Disclaimer: Valkyria Chronicles and related media, along with any other works are the property of their respective owners. I claim nothing that is not my own.
Walking down the familiar yet alien roads of Bruhl, Alicia felt her core was both chilled and on fire. She saw the ruined shell of the Sister Mills at the center of town, the shell torn buildings around town, and here and there the bloody smears from the battle to retake the land. It was one thing to have Bruhl be declared retaken, it was another to look and see just how much needed to be put back together. Just how much of Bruhl could ever go back to the way things were before, that wasn't a question that Alicia had an answer for. Feeling a hand on her shoulder shook her out of her melancholic mood. Alicia eyed Juno somewhat bemused after she had taken her hand away, the whole Daughters from the Future incident still not really sitting well with Alicia. That morass of feelings especially present as some of said daughters insisted on a return to the family home, complete with dragging their parents by the hand to the Gunther estate. As one of the more expansive houses in the village it had served as the home for the Imperial officers during their occupation of Bruhl. Thus the place was surprisingly intact and even was still stocked with some material.
"Well, I feel like I shouldn't be surprised that the Imps were eating well" remarked Marina after having cleared the house and started digging through the leftover items after they ran the Empire out of Bruhl.
"I, I don't even know what half of this stuff is" said Alicia as she had to shake her head, hands turning some snack tin over in her hands.
The Isara that was a parent looked over her childhood home, when her gaze went to the kitchen she flinched. Her gaze stuck to a spot on the floor where she could have sworn she saw a hint of dried red between the floor tiles. She shook her head, turning to not let anyone see her face before heading for the stairs. "We should probably gather the new things, I certainly don't think any of us need Imperial Officer uniforms".
"Need a helping hand?" asked Juno, to which Isara the Elder looked back briefly and nodded. "That would be nice, anyone else free to help?" she said. A few of the others followed along. This left Marina and her own daughter behind to avoid crowding the upstairs too much.
Marina found herself sitting down on a couch next to her daughter, the silence making her fidget until she tried to break the ice. Awkwardly. "So, how was your life? I think you mentioned, well siblings. What wer. . . are they like?".
Marina's daughter looked a little uncomfortable, but she seemed to gather her resolve and began her story. "Well, I had a younger sister and a little brother, my sister is only a couple of years younger and my brother was still a toddler last I saw him. Before I enlisted anyway".
"Enlisted?" asked Marina. "Well voluntarily got drafted, a few minor changes to conscription meant that not only did you need training, but you also had to serve a year or two. I just decided to get my needed time done quickly over getting the letter saying I had to do my service. Got into a bit of a row, but you and dad let me go". Marina's daughter reached a hand out to stroke her rifle, one that Marina had long realized was hers yet not. The exact model was not one she knew, but the little personal touches and wear matched what she had on her own rifle. The shooting talent in the family passed down.
The younger girl fidgeted with her hands for a moment, thoughts taking a bit to gather. "I guess as the eldest I tried to be the responsible one, my little sister tried so hard to follow along but I guess we all spoiled her. Didn't mean that she didn't drive me up the wall sometimes, she was the one to really try her hand at exotic cooking. Drove us all crazy with the things she would stick in her mouth to taste test, but she got a few good things out of it. Even if she insisted on personally shooting and gathering for all her ingredients". Marina felt two opposing sensations, pride at a daughter of hers being badass enough to live in the wild and worry over said daughter doing so. Isara however was still speaking so she turned back to pay attention.
"I. I have to admit that while you . . . well my parents cared for us but, they were fragile. All too easy to get lost in their memories, nothing much good in them. Though as I got older and I got siblings they got better at moving past the pain and I guess remembering the good" Isara spoke, face fixed between pained, nostalgic, and content.
It was an expression that had Marina in an uncharacteristic motion reaching out her hand to take ahold of the girl that looked just like her younger self. Their faces leaned in close as Marina gave a weak smile. "Your strong kid, don't ever forget that. But if you just want to feel then go ahead, that doesn't make you weak". She carefully did not say anything as she felt her shoulder grow wet. Marina the lone wolf, felt happy to have someone in her pack.
<><><>
Juno after helping move out the bulk of the obvious Imp goods was left with the bits in the nooks and crannies that only Isara the Elder knew about. So after getting shoed off downstairs with her daughter she found herself at loose ends. In the living room Juno saw the heartfelt scene of Marina and her own mini-me asleep together on the couch, making sure not to disturb that scene she instead was led by her own Isara to what looked like a study. From some of the things on the wall she guessed it was Welkin, the signature on some of the sketches confirming her thoughts. So taking a seat in one of the old chairs with a freshly boiled pot of water and some leaves from a freshly opened tin she made a cup of tea. But as the leaves steeped, she reached for something to fill the silence as she let her sore limbs rest.
