An Irish Girl's Wish
| Fanfic Info |
| |
| Title | An Irish Girl's Wish |
| Genres | Drama, Action |
| Author | Dimunsis |
| Timeline | Begins 4 months after Walpurgisnacht |
| Canonicity Status | Non-Canon |
| Completion Status | Ongoing |
Contents
Synopsis
Five transferees of the Fourth are sent on a mission to protect a memorial project dedicated to the fallen of Walpurgisnacht. But as time goes on, deeper and darker secrets come to life as the girls uncover a sinister plot.
An Irish Girl's Wish
Memorial To The Fallen
"Nokota Williams, what is your mission?"
"Join their ranks and gather intelligence."
A pair of deep blue eyes looked out over the Mojave desert as the Hind D flew through the sun baked sky. On the horizon stood the Olympia, a gargantuan being of metal and gears. Nokota sighed, a spike-tipped silver cross was held to her chest as she whispered small prayers to herself.
"And how can we achieve victory, young one?"
"By crushing the non-believers."
The girl flattened the wrinkles in her habit, and stared at her mocha colored skin as memories flooded her mind. "Go with Her blessing, Nokota. May the true Blessed Lady guide you."
A chopper roared over the Mediterranean Sea from Ankara, Turkey, heading towards the small island of Cyprus. Its cargo, five young women, shifted uncomfortably in their seats. The early morning twilight cast an eerie darkness inside the passenger compartment.
"Why so fucking early? I mean, we barely got any sleep on the flight to Turkey and now we'll have to be up all god damn day."
The voice came from a black haired, silver eyed lady, clad in a red hooded cloak. She pulled at the sleeves of her black blouse and the hem of her skirt. "I'm taking a cat nap."
The girl seated next to her fidgeted about, rubbing her emerald green eyes in an attempt to stay awake. "I thought we had to all stay up Natalie?" Her thick Irish accent coated her words as she ran her hands through her short black hair, trying to flatten and straighten her flared out hair in the back. "What about jet lag and all?"
"Shut it Ashlin. I don't want to hear your bitchin'."
"O-okay..."
The cab grew silent, the only sound coming out was the hum of the Gaston 24Ms engine and rotors. Ashlin shuffled in her seat more to fend off sleep, this time turning to her left to a lady in a nun's habit.
"Ummm, Nokota? Where're we headed again?"
"To the island of Cyprus. You remember why, right?"
Ashlin stared at the spectacled blue eyes of her companion, wracking her brain. "Oh yeah! I remember." She mentally kicked herself for lying, and to a nun of the Blessed Lady to boot. "Let's hope we can land soon."
Nokota let out a soft chuckle, seeing through the obvious ruse. "I pray that we do." She removed the headpiece of her habit, letting her platinum blonde hair curl around her head. She brushed the bangs from her eyes, the short, curly locks contrasting with her mocha brown skin. "I could really use a shower."
"How you liking the Fourth?" Ashlin beamed at the nun, her eyes wide with curiosity. "You've been there for a few months, right?"
Nokota ran her hands through her hair, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, it's been a little bit. Need to keep the faith up, you know? After all that happened, we girls need it." She turned to face Ashlin, meeting the Irish girls eyes. "What about yourself? Is everything going well for you?"
"I guess it is. It's much different living in a giant robot than it is living in Canada. Too cold for me." Ashlin's eyes veered to the floor as her voice grew soft. "I...I hope my mom is doing okay..."
"I'm sure she's fine, Ashlin. Isn't your father taking care of her?"
"No...he died when I was really little..."
Nokota flinched at the revelation. "Oh, I'm sorry. I don't mean to bring up painful memories."
"It's fine, really." Ashlin waved her hand gently, as if to brush the comment aside. "I was barely six, so my memories are a little foggy."
"Your father would be proud of you, I think. I'll pray for your mothers safety. The Blessed Lady looks after all her children, and their loved ones."
The cab grew silent again, Nokota closing her eyes in prayer, Ashlin doing what she could to stay awake, and Natalie passed out and not a single word from any of them. A call from the pilot broke the silence, letting the girls know arrival would be within the half hour. Silence took the chopper again, until Nokota leaned forward, removing her hood in a scowl.
"Why were we sent with you two?"
The petite-framed Ashlin looked at Natalie, Nokota merely glancing from her prayers. "I mean, you can't fight worth a shit Ashlin, and Nokota there says she's on a pilgrimage, but I know that's a fucking lie."
Ashlin turned to the floor, mumbling a soft 'sorry' to her self. "I-I know I can't fight really well, but I-"
"-try? You 'try'?" Natalie's voice oozed with malice as she glared at the timid girl next to her. "I've seen what 'trying' gets you, and it gets you no where. Only results in your comrades dying. And that's all you do Ash. You try."
She let out a sharp grunt before slamming herself back into the seat, a stern, angry look plastered on her face. "Let's hope you don't try anything, lest you get one of us killed."
Nokota stood up with a jolt, her calm, praying demeanor replaced with one of anger. "Natalie Miles, how DARE you talk to a teammate like that!" She glanced down at Ashlin, her emerald eyes still facing the floor but now welling with tears. "You're making the poor girl cry!"
"Then she needs to stop being such a fucking coward and stand up for herself! Ashlin always cowers away from fights, cries whenever people simply fucking yell at her, and how she apologizes for everything, oh my FUCKING GOD! Do you really want someone like that watching your back?!"
Nokota just stared, her breathing becoming heavy. "I believe Ashlin is a good person and can be a wonderful ally, but if bitches like you are all she has, NO WONDER she feels like she can't do anything!"
"Do you wanna roll, you fuckin' oreo slut?!"
"THAT'S. ENOUGH."
A voice boomed from the other side of the compartment, loud and commanding. "Natalie Miles, Nokota Williams, both of you will sit and be quiet for the rest of this flight." Its source, a tall, tan woman, stood. Her mere presence made the room silent. "I will not tolerate any kind of shit flinging. Do you understand?"
The two girls quietly sat down, each muttering a quick 'yes ma'am'.
"Good."
The tall woman sat back down, pulling her long, copper red hair away from her seat. She sighed, turning to the fifth member in the passenger compartment. "Please, tell me we won't have to deal with this shit for too long, Edea. I don't think my soul gem can take the stress."
Edea gave her a gentle smile, petting the taller woman's head. "You'll be fine Maria. I doubt the arguing of two girls is gonna make you witch out or anything." She pulled at her long, single braided blonde hair, smacking Maria with it. "You're tougher than that."
Another sigh. "Doesn't make things any easier. At least I have you to rely on." The red head stared into the golden yellow orbs of Edea. "You know I love you, right?"
"Uh, ummm. Miss Maria, there are others here too..."
The two love birds turned to Ashlin, both blushing slightly. "Oh, sorry Ashlin."
Gusts from the Gaston's blades whipped up the dust and debris as it landed at the base of Mt. Chionistra, the largest mountain on the island of Cyprus. As the engines idled, the five occupants exited, each with their belongings in their bags. Barely off the chopper, multiple bodies of the Heavy Ironforms, the staple physical constructs of the Fourth Officio, were wheeled into the cargo and passenger compartments.
Edea gasped slightly as the mechanical magical girls were wheeled by, staring at the exposed wiring and gears. "Wh-what the hell happened?"
Her answer came from a tall, slender Ironform, painted in a deep blue. "Non-stop attacks over these past few days. Damage was too great to repair here, had to send them back to the Olympia." The fully metallic woman brushed her hands over her short, hime-cut styled 'hair' before extending a hand out. "Leah Stroud, Eversor commander for the Walpurgis Memorial Project."
Each of the girls shook her hand, greeting her, Maria last. "Maria Brae. I'm the selected leader of our little group here. So, what's-" She was abruptly cut off as the Gaston began lift off, more dirt being tossed around.
