Chapter II: A Rhapsody of Two Kittens
Chapter II: A Rhapsody of Two Kittens
“Laura Bodewig. Rank, Ensign. Current assignment, IS test pilot.”
A dimly-lit room. The chill air made it obvious that it was underground. This... This was a dark place in my memories.
RTI training. Resistance to interrogation. The worst part of military training. Not too long ago, the room it was conducted in had been used for actual interrogation—actual torture. The dark stains on the floor had nothing to do with the chill damp.
The sound of dripping water. Condensation falling from the ceiling ate at my mind.
“How are you feeling? Not very good, huh?”
Without the determination to stand or the energy to sit up, I let the question drift by me. The master of this room was a woman, but I could not see her face. Backlit, she stood with her hands folded behind her waist. Her voice rang clearly, almost beautifully, in the damp air.
“And how have you found three days of sleep deprivation and starvation? Hmm?”
I didn’t want to respond. Didn’t want to burn the energy to. That’s how exhausted I was.
“This is how interrogations are. How they’ve always been. In a room where time stands still. Sleepless. Unfed. Nothing to keep you company but falling drops of water.” The woman took a few steps, her hard soles clacking on the floor. “Mind if I sit down?”
‘Do whatever.’ Yes. Even if I could only think it, I thought it. The woman sat in a chair and rolled her head from side to side while slowly crossing her legs. As she did, one leg stretched out from her blinding halo. Surprisingly, it was bare. Was she not in uniform? Who was this? Definitely not my usual trainer. Likely not even a soldier. I’d thought it was the master of this room, but it seems I was wrong. Thinking again, her voice was higher than a soldier’s, her cadence more languid. Who is this? What is she doing in here? The dissonance brought my senses back to life. Overflowing with energy, in the next moment I began to plan my escape. That’s it. First, I—
“First, you kick out my chair, then you go for my neck? I wouldn’t recommend it.”
How?!
“How could I tell what you were thinking? Well...”
Her face slowly faded in from the light. No, only her lips. I couldn’t see her eyes. She was beautiful—at least, it seemed so. Her jawline certainly was. As were her lips, which slowly formed a few words.
“ ”
Somehow, I couldn’t make out her speech, despite having been trained in lipreading. Usually, I could easily make out speech even in utter silence. Yet now, I understood nothing. Still... That makes sense. It made more sense than I wanted it to. ‘Something’ made it seem inevitable. Something in those words.
“Then, let’s begin your interrogation. Laura, are you a patriot?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re a seasoned liar, I see. You don’t have a single shred of the flag in your heart, do you.”
“Of course I do!”
She pulled out a notepad, as if to imply that she didn’t care about my answer.
“Where are your comrades? How many are there? How are they equipped? Is there any backup?”
“I’ll never tell you that!”
“I see. How about this?” Her smile twisted into a smirk. I ignored the woman’s expression, though, as I cast about for a new gambit. “There’s someone you like, isn’t there.”
“...............”
My thoughts froze.
“N-No, there’s...”
“His name is Orimura Ichi—”
“WHAT?! No, wait, don’t say it!”
“Ahahah. You’re so adorable when you blush like that!”
“I’ll kill you! I’LL KILL YOU!”
Throwing off my exhaustion and my dejection, I leapt at her. And then—
◆
“Er... Laura?”
“Uh?”
The person Laura was pinning down with a knife to her throat was Charlotte. The place was their own room in the first year dorms at IS Academy. The time was sometime early in the morning, with the chirping of sparrows leaking in through the window.
“Um... You seemed like you were having a nightmare, so I was checking on you.”
“I... I see.”
Now that Charlotte mentioned it, Laura realized that she was covered in sweat. Her tangled hair was clinging to her skin.
“So... how much longer are we going to stay like this?”
“Oh, right... Sorry.”
Laura pulled her knife away from Charlotte’s jugular, then got up from off her. She didn’t remember much of her dream, but it couldn’t have been anything pleasant. The rush of blood to her head told her that much.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
“Really? Thanks.”
At first, Laura’d been ambivalent about being paired with Charlotte, but as time went on, she was more and more grateful for her steadying presence. Even after their battle, Charlotte had welcomed her as a roommate and as a friend. I can’t believe I went at her with a knife...
Laura sighed as she stepped down from Charlotte’s bed. Charlotte continued, “By the way, Laura.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you ever going to start wearing anything to bed?”
Charlotte pointed it out again. Just as she’d said, Laura always slept nude. Her reasoning—
“I don’t have anything to wear.”
“I mean, I can’t argue with that, but... C’mon. You’re going to catch a cold.”
That was what the bath towel Charlotte always kept on her side table was for. As usual, she draped it over Laura.
“Mmm. Sorry about that. Anyway, I’m going to take a shower. What about you?”
“Yeah, I think I will, too. I’m all sweaty.”
“Together, then?”
“C’mon, no way! After you!”
“I was joking.”
Charlotte was stunned for a moment, hearing it with Laura’s trademark deadpan delivery. That was enough time for Laura to step into the bathroom and close the door behind her. Laura never jokes around, though. What was with that? There must be something going on with her, emotionally. Charlotte was worried about her, as a friend. Anyway, let’s find a way to at least make her wear pajamas. It was early in the morning, but Charlotte was already deep in thought.
◆
“So you want to go shopping?”
“Yeah.”
Laura and Charlotte spoke over breakfast in the dorm cafeteria. While they weren’t the only ones there, it certainly wasn’t crowded, as the only other students there were coming back from morning practice. As for their menu: macaroni salad, toast, and yogurt. Laura, though, had one more item.
“Are you sure you’re gonna feel well after a steak for breakfast?”
“Why not? Morning is the most efficient time to eat. It’s been scientifically proven. It’s weirder if you just go to sleep after, like you would with dinner. Any energy you don’t burn off just turns into fat, right? So I won’t stop you if you actually want to thicken up, but...”
“Say, Laura. Where’d you hear that, anyway?”
“My bride Ichika.”
“Phew... You really don’t sound like yourself today.”
I’ve never seen her this emotional, Charlotte thought as she poked her fork through the holes in her macaroni.
“Hey, why are you doing that?”
“Eating macaroni?”