"Since we have a moment, is there anything you want to say? We have a few minutes at least, something you wouldn't mind saying if the others are away" for Juno it felt awkward to ask that but as she was surrounded by all the personal things of her long-held crush and before the apparent embodiment of her deeply held desires, well she wanted to spoil that mysterious maybe future.
Thankfully her daughter seemed to understand as she nodded, hand unconsciously adjusting her glasses just like Juno did. "Well, I guess there are a few things. But let's start from the beginning. Do you have any plans right now for the future? After the war that is".
Juno pondered the question, not wanting to not reveal the first thought that came to mind. Instead, she went to the second. "Go traveling after finishing my degree, go on expeditions and find something that no one else has".
Juno's daughter nodded; her eyes though had a glimmer that said she knew what Juno had kept hidden. "Right, that was what you ultimately went to do. Delayed by a number of years though. You spent that time doing correspondence work, some lab stuff, and fundraising. Then when I was about eight you went on that big expedition abroad. Did actually find something, some bacteria or something that had medicinal properties. Named it after dad even. The whole thing was like an extended second honeymoon". Juno kept a stiff upper lip so to say, even if her daughter had quite the smirk on her face the entire time.
Coughing Juno decided just to push ahead past that part, even if she knew just how much that move seemed like something she would love to pull. "So, you mentioned you were 8 on that expedition. That is a long time, did you have other siblings as well at the time?" she asked tentatively.
Her Isara nodded, the smirk not quite going away. Oh I was born pretty early on you could say. Definitely helped decide the date for the wedding. Juno did not dignify that with a response beyond taking a sip of her tea and eventually with a pout Isara continued on. "My sister Becky, Elizabeth formally. Named after the matron that looked after Mama Alicia at the orphanage. A hellion of a sister and only a year younger. Hell, I volunteered first just to make sure we weren't stuck in the same unit. I love her dearly, but she could be a bit much at times".
"Oh, how was it that you call her a hellion?" Juno asked.
Isara took a sip of her tea before answering. "Probably hobbies. I liked books under a little bit of shade outside, she liked chasing butterflies with a net. Then when we were older it was me taking up growing fancy plants, hers was to have exotic pets. Those expeditions were great for that, I got some bug eating plants called Venus Fly traps while she got a giant constrictor snake. It was great" she said with an eyebrow raised to mirror her mother's own at the tale.
"Still family" Juno said with a smile that hopefully did not have any pained longing in it. "Still family" Isara answered with a smile as well before she shuffled closer and reached a hand for one of her pockets.
"Here let me show you a few pictures I carry on me. This is one I like keeping around especially. This is me with my first boyfriend. In the scene you can see that rather than dad doing the threatening it is my sister. Bowie the Boa Constrictor giving him a snaky kiss. Never had any real problems with him even though we ended up splitting. It was on good terms and we keep in contact occasionally". Juno did not know whether to be scandalized or proud of her apparent children. Not the way she would have ever behaved, but perhaps that is a good thing. They certainly seemed to have grown up happy and well.
Isara's faux condescending patting of her arm shook Juno out of her musings and she tried to take a sip of tea to regain her dignity. Moving on Isara took out another photo. "This was a few years ago when we went back to visit friends we had made during that first expedition. I think it captures the family just right. See here is dad, here is you, and here is . . .". As Juno listened to her daughter ramble on, she felt content. Almost inordinately pleased that her daughter did not have the same flaw she had. The next generation would definitely be better than the previous.
<><><>
Isara the elder looked over the room she was in. A familiar one, after all it is her room. Of the entire house this is the one that was most damaged. Thankfully most of the precious things were hidden already when she was preparing the house before the fighting started. But that still left quite a few missing things and what looked like someone taking a sword to the wall to get rid of a few things. Someone putting a big Imperial banner across the wall did not help things. It made it clear that just taking back the town would not fix everything. For a moment she fantasized about burning the banner before just deciding to rip it up to use as dust rags later. They wouldn't be ablto actually stay in Bruhl and as much as that hurt to not be a big part of fixing the town, Isara had to make do.
"Hey Mom, do you want to do anything with these or should I just toss it?" asked her daughter, interrupting Isara's thoughts.
"Oh, what is in there exactly?" Isara asked distractedly.
