The War Chronicles of a Little Demon (Youjo Senki alt)

[Sunshine Temple]

I completely forgot about that taboo. Wasn't it something about their empathy or something that caused it? Still that closeness setting off alarm bells will be very interesting.to watch unfold. Particulalry from the PoV of Tanya's new moms. Which themselves seem like that they could be a fun topic for Visha to talk to Tanya about if she feels daring enough to bring up the fact that Tanya isn't an orphan anymore after two lives of being one.

As for Violetblood, I'd be interested to see her thoughts as well. Almost sounds like a love triangle of sorts being set up with that comment you've made...

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The taboo isn't something that needs to be remembered, but does make for a fun Easter egg adding another layers about their interactions.
And yeah skin to skin contact makes their empathy even more intense. And yeah, Tanya's new moms will notice their daughter getting a new friend.

And Visha will also go "Wait? you have parents? what about sisters?" Tauria's older sisters will also be fun to show in.


Hehe. Yeah as VioletBlod pointed out they're still young, but time is advancing, and by the time they are of age, well.... arranged marriages are a thing as she warned in ch5

 

[Rymu]

The taboo isn't something that needs to be remembered, but does make for a fun Easter egg adding another layers about their interactions.
And yeah skin to skin contact makes their empathy even more intense. And yeah, Tanya's new moms will notice their daughter getting a new friend.

And Visha will also go "Wait? you have parents? what about sisters?" Tauria's older sisters will also be fun to show in.


Hehe. Yeah as VioletBlod pointed out they're still young, but time is advancing, and by the time they are of age, well.... arranged marriages are a thing as she warned in ch5

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Visha and Tanya are gonna get teased so bad aren't they?

Also I'm curious how much expectation there is to be faithful in an arranged marriage and what the stance is for having mistresses. For those answers open up many plots potentially.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Visha and Tanya are gonna get teased so bad aren't they?

Also I'm curious how much expectation there is to be faithful in an arranged marriage and what the stance is for having mistresses. For those answers open up many plots potentially.

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They can be very gossipy. Both centurions and demonesses.


And for arranged marriages we're talking about /well/ adult succubae. So for most it's not a question of monogamy. Heck many non arranged marriages are either poly or have mistresses

The main difference between a wife and a mistress is that the latter is a bit less formalized. Which one can guess is useful for when you have your wive(s) as politically calculated and then have a mistress as more out of love.

Of course there are some succubae of such high status that even a mistress would have massive political implications.

For example the Imperatrix herself is still single despite having her last mistress killed a long time ago.

 

[Rymu]

They can be very gossipy. Both centurions and demonesses.


And for arranged marriages we're talking about /well/ adult succubae. So for most it's not a question of monogamy. Heck many non arranged marriages are either poly or have mistresses

The main difference between a wife and a mistress is that the latter is a bit less formalized. Which one can guess is useful for when you have your wive(s) as politically calculated and then have a mistress as more out of love.

Of course there are some succubae of such high status that even a mistress would have massive political implications.

For example the Imperatrix herself is still single despite having her last mistress killed a long time ago.

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Lots of groups are surprisingly gossipy. Tanya is probably more than a bit used to it from her 2nd life even if she was a bit insulated from it. If her little chat with one of the other officers in the last chapter was any indication.

That's interesting worldbuilding. Gonna be fun to see how Tanya reacts to finding out that bit of information and what she decides to do with it as the struggle between her own wants/feelings and her desire to climb the social ladder and all that will be in less conflict that she'd expect.

Also do you mean that the Imperatrix had her last mistress killed as in that girl died because the Imperatrix said so or that she was just killed in general. Cus I'm not certain about that with your wording.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Lots of groups are surprisingly gossipy. Tanya is probably more than a bit used to it from her 2nd life even if she was a bit insulated from it. If her little chat with one of the other officers in the last chapter was any indication.

That's interesting worldbuilding. Gonna be fun to see how Tanya reacts to finding out that bit of information and what she decides to do with it as the struggle between her own wants/feelings and her desire to climb the social ladder and all that will be in less conflict that she'd expect.

Also do you mean that the Imperatrix had her last mistress killed as in that girl died because the Imperatrix said so or that she was just killed in general. Cus I'm not certain about that with your wording.

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Heh, yeah gossip is a big thing. And yeah she has some experience.
Oooh yeah she'll have to worry about her future. Though that does put the conversation VioletBlood had with her in ch5 into full context.

Ah, I mean BlackSky's mistress was assassinated. And the Imperatrix was very, very angry at that

 

[Rymu]

Heh, yeah gossip is a big thing. And yeah she has some experience.
Oooh yeah she'll have to worry about her future. Though that does put the conversation VioletBlood had with her in ch5 into full context.

Ah, I mean BlackSky's mistress was assassinated. And the Imperatrix was very, very angry at that

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Reread that conversation. Lots of fun potential if that little plan crops up again and Visha catches wind of it.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Reread that conversation. Lots of fun potential if that little plan crops up again and Visha catches wind of it.

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Heheh. Yeah there's a lot of potential and noble intrigue. Though Tanya being Tanya she'd try to push off to the future "IE I don't want to worry about that until I'm 20"

 

[Rymu]

Heheh. Yeah there's a lot of potential and noble intrigue. Though Tanya being Tanya she'd try to push off to the future "IE I don't want to worry about that until I'm 20"

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Trying to push things off till the future might only work so well. Sure some suitors may wait patiently but others will be willing to do more ground work to better their odds than what Tanya talked about with VioletBlood and some might go even further than that. Visha being one of the folks in the lattermost camp if one goes by recent manga stuff. Assuming she manages to gather the will to try it, for Tanya is still very scary.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Trying to push things off till the future might only work so well. Sure some suitors may wait patiently but others will be willing to do more ground work to better their odds than what Tanya talked about with VioletBlood and some might go even further than that. Visha being one of the folks in the lattermost camp if one goes by recent manga stuff. Assuming she manages to gather the will to try it, for Tanya is still very scary.

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Quite so. Tanya's still scary and in some ways that increased her future value as she's going places. But what's a story without some future pressure and drama? At least Tauria won't have to deal with attending high school.

 

[Gremlin Jack]

"Yeah, after that the war was..." I exhaled. "That's not important."

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I disagree! I am intensely curious about how things went. Although the fact that Visha seems largely unchanged indicates she didn't live for too much longer after Tanya's death, because I don't see Uriel giving her the option if her first life wasn't already over.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

I disagree! I am intensely curious about how things went. Although the fact that Visha seems largely unchanged indicates she didn't live for too much longer after Tanya's death, because I don't see Uriel giving her the option if her first life wasn't already over.

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Heh, I do have to be careful because yeah there's a whole story in Operation Götterdämmerung with the lead up, procuring supplies such as that bayonet, the final battle, and then the fallout from it. My current intention is to give our hints and flashes from Visha and Tuaria mentioning it.

At the moment I'm thinking of it better to keep those events as things largely for the reader's imagination.
Gooood catch. Indeed. Given Visha probably died soon after Tanya, and yet Visha knows they lost the war, implies that Visha died in the closing days of the war (when it was obvious to everyone how it was going) or not very long afterwards.

Which doubtless was an influence on her taking Uriels' offer. Where other members of the 203rd who had longer and happier lives afterwards, and who were not as devoted to Tanya would not be as keen.

 

[Rymu]

Quite so. Tanya's still scary and in some ways that increased her future value as she's going places. But what's a story without some future pressure and drama? At least Tauria won't have to deal with attending high school.

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I'm growing increasingly convinced that she'll actually have to deal with high school with the way you keep bringing it up.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

I'm growing increasingly convinced that she'll actually have to deal with high school with the way you keep bringing it up.

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I mean.... it's not like she had to deal with being a ballerina... or work for a maid cafe....

Okay, fair but as that case shows it wouldn't dominate the story. Beyond doing a bit to make her life frustrating and maybe have some future stuff, but the focus would not be that. So yes, I am tempted to have her do a brief "how do you do fellow kids?" undercover, maybe have to deal with "popular girls", or maybe she's not undercover.

Basically a concept of a bit of her being out of her depth and frustrated but having to put on a good face.

 

[Rymu]

I think not being undercover would be better if she does end up in a school environment. If only because it'll push Visha and VioletBlood some more in all likelyhood.

 

[Gremlin Jack]

or maybe she's not undercover.

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Why would she be undercover? Although she does have a logical reason to attend school... many soldiers today go back to college to pick up degrees that compliment their military specializations. So I can see Tanya going for a course that will complement being an RP pilot, maybe computational enchanting or something. Plus, it's a great way to get away from combat duty for a few years!

 

[Sunshine Temple]

I think not being undercover would be better if she does end up in a school environment. If only because it'll push Visha and VioletBlood some more in all likelyhood.

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That's a fair point. I was thinking undercover because then she would have to pretend (or try) to be normal.

Why would she be undercover? Although she does have a logical reason to attend school... many soldiers today go back to college to pick up degrees that compliment their military specializations. So I can see Tanya going for a course that will complement being an RP pilot, maybe computational enchanting or something. Plus, it's a great way to get away from combat duty for a few years!

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Yah, I do have plans for her to go to the capital of Silvana and attend their War College. I suppose her mother could insist she spend some time at a local academy for noble girls, to help take off come of the "roughness" that comes with being a young pilot.