As the chopper's blades grew silent in the distance, Maria continued. "-been going on? All we know is that your group has been getting its ass kicked and needed replacements."
Leah let out a distorted sigh before motioning the girls to follow. "Let me show you to our 'strategy room' before we get into the really shitty parts."
The so called strategy room, a small, one room building, sat off to the left of the still in progress statue. As the six girls walked inside, a gentle light above flickered, illuminating enough to compensate for the just rising sun.
"All right, the rundown of the thing." Leah sat down behind a dark metal desk as a small projector rose from it. "We've been working on a monument project for the past few months." A flash, and a panning video of the area popped up from the projector. "But of course, with all things, there are people who want to fuck it up."
The video switched to a view of a battle, gunfire and small explosions lighting up the night sky. The girls of the Fourth were being pushed back, before the feed was cut off. "That's how a lot of the latest attacks have been. Countless equipment repairs and chassis maintenance has taken a toll on our resources." The projector blinked off, submerging itself into the desk.
"Any questions?"
Natalie spoke first. "How far back as the project been pushed back?"
"We started on it about a month after Walpurgisnacht, and it's been three months since then. By all accounts, it was slated to be completed by June." Leah slumped slightly in her chair, pointing out the window. "And now we're nearly back to square one."
Edea sighed, stepping towards the window and gazing at the broken statue. "It was going to be a monument to the Blessed Lady, right? Looks like it was going to be beautiful too..." She turned to her comrades, a melancholy look in her eyes. "Why would people want to destroy this?"
Leah spoke again, a more firm and commanding tone to her voxed voice. "Because they're hired guns, they don't want to see it finished, or the worst offender, it clashes with their own faith." A small tap on the desk, and the projector appeared again, this time flashing images of various magical girls and the local populace. "At first, it was just hired mercs, which posed no threat. But as the weeks went on, it started becoming worse. Religious fanatics claiming it's a tribute to a false god or rogue magical girls claiming that the 'true' Blessed Lady frowns upon it."
She shook her head as the images continued. "The whole 'false' Lady unnerves me though. If we follow the same faith, why are they trying to hurt us?" Out of the corner of her eye, Leah spotted Nokota looking nervous and staring at the floor. "Is something wrong, Nokota?"
The young nun became flustered as she spoke. "N-no Miss Stroud! I-I'm fine." She clenched a large, silver cross to her chest, growing pale as Leah continued to stare at her. "I-is there something amiss?"
Leah let her eyes linger for a few more seconds before breaking eye contact. "No, nothing's wrong." She began panning over the rest of the rag tag bunch of fleshy magical girls, before setting her sights on Maria. "You're all probably wondering why you were sent instead of the Heavy Ironforms." Each of them nodded slightly, Ashlin giving a small shrug. "Reason being, you all can regenerate wounds and limbs. Our metal bodies, though much tougher, need to be replaced and properly repaired on the Olympia in case of severe damage." A few taps on the desk and more images started scrolling, this time of the ruined forms of the Fourths girls.
"We can do minor repairs here, but as you've seen coming in..." Her voice grows soft for a moment. "...we don't have simple repairs to deal with." Another desk tap and the projector disappeared into its cold, steel coffin once again. "But I do want to ask, why'd the Warsmith send you, Miss Williams?"
Nokota fumbled her words again, caught off guard at the formality. "Oh, uh, umm. I-I was sent as a negotiator of sorts. I can speak the local languages a bit and can try to reason with them if the situation calls for it!" Her face beamed with pride at the last statement, as if she was being given praise.
"That's if the locals will even LISTEN to reason."
The next few hours went by quickly as the six girls discussed how watch duty was going to be dished out; 12 hour shifts of two girls with the Ironform girls as backup for attacks. At Leah's behest, the girls settled into their sleeping quarters, set away from the other buildings.
Natalie plopped down on the small cot assigned to her, a light pomf coming from it. "Ah, feels good to finally fucking lay down. Sleep can't come soon enough." Patting the pillow, she laid her head down and closed her eyes. "That Leah seems like a nice lady!"
"Oh, if you'll excuse me ladies, I have some private matters to tend to." Nokota shifted her headpiece, making sure it was snug before bowing. "I'll be back shortly."
As the metallic click of the door closing signalled her leave, the room suddenly became silent, each girl lost in thought. Maria broke the silence, speaking what seemed to be on everyone's mind. "Private matters? We just got here."
Edea piped up, sliding off her black hiking boots. "Well, she DID seem kinda unnerved when Leah mentioned that false Lady. Maybe it has something to do with that?"
"Could be." A clattering of boots hitting floor came from Natalie's bunk. "She pops up at the Olympia shortly after Walpurgisnacht and starts preaching about the Blessed Lady. And now the news of a so called false Lady?" A scowl grew on her face as she unbuckled her hood. "Sounds really fucking fishy."
Ashlin, silent for the past few hours, snapped at the suggestion. "She's not doing anything wrong and you know it! Maybe she needed to talk to Leah alone? Doesn't mean she's doing anything suspicious, she's too nice for that!"
Natalie growled back at her, malice oozing out of every word. "So what? Nice little bitches such as her make me sick, and it's usually 'cause they hide shit like that." A swift punch to her pillow failed to quell her anger. "And just because she saved you on the chopper doesn't mean you should go and start licking her cunt."
For a moment, a glare of pure hate shot between Ashlin and Natalie, the former having reached her limit. "You're j-just je-jealous!" Tears started to well up in Ashlin's eyes, her anger boiling over into tears.
"Jealous of what?" Natalie slid off her bunk, and stood before Ashlin mere centimeters away. The silver eyed girl looked down, being a few inches taller. "Pray tell, why would I be jealous of that fucking mixed whore? That nun bit doesn't hide a fucking thing." Leaning forward, Natalie began pushing Ashlin back, pressing her forehead against the latter. "If you have something to say, then fucking say it."
"Miles!" The booming voice of Maria echoed in the small room, silencing everything. "If I have to tell you to calm your shit again, you WILL NOT like it. Understand me?!"
"Y-yes ma'am." Natalie's eyes quickly darted to the floor as she mumbled. "Fuckin' bitch."
+Is everything going as planned, my child?+
+Yes, my lady. They don't know my true intentions. And I pray it stays that way.+ Nokota shifted on her knees as she prayed before the ruined statue. +Do I still have your blessing?+
+You will always have my blessing, child. Now go. And let not a single non-believer tarnish her name.+
+As you command.+ Nokota stood, flashing her soul gem back into the pearl white oval choker it was before.
"May the true Blessed Lady guide my path."
Guard Duty
A cry of pain echoed in the halls of the Olympia, Ashlin's screams drowning out the ambient noise. She thrashed about on a surgical table, held down by straps as the Apolakreon surgeons hovered over her.
<What's the situation?>
<Ashlin McHale, Eversor. Scheduled for muscular and skeletal augmentation. Body is in constant pain due to her body tearing itself apart. A drawback of her contract it seems.>
<Why couldn't her Officio handle her anymore?>
<It was her decision. Fubey went along with it after she begged him to let her go.> Surgical equipment was pulled in as the surgeons began prepping their patient. <They tried to convince her to stay but...>
"P-please make it stop-o-o-op." The girl's thrashing slowly waned as her strength faded. "I can't take this anymore..."
The fleshwrights grasped their tools as the preparations were finished. <Very well, if that is the task we were given, let's get to it.>
"WAKE UP, LADIES!"
Ashlin woke with a jolt, her emerald eyes slowly adjusting to the light as her confusion waned. A tall, slim figure stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the sunlight seeping in. The rest of the girls immediately slipped off their hammocks, awake and standing in seconds.
The figure stepped forward into the quarters proper, her grey metal form giving off a gleam in the light. "McHale, what's takin' you so long?!"