"A few things of junk, spare razors, boot polish, gold piping, bunch of other things like that" her daughter explained.
"Does any of it have Imperial markings?" she questioned.
"Yeah, some of it even has gold leaf". Isara frowned, stuck between being practical and frugal or otherwise at that.
"We can put it away for later. Hmm, is that the last of that sort of thing?". Her daughter nodded.
"Right best we bring this down to the garage. We can leave it for later" she decided.
They trudged down the stairs and saw that the others were getting an early start on getting dinner ready. They didn't have the time for anything fancy but having an actual kitchen helped. Nodding to the others she passed by the duo went through the door to the garage. Inside was the familiar shape of the Edelweiss taking front and center. The Imps having looted what tools and parts were still here left plenty of space since it was obvious they were not using the space for anything productive.
Clapping her hands to get rid of the dust she saw that Alicia Jr. after putting down her box was taking a moment to look at the Edelweiss. Isara stepped up next to her. "Something up?" she asked confused.
"Just looking at the Edelweiss. It is different, I'm not used to it being in this configuration" was the answer.
Tilting her head Isara considered that. "What sort of configuration?".
Her daughter nodded before answering. "Yeah, it might be the best tank here and now, and still is a fair one in the future but that doesn't mean it wasn't getting a bit dated. I think you mentioned something about making it into a tank destroyer of some sort to keep it useful".
Isara crooked her eyebrow. "How so? What advances were being made to make it outdated like that?".
"A few things really, more powerful engines, better armour schemes, new hull composites, just a mix of things that led to the next generation of tanks. Main battle tanks were what they were calling them, the weight and armour of a heavy tank with the speed and maneuverability of a medium tank combined with a gun that only the heaviest tank destroyers had had before. The Edelweiss could be considered an earlier version of that concept, but that just highlighted how far things had gone". Isara mulled that over before speaking up.
"Did we ever discuss how the Edelweiss was developed, especially with its current form?" Isara decided to lead with.
"A little, you spoke a bit about grandpa Theimer's work in building it. Uncle Zaka and Big Brother Kreis also sometimes came by but I don't really remember what the debates on it really were about. Just alot of blueprints I remember glancing over". Isara felt a little happiness at hearing about the extended family her daughter would have had. But also dug back up the mixed feelings she had on the big reason why she could have a daughter with her life long brother even if not by blood.
She hoped her voice did not crack as she decided to move on. "Well how about the reasons the Edelweiss as it is now has the sort of equipment it does? Even if we have been tinkering with it all even in the here and now".
"Something about the biggest guns they could get to potentially impress the brass?" Little Alicia answered.
Isara nodded. "In part, it was really a technology demonstrator. Edelweiss was never a main production model vehicle after all. Father wanted to show how versatile for upgrades it could be, Gallia could never field alot of these so to be adopted at all they would have to be able to serve for a long time. Always able to be dragged back for upgrades to keep up".
Alicia Jr looked back at the Edelweiss. "We, we took turns working on it as I grew up. I went from just helping out to later trying to put our vision of how it should go. We crammed so much into it that we eventually just stressed the hull a bit too much on a test drive. It was getting old too to be seriously put in its paces." Isara considered those words and what was left out.
"What happened next then?" some emotion she couldn't quite describe in her voice. This was a reminder of her birth father, she loved Papa Belgen but there was always a place for her father Theimer and the stories she was told of him by Papa.
Her Alicia answered. "We kept it around, even still worked on it for stress relief or for rides at fairs. But it never seriously went out to battle again as far as I know". Her expression to Isara's eyes was that of nostalgia, contentment even. The old warhorse retried at last.
"But you can't really forget it" she mused out loud.
"No, no you really can't. Not with the stories it had been through" was the reply. Putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder Isara asked a question. "Did we ever tell you the story about Martha and our great escape in the Edelweiss?".
"Yeah. But could you tell me it again?" Alicia Jr.'s request was answered by a bright smile as Isara leaned in close as she started the tale of how the Edelweiss had a deed that few other tanks could say they had.
<><><>
Alicia sat back against her chair as she felt her body start to work through what she had eaten. Military rations were not that great but the Imperials had left some supplies and of course having an actual kitchen helped a great deal. Looking over she saw the sight of her daughter Isara, she looked just like a younger version of herself. Something she still felt some wonder at. To have a child, it was a dream she didn't think she would see so soon. She was just looking to be a baker and this was what was in the future? She wanted to ask if she was a good mother, if Welkin was a good father, but she couldn't muster the courage to actually ask. Instead she turned away to something safer. Such as the gun maintenance her daughter was doing. Isara had taken a cleaning kit out of the stock of the rifle and was field stripping the gun. Alicia noted that to her surprise not a single tool was needed, other than a spent piece of brass. No screwdrivers at all.