“No, I mean. Why are you threading it on your fork, rather than just stabbing it?” Laura’s expression was so serious that Charlotte paused for a moment. “Why? Well, why not?”
“Why not, huh...”
“You should give it a try too. It’s pretty fun.”
As Charlotte spoke, she already regretted it. Wait, I sound like a little kid. Laura’s probably...
“You’re right, something’s definitely funny.”
“Really? You enjoy it too?”
“Something’s funny with your head.”
No way! Of course not! Laura would never say that!
“Charlotte.”
Gulp!
“You’re right, this is fun. Maybe I’ll try to do it with all of them.”
As Laura spoke, she began to push her macaroni around her plate. It looked like she really was having fun. Charlotte was relieved.
“This is harder than I thought.”
Laura was struggling fiercely with the last few pieces. Somehow, Charlotte was reminded of a cat she’d once had, and became lost in thought for a moment. She was always clumsy in the funniest ways. I still remember her face when she chased a ball of yarn so long that it unraveled.
“I did it.”
“Yay!”
Charlotte clapped as Laura brandished her macaroni-laden fork. Other students began to look over, curious at the commotion.
“So, when did you want to go shopping?”
“Hmm. I was thinking we should head out around ten, how’s that sound? Maybe spend an hour or so looking around, and get lunch wherever looks good.”
“I see. I should invite my bride along. I’m going to make a great husband.”
“Ah— Ahaha... I’m sure...”
◆
“He’s not in his room. He’s not answering his phone either. Where’d he go? Is he cheating on me?”
“Maybe he’s just not home.”
“I can probably get through to him over IS private channel. I’ll give that a shot.”
“Wait! Bad idea! Laura, you can’t just use IS functions for whatever you want.”
“Whatever. I’m more worried about finding my bride.”
“Ms. Orimura will be mad.”
Laura stopped abruptly.
“You’re right. He needs his private time. All right, Charlotte. Let’s get going.”
“Yeah.”
The two went back to their room to prepare to go out. Which should have meant street clothes, but...
“Um... Laura? Why are you in military uniform?”
“It’s the only other clothes I own.”
“.........” Charlotte held her head in her hands. Now that she thought of it, she never had seen Laura hanging around their room in normal clothing. “Your school uniform’s fine. Plus, you don’t want anyone from Germany to be mad at you, right?”
“Oh, good point. All right, I’ll change into my school uniform.”
Laura changed with a speed surprising for a girl, and no more than 15 minutes later, they headed out.
“First, let’s take a bus to the station.”
“Okay.”
Almost as soon as they reached the stop, a bus arrived, and they boarded. It was still summer vacation, so it was nearly empty even at a little past ten. Laura was in her school uniform, and Charlotte was in street clothes: a summery one-piece, with cooling light blue accents. Unusually for a city bus, rather than being air-conditioned, the windows were open to let in a breeze.
You know, I’ve never gotten the chance to really take a look around town. I’ll have to do that today. The breeze lapped at Charlotte as she gazed out the window. Her golden hair glimmered in the sun as it fluttered back and forth.
Next to her, Laura’s eye fixed intently on feature after feature. That building would make an ideal sniper’s nest. The supermarket across the street could provide long-term supplies. I’ll need to acquire a map of the sewer and subway systems. And then, find a building with a backup generator... Her silver tresses had their own glimmer, but her sharp glare made her seem out of place.
“Hey, look over there! At those two!”
“Wow, she’s beautiful.”
“Her friend is cute too. Are they models?”
“I dunno, it looks like the one with silver hair is in a school uniform. I’ve never seen that design before, though.”
“Silly! That’s an IS Academy uniform. They let you customize them there.”
“IS Academy? You mean the one with an acceptance rate under one in ten thousand?”
“Yeah. You have to be the best of the best, on a national level, to get in there.”
“Wow! It’s no fair that she gets to be that pretty, too.”
“Life isn’t fair.”
A group of high school girls, so excited they couldn’t keep their voices down, were watching Charlotte and Laura. Their excited conversation drifted across the narrow space of the bus.
“.........”
Charlotte had never heard such praise, and hid her face in embarrassment. Laura, on the other hand, let it pass by as she returned to her mental simulation of the city at war.
The power of an IS has no rival. But still, wars aren’t won by individual soldiers. If an invading force attempted to move in and hold territory, the defenders would need to set up an infantry line themselves.
IS were only useful if the goal was to level the entire city.
If I assume that the attack would be preceded with a bombing raid, multiple independent mobile SAM launchers would also be necessary. If possible, also MANPADS. Javelins or Starstreaks could also be used as anti-tank weaponry. Most importantly—
“Laura. Laura!”
“What?”
“We’re at our stop. C’mon, save whatever it is for later.”
“Fine.”
Together with the other passengers, they stepped off the bus and walked into the mall. Charlotte pulled a magazine from her bag and began checking the directory printed inside for something.
“Hmm, okay. It’s probably best to go in this order.”
“Right.”
“Let’s check out the clothes first, and get lunch on the way. I was also going to look at housewares and accessories, if you don’t mind.”
“I’m not really sure what I’m doing, so I’ll just follow you.”
As usual, Laura was unaccustomed to what normal teen girls were into. She may have been one herself, but she still didn’t understand them at all. Still, it felt a bit weird to her. She’d always been insistent on getting on her own way, but she was following along with Charlotte without a complaint. Normally she’d have chosen her own route even if she wasn’t completely sure. It’s surely strange... Charlotte had some sort of strange authority. Perhaps this was the motherly touch Laura’d never known.
“Laura, are you listening?”
“Huh— Oh, sorry. I missed that.”
“Come on. Do you prefer slacks or a skirt?”
“I’m fine either—”
“Don’t just tell me you’re fine either way. Sometimes you’re just like Ichika.”
Charlotte let out a sigh, while Laura broke into a proud grin.
“It’s good for a husband and bride to be alike.”
Charlotte let out another sigh in frustration at the absurdity and changed the topic.
“Anyway, let’s head up to the seventh floor. The sixth and fifth are ladies’ clothing too, so we can work our way down.”
“Huh? Why start at the top? What’s wrong with working our way up?”
