SORA'S POV
Dreamworld...
I was in the battlefield and it was the day when Maria died. I watched myself as I held Maria in my arms as she bled to death.
"Maria! hold on!!"
"Sora...it's ok...it was worth it..."
"Worth it, my butt!! what the hell were you thinking?!"
"I didn't want to...see you get hurt..."
"Please hang on Maria, I don't want to lose you..."
Suddenly the world froze and then I heard Maria's voice.
"It's your fault..."
I turned around and I saw Maria wearing her military uniform and I noticed the wound that she got when she protected me.
"Maria...my friend..." I spoke in a shaky tone except she had a frown on her face.
"It's all your fault Sora..."
I was shocked by this and when I looked into her eyes I noticed they had turned red.
"It's all your fault that you were weak Sora...it's your fault that I sacrificed my life to save someone who was weak and pathetic back then..."
"Maria, please! it's not my fault! I swear! I tried to help you when you were hurt but-"
"SHUT UP!!"
Maria shouted as her voice changed into a demonic voice. I took a few steps back until she charges at me.
Dream ends...
I shot my eyes open and I sat up quickly. I was hyperventilating while dripping in sweat. I looked around and it was morning and I sighed in relief until I noticed that I wasn't alone in the room. I looked to the side and Mai was asleep beside me. I knew she had a habit of doing this whenever she noticed that I was feeling troubled or down.
'Honestly, she needs to stop worrying about me, but still...'
I gently patted her head as I continued to think to myself.
'I'm glad I've got someone like her by my side otherwise, I would have gone insane from blaming myself for Maria's death.'
I quietly got out of bed and I decided to leave Mai alone to sleep.
3RD PERSON POV
As Sora got to the training grounds, Mai woke up and then she noticed Sora has left. Mai was starting to get worried about her so she decided to check up on Sora. When she got to the training grounds, she noticed Sora was just standing there staring at the morning sky.
'Sora is just standing there...I wonder what's going through her mind right now?'
Mia thought to herself as she watched Sora. Just then, Nobunaga showed up and he watched as Sora snapped out of her thoughts and then she started practising.
"When Hideyoshi told me Sora does nothing but, practise morning, noon and night, I didn't know it was this bad."
"I'm worried about her, Nobunaga. I've seen how she's been so far and it looks like she's been having sleepless nights and she hasn't been eating properly."
Suddenly, Sora came to a halt and then she stabbed her sword onto the ground and she leans on it for support. Mai looked at Sora shocked and then she rushed over to her.
"Sora!"
Mai placed her hand on her shoulder and she asked Sora.
"Sora, are you all right?
"I'm fine...just a little tired...that's all...I'll be...okay in a few...minutes..."
Mai noticed Sora was sweating and she noticed she was looking a bit feverish. Mai placed her hand on Sora's forehead and she was shocked when she felt her temperature.
"Sora! you're burning up!"
"Don't make a fuss...I was trained for-"
"Don't start with that army talk again! honestly, I knew Maria's death was eating you up but, I didn't realise it was this bad."
"That's got nothing to do with it and you know it!" Sora shouted at Mai angrily.
Mai looked at Sora surprised and then she sighed before patting her head.
"Gomen, I shouldn't have yelled at you...you were only trying to help..."
"It's fine, this is not the first time you snapped me."
Sora smiled a little and then Nobunaga spoke up.
"So that's what your smile looks like."
Sora stopped smiling when she heard the Devil King's voice. Sora frowned a little and she glared at him.
"What the hell do you want?"
"Now what kind of greeting is that? and besides, Hideyoshi and Mitsunari have been telling me that you've been practising non-stop and you're making your health worse and I can see why they have a reason to be worried."
Nobunaga said as he looked at the dark circles under Sora's eyes.
"Tch, why would someone like you who has made more enemies than friends care about me? all I've done is ignore you and threaten you."
Sora said as she went back to training despite her being ill.
"Sora, you need to stop training! look at yourself! you're making your health worse!"
"She's right, Sora, you need to stop, now!" Nobunaga demanded but she ignored him.
Nobunaga frowned and then he grabbed her wrist. Sora frowned angrily and then she glared at Nobunaga.
"I told you to stop, you've done training as it is."
"Let me go or else!"
"Your threats don't scare me, despite that frosty look in your eyes, you're not well."
"I didn't ask for your opinion!" Sora yelled before elbowing Nobunaga in the stomach.
Nobunaga bent over in pain and when Sora was about to raise her sword until Mai shouted.
"Sora stop!"
Sora froze for a moment until she realised what she was close to doing.
"Calm yourself down, don't let your anger get the better of you. Think about what Maria would say if she were still here."
Sora gritted her teeth and then she drops her sword.
"...Maria isn't here though, is she? ...she's dead because of me..."
Nobunaga looked at Sora confused until she clenched her fist tightly.