Deciding that she wanted to actually see more about it Alicia dug into her pack for a few of the extra supplies she had and went to sit down by her daughter. "Here, I don't think that you can have many supplies in a rifle alone".
Alicia was treated to a smile and a muttered "Thanks" from Isara. Alicia hovered a hand over the empty buttstock which got a nod from the younger girl. Picking it up Alicia felt that it was not wood, some sort of plastic? She knew from a few mutterings from R&D that they were working on plastic parts to make lighter rifles. Looking at the long length of the rifle Isara had, well they needed that lightening. Feeling the texture it felt strange, not smooth at all but textured. "Rubberized" she heard from Isara to which Alicia nodded as she wet a cleaning cloth to wipe off the dust and dirt on it.
Quickly cleaning that part, she gestured to the now emptied receiver and got a nod. The receiver was strange, made up of what seemed to be bent metal rather then the more solid gun parts she was used to. It looked, well maybe not flimsy since it was still steel. But cheaper, quicker. At least the ever-familiar crest for the National Arsenal was stamped into a few places. Cleaning the grime from the inside and outside with a cloth and wooden dowel she reached to where the sights were and decided not to mess with them. Some strange barrel arrangement for sight adjustments that could be entirely flipped up or laid down to not snag on things she supposed. There were a few holes and studs that looking over seemed to be for a scope mount. A sniper rifle as well as a regular rifle? Not something she was used to. Looking back over the entire length as it would be assembled, definitely not a weapon she would be used to shooting with its pistol grip form.
"Hey Isara? Could you tell me more about this rifle? Definitely not something I have ever seen before" she asked.
Finishing cleaning the scope for the rifle she put it in a little carry case and started arranging the different gun parts in order. "Sure. A bit of history. This rifle is the Gallian S-M 20R. Loosely based on the S series of rifles you might know about. But the other part of it comes from another gun that the Arsenal would be trying to make in maybe a decade or two? Well that rifle got stolen by the state that would replace the Imps and so they couldn't make that rifle anymore. But parts of it would come back in this rifle. A Battle Rifle, basically an improvement on Semi-Auto rifles. It uses gas and a rotating bolt for semi-automatic fire. Some can fire in full auto instead; this one does not have that setting though. This is actually a bit of an older model; the newer models use a new ammo in 6.5mm. Not like the classic 7.92, but I like the extra kick to be able to deal with body armour. But the thing doesn't actually seem to kick as hard as it should, I shot some of the rifles you are using, and the difference can really be felt. No bad shoulder bruisers after a day of use". Alicia nodded at that, she knew that feeling even if the bruises usually disappeared overnight for her.
Isara putting her latest gun part down reached out for a piece of string with a few attachments on it. "Hey mom, could you hold this end? Need to clean the barrel". Finding herself a little bemused to hold a piece of cable she watched as her daughter fit some pieces together at the other end before holding a soaked piece of cloth. "Thanks now push that end out the muzzle, then slot this in and finish pulling the entire thing out. We have to then repeat that for a brush and then a dry patch". The process was complete in only a couple of minutes as novel as this cleaning method was to Alicia, just one of the many small things that showed just how the future was different. Isara took a moment inspecting all the parts and seemingly finding them good reassembled the entire gun.
Seeing Isara shoulder the weapon to check the balance she noted the other particularly strange feature on the weapon. She had seen it a few times before, but the adjustable bipod still confused her, strange to imagine a bipod on a standard rifle but there was one. "Thanks for the help Mama. Do you think we have the time to put something together for tomorrow?".
Alicia cocked her head thinking. What could this be about? The answer came to her. "I think we can have some dough ready to get something done. Want to help me this time?". The smile she got was answer enough. If and when she had a child of her own, she hoped that a little of this Isara was there too.
<><><>
Welkin, having had the unfortunate responsibility of making sure the rest of the platoon was bunked for the week of R&R found himself staying overnight back at camp. But as he sat back to relax for a moment and digest the evening meal he heard someone knock on the frame of the hut he was in.
"Uh come in" he called out somewhat confused. Sitting up in his seat he saw that two particular individuals had come by. Of the fireteam of daughters that had shone up, this pair's mothers were not part of the unit. They had been somewhat lonely and Welkin tried to spare some time for them though they probably met with Alicia more they did him. He, he let that happen. He had the entire unit, the orders from above, and he just did not know how to handle a sudden glut of children he was never there for and in their teenage years already. It, it was quite something.
