Andou's Rebellion

Chapter 15: What is Not Deserved

  Andou stood still as she could, tears forming in her eyes as Oshida approached slowly.

"Andou! So, you decided to show yourself again? And what do you plan to do this time? Burn our tanks? Or bludgeon us when we exit our vehicles?" asked Oshida.

"I've come to surrender," said Andou to Oshida. Her leg began to scream with pain, causing Andou to stumble. Two Escalator girls moved their rifles to Andou, but Oshida held up her hand.

"Surrender?" asked Oshida. "Do you take me to be some fool. The Andou I know would never surrender."
"And the Oshida I know would never..." panted Andou. "Hurt her peers. But I guess we've both been pushed to this." Andou collapsed to her knees as Oshida reached before Andou and placed a hand on Andou's head. Her tough riot gloves pressed firm on the top of Andou's head as she gripped Andou by the hair.

"What's the catch?" asked Oshida.

"All I ask... is you please let these people go. There will be no more violence, just let me... no us talk to them," said Andou. She looked into Oshida's eyes and saw the deep bruise around them. It was where Andou had punched her. It pained Andou to see it, as much as it pained Oshida to bare it.

"I can't pardon all of them, that is for the school board to decide," said Oshida, coldly.

"But you can stop the violence. Please, Oshida, I beg you," trembled Andou.

Oshida glared at Andou before beckoning two girls from her team to pick Andou up, at which Oshida turned to the crowd. "From this point on, The Escalator faction would like to call a cease fire between both sides. There shall be no more violence. If you can be peaceful until the trial of this criminal, then I personally shall vouch for you all to have you pardoned or given lighter punishments."

She turned to Andou and held the megaphone up to Andou's lips. "The violence must end. Please. For all our sakes, end it here," plead Andou. "Don't fight, be free. We've all lost things in this time for our school, but maybe with time to heal, you all can enjoy the fruits born by the tree of liberty. Together, in peace. We may have our differences, but we are all students of BC Freedom."

"Andou!" yelled Marcé as she charged the line.

"No, Marcé! Please!" cried Andou into the megaphone. Marcé stopped and fell. "Take care of Fontaine when I'm gone. See to it she grows into a fine young woman." Chartres exited her cab as the girls dragged Andou into the back of an APC and the column of tanks drove slowly out of the Examination student's side to the ship.

Across the ship, the Escalator tanks and forces pulled back, explaining themselves to the Examination students, via their own megaphones. The girls stood still in the streets of the Examination side to the school unsure of what next to do.

"J'ai perdu mon ami, sans l'avoir méreité...." Andou stopped as she sang. She shook her head and looked up to Oshida, the only other person sitting in the back with her. "No, I deserved it, haven't I."

"You deserve everything you'll get," spat Oshida.

Andou stared at her and tried to reach forward, but her hands were cuffed. She sighed and lowered her head. "You're right. I've been a rotten friend to you. I'm sorry... Oshida." Oshida grunted, but said nothing. "How's Marie?" asked Andou after a while.

Oshida didn't look at Andou as the two sat in silence. "She's fine."

Andou nodded and sighed, "That's good. I miss her. Don't you?"

"She and I are still close," lied Oshida, turning her nose up to Andou, but keeping an eye on her.

"Oh," said Andou, lowering her own head. "Well, that's good. Because to be honest, I don't think either of us really deserve a friend as good as her." Oshida jumped and looked directly now at Andou. "But I guess that's what makes her such a good friend. She treats us well, regardless of what we deserve." The girls sat in silence for a while, Oshida turning away from Andou, until the van carrying Andou stopped. "Je voudrais que la rose fût encore au rosier...."

The Kuromorimine zeppelin flew over the empty skies above BC Freedom. From above the smoke of fires burnt, the light of fires burning still, and the smell of sulfur all tainted the pure sea air. "Goodness," said Shiho as she looked over the school.

"All of this. And for what?" Maho asked herself.

"Are you certain this was the doing of those three?" asked Shiho. "These BC Freedom girls always seem so poorly mannered and quarrelsome."

"Indeed they are mother, but this is something I have never seen before. I spoke with the head tank commander on board the ship. She tells me this all started when my underclass joined their ranks. But they were never meant to join ranks with these girls, merely serve under them. That and a week of silence until at last I hear the head master gave an OK to use tanks on a demonstration, leads me to believe the is more to this story," stated Maho.

"Disgraceful," sighed Shiho.

"Shall I go with you?" asked Erika.

"Negative. I would like for you to keep watch on the three once detained and ready for transport back to Kuromorimine," replied Maho. Erika nodded, taking solace in the fact if she was in charge of the extradition she could personally discipline the girls.

"I take it I can leave all that to you girls," stated Shiho.

"Yes, mother, indeed. And it would seem the boards are here, that is their helicopter over that way, is it not?" said Maho, pointing to an aircraft landing in the field of the schoolship.

The group landed on board the ship's Escalator side and disembarked. Maho looked around. The scenery was pristine here, but on the other end of the ship, one might have thought the ship was themed off of some sort of slums. "You find out from administration where the three are. I wish to meet personally with the ship's tank commander," said Maho to some of the other Kuromorimine girls. "Call me when you find them."

Maho picked up her phone and called Marie. "Marie? Yes, I'm on board the ship, where are you?" asked Maho."What? I'm on my way there now," said Maho as she hung up.

In her cell, Andou lay still. The doctors of the Escalator side of the ship certainly gave much better treatment. Her leg was recast and she was given better medication for the pain. She stared up at the ceiling of the empty concrete cell. "Visitor," said one of the guards before opening the door. Andou looked up and saw Marie. Upon meeting Marie's green eyes, Andou smiled until she noticed another girl behind Marie. It was none other than Maho Nishizumi.