Strike Witches 2012 Episode 9: Warkeeping

[Occupied Deutschland]

"My dear god," uttered a surprised, ginger voice, "what happened here?..."

Unloading supplies to the Yeager and their task force, the gruff Orussian sailors hauling the crates did not seem very distracted by her outburst. Though one or two give an occasional spiteful glare at the Ottoman witch, most did not pay much attention to her. But as the throngs of labourers passed her like a ghost, one figure was quick to take notice.

Rushing towards Bushra was a young girl, dressed in an Orussian dress uniform as she delicately held the Syrian's hand. Sporting a head of vibrant, bubblegum pink hair in twintails, the commander looked aghast at Bushra's outburst. Checking her hand for any injures, she exclaimed in a concerned tone, "my dear girl, what happened? Are you hurt? Why are you crying? Don't worry, you can tell Iuno."

Bushra tried to compose herself as she heard a voice she didn’t recognize, but failed miserably, tears continuing to roll down her face. The last five years of her life had just been exposed as being some sort of lie. Her teacher, a man who had taken the place of her father when Bushra was conscripted into the Ottoman Air Force, had been lying to her about so much. Unlike the smaller things, it was something she couldn’t put to the side. She couldn’t ignore it. She had to try and come to terms with it, to somehow deal with it. But she couldn’t understand it. She COULDN'T deal with it.

“I—I don’t know. I don’t know anymore.” Bushra choked out past her tears, shaking her head and trying to wipe the tears from her face.

She didn’t know who her teacher was. She didn’t know whether anything he’d told her was the truth. She didn’t know if the nobility were good or evil. She didn’t know why she was here, why she didn’t just return to her parents. She didn’t know what she was fighting for.

She didn’t know who in the world the good guys were anymore.

She didn’t know anything, and she couldn’t control the absolute, adrift-in-the-ocean FEAR that feeling gave her. The knowledge she had had, as incorrect and biased as it was, had given her some point of reference for the world. Some way to look at it that made sense. Now she didn’t even have that. Not only did she not have it, but it was exposed as being completely false. It was terrifying.

But worst of all, Bushra knew it shouldn’t be. She knew that she should be fully capable of coping with the knowledge her service with the 501st had given her of other countries and other beliefs. She should be able to cope with these new ideas, and other people, nobility or not. But she couldn’t.

And there was only one person to blame for why she couldn’t. One person who was responsible for the messed up state she was in now. The knowledge he was responsible for all of it just worsened the feeling. She had trusted him. She had believed in him.

She had loved him like a father, and he had lied to her.

Bushra started to say something but instead let out a long, soft wail and began to really cry. Unlike her somewhat restrained tears up until now though, this was a full-on blubbering, snot-infested, childlike cry.

“I don’t KNOW anything.” Bushra repeated in between sobs. “And I can’t control myself.” She continued, the weak laugh that accompanied the line interfering with her sobbing and sounding absolutely dreadful.

[Wolfenium]

"My dear god," uttered a surprised, ginger voice, "what happened here?..."

Unloading supplies to the Yeager and their task force, the gruff Orussian sailors hauling the crates did not seem very distracted by her outburst. Though one or two give an occasional spiteful glare at the Ottoman witch, most did not pay much attention to her. But as the throngs of labourers passed her like a ghost, one figure was quick to take notice.

Rushing towards Bushra was a young girl, dressed in an Orussian dress uniform as she delicately held the Syrian's hand. Sporting a head of vibrant, bubblegum pink hair in twintails, the commander looked aghast at Bushra's outburst. Checking her hand for any injures, she exclaimed in a concerned tone, "my dear girl, what happened? Are you hurt? Why are you crying? Don't worry, you can tell Iuno."

Bushra tried to compose herself as she heard a voice she didn’t recognize, but failed miserably, tears continuing to roll down her face. The last five years of her life had just been exposed as being some sort of lie. Her teacher, a man who had taken the place of her father when Bushra was conscripted into the Ottoman Air Force, had been lying to her about so much. Unlike the smaller things, it was something she couldn’t put to the side. She couldn’t ignore it. She had to try and come to terms with it, to somehow deal with it. But she couldn’t understand it. She COULDN'T deal with it.

“I—I don’t know. I don’t know anymore.” Bushra choked out past her tears, shaking her head and trying to wipe the tears from her face.

She didn’t know who her teacher was. She didn’t know whether anything he’d told her was the truth. She didn’t know if the nobility were good or evil. She didn’t know why she was here, why she didn’t just return to her parents. She didn’t know what she was fighting for.

She didn’t know who in the world the good guys were anymore.

She didn’t know anything, and she couldn’t control the absolute, adrift-in-the-ocean FEAR that feeling gave her. The knowledge she had had, as incorrect and biased as it was, had given her some point of reference for the world. Some way to look at it that made sense. Now she didn’t even have that. Not only did she not have it, but it was exposed as being completely false. It was terrifying.

But worst of all, Bushra knew it shouldn’t be. She knew that she should be fully capable of coping with the knowledge her service with the 501st had given her of other countries and other beliefs. She should be able to cope with these new ideas, and other people, nobility or not. But she couldn’t.

And there was only one person to blame for why she couldn’t. One person who was responsible for the messed up state she was in now. The knowledge he was responsible for all of it just worsened the feeling. She had trusted him. She had believed in him.

She had loved him like a father, and he had lied to her.

Bushra started to say something but instead let out a long, soft wail and began to really cry. Unlike her somewhat restrained tears up until now though, this was a full-on blubbering, snot-infested, childlike cry.

“I don’t KNOW anything.” Bushra repeated in between sobs. “And I can’t control myself.” She continued, the weak laugh that accompanied the line interfering with her sobbing and sounding absolutely dreadful.

The commander simply gave a childlike glare as Bushra wept uncontrollably. She could not seem to fathom what she was talking about. But never one to leave a witch upset, the Orussian simply petted her head with a consoling smile.

"There, there," she whispered to her, bring the girl closer to her body in a warm embrace, "there's no need to think so deeply. I'm sure you'll know the truth soon enough. No need to cry...

Private Bushra..."

There was an ominous hiss to Iuno's last words. She was somehow able to speak Bushra's name despite having not met her. However, the pink-haired darling was no esper, and she clearly did not have her powers active. But that did not mean she did not find out elsewhere.

"Iuno von Ungern-Sternberg, Orussian Air Force Starshina (Sergeant Major)," she introduced herself, "Iuno has something important to speak to you about, and Iuno has to tell you now. Is there somewhere we can meet in private? Iuno doesn't want anyone to hear of this except you."

[Occupied Deutschland]

The commander simply gave a childlike glare as Bushra wept uncontrollably. She could not seem to fathom what she was talking about. But never one to leave a witch upset, the Orussian simply petted her head with a consoling smile.

"There, there," she whispered to her, bring the girl closer to her body in a warm embrace, "there's no need to think so deeply. I'm sure you'll know the truth soon enough. No need to cry...

Private Bushra..."

There was an ominous hiss to Iuno's last words. She was somehow able to speak Bushra's name despite having not met her. However, the pink-haired darling was no esper, and she clearly did not have her powers active. But that did not mean she did not find out elsewhere.

"Iuno von Ungern-Sternberg, Orussian Air Force Starshina (Sergeant Major)," she introduced herself, "Iuno has something important to speak to you about, and Iuno has to tell you now. Is there somewhere we can meet in private? Iuno doesn't want anyone to hear of this except you."

Bushra jerked slightly at her name, leaning back and giving the Orussian witch a confused look behind her still crying eyes.

“How—“ She began only to cut off the word in another sob. Setting that particular question aside for now, Bushra bit her lip and stared at the pink haired girl for a moment.

Who is she? I’m almost sure I’ve never met her before… And why does she keep referring to herself in the third person? Am I supposed to recognize her?

“There’s another hangar a few down that’s being used for storage.” Bushra glanced in the direction of the hangar in question. “What—what’s this about?” Bushra muttered, staring again at the Orussian girl as she wiped more tears off her face.

[Al-Harbiyyah]

“Haha! That’s because I’m from Anatolia, born and bred.” Nuray quips, grinning at Yukine and Sarah. “So I like this brand better. But then again, the Indonesian ones are pretty good as well, I’d admit. I’ve tried some when I was in Indonesia, helping the locals fighting Neurois. Well, as part of helping fellow Muslims over there, policy of my government.”