Perhaps the Mima Lumina Academy which is a bit formal and has one of the Imperatirx's Daughters as a Patron.

That also would be a way to handle a time skip. (Though to be fair the story has had quite a few so far given it's literally covered all of Tauria's 3rd life.)

 

[Rymu]

Meeting said daughter would open up interesting opportunities. As would going to a more normal school in general as that probably opens up Tanya to be stuck in a school girl outfit which will definitely have an effect on her suitors.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Meeting said daughter would open up interesting opportunities. As would going to a more normal school in general as that probably opens up Tanya to be stuck in a school girl outfit which will definitely have an effect on her suitors.

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Yeah, would have more networking and have the imperial Family get to be even more aware of Tauria. Though "more normal" is relative. And yeah, in fairness Tauria did wear school uniforms at the orphanage before she got into the Legions.

Upside she likely won't be pushed into the cheer squad. Ballet on the other hand....

 

[Rymu]

Yeah, would have more networking and have the imperial Family get to be even more aware of Tauria. Though "more normal" is relative. And yeah, in fairness Tauria did wear school uniforms at the orphanage before she got into the Legions.

Upside she likely won't be pushed into the cheer squad. Ballet on the other hand....

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I was thinking less networking and more adding another side to Tanya's love interest web.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

I was thinking less networking and more adding another side to Tanya's love interest web.

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Heh. Well.... not sure it would get anywhere. But as a countess and Ace and so on, she would have her fans.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

The War Chronicles of a Little Demon

Set in the Return Verse
A Saga of Tanya the Evil fic thingy.
By Sunshine Temple

Naturally, I do not own Youjo Senki. So here's the disclaimer:

Saga of Tanya the Evil its characters and settings belong Carlo Zen, Shinobu Shinotsuki, and NUT Co., Ltd.

Previous chapters and other works can be found at my fanfiction website.
http://www.fukufics.com/fic/


Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku
http://fukufics.com

C&C as always is wanted.

Future Snippet 1: Airborne Diplomacy by other Means.


Something "Many" Chapters in the Future.

As soon as the beacon was lit, Task Force Nibelung teleported. Accuracy was good and luck was with us as we formed up to the west of the city, which put us over land. If we appeared to the east we would have been over water.

And the enemy held that, for now.

Task Force Nibelung was centered around the Heavy Carrier HFV Valhalla, the Battlecruiser HFV DarkStar, and various cruisers, destroyers, light carriers, corvettes, patrol boats, scouts, and elements of fleet train and supply.

My Demi-Wing of four RP Squadrons only took up an eighth of the Valhalla's capacity of nearly four hundred Ritual Plate Pilots. And the DarkStar carried over a hundred and thirty Fujiwara torpedoes plus an entire Hasta torpedo bomber squadron.

And we were just the escorting force. The real force that came in over the darkened human city was the Emurian Sixth Landing Fleet. This was Dame BlackStone's domain, the youngest daughter of the youngest Daughter of Imperatrix BlackSky. And everything magical and electric had been wiped out in a preemptive attack. Which caused untold deaths in a major metropolitan areas.

The Sixth consisted of 4 Infantry Legion Landing Flotillas, 2 Armor Legion Landing Flotillas, 6 Landing Defense Flotillas, 4 Recon Patrol Singularium, and a Bombardment Flotilla.

It was a force with one purpose: delivering and supporting Corpus Incursio Reliance to the battlefield. Each Legion Landing Flotilla could deliver an entire Legion of 10 Cohorts their armor, vehicles, artillery, Ritual Plate, and a full resupply. The Defense Flotillas were there to protect the giant troop transports, dropship tenders, and other landing airships while Bombardment Flotilla consisted of a pair of cruisers and a heavy torpedo bomber squadron all dedicated to ground attack.

We came to this world with over 60 cohorts of Imperial Legionaries, two dozen of our new assault guns, three dozen battle tanks, four dozen infantry fighting vehicles, six dozen light tanks, 300 artillery pieces, and 2 Legionary Ritual Plate Air Groups.

Not to mention the Air Group on the Valhalla or the dozen medium carriers escorting the landing fleet.

I controlled my breathing as I stood in front of my demi-wing. We were on the starboard RP bay of the Valhalla. I was in my Polyxo armor with my helmet off, looking every bit the imperious young Tribune.

Prefect Baroness VioletBlood, commander of my second squadron, was at one side. Visha my wingwoman and aide de camp on the other.

Our Imperatrix had just finished her speech which had been relayed fleet-wide over the primary circuit, and it was a fine speech, full of sympathy and appeals to history, and talk of vengeance and ruination. BlackSky was already on the ground, her and four Daughters. That such a force was required was ominous, but we were already here.

"Listen up!" I cried to my troops as four dozen war maniacs that had taken everything I could throw at them. Every one of them had been pushed to the limits of their healing and their suits, but they just kept coming back. Each one of them was equipped in a Polyxo Advanced Multi-Role suit with a Gorgon Rig, all fully rated and experienced.

The 406th Evaluation Wing was a formidable force of the best Imperial Legion, and even some Fleet, fliers I could find to put between myself and the House's enemies. Their status and equipment made them an expensive investment for the Legions, but one that had paid off, and this was our reward. My tail twitched. I was not sure how a handful of squadrons I intended to check and proof equipment before it entered into general deployment ended up being some of the House's elites but here we were.

"We are here because peace talks failed. We are here because we are to show the signatories of the Unseelie Accords what we can do." I stated, not believing the words. The betrayal of the Fomor was expected. It was inevitable, which was why we were here.

"In their hubris the Fomor gave the citizens of this city, and the other Accorded Nations, the White Court, the Council, the Fae Courts, hours to prepare to mount their meager defenses. " My tail swished. "We have obliged our froggy enemy."

"We are here because nearly ten million humans who had no idea about magic or other species just got hit by a sucker punch and are about to be invaded by an enemy that brags about how their forces are legion. They claim a hundred thousand troops, a literal titan of invincible armor, and an arcane weapon that can destroy all she sees. They claim they will turn this city into pandemonium.

"Do not make the mistakes the enemy did, nor our supposed allies. You underestimate these humans at your own peril. This is their city and they will have reinforcements coming in. Flight Ops should inform you but keep an eye out for rotary or fixed-wing assets that are not ours. Make sure they have something to target on the ground."

I pulled my lips back into a sneer flashing my fangs. "You will educate the Fomor, my girls. In their hubris they come without significant airpower and rush up the beaches." I was skeptical, but as far as our intelligence sourced the Fomor were built around an aquatic and amphibious raiding force. They seemed to have little capacity for truly combined arms tactics. I had been faced with incompetent invaders in my past life, but there was no reason to not be cautious now. The Titan leading their forces was a strategic asset in her own right. But that was why the Imperatrix was here, not to mention the powerful potentates of the other Accorded Nations.

"Show them the power of BlackSky's Imperial Legion. Make them realize the folly of letting us land in order and ceding air superiority. Show them what a place of demons really is."

I slipped my helmet on and motioned for the First Squadron to get up. Behind my mask I let my expression drop. Urban combat was a nightmare, and we were going to be dropping into a city where the human population was caught between two major and about a dozen minor supernatural factions.

This was not the way I had envisioned visiting Chicago.

Author's Notes:

Tried something a bit new, let me know if previews like this are something you like.

Just a preview of where I see Tauria's future going and some plotlines in the future. Those of you familiar with the Blood Debts sub arc will see how this crosses over and fits into the main Return storyline.

I've got about 45,000 words written fro the "Battle of Chicago" project. And speaking of main Return storyline I have the next chapter of Bonding Allure that I plan to post soon, and the oft delayed ending to Our Sister as well.

And for Little Demon... well ch10 has nearly 5,000 words and there are two pieces of Tauria and her mom(s) that are in the work that I think you will find horrifically sweet and adorable.


And special thanks to Preier DCG, Ellf, Green Sea, and for checking and reading over this snippet.

 

[moon so bright]

The future is so cool!

 

[Rymu]

This was not the way I had envisioned visiting Chicago.

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Well that sure is a hell of a line.

Also Tanya getting to keep Visha is really nice.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

The future is so cool!

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Excellent! I was hoping this would get a nice reaction.

Well that sure is a hell of a line.

Also Tanya getting to keep Visha is really nice.

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Hehehe.... It does put it into a Dresden Files cross.

And of course Tanya'd keep Visha. Visha went through so much to get back to her, she's not going to just go away ;p

 

[malhavoc431]

This was not the way I had envisioned visiting Chicago.

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Dresden is absolutely going to be blamed for this.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Dresden is absolutely going to be blamed for this.

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I mean.... you're not wrong. Given Dresden's connection to Imperatrix BlackSky.
At least post Blood Debts. that is.

In a very literal way it is all Dresden's fault this Demonic war fleet and Legions are here.

 

[Sunshine Temple]

The War Chronicles of a Little Demon

Set in the Diyu Demons verse
A Saga of Tanya the Evil fic.
By Sunshine Temple

Naturally, I do not own Youjo Senki. So here's the disclaimer:

Saga of Tanya the Evil its characters and settings belong Carlo Zen, Shinobu Shinotsuki, and NUT Co., Ltd.

Previous chapters and other works can be found at my fanfiction website.
http://www.fukufics.com/fic/

C&C as always is wanted.