“It’s best to go top to bottom. See, it’s how the stores are set up.”
Charlotte pointed at something in the magazine, but...
“I don’t get it.”
Charlotte grumbled, “The lower floors already have fall clothing. Up above has mostly changed over too, but there’s still some summer clothing on clearance, so...”
“I don’t need fall clothing.”
“Eh? Why not?”
“It’s summer.”
Laura said it matter-of-factly, but Charlotte was dumbfounded.
“I can buy fall clothes in fall.”
“Wait, but... Girls normally do their shopping in advance.”
“Oh? I see. If the war’s already begun, it’s too late to begin mobilization. Is it like that?”
“Sure... Yeah. Yeah, it is.”
“Forewarned is forearmed, then.”
That wasn’t really the way a girl would normally think of it, but Laura had managed to work her way to a similar conclusion. It would be strange to call it wrong, per se, so Charlotte let it go.
“Anyway, let’s work our way through. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask.”
“Sure. I’m glad you’re here,” Laura replied.
The two took an elevator to the seventh floor. The air conditioning was turned up to deal with the masses of teenagers doing their shopping.
“It’d be bad if we got split up. Let’s hold hands.”
“O-Okay.”
Charlotte said it casually, but Laura nodded with a bit of shyness. For some reason, she was just going along again.
“All right, let’s start here.”
“‘Third Surface.’ That’s a funny name.”
“It’s pretty popular, though. Look at all the girls in there.”
As Laura looked in, she saw that it was indeed packed with middle school and high school girls. The store was buzzing, especially because of the sales. It was only to be expected that it was a bit understaffed. But—
“.........” A bag slipped out of the manager’s hand. “A blonde, and one with silver hair!”
As soon as the manager noticed them, the staff followed along. As if mesmerized, they began to talk among themselves.
“They’re like dolls...”
“Are they filming?”
“Yuri, can you handle this one?”
The manager looked at Laura and Charlotte before shuffling over. As if entranced, or as if the heat was getting to her.
“Wait, what, me? Are you even going to pick—”
The clerk lost her words mid-complaint as she looked over the duo. Two beauties as if plucked from the pages of a storybook, and holding hands with fingers intertwined. Lightly, oh so ephemerally. It made them seem even more ethereal.
“Wh-What can I help you find?”
The manager’s excitement was visible, and made her seem out of place in her suit. It was striking enough to make Charlotte put aside her thoughts of leaving the store to get away from the stares.
“I’m looking for clothing for her. Do you have any recommendations?” Charlotte asked.
“Ah, the girl with the silver hair? Just a moment, I’ll take a look! Here!”
The manager pulled something off a mannequin—one which would likely sell even out of season, placed in the front of the store to draw in customers. While it wasn’t strictly just for advertising, it was the sort of thing that would normally only be removed from the mannequin for special customers. Normally.
“How about this? I think this white summer shirt matches your hair fabulously.”
“It’s so sheer you can almost see through it. Laura, what do you think?”
“I don’t kn—”
“No saying you don’t know.”
“Ugh...”
Headed off before she could even finish her sentence, Laura let a rare look of offense creep over her face. The manager blinked as the childish expression made her reevaluate her assessment of Laura as the calm one.
“White, huh. I don’t mind it. I’m wearing that color now.”
“Ah, yes.”
The unexpectedly un-girlish response left the manager at a loss for words.
“Why not try it on, Laura?”
“It would be too mu—”
“No saying it would be too much trouble.”
“.........”
Cut off again, Laura fell silent. Meanwhile, the manager and Charlotte also picked out an undershirt and bottoms.
“Stretch denim capris, and...”
“How about a V-neck camisole?”
“That’d be great. But a complementary color, or a contrasting one? Hmm...”
They happily worked their way through the options. Laura, realizing that it was fruitless to argue, simply stood back and watched. What on earth are they so excited about? Clothes just needed to keep you warm and decent. Laura was always practical above all else, and now was no different.
“All right, Laura. Try these on.”
“Okay.”
“The dressing rooms are this way.”
Only after she was led to the dressing room and stepped inside did Laura let out a small sigh. I guess I have to deal with it. I’m the one who wanted to dress up for Ichika.
Laura stripped as she thought. Her milky-white skin shone like alabaster under the light. Mmm...
She gave the mirror a quick glance. Standing only in her underwear, her lithe yet toned physique was obvious. I don’t really get why, but I guess guys find this appealing? Ichika did, especially. Hmm... She tried out a pose she’d seen in a magazine. The mirror reflected her alluring form, with its barely-covered curves sure to entrance any man.
“This is ludicrous...”
Embarrassed at herself, Laura went back to changing. Looking again at the clothes Charlotte had chosen, she realized it was more of a ‘cool’ look. I wish she’d picked out something cute instead. Ichika would love...
“Laura, your outfit’s adorable.”
“Just my outfit?”
“Not as much as you.”
“Silly...”
“And are you wearing anything cute underneath that?”
“Ah...”
“Show me.”
“Mm...”
Caught up in her own fantasy, Laura silently blushed.
“No, just... I know it would never go like that, but...”
It wasn’t impossible.
“Hey, Laura! Are you changed yet?”
It was Charlotte calling from outside the door. Laura quickly slipped back into her uniform, then opened the door.
“Huh? Why are you still in your uniform?”
“Charlotte.”
“Hm? What, didn’t you like it?”
“That’s not it. Just...”
A question mark floated over Charlotte’s head as she pondered the rare sight of Laura at a loss for words.
“Maybe... Maybe something a little cuter...”
Charlotte was momentarily stunned as Laura embarrassedly managed a bit of girlishness. Quickly, though, she lit up and sprung to action.
“Oh, sure! Something cuter? I’ll pick something out right away!” Laura’s sudden enthusiasm, in turn, fired Charlotte up even more. “So, what are you thinking? Looking for a particular color or style?”
“I suppose. Something which shows off a fair amount of skin would be nice.”
“Got it!” Charlotte rushed back to the manager, and they both began to search through the clothing. “That off-the-shoulder one-piece, and that bracelet. And then maybe...”
Charlotte chose an outfit as cheerfully as if it was for herself.
“If it’s going to show a lot of skin, a chic black would be great. It contrasts with your hair well, too.”
“Please, nothing too flashy.”
Laura was made a bit nervous by Charlotte’s enthusiasm, and felt that she needed the reminder. But Charlotte answered cheerily, “It’ll be fine! Just leave it to me.”
“Okay.”
Seeing Charlotte, who was normally so composed, become so energetic, Laura couldn’t argue. Her fashion sense is better than mine. I should just relax. Perhaps 20 minutes later, as Laura stepped out of the dressing room, the entire store gasped.
“Wow, she’s beautiful.”
“She’s like a fairy...”
All eyes were drawn to her as she stood with an embarrassed expression. She was wearing a black one-piece skirt, off the shoulder. Frills scattered about gave it a bit of cuteness. Its hemline, close to that of a miniskirt, matched Laura’s otherworldly look; it truly was the outfit of a fairy.
“You even picked out shoes? I’m surprised.”
“It’s a special outfit. You need mules to go with it.”
Laura, who’d never worn heels before, stumbled. At the same moment as the entire store gasped, Charlotte caught her.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
Charlotte gave a brief bow as Laura steadied himself. They were like a young nobleman and princess, like a scene from a fairytale.
“Can I take a picture?”
“Ooh, me too!”
“Shake my hand!”
“Me too! Me too!”
In the blink of an eye, they were surrounded. The commotion had spread far and wide, with people even joining in from outside the store.
◆
“I’m exhausted.”
“I didn’t think we’d take that long in the first store.”
It was already past noon, and Laura and Charlotte were having lunch on the café terrace. Laura had ordered the daily special pasta, while Charlotte was having lasagna.
“I did buy some nice things.”
“You should have worn them home. You don’t get to do this very often.”
“Well, um, uh... I don’t want it to get dirty.”
“Oh? Are you sure it’s not because you want Ichika to see it first?”
“What?! No way! That’s not it at all!”
Charlotte could tell from Laura’s flustered blush that she’d hit the mark, but pretended not to notice.
“Oh, okay. Sorry for being weird about it.”
“Jeez.”
“Laura.”
“Wh-What?”
“You have your fork and spoon backwards.”
“Ngh!”
Only now did Laura notice she was lifting her pasta to her mouth with her spoon, and quickly pulled it away.
“So, what did you want to do this afternoon?”
“I wanted to look around home goods, and maybe find a watch. I kinda like Japanese watches.”
“You want a watch?”
“Yeah, since we’re out shopping anyway. How about you, Laura? Anything Japanese you want?”
Laura thought for a moment before answering clearly.
“A katana.”
“H-How about something a little more feminine?”
“No.”
A swift response. Charlotte had expected it, but she still hung her head. That was when Charlotte noticed the woman at the next table.
“What on earth am I gonna do about this...” She was in her late 20s, and wearing a tight-fitting suit. Whatever was bothering her was worrying enough that her aglio e olio had cooled without being touched. “Sigh...”
Her sigh exuded the inky blackness of the void.
“Hey, Laura.”
“We should mind our own business.”
This time, Laura cut Charlotte off before she could finish. It shocked Charlotte a little at first, but then she broke out in a grin.
“So you do understand me.”
“Kind of... Anyway, what did you want to do?”
“At least ask her what happened.” Charlotte turned to the woman and called out. “Is something the matter?”
“Eh? Ah—”
As soon as she glanced over, the woman stood up swiftly enough to send her chair to the ground with a clatter. Rushing to Charlotte, she gripped her hand.
“You two!”
“Uh, yes?”
“Do you need jobs?!”
“EHHH?!”
◆
“So anyway, they quit out of nowhere. Didn’t even properly quit, just ran off together,” the woman let out an exhausted laugh.
“Oh?”
“Mm.”
“But today’s really important! Someone from corporate is coming! So please—please work here just for a day!”
The restaurant she was recruiting for was more than just a normal restaurant. Women working there dressed as servants, and men as butlers—in other words, it was a maid (and butler) café.
“Well... I suppose, but...” Charlotte, having finished changing, began to ask a bit gingerly. “Why am I dressing as a butler then?”
“Well, I mean. It looks so good on you! You pull it off so much better than the guys here.”
“I guess...”
Charlotte sighed at the unwanted praise. I’d rather be in the maid outfit... Laura looks so cute in it... Slightly dejectedly, she looked down at her tux. I’m not sure about this, but maybe she’s right...
Perhaps realizing Charlotte’s ambivalence, the manager, who’d also changed into a maid outfit, suddenly clutched her hand.
“You’ll be fine! You look perfect!”
“R-Really?!”
Charlotte, looking slightly embarrassed, gave a polite laugh. That’s what I was worried about... As her own worries roiled in her head, she looked over at Laura again. Laura’s slender but toned body was wrapped in a frilly maid’s dress. Her silver hair cascaded down over it, as if bridging the outfit and herself. Her eyepatch only made her seem more mysterious.
I’m jealous. She looks adorable in that. It really underlined Laura’s appeal, Charlotte thought. Laura was the kind of girl who, even in men’s clothing, would be instantly obvious as a girl with a bit of an edge. Meanwhile, she herself looked like a boy with an exceptionally cute face. She let out a sigh at the realization.
“Boss, can we get some help out here?”
The shift manager’s voice drifted in. The general manager finished adjusting her outfit, and began to step out of the back room.
“Er, one other question.”
“Hm?”
“What’s the name of this restaurant?”
With a smile, the general manager gathered her skirt in her hands and gave a curtsy almost too cutely for a woman of her age.
“Welcome to @Cruise!”
◆
“Dunois, table four needs a black tea and a coffee.”
“Understood.”
Charlotte picked up the drinks from the counter and placed them on a tray engraved with an @ symbol. Even such a simple act showed off her natural elegance, to her newfound coworkers’ sudden gasps. While it was her first part-time job, she moved with not an ounce of nervous reticence, only a confidence that seemed practiced but not frazzled. It was certainly enough to draw stares from the female customers.
“My apologies for the wait! And whose is the black tea?”
“I-It’s mine.”
Even though she was older than Charlotte, the customer stumbled through a bit of nervousness as she answered. After placing the tea and the coffee in front of the customers, Charlotte asked if either would like the ‘special service.’
“Would you like sugar or cream? I can stir them in for you.”
“Yes, please. Heavy on both, if you don’t mind.”
“Same here.”
Both of them normally took their drinks black, but the opportunity to enjoy service from a splendid young butler turned their answers to wholehearted ‘yes’es. Whether she realized this or not, Charlotte answered with a gentle smile and nod.
“Understood. Pardon me.” Her pale, beautiful fingers wrapped around a spoon as she stirred. Its rattle against the mug took the customers’ breath away. “Here you are.”
“T-Thanks...”
Taking the mug from Charlotte’s hands, the woman nervously raised it to her mouth. Next was the woman with coffee, who nervously, jerkily, lifted it to her lips and took a sip.
“Of course, mesdemoiselles, if there is anything else I can do for you, do not hesitate to ask.”
After speaking, Charlotte gave a bow which could only be described as ‘noble,’ leaving the customers so stunned they could only nod. Phew, waiting tables is hard work. I wonder how Laura’s doing? As she continued working, Charlotte scanned the room for Laura. Soon, she spotted her taking orders at a table of three men.
“Hey, you’re a cute one. What’s your name, baby?”
“.........”
“What time do you get off? Wanna go out later?”
Bang! Laura half-placed, half-slammed a cup on the table, scattering drops of water, then coldly intoned to her shocked audience.
“Your water. Drink it.”
“Ooh, feisty! I wanna know where you keep that fire insi—”
Before he could even finish his sentence, much less give an order, Laura stalked away from the table. Stepping up to the counter, she spoke something and waited a moment, then brought a drink back.
“Drink.”
Laura placed it on the table, a bit more gently than before, if only as not to crack the saucer. Still, coffee splashed out.
“Wait, I don’t remember ordering a coffee...”
“Oh, you’re not a customer? Then get out.”
“No, it’s not like that, I just wanted to take a look at the menu before...”
Whether it was because he was infatuated with Laura or because he was taken aback by her impatience with him, the man was searching for the right words as he spoke. In a society run by women, only the truly courageous or true morons would try pickup lines like that. This group was definitely the second.
“Like, it’s not that I don’t want coffee, but maybe I was looking for an Arehalli or a Kilimanjaro...”
Laura sneered with a joyless glare as if to cut him off without even speaking, “Oh? Can plebs like you even tell the difference?”
“Well, um... Sorry...”
The men sunk back in their seats before her absolute zero glare and unforgiving sneer, and quietly sipped their coffee.
“Get out of here once you finish. You’re taking up a table.”
“Yes, ma’am...”
The Teutonic ice queen was still secure on her throne. But her unapproachable attitude, combined with her good looks, had its own charm. Most of the men in the café were palpably eager to receive the same treatment.
“Wow, she’s amazing.”
“I want her to insult me! I want her to look down on me! I want her to discriminate against me!”
A number of tables were quite excited by the display. Even the other tables, and staff, tried their hardest to pretend not to be watching.
“Can I add on to my order? And can you have the blond butler from before bring it?”
“A coffee, please! From the silver-haired maid!
“One from the fabulous butler!”
“Mine from the beautiful maid!”
The commotion spread through the café, reaching a fever pitch. Laura and Charlotte were at a loss for what to do, until the manager stepped in and guided them table by table. She was a true professional, skillfully weaving them a path through a crowds half again as large as normal. This continued for two hours. But just as Charlotte and Laura began to show signs of mental exhaustion, it happened.
“EVERYONE GET DOWN!”
The door crashed open, and three men roared in like an avalanche. For the blink of an eye, the café’s patrons were unable to process what they were seeing, but as a gunshot rang out screams followed.
“EEEEEEK!”
“No one move! Be quiet!”
The men were clad in bomber jackets and jeans, with masks over their faces and guns in their hands. Bills fluttered down from them their backpacks. This was obviously a robbery in progress. Likely bank robbers making their escape. They may have seemed more like bemusing escapees from a 20th century manga, but still. They were armed. They couldn’t be ignored.
“This is the police! We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up! Repeat—”
This was prime real estate by the station. The police response was swift, with patrol cars sealing off the roads while officers with riot shields and guns fanned out around the building.
“For some reason...”
“The police...”
“Are doing this old school too...”
Customers whispered back and forth, almost forgetting their status as hostages as they recounted something lost on teens.
“Boss, whadda we do? They’re gonna get us all!”
“Chill! Don’t lose your head. We got hostages. They ain’t gonna storm us.”
The apparent leader of the trio, a well-built man, put a bit of courage back in his comrades.
“You’re right. We still got what we earned our paycheck with,” said a fellow robber as he racked his pump-action shotgun, then fired into the ceiling.
“EEEEEEK!”
As a light tube shattered, a woman covered her ears with her hands and shrieked in terror. This time, the leader fired a shot from his pistol in the air to silence her.
“QUIET DOWN! Do what we say, and no one gets hurt. Got it?”
The woman’s face turned a pale white, and she nodded while chewing on her lip.
“Anyone listening out there? If you want us to let the hostages go, bring us a car! No tail and no tracker!”
The man punctuated his demands with gunfire. Nothing was hit except the windshield of a patrol car, but it was still enough to send the bystanders into a panic.
“Haha, look at ‘em squirm.”
“The more peaceful a country is, the easier it is to pull off a job!”
“You know it.”
The robbers echoed in brutal laughter. Meanwhile, from the shadows, a single pair of eyes gazed coolly. One with a shotgun, one with an SMG, and the leader with a pistol. It’s possible they have other weapons, but for now... Charlotte stayed low as she analyzed the situation. As her eyes darted around the restaurant, she was taken aback.
“.........”
One person other than the robbers was standing: Laura. With her silver hair, her eyepatch, her beauty, any eye would stop on her.
“What’s your problem? Didn’t you hear us tell you to keep it down?”
As could be expected, the leader turned toward her. Laura’s gaze turned over the gun in his hand for the blink of an eye.
“Aren’t you listening? Do you not speak Japanese?!”
“It’s all good, boss. We got plenty of time. Let’s make her serve us lunch!”
“The hell you talkin’ about?”
“C’mon, she’s a little stunner!”
“I’m in too. I ain’t never been to a maid café.”
As his two underlings snickered, the boss furled his eyebrows and sat down on a nearby sofa.
“Fine, whatever. I’m thirsty. Bring me a menu.”
Laura kept her gaze firmly on the men as she reached below the counter. What she pulled forth was a full pitcher of ice.
“...The hell’s this?”
“Water.”
“Thought I asked for a menu.”
“Shut up and drink. If you can.”
Laura suddenly flipped the tray. The ice water soared up into the air, and with a quick spin she grabbed a cube—and flicked it away.
“Owww! What the hell are you—”
A frozen bullet. It smashed into his index finger which he’d lifted off the trigger, and while he was still stunned, more pounded into his eyelids, his throat, and between his eyes. Even before he could shout, Laura drove her knee into another robber’s gut.
“The fuck?! You little—”
The leader, recovering from his initial pain, opened fire with his pistol. The roar of exploding powder filled the room, but the bullets didn’t find their mark. Darting from sofa to table, potted plant to water cooler, Laura used the restaurant’s furniture as shields as she moved with a speed belied by her slender frame.
“Boss! She’s—”
“Chill! We can handle one brat!”
“Sorry, but there’s not just one.”
As the leader swapped magazines, a fabulous young butler—well, beautiful young Charlotte—closed in from behind. She let out a sigh of frustrated resignation as she moved, not just because she was dragged into this, but because Laura had acted alone, and that she had to support.
“What the hell?!”
“Maybe I’m glad I’m dressed as a butler. Hm, yeah— It lets me kick high.”
As she spoke, Charlotte kicked the leader’s pistol from his hand. Following through, she brought her leg down in an axe kick on the shoulder of the robber with a shotgun. With a sickening crunch, his arm hung limp.
Laura and Charlotte were both used to this—no, something more. It was proof of their experience in far fiercer, faster battles. As pilots with their own personal IS, their countries had naturally put them through training for every conceivable situation. Being a national cadet didn’t spare them from that. If anything, the opposite. They were trained to overcome any opposition, even without the use of their IS. Of course, as a soldier, Laura’s technique, reactions, and conditioning were notably beyond Charlotte’s. But in a situation like this, it made no difference.
“Target 2 neutralized— Laura?”
“No problems. Target 3 neutralized.”
Confirming that their targets had lost consciousness and mobility—in other words, were knocked out— the two nodded to each other. Only one target was left: the leader, who had just scrambled his way back to his pistol as their focus returned to him, and raised it to fire in his left hand.
“Gimme a fuckin’ break! No way am I gonna get taken down by two kids!”
The very instant that his unbroken left index finger curled around the trigger, Laura shot toward him like a bullet. As Charlotte twisted to evade, she planted her foot on an @Cruise tray. Stomping down on its rim, she flipped ‘something’ up in the air. With perfect timing, Laura snatched it as it flew. A weapon, shining dimly. Her hand now wrapped around murder itself, Laura pressed its muzzle between the leader’s eyes.
“You’re too slow. Now die.”
“Eh? Wait, Laura!”
With a thunk, Laura flipped it around and pistol-whipped on his temple, sending him sprawling like a marionette with its strings cut.
“All targets neutralized.”
“Phew. You scared me there for a second.”
“Saying that makes amateurs hesitate. It’s a safer way to finish the job.”
“If you say so.”
Laura would never actually pull the trigger. But Charlotte wouldn’t say that to her out loud. For some time, silence filled the café. The civilians inside, patrons and staff alike, were as breathless as if they’d just ridden a roller coaster, and only slowly began to raise their heads.
“Is it over?”
“Are we safe?”
“What just...”
They blinked inquisitively at Charlotte and Laura, understanding that they were out of danger, but not what had just happened. The manager, likewise stunned, could only wonder whether corporate would believe her report that ‘a beautiful silver-haired maid and a strapping young blond (female) butler had caused the damage while subduing a gang of bank robbers.’
“All right! Thanks, maid and butler!”
As it sunk in that the danger had passed, the café suddenly buzzed. Sensing the change, the police began to close in.
“Hmm, looks like Japanese police know what they’re doing.”
“Come on, Laura! We’re national cadets with our own IS! We can’t get found out!”
“You’re right. Let’s get out of here.”
As could be expected, outside of the area the police had roped off, a crowd of reporters had gathered. But then, things changed for the worse.
“I’ll blow you all up before I go to jail!”
The leader who they had thought was unconscious staggered to his feet and flung his bomber jacket open as he shouted crazily. His torso was wrapped with enough plastic explosives to easily flatten the 40-square-meter café. And the trigger was, of course, in his hand.
“Wow...”
“He really is old school.”
Even as the words slipped out, the café slipped yet deeper into a panic than before. But—
“You just don’t know when to give up, do you.”
Laura sent her skirt fluttering with a kick of her right leg, and every man in the room’s eyes were drawn to the band of white fabric which peeked out. A moment later, she brought her heel down. Catching the edge of a table, it sent the pistol flying into the air, where Charlotte tumbled over Laura’s back to catch it. And then... Rat-a-tat-a-tat!
“Checkmate.”
Double bursts of five shots tore through the detonator, fuse, and wiring connecting them—but nothing more.
“Shall we keep going?”
“Next is your arm.”
With two pistols pointed at him, the leader’s roars of rage faded to a pitiful whimper, “Sorry! I’m so sorry! I’ll never do this again! Just let me live!”
Without staying to listen to his admission of defeat, Laura and Charlotte slipped out. Like a black gust.
◆
“It’s getting late.”
Two hours had passed since the robbery, and as the duo finished their shopping and stepped out of the department store, the world had taken on an orange cast.
“Was that everything?”
“Yeah. But c’mon, Laura. You’ve been all ‘you pick’ and ‘get whatever’ for a while now. Girls don’t do that!”
“Stop scolding me. It’ll give you wrinkles.”
“It will not!”
Charlotte’s mind had already been drifting to something, and Laura had hit it dead center. That something was Ichika. Sometimes he really acts like an old man... Maybe he had been rubbing off on her. Laura, on the other hand, was definitely not easily influenced.
“Oh, right. There’s a park I wanted to check out over that way.”
