was also searching for her friends in the group of warriors and when she finally saw them she could not help but feel extremely happy and start to run, so she could get to them faster. She had waited for them and every night she was afraid that her friends would not return back safely. But they had and Risa was very happy and thankful of that.
“Eri!!”
Risa yelled, as she saw the little sunshine land from her horse. Eri spun around and a smile lit on her tired face as she saw who was running towards her.
“Risa!”
Though she was tired, she had still that happy spirit of hers in her voice, as she embraced the other girl when she ran into her arms. Risa hugged her friend tightly, as if she was afraid she would disappear, if she didn't do so. When Risa pulled away, she could also see Sayu and Reina, who had came closer when they had noticed Risa.
“Sayu! Reina!”
Risa went and hugged them both at the same time. Sayu just laughed but Reina yelped in pain, which caused Risa to pull away immediately.
“Oh my gosh, I am sorry!! Are you hurt?”
Risa asked concerned, as she saw the warrior clutch her left shoulder. Reina just waived her hand and tried to smile somehow, failing miserably.
“No, no, it's just a... Ouch... A scratch.”
“A scratch? You were hit in your shoulder by a sword and you say it's just a scratch! You go to the nurse immediately and that's an order!”
Suddenly, the sub leader roared as she watched her childhood friend with a firm look. Reina in turn had a shocked expression on her face, as she stared her sub leader in awe.
"Eri... You...”
“No buts! You go now! Risa, could you please make sure, that this damn stubborn and reckless brat goes to the nurse.”
For the team's surprise, Risa snapped an attention and greeted them like a soldier, placing her right hand against her temple.
“Yes, sir!”
Eri frowned a bit, but soon, she was chuckling with her other teammates.
“I think you have spent a bit too much time with us, for you act like a soldier....”
“But I am a soldier.”
This caused all the chuckling to cease and now, all the three warriors, where watching Risa in awe. What was she talking about? Risa just smiled broadly as she tucked her coat's collar a bit.
“Didn't you notice my clothes?”
She was wearing very same kind of clothes, as The Team Alfa wore when they didn't have their armor on, but Risa's clothes were deep brown, which gave out her student position.
“You're.... You're a student?” Sayu was the first one to speak, as Eri and Reina were still watching her with wide eyes. Risa nodded her head and suddenly, found Eri embracing her very eagerly, causing the bean to gasp in surprise as she tried to stay on her feet.
“You are a soldier!!! Or well, a student, but you will become one of us!! That's just so great!”
Risa laughed at her eager friend and patted her back gently.
“Yeah, I passed the first test, but they are still watching after me. I can till fail and not become a soldier, but I am doing my very best not to fail.”
“Oh, you wont fail. If this aho combi couple has passed this, then you've no reason to worry.”
“HEY!”
Both Sayu and Eri yelled at the same time, but they regained from hitting their friend, for she was wounded so they both just instead glared at her which caused Reina to laugh in victory.
“Hey, I got a cure to all that hitting!”
Risa chuckled at her friends and was happy that things seemed to be like they usually were. They were joking and celebrating, like they had always done on their free time. It had been a hard 4 weeks for these girls and Risa bet their mind was all full of war and stuff, so she was very happy that they could turn it back to normal so quickly.
Risa walked to Reina and hooked her arm in hers, minding her injury, and started to walk towards the nurse's place.
“Oh, we will remember all this, after you have gotten you arm treated."
“Mmm, well I don't mind if it's you who will remember that~”
Reina teased, gaining a glare from Risa as well, but soon, her face turned into a mischievous grin.
“Oh, I am sure that, that LinLin has that nice disinfectant, which stings a lot....”
Reina's face dropped immediately, after she heard her friends words and suddenly she was not so willing to go to meet the nurse.
“You would not... Please, ask her to use the one, which doesn't sting at all...”
“But then it wont be so effective and your wound might get worse! Yup, it definitely must be the one that stings!”
Reina made a face, as she was dragged by Risa towards the nurse's place. Eri chuckled, as she watched after those two with Sayu.
“She has gotten very close with Risa, hasn't she?”
Sayu nodded smiling, as she put her arm around Eri's shoulder, but didn't say a word.
“Maybe, the could be a couple in the future... Little bit like us.”
