Strike Witches episode 5: Building Better Mousetraps

[Malshan]

"Oui," Svetlana responded mechanically, "nous lui avons arrêté pour tentative de désertion. quelle est votre relation avec lui? (Yes, we arrested him for attempted desertion earlier. What is your relation with him?)"

Sitting still on her chair, Svetlana turned her head like an ominous marionette. From the backpack, it appeared she came prepared for infiltration, taking a set of 1940s looking clothes on the trip. Question was, why?

The woman sighed and looked angry at the Svetlana. "Comment osez-vous plaisanter sur ces choses-là? Il est mort depuis un certain temps maintenant. Cruauté, enfant. Pourquoi voudriez-vous dire des choses pareilles? (How dare you joke about such things? He has been dead for some time now. Cruelty, child. Why would you say such things?)" She stood rather abruptly and gestured. "Maintenant, laissez, s'il vous plaît. Ne pas causer des ennuis plus. (Now leave, please. Don't cause any more trouble.)"

[Hetland 2]

Watching the girl blush, Adela felt bothered by the Venezian's off behaviour. Backing away even more, she said, "please don't look at me like that... I'm just toying with you. Well, if that's the kind of person you said he was, then no wonder I can't trust him...

Lead the way, Loony. I'll be right behind you."

Maria nodded and began heading back towards the center of town, occasionally waving to the townsfolk. One thing was for sure Maria made them nervous. As the entered the town square Maria proceeded to grab another unsuspecting stranger, this time a woman and talk with her. This conversation took much longer than the previous one and Maria had begun gesticulating with obnoxious consistency. After Maria finished she headed back motioning for Adela and Orlenda, "Well I think I've found her. Angel, Orlenda. Let's go."

[Wolfenium]

Adela could only watch queerly as Maria argued with the Gallian woman. She only wished she was the one doing the talking. The amount of time they spent spitting verbal abuse at each other was not helping at all.

"Let's move," she uttered sprinting off in the direction given, "we're burning a lot of daylight here."

---

Standing from her seat automatically, Svetlana's expression remained frozen without emotion as she turned to the woman. With one final word, all she said was, "très bien. Je mettrai un terme à cette suite. (Very well. I shall put an end to this immediately.)" At that word, the girl pulled a TT-30 pistol out of her shirt, aiming its sights at the woman's head at point blank. But just as she was prepared to shoot, a voice rang out from the windows outside.

Rushing across the street, Adela could feel her legs pushing on as if drawn to some mysterious sensation. Scanning the windows for any signs, she sometimes went quite far ahead of the others. However, as she reached the address given, she took a quick peek inside. But one look inside the building was all the warning Maria and Orlenda needed on the situation.

"Loony, break down the door!" Adela's voice rang as their figures appeared through the glass from outside, panic painting her face like a tide, "she's gone mad!"

[Hetland 2]

Adela could only watch queerly as Maria argued with the Gallian woman. She only wished she was the one doing the talking. The amount of time they spent spitting verbal abuse at each other was not helping at all.

"Let's move," she uttered sprinting off in the direction given, "we're burning a lot of daylight here."

---

Standing from her seat automatically, Svetlana's expression remained frozen without emotion as she turned to the woman. With one final word, all she said was, "très bien. Je mettrai un terme à cette suite. (Very well. I shall put an end to this immediately.)" At that word, the girl pulled a TT-30 pistol out of her shirt, aiming its sights at the woman's head at point blank. But just as she was prepared to shoot, a voice rang out from the windows outside.

Rushing across the street, Adela could feel her legs pushing on as if drawn to some mysterious sensation. Scanning the windows for any signs, she sometimes went quite far ahead of the others. However, as she reached the address given, she took a quick peek inside. But one look inside the building was all the warning Maria and Orlenda needed on the situation.

"Loony, break down the door!" Adela's voice rang as their figures appeared through the glass from outside, panic painting her face like a tide, "she's gone mad!"

Maria didn't need to be told twice, Kaixa's ears and tail had already materialized and she planted her foot against the door. The door didn't stand a chance in hell. As the door broke on its hinges Maria rushed in tackling her to the ground and snatching the gun from her hand. "Che cazzo stai pensando, è stupida?" She'd switched into Venetian at that moment, not really giving a damn whether or not Svetlana could understand her. "Che cazzo c'è di sbagliato in te?"