She chuckles, “Indonesia is a very strange place, to be honest. Both their culture and the environment, I can’t help myself thinking how they live on with such beliefs. It’s quite bizarre, I’d tell you.”

“In fact, I have an Indonesian friend there, his name is Yan Yansen, he’s great guy and a brilliant engineer but he’s bit of a foul-mouth, a rude one at best.” Nuray spoke, took a puff of a cigarette. “He helped me a lot, fixing my strikers, my talk-buddy and all that. But he’s also a great friend whenever you need him.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong? He’s not my boyfriend or anything.” She giggles like a schoolgirl. “Actually he’s a married man and he’s too old for me. Also he has a cute seven-year old son named Ard. You would believe how cheerful and friendly the kid is, he’s also thoughtful too. I treated him as my little brother who likes to call me big sister.”

“I took care of Ardi, whenever his father goes to work because…” Nuray looked downcast, glancing away. “His mother died of illness. Yan has to raise his son by himself with the help of his family. Sad, isn’t it.”

“Still, Yan never gives up on his son, no matter what. He promised his wife he will take care of Ardi, even at the cost of his life.” She look up, smiling. “He’s a wonderful father. Like my dad back home. Come to think about it, I’m wondering how’s my family is back home?”

“Aren’t you worried about your family and friends back home?” Nuray asks Yukine and Sarah.

"Families huh?" Yukine then thought about it before she replied to Nuray's question, "Well I'm not worried about my family that much because I know my friends in the air force is protecting the skies." She smiled.

Then she began to talk about her boyfriend, "Come to think of it, I do have a boyfriend in he Fuso Imperial Army 1st Airborne Brigade. Sergeant Ichii Kazuki, a good guy to say at least. Both of us knew each other during the Battle of Colombo and we're began going out after that." She chuckled as she remembered her time with her boyfriend.

"He tend to get a bit awkward when I teased him, I guess he's too cute in that although he always nagging me to not smoke regularly." Yukine smiles as she hold the cigarette.

[Wolfenium]

The commander simply gave a childlike glare as Bushra wept uncontrollably. She could not seem to fathom what she was talking about. But never one to leave a witch upset, the Orussian simply petted her head with a consoling smile.

"There, there," she whispered to her, bring the girl closer to her body in a warm embrace, "there's no need to think so deeply. I'm sure you'll know the truth soon enough. No need to cry...

Private Bushra..."

There was an ominous hiss to Iuno's last words. She was somehow able to speak Bushra's name despite having not met her. However, the pink-haired darling was no esper, and she clearly did not have her powers active. But that did not mean she did not find out elsewhere.

"Iuno von Ungern-Sternberg, Orussian Air Force Starshina (Sergeant Major)," she introduced herself, "Iuno has something important to speak to you about, and Iuno has to tell you now. Is there somewhere we can meet in private? Iuno doesn't want anyone to hear of this except you."

Bushra jerked slightly at her name, leaning back and giving the Orussian witch a confused look behind her still crying eyes.

“How—“ She began only to cut off the word in another sob. Setting that particular question aside for now, Bushra bit her lip and stared at the pink haired girl for a moment.

Who is she? I’m almost sure I’ve never met her before… And why does she keep referring to herself in the third person? Am I supposed to recognize her?

“There’s another hangar a few down that’s being used for storage.” Bushra glanced in the direction of the hangar in question. “What—what’s this about?” Bushra muttered, staring again at the Orussian girl as she wiped more tears off her face.

Skipping beside her whimsically, Iuno showed no sign of nervousness or caution. It was as if she was merely delivering an admirer's love message or frivolous gossip about the sports quarterback's alleged girlfriend. But as they got to a quiet corner of the hangar, she jovially whispered the message to Bushra.

"Someone wants the Ottoman loyalist dead," she whispered cheekily, bending over to the Syrian's ear, "Iuno's Master's colleague wants to get back at Miss Nuray for owning her at kill counts, so she sent a couple of her kittens to the carrier to kill her.

But Iuno can't let that happen now," she quipped in concern, "if Master sees people dying, Master's going to be upset again. Iuno doesn't like it when people upset my master. Iuno wants Master to be happy when he stays in Odessa, so that Iuno could ask him to come back. Iuno knows how much you hate Miss Nuray, but Iuno doesn't know who else to tell. But Iuno thinks Master's colleague wants to frame you after she kills Miss Nuray. When that happens, you're going to die too. Iuno doesn't know if she'd really do that, but Iuno thinks it would be the best way for that woman to avoid getting caught when she assassinates her.

Iuno knows this is asking too much of you, but Iuno doesn't want my master to get hurt. I'll tell you what - Iuno will help you kill Miss Nuray later if you could keep those assassins away. As long as Master isn't here to see this, Master won't be upset. If Master isn't upset, Iuno isn't too, and you won't like it if Iuno is upset..."

The chilling glare in her eyes was enough to frighten any sane individual, and spliced with the sickeningly cute speech, was a blend of morbid horror. Something was not right with her, even more than any other raving witch this ship had seen so far. Most are insane in fairly typical ways. Iuno was insane with infatuation.

[Occupied Deutschland]

Skipping beside her whimsically, Iuno showed no sign of nervousness or caution. It was as if she was merely delivering an admirer's love message or frivolous gossip about the sports quarterback's alleged girlfriend. But as they got to a quiet corner of the hangar, she jovially whispered the message to Bushra.

"Someone wants the Ottoman loyalist dead," she whispered cheekily, bending over to the Syrian's ear, "Iuno's Master's colleague wants to get back at Miss Nuray for owning her at kill counts, so she sent a couple of her kittens to the carrier to kill her.

But Iuno can't let that happen now," she quipped in concern, "if Master sees people dying, Master's going to be upset again. Iuno doesn't like it when people upset my master. Iuno wants Master to be happy when he stays in Odessa, so that Iuno could ask him to come back. Iuno knows how much you hate Miss Nuray, but Iuno doesn't know who else to tell. But Iuno thinks Master's colleague wants to frame you after she kills Miss Nuray. When that happens, you're going to die too. Iuno doesn't know if she'd really do that, but Iuno thinks it would be the best way for that woman to avoid getting caught when she assassinates her.

Iuno knows this is asking too much of you, but Iuno doesn't want my master to get hurt. I'll tell you what - Iuno will help you kill Miss Nuray later if you could keep those assassins away. As long as Master isn't here to see this, Master won't be upset. If Master isn't upset, Iuno isn't too, and you won't like it if Iuno is upset..."

The chilling glare in her eyes was enough to frighten any sane individual, and spliced with the sickeningly cute speech, was a blend of morbid horror. Something was not right with her, even more than any other raving witch this ship had seen so far. Most are insane in fairly typical ways. Iuno was insane with infatuation.

The only thing Bushra could do was stare at the pink-haired Orussian girl as she spoke. She didn’t know how old the girl was, but she spoke and acted as if still a little girl, or at least a very immature one. Combined with just how calmly she mentioned death and assassination, her constant allusions to her ‘master’, and her odd third person way of referencing herself, it was downright creepy.

Bushra took a slow step back, suddenly uncomfortable with being alone with the girl. At the same time however, she grappled with just what Iuno wanted her to do. Some Orussian was trying to kill Nuray?

It was as if Bushra had suddenly found herself in some bizarre joke. Ever since the Turkish witch had joined the squadron Bushra had had the thought of killing her in her mind. Now though, she didn’t know whether she wanted to see the girl dead or not. Her teacher had lied to Bushra about her, and a deep-set sense of spite whispered to Bushra to let the Turk live if for no other reason than to disobey the man who had betrayed her.

So why had the girl come to her? Why not to the whole squadron?

And how the HELL did she know Bushra’s name?

“Who is Iuno’s—“ Bushra stopped and rolled her still watering eyes for a moment. Now the girl had her doing it too. “Who, exactly, is your master?”

[Wolfenium]

Skipping beside her whimsically, Iuno showed no sign of nervousness or caution. It was as if she was merely delivering an admirer's love message or frivolous gossip about the sports quarterback's alleged girlfriend. But as they got to a quiet corner of the hangar, she jovially whispered the message to Bushra.

"Someone wants the Ottoman loyalist dead," she whispered cheekily, bending over to the Syrian's ear, "Iuno's Master's colleague wants to get back at Miss Nuray for owning her at kill counts, so she sent a couple of her kittens to the carrier to kill her.

