North Winds Fall (Xianxia - Survive the Protagonist)
- Thread starter azatol
- Start date
- Original
[X] Join Major Sumida's 3rd Company, 1st Platoon while they search for any South Winds armies in the Wasteland. The Regular army 1st platoon is drilled and trained to handle contacting the enemy as a scouting group.
Given how incredibly sexist this army is (none of the female army's officers below BRIGIDER GENERAL can disobey or counterman any male officer*) then turning down the 'opportunity' to work with the men's army now seems like it would be a very poor decision.
*Meaning a girls army Colonel is practically speaking of lesser rank than a fresh lieutenant in the male army. I can't emphasise how bad that is.
Given how incredibly sexist this army is (none of the female army's officers below BRIGIDER GENERAL can disobey or counterman any male officer*) then turning down the 'opportunity' to work with the men's army now seems like it would be a very poor decision.
*Meaning a girls army Colonel is practically speaking of lesser rank than a fresh lieutenant in the male army. I can't emphasise how bad that is.
Last edited:
- Location
- 1st World Country
[X] Join Major Sumida's 3rd Company, 1st Platoon while they search for any South Winds armies in the Wasteland. The Regular army 1st platoon is drilled and trained to handle contacting the enemy as a scouting group.
Yeah lets not turn down entering the boy's club, even as a last-minute addon
Yeah lets not turn down entering the boy's club, even as a last-minute addon
The Girls Army isn't an army.
Its ablative shock.
Sent out in front of the regulars, running faster than people with longer legs, then striking without any defense.
[X] Join Major Sumida's 3rd Company, 1st Platoon while they search for any South Winds armies in the Wasteland. The Regular army 1st platoon is drilled and trained to handle contacting the enemy as a scouting group.
Get to the non suicide squad
WW7. Major Problems
- Location
- Michigan
Join Lieutenant Nora's 1st Platoon while they look to see if Captain Tsuda or the 1st Lieutenant are out in the Wasteland. Wei and Kazumi have seen something, they may be able to pinpoint the search, but 1st Platoon is unprepared for real action.
"I'll go with Lieutenant Nora's team," Autumn said. Had 1st platoon ever even drilled on how to fight a real fight? She had no experience in a real war, but she did have small scale fighting experience.
"I suppose that's the right place for a girl. Lieutenant Nora, head straight after that sighting. I am going to take a more southern course. I expect between the two of us, we'll find who is out there."
"Let's move out girls!" Lieutenant Nora told them.
Autumn looked back to the other girl's platoons. "We'll be in reserve in case we are needed," said Lieutenant Takai.
The Major's forces separated from their Girls' army. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th platoons of Major Sumida's 3rd company held position, while 3rd army's 1st platoon marched off in a southeastern direction.
"We're looking for the 1st lieutenant girls, so spread out a bit and keep vision on the horizon," Nora said.
Autumn joined Wei and Kazumi as the platoon split up to cover about fifty yards from the first girl to the last. They were at the northernmost edge of the line of girls.
"What army do you think you saw, Wei?" Autumn asked her.
"I couldn't really tell. Maybe the 1st lieutenant," Wei said. She seemed less rattled and shaky then she had a few days ago. Autumn guessed she was recovering from the horrors with Kazumi's help. Did Wei have nightmares too? Autumn had tried to shove all of that uncomfortable stuff away, but memories kept popping up like bubbles of her old life.
Kazumi actually gave her the time of day as she asked, "Private Setsu, Was it helpful getting some pointers from Private Tominaga on studying?"
"She had a lot of helpful hints for me, but she's also got skills like reading fast that I don't have, at least not yet. But it was encouraging. I hope I was helpful for her with fitness," Autumn said.
1st Platoon is too inexperienced and unorganized, she noted. After a while, some of the girls were fifty feet ahead of the others. If they did meet a South Winds army out here, it would be a rout.
She ran back towards the Lieutenant.
"Did you see anything Private?" Lieutenant Nora asked.
"Sir, do you think the girls should collapse in a bit. We're really disorganized."
Nora looked up and down the line. "Girls! Form up a bit. Relay the message!"
One of the girls shouted, "That is 1st lieutenant up ahead!"
"Form up, let's meet the 1st Lieutenant in march formation!" Nora shouted.
Since they were so spread out, the girls each shouted to the next group and the next. Five minutes later, they were formed up, marching towards the 1st lieutenant and her group of 10 platoons.
A voice which seemed to come with no source rang out, loudly. It was 1st Lieutenant's voice, projected by some equipment or cultivated power. "What are you doing here!"
Autumn felt like the voice came from straight above Lieutenant Nora's head.
"I don't know if there's any way to respond. Us boot camp Lieutenants aren't trained in those techniques," Nora said frowning.
1st Lieutenant Shiraisha immediately started leading out a platoon towards them. Perhaps her strongest platoon, the 15th?
They were still a few hundred yards away from the 1st LT when her voice yelled at them again. "Contact!"
They had dropped their guard, with there eyes on their fellow platoon, none of them noticed what they now saw to the south. It was a small force of maybe a dozen men. They were closing in rapidly, at a faster than mortal pace.
"Hold girls! Hold!" Lieutenant Nora shouted.
The South Winds army came on fast, with straight swords already bloodied. The soldier's uniforms, which were almost pink colored, were tattered and torn.
Had they fought the major's platoon already, and if so, why did they continue to attack? They were outnumbered, even as cultivators.
But how many cultivators did 1st Platoon really have? 1st grade cultivators were only slightly more powerful than mortals. The sergeant and lieutenant were at least 2nd grade, and Autumn thought she might have recovered to 3rd grade.
Lieutenant Nora didn't have any snappy orders or instructions for the girls to receive the rushing men, so she spoke up instead, "Platoon, I recommend we take up our ready stance. Whatever you learned about defending against a sword strike, dredge it up now."
"I'm an Admin cultivator, Private. I'm a trainer not a war leader. Sergeant, lead the left flank, I'll lead the right, Private Setsu, hold the middle."
Autumn only had seconds. "Wei, I need your sword arm!"
Wei and Kazumi slipped out of their previous position and quickly formed up to her left and right.
"Girls, force those men back! Don't be afraid! The first lieutenant is coming to help!"
The South Winds dozen were upon their thirty some girls in another moment.
Both her and Kazumi had swords headed their way. She realized the only way to deal with that, and blade stepped away from her attacker and in front of Kazumi, deflecting the blade of the soldier who would have hurt Wei's friend.
Screams, cries and shouts filled the air. Autumn held off two of the soldiers on her own, parrying strike after strike. She had no battlefield awareness because the fight was intense. These were elite soldiers!
Wei managed to hold off a soldier on her own as well, but she wouldn't last forever. Autumn didn't want to use more than two blade steps in a day, until she had judged her capacity. She no longer trusted the essence thirst after the tricks played on her.
She managed to put down both of her attackers, and then repositioned so she could stop the blade of Wei's attacker, and Wei was able to help Kazumi take on yet another.