Eri said, as she leaned her head on Sayu's shoulder, the other girl nodding once again. What Eri could not see was the small frown on Sayu's face, as she watched after Reina and Risa. She glanced Eri without turning her head, before she turned her gaze back to one of the warrior's back, who were walking away from them.
'I hope she wont fall for her, for she can't accept her feelings...'-------------------------
A white horse was stopped in front of the stables, as a young warrior hopped down from the saddle. She took of her helmet and whipped some sweat of, patting the horse beside her a bit. Ai gave the animal something to drink and sat down on a nearby fence. She had not gotten a proper rest in days, the dark circles under her eyes proving it.
'Heck, I haven't slept well in years...'There was some laughing sounds heard nearby and when the group leader raised her head up, she could see one of her warriors walking with that newcomer... What was her name again? Risa? The leader raised an eyebrow, as she noticed the other girl's costume. She was a student now? So she was accepted in the training?
Ai wanted to snort, but for some reason she could not make herself do that. She just sat there and stared as the two women kept on walking and laughing, like some best friends. Ai's head fell again, as the warrior stared at her own hands, which had some drained blood on there. A memory flashed in her mind, which caused her immediately to close her eyes and shake her head violently.
The head raised again, watching the two friends in distance but this time, there was an empty gaze in Ai's eyes. The same painful gaze, she had had when Miki had scolded her. The same gaze which she had had
that night.'In the end, they will all betray you....'-------------------------------
“Forward! Back away! Move to side! Attack!”
All kind of commands flew in the training area, as the warriors were once again practicing. The Team Alfa was not the only one training here today, for the general had wanted to take also some “normal men” in the training, so everyone could get good practice combats. Risa was also with them, for it was easier to take her at the same time with the others, than train her alone. Also, she would get very good practice too, if she would combat with warriors, who were better than her. It sounded funny, but it really made a person develop, when you got to give all you had and even more, so you could even dodge one single attack.
“Woah!”
Risa felt, how she hit the ground face first, as she got her foot tangled in something and she lost her balance.
“Are you hurt?”
Eri was immediately by her side, helping her up. The whole team, not including Ai, had made it clear to Risa that they would help her to become a warrior and that they were there for her, whenever she needed help.
“Stop. A break.”
The captain ordered, as she went to talk with the general about some things. Eri helped Risa up, who was soon surrounded by her friends.
“You okay?”
Reina asked a bit concerned, which cause Risa to just roll her eyes now.
“Thank you for your concern guys, but I am really okay. I just fell, nothing serious."
“Well you never know. Once, a soldier fell during a practice and in some magical way, got the sword hilt in her eye....”
Sayu said, as she turned her gaze towards Reina, who just spread her arms to side and looked hurt as she defended herself.
“Hey! It could have happened to anybody! You know, that's probably quite normal to happen...”
“Mmm... How did you do that?”
Risa asked a bit confused as Sayu and Eri just giggled. Reina frowned at the interruption and didn't say a word, just turned around and made a face.
“You wont laugh when that happens to you...."
“Oh, no worries, that wont happen.”
“Okay, the break is over! We will start the duels!”
This was a sign for Risa to move a side, for she had not taken any duels yet. Miki had promised, she would teach her immediately when they got good time for that. Just when all the warriors, expect Risa, had circled around their trainers, Goto walked to her, causing the younger girl to snap into attention.
“General.”
“At ease. You'll take part in this too.”
Risa was silent for a while, as she examined the general and then the group behind her, who were all listening to Miki now.
“General, I haven't taken any duels yet and...”
“Well you must start from somewhere. Come, you'll learn this only by doing this.”
And with that the general turned around, the younger girl following her. What on earth was she supposed to do now? She had never had a duel, only seen some, but that was not the same thing! These guys had also some experience from the field, so they would beat her in ten seconds! This was not good...
“Eri,”
Goto called, as the sub leader turned towards her in attention.
“You'll be paired with Niigaki. Go with Miki.”
Eri had quite surprised look as well, for she thought that her friend would not take part in this. But soon, the turtle had a very happy smile on her face, as she walked to her friend.
“Our little student has become a warrior.”
Eri laughed, as she put her arm around Risa and walked with her after their captain, who had by now given the lead to the general.
“Well I am still a student...”
“No you're not.”
