Chapter 2-2: New Recruits

He could still feel the pain coursing through his body. He was given immediate medical attention, but it wasn’t as if it eased the pain. The bruises were fading, but they still ached. 

Ichijou’s hand felt numb as he sat on that wardroom bed. The captain said that there weren’t any quarters for outsiders as the Jotunheim wasn’t constructed with the thought of taking in refugees. It was a battleship through and through, thus the only space they had for him to sleep was the wardroom meant for the injured. Even if he recovered, he’d have no choice but to stay there. Still, it wasn’t a terrible situation. He could be sleeping on a blanket spread across the floor.

The only thing that kept coming back to his mind was Karen. Soon as their eyes met, they screamed and she ran. He didn’t know why she ran. She just did so as if it were a natural instinct. He thought she’d be happy seeing him after all those years. His first action when the captain allowed him to leave was to search for her, but the airship’s corridors were so confusing, he gave up. Why did she run? Didn’t they part on good terms? So what did he do to deserve such a reaction? The only thing he wanted at that moment was an answer from her.

“Excuse me.”

The door usually creaked when pushed, but he didn’t hear anything. Before he even knew it, a girl stood right by the door, her tangerine hair recognizable from a single glance. Just as he thought about her, she appeared before him, a tray of food in hand.

“Karen?”

She placed the food down on a drawer beside him. “I’m surprised that you found your way through. This airship is like a maze.”

“Anastasia helped me through. But she was very… prickly about it.” Imitating her voice and mannerisms, he went, “Don’t talk to me, don’t look at me and don’t breath the same air as me. In fact, it’d be much better if you up and died. I think it’s gonna be hard staying here with her room directly in front of mine.”

She chuckled. “I think both of you got off on the wrong foot. She’s actually a very nice and reliable friend. Though, given the circumstances I heard about, I can see why she’d act the way she does.”

Ichijou was silent.

Her lips curled into a wry grin, a slight tilt in her stance. “Did you like what you saw?”

“Given how things went, I wish I didn’t see anything.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be embarrassed if you saw me like that. I mean, we used to shower together.”

“Ahahaha… Those were the days…” He clasped his hands together, thinking back all he could remember about her. “By the way, did you get lost when you first got aboard?”

Her cheeks turned red. She puffed up a cheek, turning the other way. “I-I did not…”

“Some things never change.” He reached out to grab the glass of juice. “It’s been seven years and you still have a terrible sense of direction.” The moment he sipped the beverage, his eyes widened as if his mind were refreshed. “This is really good juice. You girls eat well up here.”

“Naturally. We are well funded, so we have a healthy stock in the pantry.” She sat down on his bed, just beside his leg. “Such a shame you can’t join us in the mess hall. They told me you weren’t allowed there because it’d cause too much a commotion.”

“That can’t be helped… I guess I’m the number one enemy aboard the Jotunheim now. Sigh… It was an accident…”

“I’ll try my best to clear your name.” She smiled at him, a hand on his leg. “I know the Ichijou I grew up with isn’t that kind of guy. Unless, a lot of things changed the last time I saw him.”

“I swear, it’s an accident!”

“I’m just toying with you. Still, you really did change. You’re so much taller now. And your body’s quite, uh, healthy, hmhm…” She blushed as said that.

“And you got cuter.”

The redness on her cheeks flushed across her face upon hearing that. “D-Don’t just say that without warning! A-Anyway, you should eat already!”

“And you’re still way too easy to tease.”

He grabbed the plate at his side along with the fork and spoon. Stabilizing the center of gravity on his lap, he took a long hard sniff at the curry on rice presented to him. It was a simple meal, but due to being out cold for the past few days, the aroma alone was enough to set his appetite ablaze. Scraping up one spoonful, he took his first bite.

It looked like a simple curry dish, but there was a certain kick to its flavor. Something about the spices, that mixed perfectly into a pot of gold. The meat of the chicken fell right off the bone, and melted on the tongue. The rice beneath was soft like a cushion, and the sweet taste of maltose emphasized the curry.

“By that look on your face, I can tell it’s quite tasty. The Jotunheim doesn’t have any assigned chefs, I’ll have you know. Us Candidates are shuffled around mess hall duty. Guess whose turn it was today?”