But Iuno can't let that happen now," she quipped in concern, "if Master sees people dying, Master's going to be upset again. Iuno doesn't like it when people upset my master. Iuno wants Master to be happy when he stays in Odessa, so that Iuno could ask him to come back. Iuno knows how much you hate Miss Nuray, but Iuno doesn't know who else to tell. But Iuno thinks Master's colleague wants to frame you after she kills Miss Nuray. When that happens, you're going to die too. Iuno doesn't know if she'd really do that, but Iuno thinks it would be the best way for that woman to avoid getting caught when she assassinates her.

Iuno knows this is asking too much of you, but Iuno doesn't want my master to get hurt. I'll tell you what - Iuno will help you kill Miss Nuray later if you could keep those assassins away. As long as Master isn't here to see this, Master won't be upset. If Master isn't upset, Iuno isn't too, and you won't like it if Iuno is upset..."

The chilling glare in her eyes was enough to frighten any sane individual, and spliced with the sickeningly cute speech, was a blend of morbid horror. Something was not right with her, even more than any other raving witch this ship had seen so far. Most are insane in fairly typical ways. Iuno was insane with infatuation.

The only thing Bushra could do was stare at the pink-haired Orussian girl as she spoke. She didn’t know how old the girl was, but she spoke and acted as if still a little girl, or at least a very immature one. Combined with just how calmly she mentioned death and assassination, her constant allusions to her ‘master’, and her odd third person way of referencing herself, it was downright creepy.

Bushra took a slow step back, suddenly uncomfortable with being alone with the girl. At the same time however, she grappled with just what Iuno wanted her to do. Some Orussian was trying to kill Nuray?

It was as if Bushra had suddenly found herself in some bizarre joke. Ever since the Turkish witch had joined the squadron Bushra had had the thought of killing her in her mind. Now though, she didn’t know whether she wanted to see the girl dead or not. Her teacher had lied to Bushra about her, and a deep-set sense of spite whispered to Bushra to let the Turk live if for no other reason than to disobey the man who had betrayed her.

So why had the girl come to her? Why not to the whole squadron?

And how the HELL did she know Bushra’s name?

“Who is Iuno’s—“ Bushra stopped and rolled her still watering eyes for a moment. Now the girl had her doing it too. “Who, exactly, is your master?”

Iuno blushed shyly as Bushra questioned her about her 'master', as if being dogged by friends about her boyfriend. Giggling a bit, she playfully quipped, "it's a se-cret. I don't like people bothering him about me, and I certainly don't want anyone to go snatching him from under my nose. That would be terrible. But I can tell you he's on board this ship, and if anything happens on board that greatly upsets him... well... I might just get mad."

For her to speak of this with a jovial grin, there was clearly something off about Iuno. What clues she left behind were vague and confusing, and her talk of murder with a straight, happy-go-lucky appearance added to her ability instill terror. Nonetheless, she felt eager to deploy Bushra to do her work. She did not want to reveal herself to her old 'master' yet. She felt it was too early to do so.

"In any case, please, please help on this," she begged her wearing a pair of disconcertingly pleading eyes, "I'll be so grateful to you if you did. I'll do anything to make him happy! And I'll do what it takes to repay you if you are willing to assist me!"

[Occupied Deutschland]

Iuno blushed shyly as Bushra questioned her about her 'master', as if being dogged by friends about her boyfriend. Giggling a bit, she playfully quipped, "it's a se-cret. I don't like people bothering him about me, and I certainly don't want anyone to go snatching him from under my nose. That would be terrible. But I can tell you he's on board this ship, and if anything happens on board that greatly upsets him... well... I might just get mad."

For her to speak of this with a jovial grin, there was clearly something off about Iuno. What clues she left behind were vague and confusing, and her talk of murder with a straight, happy-go-lucky appearance added to her ability instill terror. Nonetheless, she felt eager to deploy Bushra to do her work. She did not want to reveal herself to her old 'master' yet. She felt it was too early to do so.

"In any case, please, please help on this," she begged her wearing a pair of disconcertingly pleading eyes, "I'll be so grateful to you if you did. I'll do anything to make him happy! And I'll do what it takes to repay you if you are willing to assist me!"

Bushra sighed and rubbed a hand over her face for a moment. The girl's dodginess was...weird. That was the only way to describe it. Especially when paired with her downright creepy attitude. But, she didn't seem all that dangerous. A bit child-like perhaps, immature for sure, but not dangerous. Besides that, there was nothing nefarious in asking someone to protect someone else.

Is there?

"Alright." Bushra said, jumping to a decision. "I'll keep an eye on her, watch for whoever these assassins might be, and try to keep them from upsetting your 'master'." Bushra smiled weakly, "After all, I'll be the one framed if I don't stop them won't I?" Bushra knew it was a weak justification, but she couldn't quite admit to herself she would be protecting Nuray just because she didn't want to see her dead. Not yet. Perhaps not ever. It was too big a shift in her thinking.

"But," Bushra continued, "just out of curiosity, how did you know my name?" Bushra tried to hide the question as a light, irrelevant piece of conversation, while it was anything but.

[Finorskia]

"Okay then." Natalie said. She nervously handed over her gun. She began scathing her head. "I would say don't break it, but I don't really have any worry that you will. I suppose the only thing I can say is be gentle with her. She's my only gun, and I don't know what I'd do without her."

Lysta gave Natalie a face that expressed nothing but very mild annoyance. Her voice was a little shaky, "Dear me, it seems that we have a misunderstanding. I have a 100% success rate for fixing and modification. You don't need to worry. You're gun's in the best hands in Europe." She waggled her finger as if to chastise Natalie though her expression said it was nothing more than a sign to not worry.

"Alright then." Natalie responded. "Hey uh. After your done, want to hit the firing range. I find firing a few rounds down range is good for clearing the head." Natalie handed over the gun and turned to Eeva. "I actually could go for some food after all." She then began to walk in the direction of the mess hall, but turned around and started walking backwards, keeping her eyes on Lysta. "Hey if you ever need a favor, I owe you one." She said gesturing to Lysta.

[Hetland 2]

Lysta gave Natalie a face that expressed nothing but very mild annoyance. Her voice was a little shaky, "Dear me, it seems that we have a misunderstanding. I have a 100% success rate for fixing and modification. You don't need to worry. You're gun's in the best hands in Europe." She waggled her finger as if to chastise Natalie though her expression said it was nothing more than a sign to not worry.

"Alright then." Natalie responded. "Hey uh. After your done, want to hit the firing range. I find firing a few rounds down range is good for clearing the head." Natalie handed over the gun and turned to Eeva. "I actually could go for some food after all." She then began to walk in the direction of the mess hall, but turned around and started walking backwards, keeping her eyes on Lysta. "Hey if you ever need a favor, I owe you one." She said gesturing to Lysta.

Lysta shrugged, "I'll hold ya to that lassie. But don't you worry. I'll have this gun cleaned up in no time, hell you'll never be able to tell that she'd ever been fired before."

Maria watched on as Bushra and the new witch talked, however shrugging off the conversation, she hadn't heard much of anything and she was quite tired from to day, now that the excitement had settled in and everyone was going back to normal. Which meant she needed to check to see if the bottles of wine she'd hidden during inspection day were still around. The first place she checked was the usual hiding spot, up in the rafters of the hanger, as she scampered up the ladder she grinned and licked her lips, pouncing on a several bottles of beer taped to a beam. She flicked the caps off with her thumb and held the bottle to her lips. But nothing came out. She carefully inspected each of the bottles. They were all empty!

[Wolfenium]

Iuno blushed shyly as Bushra questioned her about her 'master', as if being dogged by friends about her boyfriend. Giggling a bit, she playfully quipped, "it's a se-cret. Iuno doesn't like people bothering him about Iuno, and Iuno certainly don't want anyone to go snatching him from under my nose. That would be terrible. But Iuno can tell you he's on board this ship, and if anything happens on board that greatly upsets him... well... Iuno might just get mad."

For her to speak of this with a jovial grin, there was clearly something off about Iuno. What clues she left behind were vague and confusing, and her talk of murder with a straight, happy-go-lucky appearance added to her ability instill terror. Nonetheless, she felt eager to deploy Bushra to do her work. She did not want to reveal herself to her old 'master' yet. She felt it was too early to do so.