[Orussia]

Striding in behind Maria, she stared coldly down at Svetlana.
"Maria, could you let her up for a minute? I need to have a word with her."

Her right hand flexed and curled almost as if it had a mind of its own.

[Wolfenium]

Rushing through the shattered doorway, Adela watched as Svetlana put up a violent struggle against Maria. What was even more disconcerting was the eerie calm she displayed throughout even when she was wrestled to the ground. She did not as much as flinch at any strike the witch with her superstrength struck at her. Most would have been ailing and yelling in pain right now. As Adela pulled the woman away, she blurted frantically, "qu'est-ce que tu as fait, la femme? Pourquoi ne la baise que les crevettes tenter de faire sauter la cervelle!? Répondez-moi! (what the hell did you do, woman!? Why the fuck did that shrimp try to blow your brains out!? Answer me!)"

However, as Svetlana wriggled out a hand, she seized Maria's flask from her belt as she tried to make a relentless swing toward her head...

[Malshan]

"qu'est-ce que tu as fait, la femme? Pourquoi ne la baise que les crevettes tenter de faire sauter la cervelle!? Répondez-moi! (what the hell did you do, woman!? Why the fuck did that shrimp try to blow your brains out!? Answer me!)"

The woman dropped her hand from her waist, revealing a six centimeter knife that had appeared there when Svetlana had pulled out the pistol. She pointed it at Adela and gestured toward the door. "Allez-vous! Allez! Je suis d'appeller la police!" She disappeared into the kitchen, stowing the knife back in its sheath at her waist.

[Hetland 2]

Rushing through the shattered doorway, Adela watched as Svetlana put up a violent struggle against Maria. What was even more disconcerting was the eerie calm she displayed throughout even when she was wrestled to the ground. She did not as much as flinch at any strike the witch with her superstrength struck at her. Most would have been ailing and yelling in pain right now. As Adela pulled the woman away, she blurted frantically, "qu'est-ce que tu as fait, la femme? Pourquoi ne la baise que les crevettes tenter de faire sauter la cervelle!? Répondez-moi! (what the hell did you do, woman!? Why the fuck did that shrimp try to blow your brains out!? Answer me!)"

However, as Svetlana wriggled out a hand, she seized Maria's flask from her belt as she tried to make a relentless swing toward her head...

Maria winced as the blow, feeling blood begin to trickle down her cheek. Another scar for the scarred witch. That currently didn't matter to Maria. Svetlana had her flask. Her last momento of Sasha. She let out a snarl before picking the small girl up, slamming her against the wall and delivering a punch to her gut and throwing her to the floor again. She bent down and snatched the flask from Svetlana's hand.

[Wolfenium]

Blood surged out of Svetlana's mouth as Maria hit her in the gut. Tossed back on the floor, she rolled over like a lifeless puppet as she laid motionless on the floor, clearly frail as ever. And yet, despite the mauling, her trembling limbs still fought against the bruising, seizing a lamp as she made one last attempt to assault Nicole. This time, however, Adela simply grabbed her in a chokehold, yanking the lamp away from her weak, shivering hands as she restrained the still resisting girl. Looking at the woman brandishing her knife, the Dacian could feel a sweatdrop rolling down the side of her temple. Backing away slowly, she was clearly not enjoying the proceedings.

"Woah..." she blurted, easing back, "calmer. Nous n'allons pas vous faire de mal. Eh bien... nous ne laisserons pas sa vous blesser. Je suis vraiment désolé à ce sujet. Nous partons. (Woah... calm down. We're not going to hurt you. Well... we won't let her hurt you. I'm really sorry about this. We'll be leaving.)"

Looking back at the duo, she simply said in a nervous tone, still gripping Svetlana like a doll, "let's get her out of town first. I don't like having people stick their knives in my face."

[Malshan]

Nicole came back into the room, hands empty now. She took in the bleeding girl on the floor and ran into the baby's room, picking up the child and running out the door. She ran next door and pounded on the front door. It was answered by an older woman and she and Nicole held a hurried conversation, ending with Nicole handing her the child and running back to her house. She approached Maria and spoke, "Comment est-il qu'elle connaît mon défunt mari?" She noticed that they were getting ready to leave. "Je viens avec vous. Je veux des réponses."