Chapter 10: Reunions, Family and Otherwise.


Uriel was a very patient cosmic being.

Though I had to admit my data set was rather small. However, Being X was more than willing to take a "lack of faith" on my part as ample reason to interfere. That entity had openly stated it was giving my life hardships, would put me in danger, forced me to choose between prayer and death, and finally manipulated, corrupted, and empowered others to become my mortal foes.

This was a creature that had destroyed families in a cycle of revenge to prove some cosmological, but petty, point.

I suppose I had the last laugh.

By comparison, the Archangel Uriel seemed to be rather hands-off. It would be easy to blame him for how my careful planning to avoid military service, and failing that, to maximize my time away from the front fell apart on his machinations.

But there was no evidence of that. In fact for nearly thirteen years there had been no evidence of anything. As long as one discounted my own memories and the experiences and skills contained therein.

There were times when it was possible to think I was merely Tauria Magnus DiamondDust: a war orphan who through hard work, talent, and patronage had become a skilled Ritual Plate Pilot and, by dire circumstances, won considerable accolades including being adopted by the Sisters of Our Hallowed Lady who raised her and Tribune Duchess SilverFlight, said patron.

And while I was that person as much as I was Tanya von Degurechaff… I could not forget where I had come from, and who I was before Tanya.

Still, that was all within my mind. My knowledge, my struggles, my battles were all on my own. Yes, I had managed to convince the 203rd to sortie with me against Being X, but that had taken considerable effort and I focused on the creature's hostility to the Empire by pushing more and more enemies against us.

And downplayed any enmity it had towards me. Fortunately, Being X had abandoned all pretense after I dealt with the second member of the Sioux family for the penultimate time and its attacks had involved outright uncanny "heroes" and impossible synchronicity of events.

Even the most skeptical of my officers knew something was deeply wrong with world events, with the Empire's luck, and that something very strange was happening. Thus I was able to get Operation Götterdämmerung started.

However, even then, I told no one just why Being X had picked me. I simply let stand the implication that my natural talents, as exemplified by how I made Ace at nine up in Norden and earned the Silver Wings Assault badge, meant that I had received its attention and that by surviving the testing of the Type 95 I had gotten its enmity.

Sipping my coffee, I looked out the window of my office. It was more of a glorified closet, but there was room for a plain, but polished wood desk, three chairs, a sideboard, some storage space, and a window. Granted the view was of the side of an airship hangar but it was something.

The downside of the status symbol was that I had to be a bit more mindful of security. There were countermeasures to reduce optical observing and scrying, but that was no reason to be sloppy.

I put the cup down on the saucer. The Volantes facilities in Castra Bovitar gave the illusion of a rearward position. I was on a major base in a rather important Provincial capital and had my own, small, command. For the moment I could pretend. I could put aside that I, we, were going back out.

At the least I could put Operation Götterdämmerung out of mind. I never liked the name, it was too grandiose and gave poor operational security. But so many of the Empire's operations had names like that. No wonder we lost the war.

That was all in the past.

Even the conversation with the enigmatic Mr. Uriel seemed to be in my past. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to his apologies for keeping me waiting, or for his implications of others being given recompense as part of his work cleaning up Being X's mess.

It took nearly thirteen years for me to figure out even part of the plans he was running.

Visha returning to my life was a welcome change. I could admire her resourcefulness and her tenacity to develop skills that would be useful. I did not begrudge her for taking so long to find me. House BlackSky's population was over seventy million and, even if she assumed I would be a Ritual Plate Pilot, the closest analog to an aerial mage, our House still had over ninety thousand pilots.

I suppose that was one upside of the propagandizing of my early exploits.

However, that does show the difference in cosmic entities. Uriel had the confidence in presuming my drive and nature would cause me to have such events in my life. And if he made a little nudge, how was I to know?

Conversely, Being X was remarkably impatient, where after only about a decade he started brainwashing other people and just forced me to pray to him or die. I suppose Being X did not care that contracts made under the threat of death were non-binding.

From my, thankfully limited, contact, Uriel did not seem nearly so craven, petulant, or hostile. Still, the Archangel was a very powerful being; one that seemed to have some sort of limitations on his actions.

Regardless, I knew Uriel did not simply reunite myself and Visha out of the goodness of his heart.

I looked at the sunlight streaming in through the clouds.

The Archangel had a plan for us.

And I was going to be ready for this.

There was a knock on the door.

"Tauria? Um... Primus?" someone asked a bit nervously

I blinked and shouted that the door was unlocked.

Opening the door and stepping through, VioletBlood watched me with a curious look as her tail curled behind her.

"Yes?" I impatiently asked as I sorted the papers before me. Our squadron was short-handed which gave me several opportunities.

But that required presenting a compelling case to our squadron commander. Prefect Volantes Centurion Artemis Magnus Quirinus

She held up a fairly thin green folder. "I've got the maintenance logs from our deployment."

I had asked her to check, collate and summarize the Ritualista's maintenance logs and parts requests reports. It was part of growing her own skills for commanding, and running a Flight. Still, that she called that battle over Ortov a "deployment".

I snorted. "We fought one sortie."

She seemed to wilt a bit, her scarlet curls bobbing. "But it was ha-" her whine cut off when I looked up at her.

"We got to go to warm soft bunks the next morning. And less than a week later we were home. Baroness, I call that a bargain."

"But Astor..."

I glanced out the doorway. "Yes, her loss is tragic and hurts the unit. It also came in after Mercy's Flight was fighting about as hard as we were," my voice lowered and I tried to comfort her. Maybe I was getting softer with all my experience.

"Baroness Volantes Centurion VioletBlood, you are aware you're in the Imperatrix's Imperial Legions? Dying is part of the job. We're both war orphans."

"I know that!" she stated, trying to sound confident, but I could see a bit of fear in her green eyes as her gaze met mine.

I leaned forward and tried to be a bit more disarming with a smile. Her tail twitched. "I do hope you are making use of the Legion's counseling services, and if you do need extra... help I can try to arrange a transfer. You are young and I know you do not want to shame the memory of your mothers."

Unstated was that I would not accuse her of cowardice or weakness. She had been let out of the cadet program early. But I could not simply say that. We were both nobles and it would look too much like the patronage network at work.

"No!" She shook her head, her fine curls bouncing about. "I was good enough, I was adequate, you said so! You can't just throw me off."

I quirked an eyebrow at the fear coming off of her. Was she that bloodthirsty that she had to stay in a front-line unit? She was not even fifteen. Looking over the young demon I could see some of why I had gotten such a reputation.

"You were a good wingwoman over Ortov," I noted. In some ways too good. Though I had to be careful. She needed someone with experience to keep her from getting too aggressive.

"See! You need me!"

I picked up my cup and stared her down as I drank. "Really, now?"

"I mean..." Tail limp, she glanced back out the door. "I mean... I'm not afraid."

"Liar. Everyone is afraid in battle."

"You're not!"

I put the cup down. "VioletBlood, that's simply not true. I've just learned to be a bit more reserved with my emotions."

She looked down, seemingly embarrassed. It was good that she was not quite so cocky, but pilots did need confidence.

"I've seen you in battle. Granted we have not been on a grueling campaign together, but I know you can handle yourself and have great potential. In the air you can handle death, both the risk of yours and the enemy's." Perhaps a bit too well with the latter.

"And I want to fulfill that potential. At your side!"

I leaned back in my chair. She was bright, she had to know I was planning to bring Visha into the squadron, especially my Flight. Which meant one of my 3 current pilots would have to be moved to Mercy's Flight.

And while Primus Mercy Gabinus was a solid Flight leader I worried that such a young noble war maniac with so much to prove might be a distraction. It had taken even me years to get used to VioletBlood.

"Do not worry LoveBlood." In addition to using her nickname I tried to smile and made sure to have it be bright and give her focused eye contact. "There will always be a place for you in Diamond Flight."

"Oh really?" she gushed, her tail swishing.

Hiding my disquiet, I nodded. Kids, she was just a kid. Even Octavia was not much older, not really. Visha too, for that matter. Well, as long as you ignored her previous life.

"Now, are those the maintenance reports?" I asked, taking a more official posture in my chair.

"Yes, Ma'am," she said smartly, putting the folder on my desk. "Optio Gibbs compiled it with the other Ritualista chiefs."

"Good," I picked it up and started reading the summary. "Any difficulties in summarizing them? Conclusions?" I flipped to those pages.

"It was just a bit of work to check and read it. And it looks like our Flight spends a bit more maintainer-time keeping our flight enchantments updated. Took a while to get through."

"It's only twenty pages of logs per suit," I noted.

"Yeah but..." she frowned.

"VioletBlood, if you want to be a Flight leader, let alone have your own Squadron, paperwork is part of it."

"I know that!"

"Logistics, dear baroness. Nuts and bolts. Tires and filters. Enchanters and artificers. Bread, bullets, and bandages. That's what wins battles. It's even more acute for us..."

"Because we're a high mobility expeditionary airborne force?"

I nodded.

She beamed.

"Now don't let me detain you; I've got a meeting with Quirinus this afternoon."

She stepped back and paused, tail curled. "Um, have you had lunch yet?"

I sighed. "I was planning on having it with Visha."

Her tail drooped as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Don't worry, I booked some Flight training this evening."

"I know but..."

I smiled. "Trust me, it'll be plenty challenging. It'll be better than yesterday's simulator training."