"In any case, please, please help on this," she begged her wearing a pair of disconcertingly pleading eyes, "Iuno will be so grateful to you if you did. Iuno will do anything to make him happy! And Iuno will do what it takes to repay you if you are willing to assist Iuno!"

Bushra sighed and rubbed a hand over her face for a moment. The girl's dodginess was...weird. That was the only way to describe it. Especially when paired with her downright creepy attitude. But, she didn't seem all that dangerous. A bit child-like perhaps, immature for sure, but not dangerous. Besides that, there was nothing nefarious in asking someone to protect someone else.

Is there?

"Alright." Bushra said, jumping to a decision. "I'll keep an eye on her, watch for whoever these assassins might be, and try to keep them from upsetting your 'master'." Bushra smiled weakly, "After all, I'll be the one framed if I don't stop them won't I?" Bushra knew it was a weak justification, but she couldn't quite admit to herself she would be protecting Nuray just because she didn't want to see her dead. Not yet. Perhaps not ever. It was too big a shift in her thinking.

"But," Bushra continued, "just out of curiosity, how did you know my name?" Bushra tried to hide the question as a light, irrelevant piece of conversation, while it was anything but.

"How, you say? Hmm..." Iuno mused blissfully, "Iuno is really sorry. Iuno can't say much about this. But Iuno and that woman knows about you and the radical clerics you support, and that woman wants to use them to further the Tsar's ambitions. Iuno doesn't care much about them though. Iuno just wants to be with Master.

Iuno can't stay long, unfortunately," she bid farewell, stepping back into the open corridor, "Iuno still needs to help load the goods up. Iuno hopes to see Master soon though. Iuno hopes you'll help Iuno with this. Iuno is thankful. Bye-bye!"

With that, the Starshina rushed off, back to her work as per usual. The warning she made was perhaps too cryptic to be fully understood, the girl refusing to name Oksana and other related individuals. But something about her knowledge of Bushra signalled something ominous about her. She knew of Bushra's separatist alignments, and she knew about her clerical handlers. More importantly, she revealed the woman's intentions to spread the influence of Orthodox Orussia into the Muslim world and beyond. While Iuno seems to be in the same organization as her, her goals were much, much purer. She desires only her master, and if need be, she would kill to get him back, regardless of the victims in her way.

[Minroz]

"Families huh?" Yukine then thought about it before she replied to Nuray's question, "Well I'm not worried about my family that much because I know my friends in the air force is protecting the skies." She smiled.

Then she began to talk about her boyfriend, "Come to think of it, I do have a boyfriend in he Fuso Imperial Army 1st Airborne Brigade. Sergeant Ichii Kazuki, a good guy to say at least. Both of us knew each other during the Battle of Colombo and we're began going out after that." She chuckled as she remembered her time with her boyfriend.

"He tend to get a bit awkward when I teased him, I guess he's too cute in that although he always nagging me to not smoke regularly." Yukine smiles as she hold the cigarette.

“Haha! Mr Ichii is a very lucky man, to have a strong and caring girl like you as his lover.” Nuray comment, swerving her cigarette in her mouth to one side, “Telling you not to smoke, this proves he truly cares about you. I’m jealous, well, I didn’t have time to have a boy friend…but I wish I have.” She chuckles at the last part but it pains her heart.

She suddenly remembered her beloved childhood friend Mehmet, three years ago. He is the young and idealistic Ottoman soldier, who had confessed his love for her before succumbing to his wounds, trying to save her life in Northern Skirmishes at the border between Ottomania and Orussia. After his death, she was never the same naïve hothead anymore, grieving for his loss non-stop, blaming herself for his death along with her cherished friends who’s already in the afterlife.

“I’m so pathetic.” She thought sadly, “Yukine, you’re so fortunate compare to my life. I will pray to Allah for your behalf, may your life be a good one.” Glancing at the rest of 501st. “And everyone else.”

“Mehmet, Aila…everyone told me to live on, thank you all.” Nuray muses, smiling at her memories of their encouragement.

“Well, Yukine, make sure you pull your weight. Otherwise, your boyfriend is going to cry over it, hahahaha!” she made a light-hearted joke.

---

Meanwhile, at the pile of crates deep in the corner, the Cherdenko twins are watching Nuray like vultures. Vera is wearing the worker’s uniform as her disguise, while Klara is wearing the sniper snow-camouflage uniform, holding the OSV-96 sniper rifle in her arms. Smiling evilly at their prey, the hated Turk who upset their superior, they’re ready to kill her.

“So, that pathetic Syrian has failed. Pfft, I don’t expect much of her anyway. She’s the same like her fellow Muslim infidels.” Vera said in Ukrainian to her sister.

“I agree with you sister. Let’s finish off where the Syrian started.” Klara nodded, gripping her rifle. The twins look over where Bushra and Iuno are; they look on in spite at their presence.

“That damn pink-hair traitor has ruined our plans, all for her so-called master. Typical of her, its best we make haste to kill the Turk (Nuray).” The short-hair brunette cautioned to her sister.

“I’ll be waiting outside. In case, the Turk escapes.” Long-hair girl said as she phases into nothing, leaving her sister alone. Smirking, Vera loads before wrapping her two PP-2000s into a bundle of grey cloth to make it look like it’s a bunch of tools wrapped inside. Gingerly carrying them, she slowly walk towards Nuray position, behaving like an ordinary Orussian worker in the base.

So far, no one seems to take notice, nor suspect of her….yet.

[Al-Harbiyyah]

"Families huh?" Yukine then thought about it before she replied to Nuray's question, "Well I'm not worried about my family that much because I know my friends in the air force is protecting the skies." She smiled.

Then she began to talk about her boyfriend, "Come to think of it, I do have a boyfriend in he Fuso Imperial Army 1st Airborne Brigade. Sergeant Ichii Kazuki, a good guy to say at least. Both of us knew each other during the Battle of Colombo and we're began going out after that." She chuckled as she remembered her time with her boyfriend.

"He tend to get a bit awkward when I teased him, I guess he's too cute in that although he always nagging me to not smoke regularly." Yukine smiles as she hold the cigarette.

“Haha! Mr Ichii is a very lucky man, to have a strong and caring girl like you as his lover.” Nuray comment, swerving her cigarette in her mouth to one side, “Telling you not to smoke, this proves he truly cares about you. I’m jealous, well, I didn’t have time to have a boy friend…but I wish I have.” She chuckles at the last part but it pains her heart.

She suddenly remembered her beloved childhood friend Mehmet, three years ago. He is the young and idealistic Ottoman soldier, who had confessed his love for her before succumbing to his wounds, trying to save her life in Northern Skirmishes at the border between Ottomania and Orussia. After his death, she was never the same naïve hothead anymore, grieving for his loss non-stop, blaming herself for his death along with her cherished friends who’s already in the afterlife.

“I’m so pathetic.” She thought sadly, “Yukine, you’re so fortunate compare to my life. I will pray to Allah for your behalf, may your life be a good one.” Glancing at the rest of 501st. “And everyone else.”

“Mehmet, Aila…everyone told me to live on, thank you all.” Nuray muses, smiling at her memories of their encouragement.

“Well, Yukine, make sure you pull your weight. Otherwise, your boyfriend is going to cry over it, hahahaha!” she made a light-hearted joke.

---

Meanwhile, at the pile of crates deep in the corner, the Cherdenko twins are watching Nuray like vultures. Vera is wearing the worker’s uniform as her disguise, while Klara is wearing the sniper snow-camouflage uniform, holding the OSV-96 sniper rifle in her arms. Smiling evilly at their prey, the hated Turk who upset their superior, they’re ready to kill her.

“So, that pathetic Syrian has failed. Pfft, I don’t expect much of her anyway. She’s the same like her fellow Muslim infidels.” Vera said in Ukrainian to her sister.

“I agree with you sister. Let’s finish off where the Syrian started.” Klara nodded, gripping her rifle. The twins look over where Bushra and Iuno are; they look on in spite at their presence.

“That damn pink-hair traitor has ruined our plans, all for her so-called master. Typical of her, its best we make haste to kill the Turk (Nuray).” The short-hair brunette cautioned to her sister.

