Chapter Text
By the time the letter arrived, Elaine had made peace with the fact that she had brought this upon herself.
It was a short, curt message from the Bracer Headquarters in Leman State. They thanked her for her years of service with the Guild. They thanked her for her role in stopping Almata. They thanked her for supporting the people of Calvard, just as a proper bracer should. But they could not look past her choice to consort with terrorists in Oración.
Their verdict had been inked in red. From henceforth, Elaine Auclair was to be expelled from the Bracer Guild. Her position as an A-Rank Bracer was no more. Her title of Beauty’s Blade was a relic of the past. Any mention of her name or multitude of accomplishments was to be scrubbed from the Guild’s records. As a small recompense for all of the good she had done for the people of Calvard, Elaine would not be imprisoned for her crimes and the news of her expulsion would not be made public. Instead, the leaders of the Bracer Guild asked that she quietly remove herself from the public spotlight. Really, it was more of an order than a request.
When she had gone through with her plan to arrest her own father, Elaine had submitted her formal resignation to the Bracer Guild in advance. She had been prepared to cast aside her life as a bracer to pursue justice. Although her resignation had been annulled following the resolution of the incident in Oración, clearly the Bracer Guild’s leadership had changed their minds. Still, Elaine could live with their decision. At least this particular outcome did some work to minimize the damage to her family’s reputation, as deep in the gutter as it already was thanks to the news of Edmond Auclair’s dealings with Almata.
Upon hearing the news, Elaine’s fellow bracers had been in an uproar. Alvis had been apoplectic while Fie had quietly seethed, her fingers itching to pull out her gunswords and take action. Zin had tried to put in a good word for Elaine, but she firmly asked him and the others to stand down. She knew perfectly well what she had risked when she had selfishly chosen to collaborate with Almata. Her friends didn’t need to drag themselves down with her. She could handle this hurt and pain on her own. She was quite good at that. Or at the very least, she thought she was good at hiding how much she was hurting.
As she said her goodbyes, Elaine did her best not to burst into tears at the sight of the heartbroken looks on the faces of her now-former colleagues. When she exited the Bracer Guild’s office for the last time and began to weave through the bustling crowds on Station Street, Elaine promised to herself over and over that she wouldn’t cry. She would stay strong, just as she always did.
She wouldn’t cry.
Elaine didn’t last more than a city block.
René called her shortly after that.
As she expected, René already knew about what had happened thanks to the CID’s network of connections and intel. Over the phone, he had been uncharacteristically furious with the Bracer Guild, but kept it within check, if only for her sake. He had swiftly offered to find Elaine a comfortable position in the CID, one where she could do good, meaningful work and stay out of the public eye. But they both knew it would be a fool’s errand. There was no chance she would be allowed to openly work for the government as a perceived corrupt figure. It would cause too much of a stir.
Their phone call ended all too quickly. Ever the busy man, René had to run to a meeting with President Gramheart and other top government officials. He’d always be on her side, René firmly promised just before he ended the call. It was something René had said to her time and time again. When everyone else in her life had criticized her decision to enlist as a bracer, René had supported her choice without question. And look how that faith in someone like her had turned out. She had let him down. Just like she had let down everyone else in her life for her selfish pursuits.
After wiping away yet more tears, Elaine ventured over to Old Town, making sure to not be noticed. The others deserved to hear the news from her own mouth before rumors started spreading.
Unsurprisingly, the members of the Arkride Solutions Office did not react well to the sudden announcement at all. The group’s younger members like Agnès and Feri had been inconsolable while others like Risette and Bergard could only sadly offer her their condolences. Van, ever the kind-hearted fool, had immediately offered her a full-time position as a spriggan. Elaine swiftly turned him down. When she attempted to leave, Van firmly offered her the position again with no room to refuse and she still emphatically declined the offer. It’d be best for everyone involved that she not linger around Edith for the time being, Elaine said as a bawling Yumè tightened her hug around Elaine’s waist.
Elaine knew Van was not at all pleased by her decision, but he reluctantly accepted it, wished her well and asked her to please stay in touch. As she left the office, Elaine didn’t think that would be happening anytime soon. She knew she was being cruel, doing the exact same thing that Van had done to her all those years ago, but it’d be better for Van’s sake for her to not contact him. He was happy now. He had his friends to keep him safe. The two of them had just begun to reconcile, but there was still so much pain and hurt there. Not being allowed to save Van from his self-imposed isolation just confirmed to Elaine that he’d be better off without her.