Her wings twitched. I could not blame her. While House BlackSky's training simulators were superior to the utter lack of any that the Empire in my second life had, there were some trade-offs between those used by modern militaries in my third life and my first one.

An RP "simulator" was one's own Ritual Plate with the weapons systems removed in a suspended harness with illusions projected in front of the helmet and false feeds put into the scrying systems. It gave a reasonable facsimile of many combat roles, and each simulator was relatively inexpensive, though the price could go up if kinetomancy was added to the harness to simulate G loading and maneuvering.

A limitation was it required a functional Ritual Plate to work. There were simulators that used dedicated, stripped-down, surplus trainer Ritual Plate which helped for new pilots. Another problem was keeping one's Zephyr from launching the pilot right out of the simulator. But it was a reasonable way to get wing time and train for larger operations.

"If you say so..." Again, I could understand VioletBlood's hesitation, the maneuvers that training operation we went through yesterday really could not be fully experienced with our current simulator capabilities. However, I did want my Flight to get more experience dealing with Zioxan Tjardu pattern air-superiority Ritual Plate.

"One of my adopted sisters is a reserve Harmonia pilot and she had some fascinating ideas on air combat."

"I uh... I'll make sure the rest of the Fight is ready then?" VioletBlood offered.

"An excellent idea, you go do that." I smiled as she practically ran out of my little office. It was good to have motivated subordinates.

++++++

For lunch, we went to the cafe I tended to prefer. It was close to the base and the menu was light enough fare. It also allowed for people-watching out the windows.

After we had gotten our meals and sat at the table and we started with small talk: how our days went, an update to maintaining warding systems, how the barracks here stacked up to those in Opalescence Bay, the escalation in tensions between Ziox and Andromache, and my meeting with VioletBlood.

"I'm not sure that was the motivation..." Visha said after I gave a summary of the earlier meeting.

I blinked and paused mid-soup. "But VioletBlood was so eager to go off and get back to work."

Visha's tail swished as she picked at her plate of noodles and sausages. "I mean, it sounds like she wanted to... spend time with you."

"But I was already having lunch with you." I frowned.

Visha patted my hand. "That's probably why she was upset, Tanya."

I froze.

Soft eyes blinked at me in confusion.

"Visha, please be careful," I gritted my teeth. "That name..."

"But..." She looked down. "I mean, no one here knows it." Visha lowered her voice. "Or about our... past."

"Yes, and we should keep it that way."

Keeping her fingers on mine, Visha frowned. "But you use my name."

I patted her hand "That's because Victorious Shadow shortens nicely." It was good that her family name used an Alecton loanword for shadow, specifically the Bantish term, instead of the Silvan Latin word.

"I suppose I could use a nickname for you, Diamond," she teased.

I sighed and went back to eating.

Visha picked at her food some more. "But we both... I mean we both reincarnated." Her voice was quiet. "We were both visited by an angel. We killed a... Well, was that a demon or an angel? I mean we're demons now and an angel helped us."

I gave her a level look. She had a point. There was a reason I called my old enemy "Being X".

"Well...."

"Visha, time and place."

She wilted a bit.

I patted her hand again. "Yes, I know we were sent for a reason. And I'm making plans."

Her eyes widened as her wings spread a bit. "You don't mean!"

I laughed. "No, no... our.... benefactor has kept his word with us. But I'm not naive enough to think he did it for free. We need to be ready."

"I suppose," she resumed eating. "What about the others? Our old friends. Did any of them... come?"

I pondered as I ate some more of my soup. The potato and chicken broth was quite good. "I honestly don't know." Visha had been at my side the longest. She had helped me set up the 203rd. The others, despite being war maniacs to a one, had their own lives.

"I guess it depends on what they did after the war." I pondered. Would people who had hopefully happy and full lives take the offer of some angel to go back into another life of war?

I would like to think they would be smarter.

But we are talking about my war maniacs here. Would they turn down a chance to go back to war? I took this option because I was cheated out of the life I was supposed to have.

"Maybe they weren't offered?" Visha suggested. "Or.... they're still out there. They might have had a harder time... adapting than we did."

I smiled. Visha was right. We were the only two female members of the 203rd. But she did not know about my life prior to that. I could sympathize with the plight of Weiss or Neumann, to pick two, suddenly being reborn as pretty and female. Though Koening did have a more roman nose and sharp features so he had a chance to be classically beautiful and Glanz was a bit baby-faced.

I sipped my water and chuckled. "Maybe. Maybe they did come and this time took the safe option and stayed out of the military."

Visha reluctantly nodded.

"I won't say no if one of them does show up," I assured.

She blinked.

I grinned. "I've got plans, don't you worry." I took her hand. "And those plans start with getting you a Polyxo of your own."

Her eyes widened. "You don't have to..."

"Nonsense, you deserve it. And it's part of getting the whole Squadron to advanced multi-roles."

"I am transferring to your Flight?"

"I have plans," I assured.

She gave me a sympathetic look.

"What?"

"I mean, just be careful. Sometimes your plans, well, are too successful."

I gave a grim smile. Then exhaled. She was not wrong. "I didn't always want something so grand." I wanted a safe position in the rear, something quiet. I still do. But even with Visha I had to be careful. "I mean I want to do my best for our empire, our House."

She gave an understanding smile. "And this is why I made sure I would be at your side."

Tail swishing, I shook my head but found myself grinning. Her help was appreciated. "And you are vital to my plans." I promised.

Visha flushed.

"Don't get embarrassed," I assured. "Yes, a Polyxo is expensive, but you need one. Especially to help you keep up with me."

Visha blinked and shook her head.

"Ah! There you are, little sister," a smooth, courtly voice said.

I turned and saw a stark, lean woman with silver-tinged features and long pale blue hair. She had deep green eyes and her nose and chin-line were much like her mother's, our mother's. Her tail was thicker, fluffier on the length, and she had silvered hooves. Her wings were also gleaming and hung behind her.

"Rorarii Prefect Lady Castellan ArgentShroud," I bowed my horns to her. "A pleasure."

"Really must we be so formal, Tauria?" The older woman smiled and her tail flicked towards a chair.

I was able to take the hint. "Yes, would you join us?"

"I would love to," she pulled a seat and took a place at the table. "And who is this charming pilot, sister mine?"

"Centurion Victorious Shadow, a transfer from Opalescence Bay. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my Lady," Visha introduced herself.

"Lovely to meet you." ArgentShroud smiled and bowed her horns. "I see you're taking up the family tradition of finding talented pilots?" she asked me.

I put on a smile. "Our mother taught us well."

"You're one of Duchess SilverFlight's daughters?"

"Second eldest," she gave a guilty look. "Well... first now. Invidia died over Antalia Island in the last Irkella-Alecton war."

Located off the northeast corner of Diyu, Antalia Island was the location of House Alecto's northernmost settlement, trade port, and naval base. It was also their most isolated. When House Irkella struck across the straits of Vallen to the nearby Minor House Rosier, Alecto got pulled into the battle.

As well as elements of our Primus Third Fleet who were visiting the Alecton yards. It was a bloody mess and was one reason why House Irkella's attempts at occupying nearby Minor Houses did not go as well as House Luxon's.

Visha gave her condolences. To someone who was not a pilot or an Aerial Mage it would sound perfunctory. But it was nigh impossible to become an experienced pilot and not have those close to you die.

My adoptive sister quirked a lip but bowed her horns.

"ArgentShroud is a Fleet officer. She served as a Harmonia Pilot for two terms. before going on reserve status to help Mother. As the heir apparent she does a lot of the day to day running of Mother's interests: land, finances, guilds," I explained.

"That's what Lady Castellan means?" Visha asked.

"Correct, the term originally meant to cover someone in charge of a castle and the surrounding areas. And their garrison. In modern times it means I have a more managerial role of mother's duchy and assets."

"Your mother has a duchy?" Visha looked to me.

"She is a duchess," ArgentShroud chuckled. "And we even have a garrison, but that's more because of Mother's retention of a mercenary company."

"And you're a countess." Visha gave me a smile. "Does that mean you have a county?"

"She is learning how to administer a portfolio of assets," ArgentShroud assured as her tail swished and wrapped around the leg of my chair, pulling me closer. "That does include some forestry leases and other lands."

Which showed the flexibility of the BlackSkyvian noble families. They had managed to ride waves of advances in applied thaumaturgy, industrialization, arcane standardization, mechanization, with all the economic, social, and cultural fallout from that.

A lot of it rested on the mix of informal powers and hard limits to power. The Imperatrix also had a sense of "cleaning house". They were pragmatic about a level of corruption, patronage, and graft, but once it started affecting the security of the House against internal threats, or got too many of the common citizens angry, then it was seen as a failure. And as such new blood was periodically pumped into the noble families, as my own elevation showed, while those who failed were quietly, or not quietly if they resisted, shifted aside.

The imperial Family operated on a similar model, to an extent, with Princesses, granddaughters of the Imperatrix, being banished or executed and even Daughters facing that fate. And while the Rebellion of Daughters was ancient history before even the Invasion, it did show that the Imperatrix was willing to decisively resolve such things.

"Wait. Two terms? You don't look it." Visha's eyes went over my sister.

"My, you are charming. I haven't been called youthful since my mate introduced me to our mistress," ArgentShroud smiled.

