Vol 1 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Strike Witches:Volume1 Chapter1

As she increased her alt.i.tude to 3000 meters, Anabuki Tomoko felt grateful for being born a witch. Staring down at the vast scenery below her only strengthened those feelings.

The Fuso Empire... Britannia in the west, and Fuso in the east, could both be placed under similar labels. One look at the landscape below was all that was needed to know why Fuso had journeyed out of its borders so quickly. In the valleys between the mountainous region, numerous villages and towns were nestled closely together.

”This country is cramped, isn’t it,” Tomoko said to herself.

However... to compare that crowded land with the openness of this sky!

Wrapped up in the embrace of the blue sky which seemed to stretch endlessly, it felt like it was a completely different world. Tomoko, the Ki-27 she had grown accustomed to on her legs, spoke out to her familiar which had united into her own body.

“Konbei, I wonder what Takeko will try today.”

“Hm, that’s right...”

The familiar’s voice appeared in her head.

As a miko, a witch of the Orient, she had chosen a fox for her familiar.

The signs of that could be seen in the light brown triangular ears she had, and the tufted tail which flapped in the wind. Covered in a soft fur, the ears and the tail gave the girl’s slender, disciplined body a decidedly feminine look.

Her long black hair reached to her waist, and a white headband was tied around her head, where the stern features of a warrior maiden from a country at war were stretched tight.

Below her skirt, s.h.i.+mmering whitely with a soft radiance, was the ‘Ki-27’.

It was a Striker unit which was adopted by the Fuso Imperial Army as the Type-97 Fighter Leg. With the rising trend in producing high-speed units, its top speed would never amount to much, though...

“With her superior speed, Shou-i Takeko will try to gain the initiative over ojou-sama by using a height advantage and repeatedly diving and climbing, won’t she.”

“That would be the normal way of thinking, yes.” Tomoko replied absently.

Her friend, Katoh Takeko would be using the newly adopted Ki-43... designated the Type-1 Fighter. Equipped with a 1000 spellpower ‘Ma-25’, it would have a speed advantage of nearly 30 km/h over Tomoko’s Ki-27.

“...Well then, follow my lead, just like we've always done in our dogfights .”

The new Type-1 had speed, but in a dogfight, nothing could beat the Type-97. That was how much confidence Tomoko had in her favorite machine.

She unsheathed the sword she always had at her side. It was a family heirloom pa.s.sed down through the generations, a noted ‘Bizen Osafune’ sword forged as a military katana. The sword glowed with a pale light as it absorbed Tomoko’s magic.

“Wawawa, you’re not going to use the gun-camera? Are you really planning on surpa.s.sing Tomoe-Gozen?”

Konbei was asking about the gun-camera slung across Tomoko’s back, which was there in place of a 7.7 mm machine gun.

“Well... I’m sure Takeko also wants to find out which Striker will end up superior in a real ‘dogfight’.”

Tomoko replied with a smile. It was a warm smile, but at the same time it also exuded a sense of challenge. At Akeno Flight Academy, where Tomoko was stationed as a test pilot, that charming smile was the cause of the many noisy cries of ‘Onee-sama!’ by female cadets at the academy.

To the west, a small black spot could be seen in the distance.

There was no doubt that it was Katoh Takeko’s Ki-43, which had taken off earlier. The challenge to this mock battle was issued just like that. This was going to go differently from the anti-s.h.i.+p warfare ‘matches’ that had been held.

As Tomoko approached, the black spot gradually formed into the shape of a mechanized air infantrywoman, her Striker s.h.i.+ning with a metallic glint.

Facing each other head on, the two increased their pace, like two fencers eager to close the distance between them.

They approached closer and closer––––––––

At a relative speed of nearly 600 km/h, the two pa.s.sed by each other in but an instant. The Ki-43 zoomed past Tomoko’s side like an arrow released from a bow. The bare duralumin frame of the compact Striker matched well with Takeko’s slim physique.

Takeko’s smile could be seen behind her short, black hair. The next instant, Takeko’s shrill voice came through the radio receiver.

“I may be in a new model, but I won’t be holding back, Tomoko.”

Tomoko raised her voice as well.

“Exactly what I wanted. I’ll show you that nothing can beat the Type-97 in a dogfight.”