[Hetland 2]

Maria nodded, staring at her arm and the blood that covered it. Maria turned and gave a half hearted smile, "Excusez-moi. Je ne crois pas que mon Gallian serait suffisante pour faire passer ce qui doit être dit. Mais ... si vous me croyez ... Votre ummm ... défunt mari ... peut-être pas si tard, après tout. Je. .. Je suis désolé. Avez-vous quelque part je peux me laver les mains hors?" Her voice was sad and depressive. This had been the first time in her life where she'd lost control and assaulted another witch. Svetlana's blood was now on her hands.

[Malshan]

Maria nodded, staring at her arm and the blood that covered it. Maria turned and gave a half hearted smile, "Excusez-moi. Je ne crois pas que mon Gallian serait suffisante pour faire passer ce qui doit être dit. Mais ... si vous me croyez ... Votre ummm ... défunt mari ... peut-être pas si tard, après tout. Je. .. Je suis désolé. Avez-vous quelque part je peux me laver les mains hors?" Her voice was sad and depressive. This had been the first time in her life where she'd lost control and assaulted another witch. Svetlana's blood was now on her hands.

Nicole paled once more and sat abruptly down on one of the wooden chairs in the room. "Mon beau....pas mort? Incroyable...mais l'accidente...." She shook her head and looked up at Maria. "Mais où sont mes manières? S'il vous plaît, allez dans la troisième chambre. Il est allé aux toilettes."

"Je dois le voir ..." she muttered to herself.

[Wolfenium]

Maria nodded, staring at her arm and the blood that covered it. Maria turned and gave a half hearted smile, "Excusez-moi. Je ne crois pas que mon Gallian serait suffisante pour faire passer ce qui doit être dit. Mais ... si vous me croyez ... Votre ummm ... défunt mari ... peut-être pas si tard, après tout. Je. .. Je suis désolé. Avez-vous quelque part je peux me laver les mains hors?" Her voice was sad and depressive. This had been the first time in her life where she'd lost control and assaulted another witch. Svetlana's blood was now on her hands.

Nicole paled once more and sat abruptly down on one of the wooden chairs in the room. "Mon beau....pas mort? Incroyable...mais l'accidente...." She shook her head and looked up at Maria. "Mais où sont mes manières? S'il vous plaît, allez dans la troisième chambre. Il est allé aux toilettes."

"Je dois le voir ..." she muttered to herself.

"Woah..." Adela blurted, shaking her head profusely as she heard the news, "that's a bad idea guys. Je suis vraiment désolé, madame," she explained to Nicole in worry, "mais vous ne pouvez pas y aller. Nous- (I'm really sorry, Madam, but you cannot go, we-)"

However, pausing over the statement, she could feel cold steel touching her neck. Glaring down, she realized Svetlana was using a long spike concealed in her hand. Twitching over the Lolita's cold demeanour, Adela grunted, "Oi... This isn't funny..."

"Let the girl see Serena," Svetlana commanded, her blank eyes showing no emotion, "I have orders to suppress any intentions for dissent in him. If we take the girl with us, he would no longer have a desire to come here."

"Don't be crazy, girl," Adela howled, "you're asking the impossible here! We've pretty much torn the timeline apart for this fiasco. How much more damage do you intend to make-"

"-enough to complete my mission," Svetlana stated, inching the blade closer to Adela's neck, "if you intend to get in my way, I shall deem you a hostile element and dispose of you immediately-"

"On whose's fucking orders!?" blasted Adela, increasingly agitated by the girl's ramblings, "the Kremlin!? Why the hell are you doing this-"

But watching the girl nod plainly to her query, Adela could only stare in disbelief. Turning her eyes to the others, all she could say to the others were, "she's mad... She's goddamn mad... What's the hell is she taking about!? She's mad-"

"Do it," Svetlana commanded the duo, her soulless eyes turning to Nicole, "unless you prefer killing her instead."

[Hetland 2]

Nicole paled once more and sat abruptly down on one of the wooden chairs in the room. "Mon beau....pas mort? Incroyable...mais l'accidente...." She shook her head and looked up at Maria. "Mais où sont mes manières? S'il vous plaît, allez dans la troisième chambre. Il est allé aux toilettes."

"Je dois le voir ..." she muttered to herself.

"Woah..." Adela blurted, shaking her head profusely as she heard the news, "that's a bad idea guys. Je suis vraiment désolé, madame," she explained to Nicole in worry, "mais vous ne pouvez pas y aller. Nous- (I'm really sorry, Madam, but you cannot go, we-)"

However, pausing over the statement, she could feel cold steel touching her neck. Glaring down, she realized Svetlana was using a long spike concealed in her hand. Twitching over the Lolita's cold demeanour, Adela grunted, "Oi... This isn't funny..."