Visha nodded. "Does that mean?"

"Yes, Duchess SilverFlight is quite experienced as an officer, investor, and patron of the arts," I said. It was easy to forget just how old my duchess was.

My sister laughed. "Though Mother did have her first children rather young; she was rebellious and went into the Legions at a young age. Not as young as some of us." she added after nodding to me.

Many of the Noble Families were tied to the Household Fleet and the Imperial Legions. Not out of an overt opportunity for enrichment, but out of an obligation. And that service was a major status point, and did open doors for reserve and retired officers. Something I kept in mind for my own future plans.

It fell under the level of "acceptable graft". I had spent both my lives living under Imperial families. And ones that had histories of military aggression. That House BlackSky had survived and thrived was a good sign to its vigor and potential.

"I'm not the youngest Ace!" I countered.

"You are pouting, dear Sister," she said, using her tail to pat my leg.

I frowned, wondering if she was being too familiar. Our family did have appearances to maintain.

"You don't have to be so serious, time and place, Sister mine."

I did not glare and pout at her. "We were having lunch."

"And that's a lovely idea. We can have stories before going back to work. I've seen all the Great Houses in battle in my days."

The other Great Houses were not stupid. It was easy to be taken in by your power and cleverness to buy into the illusion of omniscience that comes from sitting in comfortable briefing rooms with lots of reports. I had seen economic, strategic, and tactical plans fail for all kinds of reasons.

When compared to more... regimented Houses like Elena, Luxon, Trosier, or even, to some extent Alecto, House BlackSky did seem more freewheeling and less "efficient". Yes socially, Luxon was quite socially libertine, but that did not extend to the economic sphere unless you were a noble in that House.

Visha had resumed eating but gave me a concerned look. I smiled at her and thought more of the situation we were in and of our rivals.

Despite it all, the Great Houses had survived the rather cutthroat world of politics on the Diyu continent. Yes, that was a textbook case of survivor bias as many of the powers owed their existence as much to luck or the actions of their enemies and allies than their own policies. And history was full of records of extinct Diyu Great Houses such as Vephar and Torrida.

And it was the height of hubris to assume that just because a power had existed for centuries that it would continue to do so. All my lives I had seen powers and empires that seemed eternal get snuffed out. Or ones that seemed sickly but had managed to last by inertia would suddenly collapse.

A waitress had come, bowed, and given ArgentShroud a menu and a glass of almost scarlet-colored brandy. She sipped and smiled.

"I didn't think this place served liquor?" Visha asked.

"Most cafes have something hidden in the back," ArgentShroud waved off.

"Is it okay to drink?"

"When is your next scheduled flight and what ready status are you on?" ArgentShroud asked. "Sister, can you cite the regulations?"

"I could," I stated, not at all off-put.

"But will you?"

I sighed. "It's not an issue, Visha, if you want one drink."

"Ah, so she's not a teetotaler? Good, I was hopeful given all the time you spent with the young baroness." ArgentShroud gave Visha a calculating, somewhat hungry, look.

"I don't mind having a drink or two," Visha admitted.

"And she's a fair hand at cards," I added.

ArgentShroud chuckled behind her hand. "My. Well, that is good to hear. Our Tauria is a bit formal and stiff."

I glared at the older woman.

She waggled a finger. "If I wanted to be bad I would wonder what Baroness... Oh, what was her nickname? Ah yes, what Baroness LoveBlood would think of this."

I narrowed my eyes.

"But I'm not." ArgentShroud's eyes sparkled.

"You said you had good combat stories?" Visha offered, defusing the tension.

"Well, I was there for the second battle of Bazala, when House Ziox tried an aquatic assault to take land from Luxon and Andromache."

That was thirty-eight years ago, which meant my sister had been a rather green pilot, not much more than a cadet herself.

"But Luxon's capital is close to the border."

ArgentShroud nodded. "There were even concerns that Ziox's strike might do it. The Janissaries were still untested, against Great Houses at least. People still thought Luxon as the 'sick woman of Diyu' and that their House was still decadent and weak."

My sister gave her haughty laugh. "Well they are decadent, but that war would prove the jackals as anything but weak. And there was a sense that Andromache and RedStorm had been humored long enough and were not real Great Houses."

"And they might have the same fate as House Torrida?" Visha asked. Torrida was the most recent Diyu Great House to fall, roughly a century and a half ago in the Second Great House War. A northern House, they were mostly absorbed by House Elena though House RedStorm nearly doubled in size and acquired a coastline, where Irkella also absorbed a fair portion of territory.

My sister shrugged. "At the time we were battling Elena and Trosier and were pressed to provide more than Castra Bovitar's strength to our allies in central Diyu." Her eyes went distant. The Third Great House War, as it was commonly known, was the last truly large war among the Diyu powers.

Visha looked interested.

"At the time we did not know how bad it was. And you have to understand this was years before the Harmonia was developed, so our air to air capability was not what it is now."

The war was a mess of functionally three sides. First and largest was BlackSky, Andromache, RedStorm, and Luxon. Second was Elena and Trosier, And third and by far the smallest was Ziox and Irkella.

Alecto, sensibly enough, stayed out of that war, other than attacking Trosic forces. Another exception was that Elena was largely interested in attacking House BlackSky, though they did push borders with House RedStorm to their current location, and they never declared war or took any hostile actions on Andromache.

"Ziox thought they could quickly seize Khemi and Myr and with their capitals in hand get concessions out of Andromache and Luxon. In reality, the bottom of the Great Bazala Lake was filled with more bodies, ships and transports than the locations of the worst fighting off of Amber island."

Visha nodded. She was from there and her parents had fled Elena expansion. More important Amber Island was a relatively large landmass centrally placed on the Atropia sea between House BlackSky and House Alecto to the east and west and Elena and Trosier to the north and south.

Thus, in a war between all four of those powers, it was a central target.

ArgentShroud took a long drink of brandy. "We were escorting our Melia strike units, precursors to the Telephe. And if you think pilots complain about the Telephe not having enough safety interlocks? The Melia was a proper death trap."

She glanced through the menu. "Still if they could survive to do a Lance strike, it was one less Zioxan landing ship."

The Third Great House War was the last great test to see if any of the Great Houses would be knocked down to Minor House, or destroyed altogether.

It showed the difficulty of new powers trying to climb their way up. In Diyu, House RedStorm and Andromache were both relative newcomers who had managed to keep, or perhaps earn, the status of Great House, despite everything Irkella and Ziox threw at them. House Torrida was also a recent and cautionary tale for them.

"Target fixation will kill you just as much as fatigue. Though weak logistics will take you out in the end. Ziox had one shot to cripple Luxon and even that was questionable, Luxon may not have had as much military power back then but they had a more coherent industrial and transport capability."

Similarly, Luxon had gone from a mid-tier power with land but little arcane, industrial, or military capacity to one through a series of reforms, including the Janissaries, that clawed their way up to third place. House Alecto was another underestimated House who, through deft trading, alliances, and avoiding continental land conflicts, built up power until it too could be counted as one of the Great Houses.

To the extent that many forgot the collection of island and shoreline enclaves was anything other than the premier naval power on Diyu. Which allowed them to get through the war with some of the lowest losses and was able to build alliances by supplying and helping their allies.

"I'm thinking of crab and brisket. Sister, how good is this cafe's smokehouse?"

"I don't get much smoked meat..."

"It's very good," Visha happily said.

"Well, we could order some. I wonder if the chef might be willing to send a girl out for steak."

Visha seemed torn.

"Oh, I can pay," ArgentShroud assured.

"That's not the problem," I stated, going back to my soup.

My sister's tail swished about. "I can expense it. We are talking about work. You are getting the benefit of my experience."

Visha looked to me for approval.

I sighed. Getting a fancier lunch would be nice. And it would be a chance to treat Visha. Though...

"You know I could pay too."

"But you won't, you stickler of a little sister." ArgentShroud smirked before turning to Visha. "Now you can be treated and she won't feel guilty. And she'll blame it all on me being flippant."

I smirked. Victory was mine, dishonorable or otherwise!

++++++

"Read this," I ordered putting a slim folder in front of GreyDawn. We were in my small office.

The older pilot blinked but her confusion lessened as I got some coffee and poured her a cup. I also slid over a tray of biscuits. I wanted to put her at ease.

Sitting down behind my desk, I saw that I had not quite succeeded in my effort.

"Have you presented this to Prefect Quirinus?" GreyDawn asked.

I shook my head. "I'm still refining it, and getting comments," I pointedly said.

GreyDawn blinked. "Upgrading the squadron from half Polydora, half Polyxo to all Polyxo is a worthy goal, but the cost alone... I mean, I would not turn down a new suit but..."

I raised a finger. "Due to battle damage, we are down two suits and one pilot. Both from Primus Mercy Gabinus' Flight. Thus we have six Polyxo, four Polydora, and a requisition for two replacement suits."

Flicking to the page, GreyDawn nodded. "You'll request the replacements as Polyxo? Might be tough to get the expense justified."

"Composite Squadrons are often a necessary evil, composite Flights are even worse. I've had some help looking over the regulations and requisitions."

"You might want to contact Primus Centurion Gratus. She is the assistant to Volantes Tribune Iynx who runs Ritual Plate Procurement at this base. Gratus is a fan of red wines from down south and is often a sounding board for her Tribune for ideas.," GreyDawn suggested.