“I’ll be waiting outside. In case, the Turk escapes.” Long-hair girl said as she phases into nothing, leaving her sister alone. Smirking, Vera loads before wrapping her two PP-2000s into a bundle of grey cloth to make it look like it’s a bunch of tools wrapped inside. Gingerly carrying them, she slowly walk towards Nuray position, behaving like an ordinary Orussian worker in the base.

So far, no one seems to take notice, nor suspect of her….yet.

Yukine noticed at the sad face of Nuray as if she remembers something painful, she threw the cigarette after she finished smoking and said, "By the looks of it, you did really lose someone dear to you isn't it? Last confession before he died?" She assumed.

Before she expected Nuray to asks, she immediately said as she raised her hand, "I told you before I'm a medic, I see my fellow countrymen who falls on the battlefield asking me to either send letters to their loved ones or telling them that they love them." She then looks up in the sky as she continued, "This is the reality of war, I knew when I made my relationship with Ishii-kun that sometimes when he's on duty on the far side of the world while I'm also at elsewhere like right here fighting the Neuroi...I am afraid that someone will come and announced that he's killed in action or involved in any accidents but this is the reality I have to accept."

Yukine sighed but when she heard Nuray's joke, she couldn't help but to chuckles and finally said, "Well, I guess I'll be careful then. Ah, I think I should make a call to Ishii-kun right now. I did promise him that I'll call him after I arrived and besides..." She paused as she pulls out her handphone and said, "I don't even have a suitable SIM cards for this region I guess I'll use the payphone, do you want to follow me?" She smiled as she take a step in front of her and patted her shoulder.

Unknown to her or her fellow Witch, somethings bad will happened and it won't be for the better.

[Finorskia]

Meanwhile, at the pile of crates deep in the corner, the Cherdenko twins are watching Nuray like vultures. Vera is wearing the worker’s uniform as her disguise, while Klara is wearing the sniper snow-camouflage uniform, holding the OSV-96 sniper rifle in her arms. Smiling evilly at their prey, the hated Turk who upset their superior, they’re ready to kill her.

“So, that pathetic Syrian has failed. Pfft, I don’t expect much of her anyway. She’s the same like her fellow Muslim infidels.” Vera said in Ukrainian to her sister.

“I agree with you sister. Let’s finish off where the Syrian started.” Klara nodded, gripping her rifle. The twins look over where Bushra and Iuno are; they look on in spite at their presence.

“That damn pink-hair traitor has ruined our plans, all for her so-called master. Typical of her, its best we make haste to kill the Turk (Nuray).” The short-hair brunette cautioned to her sister.

“I’ll be waiting outside. In case, the Turk escapes.” Long-hair girl said as she phases into nothing, leaving her sister alone. Smirking, Vera loads before wrapping her two PP-2000s into a bundle of grey cloth to make it look like it’s a bunch of tools wrapped inside. Gingerly carrying them, she slowly walk towards Nuray position, behaving like an ordinary Orussian worker in the base.

So far, no one seems to take notice, nor suspect of her….yet.

As Natalie and Eeva walked towards the mess hall Natalie suddenly stopped. Her familiar and magic antenna appeared.
"I just got the feeling that someones using magic." She said. She closed her eyes. "Yes. someone is defiantly using magic I'm getting a reading, its feint, and not any of the witches in the squadron. I'm having trouble pinpointing it, their probably using concealment magic. She pulled out her Colt.45.
"Go. Warn the others, I'm going to find this sneaky SOB." And with that she took off with one eye closed.

[Chulainan]

Meanwhile, at the pile of crates deep in the corner, the Cherdenko twins are watching Nuray like vultures. Vera is wearing the worker’s uniform as her disguise, while Klara is wearing the sniper snow-camouflage uniform, holding the OSV-96 sniper rifle in her arms. Smiling evilly at their prey, the hated Turk who upset their superior, they’re ready to kill her.

“So, that pathetic Syrian has failed. Pfft, I don’t expect much of her anyway. She’s the same like her fellow Muslim infidels.” Vera said in Ukrainian to her sister.

“I agree with you sister. Let’s finish off where the Syrian started.” Klara nodded, gripping her rifle. The twins look over where Bushra and Iuno are; they look on in spite at their presence.

“That damn pink-hair traitor has ruined our plans, all for her so-called master. Typical of her, its best we make haste to kill the Turk (Nuray).” The short-hair brunette cautioned to her sister.

“I’ll be waiting outside. In case, the Turk escapes.” Long-hair girl said as she phases into nothing, leaving her sister alone. Smirking, Vera loads before wrapping her two PP-2000s into a bundle of grey cloth to make it look like it’s a bunch of tools wrapped inside. Gingerly carrying them, she slowly walk towards Nuray position, behaving like an ordinary Orussian worker in the base.

So far, no one seems to take notice, nor suspect of her….yet.

As Natalie and Eeva walked towards the mess hall Natalie suddenly stopped. Her familiar and magic antenna appeared.
"I just got the feeling that someones using magic." She said. She closed her eyes. "Yes. someone is defiantly using magic I'm getting a reading, its feint, and not any of the witches in the squadron. I'm having trouble pinpointing it, their probably using concealment magic. She pulled out her Colt.45.
"Go. Warn the others, I'm going to find this sneaky SOB." And with that she took off with one eye closed.

"Roger, see ya soon specs and don't charge in on your own, you know how that worked out for me" grinned Eeva, a glint of worry in her eye. She ran towards the others still around Maria. She quickly saluted.

"Nat has detected some magic in use just inside her magic sensor range and believes it to be a form of stealth magic, she has gone to investigate" said Eeva far more formally than usual to the officer in charge, "your orders"

[Rupudska]

Sohvi sighed. Perkele, not this shit again. I had enough of it in Baghdad.

"Very well then. Go with her, she might need backup. If it's too much to handle, just shout for help. I'll have the whole squadron come running, whether they want to or not." She emphasized the last part of her sentence, making sure everyone in the vicinity heard it.

She tossed Eeva her own personal pistol. "Use that one. It's far more accurate than whatever you're using right now, that's for sure."

[Finorskia]

Natalie followed the magic presence. She felt it getting stronger the closer she got, till she knew she was within at least 50 feet of the target. She raised the pistol and looked around. "Alright whoever you are. I know your here. Show yourself, and if you don't..." She smiled a wicked smile. "...Well lets just say I can force you to show yourself."

[Occupied Deutschland]

"How, you say? Hmm..." Iuno mused blissfully, "Iuno is really sorry. Iuno can't say much about this. But Iuno and that woman knows about you and the radical clerics you support, and that woman wants to use them to further the Tsar's ambitions. Iuno doesn't care much about them though. Iuno just wants to be with Master.

Iuno can't stay long, unfortunately," she bid farewell, stepping back into the open corridor, "Iuno still needs to help load the goods up. Iuno hopes to see Master soon though. Iuno hopes you'll help Iuno with this. Iuno is thankful. Bye-bye!"

With that, the Starshina rushed off, back to her work as per usual. The warning she made was perhaps too cryptic to be fully understood, the girl refusing to name Oksana and other related individuals. But something about her knowledge of Bushra signalled something ominous about her. She knew of Bushra's separatist alignments, and she knew about her clerical handlers. More importantly, she revealed the woman's intentions to spread the influence of Orthodox Orussia into the Muslim world and beyond. While Iuno seems to be in the same organization as her, her goals were much, much purer. She desires only her master, and if need be, she would kill to get him back, regardless of the victims in her way

.

Bushra stiffened when Iuno left and stared after the girl for a long moment, her departing words seemingly echoing in her head.

‘Iuno and that woman knows about you and the radical clerics you support’? What does that mean? Who is ‘that woman’ and who is Iuno’s ‘master’? How do they know? Why do they know?

A dark suspicion came over Bushra’s mind for a moment concerning the ‘why’, but she just as quickly dismissed it as ridiculous. It was a paranoid thought.

Sighing, Bushra ran a hand through her hair as she began to make her way back towards the rest of the squadron. The girl was downright creepy, no question about it. Not only that, but it was fairly obvious she wasn’t telling everything she knew, or even part of what she knew.

Either that or she wants me to think she knows more than she’s telling.

Bushra rounded a corner, trying to put aside both the new questions about the Orussian and the older ones about her imam. The former proved much easier to sideline than the latter. Her questions about her imam were much more personal. As she rounded the corner however, Nuray and the new Fusoese witch came into view.