Looking behind her, Tomoko watched as Takeko pulled the Ki-43 into a sharp climb, just as she had expected.

It was a bold ascent, just like that of a powerful bird of prey, a nickname Takeko was often referred to as.

“Exactly what I’d expect from you, ‘Hayabusa’.”

She most likely wanted to put pressure on Tomoko by increasing her alt.i.tude. Not letting her do that, Tomoko began her own climb a moment later. Like two intertwining dragons, their paths crisscrossed as they shot upwards into the sky.

Tomoko’s engine began to give out with a loud whine first. Compared to Takeko’s Ki-43, the Ki-27 with its Ma-1b magic engine, had only 80% the engine power, and was insufficient for such a steep climb. Takeko stopped her own ascent, and flipped around. She dived.

Tomoko glanced behind herself. Takeko’s Ki-43 did another flip, as if to say that she had been waiting. She had managed to get perfectly on Tomoko’s tail. Using her superior speed, Takeko began closing the distance between them.

“How’s that? Look at the speed of the Type-1! It’s on a whole other level from the 97!”

Takeko’s voice came in from the headphones of the radio.

Following close on Tomoko’s rear, Takeko headed towards the long white streamer trailing from Tomoko’s waist, and flashed her drawn sword. It seemed that Takeko was indeed intent on not using a gun-camera.

Tomoko smiled, not disappointed.

There were two ways to decide who would win or lose in this match.

The first was to use the gun-camera to photograph the opponent. Once the required number of centered shots had been made, that would count as a ‘kill’.

The other method... Use a sword, standard equipment for the Fuso Imperial Army, to cut off the streamer that each of them had attached to their waist. It had been decided that that would count as a victory, even without using the gun-camera.

Takeko did not have her gun-camera ready... in other words, she was also aiming for the second victory condition.

Tomoko licked her lips lightly. Her sparring partner was 17, and the two of them had been rivals ever since they entered the Akeno Flight Academy in the same training cadre. Two years ago during the Neuroi invasion of Fuso, which was most likely a reconnaissance mission, the two had competed in everything from the number of enemies they had downed to promotions, during a small skirmish known as the ‘Fuso Sea Incident’.

They were the most compet.i.tive of rivals in the air, but the second they landed they would become the best of friends, who would share all their worries, joys ,and sorrows with each other.

And because of that, neither could stand to fall behind the other.

This mock battle, which was also serving as the debut of the newly adopted Ki-43, was being closely observed by high-ranking officers from the Imperial Army, and top officials from the government of the Fuso Empire. Even visitors from the Imperial Navy had come to watch.

All of them had only one thing on their mind... Could the world’s best fighter, the Ki-27, win against the newly adopted Ki-43?

As ‘witches’, both Tomoko and Takeko were about as skilled.

So, in other words... it was a contest between the merits of the two Strikers. Not only was Takeko’s and Tomoko’s own pride resting on this battle, the very ident.i.ty of each of their preferred machines was on the line. For two different reasons, this was a match that could not be lost.

Takeko took advantage of her speed, and narrowed the gap between the two Strikers.

The instant they were nearly close enough to hear each other’s breathing...

“I’ve got you now!”

Takeko’s naked blade sang through the air towards the streamer hanging behind Tomoko.

“Not so easily!”

Tomoko rolled to the side, and dodged Takeko’s attack.

“Kuh!”

Takeko swung her sword again. Tomoko dexterously twisted here and there as if she were dancing, keeping her streamer just out of reach of Takeko’s blade.

“Dammit, you’ve got some talent at running away!”

Takeko’s irritated voice buzzed from the headphones.

“Come on now, what’s wrong! New model! If you keep that up, they might decide to just throw the adoption plans into the cellar, you know!”

Tomoko shouted out to Takeko, tauntingly.

“Now you’ve made me angry!”

Takeko drew her sword back.

It was a master fencer’s stance.

With that, she charged towards Tomoko.

With that, she charged towards Tomoko.

Musous.h.i.+nden-ryuu, Sora-no-Tachi. (Unrivaled Pantheon style, Sword of the Heavens)

An instantaneous stroke with a katana, cleaving one’s opponent in two...

During the Fuso Sea Incident... Takeko had taken down two Neuroi craft with that secret sword technique.

s.h.i.+ng!