She had to resist the impulse to blade step, and instead use her foundational techniques of actually moving her feet and fighting stance.
Shouts and cries and screams echoed around her, but she was fighting desperately, taking down a third soldier, and she looked around quickly, as Wei and Kazumi managed to defeat a foe of their own, but the South Winds forces had routed both flanks and were pushing towards her middle section with only a few girls still trying to defend while retreating towards her.
In the same desperate moment, 1st Lieutenant Shiraisha had arrived, surprising the South Winds men by sandwiching them between 1st platoon and her 15th platoon. She personally took out their captain in a single blow, even from her blunted training saber.
Shiraisha was a 4th grade cultivator! Her blade strike was wreathed in lightning.
Autumn blade stepped to the location of a man trying to kill one of their wounded girls. She diverted his strike, crashing full force into him to prevent the coup de grace.
Shiraisha's platoon ended the active fighting, and only a few South Winds soldiers escaped, running. That was close call, as a half dozen men would have been flanking her middle position if the 1st Lieutenant had been late.
Autumn looked around, as Wei and Kazumi helped up some of the wounded girls.
"2nd medical is with the rest of my platoons," said 1st Lieutenant Shiraisha. "I don't know why you are with 1st Platoon, Private Setsu. Form up with the 15th until we get back to base. 1st Platoon, do what you can to get your wounded over to medical."
Autumn didn't know most of these girls who had fought. She couldn't bear to look, and risk the chance that some of them weren't just hurt.
"Thank you Shūsui," Kazumi said, before she left with 15th platoon.
"I wish I could do more," Autumn responded said. It was impossible to protect 30 girls at once. The fact that these girls never got training for this situation, but they were expected to go through this because of the Major's word, it infuriated her.
She doubted the 1st LT would be happy when she heard the whole story.
"We've got three men on the run," Shiraisha said. "1st Sergeant, take a third, Lieutenant Oneida also, and I will take a third. I have some questions, private, so you're sticking with me."
Only the men who had already flanked 1st Platoon had the chance to flee. One flew to the north and two to the south.
The Lieutenant went north, the 1st sergeant's group ran southwest of the battle site, while 1st Lieutenant Shiraisha directed Autumn and the other girls south and a little east.
"So, why is first platoon out here? You're supposed to be on base, for boot camp."
"Major Sumida of the Regular army arrived at the base yesterday morning. He took all five platoons, he wanted all 25 I'm sure."
"Why were you with 1st platoon?"
"The Major asked me to either go with 1st platoon or one of his platoons. I guess he liked my fighting skills."
"I know you had some medical problems when you arrived, but why would the recruiter recommend 4th platoon? Your fighting skill is near 13th platoon's standards. There's a lot of leadership and unit coordination that you need to learn, but even then, 8th or 9th platoon would be a fine choice."
"My schoolwork is awful. I'm getting tutoring from Private Tominaga of 3rd platoon. I'm glad I was there with these girls to help today."
They were only five minutes out, on the tail of one of the runners when they saw another South Winds army.
"Company size," the first lieutenant said. "The South Winds army units are divided by religion. They can't stand each other I guess. We just fought one of the famed Divine Monotheistic special forces. This is an Anattanist company based on their flag. Not special forces, so we have that going for us."
"How did you learn all this? Were you posted in the south before? I mean, just asking sir."
"I used to be a staff advisor to someone much like Major Sumida. I got sick of it and asked to be moved to a Girls' army post. Watch out for the Major's words, he may be trying to pluck you to be a new staff advisor as well."
"Full stop, girls," she said to the rest of the platoon.
The 1st lieutenant pulled out a cylindrical device. It was shiny, maybe metal painted white.
"Sergeant, distance and direction to Lieutenant Oneida?"
"450 yards, 10 o'clock sir."
The 1st lieutenant must have used that special voice transmission, as another voice boomed back at them. "Confirmed, forming up with the other platoons."
After getting directions to 1st Sergeant's forces, Shiraisha spoke to her too. The 1st sergeant's voice said, "We've found Major Sumida's company, and the other bootcamp platoons. What should we do?"
The 1st lieutenant sounded out her thought processes, "We could try to form up with the Major and the bootcamp platoons and quickly manuever, or we could try to combine our forces further north, and form a unified front with the Major and all 15 of our platoons. Or what else? Hmm."
Vote:
A company of South Winds forces is approximately 5 platoons, but the 1st through 5th Cherry Blossom platoons are woefully underprepared, and only the 13th through 15th platoons are likely to be better person for person, than the South Winds regulars.
See diagram at the bottom.
You've fought Divine Monotheistic special forces, and now spotted an Anattanist company, so there may be a Samsarran company lurking around also.
[ ] Suggest forming up with the Major and 2nd through 5th platoons. 1st sergeant will meet and direct the rest of Shiraisha's platoons to start marching south in support.
[ ] Suggest a general retreat, to form a combined defensive position. Ask 1st sergeant to direct the rest of Shiraishi's platoons to establish a defensive line to the north.
[ ] Say nothing. Let 1st LT make the decision.
[ ] Write In a Battle Plan.
Last edited:
- Location
- Michigan
I'll try the pic upload differently. I can see it for some reason.
Your first share was using dropbox, which is really poor as an imagehost, since its meant for interpersonal file sharing in small groups and exposing it to the wider internet tends to get it reamed flat no time
Hmm...
[X] Suggest forming up with the Major and 2nd through 5th platoons. 1st sergeant will meet and direct the rest of Shiraisha's platoons to start marching south in support.
Murderblob offense posture. Defense is more likely to survive but leave us in a very poor position in the aftermath.
- Location
- Michigan
Good to know. I use dropbox a lot, but I'll try to avoid it for this kind of purpose.
[X] Suggest a general retreat, to form a combined defensive position. Ask 1st sergeant to direct the rest of Shiraishi's platoons to establish a defensive line to the north.
All the squadron are too much dispersed and green. Better to regroup to a defensive line to reogarnize than risking a defeat in detail.
All the squadron are too much dispersed and green. Better to regroup to a defensive line to reogarnize than risking a defeat in detail.
Professor Sako: Treatise on the Theory of Path Steps
- Location
- Michigan
Introduction to Path Steps
Professor Sako, Dean Path Studies, Dai ichi-shū University
Preamble
Herein, the West Winds Federation terms for the Path are used. In South Winds, the terms Cultivation, Brahmacharya and Sunya are used to reference similar concepts, and in the North Winds, the concept of cultivation is also used. Translate this lesson into your own lexicon as required, but we will use the terms Path, Step and Way.
The Path does not cease, but instead transcends our ability to explain it. A fifth step Pathist may be able to speak greatly on the differences beyond our perception as lesser Pathists, but it accomplishes nothing to hear his words, standing at the base of the tower he has ascended.
The Path is intimately tied with dedication, excellence, and stepping away from painful attachments to the self.
Each step has traditionally been subdivided by early, middle, late and peak, but this has much to do with how recently you reached your current step, and how close you are to fulfilling the conditions to enter the next step.