Shaking his head he refocuses on his guests. As he was about to ask if they wanted anything he saw the looks on their faces. This was going to be a serious conversation. Gesturing to the rather threadbare couch that the room had he took a moment to throw another log into the stove. The room being warmed against the night chill he sat down at another chair away from his desk. "Right, this isn't going to be something easy is it?" he asked.
The silver haired daughter was the one to speak up first. "No, it won't be. We had a bit of time to adjust to things and well, we finally decided to actually ask for something". She paused for a moment, the words not seemingly coming out easily.
The darker haired daughter of the pair took up where her compatriot left off. "We, we don't know how this will go. If this is even possible at all. But we have to. We have to ask. Can you help our mothers?".
Welkin takes a deep breath and only when it starts to burn does he let go and take another. His mind trying to come up with something to say. But he comes up with something. "That, I. I don't know. I, well there is nothing we can do but try".
That brings him two arms full of crying teenagers. Welkin feeling the breath knocked out of him has to take a moment. But his arms are instinctively bringing them in closer to him anyway. He feels teardrops on his clothes as all he can do is rub little circles on their backs. His mind not handling matters well as it tries to go on track, skips a beat, and returns ad infinitum.
It takes long minutes for them to calm down enough and for Welkin's shirt to be in need of a good wash. Leaving it off and grabbing a spare one Welkin lets his daughters get some composure as he inspects the peeling paint on the wall as a kettle of water boils on the stove. When the sounds calm down he looks back and waits, as patient but not pitying a smile as possible on his face.
Silver haired Isara starts. "We, we just kept worrying. Just kept bouncing back and forth without slowing down. It . . .". Dark haired Isara just shakes her head as they fall silent for a minute.
Feeling the need, Welkin decides he has to be the one to speak up. "Like I said, we can only try. But how about you explain your side of the story, that way we have a place to start. Who wants to go first?".
It was his technically royal daughter that started first. "Well I, I think that my mother is the likely first one that you can help that we know about. But it won't be easy. She, she is lonely. When you and Mama Alicia chose to stay with her, it it helped her so much. To have someone that didn't want her as the Archduchess, but as simply Cordelia. That might be for when the War is over though. It will be a life long commitment after all". Welkin coughed as she gave a mischievous smile with those words. A slight whistle let him know that the water was boiled. A slight reprieve came over them as they got some cheap tea to drink.
But as the mugs were set down things sobered as it was the silver haird teenager's turn. She took a breath, her hand clutched in her other counterpart's hand to give strength. "We checked amongst ourselves, but we aren't really sure what to do for Mama Selvaria. I, I don't know what to do".
Another breath. "But, we have a few ideas. Where mother is, the girls don't know for sure. There are a few different stories and places where she could be coming up, but if we do find mother. It won't be easy, depending on how she is. But if we could talk to her, I think I can reach her. It, it won't be easy. But please . . .". Her voice was overcome as she choked up, and Welkin closed in as his other daughter hugged her close. On a knee Welkin grasped a free hand in between his.
"Its okay. I am here, everyone else is here. We can figure something out. You are not alone" whispered Cordelia's child as she hugged her close.
"Its, its just so hard" was the faint reply.
"I know it is, but that doesn't mean we can give up. This is Squad 7, we don't know the word surrender. We do the impossible on a daily basis. Just don't give up and we can get through this". It was this and other platitudes that the two of them whispered to her as she calmed down. Welkin stepped back for a cloth he dug out from his shaving kit and helped clean the tears off his silver haired daughter's face. She feebly tried to resist but as she cleaned off the entire day caught up to her as she eventually nodded off to sleep, overcome at last.
Welkin stepped back for a moment and looked over the scene with a melancholic yet hopeful smile. "Well, nothing like a good night's sleep before we start. You two can take the bed, the floor is enough for me". Cordelia's daughter nodded as she tried to lift her sister from another mother. It took a moment, but she got her feet under her and Welkin helped the two get to the rather basic cot. The army issue blankets soon enough cocooned the two and the sound of light snores filled the room.
Welkin turned away to put another log into the stove. He still had some papers to finish up, might as well enjoy the tea he thought. Maybe get a rough sketch of what they could do. Even if he had only had a few weeks to get to know all the girls, he wasn't the type to give up. The war had been rough on them all, but the time they had been together had given everyone in the unit a bit of warmth, of hope. Helping them would help them all really, now if only he could plan on what to do with all the other women in his life.
