Chapter 105: Raising Soldiers
Gray looked at the sleeping Yurika and then back at the picture of the little girl, Erika. Gray grabbed Yurika's twin tails and held them down at the base to make them look like they were tied in the same spot.
"Picture Yurika with blonde hair now!" Gray said while holding Yurika's head up by her twin tails.
The little girl, Erika, did indeed look like a child version of Yurika everyone thought. Everyone was also amazed Yurika was still sleeping while Gray was holding her hair like that.
Yurika finally did wake up when Gray turned Yurika to show the rest. "WHAT THE @$%&*! Stop pulling my hair like that butt munch!" Yurika yelled angrily then punched Gray in the chest.
Gray winced in pain, released her hair, and then said, "Oww... sorry, but I think we found a very big clue. Is this you as a child?"
Gray pointed at the little girl he believes is called Erika in the picture and hands Yurika the tablet with the picture.
Yurika stares intently at it, furrows her brows, then her eyes widen, everyone leans in expectantly.
"No idea" Yurika says plainly while shrugging causing everyone to almost fall out of their seats.
"Don't tease us like that!" Gray yelled.
"Hah hah, sorry, I couldn't help myself." Yurika winked and stuck her tongue out at Gray.
"Honestly, I don't remember much as a child, I do remember my mother saying that she misses my cute little pig tails, but I've long since altered my hair to be this color. My parents said I refused to do anything until my hair could match my favorite anime character."
"Spoiled... follicle implants like that aren't cheap!" Stacia said.
"Yes, but if she got it in the virtual world, it wouldn't cost a thing." Caleb added.
"What are you talking about? They treat the virtual world like the real world, it would've cost me half a years salary to get them!" Stacia said. "I mean... not that I considered it or anything..."
"ANYWAYS" Gray interrupted "even if this is Yurika, why the name change?"
"It might be a sibling of Yurika or close relative." Caleb added.
"I don't have any sisters and my close female relatives all have dark hair." Yurika said.
"Do you think we can ask your parents about it?" Gray asked Yurika.
"Hmm... we can try, but I don't know if we'll get anything out of it, or were you just trying to meet my parents?" Yurika said teasingly while prodding Gray with her elbow.
"If your parents are like you, that would be terrifying." Gray said with a grin.
"I know." Yurika said plainly while grinning right back at him, then they both stared and smiled at each other, creating another pink atmosphere where it was just the two of them.
Stacia slapped her palm hard on the table and yelled "Enough of that! How do you even do that... I'm still confused though, why does it matter if Erika is Yurika?"
"It would explain Stephen's reason for picking her, his obsession stuck with him." Caleb said analytically.
"Right, but where does Edward Teach, Terra Research and Development, and Alterra Corporation fit in that? I feel like we're missing something. Oh right, what happened to Terra Research and Development?" Gray asked Caleb
"That's what is confusing... it's like they just disappeared a few years after setting up Alterra Corporation in the virtual world. Edward Teach resigned and became CEO of Alterra Corporation, Dr. Sara Watts had her consciousness transfer to a machine forcing her to remain as an AI forever during an experiment, and most of the staff at Terra Research and Development either disappeared or transferred to Alterra Corporation."
Caleb pulled up another picture of a group of people cutting a giant red ribbon around a new building, the revolving doors and glass walls made it apparent that it was the Alterra Corporation's headquarters in the virtual world.
"This is Alterra Corporation's ribbon cutting ceremony from when they finished building their headquarters. This is Edward Teach then..." Caleb pointed to a man that appeared to be in his late 50s and looked exactly like the Edward Teach from the video earlier.
"This is Drake Walters... and I believe that is his wife next to him." Caleb pointed to a man opposite of Edward Teach in his mid 20s or early 30s that looked exactly like a younger version of Drake Walters everyone was familiar with. The woman next to him was beautiful with short brown hair and a piercing gaze that made her seem untouchable.
"I've... seen her before..." Gray said slowly.
"Really? When and where?" Caleb said.
"I don't remember, but I know I've seen her... send me a copy of that picture and I'll try and remember."
"Well, we're getting closer... my AIs in the virtual world are still working on it, well, the male ones are at least. I was enjoying playing games with the female AIs so they didn't work on this at all." Caleb said with a cheerful look on his face.
"What games did you play with... you know what, I don't want to know" Gray said while shaking his head at Caleb.