The bare blade flashed!

However, Tomoko was no longer there. Even her streamer had disappeared from Takeko’s view.

“Ugh!”

Takeko grunted, and spun upward.

Tomoko was there.

With a complex movement of both legs, Tomoko flipped around in a somersault to face Takeko’s rear.

At the same time as that somersault, the sword in her hand glinted.

“Kuh!”

With no time to escape, the streamer trailing behind Takeko was cut through.

‘Tsubame-gaes.h.i.+’ (Turning Swallow)

Using that maneuver, Tomoko had become the ace of the Fuso Sea Incident.

“You got me~~!”

Takeko let out a frustrated sigh. Tomoko, a huge smile on her face, was holding Takeko’s cut streamer in her hand.

“You really are ‘Tomoe-Gozen of the Fuso Sea’, aren’t you?”

That was the name that the newspapers had called Tomoko by after the Fuso Sea Incident, where she took down seven enemies. Reporters had compared Tomoko favorably with that legendary female samurai, after she had shown her skills as a modern-day master, dancing gracefully through the skies that day slaying the Neuroi.

“Ehehe. It’s a mistake to think that there’s anything that can defeat the 97 in a dogfight.”

Tomoko twisted into a barrel roll happily.

“They might even abandon the plans to adopt that Ki-43 now.”

“That won’t happen.”

Takeko promptly refuted that possibility.

“Why? Wasn’t the whole concept of that new model based around making a better dogfighter than the Ki-27?”

“Air battles will be changing from now on. Dogfighting will no longer be the core of fighting in the sky.”

“Oh? A sore loser?”

“I’m not being sore. The trend is s.h.i.+fting towards high-speed, formation fighting. Winning won’t be a matter of individual skill, but instead cooperation will be the key to victory. The results from today... finally confirmed that.”

Takeko said softly, staring off into the distance. Tomoko shook her head.

“No, the one thing that will decide the course of an air battle is without a doubt the dogfight. It’s all about operating Strikers. Only a skilled ace who can maneuver behind the enemy can survive! You know that’s how it was during the Fuso Sea Incident as well!”

Tomoko recalled her memories of the Fuso Sea Incident two years ago as she said that. Wasn’t it all thanks to the Ki-27, with its tight turning radius, that the light Neuroi fighter weapon platforms called the Rallos could be shot down as they fluttered about?

The sluggish Rallos looked like enormous flies with propellers, and it had been impossible for them to target the Ki-27s used by Tomoko’s squadron, which could whirl through the air like sparrows.

“It may be true that the Fuso Imperial Army Air Service puts a lot of emphasis on dogfighting. They rely on top aces like you. That’s one of the reasons why they insisted on this Ki-43 being a superior dogfighter in the design requirements. But, that’s a mistake.”

Takeko fell silent, deep in her own thoughts. Tomoko tried to console her friend, and said,

“Hey, Takeko, c’mon have some self-confidence. You’re not even close to being unskilled. Just wait, once the deployment to Europe starts...”

It had been decided last month that volunteers would be deployed to war-torn Karlsland, which was in ruins after the Neuroi invasion. Tomoko and Takeko were the first to volunteer at Akeno Flight Academy, and rumors were soon flying all over the Army about which of the elite pilots would be deployed. I wonder if those rumors are true, Tomoko would often wonder. I want to head towards Europe as soon as possible, and begin serving there. That was what she wished with all her heart.

“It’s not even worth thinking about, the two of us will definitely be selected for the deployment. We’ll show those Europeans the skill of the Fuso Imperial Army Air Service in dogfighting!”

No matter how full of energy Tomoko was, her best friend Takeko remained dour.

Is she really so shocked that she had lost?

Was it so surprising that she had lost even though she was using a new model Striker?

It may be true that the Ki-43 Takeko had been equipped with was a newly adopted model, but... because it’s a new model there are sure to be a lot of things in a new model that she isn’t accustomed to yet. And I was using the Ki-27, which I know as well as the back of my hand.

Even if the Ki-43 was faster and had a more powerful engine, Tomoko had had the advantage in that battle.

It’s nothing to be so down about... Tomoko thought, as she shook her head.

Tomoko and Takeko made their approach to the airfield at Akeno Flight Academy side by side.