Ichijou’s mind was blank. But by the smug look on her face, his only assumption was, “You? B-But you burned the rice everytime! And when you cook eggs, they explode!”

“Some things do change. I’ve gotten much, much better at cooking, have I not?”

He stared at the meal as if it were the Holy Grail that could grant him immortality. “You did… Shocking. Are you sure that you’re Karen?”

“Your surprise is the biggest compliment.” She leaned back, supporting herself with her arms and stared at the lights above. “Seven years, hm? It feels like it’s been forever since I last left the surface world.”

“I’m only here because of that promise we made that day. Can’t believe I’d see you on the battlefield of all places.”

“Actually…” Her lips curled into a smile. “I knew you’d keep that promise. That’s why I joined the Candidate Program. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, I’d get to meet you somehow.”

“That’s way too reckless!”

“But you’re here right now, aren’t you? To be honest, these past seven years… It’s been hard on me. For a person from the surface to move up to the floating continents, it’s quite a major culture shock. I haven’t been able to make a single friend in my time up there. That’s why, when I found out I had potential, I immediately decided to join this program.”

“What about the adults that adopted you?”

“They were fine with it. They couldn’t interfere with my decision anyway, since it’s an important government-sanctioned one. Apparently, people with potential like mine were a dime in a dozen, so naturally, they’d stop at nothing to have me be part of this program.”

“Haaah, but isn’t it dangerous?”

“We’re well-equipped to handle any threat. So far, there hasn’t been a single casualty on the Jotunheim. You have Captain Noire to thank for that.” She felt elation in her heart watching him scarf her cooking down as she talked. “How about you? How has military life been treating you?”

“The sergeant likes to use my being from the surface as a means of agitating me during drills. And some of the superiors like to treat me like a slave because of where I came from. It’s been really stressful for me, but I made a lot of friends on the way. So I guess I’ve been doing fine? The battlefield’s surprisingly more peaceful than my time as a cadet.”

“As usual, you never seem to let anything get to you. I’m not sure if you’re emotionally strong, or just very dense.”

The door suddenly swung open.

“Did someone say dense?!”

Both Ichijou and Karen gasped, turning their attention to a certain twintailed girl who posed before the open door, like a lightning bolt had struck the room. Ichijou had no idea who she was, but something about her voice felt familiar.

“Because ‘dense’ is what everyone seems to use to describe me!”

“Uh, uhm…” Karen, obviously nervous, raised an open hand toward her. “Ichijou, this is Charlotte. She may seem very eccentric, but she’s actually the second-ranked pilot aboard this ship.”

“Come on, Karen, don’t steal my introduction.” A lecherous grin emerged on her face, her hands making squeezing motions as she inched toward the girl. “Someone deserves punishment~”

Karen’s mouth was agape. As if it were a naturally born behavior, she covered her chest with her arms, forming a cross. However, the pink-haired girl simply shoved her face against hers, her arms reaching around her body, attacking her butt instead.

“Kyah!”

Charlotte’s face was that of a perverse old man, complete with drool leaking down her lips. “Did you forget that my favourite part of you is your butt~ Squeeze, squeeze~ Squeeeeeze~!”

Ichijou gently put away his plate, eyes unable to roll away from the scene before him. Only one thought loomed in his head, “Roger would kill me if he knew about this.”

“Oho?” Charlotte turned toward him with a Cheshire Cat-like grin. “Jealous, are we?” She released Karen from her iron grip. “Actually, I came here to see you, uhm… Jojo?”

“It’s Ichijou… Ichijou Shido.”

“Aha~ Jojo’s much easier to pronounce, so I’ll call you that from today onward.” She crawled on all fours, slowly reaching his face. “Anyway, if you must know, I’m the reason you’re on this ship.”

“Ha?”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“I brought you here because you got shot down trying to protect me. I felt really bad because my negligence almost got you killed. That’s why I needed to get you treated no matter what.”

“I see. Uh, thanks?”

She pressed her index finger against his lips, eyes narrowing. “No, thank you. You protected me with your life. I wanted to reward you myself. That’s why…” Her hands pressed against his cheeks, her head tilted and before he realized it—

Chu!