“A park?”
“Yeah. Joushi Park. It’s built on the ruins of a castle.”
“Oh? Interesting. I’d heard Japanese castles were very defensible. Even if they’re just ruins, seeing them should be educational.”
Laura, as usual, was looking at it from a military perspective, but Charlotte didn’t feel the need to comment on that. Everyone has their own perspective, and it’s best to observe it and learn from it rather than force your own.
“We really bought a lot, too. The manager snuck us some pay on the way out, so we could get more than we planned on.”
“Oh, was money a question? I could stop by the bank, I have around twenty million euros available.”
“You’re that rich?!”
“Yeah. I’ve been in the military practically since birth. And then there’s the stipend for national cadets.”
Mine isn’t that shabby either, but still...
“But I don’t actually know how to withdraw it. I’ve never had to use it.”
“Well, uh. I see... You’ve definitely got a lot saved up. I’ll have to show you how to spend it.”
“Mm. Thanks. But I’ve just never needed to spend money for myself. Rations and uniforms were enough in the regular army, and when undercover I’ve been careful to only take things from my handlers. Otherwise, I’d be too easy to pin down.”
“You don’t have to worry that much about it here. Let’s at least get crêpes when we get to the park.”
“Huh? Crêpes? Why?”
“While I was on break at the café, someone told me that the berry medley crêpes brought good luck.”
“Is that some kind of weird Japanese thing?”
“I think it’s just a superstition.”
“Oh, folk religion.”
Charlotte nodded in affirmation, but looked a little bit exasperated. You’re not wrong, per se, but it’s something a bit more girlish... Anyway, though, Laura was up for it, so Charlotte led her forward. It wasn’t hard to find. The area was packed with high school girls, whether they were going out in the evening or coming back from practice.
“Let’s order.” Charlotte took Laura’s hand in both of hers and pulled her toward the crêpe truck. “Could we get two crêpes? Berry medley, please.”
The cook, a man in his late 20s with a scruffy beard, a bandana, and an affable expression, bowed his head slightly.
“I’m sorry. We’re out of berries today.”
“Oh, really? That’s too bad. Laura, what else did you want?”
“Mm? Strawberry and grape.”
Laura raised two fingers to signal that she wanted one of each, and stepped forward to pay.
“It’s okay, Laura. I’ve got this. After all, I dragged you out here.”
“Is that so? Don’t worry about it. Plus, I wanted to try spending. How did I do?”
There wasn’t a shred of girlishness in her voice, but Charlotte still had to hand it to her for her earnestness.
“100 points.”
“I knew it.” Laura spoke with self-satisfaction as she took the crêpes. “Which would you like?”
“Well. I’ll take the strawberry.”
Stepping a bit away from the shop, they found a bench to sit on and dug into their crêpes.
“Mmm! This is delicious!”
“It is. This is my first time eating a crêpe, but I think it tastes good.”
Charlotte had been a bit disappointed that she couldn’t try the berry medley, but the soft, tasty crêpe brought the joy back to her voice.
“This is great. We’re gonna have to come back here, and bring everyone.”
“I see. Then, I’ll bring Ichika.”
“That’s no fair!”
Really, though, seeing Laura being so honest about her feeling made Charlotte a bit jealous. I’d love to come here just with Ichika, too... She remembered her dream of the week before—the one too embarrassing to mention to anyone—and her cheeks flushed. Trying to hide it from everyone and no one, she ate her crêpe faster. Ugh... That was just a dream. It didn’t really happen. I should just forget it.
“Charlotte.”
“Mm? What, Lau—”
Smooch. Laura’s lips locked with Charlotte’s.
“Wh-Whaaaaaaat?!”
“You had some sauce on you.”
“S-So what?!”
“My hands were full.”
Laura held up the crêpe in her right hand and the bags in her left.
“You could have told me!”
“It was about to fall.”
Laura tilted her head at Charlotte, as if unsure why it was a big deal. Like a kitten innocently stepping over the bounds of the heart, was the image that came to Charlotte’s mind.
“Whoops.”
This time, Laura licked her own hand. Like a cat cleaning its fur.
Ngh...! Charlotte’s heart was still pounding from Laura’s actions. It wasn’t that she was seriously falling for another girl, but anyone’s heart would skip a beat or two with a beautiful girl their age being so intimate. She just doesn’t understand how what she’s doing looks like. I shouldn’t blame her for it. Charlotte was, of course, herself quite beautiful, but people never understand that about themselves.
“Don’t be so angry. Here, I’ll share mine.”
“T-Thank you!”
Hiding her embarrassment, Charlotte took a bite of Laura’s crêpe.
“By the way, that crêpe shop doesn’t even have a berry medley.”
“Eh?”
“It wasn’t on the menu. None of the sauces in the kitchen were the right color.”
“Oh, really? You’re observant.”
“Of course I am. What if that was cover for a terrorist? Think of what would happen if he set off a grenade at that range. Even if we emergency deployed our IS, our lives would be in danger.”
“...So that’s how you were thinking about it.”
Charlotte’s shoulders drooped in dejection, as her hopes that it was for a more girlish reason were dashed.
“But we can still have berry medley.”
“Huh?”
“What flavor is this crêpe?”
“Grape, right?” Seeing the hint of a smile on Laura’s face, Charlotte suddenly realized. “Oh! Strawberry and blueberry?”
“Precisely.”
Laura, self-satisfied, took a bite.
“But wait, Laura! Blueberries and grapes are different!”
“They’re still similar, though. And if I had said ‘I want blueberry,’ you’d have figured it out.”
Now that Charlotte thought of it... The cook’s face had lit up when he heard the order, too.
“I see. So that’s the hidden meaning behind ‘berry medley.’”
Charlotte nodded in realization, embarrassed at her assumption that Laura was just being dense. The shame of mistaken assumptions brought a different blush to her face. I see... So that’s how it is. I’d love to have a berry medley crêpe with my boyfriend... Charlotte let Laura’s actions replay in her mind, with the lead role replaced by Ichika. That would be screening, matinees and evening showings alike, for the next few days.
“Summer’s almost over.”
“Yeah.”