"Let the girl see Serena," Svetlana commanded, her blank eyes showing no emotion, "I have orders to suppress any intentions for dissent in him. If we take the girl with us, he would no longer have a desire to come here."

"Don't be crazy, girl," Adela howled, "you're asking the impossible here! We've pretty much torn the timeline apart for this fiasco. How much more damage do you intend to make-"

"-enough to complete my mission," Svetlana stated, inching the blade closer to Adela's neck, "if you intend to get in my way, I shall deem you a hostile element and dispose of you immediately-"

"On whose's fucking orders!?" blasted Adela, increasingly agitated by the girl's ramblings, "the Kremlin!? Why the hell are you doing this-"

But watching the girl nod plainly to her query, Adela could only stare in disbelief. Turning her eyes to the others, all she could say to the others were, "she's mad... She's goddamn mad... What's the hell is she taking about!? She's mad-"

"Do it," Svetlana commanded the duo, her soulless eyes turning to Nicole, "unless you prefer killing her instead."

Maria returned from the bathroom just in time to see this happening, "May God up in heaven have mercy upon my soul for what I am about to do." Maria grabbed Svetlana's hands in hers and squeezed. Kaixa's ears and tail formed and a sickening crack could be heard from Svetlana's hands. "Svetlana... I've been lienient with you because you're clearly a troubled youth. But... You've made me MAD. If you continue to do this I am not going to hold back. Adela. GET FEI ON THE MOTHERFUCKING LINE THIS INSTANT SEE IF HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON! I'll occupy the little yandere."

[Finorskia]

"Fei" Shouted Heinze as he burst out onto the deck. "Urgent news. I've been monitoring communications up in the tower since Gustave ran away. Just got a message from our team. Somethings wrong with Svetlana." Heinze was panting. An expression of both fear and worry on his face.

"What?" Blurted out Yuri who was standing next to Gustaves still unconscious body. "Don't tell me we have another AWOL traitor."

---

Yuki ran into the building. "Freeze!" She shouted raising her AUG HBAR. The safety was off and the gun was pointed directly at Sveta. After she had gotten the call for help it had taken her awhile to show up. Looks like she got there just in time.

[Imota]

Beatrice and Gertrude landed away from the village. Beatrice was worried.

What do they mean, Sergeant Remitonova's gone nuts? she thought as she hid her strikers in a bush and readied her rifle. Soon after entering the village, she saw Yuki ran into a building, and the two witches followed, Beatrice with her rife, and Gertrude with a pistol.

"Oh, crap..."

[Wolfenium]

"Woah..." Adela blurted, shaking her head profusely as she heard the news, "that's a bad idea guys. Je suis vraiment désolé, madame," she explained to Nicole in worry, "mais vous ne pouvez pas y aller. Nous- (I'm really sorry, Madam, but you cannot go, we-)"

However, pausing over the statement, she could feel cold steel touching her neck. Glaring down, she realized Svetlana was using a long spike concealed in her hand. Twitching over the Lolita's cold demeanour, Adela grunted, "Oi... This isn't funny..."

"Let the girl see Serena," Svetlana commanded, her blank eyes showing no emotion, "I have orders to suppress any intentions for dissent in him. If we take the girl with us, he would no longer have a desire to come here."

"Don't be crazy, girl," Adela howled, "you're asking the impossible here! We've pretty much torn the timeline apart for this fiasco. How much more damage do you intend to make-"

"-enough to complete my mission," Svetlana stated, inching the blade closer to Adela's neck, "if you intend to get in my way, I shall deem you a hostile element and dispose of you immediately-"

"On whose's fucking orders!?" blasted Adela, increasingly agitated by the girl's ramblings, "the Kremlin!? Why the hell are you doing this-"

But watching the girl nod plainly to her query, Adela could only stare in disbelief. Turning her eyes to the others, all she could say to the others were, "she's mad... She's goddamn mad... What's the hell is she taking about!? She's mad-"

"Do it," Svetlana commanded the duo, her soulless eyes turning to Nicole, "unless you prefer killing her instead."