"So Gray, want to go meet my parents? They're available on Sundays usually." Yurika said excitedly.
"Today is Sunday, isn't that a little soon?"
"Duh, I mean in a week! I'll need time to butter them up to!"
"What for? I'm amazing!" Gray said proudly.
"...yeah..." Yurika said disinterestedly. "Actually I don't know what to call you in front of them since technically I'm getting married in a few weeks and can't say your my boyfriend or lover."
"Fair point... ummm... close friend in arms, maybe add that I saved your life or something to make it more believable?"
"That should work... so let's go see them next Sunday!"
"Yeah, I think we need to get some confirmation about some things before I can say 'I've solved the mystery gang!' with any sort of confidence." Gray stated.
"As long as you don't say it was Red Harry..." Geoff said smugly.
"So what should we do for the rest of the day?" Paul asked.
"Whatever you guys want... I'm tired... beat up... and I think I'm going to find a tub of ice water to soak in." Gray said.
Yurika whispered to Gray "Tub for two?"
Gray nodded then whispered back "I'll get you the upgraded Gatling Cannon for a few thousand merits if you can rub my shoulders too."
Yurika's eyes lit up and she excitedly yelled "Deal!"
__________
Back at Dresden base, Marquis Mehhnk had brought out the latest batch of recruits including the Princess. On the warm Monday morning, the Marquis gave his usual warm up address, but then he added something new.
"As your instructor, I can only teach you so much... some of it you have to experience for yourselves..."
Princess Bang-gwi and Xiǎng Pigu exchanged nervous looks as the Marquis had also brought a man bound in chains and cuffs up to the small stage with him.
"This man... we can spare you his name, he was accused and found guilty of murder of an entire family of lower nobles and the commoner family staying with them."
The Marquis then pulled out a gun, swiftly aimed it at the man's head and pulled the trigger.
Princess Bang-gwi looked on in shock and horror, she felt as if time slowed down as she could see the bullet penetrate the man's skull, the blood spray escaping the cavity left by the bullet like how a can that is opened sprays out pop under pressure. The blood coats the tip of the gun and the Marquis' face as well as his jacket, a light amount of smoke coming from the barrel of the gun and the blood being dried from the heat of the muzzle. The sound of the shot, meanwhile, resonated through her entire being, then ended all at once when the man's body crumpled to the stage.
After a few moments some pilots and soldiers, male and female, screamed in shock. The Princess woke up from her shock and looked around and saw Xiǎng Pigu bending over and throwing up, she wanted to help her but the Princess couldn't move.
Suddenly she felt warmth all around her and her vision was blocked.
"Princess, keep calm." she heard Vincent's voice say calmly. He had hugged her tightly and turned her whole body away from the scene.
Recovering from her shock, the Princess managed to say "Th-thank you, Vincent..."
"What happened to 'Vinnie'"? Vincent said slightly teasing her.
The Princess gave a small laugh and managed to hold herself together, then said "Vinnie, help Pi..."
"O-Of course, sorry!" Vincent let go of Princess Bang-gwi and then went to help Xiǎng Pigu.
Marquis Mehhnk wiped the gun off and holstered it, then was handed a towel which he used to wipe the blood off of his face. "This is war, you can call it murder, but they are both the same. You will be intentionally trying to take another person's life to protect our cause or protect your own life. If you hesitate, you die!"
Marquis Mehhnk honestly hated this part of the training... he was changing the young men and women from innocent civilians into soldiers. He felt a piece of yourself would die when you could unflinchingly take the life of another human, but he also understood that as soldiers it was necessary. "You can relax for today or train, the choice is yours... but know that you all will have to have the resolve to kill by the end of the week."
Princess Bang-gwi took Xiǎng Pigu from Vincent and would guide her back to her room as she seemed to be in no condition to train. It surprised the Princess how calm Vincent, Sabrina, Alexander, and Brian were, she reminded herself to ask them about it later.
After dropping off Xiǎng Pigu, Princess Bang-gwi returned to her room with Chuhan Jwi close behind her. Chuhan Jwi waited for the Princess to say something, but instead walked up behind her and patted her gently on the back as the Princess fell to her knees and threw up her breakfast into the toilet.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
LordSputnik
LordSputnik "I've solved the mystery gang!" and "Red Harry" are references to the old cartoon "A Pup named Scooby-Doo", more specifically whenever Freddie thinks he solves the mystery and always blamed Red Harry.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone