The Final Showdown: Before the Battle

Yamada stood on top of the APC overlooking the small place in front of Akihabara station All the mages that could have followed her call answered and were here. They had put defensive barriers around the station to keep the roaming demons and cultist out for the time being. She cleared her throat.

“Mages! Thank you all for answering my call and coming here, knowing that this could be the last battle for some of us. Out there waits what could very well be the biggest calamity that Japan has seen in centuries. I’ll say it like it is. We fucked up! We were infiltrated by a cultist for years without anyone of us noticing it. This is an utter disgrace for us. We were poisoned and weakened from the inside and now all the puss and filth that had been festering inside has now broken out. The public will likely blame us for this catastrophe, and it is right in doing so. I won’t deny it. It is on us that it came to this. But as I see it, it is also an opportunity. Like with poison or diseases, once all the gunk is out of the system it can start to heal and grow back even stronger! Yes, we took a big loss today and lost a lot of good colleagues and friends… maybe even loved ones and that hurts it hurts you and it hurts me. BUT! I know each and every one of you! And I know that we have one thing in common! That is that we are all fucking hate losing and we never take a beating just lying down. We are the ones that stand up and punch back. If somebody comes and shits in our lawn, we will go and shit hundred times as much in theirs and put that shit on fire! So, we will go out there and for every single soul that we lost today we will rip a hundred from their ranks. You all have your orders and know the plan. So, there is not much left for me to say rather than. SHOW THEM WHOSE LAWN THIS IS AND THAT IF THEY AS MUCH AS PUT THEIR LITTLE TOE ON IT THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY WITH THEIR WHOLE EXISTANCE FOR IT. LET’S GO OUT THERE AND FUCK THEM UP MAGES!”

A thundering roar came as a reply. And everyone began to gather in their squads and do a last equipment check. Yamada spotted Kuro leaning on a wall to the side, next to Hinako. She went over to them.

“Shitting hundred times as much in their lawn and putting it on fire?”, Kuro stated with a smile as she arrived next to them.

“I know… I’m bad at speeches…”, Yamada said quietly.

“Nah, that’s fine… I just thought if you wanna do it that way, I shouldn’t have gone to the toilet just before…”

All three began to laugh.

“You’ll be joining in Sniper’s squad today, Inferno. You ready for it?”, Kuro then said to Hinako.

“I was born ready!”, she replied smiling excitedly.

“Just whatever you do… don’t get killed and watch Sniper’s back. If you two work together, I’m sure it will be fine.”

“Will do.”

“Inferno, could you give me and Otaku a few moments?”, Yamada interjected.

“Yeah, I’ll stand by with the others.”, Hinako replied, nodded and went to the rest of Squad Sniper.

“What’s up?”, Kuro asked when they were alone.

“You said before that you wanted to go for a beer again with me… did you mean that truly?”, Yamada asked.

“I… umm yeah, gladly… when this is all over, let’s go for a beer.”

“Nice….”

They stood there for a moment in awkward silence.

“Hey, um can I ask you something?”, Kuro suddenly asked.

“Yeah…”

“Why do you decide to switch from the Special Forces Units to Special Forces Command?”

“Why do you ask, do you think I’m not cut out to be a Commander?”

“No, no. I think you’re a great commander… I just wanna know if something… pushed you to that decision.”

“I mean yeah… The grandmaster did, because she wanted me to get commanding experience as soon as possible, because she wanted me to train to be her successor one day…”

“That’s all? No other reason?”

“I wanted it as well. It was a great opportunity and it’s not like I am completely out of the fun. I get to scuffle a bit sometimes well. Do you ask for some specific reason?”

“I … hmm… it wasn’t because of… an Injury?”

Yamada looked at him confused, then realized.

“You mean the one that you gave me all those years ago?”

“Yeah… I heard that it was the reason you had to give up being in the Unit…”

“Who told you that?”

“Ummm… Yukiko…”

“Well, there you have it… That snake was just full of lies. I mean yeah that injure took a while to heal fully, but it did.”

“Oh… good… that’s good… I’m sorry, that I hurt you… back then.”

“Now you say that? That’s old news…”

Both fell in awkward silence. The signal tone sounded of, signaling that every one should get in position.

“Well, then… I’m off.”, said Kuro and turned around.

Yamada grabbed his hand.

“Johann…”, she said softly.

Kuro turned around surprised, that she had used his old name. But what surprised him even more was that as soon as he turned around, she gave him a kiss. A quick one but a kiss, not on the cheeks, not on the forehead, but on his lips.

“Sachi? I… I thought you hated me…”

“I do… but I feel other things for you too… we should talk about that when we get our beer later, okay?”

“Damn, did you just raise a Deathflag for me?”

“No I did not! And just so you know… If you try and follow in your mother’s footsteps… I’ll somehow find a way to bring you back to live and kill you all over again!”

“Now that sounds even scarier than fighting an Archdemon… I’ll live… I promise… You do the same too.”

“Will do.”

Yamada gave him another kiss.

“Oh, get a room you two!”, Hinako suddenly said from the side.

Yamada and Kuro just now realized that the whole Sniper squad, Blaze squad and Droplet Squad stood next to them and had seen everything.

“What’s the harm in a little smooching before a fight? It raises the spirit! And maybe other things… Wanna do it too Droplet?”, said Blaze with his usual big smile.

“Fuck off you horndog!”, Droplet replied making a disgusted face.

Everyone in the three squads began to laugh.

“I’m… ah… at my position… see you later…”, said Kuro with a bright red face, turned around and rushed off.

Then the signal sounded that the operation was about to start. Everyone got in position and moved out.