The two didn’t have to say what that meant. This summer, not just this summer but this year, was a turning point in their youths. Not just their youths, their whole lives. A time they’d never forget.
Fifteen years old, and in love for the first time.
◆
“What is this?”
“It’s adorable, that’s what it is! It looks great on you!”
“Don’t hug me! I can’t move!”
“But cats are for having in your lap!”
“But you’re a cat, too.”
The excited conversation was taking place in Laura and Charlotte’s dorm room. With nothing else to do after dinner, Charlotte had suggested that they change into their new pajamas.
“Are these really pajamas?”
“Yeah. They’re comfy, aren’t they?”
“How would I know until I sleep in them?”
Laura’s suspicion was reasonable. These were pajamas, but certainly not normal ones. The voluminous cut covered the whole body except for the face. Each pair had a hood with cat ears, and the arms and legs ended on paws. In other words, they were cat pajamas.
“I think I’d rather sleep in the nude. That would probably be more comfortable.”
“You can’t! Plus, these look so good on you. It’d be a shame to take them off.”
Laura’s outfit was black, while Charlotte’s was white. Since they’d changed, Charlotte had had Laura seated in her lap, embracing her from behind. Charlotte, at least, seemed to be enjoying it a lot.
“C’mon, Laura. Why don’t you try saying ‘meow,’ just this once?”
“I refuse! Why should I have to?”
“Because it would be cute! Cuteness is important!”
Charlotte’s innocent enthusiasm and happy smile were, to Laura, her greatest enemy. Laura’d been assailed with a storm of ‘because it’s cute’ and ‘you have to try it on’ and ‘sorry, but no saying no,’ a complete 180-degree turn from normal. Before she knew what was happening she’d ended up firmly planted in Charlotte’s lap.
“C’mon, give it a try! Meow!”
“Me-Meow...”
Charlotte’s happiness visually grew as she watched Laura mimic an embarrassed cat. Almost like the displays showing a certain space battleship’s main cannon charging.
“You look so cute, Laura! Let’s take a picture!”
“And leave evidence behind? I absolutely refuse!”
“Don’t complain like that!”
Knock, knock.
“Come in!”
Charlotte called out with the happy bluntness only heard in girls’ dorms, only for her gleeful grin to turn to an embarrassed blush in an instant.
“Hey. Oh, what’s up with those outfits? Black and white cats?”
Their visitor was Ichika.
Whaaaaaaat? He’s never ever come here before, so why now? Why today? Why when I’m in cat pajamas? I’m not normally like this! I just bought something cute when I was out shopping today, my normal pajamas are much more mature! I’m not normally like this at all! Charlotte’s head spun. Even as she tried to explain, all that came out of her mouth was mumbled ‘er’s and ‘ah’s.
“You called me earlier and I missed it. I was busy with IS stuff all day. Around dinner, I tried to call you back but you didn’t answer, so I came to see what was up.”
“I see. Hmm. You’re quite the attentive bride. I appreciate it.”
Laura had slipped from Charlotte’s arms as she panicked, and now stood with her hands on her hips but none of her usual menace. The cat ears and paws completely eliminated that. Rather than being intimidating, it just made her even cuter.
“Oh, whoops, I had it on vibrate in my bag. Ahahaha...”
Charlotte, having regained a bit of her composure, pulled her phone out. It was still, though, grasped in the paw of a white cat. The surreality left Ichika at a loss for what he should focus on, and he tried to hold back a chuckle. Wait! He’s laughing at me! Oh no. He must think I’m such a little kid... Ugh...
“Matching pajamas, huh? Cute.”
Their enthusiasm had rubbed off on Ichika, as his grin revealed.
“C-Cute?” Laura and Charlotte replied in unison. The cheeks of both turned red as they pondered what that meant.
“Oh, by the way, I went shopping today and brought you back something.”
As he spoke, Ichika pulled out a cookie bag with a large @ printed on the side.
“......?!”
Charlotte and Laura each broke into a nervous sweat as they remembered their work outfits.
Did Ichika see me? I hope he doesn’t think I’m less of a girl.
Did he see me in that frilly thing?!
Ichika’s words floated by them as they looked back on their day of work and just wanted to bury their face in their arms and break down.
“So anyway, when I went to @Cruise, it was packed with cops and reporters for some reason. I couldn’t even get in. While I was trying to figure out what to do next, this really energetic manager came out and handed out cookies to everyone caught up in whatever happened. I wasn’t one of them, but when I tried to tell her, she was already gone. She was muttering about ‘corporate’ and ‘inspection’ the whole time. I wonder what was up with her?”
“Oh, really?”
“Something happened?”
Laura had hung onto hope that it was a different location, but soon that hope would fade.
“It sounds like it was a bank robbery. Things have gotten really unsafe lately.”
“.........”
“The reporters asked someone what happened, and they said that a good-looking maid and butler duo caught the robbers. That sounds like something you’d only see in the movies or on TV.”
“Y-Yeah.”
“Definitely.”
“Sounds awesome, though. I wish I’d seen them.”
Both of them gave a start. It seemed almost as if the ears on their pajamas stood up.
I wish I’d been in the maid outfit...
I don’t have the courage to admit it was us...
They each spent so long mulling it over that the chance to own up to it slipped away.
“How about some tea? We can have the cookies, too.”
As Ichika spoke, he stepped toward the simple kitchen area of the room.
“Don’t worry! I’ll get it, you can sit down.”
“Huh? Not with those hands, you won’t.”
It was only when they heard Ichika that Charlotte and Laura realized they had paws.
“These are cocoa cookies. They’d go well with warm milk for the two kittens, wouldn’t they?”
“Ah, yeah.”
“If you say so.”
The two, embarrassed at being called kittens, gave small nods.
“Hey, Ichika... Do you really think these are cute?”
Charlotte couldn’t help but ask, but as soon as the words left her mouth she began to fidget her fingers.
“Yeah. They are. The colors are good, too. They match both of you.”
“Really? They match?” Charlotte giggled.
“If you say so... I guess. Maybe I will wear them once in a while.”
Their embarrassment mixed with happiness as Ichika brought them milk and cookies. A secret tea party for three, with hot milk to drink even though it was summer. A wondrous tea party with a black cat, a white cat, and a prince.