Handing the rest of her affairs over the following days had been simple. During her time in Edith, she had rented a small apartment in the Tyrell District, though it had little more than the basic amenities thanks to Elaine often being quite busy with bracer work. Ending her lease and storing or donating most of her leftover things had been remarkably easy. Her bracer attire had been one of the first things to go into storage, hastily thrown into a cardboard box that Elaine hoped would never again see the light of day.
After that, Elaine had left herself with little more than a few changes of clothes, a handful of personal mementos and her trusty steel sword. These days, she typically wore a casual outfit comprised of a black shirt, brown shorts, black stockings, heeled leather boots and a bright teal-colored winter coat. Elaine thought it was simple and functional, perfect for traveling the country on her recently purchased ETWS motorcycle.
When posed with the question of where she would go, Elaine had no real answer. When they had last spoken over the phone, her mother had graciously offered to let her stay at their family estate in Oración, but Elaine had declined. She had caused her family too much pain for her presence to be anything less than a disaster. Her mother didn’t need to worry about her anymore, Elaine had solemnly said before hanging up. No one needed to concern themselves with her wellbeing. This was all her own fault, after all.
When Elaine drove away from Edith on a cloudy gray morning in January, she didn’t look back.
With a black backpack slung over her shoulders, Elaine gazed up at the cluster of waterfalls known as Longlai Pubu. As one of the most prominent tourist attractions in Calvard, the gargantuan waterfalls were renowned for the contrast between their immense beauty and their thundering roars. Taking in the full breadth of the grandiose sight before her, Elaine could certainly understand how the falls attracted sightseers all year long, even with the potential dangers one could encounter walking along the Pubu Pass to reach the Falls.
Visiting Longlai hadn’t admittedly been on her initial list of ideas following her departure from Edith, but Elaine knew the most eastern part of Calvard was well known for its delicious cuisine, soothing hot springs and, most importantly, quaint isolated location near the Kunlun mountain range on the border of Eastern Zemuria. A perfect place for a disgraced failure like herself to lay low for a while.
During her aimless drive along the highways of Calvard, Elaine had recalled a conversation she had with Judith before the incident in Oración. According to the actress, meditating under Longlai’s famous falls was a great way to clear one’s mind. For some reason, though, Judith struggled to share many details about her own experience at the falls without a fiery blush erupting on her face. Elaine had ultimately elected not to pry into the matter, especially when she noticed the bemused smiles on the faces of the handful of ASO members listening in on their conversation. Knowing Judith, whatever had happened was likely quite embarrassing.
And so, with nowhere better to go, Elaine had driven out to Longlai to see the falls for herself. After parking in town and making sure to avoid getting anywhere near the Bracer Guild branch office, Elaine made her way out of town and up to the legendary Longlai Pubu. So far, Elaine was quite impressed by the sight.
Approaching the stony edge of one of the many large pools of crystal-clear water under the falls, Elaine gazed at the torrent of water that cascaded down the falls and onto the surface of the smooth gray rocks that lay scattered around the pool. She hoped Judith, Van and the rest of her friends were doing well. Elaine had deactivated the calling and mailing features on her Xipha before leaving Edith, so there was no possibility of anyone being able to contact her for a while. It certainly pained her to break off her connections so easily, but she knew listening to them pour out their concerns for her, even if just through voicemail, would feel like a thousand thin sharp needles piercing her heart all at once.
When she felt a cool spray of water brush against her legs, Elaine bristled but quickly relaxed. She had worked up a bit of a sweat climbing up Pubu Pass to reach the falls, thanks to her dealing with all of the monsters that resided along the trail. She may not be a bracer anymore, but she wasn’t going to let a threat to the safety of civilians go unaddressed. As such, she was more than happy to cool off for a bit. After all, that was precisely why she was here.
Taking a step back from the pool of water, Elaine turned her eyes up towards the sky, its color a dark orange. Though she couldn’t see the setting sun at this angle, she knew at least an hour had passed since she had first departed Longlai for the falls. It was well into evening, so the local tours to the falls had wrapped up for the day. In this moment, Elaine had the pristine waterfalls all to herself.
After checking that indeed no one else was in the vicinity, Elaine stepped back from the pool and walked towards the large mossy rock just a few dozen arge away from the falls. The rock was big enough that someone approaching the falls from Pubu Pass would not be able to see one standing on the other side of the rock. It was the perfect cover.
Setting her sword and sheathe aside, Elaine pulled her backpack off her shoulders and placed it on the ground. She unzipped the bag and pulled out a delicately folded cotton robe. She had purchased it back in town a few hours ago, after the store owner enthusiastically said it was the perfect attire when meditating under the falls. That just left the issue of changing into these robes.