Their lips met. His eyes were wide open, however. They were watching Karen whose pupils dilated in utter shock. Before he could move, she jumped off the bed and ran out the ward, tears streaming behind her.

Charlotte pulled back, her green eyes locked onto his. “Tell you the truth, that was my first kiss. But, where I come from, that’s how we express our thanks.”

He wasn’t sure how to react. Karen already ran out, but if he were to push Charlotte away and give chase, he feared that it would offend her. His eyes kept trailing back and forth between Charlotte and the door.

“Oh dear.” She covered her lips, following his gaze. “Was that not an appropriate moment to do such a thing?”

“She really is dense!”

 She stuck a tongue out, tapping her head with a fist. “My bad! I’ll go find Karen and tell her it’s all a misunderstanding. You stay here and rest, this one’s all my fault anyway.” She rolled to the left and fell on the floor. Standing up, she struck another pose as she waved and screamed, “Goodbye, Jojo!”

He really had no response to give. Was there any way to handle such a character? All he could do was nod as she shook her hips all the way out the door.

However, just before the door shut, she peeked through and asked one question, “By the way, what relationship do you and Karen have?”

“She’s my childhood friend.”

“What an interesting development! You may be the perfect candidate for me Harem Plan, hehehe…” Her head slowly receded behind as the door closed shut. “Have a nice night, Jojo!”

He was feeling fatigued. Karen may have ran away out of jealousy, but he knew that she wasn’t the type to misread such a situation. If anything, she had always been understanding, even as a child. Apologizing can wait for tomorrow, because at the moment, he needed all the rest he could get.

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There was one thing Seven understood as she sat on that tattered sofa. These barracks was no place for a living creature. Ripped newspapers and plastic scrawled all over the floor. The lights on top didn’t work, so there flashlights placed here and there to substitute. The walls were cracked and about to fall apart. And the windows had no glass, so the snow simply flowed in from outside. These people don’t even sleep on beds, they have blankets spread across the floors of the ‘bedroom’ and lie down on that hard surface.

Could this really be called living quarters? Are they sure this wasn’t a modified prison? From the conversation with the general, she had the thought in her mind that they weren’t the most decorated of squads, but now they seem no better than slaves. And she’s one of them now. That very thought made her think that, maybe, it would’ve been better if she stayed stuck in that endless simulation.

“Seven! Dinnertime!”

That voice was the apparent leader, the woman named Two. When she was brought here, she was immediately given some thick clothes to wear since the building wasn’t well-heated. Two told her that she was free to wear anything in her wardrobe as they fit her well. Some guy said it was because Two was flat as a preteen despite being over thirty and was promptly rewarded with a massive smack upside the head.

As she walked toward the kitchen, the sight of Two in an apron instantly gave the image of an abused housewife. Though there was a big smile on her face, her beady eyes cried for help. The others were already at the table, none of them seeming eager to have a meal.

The redhead quickly noticed her presence. “Come, join us! Sit down, Seven!”

As she made herself comfortable on the wooden chair, she looked across at the black-haired man who quivered when their eyes met. Everyone noticed his reaction because of how badly he was hiding it.

A short brunette spoke up. “Three, it’s just a little girl. Why are you shaking?”

“T-That ‘little girl’ almost killed me! She could kill all of us! Look at that emotionless face of pure evil! Don’t fuck with the loli!”

“Because you’d go to jail.”

“Hold on.” Two suddenly intervened. “Where’s Nine?”

The raven-haired lady beside Seven stroked her chin. “Perhaps he’s lounging around, listening to music as usu—”

“NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!”

Two’s roar was like the screech of the warning siren. It was fortunate that the base was situated away from a mountainside, else her scream would cause an avalanche. Like a wild beast hunting for prey, she stormed away from the dining area and slammed one of the doors down the corridor open.

Though they were in a different room, both their voices could be heard clearly.

“Nine!”

“Whaaaaaaaaat?!”

“Take off your fucking headphones!”

“What?!”

“It’s dinnertime! Go eat now!”

“I’m not hungry!

“Do it before I feed your portion to Five!”

“What are you, my mom?! I’m not moving an inch!”

“Then I’ll move you!”