First Step : Foundation
Anything can become the foundation of your way. At Dai ichi-shū University, we believe that your way is not a life's purpose nor a moral foundation, but more akin to a professional affiliation or even hobby. There are Pathists with their way in every athletic area, and even in trifles such as gambling and cooking.
The First Step is the foundation of your way, following the four requirements of non-instrumentality, excellence, dedication and time. These four will always be required, throughout the Path walk, but they are most focused on when entering and progressing through the First Step.
Non-Instrumentality is the principle that one's Way can't be pursued primarily for the sake of another purpose, way or thing. This is including your desire to step onto the path itself. Many pathists are stimied because they want to reach the First Step so badly that their Way becomes an instrument, and they find it impossible to take that step.
Excellence is the pursuit of the best that one can achieve. There is a lot of blurring between Excellence and Dedication, but Excellence is best described as the willingness to expose your Way to every test, that you mind the cracks and flaws, reaching a higher level. Excellence thrives in a community that exemplifies these first step principles. When each Pathist seeks even higher standards, they drive forward all who are willing to pay the cost.
Dedication is the commitment to see things through and not take a half-step or half-approach. Dedication is the resolve to continue after struggles, after feeling less motivated or discouraged. Discouragement and distraction are enemies to the pathist in every step, but most especially in the First Step.
Time is both the principle of requiring accumulated hours of pursuing your Way, as well as the requirement to keep up with the pursuit on an ongoing basis. Both maintaining and advancing require steady investment of time, as well as accumulated time.
It can take anywhere from a few months to a few years of pursuing your Way before reaching the First Step. On occasion, this rule of Time is violated after extreme circumstances. Pathists pursuing a martial Way have found their First Step reached when they had to actually defend themselves from a violent attacker. It's much rarer for non-violent circumstances to cause this sudden step.
Because of the non-instrumentality principle, pursuing a path that you don't actually appreciate makes it nearly impossible to make that First Step. We direct all educators of children to tell their students to first find their way, then to pursue it. Also, some take their First Step, and then lose it to distraction, loss of motivation, discouragement, et ceterea.
The rewards or benefits of being a First Step pathist are small. The primary benefit is being one step closer to becoming a Second Step pathist. In the Army, First Step pathists aren't considered Special forces at all, but simply enhanced regulars.
First Step pathists find that they more naturally establish the conditions for non-instrumentality and excellence, which makes achieving greater things and staying on the path easier. As they enter into the flow, they forget the external concerns and pursue the thing-in-itself with greater capacity.
There are a variety of minor boons for the First Step. Increased speed, strength, intellect, attention to detail, awareness of social niceties, and a thousand others. These are dependent on the Way and amplify the Way. These are the seeds of Latent power, which will be further developed in the Second Step.
Second Step : Refinement
These discussions of later steps will be greatly clarified by our inclusion of an example at the end.
When a Pathist of the First Step begins to identify particular facets, doctrines, methods of approaches that they like, and don't like, they have reached peak First Step. This like or dislike cannot be instrumental, because of a reason outside the Way itself, instead this is something about the Inner person's Way.
Any dedicated professional or hobbyist, after they accept and achieve the norms of their field, begins to develop a deeply internal sense of rightness and wrongness in their Way. This is the peak of the First Step, as it leads onward into the Second Step.
At our University, we call these Stakes. Markers on the property to divide what is yours from what you cannot abide. These go by countless names in other places and traditions, however.
A Stake is a line in the sand that the Pathist places saying: I cannot compromise with you on this. I will not accept you as an acolyte if you are on the other side. These must be deep, solid and internal, acquired and enhanced through extensive practice, and a wide diversity of experiences.
These Stakes must still abide by Non-Instrumentality. It's not a Stake if you think it would be consequentially harmful, only if it's a deep wrongness within the heart of the Way itself.
If one of the Stakes of a Pathist at the Second Step or beyond is put into doubt, the Pathist is in grave danger.
In the peculiar case of Card Pathists, this is the step when a Pathist declares what Sets he refuses to use or recognize.
When a First Step pathist is certain about their Stakes, and has a set of Guidelines, they advance to the Second Step. There is a more fluid transition here, but the Second Step pathist needs to solidify their step by pursuit of their Way, in the particular manner defined by their Stakes.
The benefits of the Second Step are significant. Latent boosts are much larger in this step. Second Step pathists can do things that are impossible for non-pathists or even First Step pathists.
Incredible strength, quickness, leaping, endurance, incredible brain power, eyesight, awareness of many things, are just some of the many things possible.
Active abilities, Cards are usable at this point, and Essence actually matters. The discussion of the restrictions of Active abilities, Card and the nature of Essence is beyond the scope of this publication, but at the Second Step, pathists choose to rely on mostly Latent power, or mostly Active power.
Often the very nature of the Way they have pursued makes the choice obvious, but for some people and some Ways, they have a real choice.
Active abilities are events that explicitly violate the Non-pathist norms of creation. Cards are divine equipment that are part of sets, and must be acquired by whatever means. These things are found in nature and sometimes obtained from trade with powers beyond our world.
There is much to discuss about equipment, formation abilities, and other matters that become relevant at this step, but that is for another publication.
It is safe to say that at the Second Step, a Pathist starts to reap the rewards of their hard work and dauntless pursuit.
Third Step : Devotion
At the Third Step, the pathist has taken a complete break from Instrumentality. They are in Love with their Way, which has become much narrower to encompass only that which they were searching for in the Second Step. It is the eternal, the divine, the ideal, the highest heights, and from that source they are energized.
For some pathists, Second Step peak and then step into Third Step are wrapped in metaphors of a God or religious revelation. For others, the Way simply becomes something they can't resist, an addiction which they will do anything to pursue.
In the Third Step, the pathist becomes to soak in a higher source of energy, often experienced as a blessing or boon, or connection with God or Gods. Some scholars believe this "Divine" energy source is actually the boundless energy of the outer void beyond this world. Since no one of whom we can speak with actually observes that energy, we cannot say for sure.
The Third Step has the most defined Early, Mid and Late sub-stages. While the Way may begin as simply all that was not excluded by Stakes in the Second Step, it ends with a very concentrated conception of the Way.
During special circumstances when the Pathist is called to unleash their full capacity, Pathists of the Third Step often find additional active powers and manifestations of their powers.
Those who commonly use powers or Cards that don't match up with their Way will find much difficulty in advancing in the Third Step.
In addition, Latent powers are amplified another half-step. The difference between a Third Step and a Second Step is not nearly as dramatic as the different between First and Second, but it exists.
Most Pathists who went fully into Latent power in the Second Step will develop one or a few Active powers in this step. These will be powers connected deeply with the Pathist's Way.
Fourth Step : Seals
As I am still stuck in the Third Step late stage, I must rely on secondhand accounts for this stage. I am hoping to reach Third Step peak in the next few years, and thus give a better account.