"Sora, it's gonna be okay, you'll be back to your old self soon," Mai tried to reassure her.
"...That's the problem...I can't go back to who I was...I have too much blood on my hands already...including Maria's...how can I go back to the sister you once knew and loved...? especially when I've taken...so many lives..."
Mai didn't know how to answer that as Sora walked away from her and Nobunaga.
TIME SKIP...
MAI'S POV
I haven't seen Sora since she left the training grounds and it was already starting to get dark but, I knew that she needed some time alone. I was gonna head back to my room until Hideyoshi came over to me.
"Mai, Lord Nobunaga wants to have a word with you."
"Why? "
"I don't know, you better find out for yourself."
I headed to the Tenshu and once I got there, Nobunaga was sitting out on the balcony. I walked over to him.
"You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, sit beside me, Mai."
I sat next to Nobunaga and he then asked me.
"Mai, about earlier today, Sora kept saying that she blames herself for a woman's death, do you know anything about that?"
I didn't want to say anything but, I knew that he heard too much already.
"I do *sighs* Sora told me not to say anything but, you might as well know the reason why she's been acting like this, especially since the anniversary date is coming up."
Nobunaga started to listen to me and I told him everything.
"When Sora first joined the army, she met a woman named Maria. Those two were best friends back then, in fact, they were like sisters. The first time I met Maria, she was like a ray of sunshine that was able to bring a smile to everyone's faces including Sora's."
"Sora smiling? now that, I would pay to see," Nobunaga spoke with a smirk.
"It's the truth! I have never seen Sora smile like a little kid before, I didn't know what she saw in Maria back then but, what I did know, is that she and Sora were best buddies."
I glanced at the setting sky and I continued.
"As I got to know Maria, I could see why she and Sora got along so well, Maria didn't have parents and Sora felt sympathy for her. In a way, I think Sora wanted to be there for her just like how she looked out for me when we were growing up."
"So she can be friendly and protective of you two."
"*Giggle* yeah, those were the good times as well before..."
I lowered my head and then Nobunaga asked me.
"Before what?"
"...Before Maria and Sora were sent to a different country to stop terrorists."
Nobunaga looked at me surprised and I continued.
"A year ago, there were stories about terrorist attacks in a different country and that was when Maria and Sora got called out on duty. Sora promised me that she and Maria were gonna be all right, so, I said my goodbyes to them...but then, a few weeks later...someone contacted me to tell me that Sora was in emergency care. Turns out the camp where Sora and Maria were stationed got ambushed and the two of them got captured and they were interrogated."
I still remembered how badly Sora was hurt when I saw her lying in the hospital bed.
"I didn't know what they did to her but, it was brutal..."
I wiped away my tears that spilt out of my eyes.
"When I visited Sora, she had cracked ribs, a black eye and her leg got shot, she was lucky enough to be alive but, as for Maria....she was killed in battle."
Nobunaga looked shocked when I told him this.
"...Sora told me, Maria had protected her from getting stabbed but, by the time they got to her, it was too late...ever since she died, the big sister that I once knew and loved was gone...Sora didn't smile brightly again, the happiness that I once saw in her eyes was gone too...and now all I see is a woman who's heart is broken and it's taking a long time to heal..."
I looked at Nobunaga and I told him.
"Sora is only lashing out because she has built a wall around herself. In my opinion, I don't think she's angry or still grieving for Maria, I think she's scared."
"What makes you say that?"
"Think about it, Maria was her best friend and her sister not to mention they were inseparable, how can replace someone who was close to you?"
Nobunaga didn't know what to say and I continued.
"The reason why I think Sora is scared, it's because she's afraid of getting close to someone again and I also think she's scared of experiencing that loss again."
"So that's why she's always biting people's heads off, she was trying to get away from us, hmpf, no wonder she was always protective of you and why she doesn't do anything aside from taking walks and training all day."
"I know, but, being here in the Warning States and experiencing that fight that happened a month ago, I think it's triggered some memories of Sora's army days and Maria. That's starting to become a bit concerning now."
Nobunaga knew that I was right and we both knew we had to do something to help Sora.
MEANWHILE...
SORA'S POV
I stood at the bridge again and I was staring at the river as the villagers chatted happily in the background. As I continued to watch the river, I remembered the good memories I had with Maria and Mai.
"Mai, I'd like you to meet Maria..."
FLASHBACK...
I introduced Maria to Mai.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, at last, Mai."
"Same to you Maria."
Mai said as we entered the apartment. Mai was surprised when she saw the bags that contain Maria's clothes and other bits and bobs.
"Um, Sora what's going on?"
"Didn't you get my last letter? Maria is moving in with us."
"She's what?! Sora!"
I hushed her before Maria looked in our direction.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing! nothing at all!"
I whispered to Mai.
"Listen, give it a few days and you'll like her, can you do that for me? for your big sister?"
Mai looked between me and Maria and she smiled at me.
"All right, but, I'm not making any promises."
"Great!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We sat at the dinner table and Maria and Mai were getting along so well since she moved here with us. Maria tried some of the food that I made and she smiled brightly.
"Yummy! this is good, it's ten times better than the food we used to get at the barracks. Those ready-made meals and the other food we used to eat were all right but, this is better."
"Thank you very much, Maria," I spoke with a smile on my face.
"Sora-nee is like a witch whenever she's in the kitchen and I mean that in a good way."
"Hehe, that's why Okaa-san used to tell me before I joined the army."
We continued to sit around that dinner table with smiles on our faces and we chatted for hours on end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maria and I were at one of the gym halls and we were sparring with one another. Maria charged at me and then I grabbed her wrist and I threw her over my shoulder. I pinned her down onto the ground and she glared at me.
"Ah! dammit!! I lost again!"
"Hehe, better luck next time, bud."
"Oh yeah?"
Maria smirked at me and then she was able to trip me up and then she got on top of me and she pinned me down.
"Hahahaha! I win!"
"*Chuckle* sneaky move there, Maria."
Maria smirked at me before she helped me onto my feet and then Mai showed up.
"Nice work you two, here, I've made lunch for you two."
Mai held up three lunchboxes and then we ate our lunch.
"This is good, thanks for the food Mai."
"You're welcome, Maria."
Mai spoke with a smile. It also brought a smile to my face knowing that the three of us are getting along like a house on fire.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It has been three months since Maria moved in with us and we were in the living watching the news about the terrorists' attacks. Maria and I looked at each other and we knew that sooner or later we were gonna get called back on duty soon. Mai noticed the looks on our faces and she asked me.
"Sora, do you really think you and Maria will be deployed again?"
"There's every chance we might be, until then, we'll enjoy moments like this."
I said as I took a sip of the bottle of cider until my phone started ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hey Sora, it's Nara, well, Captain Nara."
"Nara-senpai, I guess there's no need to ask why you're calling me."
"Yeah, we received reports of the increase of the terrorist attacks and we need you and Maria back on duty, ASAP."
"All right, I'll tell Maria, when do we move out?"
"We need you out ASAP, get on the first flight tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?! that soon?!"
"As I said, we need you two out here ASAP!"
"Yes, Ma'am."
Maria and Mai looked at me with concerned looks and I told them what Nara told me.
THE NEXT DAY...
Mai and I hugged each other tightly at the airport.
"You take care of yourself out there."
"I will and you make sure to keep the place clean and tidy for us coming home."
"I will."
Mai said with tears in the corner of her eyes and then Maria ruffled her hair.
"Hey don't worry, I'll have Sora's back no matter."
"You promise?"
"I promise, let's go, Sora."
Maria said to me before we got on the plane.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We got to the main base camp and our general was telling us about the enemy's base so we can plant bombs and take out their best soldiers. Suddenly, someone shouted.
"General!!"
We looked up from our plans and then one of the soldiers said to him.
"Enemy soldiers are coming our way!"
"Dammit! everyone! get to your positions!!"
We nodded our heads and then we grabbed our weapons before heading out onto the battlefield. Maria and I fired our rifles and throwing our grenades at the enemies but, we were outnumbered. We ducked behind cover and then Nara said to us.
"There's too many of them! everyone retreat!!"
We fell back but, as Maria and I tried to make a run for it, we got surrounded by the enemy. We stood back to back but, we knew we couldn't fight them all off. Just then, their leader came over to us.
"It's over ladies, drop your weapons and surrender."
Maria and I looked at each other and we dropped our weapons and we held our hands up to let them know we surrender. The soldiers tied our hands behind our backs and then they took us back to their base. Once we got there, they tried to interrogate us.
I got punched in the face a few times as I sat in the chair with my hands tied behind my back. Maria watched helplessly as I took the beatings. They stopped beating me up and then the interrogator said to me.
"You're a tough one."
I glared at him with a smirk on my face and I told him.
"Of course...I was taught by the best after all..."
The interrogator frowned at me again and he then demanded.
"Tell me who you are and why you're here and we might let you go."
I didn't say anything and neither did Maria. The interrogator walked away from me and then he got his pistol.
"If you won't talk then, your friend will."
My eyes widen in shock as he loaded his pistol and I watched him walk towards Maria.
"No! leave her alone!!"
Maria looked at me as he pointed his pistol at her forehead.
"Don't you touch her!" I shouted before breaking free of my binds and attacking the interrogator.
We fought over the gun and he tried to point it at my face but, I managed to kick him where the sun-don't-shine. He drops the gun and I grabbed it in time. I pointed the gun at the interrogator and I fired it. The man died instantly after I shot him in the head. I looked at Maria and she sighed in relief.
"You're crazy! how long were you free of your binds?!" Maria shouted as I grabbed my knife from my boot and cutting her free.
"Just now before that guy pulled out his pistol."
Maria got out of her chair and she rubbed her wrists before grabbing a gun from the table. I got extra ammo for the guns and then we made our escape. As we were making a run for it, we heard gunfire from outside and some explosions going off. We knew immediately that it was back up. Maria and I smiled at each other and then we continued to make a run for it.
Suddenly, someone fired at us and I got shot in the leg.
"Gahh!!" I shouted in pain before falling to the ground.
Maria stopped in her tracks and then she came back to help me onto my feet. She puts my arm around her shoulder and we made our escape with me limping. We managed to kill some of the enemies as we made our escape, however, we were gonna run out of ammo sooner or later. I fired my pistol at another enemy's head and I was out of ammo.
"I'm out, how are you holding up?"
"I've still got some bullets left, come on, we need to keep moving."
I stood upright and then we continued to escape and stay hidden from the enemy. However, I was starting to get tired and my leg was hurting badly. I collapsed onto my knees and I panted in exhaustion.
Maria...I can't go on anymore...please...leave me here and save yourself!"
"No way! a good soldier never leaves their comrade behind!"
Maria shouted before she puts my arm over her shoulder again and then she pulls me onto my feet and she starts to drag me. I smiled a little and I asked her.
"Hey Maria...if we make it out of this alive, let's find a different job we can do instead of this...after tonight's battle, there's no way I'm gonna put my life on the line anymore."
"Do you know something, that does sound like a good idea."
Maria and I both giggled a little until we heard the enemy shouting.
"Where are they?!"
"They're around here somewhere! keep looking!"
Maria and I looked at each other and then we hid behind cover. I yelped in pain when I tried to kneel down, however, Maria covered my mouth and hushed me. I nodded my head while clutching my leg. Suddenly, the enemy started shooting and then Maria drew her pistol and she fired back and she managed to kill at least four or five of them.
"Come on, we've gotta keep moving!" Maria shouted as she dragged me onto my feet again.
We were getting closer and closer to finding our general until more enemies appeared. Maria held me close as she fires her pistol at them but, she ran out of ammo when their leader ran towards her with a machete knife. Maria shoves me out of the way but, she got stabbed in the chest.
"MARIA!!!" I yelled in horror as she stood there with a shocked expression.
Maria got her dagger out of her pouch and then she stabbed the leader in the neck, killing him instantly. At the same time, he pulled out his machete knife from her chest. Maria fell onto the ground and I crawled over to her.
"Maria! Maria!!" I called out to her and I held her in my arms while using my vest jacket to put pressure on her wound.
"*Cough! cough!* Sora..."
"Maria! hold on!!"
"Sora...it's ok...it was worth it..."
"Worth it, my butt!! what the hell were you thinking?!"
"I didn't want to...see you get hurt..."
"Please hang on Maria, I don't want to lose you..."
I felt tears in the corner of my eyes and then Maria stroked my cheek weakly.
"It's all right Sora...you and Mai...looked after me...you took me in...you two treated me like family..."
"Of course you're family, you're our sister! please, Maria, don't die on me! not now!"
"Don't worry Sora...as I said...it was worth it...Mai is gonna need...someone to...look out for her...and it's not gonna be me...you're stronger and smarter than me...I'm sure someday...someone else will come along...and watch out for you...just like how I watched your back..."
"Stop saying stuff like that!"
"Sora...you and I both know that...I'm not gonna last...much longer...here, take this..."
Maria takes off her scarf and she hands it over to me. I looked at her confused and she told me.
"Remember when I told you and the others...this was my lucky scarf...? I want you to...have it...so it'll bring you...luck as well..."
"Maria, I can't have this!"
"Take it...please...at least it'll put my mind at ease...knowing that it's with someone who was important...to me..."
"Maria..."
I took the scarf from her weak hands and then she said to me.
"Arigato...for everything...my best friend...my sister..."
Maria smiles at me as tears spilt out of my eyes. Just then, I heard someone shouting.
"Sora! Maria!"
I looked up and it was Nara.
"Nara! general! over here!!" I shouted happily.
"Maria, help is here," I spoke to her but, her eyes had closed and she had a small smile on her face.
"Maria? Maria?!"
I called out to her and there was no response. My body started trembling and I hugged her tightly and close to my chest before I screamed in despair.
"AARRGGHHH!!!"
I cried my eyes out as I held Maria close and I rocked her back and forth. Nara and the general came over to me and they were shocked when they saw Maria's body.
FLASHBACK ENDS...
As I remembered those memories, I slowly made my way back to the castle but then, I walked into an ally as I felt the tears in the corner of my eyes. I slammed my fist against the wall and I slid down against it before crying my eyes out.