As they reduced their speed to below 150 km/h, small wheels folded out from a compartment at the foot of the Strikers.

They straightened out to a standing landing position from the standard horizontal flying position, and the wheels screeched as they made contact with the ground. Clouds of dust flew into the air as the two landed.

The first to make their way to the two were not the landing maintenance crews, nor the high-ranking visitors who had come to watch the test, but the throngs of female students cl.u.s.tered about the field.

The flight this time was also serving as the debut performance of the new unit. The airfield was filled to the brim with visitors chosen by lottery, who had come to watch the new Striker and the das.h.i.+ng mechanized air infantry in action. The majority of these tourists were in fact schoolgirls. They crowded around Tomoko and Takeko, each of them pressing dozens of postcards into their hands.

“Ace Tomoko-sama! It’s Ace Tomoko-oneesama! Tomoe-Gozen of the Fuso Sea!”

Tomoko, who had shot down 7 Neuroi craft above the Fuso Sea, was widely known from the extensive coverage of her in the news. Whether she was known as ‘Tomoe-Gozen of the Fuso Sea’ or Ace Tomoko, she was the idol of schoolgirls across the nation.

Not only that, but Tomoko’s was a beautiful young woman like a Fuso doll, and her small and sharp but courageous eyes, coupled with her languid atmosphere, only served to raise her popularity even more.

“Aaaah! Takeko-oneesama is here as well!”

With a face like that of an olden princess, Takeko was just as popular.

With loud cries and shouts, the schoolgirls rushed towards Tomoko and Takeko.

“I made some dango for you!”

“I’ve made ohagi! Please have some!”

“Take this, take this! It’s called ‘Chou a la crème’! It’s a pastry from Gallia!”

Dozens of schoolgirls tried to push to the front to give their own gifts, pressing on Tomoko and Takeko like a stampede.

All the while, cameras flashed with loud snaps, competing with the commotion of the schoolgirls.

Reporters with large cameras had begun to gather around the group as well.

Some reporters began pus.h.i.+ng their way through the schoolgirl crowd, pens in hand.

“A word about the European deployment decision, if you please!”

“What?”

Tomoko started.

I’ve been wondering for ages when the decision would come, but it’s been released at last?

“Please tell us earlier if reporters will be coming.”

Akeno Flight Academy, office of the Director of Research.

Tomoko frowned at Chuu-sa Was.h.i.+zumi, who managed the various flight-related experiments at the academy. Chuu-sa Was.h.i.+zumi was a middle-aged man in his mid-forties, with a receding hairline. He was dressed in a khaki uniform, which looked uncomfortably tight for his heavyset frame.

“Well, we only just received word from Operations Planning at Headquarters, that the official deployment decisions had been completed. It seems those reporters rushed here the second they received word from Public Relations at Ichigaya, just before noon. Those fellows are always quick to catch wind of any information.”

“So, the reason those reporters are here...”

“That’s right. Akeno will be deploying mechanized air infantry as well. As a vanguard, both of you will be sent to Europe.”

Tomoko jumped into the air happily.

“Yes!”

“You seem quite happy, Shou-i Anabuki.”

Tomoko straightened out, puffing out her chest.

“Of course, sir! This is the perfect chance to show those Europeans that the miko of the Fuso Empire are the best in the world!”

Shou-i Tomoko pointed upwards, a proud look on her face.

“Ohhhhh, I can’t wait! I really really really really can’t wait~~!”

Tomoko was so happy that it seemed she might end up rolling on the floor any second. Chuu-sa Was.h.i.+zumi looked at her uneasily, then s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Takeko.

Biting her lip softly, Takeko gave a small nod.

Chuu-sa Was.h.i.+zumi cleared his throat loudly, and nodded gravely.

“Then, I will give you your orders officially. Fuso Imperial Army, Akeno Flight Academy Testing Squadron, Shou-i Katoh Takeko. You are hereby ordered to report for duty in Karlsland.”

Takeko saluted, a dignified expression on her face, and accepted the written order a.s.signment.

Chuu-sa Was.h.i.+zumi Chuu-sa then turned to Tomoko.

“Fuso Imperial Army, Akeno Flight Academy Testing Squadron, Shou-i Anabuki Tomoko.”

“Sir!” Tomoko vigorously saluted.