It was a very odd feeling. Hardly fifteen minutes before Bushra had been walking towards the other Ottoman witch intent on killing her. Now she was doing the exact same thing but with the intent of protecting her.

But only because I’ll get blamed if I don’t, of course. Bushra told herself, repeatedly.

She didn't really believe it, but the words shielded her from the knowledge that she wanted to see the Turk live solely to spite the man who had practically raised her since she was 12.

Previously, on "Largely irrelevant side-story that is ever-so-slowly beginning to get to the point where it might actually have something that MATTERS happening instead of endless BS"...

Ottoman Empire - Vilayet of Syria - Damascus

Asaad leaned back and closed his eyes. He had spent almost the entire morning and part of the afternoon juggling talking to Athalia Gantz, calling up anybody he knew who might be able to tell him anything, and trying to get his still sleep-deprived mind to function properly.

He had been unsuccessful in all three endeavors.

A lot of people he couldn’t even get a hold of in the first place, a bad sign if there ever was one, and when he did they always told him the same thing. They had no idea what was going on either. Athalia didn’t tell him anything new beyond what she already had, except a few details of the raid that got her father. And since the coffee machine in the small flat, jokingly referred to as ‘Syrian Free Army Headquarters’, was broken, his sleep-deprived mind was just as sleep-deprived as it had been that morning.

Asaad hung up a disposable phone and stood. Another call, another ‘line disconnected’ message. He had been getting so many of them, it couldn’t be coincidence.

“You got any jam?” Athalia called from a few feet away in the kitchen, prompting Asaad to shake his head.

“Peanut butter?” She asked.

Another headshake from Asaad.

“Regular butter? Anything? I’m starving so I made some toast but I can’t find anything to put on it.” The last few words were stretched out in long whines by the Jewish girl. As if whining would get the items she wanted to miraculously appear.

Asaad stretched, shaking his head again. “There should be some goat cheese in the refrigerator.”

Athalia stuck her tongue out in disgust. “I don’t want goat cheese.” She pouted staring at the pieces of toast she held in her hand.

The girl’s lighthearted mood seemed to disappear in an instant, perhaps as she remembered something from a better time. “Do you think we’re going to find him?”

Asaad didn’t know how to respond to the depression in the girl’s voice.

Too young. She shouldn’t have to deal with this. None of them should have to. God why couldn’t they just be regular girls? They’re a blessing that none of us is responsible enough to take advantage of. Yet we do. We always do. Why would any God give us such gifts when we are clearly not responsible enough to use them properly? Instead, all we can do is use them to fight our wars. Kill our enemies. Die our deaths…

Thankfully, a ring interrupted the awkward silence before Asaad was forced to fill it with what would likely be fake words of hope. When revolutionaries disappeared in the Ottoman Empire, it generally only meant one thing.

“Hello?” Asaad said lightly.

“Don’t ask any questions. I can’t answer them. Look into the Imam, he—“ The female voice on the line paused for a brief moment, then there came the sound of heavy breathing. Loud footsteps could be heard in the background.

“I don’t know who he is, but it’s not who we thought.”

Asaad’s jaw dropped as he listened, but, shaking his head, he recovered. “Who is this? Who are you?”

From the phone Asaad heard some shouting, and the breathing and the footsteps grew louder.

“Wherever you are, it’s not safe. I don’t know what he’s trying to do but it’s big.”

“But who—“

Before Asaad could finish the question there was a loud pounding sound from the phone. Some incomprehensible shouts came from it next.

“ALLAHU ACKBAR!” the phone blared, just before a series of sharp pops sounded. There was a loud thud, and the call ended.

“What in God’s name…” Asaad muttered.

Athalia dropped her toast.

[Minroz]

Yukine noticed at the sad face of Nuray as if she remembers something painful, she threw the cigarette after she finished smoking and said, "By the looks of it, you did really lose someone dear to you isn't it? Last confession before he died?" She assumed.

Before she expected Nuray to asks, she immediately said as she raised her hand, "I told you before I'm a medic, I see my fellow countrymen who falls on the battlefield asking me to either send letters to their loved ones or telling them that they love them." She then looks up in the sky as she continued, "This is the reality of war, I knew when I made my relationship with Ishii-kun that sometimes when he's on duty on the far side of the world while I'm also at elsewhere like right here fighting the Neuroi...I am afraid that someone will come and announced that he's killed in action or involved in any accidents but this is the reality I have to accept."

Yukine sighed but when she heard Nuray's joke, she couldn't help but to chuckles and finally said, "Well, I guess I'll be careful then. Ah, I think I should make a call to Ishii-kun right now. I did promise him that I'll call him after I arrived and besides..." She paused as she pulls out her handphone and said, "I don't even have a suitable SIM cards for this region I guess I'll use the payphone, do you want to follow me?" She smiled as she take a step in front of her and patted her shoulder.

Unknown to her or her fellow Witch, somethings bad will happened and it won't be for the better.

Surprised by Yukine’s deduction, after she raised her hand and listening her explanation. Nuray smiles, feeling her sadness is being lifted. “Thank you.” She thought.When Yukine asks if she wants to follow her to the phonebooth, the Turkish girl nodded her head.

“Sure thing, aside from doing my prayers, I’d quite bored anyway.” Nuray said as she threw away her cigarette. Vera meanwhile is getting closer to the Ottoman witch, intending to kill her where she stands. Giving a predatory smirk as she walk closer to her target, the Ukrainian started to unravel her PP-2000s from the bundle.

“Well, just give me few moments, I need to check on my strikers one last time before we-“ the Turk said as she turned around but frozen in shock at the sight of Vera dual-wielding PP-2000s and her cat familiar materialises, aiming at Nuray herself.

Cursing in Turkish, she then pushes Yukine out of the way. “GET DOWN!” she shouts as Vera start unleashing her barrage of bullets at the Ottoman. Luckily, Nuray dodges in time as she barrel roll behind the nearby machines. Shocked, the unarmed based personnel just hide from the cross-fire. The Ukranian witch pins the Turk down with her hail of bullets.

“Nuray Shahin the Grey Death!” Vera shouts in her accented English, filled with passionate patriotism. “You’re guilty of many crimes the past few years including fighting the Motherland and obstructions of justice in Chechnya and Georgia. Thus, I Vera Cherdenko hereby sentences you to death!” She continues fire her SMGs to pin her target down.

“Go to hell, Cossack!” Nuray barks angrily in her Turkish accented-Russian from the cover, taking out her service pistol. “You bitches deserve it. You bloody Oprichniks are monsters anyway!”

In response, the Ukrainian witch bursts into a wicked laughter as she dashes off towards the cover, firing her guns at it. Nuray pops out of cover and shoot at Vera many times but the brunette phases in time, dropping her PP-2000s.

“Tch!” the Ottoman witch curses as she scans her surroundings, waiting for the next attack. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turns around, only to find Vera wielding the PKM, aiming at her. Nuray dodges to another cover as the Ukrainian fires the machine gun. Unwilling to let bystanders get hurt in process, Nuray quickly bolt out of the hanger exit door.

“YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM ME!” Vera bellow loudly as she ran, following the Turk.

“THAT LINE IS SO CLICHÉ!” Nuray retorts as she kept running, firing her pistol at the dodging Ukrainian brunette. She hides behind the parked helicopter as cover from Vera’s bullet barrage. As the helicopter is being almost covered with PKM bullet holes, Nuray returns fire and then hide as she got pin down.

“Allahu Akbar, what a twist of fate?” she mutters, reloading her pistol. Now the Turk is hearing Vera singing Katyusha, adding eeriness to the atmosphere and Nuray’s dismay.

---

Natalie followed the magic presence. She felt it getting stronger the closer she got, till she knew she was within at least 50 feet of the target. She raised the pistol and looked around. "Alright whoever you are. I know your here. Show yourself, and if you don't..." She smiled a wicked smile. "...Well lets just say I can force you to show yourself."

Lying prone on the snowy hill, Klara cursed at her luck, she got spotted by the lousy Baltlander, worse, she found out Natalie is a true radar witch.

“Jesus, you damn nosy Viking. I’ll deal with you once I finish off the Turk.” She thought darkly. Looking into her scope, she found her target running behind the helicopter pinned down by her twin sister.