"Oh, uh, sorry!" Ashlin slipped out of bed, her panty and bra clad body flashing as her steel blue armor turned over her. Stumbling over her clawed feet and feathery skirt tail, Ashlin quickly stood next to the other girls.
"When I say get up, I mean GET UP! Do you understand me?!"
The five girls all nodded with confirmation as the sleek, grey Ironform began pacing around the front of them. "My name is Lyssa Forax. I'm the head of this project and until further notice, you will answer to me." Her androgynous form watched the girls closely, silver-blue LED eyes glowing brightly. "The memorial project is very important and I will not have anyone running around without my say."
Maria coughed gently, getting Lyssa's attention. "Umm, permission to speak, ma'am?"
"Granted."
"What about Miss Stroud? She's the Eversor leader here, right?"
"Did I fucking stutter?" Lyssa quickly slid in front of Maria, standing nose to nose with the 6' 2 red head. "Unless otherwise noted, you will answer to me. If I give an order, you will follow it. If Leah gives you an order, you will follow it unless I say otherwise." Stepping away, Lyssa scoffed at the anger coming from Maria's eyes. "DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"
The girls bellowed out a unified 'yes ma'am' as Lyssa stood in front of them all. "Very well. As was discussed yesterday, four of you will break into two-man teams and rotate 12 hour watch shifts. Maria and Edea will take the sunrise to sunset, and Ashlin and Natalie will take sunset to sunrise." Lyssa then crossed her arms, staring at the group. "Any objections?"
Natalie spat, gritting her teeth. "Why do I have to do guard duty with the coward?" She jabbed a finger towards Ashlin, giving the young Irish girl a quick glare. "She'd probably run at the first sight of trouble."
Lyssa stared at Natalie, giving quick glances to Ashlin as she spoke. "You don't get along with Ashlin I take it?"
"'Don't get along'? That's putting it lightly. I'd say it's more of a borderline hatred." She crossed her arms, scoffing at Ashlin. "You should've seen her on the few training sessions I've done with her. She's a waste of space."
"Well, there's a good reason the Warsmith sent her instead of someone else, and I intend to find out." With a quick turn around, Lyssa began to exit the sleeping quarters after giving one last quip. "Oh, and you'll still be doing watch duty alongside Ashlin. Disobey, and you will be punished accordingly." The door closed with a slam, making Natalie jump in surprise.
"That...that fucking bitch!" Natalie stomped her feet and clenched her fists, a look of frustration smeared over her face. "Why am I stuck working with Ashlin?"
Edea let out a long sigh, looking tired of Natalie's shit. "What do you have against her anyways, huh? Really, Ash has done nothing wrong to you, yet you treat the girl like she's less than trash!"
"Have you seen her fight? As I said yesterday, she can't fight worth a damn! I've trained with her before, to test my reflex augs, and all she did was block and dodge. She didn't even TRY to fight back!"
Maria stepped between the two girls, holding them at arms length. "Edea, I'll handle this, okay?" She turned to face Natalie, her eyes nearly drilling a hole through the grey eyed Eversor. "I told you yesterday, not to make me tell you to calm your shit." Maria narrowed her eyes, clearly angered. "You gonna make me tell you again?"
"No, no, I'm calm as all hell. I'm just pissed that I have to deal with HER every night."
"You want to disobey a direct order?"
Natalie opened her mouth to retort before clamping it shut. She pondered for a moment before turning to the girl she loathed. "You keep to your shit and keep your eyes open. I'll have no problems if you can AT LEAST do that."
Ashlin nodded her head quickly. "I'll do my best!"
"Well, you two," Maria yawned and stretched, pointing to the door. "Edea and I have to get started on our shift. Get some extra rest if you can, since you'll be on watch all night."
The two new night watchers nodded as Edea and Maria began their first shift.
The compound entrance's overlook, while simple by design, provided efficient cover and viewing for whoever was on guard. Six inch thick steel crenelated walls surrounded and protected the compound, and the entire top jutted out to deter would-be climbers and ladder attempts.
Maria examined the mesh catwalk, running her hands over the steel hand rails. "Hmm, decent setup they have here. Pretty open at the front and the mountains behind provide decent cover from the rear."
"You know people can still come OVER the mountain, right? It's not as if the rear is impenetrable."
Maria looked at her partner, a sly smirk registering on her face. "You would know how that feels, wouldn't you?"
"N-not while we're outside, please. I reeeally don't want anyone eavesdropping on our private conversations." Edea blushed lightly as she stepped forward, leaning on the railing. "Besides, I thought you didn't talk about that stuff out in the open?"
"Fine, fine." The tall redhead slid behind her shorter lover, embracing her over the shoulders. "You win this time, shorty."
The young magical girl couple stayed in their embrace as they watched the sun slowly make its way up the horizon. The rock and grassy plains ahead of them were silent, save for the mid-spring breeze and the rustling of grass.
Maria nuzzled her face into Edea's golden locks, taking in the scent of her hair. "I thought I was going to lose you, ya know."
"Hmm?"
"During Walpurgisnacht. I thought you were going to die..."
Edea rubbed her head against Maria's ample bosom, making the latter scrunch her nose. "We've been over this before, hun. It's in the past, no need to worry yourself over it, 'kay?"
"Yeah, but-" Maria gripped her pint-sized lover tighter. "-but even thinking about it scares me."
"Hey, I'm right here." The blonde Eversor held Maria tighter, lifting her head to look deeply into her Maria's eyes. A small, gentle smile rested on her lips. "I'm fine. Not to mention, if I didn't get hurt, we wouldn't be here, ya know?"
Maria held Edea's gaze for a moment before she, too, made a little grin. "Yeah...heh, I still remember how scared you were just to get those prostheses." She giggled as she brushed a stray lock of hair from Edea's face, giving her a coy, teasing look. "You were all like 'but what if it hurts?! What if my arm and leg take over me!?'."
Edea slid around, lightly punching Maria's chest with her still fleshy hand. "Stop making fun of meeee."
Maria chuckled, tousling what hair of Edea's that wasn't tied back. "I can't help it, it's fun to pick on you sometimes." Her expression then turned serious as she stared into Edea's golden yellow eyes. "Any word on your brother's condition?"
"No. Not for a while. Don't think word got to them that I transferred. I'm glad Kyuubey allowed me to keep tabs on my family, but it's hard when I'm away for a while."
"And with everyone recovering after Walpurgis, that's probably not high on his priority list...Miss Malal would have already taken care of it as soon as the transfer was final, I bet."
"I miss them, you know." Edea closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Maria's chest. "We lost so many..."
"I miss'em too. A lot of brave girls died protecting their loved ones. That's why we're building this monument in their memory." Maria held her companion close, the redhead's eyes watching the horizon. "As long as we keep their memory alive, we will never be alone."
Lyssa sat behind her desk in her private quarters, Nokota sitting in front of her. The light flickered on and off before Lyssa stood to smack it.
"Damn thing's been on the fritz for a while now. Can't be assed to fix it, with everything that's happened."
"So, what did you need me for, Miss Forax?" The nun fidgeted in her seat, her usually dark skin growing pale from nervousness. "Is it something important?"
The grey metal Ironform sat back down in her swivel chair, spinning herself slowly. "I have some questions and a request. The Warsmith told me the real reason you're here." Nokota squeaked, her eyes becoming wide and still. "So it was that big of a secret, eh? Considering what it is, I'm not surprised."
"Please Miss Forax-"
"Lyssa."
"Miss Lyssa, please don't let this out. It could jeopardize my entire operation!"
"No worries. I may not like meatbags like you, but an order is an order. The Warsmith gave the information to myself only. As long as you keep out of trouble, you should be fine."
Nokota breathed a sigh of relief, muttering out a breathy 'thank you' as she gripped her large, silver cross to her chest. "That's good to know."