I smiled. It was always good to have experienced subordinates who could help you navigate the bureaucracy. "Thank you, that will be very helpful."

"That only gets us two Polyxo. Granted, two Flights of advanced multi-role are better." She paged through the memo, thoughtful. "But in that case there would be some reorganization.

"And that's Phase One." I smirked. "I found a replacement pilot, and she has her own suit."

GreyDawn brightened. "A Polyxo?"

"Well, no." I sighed. "Not yet."

"Not yet?"

I sipped my coffee. "I still have to convince my mother to buy her one."

GreyDawn stared at me. "This is that new transfer from Amber Island?"

I gave her a dry look. "She is very qualified."

Holding up a hand, GreyDawn might have murmured something about nobles. She read a bit further. "Okay, we go for Phase Two. That gives us nine Polyxo and three Polydora. Not bad for a light Squadron, but would Quirinus really take that?"

I flashed my teeth. "Incorrect. If we time it right, Visha will retain her issued suit."

"Another Polydora? I thought you were trying to get rid of them?"

"I was, but consider yes a Flight of 4 Polydora is maybe worth only two of their superior cousins. But if we can present a Flight worth of suits, parts, and supplies as a package deal that could fly."

"Have you considered which squadron to offer that Flight's worth of equipment to?"

I tilted my horns. "I was thinking of having Quirinus present it to her commander Tiberius."

GreyDawn pondered. "It may be best to have a Squadron already lined up who needs a Flight, even if it's in another Wing."

I smirked. "That way, instead of Tribune Tiberius being presented with the problem of extra equipment to deal with, she had a solution to the problem of an under-equipped Squadron."

"Last I checked the Squadrons of Beta Wing are rather well set." GreyDawn stated. "But Gamma Wing is being put up to full strength."

I gave a smile. I commanded 3rd Flight of 5th Squadron in Beta Wing of the 23rd Imperial Legion Air Group.

For the most part, Imperial Legion Ritual Plate Wings were larger than their Household Fleet counterparts. This was because a Legionary Wing was intended to support a Legion and consisted of about twelve, even fourteen, Squadrons. By comparison, a Fleet Wing had eight Squadrons.

Where the Flight was the official minimum tactical unit of size for Ritual Plate, and the Squadron was a main operational unit the Wing was the main organizational unit. A Wing consists of many distinct squadrons of Ritual Plate types balanced to provide a given capability.

In the Imperial Legions this was simplified as the majority of our Wings were built around supporting a Legion. For multi Legion and sub-legion operations there were a number of smaller specialized wings and demi-wings. But even those centered around supporting Legionary operations by and large.

The Household Fleet However had a variety of Wing types. The primary ones being Air Fleet Operation (Strike) Wing, Air Fleet Operation (Interceptor/Defense) Wing, Landing Operation Support Wing and a Legion Transport and Support Demi-Wing.

Thus the Fleet used a smaller Wing to allow for more ease in slotting formations onto carriers and other airships. Where the Legions were concerned about keeping a force that could adequately support a fielded Legion.

To provide some balance an Imperial Legion Air Group consisted of 3 Wings where a Household Fleet Air Group had 4 Wings. Altogether an Air Group in either branch had about four hundred pilots, plus or minus a few squadrons.

Both the Imperial Legions and the Household Fleet were often forced to operate under-strength given training, losses and general availability.

"You might have to use some of your political capital," GreyDawn said in a dry drawl. She was an experienced centurion and since it was the two of us she was not undermining my authority. I respected her ability to be frank with me. I had too many subordinates in my life who would be simple Yes-Men. And while obedience was a cornerstone to a functioning military, there was a time and a place for a superior to take advice from her troops.

I sighed. "I know."

"Okay, that gets us to eleven Polyxo Advanced Multi-Role." She nibbled a biscuit. "How do you get the last one?"

"That brings us to Phase Three." I put in some reluctance. It would have been more elegant if I did not need to resort to this.

"Phase Three?"

"Sunk cost. If we've already got a decorated squadron with multiple nobles, multiple pilots with honor names, and pilots who are known to the imperial Family is it really a good look for Tribune Tiberius or Volantes Legate Aucto to let 5th Squadron be under-equipped. Just over a little funding shortfall?"

"One Polyxo suit is not a little shortfall."

"Compared to a multi- Air Group operating budget? Besides from their perspective for just the capital outlay of two RP suits they get an entire Squadron of Polyxo Advanced Multi Role."

GreyDawn gave me a blank, disapproving look. "But it's all gimmicks. You're only buying one with outside funds, the rest of replacements or swaps. And then you just count on the Legate approving a cost of one final suit because of your patrons."

I tried not to deflate. I knew there were a lot of moving parts to my plan. "Correct. There is some wiggle room. Some of the deals might not net us as many suits, so we might have to get the officers to agree to fund two. Or..." I sighed. "I might have to beg my duchess for another one. That'd be a light Flight in total from her, but if we have to…"

"Why don't you have her purchase an entire squadron for you?"

I gave her a bright smile. "One thing at a time, GreyDawn. One thing at a time."

++++++

Tail still, I stared at my Flight Commander. The tiny blonde seemed eager and happy, even giving a smug little purr. With her forelock bobbing about, for a moment she almost looked her age.

"Tempering one's ambition is wise," I noncommittally noted, flipping through the briefing. I did hope she would take that advice.

Nobles, especially those of competence and skill, could be dangerous. A libertine looking for adventure or sating a bloodlust could be worked around. But someone of means, ambition, and idealism?

That was how Imperial Heroes were made. And that was how a lot of Hoof-sloggers, pilots, and others ended up dead. Maybe it was necessary for the security of our House, but that's not much comfort.

When you're bleeding out in the mud with a shattered skull or blown out of the sky dying nobly or in vainglory paid the same.

And I was already sitting across from the youngest holder of the Crown of the Preserver on record. There were probably younger ones dating back to the Invasion and the days when House BlackSky was being founded, but that was far enough back that it was practically a different House. We did not even speak Silvan Latin back then.

"I understand your worries, GreyDawn." The countess sipped her coffee. "Sometimes I think I should put a bell or a leash on our baroness, but I fear VioletBlood would get the wrong idea."

I gave her a stern look that tried to not crush her spirits. "You're not wrong."

And that was the truth. Baroness VioletBlood was more typical of the "spirited young nobles" in need of seasoning. I wondered where Tauria got hers. Quirinus was a good instructor and squadron leader but she taught both the countess and the baroness. Maybe the blonde was simply more receptive.

The little demon gave a pleasant smile, or her version of one, as if she was willing me to read forward.

"Gorgon Rigs?" I inquired after reading a bit further.

"Just a pilot program. VioletBlood and myself already have them, so we just need to get the rest of the Flight fitted out. And since we're going to all Polyxo it's a minor increase."

I pondered. "I can see the arguments for the increase in scrying capability."

"That but also the superior data transfer with Squadron Command, Flight Ops, and Fire Support." She shook her head. "I am always amazed at the priorities rear-echelon officers can have when driven to capture false savings."

There was that experience again. Maybe she got it from her mother, the duchess that is. SilverFlight was an experienced reserve officer, mercenary commander, and owned several business interests that helped create Ritual Plate. "War is expensive."

"And a waste," she murmured.

And that made me feel reassured on some level about her. This countess might be a prodigy, she might be a natural pilot and a dedicated calculating student at combat maneuvers and unit tactics. But to her war was not glorious, it was wasteful. It might be necessary, but she seemed to regret it.

However, that did not stop her from seemingly reveling in destruction and using every capability to destroy the enemy. Over Ortov she proved quite capable at harrowing. I feared the result if she ever forgot that war was a waste.

"Still, I wish to show that the Gorgon Rig is more than a niche system. It's not just limited to an 'Occultia lite'. Maybe they won't become standard, but some of their systems should be pushed to the next update of the standard scrying suite."

I bit a biscuit. "The argument is that most pilots won't make use of the full capabilities of a Gorgon Rig and that doing so would give them too much of a burden, resulting in a net decrease in performance."

The Primus Centurion scowled at me, her blue eyes glaring. "And do you agree with that? Would you be unable to handle a Gorgon Rig? Or even a Polyxo? Your records say you are qualified."

She was half my size, but it was no idle posture. The odds-makers were really underselling her, someone could clean up with a few choice wagers on Diamond's performance. "Yes, Ma'am. I won't turn down better kit."

"Even if it gets you more work? Funding tricks aside, Tribune Tiberius and Volantes Legate Aucto will expect a performance increase out of a new Advanced Multi-Role Squadron."

"More work's part of the job, Ma'am. I may be just a line Legion Flier, but the way I see it, the Imperatrix spent a lot training and equipping us. And if the choices are between better kit and a certainty of worse work, or the same kit and merely a near certainty of worse work? I know which way I'd go. If I had a choice."

Alpha Wing of 23rd Imperial Legion Air Group was the typical high squadron count, Sarpedona -heavy wing that worked hand in glove with an Imperial Legion. Specifically, the 67th Infantry Legion Valentinian. The 67th was a solid unit with good honors and a veteran core, their armored component consisted of two Armor (Triarii) Cohorts. They made good use of their sixteen Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Valentinian frequently deployed with extra armored components, either a full Armored Legion, or a Vexillatio detachment of two to four extra Armor Cohorts.