Maria returned from the bathroom just in time to see this happening, "May God up in heaven have mercy upon my soul for what I am about to do." Maria grabbed Svetlana's hands in hers and squeezed. Kaixa's ears and tail formed and a sickening crack could be heard from Svetlana's hands. "Svetlana... I've been lienient with you because you're clearly a troubled youth. But... You've made me MAD. If you continue to do this I am not going to hold back. Adela. GET FEI ON THE MOTHERFUCKING LINE THIS INSTANT SEE IF HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON! I'll occupy the little yandere."

Adela jumped away as Maria held on to the psychotic girl. The complete lack of pain showing on Svetlana was simply insane. She could not fathom how someone who could not even stand in the heat for long periods of time able to take such punishments without as much as a single wince. Picking up her radio transceiver, she frantically called in, yelling, "Sir, Madam, anyone!? Get Ouyang Fei on the line... Now... I mean fucking now..."

Glaring emotionlessly at Maria, Svetlana did not appear to feel any pain from the broken wrists. She could however sense that she was unable to use them at that moment. Staring at the incensed Maria, she uttered in a cold tone, "let me go. Do you wish for another crewman to die? Serena's knowledge of the Warlock had proven invaluable to the Allied commanders. They would not tolerate any attempt from him to flee. The source of that problem lies with her. If Serena fulfills his desire to meet with Miss Nicole, he would no longer have the desire to desert his unit. Alternatively, killing her would sever his last tie to his original time, thereby leaving him no reason to abandon his unit. I intend to act out the most efficient method of this. Which do you believe is the right one, Maria Lucinda-"

"Don't listen to her!" Adela yelled, panicking at the words, "she's insane! Bat shit grade! Come on, get through, damn it!..."

---

Lying on the floor, Fei was totally at the mercy of the paramedics, including Yoshika, as they fixed him up the best they can. Looking at the forlorn stare in his eyes, Yoshika could only feel sorry for him. She could tell he was blaming himself for what was happening right now. She could not help but sympathize.

"It's... It's OK, Fei-san," she told him, "everything will be fine, I promise. Right now, we need to fix you up back to normal. This time, let me finish my job."

Rolling his head back towards the sky, Fei could only sigh in resignation. After everything he did, despite all the feats he performed, he was still as fragile a human being as any other. Towards Heinze, he uttered in a solemn tone, "Yes, I know... I'm sorry... It's my fault..."

However, at that moment, a messenger arrived with a portable receiver in his hand, "Lieutenant Fei, there's an urgent message from our witches on the field! We need you to pick it up-"

To everyone's shock, Fei immediately clamoured for the phone, as if a sudden burst of energy was injected into him. Reaching for the receiver, he found himself bombarded by a mass of question from Adela's panicked voice. Heaving a desperate breath, he called out above her voice, "Tepes! Listen to me! Put the receiver in Sveta's ears! I'll try talking some sense into her!"

---

Adela felt bothered by Fei's sudden request. She did not feel like getting anywhere near the wacko-Sveta right now. Reluctantly, she slowly edged herself nearer towards Svetlana as she hung the receiver an inch towards her ear. A long pause awaited them as Adela tried to make out what he was saying. She could barely hear anything from the call. But at that moment, she noticed a glint of life passing back into her lifeless eyes before passing out in a blink. Glaring back at Maria, Adela could only relent at the anti-climatic end.

"Ehh... for once, I actually thought she'd be writhing in pain and spouting foreign languages like a possessed freak. Too bad I have an aversion to crosses too."

Yuki ran into the building. "Freeze!" She shouted raising her AUG HBAR. The safety was off and the gun was pointed directly at Sveta. After she had gotten the call for help it had taken her awhile to show up. Looks like she got there just in time.

Beatrice and Gertrude landed away from the village. Beatrice was worried.

What do they mean, Sergeant Remitonova's gone nuts? she thought as she hid her strikers in a bush and readied her rifle. Soon after entering the village, she saw Yuki ran into a building, and the two witches followed, Beatrice with her rife, and Gertrude with a pistol.

"Oh, crap..."

Looking up at the witches running into the scene, however, Adela merely slapped her forehead, scowling in a deadpan manner, "what kept you?..."

[Hetland 2]

Maria returned from the bathroom just in time to see this happening, "May God up in heaven have mercy upon my soul for what I am about to do." Maria grabbed Svetlana's hands in hers and squeezed. Kaixa's ears and tail formed and a sickening crack could be heard from Svetlana's hands. "Svetlana... I've been lienient with you because you're clearly a troubled youth. But... You've made me MAD. If you continue to do this I am not going to hold back. Adela. GET FEI ON THE MOTHERFUCKING LINE THIS INSTANT SEE IF HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON! I'll occupy the little yandere."