After placing the robe just next to her on the rocky ground, Elaine brought her hands up to her collar and began undoing the buttons of her black collared shirt. Her face now a bright crimson, Elaine couldn’t help but look around the area once more for any onlookers after she took her shirt off, leaving her black sports bra exposed to the open air. After folding her shirt and placing it in her bag, Elaine got to work on her shorts.
At least these clothes were much easier to get out of than her bracer uniform, Elaine mused as she continued to disrobe.
A few minutes later, the only thing Elaine could feel was bitter freezing cold.
Her eyes squeezed shut and her hands tightly clasped together, Elaine shivered as a never-ending stream of chilly water hit the top of her head and dripped down her back. She had only been here for a few minutes, but her white robe, with its belt tightly wrapped around her waist, had already gotten completely drenched. As she trembled in place atop one of the smooth rocks in the pool of water, Elaine knew she was absolutely going to catch a horrid cold if she stayed here for much longer, assuming she didn’t freeze to death first. But even as her teeth continued to chatter, Elaine stayed where she was.
She needed to focus. She needed to clear her mind. To let all of her worries wash away, if only for the briefest of moments.
Elaine fought down the urge to curse as icy cold water dripped down her face and onto her breasts. So far, she wasn’t doing a very good job of focusing. If anything, the painful chill was just reminding her more and more of how much pain and suffering she had caused herself by running away from those she loved. But she knew she deserved to be alone. She deserved to be hurting. This was all her fault and she had to take responsibility.
Clenching her hands ever tighter, Elaine shook her head and tried focusing again. As the cold waters of Longlai continued to rain down onto her head, she focused on the sound of the rushing water. She thought of the water, swiftly flowing down through the mountain pass until it reached the falls. But this respite at the falls was only a stop on the journey. The water would continue to flow down the mountain and into the rivers of Longlai before moving on to parts unknown.
Calmness washing over her, Elaine smiled. She was like the water, steadily moving onward. This brief stumble in the road was just an obstacle on her path. She would continue to move forward, in her own way.
In the next instant, Elaine sensed an overwhelming yet familiar aura approaching her position.
When she opened her eyes, Elaine realized it had become quite outside. Between the night sky and the water still dripping down her brow, Elaine could barely make out a white and black colored figure gracefully striding towards her. Stepping out from the falls to get a better look, Elaine gently wiped her face with the still-wet right sleeve of her robe while water splashed down behind her. With her vision slightly improved, Elaine felt her stomach drop when she realized just who had intruded on her meditation.
A bright smile on her face, Shizuna Rem Misurugi waved at Elaine from the edge of the pool. “Heya! Having fun out here, Beauty’s Blade? Pretty crazy to be meditating at this time of night! Must be totally freezing, right?” With the loud roar of the falls ringing in her ears, it was a bit difficult for Elaine to hear every single word, but Shizuna’s playful tone came through clearly.
At a loss for what to even say, Elaine just stared at the woman standing a few arge away from her. Shizuna was wearing her usual combo of a skintight black bodysuit and strangely unblemished white coat. Still smiling, Shizuna cupped her hands around her mouth. “Mind if we chat for a bit?” Elaine heard Shizuna yell. “Won’t take long, I swear!”
Elaine sighed. She figured she might as well see what Shizuna wanted before the battle-crazy swordswoman decided to attack Elaine without warning. For as short of a time as she had known the jaeger, Elaine knew Shizuna had quite the penchant for fighting. Making sure her robe was properly secure, Elaine carefully stepped off her stone platform and into the pool of clear water. As the freezing water came up to her hips, Elaine shivered, but waded through the water towards Shizuna.
When she approached the edge of the pool, Elaine was perplexed to see Shizuna hold out her right hand towards her. Quietly muttering her thanks, Elaine grabbed the offered hand and stepped out of the pool. As she turned towards Shizuna. Elaine could feel rivulets of water dripping off her robes and onto the dirt, creating tiny puddles of mud around her feet. “What did you want, Shizuna?”
Giggling, Shizuna brought her hands behind her back. “Wow! I gotta say, Beauty’s Blade, you showing off the goods like that makes it pretty clear how you got your title! You look like you’re about to burst of out those robes! Or is poke through a better way to describe it?”
“E-Excuse me!?” Her face flushed, Elaine looked down and realized her waterlogged robes had become partially see-through. Sputtering, Elaine hastily covered her chest with her left arm. “I’m wearing this because I was meditating, not to show off!” Then, realizing how Shizuna had been referring to her, Elaine sighed. “And please stop calling me by that title. It’s not mine to wear any longer.”