Looking at the blonde noble across from me I wondered if she would prefer to have been in Alpha Wing. It was a slightly more prestigious position. Though at the Flight, or even Squadron level, no ill will would fall upon her.

Unspoken was that Beta Wing, our wing, was not assigned to a typical Legion. Oh officially, we were supporting the 156th Infantry Legion (Independent). But that meant the 156th was expected to deploy in Cohort size lots for smaller operations and thus Beta Wing would also be parceled out accordingly. Our operation over Ortov was rather typical with the Legionary components of both Task Force 402 and 403 coming from the 156th.

It was a trade-off. If you were in Alpha Wing's situation you might deploy fewer times, but that would be supporting a Legion-scale landing operation, followed by whatever mess required a full ten or more Cohorts to fix. Or more if it was a Corpus Incursio scale event.

Meanwhile, the brush fires that elements of the 156th would be sent to fight might be smaller, but they would be more frequent. Though in the true Legionary definition of "tradeoff" all that really meant was that we were likely to deploy when a conflict was small, and then stay there when it ended up blowing up into a full Legion scale operation.

I chuckled. From that perspective, my commanding countess probably preferred her assignment. Short of being seconded to a colonial position this was probably one of the greatest chances of getting frequent combat experience. Which suited her aggression and drive.

"If you had a choice," the tiny blonde wryly echoed, her hair bouncing, seemingly amused by my "just a line Flier" phrase.

After sipping my coffee, I chuckled at the idea of having a choice.

It was true. I had little ambition to command other pilots. The Imperial Legions, especially among the Ritual Plate Pilots, could not all be status climbers. There was ample opportunity for skill and capability advancement within a position.

However with other pilots it was painfully obvious: VioletBlood would almost certainly end up with a Flight, and probably command a Squadron before her first term finished. While Countess DiamondDust will get a Squadron command and likely make Tribune in command of a full Wing.

And if she stayed in for her all but certain second term, reaching Legate was possible, but I could not imagine such an aggressive, even tempered as her aggression was, little demon would be happy flying a desk.

Though that was assuming both nobles survived that long. House BlackSky's noble families were littered with memorials to unlucky or intemperate daughters.

Though how much longer would they be my, informal, responsibility?

To be honest, I was actually planning on waiting until Quirinus found another "babysitter", and I would put in a request for a transfer to a Sarpedona Ritual Plate.

Yes ground support was the bog standard, bread and honey role for Legionary fliers; it was still solid work. Being assigned to a specific Cohort also gives a sense of accomplishment, and plenty of action.

On the other wing... having a Polyxo? I looked down at the Gorgon Rig section of the countess's proposal. That was another upgrade. One did not turn down a chance at better kit. However...

"This new Squadron, you want us to be their forward element."

She gave me a prim, but predatory smile. "Do tell?"

"Flight 1 is Quirinus and Caenis' they already have Polyxo and the most time on-wing and combat experience. Flight 2 is Mercy's and, while good, they will need refitting, replacing and all will need to train up to Polyxo."

The blonde shrugged.

"Which leaves your Flight. Which has proven a capability for independent action, bombardment spotting, and various other high-impact roles." I pondered. If the blonde wanted to keep myself and VioletBlood in her Flight that meant poor Octavia would be sent to fill in Mercy's opening.

Her smile turned a bit glassy. "If we're going to get assigned such roles, I want us equipped for it."

"Does that mean there will be more training scenarios? If this plan succeeds there will be a lot of pilots who, while technically being Polyxo qualified, are a bit rusty on using the Advanced Multi Role model."

"Certainly not to Prefect Artemis Magnus Quirinus' exacting standards." The blonde's wing ruffled. "Do not worry, I'll make sure we are all adequate in her eyes. I'll even offer some competitions to help Mercy and her girls. We cannot have her lose face either."

I nodded. Training was good, and the countess was imaginative and skilled, but... she did take a bit too much joy in it. As if she was feeding over our discomfort. Which was not possible, most of the time we were too far from her for that to happen.

Still, I would rather be in a unit that trained to the limits of flesh, arcana, and hardware than one that simply checked-off qualifications. "If the pilots complain you can remind them that they could have joined the Household Fleet."

"Three hot meals a day from a proper mess and a bunk on an airship doesn't sound like a bad deal. I can see the appeal, I could almost get used to that." she said with mock wistfulness. "But that's not our lot."

I held my tongue. Tauria was a good Flight leader, especially for her age, but the "jaded centurion who had spent too much time in trenches and been on too many landing assaults" act was a bit much. I frowned. She was really, really good at it, giving the proper far-off stare and twitch to her tail and tremble to her wings.

It had to be an act. Or an exaggeration based on her limited combat experience. But it felt true. Which was odd, given her normally clumsy and overly broad attempts at empathic blocking.

It was something to bring up with Quirinus over a bottle of schnapps in the club, when we were off duty. She had known the little demon since she enlisted as a cadet at eleven. Maybe there was some other act of valor, or some hushed-up extended training operation that had gone awry and explained the trauma.

Something motivated and drove her to a level beyond even other nobles.

Either way, I would have to give the Prefect a few quiet words of advice.

Much as it worried me, I did think DiamondDust's scheme to get the 5th Squadron converted over to Advanced Multi Role suits could work.

"I think I can help convince Quirinus," I offered.

Tauria brightened. "You're worried I would be offended by you going over my head?" Tail wagging she gave a laugh. "Didn't she put you here as my minder?"

"Not entirely, but I do agree with the benefits of your plan, including the Gorgon Rig. I think I can help sell her on it."

Her mirth was genuine. Sometimes, she was just a kid, barely a teen. That and the little personal touches like the candy dish, the silver coffee set she kept, and the pictures of her and her mothers did show her softer side.

"Good. I'd appreciate that work, I think we've got a chance to help the squadron equipment-wise before we deploy next." She gave me a meaningful look.

"I have not heard any solid rumors. Elements of the 156th Infantry Legion could be sent anywhere."

"The perils of being on the Eastern frontier," the little countess frowned into her cup. "I have heard rumors about the mine we share with Alecto down south of us."

"The one in minor House Crocelli?"

Tauria shrugged. "Standard stuff, Crocelli is a thousand miles from House Trosier's home island but has a massive Alecton concession on their northern coast. Stresses and conflict you know the type. The mine complex isn't an official imperial holding but we get a fair bit of specialist metals from them"

"And they're across from Cape Niflhel." That was the southernmost point of House BlackSky and marked the boundary between the Atropia sea to the west and the Gaudia Sea to the east.

"Which makes them firmly Second Home Fleet or Corpus Incursio Merciful's problem, or whatever forces Voduri Grand Harbor decides to deploy. "

Vordurium was House BlackSky's second city. It was younger and perhaps not as culturally important as Silvana, our capital. But it was just as much a centerpiece of industry and trade. The city was inside a large, natural bay, and the whole province was extremely productive. It contained one of our main sets of airship yards and our empire's main naval shipyards.

It was also about as far from Bovitar and our Eastern Province as one could get, and still stay on the Diyu mainland.

"Are the rumors that worrying?"

"The mine is not our only, or even our primary source of Samarium, Neodymium, or Erbium." Tauria gave a little smirk. "We have to split the output with Alecto, but those metals are all useful in various scrying, and high power arcana transmission and emission systems. More than a bit goes into each Ritual Plate, and a Fleet Airship requires a lot."

"Not to mention Alecton Ritual Plate and naval ships."

Tauria shrugged. "I get nervous when rumors percolate about extraction facilities responsible for critical supplies."

"Especially when you plan to advance the capabilities of a Squadron in a 'problem solving' Wing?"

I noted her reserve and a bit of worry that seemed to come from experience. I again wondered why she kept her emotions so in check. What pains was she hiding?

"It's a legit concern. But it's not my primary one."

I tilted my head; her wariness was apparent.

The countess gestured towards a slit-open envelope. It was from the CSR Tribune on Volantes Legate Aucto's staff.

"Oh no, do they have a job for us?" I knew about being pulled into the House's intelligence services either the military's Office of Cultural and Strategic Reconnaissance or the Imperatrix's Palace Librarians. It was a wise enough stance, though I doubted her station would allow her to avoid the more... political aspects of those organizations.

Her wings fluttered as she exhaled. "Thankfully no. But that Zioxan War Mistress who endangered my VioletBlood and tried to kill my duchess, brainwashed her friend Luddy, and killed her mercenary Flight?"

"Mistress Zaphania Rodswor of the Second Assault Infiltration Wing?"

Tauria gave me a look. "Yes, her. Well, CSR has found out that her little sister, Samoth, who they expected was going to make a bid for command of the Second Assault Infiltration Wing has instead been petitioning Dictatrix Ziox's court that I murdered her dear sister Zaphania."

I snorted.

"Quite. CSR thinks she's trying to take a bellicose stance to deflect from the War Mistress' failings, but it has enough of a personal edge that they wanted to keep me into the loop."

"Do you think Samoth Rodswor would come after you?"

Tauria shrugged. "I understand that people can be driven to irrational heights of revenge. I'm more concerned about her using this as a pretext for Ziox to go on a war footing."

"Wouldn't you still be the focus of their ire?"

"I'm not that important," she shrugged.

"Our propaganda efforts indicate otherwise."

"That's propaganda," she waved her hand. "I'm just one Flight Leader. House Ziox has their problems, namely a lack of good land and their desperation for more. Any official anger at me would be merely a pretext. Besides, I've already killed one War Mistress."

Tail flicking, I eyed her, but after a moment I had to shrug. She was being a bit optimistic. But if Ziox did push for a full invasion of House Andromache, we were just to their south, and we would be deployed as part of the air war.

"Besides, I give good odds that this Samoth is just cynically exploiting the death of her sister."

"And you base this on?" I did not directly point out her lack of experience, she was my commanding officer. But I was nearly three times her age, and had been a pilot longer than she had been alive. However... I had not spent any real time as an analyst. I had done some work decoding aerial recon and battle damage assessment, but that was different.

Her blue eyes seemed very old for a moment. "CSR's analysis on her," she said in a half-skeptical tone.

I gave her a long look.

The blonde looked back. "I'm not dismissing her. I can be just as easily killed by a cynical opportunist wanting to leverage my death into political points as by a fanatic seeking vengeance for a murdered sister. There's plenty of ways to die. I mean we're delivered into battle on zeppelins and fight wearing, by vehicle standards, quite thin armor."

She sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "It's still better than nothing."

I presumed she was talking about the Andromachin equivalent to Ritual Plate. In an attempt to maximize individual pilots capability House Andromache used extensive tattooing and even using silver to inscribe runes directly onto a pilot's bones. It provided excellent reaction time and energy output, but was extremely invasive and did present challenges in modularity and upgrades.

It also meant that their pilots would be ready to fight without having to put on bulky suits. For a smaller power worried about invasion by a larger one it also simplified field improvised deployments and possible infiltration actions.

"That is true." I finished a biscuit and eyed her. Except, she seemed to be speaking from experience. Maybe it was because she had trained against Andromachin Pilots as a cadet. House Andromache only started truly... involved medical operations on full pilots, which meant that their cadets still used conventional Ritual Plate.

However Tauria would have flown against fully qualified, and implanted, Andromachin Pilots.

Still... I know her mother did have her using a trainer Ritual Plate before becoming a cadet. Perhaps Tribune Duchess SilverFlight put her through some... intense flight training, both in and out of flight armor. That would be just how the martial noble families would do it.

"But I shouldn't take up all of your time," the countess stood up.

Getting to my feet, I started putting the papers back into their green folder.

"Keep it for a bit longer. Just don't let it out of the building," Tauria waved. "I want to submit it by tomorrow, but I do want your suggestions. I'm not one to not use an advantage. In DarkStar's name I'll even use this to impress the wax seal when I submit letters to the senior officers," she said, tapping the gem at her neck."

Nodding, I gave a salute. Using her status in the Preserver Order would help and the cynical, but pious, little countess would use every trick to get her way.

Picking up her coffee cup, Tauria smirked and returned the salute.

Tucking the folder under my arm I turned and stepped out of the little office with my tail swishing in step. I closed the door behind me and went into the squadron's common room.

The offices for the Primus Flight Leaders and the slightly larger one for Prefect Quirinus branched off the main room. As well as a small storeroom and archive. Due to some horse-trading and raptor-skinning our common room managed to have a set of windows.

Granted, the view was almost entirely the blank concrete wall of a nearby hangar, but at least we had natural light in addition to the gas jets or the halogen reading and projector lamps.

The spare walls of the common room had desk cubbies for supplies and the non-secured working papers of the bulk of the pilots. In the center of the room was a large table that could double for paperwork or briefings.

The room was rather empty. Most of the table was taken up by Mercy and Samus of her pilots going over a large map of part of northern Diyu and a sheaf of notes. I noted Octavia was helping them place markers on it.

On the other end of the table were VioletBlood and Visha, the new girl. I gave a little smile. She was not even officially in the squadron yet but here she was.

"Oh, GreyDawn!" she smiled as she perked up her wings and tail bobbing. "Coffee?"

"I already had some with the Primus," I stated lifting my mug.

Baroness VioletBlood shot the brunette a tiny glare and snapped her head to me, the action causing her own scarlet tubular curls to bob around. I idly wondered how she kept them from getting crushed under her helmet. "What do you have there?" she imperiously asked.

I stepped over to the shorter, younger, but noble pilot and simply looked down at her.

VioletBlood's eyes darted down. "Is it something you can talk about?"

I nodded. "Yes, our countess has a scheme to upgrade the whole squadron to Polyxo."

Mercy Gabinus' eyes went up from the map. Her clean red scalp shined in the light. "Do tell."

I shrugged. "It's not a bad plan, but complicated and requires patronage but..."

"Thorough and aggressive?" Mercy smirked while Octavia looked excited at the prospect.

It was good she got along with Mercy. Octavia was a good kid, even if she was an adult and not a glorified broodling like our nobles. And maybe Tauria swapping her with this new girl was for the best.

"That seems to be her plan."

"The... Primus isn't that bad," Visha defended.

I looked over to the younger succubus. She was about Octavia's age but also had a bit of that distance that Tauria possessed, though mitigated. "I'm not treating it as a negative."

"Of course the new girl sticks up for Diamond," VioletBlood pouted.

"Didn't you call her a social climber when you were cadets?" Mercy asked.

"I mean..." Tail flicking, VioletBlood glanced around the room. "That was before... She's grown a lot since those days."

"Not exactly in the physical sense," Mercy's tone was teasing. "What do you think?" she asked me.

"I can't say, Ma'am," I shrugged.

Mercy laughed. "Don't want to get between nobles or Primus Centurions?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Sending a pleased emotional burst, the Flight Leader smirked. "And that is why you're in the countess's Flight,"

Regaining her composure, VioletBlood looked from Octavia to Visha.

"I'm just here because Primus DiamondDust thought I could help," she assured, while giving a big smile.

VioletBlood frowned. "You can fly..."

"And brew great coffee. And you know how the countess likes her coffee," Octavia happily added.

"I can make coffee!" VioletBlood petulantly said.

I took a chair and started rereading the proposal. I had no idea how Artemis Magnus Quirinus could teach a whole cadet squadron of girls like this.

Visha appeared by my side and refilled my mug and offered from a tin of biscuits. I noticed they were the same type Tauria had in her office.

Tail stiff, VioletBlood gave a little growl.

"And your coffee is very good. I really like those hazelnut beans you found from near the cape. But for some, the Alecton style takes a bit getting used to, Lady VioletBlood" Visha said as she then went and offered the noble some of the confections and coffee.

"I... yes. It's something some of our squadron-mates do not appreciate." VioletBlood sipped from her own very fine silver-inlaid mug.

"I'm a simple Legionary, I'm not a fan of that cold brew stuff," Mercy said.

"Right, you think Fleet adding a dash of salt is too high and mighty," I noted

"It's not proper coffee if it's not from a foil packet that was made before the last Great House war," Mercy insisted.

VioletBlood gave a suffering, subtly haughty sniff. "At least you can help understand the finer things." She begrudgingly admitted to Visha. "You have no idea how rough our Diamond was before she got adopted and elevated."

The brunette's smile was bright and open. "As you say, Baroness. More biscuits?"

I chewed and resumed my reading. This might work out. If Visha could help keep my two young noble pilots from being too aggressive and cocksure then we might have a chance.

"They are good," VioletBlood said with some reluctance.

Mercy shook her head and went back to work with her pilots and Octavia.

"The countess recommended them, she said they reminded her of some cookies you got for her on one of your trips for the ballet troupe."

"She did?" VioletBlood ate a honey crisp. "Well, of course she did. How thoughtful of her to remember me like that."

Visha just smiled. "I just don't want you to get angry at one of your dearest and closest friends, my Lady."

"As you should want that," VioletBlood said with enough haughtiness that it took a bit to not roll my eyes or conceal my own emotions.

"I'm just honored to be here," Visha replied, so bubbly and eager that she seemed nothing if not utterly sincere.

VioletBlood gave a concerned frown and looked around the common room. "Well… Yes, then. You do know you'll have to meet Prefect Quirinus' and the countess's standards."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that," Visha stated, giving a flash of her fangs as her tail merrily swished behind her.

End Chapter 10

Ten chapters in! And things are sure to be looking up for our Little Demon!

And special thanks to especially to DCG, Ellf, Green Sea, and Preier for checking and reading over this chapter.

Thanks to Readhead for the ending setup and line for the lunch scene.

 

[Rymu]

Oh jeez the love triangle is real.

I feel bad for everyone else.

 

[JD.Forums]

I can't wait for someone to challenge Visha's skills and see everyone freak out when Tanya and Visha work together like they have almost a decade of practice together…

 

[Sunshine Temple]

Oh jeez the love triangle is real.

I feel bad for everyone else.

Click to shrink...

Muahaha. I mean it has been setup for a while. And will still simmer.

First question is. Who gets to be Tauria's wingwoman?

I can't wait for someone to challenge Visha's skills and see everyone freak out when Tanya and Visha work together like they have almost a decade of practice together…

Click to shrink...

Which will raise some real questions about how well they can fly. In fairness there will be a bit of getting used to it, as Aerial Mages are a bit slower (but lighter) than Ritual Plate.

Also consider, VioletBlood had been flying with her for only 2 years. (and hey the baroness did keep up to Tanya). But still Visha got multiple times that.

Which will make VioletBlood wonder just what's going on.