At the Third Step peak, the Pathist finally begins to see the Seals which are holding back their true potential in their Way. Every pathist is different in terms of the number and intensity of Seals, but most reportedly have between 3 and 6 seals, with at least one being high-grade.
In order to step into Fourth Step, the Pathist needs to remove the first seal. The Seals are both conceptual and celestial blockages. In order to remove a seal, the Pathist needs to both examine themself with a critical eye, and also begin to circulate the higher source of energy found in Third step creating pressure behind the Seal until it bursts
Successful Fourth Step pathists have all said that they had to identify the flaw in the conceptions of their mind, perform restitution of that flaw and only then painfully circulate the higher energy source through their Way, so as to cause the Seal to painfully burst.
All Fourth Step pathists have confirmed: without identifying and remedying the false conception first, the second part of the procedure would fail disastrously.
Thus the Fourth Step has simply defined Late and Peak sub-stages. The Pathist who has only one Seal remaining is in Late sub-stage, and once they have identified the conceptual malady in that last (usually most difficult) Seal, they are in Peak sub-stage.
In the Fourth Step, by mutual report from such Pathists, there is the process of beginning to birth something incorporeal, but real from one's Way. It is like an inner space starts to fill up, and fills at increasing speed as more Seals are removed.
When a Fourth Step pathist bursts the final Seal, this inner space becomes filled completely.
Fifth Step
About the Fifth Step, even less can be said in truth. The inner space filling to completion, causes our world itself to eject the Pathist into outer places. We know that some can survive in such places, as traders come to our world from distances unfathomable.
Traders like to spread rumors about the Fifth Step, but do they truly have any more information than we? It is uncertain, but if the rumors are true, that the Fourth Step is a preparatory step, to make way for what is called True Cultivation, or True Pathism. The Fifth Step then is the Real First Step in True Pathism.
It's hard to know what to believe about the Fifth Step as we can't talk to any who have gone through such a thing. The experience of considering whether to release oneself from this world, is indeed very vexing.
Some who could very well leave, find our World pleasant, and their desire to progress is dead. But, truthfully, the prior Steps have largely removed those who desire was lesser, and the mental alteration of the Third and Fourth steps, of Devotion and higher energies, means that few still hold back their Way for too long.
Perhaps some have held their Way at Peak Fourth Step for decades, but most stay in that position for only a year or two.
Professor Sako, Dean Path Studies, Dai ichi-shū University
Preamble
Herein, the West Winds Federation terms for the Path are used. In South Winds, the terms Cultivation, Brahmacharya and Sunya are used to reference similar concepts, and in the North Winds, the concept of cultivation is also used. Translate this lesson into your own lexicon as required, but we will use the terms Path, Step and Way.
The Path does not cease, but instead transcends our ability to explain it. A fifth step Pathist may be able to speak greatly on the differences beyond our perception as lesser Pathists, but it accomplishes nothing to hear his words, standing at the base of the tower he has ascended.
The Path is intimately tied with dedication, excellence, and stepping away from painful attachments to the self.
Each step has traditionally been subdivided by early, middle, late and peak, but this has much to do with how recently you reached your current step, and how close you are to fulfilling the conditions to enter the next step.
First Step : Foundation
Anything can become the foundation of your way. At Dai ichi-shū University, we believe that your way is not a life's purpose nor a moral foundation, but more akin to a professional affiliation or even hobby. There are Pathists with their way in every athletic area, and even in trifles such as gambling and cooking.
The First Step is the foundation of your way, following the four requirements of non-instrumentality, excellence, dedication and time. These four will always be required, throughout the Path walk, but they are most focused on when entering and progressing through the First Step.
Non-Instrumentality is the principle that one's Way can't be pursued primarily for the sake of another purpose, way or thing. This is including your desire to step onto the path itself. Many pathists are stimied because they want to reach the First Step so badly that their Way becomes an instrument, and they find it impossible to take that step.
Excellence is the pursuit of the best that one can achieve. There is a lot of blurring between Excellence and Dedication, but Excellence is best described as the willingness to expose your Way to every test, that you mind the cracks and flaws, reaching a higher level. Excellence thrives in a community that exemplifies these first step principles. When each Pathist seeks even higher standards, they drive forward all who are willing to pay the cost.
Dedication is the commitment to see things through and not take a half-step or half-approach. Dedication is the resolve to continue after struggles, after feeling less motivated or discouraged. Discouragement and distraction are enemies to the pathist in every step, but most especially in the First Step.
Time is both the principle of requiring accumulated hours of pursuing your Way, as well as the requirement to keep up with the pursuit on an ongoing basis. Both maintaining and advancing require steady investment of time, as well as accumulated time.
It can take anywhere from a few months to a few years of pursuing your Way before reaching the First Step. On occasion, this rule of Time is violated after extreme circumstances. Pathists pursuing a martial Way have found their First Step reached when they had to actually defend themselves from a violent attacker. It's much rarer for non-violent circumstances to cause this sudden step.
Because of the non-instrumentality principle, pursuing a path that you don't actually appreciate makes it nearly impossible to make that First Step. We direct all educators of children to tell their students to first find their way, then to pursue it. Also, some take their First Step, and then lose it to distraction, loss of motivation, discouragement, et ceterea.
The rewards or benefits of being a First Step pathist are small. The primary benefit is being one step closer to becoming a Second Step pathist. In the Army, First Step pathists aren't considered Special forces at all, but simply enhanced regulars.
First Step pathists find that they more naturally establish the conditions for non-instrumentality and excellence, which makes achieving greater things and staying on the path easier. As they enter into the flow, they forget the external concerns and pursue the thing-in-itself with greater capacity.
There are a variety of minor boons for the First Step. Increased speed, strength, intellect, attention to detail, awareness of social niceties, and a thousand others. These are dependent on the Way and amplify the Way. These are the seeds of Latent power, which will be further developed in the Second Step.
Second Step : Refinement
These discussions of later steps will be greatly clarified by our inclusion of an example at the end.
When a Pathist of the First Step begins to identify particular facets, doctrines, methods of approaches that they like, and don't like, they have reached peak First Step. This like or dislike cannot be instrumental, because of a reason outside the Way itself, instead this is something about the Inner person's Way.
Any dedicated professional or hobbyist, after they accept and achieve the norms of their field, begins to develop a deeply internal sense of rightness and wrongness in their Way. This is the peak of the First Step, as it leads onward into the Second Step.
At our University, we call these Stakes. Markers on the property to divide what is yours from what you cannot abide. These go by countless names in other places and traditions, however.
A Stake is a line in the sand that the Pathist places saying: I cannot compromise with you on this. I will not accept you as an acolyte if you are on the other side. These must be deep, solid and internal, acquired and enhanced through extensive practice, and a wide diversity of experiences.
These Stakes must still abide by Non-Instrumentality. It's not a Stake if you think it would be consequentially harmful, only if it's a deep wrongness within the heart of the Way itself.
If one of the Stakes of a Pathist at the Second Step or beyond is put into doubt, the Pathist is in grave danger.
