Blood And Iron

Narina's Test

Narina could not express the horror she saw before her..

An entire village lay before her.. burned to the ground.. with corpses left to rot out in the open while ravens pecked at their remains.

Children.. women.. men.. none were spared.. A sickening feeling went through Narina's body as her hair began to discharge static out of pure emotion.

"This.. there's no words to describe this.."

"This was one of our neighboring villages. " said Mitsune, walking over and putting a hand on Narina's shoulder. "I thought.. well.. that you deserved to see what happened.. even dragons mourn dead ones they never met."

"Those bastards have to pay.." Narina growled. "For all they've done.. I.. I.."

Narina didn't know how to describe it.. it was as if she was instinctually enraged.. as if somehow her heart knew that these people were of her own ancestry.

Narina looked away. She had seen terrible things already in her early hero work. She had seen dead bodies.. deals between criminals gone awry.. everything..

But this was just too much..

Narina stared down at the burnt and charred skeleton of an infant. "Has... has there been plans to try and bury them?"

"We could not. We simply don't have the man power.. nor can we distinguish the bodies from each other to give them gravestones.." Mitsune.

Narina clenched her fists so hard, that if her skin was like a normal human's, her hands would've began to bleed.

And that's when she heard it.. singing..

And it was in her voice..

Narina looked up as Mitsune blinked with slight confusion. They looked around until they saw her.

Valerie was strolling through the burned battlefield, wearing a school blazer and skirt.

She bent down and laid a bouquet of flowers at the feet of a burnt up mother holding her infant child.

She stared down at the corpses curiously, as if still unable to comprehend the significance of everything.

"Sh-she looks just like you.." stammered Mitsune. "Except.."

Valerie looked at Narina, her violet irises glowed and turned like a dial, much like how Bella did when she analyzed a target.

Narina stepped back. She had gotten so used to her female body now.. that it was enough to feel very weird looking at her own twin..

Much weirder when it was a robot copy.

Valerie walked over, and Narina grew more apprehensive.

"I have no intention of entering battle form." said Valerie. "Please, remain calm."

"Why should we!?" Mitsune growled angrily. "AFTER WHAT YOU DID!?"

"I have not done anything so far." said Valerie. "I have yet to fight any of your people.. Senes believes.. that I am not emotionally ready for battle yet.. I wonder why.."

Valerie's eyes dimmed as she looked at her hand and wiggled her fingers around, as if curious to how they worked. "Androids only simulate emotion.. if we are made for battle, simulating the emotions that would hinder me would be useless.."

Valerie sighed. "So logically, I am to assume that I bare no such emotion."

"You have no emotions?" Narina muttered, raising an eyebrow.