"Now about your tasks around here..." Lyssa flicked her fingers, producing small streams of light that formed a hologram. "I want you to assist me with inventory and general control of this op." The hologram came together more clearly, revealing a list. Names of various metals, construction materials, and miscellaneous items scrolled by, some with 'ETA 6 Days' next to them.
"Inventory? But I'm here for negotiations. And my mission."
"Yes, yes, but you're not going to be sitting here doing nothing on my watch. I highly doubt you'll need to do much negotiating anyways." Clanging her metal fingers together, Lyssa closed the hologram list, staring intently at the young nun. "So, you have inventory duty. And whatever else I feel I'll need help with. Am I clear?"
Before Nokota could respond, a loud thump came from the right hand wall, making both girls jump. A louder thump and muffled shouting made them stand up, both eyeing the wall next to the Eversor quarters.
"What the hell is going on in there?"
The Eversor quarters were quiet, save for Natalie's exercise induced grunts. Ashlin laid on her hammock, drawn into a book.
Natalie jumped up from doing her push-ups, sweat dripping off her scantily clad body. "Hah...hah...you know, Ashlin, if you don't do some kind of exercise, you'll wind up getting flabby and weak. Why haven't you been doing anything? I've never seen you do any kind of exercise."
Ashlin's eyes darted up from her book, her eyes focusing on her companion. "Oh, umm, I really...can't do stuff like that." Her eyes darted to the side, nervousness overcoming her face. "I wind up getting hurt bad."
"That's because you don't do anything. Your body isn't used to exercise, of course it's going to hurt."
"That's not what I mean. I...get really hurt, like I'm out for a few days kind of hurt."
Natalie narrowed her eyes, not satisfied with the statement. "Because you don't do things properly." She trotted over to Ashlin's hammock, standing over the younger magical girl. "Or is everyone from the 17th like that? Weak, spineless, and unable to do anything on their own without fucking up?" Natalie quickly smacked the book out of Ashlin's hands, the book making a small THUMP against the far wall. "Or maybe, just maybe, it's just you."
Ashlin stared up into Natalie's eyes, her face contorting between anger and fear. "What the hell, Nat?" She attempted to get up to retrieve her book, only to be blocked. "Just let me read, please!"
The silver eyed magical girl stood her ground, moving to stop Ashlin from venturing forward. Snatching a hand that attempted to push her away, she once again brought herself nose to nose with Ashlin's face. "This is why no one wants to be your friend. You're too cowardly and can't even make a move against me."
Ashlin yelped in pain as Natalie twisted the captive girls hand slightly. "H-hey, that hurts! Stop it!" She tried to pull away, but Natalie's iron grip didn't relent. "God dammit, what the hell is wrong with you?!"
"You are, that's what. Always scared, can't fight back. Why were you even sent here?"
Ashlin glared at her agitator, her mind clouded in anger and her eyes clouded in tears. Without so much as a thought, she belted out a line that was uncharacteristic of herself. "Why were YOU sent here?! All the Tenth knows how to do is kill! It's not like they can actually PROTECT anything, let alo-"
Next thing Ashlin knew, she was sent across the room, slamming into the far wall next to Leah's quarters with a loud THUMP. She slid to the floor, pain shooting through her jaw as her eyes focused on Natalie.
"You do NOT speak of her like that, YOU GOT ME?!"
Natalie stormed over, her breath becoming ragged. She looked down upon the Irish girl, eyes filled with rage and words filled with venom. "YOU KNOW NOTHING! AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT HER. EVER." She kicked Ashlin's face, blood splattering from her nose. "I WON'T LET YOU INSULT THEM LIKE THAT!" Straddling the bloodied girls stomach, Natalie began laying punches across Ashlin's face. "I WON'T LET YOU INSULT -HER- LIKE THAT!"
Ashlin tried to block the blows, but only succeeded in pissing off her attacker more. In between the pain, her tears, and the blood, she saw a sight that she thought she'd never see; Natalie was crying. Her eyes were filled with fury, but covered in the familiar wetness Ashlin knew too well.
Before either could do anything more, the quarters door burst open, Lyssa and Nokota rushing in. They froze in their tracks as they spotted the fight in front of them.
"WHAT IN THE FUCK IS GOING ON IN HERE?!"
Natalie stopped mid-swing as she spotted her superior and the 14th's emissary. She quickly bolted to her feet, leaving the sobbing and bleeding Ashlin on the floor. "This isn't-"
Lyssa's eyes glowed bright as her digitized voice filled the room. "I WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU ARE BEATING ASHLIN'S FACE IN. RIGHT NOW."
"I, uh, we just-"
Lyssa stormed forward, nose to nose with the black haired Eversor. "STOP YOUR GODDAMN STUTTERING AND GET TO IT!" Glancing over to Nokota, Lyssa motioned towards Ashlin, the stunned nun quickly tending to the bloodied girl.
"Sh-she insulted a friend of m-mine! I wasn't gonna stand for that!"
"So you felt it was necessary to beat her face in!?"
"It-just-"
"No. You're coming with me and you're telling me everything. Now." Lyssa grabbed Natalie's arm and began dragging her away. "Nokota, take Ashlin and get her cleaned up. I'll want to talk to her too."
"Yes, Miss Forax." Nokota helped Ashlin up, some of the still fresh blood smearing her outfit. "Come on Ash, let's get you fixed up, 'kay?"
"So, what happened Ash?" Nokota gently wiped the blood off of Ashlin's face, careful to avoid her broken nose. "Why was Natalie hitting you?"
Ashlin sobbed in pain, wincing from the pressure. "I th-think I said something bad about her old friends." She took a deep breath, calming herself through the pain. "I didn't mean to upset her..."
Both girls stayed quiet as Nokota finished cleaning the blood and spun Ashlin to face her. "This may hurt a little, okay?" She grabbed her oval choker Soul Gem, focusing the magic through her hands to heal Ashlin's nose. The girl cried out as the bone and tissue slowly healed back together. "There, all done~. Can you breath better?"
Ashlin nodded, staring at the floor of the general supplies building. She wiped her tears away as she took another deep breath. "Did I do the wrong thing?"
"The wrong thing? No honey, no." The nun pulled Ashlin's bangs aside, gently patting the girl's head. "But I do think you could've went about expressing your anger a little different."
"Yeah, but...but every time I get angry, I cry and want to run away."
Nokota pulled Ashlin into a hug, holding the girl tightly. "Everyone does that from time to time. No need to worry yourself over it, okay?" The two then sat in silence, a somber air taking hold of the room.
"...Nokota, am I a coward?"
"Hmm?"
Ashlin looked up into Nokota's blue eyes, tears coming up into her own again. "A-am I a coward?"
Nokota chuckled gently, wiping a few black bangs from Ashlin's face. "No, I don't think you are. You stood up to Natalie last night and you did SOMETHING to make her hurt you, so you're obviously not willing to run away."
"But why do I feel like I'm still a coward? I thought when you contracted, your wish came true?"
"Oh? What was your wish?"
"...I wished to be as strong and brave as my dad..." Ashlin began to sob as her few memories of her father came to her mind. "I-I've always been scared of everything; but my dad, he was the strongest and bravest man I knew."
Nokota thought for a moment. "Maybe he wasn't as-"
"No! You're wrong!" The emerald eye Eversor glared at Nokota. "My dad is the bravest a-and he...and he..." Her sobs grew greater, drowning out whatever words she wanted to say.
Nokota just smiled as Ashlin began to cry harder, burying her face into the nuns small chest. "It's fine Ashlin. Just let it all out, okay?" She gently stroked Ashlin's hair, the young Irish girl muttering lightly to herself.
"Daddy...I miss you."
Let's Be Friends!
"Umm, m-my name is Ashlin McHale. I-it's nice to meet you all."