In the peculiar case of Card Pathists, this is the step when a Pathist declares what Sets he refuses to use or recognize.
When a First Step pathist is certain about their Stakes, and has a set of Guidelines, they advance to the Second Step. There is a more fluid transition here, but the Second Step pathist needs to solidify their step by pursuit of their Way, in the particular manner defined by their Stakes.
The benefits of the Second Step are significant. Latent boosts are much larger in this step. Second Step pathists can do things that are impossible for non-pathists or even First Step pathists.
Incredible strength, quickness, leaping, endurance, incredible brain power, eyesight, awareness of many things, are just some of the many things possible.
Active abilities, Cards are usable at this point, and Essence actually matters. The discussion of the restrictions of Active abilities, Card and the nature of Essence is beyond the scope of this publication, but at the Second Step, pathists choose to rely on mostly Latent power, or mostly Active power.
Often the very nature of the Way they have pursued makes the choice obvious, but for some people and some Ways, they have a real choice.
Active abilities are events that explicitly violate the Non-pathist norms of creation. Cards are divine equipment that are part of sets, and must be acquired by whatever means. These things are found in nature and sometimes obtained from trade with powers beyond our world.
There is much to discuss about equipment, formation abilities, and other matters that become relevant at this step, but that is for another publication.
It is safe to say that at the Second Step, a Pathist starts to reap the rewards of their hard work and dauntless pursuit.
Third Step : Devotion
At the Third Step, the pathist has taken a complete break from Instrumentality. They are in Love with their Way, which has become much narrower to encompass only that which they were searching for in the Second Step. It is the eternal, the divine, the ideal, the highest heights, and from that source they are energized.
For some pathists, Second Step peak and then step into Third Step are wrapped in metaphors of a God or religious revelation. For others, the Way simply becomes something they can't resist, an addiction which they will do anything to pursue.
In the Third Step, the pathist becomes to soak in a higher source of energy, often experienced as a blessing or boon, or connection with God or Gods. Some scholars believe this "Divine" energy source is actually the boundless energy of the outer void beyond this world. Since no one of whom we can speak with actually observes that energy, we cannot say for sure.
The Third Step has the most defined Early, Mid and Late sub-stages. While the Way may begin as simply all that was not excluded by Stakes in the Second Step, it ends with a very concentrated conception of the Way.
During special circumstances when the Pathist is called to unleash their full capacity, Pathists of the Third Step often find additional active powers and manifestations of their powers.
Those who commonly use powers or Cards that don't match up with their Way will find much difficulty in advancing in the Third Step.
In addition, Latent powers are amplified another half-step. The difference between a Third Step and a Second Step is not nearly as dramatic as the different between First and Second, but it exists.
Most Pathists who went fully into Latent power in the Second Step will develop one or a few Active powers in this step. These will be powers connected deeply with the Pathist's Way.
Fourth Step : Seals
As I am still stuck in the Third Step late stage, I must rely on secondhand accounts for this stage. I am hoping to reach Third Step peak in the next few years, and thus give a better account.
At the Third Step peak, the Pathist finally begins to see the Seals which are holding back their true potential in their Way. Every pathist is different in terms of the number and intensity of Seals, but most reportedly have between 3 and 6 seals, with at least one being high-grade.
In order to step into Fourth Step, the Pathist needs to remove the first seal. The Seals are both conceptual and celestial blockages. In order to remove a seal, the Pathist needs to both examine themself with a critical eye, and also begin to circulate the higher source of energy found in Third step creating pressure behind the Seal until it bursts
Successful Fourth Step pathists have all said that they had to identify the flaw in the conceptions of their mind, perform restitution of that flaw and only then painfully circulate the higher energy source through their Way, so as to cause the Seal to painfully burst.
All Fourth Step pathists have confirmed: without identifying and remedying the false conception first, the second part of the procedure would fail disastrously.
Thus the Fourth Step has simply defined Late and Peak sub-stages. The Pathist who has only one Seal remaining is in Late sub-stage, and once they have identified the conceptual malady in that last (usually most difficult) Seal, they are in Peak sub-stage.
In the Fourth Step, by mutual report from such Pathists, there is the process of beginning to birth something incorporeal, but real from one's Way. It is like an inner space starts to fill up, and fills at increasing speed as more Seals are removed.
When a Fourth Step pathist bursts the final Seal, this inner space becomes filled completely.
Fifth Step
About the Fifth Step, even less can be said in truth. The inner space filling to completion, causes our world itself to eject the Pathist into outer places. We know that some can survive in such places, as traders come to our world from distances unfathomable.
Traders like to spread rumors about the Fifth Step, but do they truly have any more information than we? It is uncertain, but if the rumors are true, that the Fourth Step is a preparatory step, to make way for what is called True Cultivation, or True Pathism. The Fifth Step then is the Real First Step in True Pathism.
It's hard to know what to believe about the Fifth Step as we can't talk to any who have gone through such a thing. The experience of considering whether to release oneself from this world, is indeed very vexing.
Some who could very well leave, find our World pleasant, and their desire to progress is dead. But, truthfully, the prior Steps have largely removed those who desire was lesser, and the mental alteration of the Third and Fourth steps, of Devotion and higher energies, means that few still hold back their Way for too long.
Perhaps some have held their Way at Peak Fourth Step for decades, but most stay in that position for only a year or two.
Last edited:
WW8. Company Conflict
- Location
- Michigan
In the next few minutes, Autumn heard the voices of 1st Sergeant and 15th Platoon's lieutenant acknowledging 1st Lieutenant's Shiraishi's orders.
While the 1st Lieutenant was the highest authority present from the Girls' Army, who knew what the major would order once they formed up with him.
Shiraisha had the girls of the 15th turned around and marching west to meet up with the Major, and the Cherry Blossom 2nd through 5th platoons.
Meanwhile, the South Winds Anattanist company was still marching, and actually turned to head towards the 15th platoon.
Thankfully, the 1st Lieutenant had spotted them while they were still some distance away so they reached the Major, who had already organized the other Girls' platoons as the tip of the spear.
"Sir, did you see the South Winds company charging towards us? I ordered the rest of the platoons out here to head south to reinforce us, but the enemy will make contact before then," the 1st lieutenant said.
"Acknowledged 1st Lieutenant. We will form up in the Coed defense formation. In fact, we already had formed up. Private Setsu, you upgraded to 15th platoon so quickly? Take a position in my 1st Platoon and watch how the multi-army tactics defend a position. The South Winds company would be moronic to try to charge our position."
Embarrassed to leave the First Lieutenant who she was starting to like, she nonetheless asked the Major's 1st platoon sergeant where to stand.
The sergeant had her form up next to him, and spoke with her about how the so-called Co-Ed defense formation worked. It wasn't any fancy, but simply the same system as the Major's attack training had been for. The Girls army lined up in front, taking the first blow, and the Major's men would charge in, or just try to hold position against a superior foe.