Risa watched Eri surprised, as the turtle explained.
“This is your first duel and that means, they will take your training go one level up. After you have had some practice duels, you're a soldier. That just how it goes, so congrats.”
And with that, Eri patted her friends shoulder and went to Miki, who was taking some wooden swords from a closet. But just when she was giving one to Eri, A metal a metal ones where put in her hands. Or well, not metal ones but the swords Risa had seen Reina and Sayu use when they had had a duel.
“Take these and give them the magic covers.”
Now, even the captain was surprised. She had agreed with the wooden swords, for she tought that Risa could really be an useful and able soldier, but using these ones...
“Are you sure?”
The captain asked the general, who slowly turned to face Risa. She had no idea what they were talking about, but if she could infer from Eri's reaction, this was something a bit more serious, for the sub leader wasn't smiling anymore.
“You do understand what soldiers do and what we are expecting from you, as we give you a tittle, soldier?”
There was a silence, as the whole training area was now listening to the general. Even Ai had paused her actions and was now following Risa's movements. Not that she was interested, but she had nothing else to do now, for everything was frozen because of that snotnose. What was so special in her anyway? She was just becoming a soldier, nothing else. Just another man to die on the field.
Risa didn't quite catch the generals words at first, but then she somehow fell back on the earth and faced the older woman, nodding her head firmly. She wasn't very sure in truth what she was asked to, but she just nodded her head so they would get forward in this thing.
“I do, General.”
Goto watched her in silence for a long while and Risa was sure, she had said something wrong or that her unsure thoughts were revealed, but was surprised even more, when the general threw her a sword. It landed with a thud in Risa's feet, while the other one was given to Eri.
“Then, let's see if you're worth of your words.”
Before Goto did anything else, she put her hands, palms upwards and fingers open in front of her and seemed very concentrated. In seconds, there were two red light's on her hands. She released one and then the other, both lights landing on Eri and Risa. The impact felt nothing and Risa didn't have any different feelings than seconds ago. What was this?
“Fight.”
Suddenly, there was the sharp command of the general and immediately, Eri struck forwards, wielding her sword and trying to hit Risa. Instinctively, Risa tried to raise her sword but lord, how heavy it was! When Eri go closer, and the sword hadn't moved an inch yet, Risa did the second best conclusion; dodge. She crouched down, keeping her hands on the sword and somehow dragging it with her. Eri's attack flew over and she missed, but immediately, when her foot hit the ground, the turtle spun around in unnatural speed and Risa was under fire again. This time, she had no time to get away, for she had just ended her own dodge and was prepared for nothing. She raised her hands up, crossing them in front of her face, when Eri's sword hit her. Risa felt like something had scratched her hands and jumped back in surprise, but she got even bigger surprise, when she saw two hands on the ground, cut from the wrist.
“EEEEH?”
Suddenly, she remembered how Sayu's and Reina's duel and how all the wounds and blood had seem so real, but there really was no damage. When she looked her own hands, Risa could see how they were cut, but there was still the feeling, like she had both of her limbs. After few seconds, the missing hands came back into view, the ones on the ground disappearing.
“Stop there.”
Goto ordered and walked beside Risa. Eri stopped her actions, took few steps backwards and got on one knee, waiting for more orders. The general lifted the sword she had given to Risa with one arm and handed it to the younger girl. Immediately, the younger one took the sword, which dropped to the ground, Risa following behind. But she didn't give in and only dropped on her knees. Then, she got up very fast, trying to lift the sword. The weapon raised somehow, but Risa's hands were shaking and her position felt unsteady.
“Fight.”
Again, Eri was on the move and Risa was on her attack line. Risa dodged at first and Eri did the same as a few seconds ago, attacking her friend again. But this time, Risa had made a smaller dodge and was now more balanced than before. Though she had the heavy sword in her hands, she somehow managed to move out of the way and keep the weapon ready. When Eri attacked again, Risa but the sword in the attack's way blocking it, but the next one was too fast and she could not even think about moving the sword. From the head level, Eri sifted quickly to the stomach level, slicing Risa's stomach open. Again, there was very unpleasant scene as Risa's stomach was bleeding badly. But in few seconds all was back like it had been and all the blood was gone. This "attack and dodge battle" continued on and every time, Risa got one more block or dodge. She was tired, but somehow, she got energy from somewhere and she was able to do better and better each time. Finally, after the tenth round, she was so tired she could barely stand, while Eri just started to sweat.