The room was silent as the eyes of a black haired, silver eyed girl, a short golden blonde, and a tall red head fell upon the petite Irish girl. She stood there, fidgeting all about, her silver-blue armored fingers clinking in the silence. A violet metal hand slapped onto Ashlin's shoulder, making the girl jump in surprise.
"Sorry ladies, Ashlin seems to be a bit shy." The hand retreated to its owner, a tall, wide built Light Ironform painted a soft violet. It placed its hands on its thick, metal pockmarked hips, bringing the girls eyes, including Ashlin's onto it. "My name is Serah Hanon, Secrutix of the Xiplos order. I'm here to introduce your newest squad member, little Ashlin here." The Light Ironform's red-pink spherical sockets scanned the room, resting on the tall, dark skinned red head. "Strike Leader Maria Brea, come here."
The fiery eyed Eversor stepped away from her bunk, placing the greatsword she was sharpening onto her cot. "Welcome to Strike Team Malleus. I'm the leader of this ragtag bunch, Maria Brea." She extended a hand, Ashlin giving it a firm shake. "The shorty over there-" "I HEARD THAT." "-is Edea Willows." Ashlin's emerald eyes glanced over to the tiny blonde, a mechanical hand waving at her. "Don't mind Edea, she-"
Serah held up a hand, bring Maria to a halt. "My apologies, but I have other business to attend to. I should return before the days end and have everything sorted out." The tall Ironform turned and left, leaving Ashlin alone with these new people.
"Don't just stand there, take a seat somewhere." Ashlin felt a gentle push as Maria bumped her forwards. "None of us are gonna bite, so come on."
The petite Irish girl shakily stepped forward, finding a seat on a vacant cot. The other three girls chuckled at her, making Ashlin blush deeply, her reddened cheeks clashing with her creamy white skin. "S-sorry, I'm n-not used to being a-around new people." Ashlin's feet began to tap on the floor out of nervousness. "But I-I hope I can work well with you guys!
Maria let out a hearty laugh, sliding over to the silver eyed girl. "Oh, I almost forgot. The last member of our little entourage is Natalie Miles." Ashlin beamed at the newly introduced Eversor, only to have a glare returned. "No worries Ashlin, she won't bite. Nat can be a bitch sometimes, but she means well."
Natalie begrudgingly got up at Maria's behest, wealking and extending an open hand to the armor clad magical girl. "Pleasure to meet you, Ashlin. Do as you're told and you'll be fine."
Ashlin took the hand in her own, gently shaking it in a show of good faith. "It's n-nice to meet you all. I hope we can be friends!"
The air was silent as Ashlin stood beside Natalie, their superior staring at them from behind her desk. The emerald eyed Eversor shivered, her soul gem 'burning' from the intense mood in the room.
"So, from the top. I want you two to tell me just what the hell happened and why." The bald headed Ironform gave a blank stare at the two raven haired girls, pointing a finger at Natalie. "I'll start with your side."
"Umm...how should I put it." Natalie thought for a moment, crossing her arms before speaking. "She insulted my friends. Plain and simple. I'm not gonna sit and let someone talk shit about my friends like that." She shot a quick glare at her fellow magical girl, making Ashlin flinch in surprise. "So, I got mad. How can ya blame me?"
The room grew silent again, Natalie still with her arms crossed, Lyssa staring at the girls, with Ashlin staring at the floor. She fiddled with her fingers as Lyssa aimed her glowing eyes at the tiny Eversor. "Now, your side, Ashlin."
Ashlin fumbled her words, taking a few seconds to form a coherent sentence. "W-we were talking, Natalie smacked my book out of my hands, we both said some things and then..." The Irish girl froze as her mind tried to find the proper wording. "...then all I saw was her on top of me, hitting me." She hastily finished how Nokota cleaned and healed her up, Lyssa simply staring and taking it all in. "I'm sorry, Miss Forax. I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
"Eugh...if this was any other situation, I'd have you sent back to the Olympia for proper punishment, but all things considered," A short wave of her arm brought the girls attention to the slow construction going on outside. "we don't have such luxury. So we'll have to deal with it here." Standing, Lyssa walked over to the far window, watching the busy body Light Ironforms outside. "...I remember being told you don't like Ashlin very much, right Natalie?"
The silver eyed Eversor snapped to attention at her name. "Y-yes Miss Forax. Ever since she was assigned to our squad, I felt I wouldn't like her." Natalie sighed, a tired look taking her face. "And today was just the end result. I knew something like this would happen, but not this fast."
"I don't need to know the whole story, just your opinion." The mechanized magical girl spun around to face Ashlin and Natalie, her LED eyes 'closing' in thought. "...very well, this is your punishment. No arguing, no complaining . For the next seven days, you and Ashlin will be on guard duty. No sleep whatsoever until your punishment is over. You may be trained for lack of sleep, but still, your body naturally needs it." The girls gasped at the revelation, Lyssa bringing up a metal hand to shush them. "You two need to learn to get along, and this will also work as a team building exercise. Keep each other awake, and watch out for each other. Maria and Edea will give you a one hour break every 12 hours for food and such, so use that time wisely."
Ashlin stepped forward, bringing her forearms over her chest. "Umm, I know you said not to complain, and I'm ready to take our punishment, but I've..." The petite girl fiddled with her thumbs, nervousness washing over her. Her gaze met the floor as she spoke. "I've never finished all of my training with what was happening to me., so that mi-"
"Yes, and?" Ashlin was quickly cut off, her superior staring at her intently. "You'll just have to deal with it. Your punishment is final, and that's all there is to it."
Lyssa pointed to the door, commanding the two girls to leave. "I have unfinished business with Miss Williams. You are dismissed."
3 nights passed for Ashlin, each night slowly becoming harder to stay awake. Multiple times she found herself dosing off, only to have Natalie smacking the back of her head to snap her back awake. Tonight was no different for the young Eversor.
The setting sun hung on the horizon as the two black haired magical girls stared off at the wind swept plains. Ashlin gently slapped her face in a futile attempt to stay awake, giving a worrying stare to Natalie. Her crimson clad companion simply scoffed. "At least you don't have to hit me again." Ashlin chuckled softly, shaking her head of drowsiness. A cool wind began blowing, making the two shiver. "It's pretty cold out, huh Natalie?"
The silver eyed girl curled her cloak around her, bringing the hood on as well. "Kinda, I guess. Could be better." Natalie turned to Ashlin, staring at the armored magical girl. "You're probably cold as hell, with you being half fucking naked."
"Yeah...but I'm fine. The cold will help keep me awake, that's for sure." Ashlin bobbed back and forth on the heels of her clawed feet, leaning on the railing for balance. "What about you? Skirt and leggings don't seem very warm."
"This cloak'll keep me warm. It's thicker than my costume anyways. And it makes for a good blanket and pillow too." Natalie pulled her cloak away, extending it to Ashlin. "Here, feel it."
Whisking away her gauntlets, Ashlin took the crimson material in her hands, feeling the rough texture of wool. "Oh wow! It DOES feel warm! But...it's wool. Isn't your costume made out of cloth and silk?"
"Yeah. This cloak isn't actually part of my costume." Ashlin let out a slight gasp, eyes growing wide. "Huh. I guess you didn't know that. A friend of mine made it for me. Kept me warm during the winter in Mitakihara. It means a lot to me, ya know?"
The two girls grew silent, Ashlin yawning and bouncing on her heels, while Natalie pulled her hood and cloak tighter around her. The full moons light cast a breath taking sight, the light illuminating the grassy plains before them and gleaming off the snow covered mountaintops in the distance.
Ashlin stared up at the moon, entranced by the beauty of the massive chunk of space rock. Her mind wandered as she stared; to the few friends she made in Canada, the painful memories of her surgeries and augmentations, and most importantly, her mother. Thoughts of her time in Ireland, the death of her father, and the move to Canada to stay with their relatives came soon after, making the extremely tired Eversor sigh in exhaustion.
"Hey Ashlin...I, uh, I have something to say."
Ashlin snapped back to attention as Natalie got her attention, rubbing her eyes. "Oh, sorry, zoned out for a sec. Wh-what's up?"
The silver eyed Eversor fiddled around in her cloak, her eyes staring at the cold metal catwalk beneath them. "Listen, I'm...I'm sorry for getting in a fight with you." Ashlin watched as Natalie stepped towards the railing, leaning on it, eyes still on the catwalk. "I wasn't thinking straight, and what you said just pissed me off really hard. I should've kept a cool head."
Ashlin stared in awe; from her experience, Natalie didn't seem the type to apologize, but here she was, saying those two simple words. The young Irish girl looked away, staring off into the plains again, gathering her thoughts and figuring a response. "Umm, thanks, I guess...sorry for saying what I said too." She glanced over to her crimson cloaked companion, seeing she was still staring down. "I guess we both said some things we shouldn't have."
Natalie immediately whipped around, her cloak fluttering in a sudden gust of wind. She stared intently at Ashlin, making the emerald eyed Eversor freeze. "I spoke the truth, and that's that. Don't get me wrong, beating your face in wasn't what I should've done," She threw her hood back, her voice turning to a deep growl. "but I still think you're the biggest coward I've ever fucking met, and I will stand by that statement till the day I die." She kept her eyes on Ashlin for a few more moments, eventually turning back to the grassy, rocky fields in front of them.
Before Ashlin could respond, Maria and Edea stepped up onto the catwalk. "Oi, everything okay up here? Thought we heard you two arguing?" The tall redhead placed her hands on her hips, walking over to Natalie and bending down to her eye level. "I don't have to intervene here, do I?"
"No, no, everything's fine." Natalie turned and walked towards the catwalk stairs, bumping into Ashlin's shoulder. "Was simply getting some shit straight, is all." She trotted down the steps, leaving the other 3 girls alone. Edea stepped up beside her girlfriend, waving a hand at Ashlin. "Well, you better enjoy your short break while you can." Slipping an arm around Maria's waist, the short blonde nuzzled on Maria's shoulder. "So warm..."
Ashlin nodded and began to step off the catwalk before being stopped by Maria. "Hey Ash, I wanted to pass an idea by you." The armor clad magical girl turned to her superior, yawning. "After your punishment is over, and the Heavy Ironforms come back, what do you say to me training you? I know haven't had full Eversor training, so I figure once we have time, I could go over what you haven't been trained on."
"Oh, that's fine, I guess. I...can't really remember what I've done and what I haven't so..."
"Don't worry about that. We'll do what we can, okay? Now go, enjoy your break."
The week of pure hell finally ended, leaving Ashlin a walking mess of exhaustion and auditory and visual hallucinations. Natalie on the other hand, was merely tired, gloating that she could go another week without sleep. Maria attempted to take her up on that challenge, but the silver eyed magical girl declined. The two bleary eyed magical girls trudged to their sleeping quarters, Ashlin nearly tripping over the entrance.
Neither said a word as they de-transformed and slipped on their sleepwear, crawling onto their cots. Ashlin snuggled against her pillow, mumbling as she closed her eyes. "Sleep...is so good. So good. Goodnight Natalie..."
"...yeah."
Everything was dark. Explosions rocked Ashlin's mind as she peered into the darkness. Part of her focused on the noise around her; explosions, gunfire...and screaming.
"WAKE UP!"
A flash of light, and Ashlin bolted upright to the sounds from her sleep. She looked towards the door, Edea standing in the frame, ragged breaths coming from her bloodied and battered self. Ashlin's heart started racing, slipping off her cot, nearly tripping over her own feet. "Wha-what's going on?"
"We're under attack! A group of locals got us by surprise! We're pinned down by gunfire and I think mortar, come on!"
Edea bolted from the door, leaving the now stunned Ashlin alone with Natalie. "We-we're under attack?" Ashlin's body froze as fear took her.
"No time to waste, Ashlin." Natalie pulled off her soul gem, transforming into her black and scarlet costume, and pulled on her cloak. Her scythe formed in her hands as she whipped around to Ashlin. "Battle is the great redeemer, the fiery crucible which the only true heroes are forged."
Angel of Death
The thunderous booms of gunfire and mortar shells racked Ashlin to the core as she trailed behind Natalie. A wave of dirt and grass pelted her side, from a narrowly missed mortar. The two girls skidded to a halt behind a grey steel barricade, one Lyssa Forax taking cover behind it.
"'bout damn time! We've been at this for over half an hour!" An oddly shaped pistol dangled in her hands, a large muzzle on the barrel, and a lit up meter along the top. She cursed loudly, barely audible by the gunfire. "FUCKING MEATBAG ASSHOLES! They came outta nowhere! Took out our defences and we've barely had time to counter!"
Natalie glanced over the barricade, spotting several gaping holes in the surrounding walls. Her blood ran cold as nearly a hundred armed mercenaries continued to advance on their lack luster position. "Jesus Christ, there's a shit load out there! Where's Maria and Edea!?"
"Out front, trying to push them back! The rest of my girls suffered superficial damage and-" Lyssa jolted up, firing a bolt of glowing hot plasma, hitting a mercenary, causing his skin and clothes to burst into white flame. His screams of pain and death were lost under the storm of metal death. "One down, a fuck load more to go! Natalie, go find Maria and back her up! Ashlin, do the same with Edea! I need to go find Leah and ask her why THE FUCK she isn't out here!"
Ashlin stayed put, locked in fear while Natalie bolted away, her crimson cloak billowing behind her. Everything seemed to slow down as Ashlin's heart raced; they were outnumbered, their heavy hitters were still out, and they were severely outgunned. A small group of magical girls and a handful of Light Ironforms against an entire company of armed men? Ashlin began to tremble as the realization hit her like a truck.
"MCHALE!"
A jolt snapped the Irish girl back to her senses, Lyssa gripping the girls shoulders. "What the HELL are you doing!? I told you to get out there, SO GET OUT THERE!" Ashlin simply stared at her superior, as fear kept her locked in place. "God dammit, McHale! Get your shit together or else I'll get it together for you!" Lyssa slid her cold, metallic fingers underneath the black leather covering Ashlin's collarbones and lifted her up, standing in the process. "YOU WERE PUT HERE TO PROTECT THIS PROJECT!" Bullets flew by Ashlin's face, the heat nearly searing her skin. She simply stared down at Lyssa, her eyes widened in fear and covered in tears. "NOW GET OUT THERE," The emerald eyed magical girl suddenly found herself flying through the air, the world spinning round and round as Lyssa threw her over the barricade. She slammed hard on the ground, grass and dirt sliding against her face. "AND DO YOUR FUCKING JOB!!"
Maria stood her ground, deflecting bullets with her oversized greatsword and barely able to hold her ground against the horde charging towards her. A thick, massive stone wall, courtesy of Edea's tactical thinking, divided the open field, splitting the task of defending into two. Covered in the blood of her enemies, and a bit of her own, the copper haired magical girl stayed quiet as Natalie skidded to her side. "You doing okay, Maria?" She stayed quiet and stoic, merely nodding. Natalie took the gesture and kept quiet as well, joining her companion in the bloodshed. The two deadly magical girls became a whirlwind of blood and steel, rounds bouncing off their weapons as the blood of their enemies showered them.
The crimson bath continued, slowing down as Natalie took a burst of gunfire to her left shoulder, ripping through flesh and bone, nearly taking the entire arm off. Maria immediately jumped in front of her, taking a barrage of bullets that skipped off of her hardened skin. Maria turned her attention to her injured companion, covering her as best she could. "Natalie, you're hit! You gonna be okay?!"
"FUUUUUUUCK! DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT? And it's my goddamn good arm too, shit!" Natalie shoved herself to her feet, pressing her small back against Maria's. "Need to find some cover, I might be able to fix it!"