Shiraishi formed up the 15th Platoon in front of the 1st regulars platoon Autumn was standing with.
Autumn didn't look forward to what might happen to the girls in these platoons. She felt guilty, because she was relieved Wei and the girls of 1st platoon were headed north to meet up with the rest of the Girls' Army reinforcements.
"Five of my platoons plus Five of yours, First Lieutenant, we can more than stand the South Winds company," the Major said boastfully.
The 1st lieutenant seemed to agree with the Major, but then she said, "It looks like the Anattanist company is turning back to the south. What are your orders?"
"Standard attack formation! Let's hunt down these intruders!" the Major said.
"It's not actually West Winds territory here. Although closer to our Wasteland border then theirs," but she said," Girls, lead the way!"
The regular army's 1st platoon followed the 15th platoon, 2nd platoon followed 2nd platoon and so on.
Autumn noted the men of the unit she was marching with were not using any of that speed enhancing ability they had trained with, perhaps that was for once they got closer.
The sound of boots filled the air as they marched through the spongy wasteland dirt, which occasionally caused someone to stumble or fall.
Major Sumida and the Captain of 3rd Company kept behind the two lines, though there were two other soldiers that stuck close to the major and captain as well.
The booming projected voice of 1st Lieutenant Shiraisha was audible even though it was aimed at the major.
"Contact with another company of South Winds forces. Looks like a Samsarran company. The Anattanists are trying to link up with the Samsarrans!"
Autumn didn't hear what the Major said back to the 1st lieutenant.
"You have to order the charge now sir! If they link up, this will be a much harder fight."
The combined army continued to march at their normal pace. As they approached, even she could tell that the army in the distance was now coordinated and combined, ready to meet their charge.
Major Sumida didn't order the charge until the combined South Winds forces were ready to meet them.
Unlike the special forces she had fought before, these two armies brought out bows, which were answered by activating the charge formations of the Men's army units.
Autumn watched as one of the long arrows which were almost like spears, aimed right for her.
It was only with a swift strike of her blade that she cut through the arrow, but the fragments still hit her, cutting slightly into her uniform.
Fifteenth platoon was blasting through the South Winds army on the left flank. Autumn's group, the regular's 1st platoon advanced forward flanking the enemy forces already.
Just next to the fifteenth was the Girls' 2nd platoon, but they immediately failed as the charge was crushed and the girls found nowhere to run, with men on both sides blocking the way.
Autumn and the Regular 1st army had to rush to try to contain the breakthough. They made contact, but they were flanking the enemy instead of facing it's advance head on
These South Winds forces were not the fearsome fighters that she had faced before, but as they swept through the other platoons of girls, Autumn's position became full of sudden attackers.
The Regulars couldn't stand these kind of numbers as more and more of the enemy's force was free to focus on the Major's forces.
It ended up that she was fighting alongside the sergeant that she spoke with before. Surprisingly, for a regular army unit, he was her match in fighting. She didn't dare waste another blade step, so instead she fought man after man as her unit was engulfed and surrounded.
Her victories had quickly been pared back as she was forced onto defense to hold the fractured line alongside the sergeant.
1st Lieutenant Shiraishi had actually found their port in the storm as the mighty leader of their group had taken many small injuries and was bleeding from a deep cut in her arm.
"We have to pull back!" said the 1st lieutenant.
Autumn deflected a strike meant for the sergeant as he spoke to Shiraishi.
"I don't answer to you. Where's my commander? Where's the major's orders?"
In the next moment, all three of them had to fight together to still keep open the path to retreat.
Shiraishi attacked a South Winds soldier to her left, and somehow caused another soldier to seize up from lightning at the same time. Her style was infused with the elemental strikes, her sword was the source of speed, whereas her movements were more subtle.
The Sergeant used a brutal style, striking a killing blow and taking a small blow in return, but seeming unaffected by the wounds.
Autumn was constantly stepping back, stepping in. Avoiding, adjusting her body and sword from moment to moment. She would never stop moving, and she tried at all costs to avoid hits, but when they came, the uniform didn't do much of anything to resist the blow.
She was good at anticipating and getting ahead of the situation, but she also lost control of her wider perceptions in the middle of the fight.
"Private Setsu, we're moving back!" the 1st lieutenant said. The Sergeant had no choice but to retreat with them.
Autumn risked one blade step to take out an enemy who was trying to slow their withdrawal. The sudden active power was completely unexpected and she bloodied him, knocking him unto the ground without any further resistance.
The sergeant seemed to not resist anymore as the three of them fled under the Sergeant's charge formation.
They only made it about 1200 meters before their feet returned to an ordinary speed.
"There must be many men and women who fled. We still have to rally once we find out what South Winds will do next," Shiraishi said. "There's still 10 more platoons headed towards those South Winds forces. Most likely they will exit the battlefield once they realize that."
"It must be the case that the Major evacuated the other platoons," the Sergeant said.
The Wastelands were flat, but as long as they didn't see any archers firing on them, they could loiter and look for other stragglers to form up.
In the first fight with the special forces, Autumn had been able to do something to save the other girls. In this situation, she could only wish she had been in the center of the battle, instead of on its periphery. She would have been able to handle it more easily than those other girls.
Would the Lieutenant of 14th platoon, in charge of the reinforcements, make Wei and the 1st platoon take the field again, or would they be able to rest and stay with their wounded?
She thought the South Winds were not at war. How had that changed so quickly?
"What happened between your platoon and the special forces, sergeant? Sir," she asked.
The special forces of the South Winds had seemed reckless and incredibly aggressive on the attack for so few a number.
"The enemy's goal was to bypass us completely and spy on our lands from the north, as well as getting a good position to take over the North Winds as well. They can march northward from their Wasteland border, and they no doubt had been doing so for a few days before our 1st platoon confronted them.
"It was a battle of maneuver as we tried to block their path to the north, to prevent them from crossing our borders further north. Eventually the Major had to order us to advance on their position, as they would have had a clean path to menace our borders.
One regular platoon against almost two dozen special forces was truly an impossible ask though. Even though the Major and lieutenant trusted me to carry the day and be the pig to eat the wolf, it was too much, and I was cut off too quickly. It's good that I've escaped twice now from the enemy. You would have fallen to those special forces also without the 1st Lieutenant's help."
"The Major's order counts as a declaration of war! We attacked first then," the First Lieutenant said.
"Come on," she continued, "The South Winds army are quitting the field. Let's join up with the rest of my troops and start the search parties."
-|>--~
Battle itself had it's unpleasantness, but the clean up was the worst. Autumn had been ordered to rejoin her 3rd platoon group, which was much reduced with their numbers wounded and dead.
Of those in 3rd platoon that she knew, Mari and Chieko were unhurt, and had managed to flee with a mixed group of both armies. The Lieutenant was wounded, holding the line, and most horribly, Sergeant Furutani had been brutally killed during the first few moments of the fight.
Mari told her the story, but Autumn asked her to stop before all the details were filled in. Furutani was the superior she respected the most, even if 1st Lieutenant Shiraisha was near the top of that list also.
