章 10: A Risky Promise
Chiho shouted at the girl with her first Russian word despite not know what it means, She did it to know how the girl will react on it. "S-Sdykhat'? (cдыхать?)" The girl gave a confused look while the purple-haired girl was quite surprised. "You can speak their language?!" She asked. "No, Actually.. I just happened to remember one when we faced them" Chiho responded. "Oh.. Is that so... by the way, My name's Mariko Sakitama, And i'm from the Jima Village" The purple-haired girl introduced herself. Ayumi stood up at her words. "I'm Chiho Hasegawa, And this child is-" Chiho also did the same but Ayumi cuts her to introduce herself. "My name is Ayumi Kirisaki" Chiho and Mariko looked at her at her interruption. Then Mariko bent low and rests both of her palms at her knees. "Hello, Ayumi-chan? Are you also from Tsuchiya?" Mariko suddenly looked like an actual kind person. Then Ayumi puts her hands on her hips, visible angry from something. "Why are you posing like that? Geez!" Ayumi pouts and looked straight at Mariko. "Wh.." Mariko checked her stance just in case. "What's wrong?" Mariko curiously asked. "How rude! It means that i'm too small for you to normally look at!" Ayumi angrily responded, Which left Mariko with no words. Then Chiho spoke up instead. "Ayumi-chan? It's normal for older people to do that when talking to a child, you know?". Ayumi then crossed her arms. "Hmph!" Then She pouted and looked away.
Her attitude made Mariko giggle. "She's a funny child, isn't She?" Mariko looked at Chiho. "I know right?" Chiho also agreed and pats Ayumi's head. Then She looked at the huge plane, then to the captured girl. "Do you have any idea where She came from?" Chiho asked to Mariko. "Hm?" Mariko almost forgot about the girl, Who was watching them the entire time in silence. "Hey. Where did you come from?" Mariko's voice suddenly turned scary, Chiho and Ayumi noticed this but chose to ignore it. The girl just looked at Mariko, not giving an answer, But They noticed that the girl finally calmed down. "Why are you so quiet all of the sudden?" Mariko gave a curious question. But She didn't respond again. Mariko just sighs at her lack of answer and just went through her pockets. Mariko made sure to touch every corner of each of her pockets. Then She unbuttoned her dress and touched her waist to make sure there are no weapons inside. Then as She reached her sides. The girl twitched and made a noise. In surprise, Mariko stepped away and puts her right hand at her axe on her waist. "What?!" Mariko shouted. The girl made a very pained face but She quickly looked away for them to notice. "You have something on you, Don't you?!" Mariko asked once more. Chiho and Ayumi watched the scene while holding their laugh.
Giving another silent response, Mariko forced herself to open her dress widely, She gasped in the horrible view. Her undershirt is soaking with her own blood, Then Mariko looked at her hands, with the girl's blood on them. "This... That weapon hits you that hard?" Mariko then looked at the PTRD-41 lying on the ground just below the Stuka's left wing. Then the girl loudly throws her back at the ground and exhaled loud. Then She started to breath heavily. "H-Hey!" Mariko quickly went near the girl, And so the two girls who just regretted the thought that the girl was just ticklish, They now gathered around her worryingly. "Get it together!" Chiho worryingly shouted at her. The girl is now sweating hard. Ayumi just looked at the girl, worried. They all quickly knew the girl was trying to hide her wound at her best efforts. "Why did you stay silent about this?" Mariko angrily asked the girl. "..Or at least make an expression of getting hurt" Mariko continued even though She knows that talking to her is pointless. "D-Do you have like, That thing you inject?" Chiho asked the girl. Then She slowly looked to Chiho, Then She looked at Mariko.
The girl's situation left her no choice. "Save me..." The girl finally spoke Japanese, This really surprised the three. "Radio..". The girl continued. "What?!" Ignoring the fact that She can speak 'Their language' . Mariko asked for clear words. The girl closed her eyes and slowly reached for her left pocket of her skirt and took out a radio. Then She looked at Mariko. "Destroy it.." She asked Mariko to destroy the radio. "O..Okay!" Mariko didn't know what's going on but She did what She was told and She took the radio away from her hands and puts it on the ground far from her, Then She took her axe and swings it, with strong force, to the radio, Making a crunchy noise. It only took one swing to turn the radio completely unusable. Watching Mariko finished off the radio, Chiho and Ayumi looked at the girl again. "Painkiller... In the plane.. Climb on its wings.." The girl told the two to find them on the Stuka. "Plane?!" Chiho asked. "It's that big flying thing!" Ayumi quickly knew the name as it sounds new to them. Chiho looked at her then to the Stuka, Then She looked back to the girl to make sure. The girl slowly nods. "Okay!" Chiho responded and They both ran to the Stuka. "Careful, You two!" Mariko shouted at them. But the two didn't heard her as They have a little bit of excitement of finally seeing the Stuka, aside from the panic. The two stopped behind the left wing, Then Chiho looked at the large black spot from the side near the cockpit. Then She jumped up to the wing. Ayumi was about to do the same, But She saw the PTRD under the wing which sparkled her eyes.
Instead of going up the wing, She went for the gun. While Chiho observes the cockpit of the Stuka. "Amazing.." Chiho first saw the numbers of gauges and the control stick, before the broken windows, glass shards on the blood soaked seat and to the floor. "Oh no.." Chiho really feels bad at her, despite being an enemy. As She was looking further, She saw a bit of the painkiller hiding beside the seat. "There you are!" Chiho inserts her left arm through the broken window while She puts her other arm to the canopy. She can't reach it from there, But She tried to bend her arm more. But with such force, She forcibly slides the canopy open, losing her a bit of balance. "So this is how it opens..." Chiho looked at the canopy as She regained her balance. "Hm?" Chiho looked around to look for Ayumi, She saw her observing the long gun. "Ayumi-chan? Be careful not to shoot with that thing, okay?" Chiho warned Ayumi. "Yes, I know" She responded, But doesn't seem like She mean it, She's touching every part and keeps trying to carry it. "Ayumi.." Chiho sighs. "Hey you two! This girl's dying! You can look at the plane later!" Mariko shouted at them. "Y-Yeah! I got it!" Chiho responded and hurriedly took the painkiller and jumped down from the wing and ran to the girl.
"Okay.. Where do you inject this?" Chiho shows the girl the painkiller. The girl looked at Mariko and flips herself to point her tied hands to Mariko. Then She looked at Mariko over her shoulders. "Do you mind?" She slightly shakes her hand. Mariko didn't know what to say. "Come on... I won't do anything" The girl convinced Mariko to untie her. "Damn it, Fine!" Mariko untied the girl. Once done, The girl stood up and removed her dress. The bottom part of the undershirt She was wearing was soaked with her blood. The view disgusts Chiho and Ayumi, While Mariko didn't gave any reaction. "Heh.. I was trying to bleed out, but..." The girl talked as She raise her shirt enough for them see her wounds. The wounds were deep and blood are still flowing slowly from them. "Look at that.. How could you remain all quiet about this?" Mariko can't believe of what She's seeing. "Is it because of the gun?" Mariko asked. "Yes, You did a nice shot at me. I was surprised" The girl responded. Mariko was about to say something, but the girl called Chiho to inject the painkiller on her arm. Chiho then injected the painkiller and applied it on her arm. The girl lowered her shirt as the medicine took effect immediately. The girl did a relieved sigh and took the clothes again.
"Are you.. Fine now?" Chiho asked as She puts away the painkiller. "Yes, Thank you" The girl smiled at Chiho. "Everything's good? Alright, I have a lot of questions to ask you" Mariko spoke up. The girl looked at her. "B-But first, How did that help?" Mariko held her question so She can ask about the painkiller. "It's a medicine, It heals your wounds completely" The girl responded. "C-Completely?" Mariko was surprised. "I got one from an enemy soldier before, And it really healed Ayumi's wounds" Chiho agreed. Then Ayumi walked near Mariko and raised her dress. "I was stabbed on my belly, Then it went away when Onee-chan used that medicine" Ayumi told Mariko while showing her belly. "Y-You were stabbed? Can't believed you survived! Most people die right after the stabs!" Mariko looked closely at her belly. Then Ayumi pointed at where her wounds at before. "N-Not even a scratch anymore?" Mariko reached for her belly to feel any scratch. Ayumi giggled and twitched a little bit. "Y-You're a ticklish one, aren't you?" Mariko looked at her and stopped. Ayumi smiled at her, Blushing. Then She stood up and looked at the girl. "Poor child" The girl looked at Ayumi. "Yeah, It's because of your people!" Mariko shouted at the girl, Which made her look away. "Also.." Mariko sits beside her. The girl looked back at her. "You could speak our language, Why bother talking like that before? You made me look like an idiot!" Mariko's annoyed. "It's our rule" The girl responded, making the three of them look at her. "We were told to speak Ru.. Our language all the times" The girl explained.
"You were about to say something!" Chiho spoke. The girl sighs. "Russian.. It's our language" She responded on Chiho. "Russian?" The three thinks about the word. "Never heard that before" Mariko shakes her head. "Me neither" It was also something new to Ayumi. "I think i heard that before" Chiho thinks deep. "Really?" Ayumi looked at Chiho. She looked back at her. "Nevermind" Chiho instantly denied her guess, Ayumi frowns in disappointment. "It's a surprise We can understand each other with my Japanese" The girl said. "Japanese?" Mariko asked. "Yes, The language i'm using now" The girl answered. The whole group fell silent as to process things, Then the girl spoke up first. "Don't tell me, That it's the same language but different name?". The girl guessed it. "I-I guess..?" Mariko is still unsure but nods anyways. "Well.. We call it Japanese. Surprisingly, It's the same as yours but with different name... What's the name?" The girl asked. "Our whole region speaks in Tsuchiyan language, Chiho-san's village's language" Mariko looked at Chiho, Then Chiho nods. "Tsuchiya? That's the village we are assaulting" The girl recalls the name. "Yeah, If you please, Can you ask your people to stop?" Mariko jokingly(?) asked. "That'll be ridiculous" The girl gave a straight answer.
"Just why are you doing this?" Ayumi looked straight at the girl. She also looked back. Chiho thinks if She ever asked the same with the soldier They met before. "Resources and Recruitment" The girl responded. "Now THAT is ridiculous! Why can't you just make a trade or something? You could have just asked nicely!" Mariko angrily shouted at her. "We never wanted to do that at all. Our boss' the one who wants it that way and We just obey him" The girl responded. "Bullshit! If you really don't want to make a war, You're supposed to be, like, rebelling on him right now!" Mariko continued to shout. "Even if that's how things are right now, You just messed it all up by shooting my plane. You showed that your side is a threat to the 'rebels'. Which would likely result us joining back to their side against you, again" The girl told Mariko's mistake if somehow her group is rebel, Leaving her with no words, But not too long before She comes up. "I.. I could tell you.. Like right now, if you were against them, i would.. You know, Apologize?" Mariko shyly responded. "No. Apologizing for damaging a property and putting a unit on near-death situation is very absurd. Words like those will never ever fix such problems" The girl explained. "Tsk." Mariko crossed her arms. "Just what kind of people are you.. I bet the villages within your region must be begging you to stop.. This could lead to another world war instead of a conflict between the two villages.. Specially when the civilizations started to make an alliance in post great war" Mariko continued. "Village? Region? We came from another world" The girl states that They're not from any region on their world.
"Huh?!" Mariko shouted in surprise. "What are you saying here now?" Mariko asked. Before the girl could answer, Chiho responded instead. "That's right.. I was also told that They came from another world.. It's hard to believe, But Their scary technologies might be the evidence". Mariko and the girl looked at Chiho. "I-It could be from another region. The Northern region... O-Or the Westerns?" Mariko desperately trying to deny Chiho's words, Chiho shakes her head. "Believe it or not, Us Tsuchiya have deployed scouts and adventurers all over the world, And We never heard such languages as Russian, Nor like those technologies being researched" Chiho responded. "Maybe your people just suck at doing their job" Mariko whispered. She made Chiho look at her, She looked away. "Excuse me?" Ayumi spoke, making Mariko look at her. "Like your village has better people to do the job! I bet you don't even know how it is to go around the world and know what they're up to! You can't just come up to their faces and ask them if they are making another technologies, you know!" Ayumi furiously fought back, Mariko was discomforted. "H-Hey now kid, You're a sharp one, ain't you? What's your name again?" Mariko asked for her name. "It's Ayumi Kirisaki!" Ayumi puts her hands on her hips, looking proud of herself. This made Chiho giggle and backs her up. "Don't be fooled by Ayumi-chan's age, She was so already eager to learn about the village, and specially, about the hero.. Or my Father's history". Ayumi proudly nods, But Mariko quickly looked at Chiho, surprised. "Say what?!" Mariko asked, breaking Ayumi's proud stance. Then Chiho started to explain. "The man's real name on the stories was Yagano Takamura, He then later married to a girl, Which is the real name is Katsuko Hasegawa.. Then later the two had a child" Chiho stopped there. "And that kid is... You?" Mariko asked, shaking. Chiho didn't answer but instead smiled at her. Mariko backed off a little bit
"Hell no.. No way.. How could you say that those names are the real ones?.. Are you saying their names on the stories were fake?" Mariko asked. "Yes" Chiho gave a quick answer. Mariko took a second before speaking again. "And your name is..?" Mariko asked. "Chiho Hasegawa! Nice to meet you, again. Mariko-san" Chiho introduced again. "A-Ah.. Likewise, Chiho-san... But why again?" Mariko asked. "We already introduced ourselves but you forgot our names!" Chiho answered. "I-I see.. Sorry about that" Mariko scratched her head. "Geez! You both have problems on your head! You forget things so easy!" Ayumi teased them. "What do you mean both?! It's the first time i forget things! Because of these crazy things happening!" Chiho angrily responded. "No! You just happened to know how to use your head before! Now things go crazy and so your head!" Ayumi responded, Chiho couldn't think of an answer anymore and just angrily grunts at her. Mariko just scratched her head at the scene.
"You slipped from the topic again and now you guys talk like i'm not here" The girl spoke, Reminding the three of her presence, But Mariko teased her. "Oh sorry, It's because you're an outsider!". The girl chuckled. "It doesn't matter. I'm an enemy, that's what matters". The girl responded. "You're trying to say that our own people could be the enemy too! Aren't you?! We'll never betray each other in this region, you know!" Mariko shouted back. "Said by the person who also broke the pact and joined in the Saiju to destroy us" Ayumi covered her mouth, to tease Mariko. "S-Shut it, kid! Just how much do you know?! You're starting to be irritating!" Mariko was once again discomforted about her words. "It's the truth, though. It just doesn't feel right for you to say something like that" Ayumi responded. "I wasn't even there yet when that happened! So i can say whatever i want!" Mariko shouted back, Then the girl stopped their chatter. "Alright, That's enough!" She shouted, Her words made the three look at her. "So, I'm pretty sure i couldn't run away from you people, So i guess i will be your first prisoner" The girl stated. "E-Eh? Y-You're surrendering that quick?" Mariko asked. "Yes. You see, Not all of us in the PTRD are willing to just kill tons of innocent people. I'm one of them, And you're very lucky i'm the one you caught" The girl told them. "And Why is that?" Mariko asked. "Those units who wanted chaos are the most dangerous on our organization, There are some girls who also likes to do some killings. So you're very lucky to have me here instead of those" The girl responded.
"Even girls? How awful" Ayumi describes the girls who's onto chaos. "Yes, Most of them are loyal to our boss and Will do anything the boss ask for, And..." The girl's eye suddenly opened wide. "S-Shit.." Then She slowly looked down, Then to the three. "O-Okay! Y'all better listen to me, okay?! If not, I'll kill you three right here, right now!" The girl suddenly stood up, alarming the three girls. "W-What happened all of the sudden?! Also, You think you can kill us three?!" Mariko also stood up and approached the girl. Before Mariko could touch her, The girl pointed her right closed fist to Mariko's neck and a blade loudly came out of her sleeve on her wrist, Which made Mariko stop and rests her hand on her axe. The two also stood up in surprise. "Alright, I'm sorry, I panicked.. Just listen to me okay?" The girl's blade loudly retracts back to her sleeve, also calming down the three girls. "Geez, What the hell?" Mariko moved her hands away from her axe. The girl sits down, Then the three followed shortly. The girl exhaled. "Alright... You!" She pointed her finger to Chiho, surprising her. "You're from that village We're assaulting right?" The girl asked, Chiho answered and nods. Then the girl pointed at the star painted on the Stuka. "I bet you saw some of the plane with stars but different than what i have here, yes?" She asked Chiho. Chiho looked and observed the star. Compared to the first plane They saw, The star on the Stuka parked near them has yellow outline and the red star inside of it was a bit darker. The first star She saw from their village was only red star, and is lighter color than what the Stuka has.
"I-I guess so, It's also a star but different" Chiho responded. "Yes. That means There's a faction within the PTRD" The girl revealed a faction. "Wait, hold on! Another group of people in a group of people?! Isn't that going to cause, like a mess between the people in the faction and to the actual group?!" Mariko asked, surprised. "No, Believe it or not. We have the perfect Stability and There's no conflicts on us ever.. Enough of that!" The girl cuts the topic. "Back on track!.. So, There's only one faction that have ever formed in our organization. And that is the Red Mosin" The girl revealed a name. "Red Mosin?" Chiho repeated the name. "Yes, The name is not that scary, But that faction is consisted of the best sharpshooters of the PTRD, A certain girl who happened to be the our top notch sniper, Has gave a request to our boss to make a faction for her handpicked snipers" The girl explained. "Snipers?!" Mariko asked, The two was also curious. "Snipers, They use a powerful gun that can shoot from far away while perfectly concealed" The girl gave a quick answer before continuing. "It was supposedly group for snipers only, But the top notch girl thought They could have an air support just in case. So She requested for assignments of few squadrons of planes to their faction. Of course, Shichiro.. Ah!" The girl forgot to say boss in a hurry. "Shichiro?" Mariko asked. "Yes, Yes! It's our leader's name, Shichiro Fujiwara, Blue hair whatever!" The girl revealed Shichiro to them. "W-Wow you gave him away that easy" Mariko responded and the girl continued.
"Then There! Shichiro approved it and even made it so the top notch girl gets to fully control the squadrons on her own will, And That's where i come in! My squadron was one of the assigned squadrons on that faction, So simply, I'm one of them now!" The girl were really panicking, but despite that, Mariko keeps asking her question in calm manner, To tease her to be relaxed while She panics alone. "Squadron? What is that?" Mariko asked. "God damn it! It's just a group of that!" The girl angrily pointed at the Stuka. "Alright, Last question i promise, Just what is the name of this 'top notch' girl?" Mariko asked her final question. The girl calmed down a little bit. "She's... I'm sorry, I was told by herself not to tell her name to her enemies" She told them. "At least how She looks?!" Mariko asked more. "Her looks, on the other hand, Well... She have a patch on her left eye, Her patch have the same star on my plane, But unlike on the plane, It has two drawings of a gun, making an X form just below the star. She wears the same uniform as i have right now, But Hers have more red color. She's just as tall as you are, Chiho-san" The girl looked at Chiho. "M-Me..?" Chiho gulped. "Yes, She has scary face, But.. She can be cute sometimes" The girl stopped there, making a moment of silence. "A-Ahem.. So, She have zero tolerance towards deserters, And i must ask you to convince them that i was captured and forced to work on your side, okay?!" The girl asked them to hide her from her faction. "And why do you think we'll agree on that?" Mariko asked. "Because..!" The girl froze. "Hm?" Mariko's still waiting for an answer. "O-Okay then.. Here's a deal, If one person from the PTRD ever ask you about my situation, You tell them i was captured and was forced to work on your side. In exchange, I will teach you how this thing works!" The girl pointed at the Stuka. "Whoa! Now that's a fair deal!" Mariko's excited about knowing the plane. "R-Really?! You'll teach us about that flying thing?!" Ayumi asked her out of excitement. The girl bent low to see her close and answered. "Yes, As long we agree on the deal" The girl smiled, But Ayumi pouted on return. "Straight Body!" Ayumi shouted, Confusing the girl.
"What's your name though? You haven't introduced since You started speaking our language, And How the hell do you think I'll expose you to them? That girl with black hair on the plane with the same star as you have in your patch?" Mariko asked her name. "Geez, Alright. I'm Takumi Saito" The girl introduced. "Takumi-san, is it?" Chiho repeats her name, Takumi nods in response. "I'm Chiho Hasegawa, Nice to meet you!" Chiho introduced herself. "I already know your names, to be honest" Takumi told them. "Chiho-san, Ayumi-chan and Mariko" Takumi repeated their names, Chiho and Ayumi was surprised, But not Mariko. "Only Mariko?!" Mariko complained. "What? You want your surname?" Takumi asked. "No! Where's the honorifics? You gave Chiho-san here but where's mine?!" Mariko asked. "Geez, Are you that desperate to have people call you with honorifics?" Takumi asked and Mariko answered with a loud Yes. "Well, I'm not giving you one, not a chance. You've been rude to me" Takumi responded. "What do you expect an enemy's attitude towards you?" Mariko asked. "Fair enough, But still no honorifics for you" Takumi responded. "Whatever" Mariko dropped the topic.
Chiho asked a question. "So, Takumi-san? Why are you siding with us again?" She asked Takumi. "Like i said, I have no intention of harming everyone. Sure, I might have bomb some people. But when i get contact with them, i just don't want to hurt them anymore" Takumi answered. "So, They have to talk to you so you won't hurt them? What a weird logic you have. If you really can't kill a person, You shouldn't have joined them" Mariko clarifies her words. "Whatever, That's why i joined the air force, So i wouldn't see my victims.. It's a long story of why i'm still on their organization" Takumi responded. "Hmph... You guys are weird" Mariko crossed her arms. "It's the best you call me Kind, You have yet to see the PTRD's ruthless soldiers" Takumi responded. "Nah, You're all weird" Mariko looked away and Takumi just shrugged. There was another silence around them.
Ayumi is the one who broke the silence. "So what are we going to do now?". She asked, Takumi looked at her. Then suddenly, They heard the running footsteps of the horses coming near them. Takumi got alarmed a little bit and was about to stand up. Then as it gets closer, Gentaro and Itsumi on a horse went into view along with the other cavalries behind them. "Chiho-san!" Gentaro and Itsumi called for Chiho. "Y-Yes?!" Chiho immediately stood up. "You had us worrying about you! Why did you lie on your way here?!" Gentaro shouted at her, Not that He's angry, More than He's worried. Chiho noticed this. "I-I'm really sorry, If i didn't do that, They would not let me out" Chiho answered. Gentaro sighs out of frustration. "I don't know what to say to your Father if you were put into danger" Gentaro thinks of her father. "I'm sorry" Chiho bowed. "Hey, Who are these guys?" Mariko taps Chiho's shoulder and asked. "They're the Saijun leader" Chiho looked over her shoulders. "O-Oh, Wow.. You made their leader run for you outside?!" Mariko couldn't believe it. Then Gentaro went down from his horse and approached them. "Chiho-san here is the daughter of the hero from the stories, kid. And We are responsible for her safety" Gentaro straightly told Mariko. "W-What the hell.. It's true" Mariko gasps and stepped away from Chiho. "W-What's the matter?" Chiho asked. "W-Well.. To think.. You're that very daughter from the stories.. It's.." Mariko's lost of words. "D-Does that mean you still haven't believed me before?" Chiho tilted her head. "Y-Yeah, There's no way that They will just go out of their village like that, You know" Mariko answered. "Well.. Believe it or not, I'm here right now" Chiho gestures that She's in front of her. Mariko couldn't answer.
