[h3][center][b][i][color=f6989d]Hibiki[/color] & [color=6ecff6]Shizuka[/color][/i][/b][/center][/h3]

These past few days have been a blur for the sisters. Hibiki went about upgrading her gear while Shizuka just kept training. Usual soldiering things. After the last battle they felt rather embarrassed at losing to the demons. For all their bravado they didn’t exactly bring the heat. Worse still, it’s almost as if their efforts as commanders meant nothing in actual battle. Reading the after battle reports everyone on the Machina faction were simply too spread out and disorganized to coordinate a proper offensive effort. Too many rogue agents who don’t have to follow a chain of command. Many who simply don’t. Bastion and Nu-Mu were outside of Hibiki and Shizuka’s command, and the likes of Grafdakka and Alexi just don’t. Bonesword and Titania at least can follow orders, and Hibiki personally felt that she’s been overlooking them. Or maybe she’s just too bossy.

Hibiki realized this when, a few days after they returned from that battle, she had an argument with Shizuka. Normally Shizuka never argued with her; she just kept following Hibiki through thick and thin. Always the loyal sister. But one day when Hibiki and Shizuka were suppose to go training again, Shizuka refused. She wanted to take the day off. This completely caught Hibiki off guard; not only did Shizuka not do what Hibiki told her, but it was Shizuka, the more combative and dutiful of the two, who wanted a vacation. Hibiki… Didn’t react well. All the stress she’s had acting as commander came crashing down on Shizuka, blaming her for their defeats and their lack of coordination. Heaven’s forces were too strong to play around with and for all the chaos the demons sow among themselves, they had highly competent strategists. And what did the machinas have? Glamorous elites who don’t answer to anyone, without nearly as much power to justify it. Their enemies were literally gods, and yet some of these people think they can actually go toe-to-toe with them?

Yet at the same time Shizuka made it quite clear that Hibiki’s methods weren’t going to work. No one was going to follow her orders just because she told them too, or that her ideas are even good. If the past battles were any indication, teamwork and cooperation were nice in concept but infeasible in application. They lost because they couldn’t react quick enough; the enemy wasn’t going to wait for everything to line up perfectly. The Machina needed specialists who can strike hard, strike fast, without so much set up to pull it off. That’s why Bastion and Nu-Mu don’t follow the chain of command; their duties were precisely to provide the type of shock and awe the enemy has, but for the Machina forces. If Hibiki wanted to feel useful, she needed to match their strength. That’s what Shizuka intended to do, but she also knew that she had to do it her own way. Ever since the Alchemist removed her inhibitions, Shizuka figured out what was holding her back; her sister.

Since then the two haven’t really been on speaking terms. Shizuka trained on her own but also sought to be a person outside her sister’s shadow. Hibiki focused on her jobs as a maid and a commander, though her mind still lingered on her sister’s words. Was Hibiki really holding Shizuka back? Was she really too bossy, asking too much and not providing enough herself? Was she going about this all wrong? Part of Hibiki wanted to say no. Everything would work out just fine if people just followed orders. But somehow, she knew Shizuka was right. Hibiki had always been reliant on others to be her strength. She’s always needed Shizuka to carry her burdens while she did jobs that was easy to her. Even in the grand scheme of things Hibiki relied on the likes of Eos and the Machina faction to provide her weapons, skills, and intel, and none of it HIbiki could provide for herself even if she tried. 

As much as Hibiki tries not to, she had to consider her strength compared to other commanders, both her allies and her enemies. She didn’t have their raw power, nor their vast intellect. She was just a human who’s somehow managed not to get killed so far. And if that was suppose to be Hibiki’s greatest accomplishment, than she really was a sorry commander. These were the thoughts going through Hibiki’s mind as she was flying her Falken, doing aerial maneuvers and stunts to hopefully help her win the next battle. In a moment of weakness she was unfocused, and in the midst of a midair sniping-into-hijacking attempting, her aircraft crashed into her and Hibiki was killed.

Moments later she respawned back at the airfield. She felt that this was enough training for today and went back to the city for a drink. She’ll drown her sorrows, think happy thoughts, and tomorrow she’ll pretend to feel better so hopefully karma returns the favor. Hopping back into her nissan Hibiki drove towards the city, dodging traffic and speeding through the streets towards her favorite karaoke bar. Maybe some singing could help Hibiki forget too.

[hr]

Meanwhile Shizuka was out looking for a pet. As odd as it was, getting stronger wasn’t really that big of a deal to Shizuka anymore. Sure, after the Alchemist had removed her inhibitions, the first thing on her mind was how she could use it to get more powerful. But when she returned home Shizuka noticed all the wonderful things that she had missed before. The lights, the sounds, the entertainment, the people. A lot of people think the Machina of Man were all slaves to high Queen Eos, and in a way they were. The High Queen provided them safety, comfort, food, and luxury. Yet at the same time, she allows them to fight for her, and even lets the likes of Shizuka join their faction. Her word was law, true. But so far her words have been reasonable and not tyrannical. Before Shizuka refrained from indulging herself because she had believed all of it to be as fake and synthetic as the machines that fight for Eos. Yet somehow, seeing things with her own eyes, Shizuka didn’t see anything [i]wrong[/i].

It did make Shizuka wonder about her faction however. In her time with Heaven Shizuka was certainly sheltered. She was taught war yes, and she has been showed the sort of horrors the demons and machines commit to them. Yet somehow Shizuka had a feeling that not all is as it seems. Heaven made itself seem like the last bastion of decency. But the Machina have fared well for themselves. Shizuka wasn’t sure how the demons handled things, but somehow she felt that they quite like their lot in life. It was just a hunch. But the point was that now, Shizuka was truly naive; all the previous notions she had were gone. Now she can see what the other factions were like without the propaganda. 

All in due time of course. Shizuka wasn’t going to go waltzing into Hell anytime soon, and she was almost certain that Heaven would strike her down the moment she stepped foot in their domain. But perhaps, as insane as this sounds, there could be a chance for peace. If she could just… See how similar these factions are, and connect them through that, perhaps they wouldn’t need to keep fighting. These were dreams Shizuka had. And slowly she’d work towards that dream. But first, for a simple goal: finding a puppy.