Adela jumped away as Maria held on to the psychotic girl. The complete lack of pain showing on Svetlana was simply insane. She could not fathom how someone who could not even stand in the heat for long periods of time able to take such punishments without as much as a single wince. Picking up her radio transceiver, she frantically called in, yelling, "Sir, Madam, anyone!? Get Ouyang Fei on the line... Now... I mean fucking now..."

Glaring emotionlessly at Maria, Svetlana did not appear to feel any pain from the broken wrists. She could however sense that she was unable to use them at that moment. Staring at the incensed Maria, she uttered in a cold tone, "let me go. Do you wish for another crewman to die? Serena's knowledge of the Warlock had proven invaluable to the Allied commanders. They would not tolerate any attempt from him to flee. The source of that problem lies with her. If Serena fulfills his desire to meet with Miss Nicole, he would no longer have the desire to desert his unit. Alternatively, killing her would sever his last tie to his original time, thereby leaving him no reason to abandon his unit. I intend to act out the most efficient method of this. Which do you believe is the right one, Maria Lucinda-"

"Don't listen to her!" Adela yelled, panicking at the words, "she's insane! Bat shit grade! Come on, get through, damn it!..."

---

Lying on the floor, Fei was totally at the mercy of the paramedics, including Yoshika, as they fixed him up the best they can. Looking at the forlorn stare in his eyes, Yoshika could only feel sorry for him. She could tell he was blaming himself for what was happening right now. She could not help but sympathize.

"It's... It's OK, Fei-san," she told him, "everything will be fine, I promise. Right now, we need to fix you up back to normal. This time, let me finish my job."

Rolling his head back towards the sky, Fei could only sigh in resignation. After everything he did, despite all the feats he performed, he was still as fragile a human being as any other. However, at that moment, a messenger arrived with a portable receiver in his hand, "Lieutenant Fei, there's an urgent message from our witches on the field! We need you to pick it up-"

To everyone's shock, Fei immediately clamoured for the phone, as if a sudden burst of energy was injected into him. Reaching for the receiver, he found himself bombarded by a mass of question from Adela's panicked voice. Heaving a desperate breath, he called out above her voice, "Tepes! Listen to me! Put the receiver in Sveta's ears! I'll try talking some sense into her!"

---

Adela felt bothered by Fei's sudden request. She did not feel like getting anywhere near the wacko-Sveta right now. Reluctantly, she slowly edged herself nearer towards Svetlana as she hung the receiver an inch towards her ear. A long pause awaited them as Adela tried to make out what he was saying. She could barely hear anything from the call. But at that moment, she noticed a glint of life passing back into her lifeless eyes before passing out in a blink. Glaring back at Maria, Adela could only relent at the anti-climatic end.

"Ehh... for once, I actually thought she'd be writhing in pain and spouting foreign languages like a possessed freak. Too bad I have an aversion to crosses too."

Looking up at the witches running into the scene, however, Adela merely slapped her forehead, scowling in a deadpan manner, "what kept you?..."

As Sveta's passed out Maria felt the strength and anger in her bubble out, her knees giving out causing her to fall on her butt. She wrapped her arms around herself and began to sob quietly. Even with the circumstances she'd done something horrid to Svetlana. She'd did what she swore she'd never do. She'd injured one of her sisters she'd sworn to protect with her life.

[Finorskia]

Yuki lowered her rifle. "Well excuse me. You'r not the one stuck flying an F-4 striker until their better striker is fixed." Yuki glared at Adela. "Doesn't matter now though does it." She ruffled her hair. "Man today has just been crazy. I hope we get home soon. Or that this is just some crazy dream of mine."

[Wolfenium]

"Trust me, Yuki..." Adela griped, rubbing her temples over the whole incident, "I really wish this was a bad dream too... Maybe I really fell asleep in front of my laptop waiting for events to load in my game..."

Looking down the whimpering Maria, Adela could only sigh at her self-pity. The Dacian could not imagine herself becoming this sentimental, and yet there she was. Gripping the girl by her arm, all she could say was, "come on, Maria. The sooner we get home, the sooner we can all wake up from this crazy nightmare. Then you can spill all your heartfelt pains to that dear girl on the floor, and she'll just brush it off and forgive you. Come on... Anyone care to help me with Loony and Ice Wacko here? I really want to go back right now..."