Seven was cringing. Nine was that implacable man she couldn’t kill despite shooting six times. When he held her up and glared into her eyes, she was terrified for her life. But hearing this now… It was embarrassing.

Within seconds, Two came back, towing Nine by the leg to the table. As they reached, she pointed at an empty chair and ordered, “Sit down!” He grumbled and did as told, crossing his arms on that table like a child being forced to eat broccoli.

Seven glanced toward the brunette on her left, trying to keep her voice monotone. “Is it like this every day?”

She giggled under a false smile. “This is one of the better days.”

“Okay!” Two clapped her hands. “Everyone’s here! Now, Zero Squadron, allow me to introduce our newest—”

Nine cut her off. “We know! Where’s the fucking food?!”

Her hands moved toward his face, one hand keeping his eyelids open, the other threatening two poke both eyes out. She was beaming in joy, but there was an obvious murderous aura growing from her. “The food will be here, after the introductions.”

His gruff tone suddenly receded into a quiver. “Yes, mom.”

She walked over to Seven’s side and gripped her by the shoulders. “This is Seven, who’ll be taking the place of our old Seven! Say hi, Seven!”

She gazed upon everyone’s bored faces, and without energy, she did as told, “Hi…”

“Hi Seven!” Everyone chanted back.

Nine joyously stated, “But, if you really wanna replace our old Seven, you gotta go wahaha with every sentence!”

A single sweat rolling down her cheek, Seven went, “Waha… ha?”

Two’s grip tightened. “Please don’t start.” She tapped the beautiful lady on her right. “This here is Four. I know what you probably thought, but Four is actually male.”

“What?”

She jutted out her index finger and wiggled it about. “The beautiful woman has a weewee.”

Three balanced his chin on his palm. “What’s sad is that he’s prettier than Two.”

“Don’t talk smack. You almost slept with him.”

He covered his face in shame. “I-I didn’t know…”

Four winked at him. “I swing any direction. If you ever change your mind about that night, just call me anytime.”

“Aaaand before we teach her things we should not, on your left is Six! She used to be an idol!”

The brunette made a peace sign and hovered it over one eye. “Dojyaaaan! Six here! I may be an operator at the moment, but one day I’ll make my comeback into stardom!”

There was something about her that made Seven feel rather agitated. As in, her very existence felt abrasive. She didn’t know why she felt that way.

Nine chimed in, “Just don’t let her sing. Ever.Even if you’re deaf. If you value your life, you won’t let Six sing.”

Six rolled her hands into fists, holding them near her face. “Mean! Your growly voice isn’t that nice either!”

“A washed out idol like you that can’t understand the greatness of Crimson King has no right to talk about music!”

Three started chuckling to himself. “H-Hey, guys, I-I got a good one. Why is Six afraid of Seven? Because Seven ate Nine!”

Everyone simply groaned.

Two, shaking her head, pointed at him. “That failure of a comedian there is Three. If I’m not mistaken, you chopped him on the throat, right? He spent all day crying about it.”

“It really hurt, okay?!”

She ignored him and pointed at the blonde beside him. “That’s Five—” And then she realized that Five was already eating. “Hey! I haven’t even served the food yet! Who said you could eat?! No!” She snatched the plate away, holding it over Five’s head. “Bad Five, bad Five!”

Five didn’t reply. She simply stared up at the plate with a blank and vacant smile. Seven was hundred percent sure that she may have suffered brain damage during battle from the way she acted.

“And that one’s Nine!” Two pointed at him. “The bastard child, our rebellious son!”

With a tone similar to that of a bad TV commercial, he pointed gun hands at Seven and followed up, “You may remember me from various programs such Summer Slam, Six Bullets and Whooped Your Ass.”

Seven glared at him. This was the guy. The image she had of him then was completely shattered by the man she saw sitting before her. It was rather unnerving.

“And I’m Two, the leader of this sorry excuse of a Breakfast Club.” She placed the plate down in front of Five for her to continue eating. “I’m actually the freshest recruit, but as soon as I came in, the previous leader, Eight, died. Then everyone elected me as leader because none of them wanted to take the job.”

Nine flashed his teeth at her. “That’s because you seemed capable!”