Smirking, she aims her OSV-96 at Nuray in her sights, this give her incentives to ignore Natalie. “Say your prayers, infidel.” Klara pulls in her trigger, firing her sniper rifle. But she missed, much to the long-hair brunette displeasure.

Nuray meanwhile has a sniper bullet grazing her shoulder. Hissing in pain, she covered the graze with her free hand.

“Damn, a sniper. I got to give Oksana a credit for her resourcefulness.” Nuray thought as she peers at Klara’s position. She then made a mad dash into the nearby base ally, ignoring the continuous bullet barrage and sniper shots aiming at her.

“Come back here, Turk! We want to play with you!” Vera boasts in her playful yet dark tone.

Klara curses as she then teleports to her new location, trying to find the better spot to kill her prey and avoiding the 501st Radar witch altogether.

Someone must step in and help Nuray, or else things may get more complicated.

[Al-Harbiyyah]

-snip-

“GET DOWN!”

---

That's all Yukine heard from Nuray when she pushes her away and then a gunfire is heard as she finally touches the ground. Ricochet from weapons fire causes her to lie down when she heard an Orussian and Nuray arguing and saw Nuray ran while an Orussian Witch pursue her.

"What in Kami's name..." Yukine muttered as she got up but then she feels a burning and painful sensation on her abdomen and began feeling something sticky and wet. As she looked at her hand, it colored with her blood and she knew she was hit by the strayed bullet fired from the Orussian.

As she heard the gunshots again in the distance, she knew that she must help Nuray and began to use her powers to heal the wound but she realizes, "Oh fuck...this bullet is coated with Magic!" She knew that if a bullet fires from lets say an ordinary non-magical user person, she can at least reducing the pain until she can get the bullet out but if its magic coated bullet, it causes the magical properties on the bullet to reject Yukine's attempt to lessen the pain using her magic and she's in a world of pain unless the bullet is taken out by conventional means.

But her wound is not important, right now she need to help her teammate from being killed by a hostile Witch. She immediately draws out a Minebea 9mm which is locally produced SIG P220 and began chasing after the two Witch despite the pain she received.

"Fuck this...no one messes with me and get away easily! Not even an Orussian!!" She nearly shouted as she feels the pain but nevertheless she chases after the two.

Once out from the hangar, she saw the Orussian now wielding a Machine Gun while singing some songs she couldn't understand began firing at Nuray which is taking cover behind a parked helicopter.

Knowing that her new teammate need help, she then shouted at the Orussian, "HEY YOU GODDAMN BITCH! LAY YOUR HANDS OF NURAY!" She screamed as she shoots her pistol at the Orussian and then shouted again, "AND THIS IS FOR SHOOTING AT ME!" She kept shooting at the Orussian Witches until her ammo is out before taking cover behind a pack of wooden crate while keeping the pressure on her wound.

[Finorskia]

Yukine noticed at the sad face of Nuray as if she remembers something painful, she threw the cigarette after she finished smoking and said, "By the looks of it, you did really lose someone dear to you isn't it? Last confession before he died?" She assumed.

Before she expected Nuray to asks, she immediately said as she raised her hand, "I told you before I'm a medic, I see my fellow countrymen who falls on the battlefield asking me to either send letters to their loved ones or telling them that they love them." She then looks up in the sky as she continued, "This is the reality of war, I knew when I made my relationship with Ishii-kun that sometimes when he's on duty on the far side of the world while I'm also at elsewhere like right here fighting the Neuroi...I am afraid that someone will come and announced that he's killed in action or involved in any accidents but this is the reality I have to accept."

Yukine sighed but when she heard Nuray's joke, she couldn't help but to chuckles and finally said, "Well, I guess I'll be careful then. Ah, I think I should make a call to Ishii-kun right now. I did promise him that I'll call him after I arrived and besides..." She paused as she pulls out her handphone and said, "I don't even have a suitable SIM cards for this region I guess I'll use the payphone, do you want to follow me?" She smiled as she take a step in front of her and patted her shoulder.

Unknown to her or her fellow Witch, somethings bad will happened and it won't be for the better.

Surprised by Yukine’s deduction, after she raised her hand and listening her explanation. Nuray smiles, feeling her sadness is being lifted. “Thank you.” She thought.When Yukine asks if she wants to follow her to the phonebooth, the Turkish girl nodded her head.

“Sure thing, aside from doing my prayers, I’d quite bored anyway.” Nuray said as she threw away her cigarette. Vera meanwhile is getting closer to the Ottoman witch, intending to kill her where she stands. Giving a predatory smirk as she walk closer to her target, the Ukrainian started to unravel her PP-2000s from the bundle.

“Well, just give me few moments, I need to check on my strikers one last time before we-“ the Turk said as she turned around but frozen in shock at the sight of Vera dual-wielding PP-2000s and her cat familiar materialises, aiming at Nuray herself.

Cursing in Turkish, she then pushes Yukine out of the way. “GET DOWN!” she shouts as Vera start unleashing her barrage of bullets at the Ottoman. Luckily, Nuray dodges in time as she barrel roll behind the nearby machines. Shocked, the unarmed based personnel just hide from the cross-fire. The Ukranian witch pins the Turk down with her hail of bullets.

“Nuray Shahin the Grey Death!” Vera shouts in her accented English, filled with passionate patriotism. “You’re guilty of many crimes the past few years including fighting the Motherland and obstructions of justice in Chechnya and Georgia. Thus, I Vera Cherdenko hereby sentences you to death!” She continues fire her SMGs to pin her target down.

“Go to hell, Cossack!” Nuray barks angrily in her Turkish accented-Russian from the cover, taking out her service pistol. “You bitches deserve it. You bloody Oprichniks are monsters anyway!”

In response, the Ukrainian witch bursts into a wicked laughter as she dashes off towards the cover, firing her guns at it. Nuray pops out of cover and shoot at Vera many times but the brunette phases in time, dropping her PP-2000s.

“Tch!” the Ottoman witch curses as she scans her surroundings, waiting for the next attack. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turns around, only to find Vera wielding the PKM, aiming at her. Nuray dodges to another cover as the Ukrainian fires the machine gun. Unwilling to let bystanders get hurt in process, Nuray quickly bolt out of the hanger exit door.

“YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM ME!” Vera bellow loudly as she ran, following the Turk.

“THAT LINE IS SO CLICHÉ!” Nuray retorts as she kept running, firing her pistol at the dodging Ukrainian brunette. She hides behind the parked helicopter as cover from Vera’s bullet barrage. As the helicopter is being almost covered with PKM bullet holes, Nuray returns fire and then hide as she got pin down.

“Allahu Akbar, what a twist of fate?” she mutters, reloading her pistol. Now the Turk is hearing Vera singing Katyusha, adding eeriness to the atmosphere and Nuray’s dismay.

---

Natalie followed the magic presence. She felt it getting stronger the closer she got, till she knew she was within at least 50 feet of the target. She raised the pistol and looked around. "Alright whoever you are. I know your here. Show yourself, and if you don't..." She smiled a wicked smile. "...Well lets just say I can force you to show yourself."

Lying prone on the snowy hill, Klara cursed at her luck, she got spotted by the lousy Baltlander, worse, she found out Natalie is a true radar witch.

“Jesus, you damn nosy Viking. I’ll deal with you once I finish off the Turk.” She thought darkly. Looking into her scope, she found her target running behind the helicopter pinned down by her twin sister.

Smirking, she aims her OSV-96 at Nuray in her sights, this give her incentives to ignore Natalie. “Say your prayers, infidel.” Klara pulls in her trigger, firing her sniper rifle. But she missed, much to the long-hair brunette displeasure.

Nuray meanwhile has a sniper bullet grazing her shoulder. Hissing in pain, she covered the graze with her free hand.

“Damn, a sniper. I got to give Oksana a credit for her resourcefulness.” Nuray thought as she peers at Klara’s position. She then made a mad dash into the nearby base ally, ignoring the continuous bullet barrage and sniper shots aiming at her.

“Come back here, Turk! We want to play with you!” Vera boasts in her playful yet dark tone.

Klara curses as she then teleports to her new location, trying to find the better spot to kill her prey and avoiding the 501st Radar witch altogether.

Someone must step in and help Nuray, or else things may get more complicated.