[Imota]

"I will," Beatrice said, quietly. "It's the least I can do, anyway." Despite her words, she herself was uncertain as to how to approach Svetlana.

"Um...forgive me," she finally said, moving to try and pick up Svetlana, "but we really ought to be heading back. Maria? Are you alright?"

[Hetland 2]

"Trust me, Yuki..." Adela griped, rubbing her temples over the whole incident, "I really wish this was a bad dream too... Maybe I really fell asleep in front of my laptop waiting for events to load in my game..."

Looking down the whimpering Maria, Adela could only sigh at her self-pity. The Dacian could not imagine herself becoming this sentimental, and yet there she was. Gripping the girl by her arm, all she could say was, "come on, Maria. The sooner we get home, the sooner we can all wake up from this crazy nightmare. Then you can spill all your heartfelt pains to that dear girl on the floor, and she'll just brush it off and forgive you. Come on... Anyone care to help me with Loony and Ice Wacko here? I really want to go back right now..."

Maria nodded, still sobbing, Kaixa's ears and tail disappearing. She pressed her face into her hands, "I injured another witch. I... I broke... I broke the promise to my squadron. I hurt someone. I really hurt someone. I... I know I was protecting someone... but I also hurt another witch."

[Finorskia]

Yuki frowned and slung her rifle. She walked over to Maria and picked her up by the shoulders. "Pull yourself together." Yuki shouted. "You'r a witch, a soldier. Sometimes we have to hurt people, weather friend or foe, in order to protect them or others. Now my brother has probably already branded Svetlana a traitor and wants to shoot her, but I won't. However the situation required that you hurt her. She will heal and someone didn't end up dead. Be glad about that and get back up an keep fighting." Yuki smiled at Maria then turned away. "I'll go inform the Yeager that the mission is accomplished."

[Wolfenium]

"Trust me, Yuki..." Adela griped, rubbing her temples over the whole incident, "I really wish this was a bad dream too... Maybe I really fell asleep in front of my laptop waiting for events to load in my game..."

Looking down the whimpering Maria, Adela could only sigh at her self-pity. The Dacian could not imagine herself becoming this sentimental, and yet there she was. Gripping the girl by her arm, all she could say was, "come on, Maria. The sooner we get home, the sooner we can all wake up from this crazy nightmare. Then you can spill all your heartfelt pains to that dear girl on the floor, and she'll just brush it off and forgive you. Come on... Anyone care to help me with Loony and Ice Wacko here? I really want to go back right now..."

Maria nodded, still sobbing, Kaixa's ears and tail disappearing. She pressed her face into her hands, "I injured another witch. I... I broke... I broke the promise to my squadron. I hurt someone. I really hurt someone. I... I know I was protecting someone... but I also hurt another witch."

Adela was really bothered by the girl's sobbing. She questioned why someone with such frail willpower could remain a witch. Helping Yuki the Venezian to to her feet, Adela stated, "what the hell... why'd you make such contradictory promises... Yuki's right. Protecting a person and not hurting him are not the same thing. There's times when you have to hurt someone to protect her. I'm not even going to detail on this one. You don't look well enough to take it."

Watching as Yuki rush off to radio the Yeager on their sutation, Adela quietly led her to the door, urging in a soft voice, "come on, now... Let's go home..."

With that, she began carrying Maria out of the house, taking a glance look back to see how Svetlana was doing. She knew not what to make of the whole mess. All she knew was this this unit was in desperate need of professional help. At the very least, there was one man qualified enough in psychology to be the de facto unit counseller...

[Hetland 2]

A while later at the Yeager

Maria sat down in the infirmary getting her injuries bandages up, she'd gotten so light burns from Gustave's exhaust and a cut from where Svetlana had hit her in the head. Katsumi walked into the room a gentle look in her eyes and her hands hiding something behind her back, "Hey Maria. I got you something." She sat down next to her on the bed, Maria looked down at her hands, "Maria, you did the right thing. Adela could have been killed and the Svetlana could have gotten into even more trouble. Anyways I brought you some wine. You always get moody when you haven't been drinking." Maria remained silent, leaning against Katsumi. Katsumi sighed lightly and uncorked the bottle. "Maria. Just have a little bit, for me if not for yourself?