“Capable of kicking your ass, maybe! Anyway, I hope you’re familiar with everyone and their designated numbers, just ask me anytime if you ever forget. ” She turned off the stove behind her and grabbed a ladle. “Time to dine!”

Circling the table, she dropped whatever was in that pot on everyone’s plate. ‘Whatever’ specifically because that thing she was cooking didn’t seem to be anything Seven recognized. It was red like raw meat, but somehow sludgy. When she poked at it, it stuck to the spoon like glue and wouldn’t let go. Was there a word for this dish? Is it edible? The sight of the dish completely killed whatever energy that table had.

Once everyone’s plates were served with that… thing, Two sat down with a wide grin, that was so horribly hiding her pent up frustrations, then formed a heart with her hands, saying, “Today’s meal is prepared be me with lots and lots of love!”

Seven glanced toward the sink and noted the stacked piles of freshly opened cans.

Four kept trying to pull the dish up, but it was so sticky that he couldn’t remove his spoon from it. “Are you angry, Two? Are we being punished for something?”

Three glanced to his side and watched how Five ate it; by shoving her face onto the plate and chewing it from there. He then glanced to the other side and noticed how Two had yet to even touch her utensils, nor did she have any intention to.

“So, tell us more about yourself, Seven.” Two requested, hands clasped. “Where do you come from?”

As she kept pulling on the dish as if it were modeling clay, she calmly answered, “Schwarzlang.”

Everyone gasped their spoons, eyes wide with a painful cringe. The spoons rhythmically fell on the plates one by one. Even Five who was happily scarfing down froze.

Two lowered her head with shut eyes. “I-I’m very sorry, Seven. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Seven was confused. “What’s wrong?”

“You don’t know?” Six bit her lips. “Three years ago, Schwarzlang was completely enveloped in a gravity well. It’s gone, all of it.”

She gulped. “Right... I tried not to remember. Actually, I saw it happen right before my eyes. I was actually captured by the imperials at the time.” She kept poking at the dish.

Two kept on bowing her head. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry! I really shouldn’t have asked that question!”

Seven had no response to give. Her senses started to dull as she endlessly poked at the dish. At long last, her efforts came to fruition. She managed to scrape one spoonful of that substance. Everyone’s hearts pounded as she brought the spoon into her mouth. With one bite, she fought against the dish’s stickiness to yank it off the spoon.

“What am I eating…?”

The texture was what came to mind first. It was somehow grainy, chewy and soft all at the same time. The dish stuck to her teeth like a horrible candy. The flavor was horrid. It was a strange mixture of sour and bitter, in fact, the last time she tasted this particular flavor was when she vomited. And when she swallowed, the feeling it left on her throat was like having phlegm stuck there during a flu.

This dish was worthy of being classified as a biological weapon.

Everyone’s eyes were on her, a mix of anticipation and horror on their faces. Six was even reaching toward a first-aid kit on the wall. However…

Seven grew up knowing one thing: No matter what she ate and no matter how it tasted, she had to say one thing to whomever it was that cooked it. Whether it was the truth or a lie, it didn’t matter. She had to tell the cook those two words.

“It’s delicious.”

The cold air of the dining room fell into silence.

“Say that again?”

“It’s delicious.”

Two was trembling from head to toe. Tears flowed down her cheeks as a big smile etched on her face. It was different from the smiles she had before. Those ones were obvious cries for help, used to hide her stress. This particular one was genuine. Her joy could be felt across that table.

“D-Do you really meant it…?”

“Yes.”

She stood up, her chair falling back from the force. Rushing around the table, she threw herself at Seven and wrapped her arms around the girl who was a head shorter than her, pecking her on the cheek over and over.

“Not even my mother has ever told me my cooking was delicious! You’re such a good girl, Seven! Even if you’re lying to make me feel happy, I’m completely happy! I wish I had a daughter like you…! I wish…”

Seven would’ve felt incredibly appreciated if it weren’t for Two’s snot flowing down her cheek.

Everyone else looked at Seven and then at Five. Altogether, they nodded heads and shrugged, wordlessly coming to terms. They lifted the plates and yanked the thing off with one bite.

On that night, the sink was covered in vomit.

To Be Continued