“Okay, that's enough.”
Goto boomed again and walked beside the tired girl. Meanwhile, Miki had taken the others and was dueling with them, so this whole training would not only be watching how Eri and Risa fought. The time they had had to be used effectively.
The general reached the panting soldier, taking the sword from her. Risa tried to get up, but she was so tired that all she could do, was to be on her knees. Her vision was blur and all she wanted to do was rest. She was thirsty, hungry and exhausted, but somehow she managed to see what the general was doing in front of her. She saw something raise in front of her and then suddenly fell towards her. Some flashbacks came back into her mind and Risa automatically closed her eyes, but the hit never came like it didn't the last time. When she opened her eyes, Risa could see how Goto had placed the sword's blade on her shoulder.
“You've still a lot to learn...”
The general said sternly, which caused Risa to sigh in defeat. Had she done so badly? She was not accepted as a soldier, for she had been so bad against Eri and now...
“But so do we all.”
The blade was taken away from her shoulder and the sword was handed back to Risa, who in turn was watching the general with shocked expression. What did she mean?
“Welcome to the group soldier. Remember your mission and always give all you have, but never give up.”
The sword was still in the general's hands, till Risa slowly grabbed the hilt, lifting the sword which felt surprisingly light now. After that, the general nodded to her and left for the other troops. Risa stayed on her knees, stunned as she examined the sword. It looked real and all, but this was this weird material which hurt but would not cause a wound when it was used in the duels.
“Great job there Risa!”
Suddnely her friends voice came from beside her and Risa whipped her head around to see her friend smiling at her.
“You're now a soldier! This is so great, congrats! Or well... I am not sure if it's okay to congratulate for you just got an access to the battlefield....”
Eri said scratching her head a bit, but Risa just smiled. Maybe it was indeed a bit ironic that with a lot of practicing and suffering, she only managed to get a ticket to hell. But this was what she had chosen and she would travel this road till the very end.
'I'll do my best, so I can reach the peace. Even if it takes my own life, I am ready for this.'Risa tought, as she examined the sword in her hands. She lifted it and watched the blade, when something caught her eyes. She could see Ai's reflection on the sword, watching her with that dark gaze of hers. Risa just watched back, till she lowered the sword down, Ai's face disappearing from it, but not from her mind.
-----------------------------
After the training, everyone had taken care of their equipment and themselves, leaving the training area empty and quiet, except one person was lurking around. Risa had stayed behind, for she had so many things in her mind and she didn't want to leave quite yet. The training area was a place, where she could surely be alone and have room for her thoughts now. She had become a soldier today and she was supposed to be ready to battle, if needed. Of course, she needed a lot more training than this but in theory, if she was needed, higher ups had all the rights to send her on the battlefield. The thought on one hand scared her but on the other, it also made her a bit exited. She could finally fight for her dream and for peace, though her stakes were not very high, she would at least do something more useful than hope for better days.
Everything would feel so easy now, but Risa was sure that she was going to face all kind of trouble when she would see what kind of a place the battlefield was in truth. But she was ready for that, she could face the troubles like she had done some months ago.
“Yosh....”
Risa whispered to herself as she got up. She took the sword, now light as a feather and was about to leave the training area. It was still a bit mystery, how the weapon got lighter than it had been in the beginning. Maybe it was some kind of magic thing again....
Looking out, Risa noticed that it had become quite late and that she should hurry, or she would worry her nurse friend again. Just when she was about to leave, the training's rooms door was opened and someone came inside. Whipping around, Risa noticed the person at the door, but could not recognize her, for it was too dark. But soon, the person revealed herself by talking with that oh, so familiar curt and cold tone.
“What are you doing here?”
Risa just stayed silent for a while, because she wanted to say something she should not to say. Summoning all hell willpower and calmness she had, Risa tried to recall Miki's advice and solve this without losing her cool. She could do this, she could do this...
“I was just spending my time here and I was just....”
“Get out of here.”
Risa frowned, but kept her cool as she walked closer to the door, the other warrior still standing still.
“Yes, I was just about to leave. Could you please move aside?”