With Mari and Chieko and six other girls, they took to attending to the bodies. The medic team had already checked everyone, so it was a macabre form of boot camp. Autumn paired up with Mari and they managed to put many of the South Winds dead in graves, while 1st platoon worked to try to expand the gravesite to be large enough for them.
2nd and 4th platoons carried their own dead of the Girls and Regulars armies. While 5th, 6th and 7th platoons were busy digging individual graves for their own dead.
The Regular army's leadership was shattered. If they had kept even one Lieutenant perhaps the men would have been coordinated and on their way to wherever, but the sergeant Autumn had fought with was the highest ranking soldier of the Regular army still present.
1st Lieutenant Shiraisha had taken charge and sent out search parties looking for both the South Winds forces, and those who had gone AWOL. It was possible, Autumn admitted, that some of the girls fled as well.
There were three confirmed dead in her platoon, and a dozen injured. Half of the nearly fifty-member platoon was unaccounted for.
Monday passed in heavy labor, and Tuesday morning, Captain Tsuda and his ten platoons had arrived, and they were back to super-formal mustering.
With all of the Girls army mustered, Captain Tsuda apologized to the remaining men of the Regular army.
"It was certainly not my intention or my orders that 1st Lieutenant Shiraishi would attack the South Winds forces. I was not aware they were present in this region, and I would have firmly told her not to undertake training exercises here if I were so aware. You are dismissed with my frank apologies.
Girls, prepare to make the return march. Resume marching formations."
She only had a few days of experience being part of the Girls' army, but of all of her few days, the return to base was most dour of all. It wasn't just Autumn who had developed a great respect for the 1st Lieutenant. She thought it must be almost every girl from Cherry Blossom base that looked up to her.
What would lead Captain Tsuda to accuse Shiraishi of starting the war? Did Major Sumida survive and convince the Captain of this? It was only when Autumn saw the Major smugly greeting them at the army base that she knew he had smeared the 1st Lieutenant's name in the mud.
When they entered their home base, Captain Tsuda swiftly dismissed all of them, saying he had some letters to write.
The atmosphere of the base was thick with tension, but Autumn thought she should at least catch up with someone, and commiserate as well as offer support to them.
Or she could catch up with the Major before he left, and with some smooth talking, get him to spill some important information she could use?
Vote on who to talk to?
[ ] Lieutenant Tahara, she's lost Sergeant Furutani, just as surely as you did, and she was in the middle of the fighting as the line collapsed.
[ ] Wei and Kazumi, let them know about the Major's deception before they find out from someone else. And spend time with them.
[ ] Mari and Chieko, what did they see during the fight. Process what's happened with them.
[ ] Catch up with the Major. See what you can find out straight from the weasel himself. Try to put on some charm, as the Major was already interested in talking to you.
While the 1st Lieutenant was the highest authority present from the Girls' Army, who knew what the major would order once they formed up with him.
Shiraisha had the girls of the 15th turned around and marching west to meet up with the Major, and the Cherry Blossom 2nd through 5th platoons.
Meanwhile, the South Winds Anattanist company was still marching, and actually turned to head towards the 15th platoon.
Thankfully, the 1st Lieutenant had spotted them while they were still some distance away so they reached the Major, who had already organized the other Girls' platoons as the tip of the spear.
"Sir, did you see the South Winds company charging towards us? I ordered the rest of the platoons out here to head south to reinforce us, but the enemy will make contact before then," the 1st lieutenant said.
"Acknowledged 1st Lieutenant. We will form up in the Coed defense formation. In fact, we already had formed up. Private Setsu, you upgraded to 15th platoon so quickly? Take a position in my 1st Platoon and watch how the multi-army tactics defend a position. The South Winds company would be moronic to try to charge our position."
Embarrassed to leave the First Lieutenant who she was starting to like, she nonetheless asked the Major's 1st platoon sergeant where to stand.
The sergeant had her form up next to him, and spoke with her about how the so-called Co-Ed defense formation worked. It wasn't any fancy, but simply the same system as the Major's attack training had been for. The Girls army lined up in front, taking the first blow, and the Major's men would charge in, or just try to hold position against a superior foe.
Shiraishi formed up the 15th Platoon in front of the 1st regulars platoon Autumn was standing with.
Autumn didn't look forward to what might happen to the girls in these platoons. She felt guilty, because she was relieved Wei and the girls of 1st platoon were headed north to meet up with the rest of the Girls' Army reinforcements.
"Five of my platoons plus Five of yours, First Lieutenant, we can more than stand the South Winds company," the Major said boastfully.
The 1st lieutenant seemed to agree with the Major, but then she said, "It looks like the Anattanist company is turning back to the south. What are your orders?"
"Standard attack formation! Let's hunt down these intruders!" the Major said.
"It's not actually West Winds territory here. Although closer to our Wasteland border then theirs," but she said," Girls, lead the way!"
The regular army's 1st platoon followed the 15th platoon, 2nd platoon followed 2nd platoon and so on.
Autumn noted the men of the unit she was marching with were not using any of that speed enhancing ability they had trained with, perhaps that was for once they got closer.
The sound of boots filled the air as they marched through the spongy wasteland dirt, which occasionally caused someone to stumble or fall.
Major Sumida and the Captain of 3rd Company kept behind the two lines, though there were two other soldiers that stuck close to the major and captain as well.
The booming projected voice of 1st Lieutenant Shiraisha was audible even though it was aimed at the major.
"Contact with another company of South Winds forces. Looks like a Samsarran company. The Anattanists are trying to link up with the Samsarrans!"
Autumn didn't hear what the Major said back to the 1st lieutenant.
"You have to order the charge now sir! If they link up, this will be a much harder fight."
The combined army continued to march at their normal pace. As they approached, even she could tell that the army in the distance was now coordinated and combined, ready to meet their charge.
Major Sumida didn't order the charge until the combined South Winds forces were ready to meet them.
Unlike the special forces she had fought before, these two armies brought out bows, which were answered by activating the charge formations of the Men's army units.
Autumn watched as one of the long arrows which were almost like spears, aimed right for her.
It was only with a swift strike of her blade that she cut through the arrow, but the fragments still hit her, cutting slightly into her uniform.
Fifteenth platoon was blasting through the South Winds army on the left flank. Autumn's group, the regular's 1st platoon advanced forward flanking the enemy forces already.
Just next to the fifteenth was the Girls' 2nd platoon, but they immediately failed as the charge was crushed and the girls found nowhere to run, with men on both sides blocking the way.
Autumn and the Regular 1st army had to rush to try to contain the breakthough. They made contact, but they were flanking the enemy instead of facing it's advance head on
These South Winds forces were not the fearsome fighters that she had faced before, but as they swept through the other platoons of girls, Autumn's position became full of sudden attackers.
The Regulars couldn't stand these kind of numbers as more and more of the enemy's force was free to focus on the Major's forces.