As Gentaro watched them, His eyes landed on Takumi and instantly recognized her uniform. "O-Oh! Aren't you one of them? You wear the same dress as the people who visited us!" Gentaro talked to her. Takumi stood up to answer. "Yes, I do remember some of our people visiting a nearby village to side with us". Gentaro was surprised to her words. "W-What do you mean, Side with you?" Gentaro asked. "What? Didn't those people told you that They will share technologies in exchange of being allied against Tsuchiya?" Takumi responded. "N-No! They just told us they would share! They didn't say anything about siding with you!". Hearing Gentaro's worried words, Itsumi went down from her horse to come near. "Nii-san? What's wrong?" Itsumi looked at and asked Gentaro. "I guess They are willing to come back and influence you more before inviting you to our side, That was too early for me to say" Takumi speaked, They all looked at her. "But What's the hesitation? Why are you worried about joining us?" Takumi walked in front of Gentaro. He can't answer. "I heard from these three that There's an alliance between each village in every region. Perhaps your village has an alliance with Tsuchiya?" Takumi looked straight at Gentaro. Both Him and Itsumi were visibly uncomfortable at being exposed. Gentaro tried to answer, But Takumi spoke first. "You could have told those people instead of tricking us, you know?". In lack of answer from the leader, Chiho angrily shouted at Takumi. "Y-You're not going to turn away from us, Right?!". Her shout made the three to look back at her. "Of course not" Takumi let go of the tension She just gave to the leader.
"Y-You're not going to tell them about us?" Gentaro made sure of her words. "Yes, As long as these three keeps my promise" Takumi answered, Gentaro looked at Chiho, Then She nodded and looked at Takumi. "I'll keep your promise!" She said. "Hmph.." Takumi didn't answer and sits down. "W..Well, I don't know what's your promises, but We can't stay here any longer" Gentaro spoke. "What's your name, miss?" He asked Takumi. ".. I'm Takumi.." She responded. "Then, Takumi-san? What are you going to do now? Wanna stay at our village?" Gentaro asked. "Unless you have a large place for her, I won't go with you" Takumi pointed at the Stuka. They all looked at it. "W-Well, I'm afraid We don't have a space that big" Gentaro observed the Stuka, He couldn't believe at what he's looking at. "But the sun is falling, Are you planning on staying here at night?" Gentaro asked. "No, I will fly back to our base" Takumi answered. "Hey! Are you nuts?!" Mariko shouted at her. "We still do have the promise" Takumi told Mariko, Then She looked at Chiho and called for her. "Chiho-san, It seems like you're the only one i could ask something" Takumi told Chiho. "Y-Yes? What is it?" Chiho asked. "I have to go back to base, But We still have our promise. I promise I'll come back here at this location. Can you trust me?" Takumi looked directly at Chiho's eyes, Waiting for her respond. Chiho thinks hard for an answer. "C-Chiho-san! We can't!" Mariko shouted at Chiho. "I'll definitely keep the promise, I'll try my best to go on this location again tomorrow, I have to repair my plane and report back" Takumi ignored Mariko and convinced Chiho more. "Report back?" Chiho asked.
"Yes, I have to make a report of my flight, But I promise I'll never tell them about you" Takumi responded. "We can't trust you!" Mariko shouted at her, Takumi looked at her for a second before looking back again at Chiho. "I can't stay here any longer, Chiho-san. They will be suspicious if i took long enough to return" Takumi said. Then Chiho finally spoke. "You promise You won't tell us?". Then Takumi quickly answered. "Yes! I promise!" She smiled at Chiho, Which relieves her a bit. "Chiho-san!" Mariko couldn't accept it. "L-Leader?!" Mariko looked at Gentaro. "I don't know what happened, So i can't join in, I'm afraid We'll have to rely on Chiho-san this time" Gentaro told Mariko. "D-Damn it.. Fine" Mariko calmed down and went near Takumi to tap her shoulder. "You better come back or I'll find you again, You understand?" Mariko speaked with a defeated tone. "Yes! I'll come back, Thank you, Mariko-san!" Takumi answered with a smile, Mariko blushed a little bit. "Then!" Takumi stood up. "I have to get going now! Meet me here at twelve tomorrow, okay?" Takumi made an arrangement. "Twelve? Okay" Chiho answered. "Well then! I'll see you tomorrow!" Takumi waved and ran back to the Stuka. The group went near the Stuka to watch her get in. "Hey! Teach me how to use that tomorrow, alright?!" Mariko shouted at Takumi, Who's about to close the canopy. Takumi nodded at her before sliding close the canopy.