There was a silence as the two women looked at each others, Ai with a frown and Risa with restless expression. She could survive this well, if the group leader could just act nice and keep her mouth shut. Ai moved and Risa quickly exited the room, but just when she stepped over the threshold, the cold voice was heard again.
“And stay away. You're not a soldier.”
Risa stopped and bit her lip, for she wanted to yell so badlly to the leader. But she could keep her cool and not give up. She could do this.
“I am a soldier now, as you might have noticed earlier today, so I have all the rights to come here and practice.”
A snort was heard and Risa could feel Ai's freezing stare on her back.
“No, you're not one of us. You're just a sissy outsider, who has survived with a luck. Get out, this is not your pla....”
“it is as much as it it's yours.”
Risa got irritated again and ended up interrupting the leader, though she knew it was never a good thing. Interrupting others usually just made them even more angry than they were earlier. Risa tried to calm herself down again, for she didn't want to ruin this. She turned a bit to face Ai, who was still glaring at her.
“And....”
Risa gulped a bit, as she tried to talk in a polite way. Damn, this was so hard when Ai was the one she was talking to for all she wanted to say to this warrior was some insults.
“Could you please talk in a bit more polite way to others. It's not nice when you just yell and snap all the time."
Now, the leader had a very confused expression on her face, as she was staring the other woman. What the hell was going on?
“I bet it feels nicer for you to..”
“You know nothing about me and about my feelings, so stop advising me and get out, now!”
Suddenly Ai snapped and took few steps towards Risa, causing the younger one to turn around and take few steps backwards. Now, the leader got a furious expression and Risa was sure she was sending arrows through her eyes. But there was also something else in those brown eyes. Behind all that rage and hatred, Risa could also see pain. She wasn't any kind of mind reader or she could not see in people's souls, but this woman had all those things written and hidden behind her eyes. Risa wasn't sure, had the others seen this in their leader, but somehow she could see it.
As the two stared at each others, Risa somehow calmed down and she was not as irritated as she was some minutes ago. Actually, she felt very calm now and it scared her a little bit. She really didn't like Ai and always got very angry when she was around her, but now, she was like there was a possibility she could talk to this woman without acting that she was nice and polite.
Ai was still staring at her like she wanted to kill Risa, but for some reason, the leader did nothing else. As if she was waiting for something to happen, ready to snap some more and dissolve her anger to someone.
What happened next, surprised both women; Risa nodded her head a bit and took few steps backwards and then stopped. She was still looking into the warrior's eyes, not showing any kind of fear or submission, but she wasn't arrogant either. She watched the leader as equal.
“If you want to, I'll go. I was just about to leave myself. But next time...”
Risa turned around and walked to the outdoor, Ai following her with her eyes, now a frown decorating her face. What the heck just happened? There must be something else to come than just polite words, there just had to be....
“Next time, I would really appreciate, as would your friends too, if you were a bit more polite towards others. See you around and good night.”
And with that, Risa went out of the door, leaving the now stunned leader in the training area. Ai stared the door for a long while as the words she had just heard spun around in her mind.
'Appreciate.... More polite.... Your friends....'Suddenly, some images flashed through her mind again and Ai almost fell to her knees. She gripped her head with both hands and shook it violently, as she tried to get those pictures out of her mind. No one would appreciate her more, no one had never done that. People didn't deserve to be treated politely, they deserved to be treated like Ai had treated her friends.
A strange feeling made the leader suddenly freeze and open her eyes as she turned her gaze to the ground
below her. The funny feeling continued and soon the leader could feel how something traveled down her cheek and when she looked down, there were small moist spots on the ground.
This time, the leader just gritted her teeth and hit the wall beside her, leaving a small scratch on it. Ai turned around and briskly walked to the training area, where some weapons and training equipment were kept. In no time, the leader was furiously beating one of the practice targets with a wooden sword, dissolving all her pain into that. Being polite would not solve anything. It was for weak one's and Ai was strong. She had no friends, for they just ended up betraying her in the end. She didn't need anyone's help or advice, she would do better on her own.
The leader kept on beating the target, not noticing how the tears didn't stop at all. They just kept on falling down as the pain inside her heart got stronger and stronger after every hit she did.
--------------
There you go~ Maybe you got something to think about after this one.
Hope you enjoyed!!