It ended up that she was fighting alongside the sergeant that she spoke with before. Surprisingly, for a regular army unit, he was her match in fighting. She didn't dare waste another blade step, so instead she fought man after man as her unit was engulfed and surrounded.
Her victories had quickly been pared back as she was forced onto defense to hold the fractured line alongside the sergeant.
1st Lieutenant Shiraishi had actually found their port in the storm as the mighty leader of their group had taken many small injuries and was bleeding from a deep cut in her arm.
"We have to pull back!" said the 1st lieutenant.
Autumn deflected a strike meant for the sergeant as he spoke to Shiraishi.
"I don't answer to you. Where's my commander? Where's the major's orders?"
In the next moment, all three of them had to fight together to still keep open the path to retreat.
Shiraishi attacked a South Winds soldier to her left, and somehow caused another soldier to seize up from lightning at the same time. Her style was infused with the elemental strikes, her sword was the source of speed, whereas her movements were more subtle.
The Sergeant used a brutal style, striking a killing blow and taking a small blow in return, but seeming unaffected by the wounds.
Autumn was constantly stepping back, stepping in. Avoiding, adjusting her body and sword from moment to moment. She would never stop moving, and she tried at all costs to avoid hits, but when they came, the uniform didn't do much of anything to resist the blow.
She was good at anticipating and getting ahead of the situation, but she also lost control of her wider perceptions in the middle of the fight.
"Private Setsu, we're moving back!" the 1st lieutenant said. The Sergeant had no choice but to retreat with them.
Autumn risked one blade step to take out an enemy who was trying to slow their withdrawal. The sudden active power was completely unexpected and she bloodied him, knocking him unto the ground without any further resistance.
The sergeant seemed to not resist anymore as the three of them fled under the Sergeant's charge formation.
They only made it about 1200 meters before their feet returned to an ordinary speed.
"There must be many men and women who fled. We still have to rally once we find out what South Winds will do next," Shiraishi said. "There's still 10 more platoons headed towards those South Winds forces. Most likely they will exit the battlefield once they realize that."
"It must be the case that the Major evacuated the other platoons," the Sergeant said.
The Wastelands were flat, but as long as they didn't see any archers firing on them, they could loiter and look for other stragglers to form up.
In the first fight with the special forces, Autumn had been able to do something to save the other girls. In this situation, she could only wish she had been in the center of the battle, instead of on its periphery. She would have been able to handle it more easily than those other girls.
Would the Lieutenant of 14th platoon, in charge of the reinforcements, make Wei and the 1st platoon take the field again, or would they be able to rest and stay with their wounded?
She thought the South Winds were not at war. How had that changed so quickly?
"What happened between your platoon and the special forces, sergeant? Sir," she asked.
The special forces of the South Winds had seemed reckless and incredibly aggressive on the attack for so few a number.
"The enemy's goal was to bypass us completely and spy on our lands from the north, as well as getting a good position to take over the North Winds as well. They can march northward from their Wasteland border, and they no doubt had been doing so for a few days before our 1st platoon confronted them.
"It was a battle of maneuver as we tried to block their path to the north, to prevent them from crossing our borders further north. Eventually the Major had to order us to advance on their position, as they would have had a clean path to menace our borders.
One regular platoon against almost two dozen special forces was truly an impossible ask though. Even though the Major and lieutenant trusted me to carry the day and be the pig to eat the wolf, it was too much, and I was cut off too quickly. It's good that I've escaped twice now from the enemy. You would have fallen to those special forces also without the 1st Lieutenant's help."
"The Major's order counts as a declaration of war! We attacked first then," the First Lieutenant said.
"Come on," she continued, "The South Winds army are quitting the field. Let's join up with the rest of my troops and start the search parties."
-|>--~
Battle itself had it's unpleasantness, but the clean up was the worst. Autumn had been ordered to rejoin her 3rd platoon group, which was much reduced with their numbers wounded and dead.
Of those in 3rd platoon that she knew, Mari and Chieko were unhurt, and had managed to flee with a mixed group of both armies. The Lieutenant was wounded, holding the line, and most horribly, Sergeant Furutani had been brutally killed during the first few moments of the fight.
Mari told her the story, but Autumn asked her to stop before all the details were filled in. Furutani was the superior she respected the most, even if 1st Lieutenant Shiraisha was near the top of that list also.
With Mari and Chieko and six other girls, they took to attending to the bodies. The medic team had already checked everyone, so it was a macabre form of boot camp. Autumn paired up with Mari and they managed to put many of the South Winds dead in graves, while 1st platoon worked to try to expand the gravesite to be large enough for them.
2nd and 4th platoons carried their own dead of the Girls and Regulars armies. While 5th, 6th and 7th platoons were busy digging individual graves for their own dead.
The Regular army's leadership was shattered. If they had kept even one Lieutenant perhaps the men would have been coordinated and on their way to wherever, but the sergeant Autumn had fought with was the highest ranking soldier of the Regular army still present.
1st Lieutenant Shiraisha had taken charge and sent out search parties looking for both the South Winds forces, and those who had gone AWOL. It was possible, Autumn admitted, that some of the girls fled as well.
There were three confirmed dead in her platoon, and a dozen injured. Half of the nearly fifty-member platoon was unaccounted for.
Monday passed in heavy labor, and Tuesday morning, Captain Tsuda and his ten platoons had arrived, and they were back to super-formal mustering.
With all of the Girls army mustered, Captain Tsuda apologized to the remaining men of the Regular army.
"It was certainly not my intention or my orders that 1st Lieutenant Shiraishi would attack the South Winds forces. I was not aware they were present in this region, and I would have firmly told her not to undertake training exercises here if I were so aware. You are dismissed with my frank apologies.
Girls, prepare to make the return march. Resume marching formations."
She only had a few days of experience being part of the Girls' army, but of all of her few days, the return to base was most dour of all. It wasn't just Autumn who had developed a great respect for the 1st Lieutenant. She thought it must be almost every girl from Cherry Blossom base that looked up to her.
What would lead Captain Tsuda to accuse Shiraishi of starting the war? Did Major Sumida survive and convince the Captain of this? It was only when Autumn saw the Major smugly greeting them at the army base that she knew he had smeared the 1st Lieutenant's name in the mud.
When they entered their home base, Captain Tsuda swiftly dismissed all of them, saying he had some letters to write.
The atmosphere of the base was thick with tension, but Autumn thought she should at least catch up with someone, and commiserate as well as offer support to them.
Or she could catch up with the Major before he left, and with some smooth talking, get him to spill some important information she could use?
Vote on who to talk to?
[ ] Lieutenant Tahara, she's lost Sergeant Furutani, just as surely as you did, and she was in the middle of the fighting as the line collapsed.
[ ] Wei and Kazumi, let them know about the Major's deception before they find out from someone else. And spend time with them.
[ ] Mari and Chieko, what did they see during the fight. Process what's happened with them.
[ ] Catch up with the Major. See what you can find out straight from the weasel himself. Try to put on some charm, as the Major was already interested in talking to you.