"Then go! I'll cover you!" The tall magical girl bumped her away, screaming at her. "Go, now!" She charged forward, letting out a loud and heavy scream as Natalie scurried away with her injured shoulder. The field began its bath of blood, bullets and sweat as Maria charged into the mass of metal and flesh.
Nokota flinched as another mortar rocked the repair quarters, the nun surrounded by the injured construction Ironforms. She surveyed the damage, the attackers rounds wrecking havoc on the mechanical bodies of the Fourths girls. Disabled limbs, injured eyesockets, and some with damaged Soul Gem cases. If these were normal girls, this room would be filled with blood, guts, and the painful wails of magical girls, Nokota thought. But these girls were made of metal, wires, and synthetic tissue. They didn't feel pain to the extent a normal person would, and they could go without food or water permanently. Such boons would be useful, but at the cost of your own flesh and blood body? No. The Lord would frown upon that, she thought.
"Wh-what can I can do help? Please, anything, I can't just sit here doing nothing!"
The room remained silent as the various Ironforms performed maintenance on each other. The clinking of spent bullets hitting the floor was the only sound to echo in the repair quarters. Each girl toiled away, giving hasty, bare minimum repairs, just enough to put them back into fighting shape. One of them, a short one painted a bold red with a 'widows peak' hair style broke the silence. "Go tell Lyssa we'll be done soon. Defence turrets should be back on soon. And pass a message to her to tell the Warsmith; WHERE THE FUCK ARE OUR HEAVIES!?"
The nun jumped at the yell, and bolted out the door, satisfied she had a task to do. She forced the sounds of gunfire and death screams out of her mind as she came to a halt next to her target. "Miss Forax, message from the others; they should be in fighting shape soon, defenses should be back up afterwards!"
"Well, about damn time! Did they forget we're short-handed AND severely outnumbered? Fucking hell!"
As the two began to brace for the next barrage of bullets, everything became quiet; no weapon fire or screaming. Just an eery silence. Nokota poked over the barricade, as she tried to get a good view of the outer battlefield. There was nothing save for the bloodied and ruined bodies of the attackers. The young nun just stared at the carnage, slowly making her way to the front gate. "D-did they kill them all?"
A low rumble shook her foundations as 3 tanks appeared out of nowhere. Nokota gasped in horror as the heavy machinery rolled towards them, followed by another company of armed men. An explosion rocked the young nun before a bright flash of light blinded her. Everything turned white for a few precious seconds, along with an ear-splitting screech. Something suddenly grabbed her from behind and pushed her to the ground as the light began to recede. Pain shot through her as Nokota turned over to see what grabbed her.
"GODDAMMIT NOKOTA. DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT A FUCKING TANK IS!?"
Nokota gasped as she spotted Lyssa on the ground behind her, the Ironforms legs mangled and broken. Nokota jumped to her feet, ignoring the aches her body was screaming as she pulled Lyssa away from the now ruined entrance. "I-I'm so sorry! I was shocked by-" Her sentence was cut short by a deep, booming voice that washed over them. The nun poked her head around the damaged entrance, spotting a dark skinned man protruding from the top of the lead tank, megaphone in hand. Out of the corners of her eyes, the Callidus caught a glimpse of her companions, all huddled in one spot to her right. Natalie nursing her left shoulder, Ashlin covered in a stone shell, crying, and a kneeling Maria cradling a seemingly dead Edea, screaming at the blonde Eversor to wake up.
"Please, God, help us. What should we do?"
"Come on Ashlin! We can't stay behind this barricade forever!"
"Bu...b-but I'm..."
Edea stared down at the frightened magical girl, disgust flooding her face. They were outnumbered, outgunned, and seemingly outmatched. The amber eyed magical girl thrust her hands onto the ground, using her magic to reinforce the bullet ridden stone barricade she walled them with. "We're getting our asses kicked out there! Either you fight or you don't, there is no in-between!" She blew open a hole on the side, rolling out into a full sprint under a hail of gunfire. A burning sensation coursed through her veins as she charged into the fray, transmuting a long, wing tipped spear from the ground. Bullets flew by her and bounced off the newly formed spear as she twirled it around like a baton of death.
She fought and fought, her nigh unending stamina slowly whittling away under the stress of combat. The men died left and right by her hands, their death rattles and anguished screams running together in her mind, but she couldn't keep this up forever. 'How many of these guys are there? Did they bring more? Shit!' The butt of a rifle came crashing down on the blonde Eversor, narrowly blocked by the shaft of her spear. A swift knee to the gut followed by a right elbow to the neck brought the man down, giving Edea a moment to breath. 'How in the hell did the heavies get decimated by this? How are WE getting decimated like this?' The thought didn't last long before more angry soldiers began charging her, knives, machetes, and iron rods drawn to strike. "Wanna get close this time, eh? Then come on!"
The ground shook as Edea shoved her spear into the ground, shafts of rock jutting up in an attempt to impale these new attackers. Each missed their mark, but that didn't matter to her; it gave Edea enough time to do what she needed. Clapping her hands together, the blonde haired Eversor ran her left hand over her right, a long metal blade forming from the forearm. Electricity crackled down the razor sharp blade as Edea dashed forward to begin her bloody work. Ten men foolish enough to get close. Ten men who would soon be dead.
The first fell as Edea's blade sliced cleanly and effortlessly across his neck, blood spewing from the wound as his scream turned to a gurgle. Without missing a beat, Edea leapt towards the second poor soul, letting her arm blade sink deep into his chest as he fell. A quick jump back and a roundhouse kick to another brought the girl to a safe distance from the other now furious and frightened soldiers. A small smirk crawled onto Edea's face.
"I got more than enough to take the rest of ya on, so bring it! Your choice to get close, so you assholes have no one to blame but yourselves!"
That smirk quickly faded as the remaining assailants drew their slung rifles and opened fire. Bracing herself did nothing as as the wave of metal death slammed into her, ripping through flesh and bone as pain shot through the young Eversor's body. A pulse shot through her as her pain dampening training kicked in, reducing the throbs of agony to a dull reminder. 'Shit, didn't expect them to open fire. Guess I'm not the smartest one after all. At least they didn't hit my gem, then I'd be rightly screwed...goddammit Ashlin!'
One of the men began to slowly advance on Edea, rifle aimed forward, screaming in a language she didn't understand. As he came within an arms length, screaming and spitting all the while, Edea closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Time seemed to slow down for the blonde Eversor as she resigned to the fate she was given; but she wasn't going to go without a bang.
'I'm sorry, my little orphan Annie, but this looks like the end of the road for me...'
In a display of speed only known to those facing their death, Edea clapped her hands together and slammed her metal hand over the armed man's face, gripping so hard the bone beneath began to crack. As the other soldiers stood in shock at what should be a dead magical girl, Edea took the moment to finalize her plan. Sliding her left arm around the captive mans rifle, she turned it onto the bewildered soldiers, opening fire on them. The aim wasn't true, but the added shock of coming under fire frightened the men enough to give Edea her true counter. She threw the now unconscious soldier at his fellows and slammed her left fist into the ground, causing a massive stone fist to erupt from underneath her attackers, catching them off guard even more and shattering the skull of one unlucky bastard.
The fire burned hotter as Edea fought back with everything she had, her punches and kicks being mimicked by the stone beneath her feet. The enormous sculptures broke and crushed bone, blood leaking and spraying the very ground they came from. As the last man succumbed to the stone heel of Edea's boot, the fiery blaze within her was snuffed out, causing the poor girl to stumble and nearly fall on the crushed remains below her. "D-dammit...guess that took more outta me, than I thought it would..." The world started to spin as Edea finally fell to the ground, eyes slowly dimming to a close. A voice rang out to her in fear as she gave in to the darkness of sleep.