A few seconds, Smokes loudly came out of the exhaust on the front before making a very loud noise of the engine starting and the propellers starts. The group were closely watching the Stuka starts, Astonished. Then Takumi puts her hands out of the canopy to wave at them and the Stuka slowly accelerates away from them until it gained enough speed to fly up. "Amazing..!" Mariko speaks as She watch the Stuka fly up. Then It turns back to their direction and flew above them, deafening the group. Mariko laughs loudly as it flies away. "Amazing! To think I'll be able to use that thing tomorrow!" Mariko held her fists close in excitement. Chiho and Ayumi were excited to see how it works too, Even though Ayumi knows Takumi wouldn't let her use it anyway, so She just teased Mariko. "But What if She doesn't come back? You'll not be able to use it and things will be horrible instead" She said, But it doesn't seem to worry Mariko anymore. "Nah, I trust her now. She'll come back and teach us!" Mariko smiled while still looking at the Stuka, Who's far away now.
"Well, That's that. Let's return to the village. Hey there, miss? Do you want to come with us?" Gentaro asked Mariko. "The name's Mariko, And i guess I'll have to come with you, I have a lot to things to ask about Chiho-san" Mariko answered and looked at Chiho, But She looked away when Chiho did the same. "I don't really get you, If you're shy or a scary one" Chiho scratched her head, leaving no answer of Mariko. "Alright, Then. You can ride at our horses back to the village" Gentaro told them. Then They all rode the horses, Itsumi called for Ayumi to ride at her horse, And Gentaro asked for Mariko to ride with him. So Chiho went to another soldier's horse and they proceeded to go back.
On the way there, Gentaro asked Mariko. "Mariko-san, Is it? You looks like you came from the Northern region" Gentaro guessed. "I-Is it because of what i'm wearing? Does that really gives it away?" Mariko asked. "Yeah, They wear the same clothes as you have here. What brings a Northern person here?" Gentaro asked. "I'm.. I was told that I was born from the Northern region and was thrown here at the South as a baby" Mariko answered. "Is that so? Which village do you live into now?" Gentaro asked. "Jima Village" Mariko answered. "Jima, Huh. Indeed, That village has tolerance towards Northern visitors despite the how scary the Northern people are." Gentaro thinks of the Jima. "Why are 'we' scary though?" Mariko asked. "Don't you know? The North is the one who started the great war, They were all ruthless and hungry for blood and pillages" Gentaro explained, Mariko were surprised a little bit. Chiho heard their conversation and called for Mariko. "So you have a Northern blood on you?" She asked. "Well, If it's true that i was born at that place then, Yeah i guess" Mariko looked at her. "Then That means You are strong!" Chiho thinks of an idea. "R-Really?" Mariko blushed a little bit. "Can you train me at fighting?!" Chiho excitedly asked Mariko. "H-Huh? Why is that?" Mariko shyly asked. "It's.. Because I'm planning on fighting back the PTRD! My Father's trainings weren't enough, So a help from a Northern person will be a great help!" Chiho answered. Then Gentaro looked at her. "Chiho-san, You were really serious about what you've said, huh?" He was worried. "Yes! I'll be the one who'll drive them off our village!" Hearing her words, All of them looked at her.
Itsumi giggled. "Strong willed, just like your Father". Mariko heard her and looked at her. Then She looked back at Chiho. "Daughter of the..." Mariko whispered while looking at her. "You.. You still haven't believed me yet?" Chiho shyly asked Mariko, She didn't answer and quickly looked away. Leaving Gentaro with a laugher. "It's so fun to see a person who couldn't believe they're seeing the real thing!" He said, The soldiers chuckled at his words. Then They proceeded in silence.
クリエイターの想い 
Keetrix
Keetrix EDIT: I saw the last part of the chapter, Literally Mariko gave an answer that isn't connected to the question She was asked, "What brings you here?" "Oh i was born in the north" .. Like, Really? .. My head was so full of thoughts at that time, i'm sorry >.< I'll not edit that one out because it's hilarious
週次パワーステータス
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