BOOM. The sound of an OSV-96 caught her attention and she spun to see where it had come from. She looked around and noticed a little patch of burnt slightly melted snow, as well as a semi-human shaped depression. She aimed her pistol at what she was positive was the enemies upper torso.
"Gotcha." She said, and opened fire. Her 45. rang out till the mag was empty, then with trained swiftness the mag was reloaded in the blink of an eye, and Natalie resumed firing.

[Firstaria]

Sarah didn't give much importance to the magic readings that one of the witches had until she heard the sound of a gunfire. Acting really quick, she moved into cover and tried to took aim of one of the intruders using her focus, but was actually unsure if to fire or not.

She had a target, but it was worth to really help the 501th in an engagement in which she could say after that she din't have a good target to shoot and that would actually sound very believable? She though again about what happened instants ago, and she felt betrayed. Only that voice in her head, that guided her, was being friendly to her. She was an intruder from the very beginner right? They would not risk their lives for her, so why doing the opposite?

She kept aiming with her AT Rifle, but she had no rush to shot. If someone was gonna get hurt, way better. Her allegiance went to the 501th mission, not to the members of it.

[Chulainan]

Surprised by Yukine’s deduction, after she raised her hand and listening her explanation. Nuray smiles, feeling her sadness is being lifted. “Thank you.” She thought.When Yukine asks if she wants to follow her to the phonebooth, the Turkish girl nodded her head.

“Sure thing, aside from doing my prayers, I’d quite bored anyway.” Nuray said as she threw away her cigarette. Vera meanwhile is getting closer to the Ottoman witch, intending to kill her where she stands. Giving a predatory smirk as she walk closer to her target, the Ukrainian started to unravel her PP-2000s from the bundle.

“Well, just give me few moments, I need to check on my strikers one last time before we-“ the Turk said as she turned around but frozen in shock at the sight of Vera dual-wielding PP-2000s and her cat familiar materialises, aiming at Nuray herself.

Cursing in Turkish, she then pushes Yukine out of the way. “GET DOWN!” she shouts as Vera start unleashing her barrage of bullets at the Ottoman. Luckily, Nuray dodges in time as she barrel roll behind the nearby machines. Shocked, the unarmed based personnel just hide from the cross-fire. The Ukranian witch pins the Turk down with her hail of bullets.

“Nuray Shahin the Grey Death!” Vera shouts in her accented English, filled with passionate patriotism. “You’re guilty of many crimes the past few years including fighting the Motherland and obstructions of justice in Chechnya and Georgia. Thus, I Vera Cherdenko hereby sentences you to death!” She continues fire her SMGs to pin her target down.

“Go to hell, Cossack!” Nuray barks angrily in her Turkish accented-Russian from the cover, taking out her service pistol. “You bitches deserve it. You bloody Oprichniks are monsters anyway!”

In response, the Ukrainian witch bursts into a wicked laughter as she dashes off towards the cover, firing her guns at it. Nuray pops out of cover and shoot at Vera many times but the brunette phases in time, dropping her PP-2000s.

“Tch!” the Ottoman witch curses as she scans her surroundings, waiting for the next attack. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turns around, only to find Vera wielding the PKM, aiming at her. Nuray dodges to another cover as the Ukrainian fires the machine gun. Unwilling to let bystanders get hurt in process, Nuray quickly bolt out of the hanger exit door.

“YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM ME!” Vera bellow loudly as she ran, following the Turk.

“THAT LINE IS SO CLICHÉ!” Nuray retorts as she kept running, firing her pistol at the dodging Ukrainian brunette. She hides behind the parked helicopter as cover from Vera’s bullet barrage. As the helicopter is being almost covered with PKM bullet holes, Nuray returns fire and then hide as she got pin down.

“Allahu Akbar, what a twist of fate?” she mutters, reloading her pistol. Now the Turk is hearing Vera singing Katyusha, adding eeriness to the atmosphere and Nuray’s dismay.

---

Lying prone on the snowy hill, Klara cursed at her luck, she got spotted by the lousy Baltlander, worse, she found out Natalie is a true radar witch.

“Jesus, you damn nosy Viking. I’ll deal with you once I finish off the Turk.” She thought darkly. Looking into her scope, she found her target running behind the helicopter pinned down by her twin sister.

Smirking, she aims her OSV-96 at Nuray in her sights, this give her incentives to ignore Natalie. “Say your prayers, infidel.” Klara pulls in her trigger, firing her sniper rifle. But she missed, much to the long-hair brunette displeasure.

Nuray meanwhile has a sniper bullet grazing her shoulder. Hissing in pain, she covered the graze with her free hand.

“Damn, a sniper. I got to give Oksana a credit for her resourcefulness.” Nuray thought as she peers at Klara’s position. She then made a mad dash into the nearby base ally, ignoring the continuous bullet barrage and sniper shots aiming at her.

“Come back here, Turk! We want to play with you!” Vera boasts in her playful yet dark tone.

Klara curses as she then teleports to her new location, trying to find the better spot to kill her prey and avoiding the 501st Radar witch altogether.

Someone must step in and help Nuray, or else things may get more complicated.

BOOM. The sound of an OSV-96 caught her attention and she spun to see where it had come from. She looked around and noticed a little patch of burnt slightly melted snow, as well as a semi-human shaped depression. She aimed her pistol at what she was positive was the enemies upper torso.
"Gotcha." She said, and opened fire. Her 45. rang out till the mag was empty, then with trained swiftness the mag was reloaded in the blink of an eye, and Natalie resumed firing.

Hearing gunshots as she approached, Eeva filled with dread. She immediately got out her radio.

"This is corporal Eeva Kilpela, we are under attack by human forces, requesting immediate reinforcements over"

Eeva then stalked quietly while hugging close to a wall, her pistol out. She came across Natalie in no time.

"What did I tell you about waiting" Eeva snarled while firing towards the depression, realising what was going on, "or did you just forget what happened last time one of us tried that"

[Imota]

When Maria headed to the hangar with Bushra, Beatrice left for the barracks. She easily found her room and, noting that all of her luggage had arrived, began unpacking.

The first things she unpacked were her clothes. She noticed that her military clothes had already been replaced with new ones that carried the insignia of her new rank, Corporal. She took a few moments to indulge herself, taking off her old jacket (which still had her Lance Corporal insignia) and putting one of her new tan utility shirts, admiring the two chevrons and the crossed rifles. After her ego had been sufficiently pampered, she carefully put them away, and within a few minutes, she had finished.

She carefully set the cage in which Phillip and Shoutarou had been placed on a small table next to the bed. Someone had recently filled the water and food bowls.

"Well, you two," she said, "I don't suppose anyone's told you, but your master's back from the dead. Or, rather, I suppose she never was dead, I'll have to check later." She shook her head.

"This assignment's a weird one," she said. "Haven't been on the ground for an hour, and already we've got one Witch in the hospital, another looks bound for the psycho ward, and a third's back from the dead. Have I gone completely nuts?" Phillip and Shoutarou kept eating, but she thought she saw Phillip shake his mousy head. She laughed.

"Thanks," she said, and just then her stomach growled. "I'd better get something to eat too. You two be good now, alright?" She changed into a jacket and left for the chow hall.

When she heard the sound of gunfire, though, she quickly backtracked towards the hangar. By keeping close to the walls and exposing as little of herself as possible, she was able to move relatively safely, if a bit slowly. Finally, there was nothing but open ground between her and the hangar. After quickly checking to see that no enemies where in sight, she gulped.

Please work, she thought as her familiar manifested.

"Ave Maria!" she whispered quickly, and began her mad dash for the hangar.

[Al-Harbiyyah]

Yukine is bleeding and keep bleeding as she hides behind several crates after firing her gun, she didn't know if her shot hit the assailant but she just hoped that Nuray would take that opportunity to run away as she distract the rogue Orussian Witch.

"Kuso... damn it hurts." She grinned at herself as she loaded another clip into her Minebea 9mm and take a deep breath while holding her own wound which still bleeds. Her Fusoan Military uniform is soaked with blood but she ignored it as she began checking her gun if its properly loaded.

"I just hope some guys come in and help...damn it hurts...well I just can't complaining myself am I?" She laughed weakly but still keep an eye as she take a quick glance at the assailant. She then gives another deep breath while gritted in pain as she tried to use her magic again but to no avail as the magic coated bullet prevents her to use her powers directly at the wound.

She can only hope that someone would come and help as she continued to fire blindly in hope to suppress the assailant from approaching Nuray and herself if the assailant switches her target.