"Please, God, help us. What should we do?"
Nokota stood in horror at the battlefield, the bodies of their attackers laid all over the sunbathed field and her companions all but dead or near so. "I-I've experienced combat before, but not like this." The blue eyed Callidus crept backwards as her body began to tremble in fear. "Miss Forax...what-what should we do?"
Lyssa drug herself behind the fear filled magical girl, nearly tripping her. "We stand and fight, that's what. If you want to run, go ahead. But I won't let you live it down, even if I'm dead." Nokota watched as the disabled Ironform gripped her pistol tightly, the purple LED's giving off a scowling look. "Fucking hell."
A resounding screech pierced Nokota's ears, bringing her attention to the lead tank. A tall, dark skinned man in shades stood atop the tank, megaphone in hand. She looked on as the main raised the megaphone to his mouth, a sudden quiet sweeping over the blood covered plains.
"Infidels who oppose da true Blessed Lady shall be swept off de Eart. At least, dat's what we gettin' paid fohr." A chorus of manly laughter boomed through the megaphone, the humor of the situation lost on the two magical girls. The lead man pulled out a pair of binoculars, scanning the compound. "Dohoho, and it looks like we 'ave ourselves some pretty ladies out dere. Don't worreh, we'll make ya feel reeeaaal good, whetha ya like it or not." Another boom of laughter rolled out as the tanks and soldiers began their slow march towards the compound.
Nokota stared out at the enroaching mass of metal and death, petrified to the core. "H-how can we fight this? We...this is way too much!" She stepped back, bumping into Lyssa's mangled legs. "What should we do?!"
"Either you fight and win, or you lose and die. Or worse, you meatbags become their pleasure toys. And if they know how soul gems work, they won't let you die any time soon."
A cold wind blew through the two girls, the only noise coming from the rumbling of the approaching tanks. Nokota stood still as the information processed through her pure mind. She was doomed to live her life as a toy if she didn't fight back. "I...I can't let that happen." As if responding to her words, a flash of white light appeared in her hand before forming into the silver cross she kept with her. "No. I can't live like that again." The young magical nun slowly began to walk outside the compounds wrecked entrance, beckoning Lyssa to stay back. "I won't let that happen to anyone here."
The soldiers came to a stop as they spotted Nokota, the shades wearing man looking on at the lone magical girl. He glanced at the other four near the walls, each of them still in a state of disarray and smirked. "And what are you gonna do against all of us, little girl? You wanna be the firs' to please us?"
Nokota said nothing, merely bringing the silver cross to her forehead, whispering lightly to herself. "Forgive me, Father, for I must sin..."
-
Everything slowed down for the silent nun as something overcame her; her body moved of it's own will. Colors washed out in everything around her as a single thought ran through her mind. In a flash, Nokota was above the shades wearing man, stomping onto his face as the heel of her shoe punctured his sunglasses and eyes. Before he could emit a scream, she put all of her weight onto him, letting her heel squish further down.
They all must die. They must not hurt her. They must not hurt them.
The sunlight beat down onto the washed out world the Callidus was seeing, each of her targets giving off a sickly black aura in her eyes. Men tained by sin, who cannot be saved. Their souls forever lost and must be given back to God.
As quickly as she appeared above the lead man, Nokota moved faster than the other soldiers could follow. She whipped the silver cross around, a long barbed chain uncoiling from within. Twirling it around her, she ran through the ranks of the now frightened men, the chain magically finding just the right spots for the kill.
No more awful memories. Never again being a mans slave. No more pain.
"God looks down upon sinners such as yourselves!" Nokota gave the chain a small jerk, retracting the magically lengthened chain through the shower of blood. "May HE have mercy on your pathetic ouls, for you will NOT RECIEVE ANY FROM ME!" Blood dripped off the young nun's face, deadened eyes slowly scanning the terrified men, looking for the next target.
A sudden sharp pain shocked Nokota as she doubled over, grasping the back of her head with her open hand. A slight wetness covered her hand as blood seeped into her platinum blonde locks. The soldiers left standing opened fire, only to find their target gone. A flash of light erupted from above, causing one of the tanks to explode in a blinding heat.
"Repent, so that the Lord may accept you into his embrace!"
Another flash from above caused the second tank to explode in a ball of flame and metal, the shockwaves and debris killing or blowing away the surrounding soldiers. The remaining ranks, shocked and locked in fear, stared at the floating magical girl in the sky, the sun radiating high above like a beacon of death.
"Men like yourselves are vermin! A blight on mankind! Let your deaths be a lesson to your brethren; you call from the path of righteousness and your soul is damned!"
Before another word could be uttered, a burst of blinding light exploded from Nokota's body, blinding everyone around her; the soldiers, the girls at the compound, even Lyssa, despite having protection against blinding light. And then, silence.
"Fuck, what-just what the hell is happening?!" Even with her light filter at max, Lyssa had to shield her eyes as the full force of the light hit her. "Nokota! Nokota!" Her screams were met with silence as the light finally receded, leaving a corpse charred field in it's wake. Lyssa watched in awe as Nokota floated back to the ground, habit tattered and bloody everywhere. The dead eyed nun slowly walked back to the compound, silent as the field behind her. "Nokota...just what the fuck?..."
A frantic and frightened Maria skidded to a halt in front of the two girls, cradling a lifeless Edea in her arms. "Quick, she needs help! Her soul gem...it's almost completely dark!" She gently pulled down Edea's collar, being mindful of modestly, revealing a light blue gem made even darker by the corruption roiling through it.
"In my quarters, look left as soon as you go in; there should be a cabinet with a few seeds. Go, now!" Lyssa flung her arm towards the building, Maria making a mad dash, clenching the limp Eversor as she ran. "Jesus Christ, how are we fucking up this badly?"
-
The next few hours were quiet and dreary; disposing of corpses and body parts, returning the defense turrets back to full capacity, and the slow, painstaking process of repairing the barricades and walls of the compound. The miasma of death lingered, even after the burials and it hung over the compound as a grim reminder of their mortality.
Lyssa sat at her desk, a pair of substitute legs attached while her normal legs were being repaired. She watched her girls outside running around, contemplating her next move. A holographic video screen hovered in front of her, waiting for input.
"Call the Olympia, Warsmith Petra Dammekos. Urgent."
The screen flashed and beeped as a message appeared reading 'UNAVAILABLE - LEAVE MESSAGE'. A timer appeared in the corner, causing Lyssa to curse loudly.
"Goddammit. Whatever, Petra, we're getting fucked over here. We need our heavies back ASAP. I know they got damaged pretty bad, and it's only been a week, but please. Tell the repair girls to hurry the fuck up. If we get hit like that again, we're all dead. Also, send a replacement for Ashlin McHale. She's dead weight out here. And if you can, send me whatever info you have on this...Nokota. Something -odd- happened today and I'm a little curious about her."
Slapping a few keys on her desk's keyboard, the exhausted mechanical magical girl slid back in her chair as the message went on it's way, her eyes dimming down. A prompt appeared in her display, snapping the poor woman out of her stupor. "Diagnostics check? Sure, I could use some rest." Three beeps later, and the room went dark, with Lyssa's dimmed violet eyes illuminating her cold, steel face.
"Awww, they all died?"
"Yes, they all perished. They fought back bravel-"
"Who the fuck care how they fought? They dead."
"Orisa, you may not value life, but I do. Our goal may not be righteous, but have respect for the fallen before I teach you said respect."
"Oh yeah? You may be older than me, Oriha, but I could still kick your ass!"
"ENOUGH! Keep your petty familial squabblings to yourselves, we got bigger fish to fry. Like that Callidus who wiped out all those hired guns and the dark skinned Eversor who could take a bullet to the face without flinching. Now git, find out what else you can from our informant."
"Y-yes, Dimuko."
"Yes, Miss Dimuko."