When Elaine said that, she saw an empathetic look surface on Shizuna’s face. Elaine thought it was quite the unusual sight for someone so jovial and carefree. “Sorry about that. Guess that one’s a bit of sore spot because of what happened, right?”
Elaine frowned. “You knew?”
“Mmhm. Heard you got kicked out of the guild for what you did in Oración. Used the terrorists to get the proof you needed to arrest your own dad, right? For what’s it worth, I think you did the right thing.”
“…Thank you, but your concern is unnecessary.” Elaine had hoped the news would have been kept under wraps for a little longer, but clearly information got around quickly if Ikaruga already knew the details. She just hoped the newspaper articles and other media wouldn’t be too scathing. Her mother didn’t need that additional stress.
Elaine then crossed her arms. “Well, I assume that you’re not here simply to offer your condolences, Shizuna. You’re here for something else, aren’t you?”
For a moment, Shizuna’s bright blue eyes went wide in shock. Then, pursing her lips, Shizuna shrugged. “Yeah, you caught me. Longlai is our neck of the woods these days, so when I got a report that one of our scouts spotted you in town, I just had to see what you were up to. And besides…”
Elaine frowned. “Besides what?”
When Shizuna gave her a soft smile, Elaine felt her stomach twist. “Van called me a while ago. Weird, right? Usually I have to pester him for hours for him to even acknowledge me. But he asked me to keep an eye out for you. He seemed really worried. Him and all of his friends in Edith.” Shizuna frowned at her. “Don’t you think you should have told them where you were going, Elaine?”
As a sudden pleasant warmth rushed into her heart, Elaine bit her lower lip. She wouldn’t cry. She had promised herself over and over again that she wouldn’t cry. “T-That’s not needed,” Elaine mumbled as she nervously averted her increasingly wet eyes from Shizuna. “They don’t need to worry about me, so please don’t tell Van or anyone else that I’m here. I’ll be fine.”
“…Are you really sure about that?”
As she nodded, Elaine futilely tried to believe the drops falling from her eyes were just the water from the falls.
“…Okay. I won’t say a thing,” Shizuna eventually said. “But what will you do now? Surely you’re not going to meditate under the falls forever, are you? Can’t imagine that’d be good for the skin.”
Sniffling, Elaine wiped her eyes with her sleeve and turned her attention back to Shizuna. Shizuna was gazing at her with a curious glint in her eyes. “And what does that matter to you?”
Shizuna’s lips curled upwards. “You have absolutely no idea what you’re doing, do you?”
“You…” Elaine sighed. She recalled hearing about Shizuna’s Unclouded Eye technique from Van. Van had found the skill to be incredibly frustrating and Elaine had to agree. “Where I go from here is none of your business.”
“If you say so,” Shizuna playfully replied as she turned away from Elaine. “Anyways, that really was all that I came up here to do, so I’m heading out. Don’t want the rest of Ikaruga throwing a fit from me being away for too long. They tend to do that a lot. Best of luck with whatever you do next!”
As Shizuna walked away with a pep in her step, Elaine pursed her lips. Yes, Shizuna had come here to check on Elaine out of obligation, but Shizuna always seemed to prefer to act on a whim, doing whatever it was that intrigued her. And that seemed to extend to her normal work. Yes, Shizuna supposedly was operating under a contract as a jaeger, but Shizuna was also more than happy to do whatever she wanted to do. She didn’t care about the consequences of her actions.
Elaine wished she could be like that, confident and worry-free instead of ruminating on the past and punishing herself for what she had done for far longer than was probably healthy.
And that made a thought sprout in Elaine’s mind.
It was a crazy idea, ridiculous even. If she had been Elaine Auclair, the bright shining star of the Bracer Guild, she would have rejected the notion without even a second thought. But Elaine was different now. She had gone beyond the law and dirtied her hands to enact her personal sense of justice. She had done what she thought was right, regardless of the consequences.
“Please hold on a moment, Shizuna,” Elaine heard herself say. When Shizuna glanced at Elaine over her left shoulder in confusion, Elaine did her best to assume a confident, determined posture, despite feeling complete turmoil swirling inside her. “I want to join the ranks of Ikaruga.”
Shizuna fully turned back towards Elaine. “…You’re kidding, right?” When Elaine remained silent, Shizuna let out a snort. “That might just be the last thing I ever expected to hear you say. I mean, a bracer like you? Where did this even come from?”
Elaine frowned. Shizuna wasn’t wrong. Being a jaeger, a mercenary, went against everything the Bracer Guild stood for. Bracers fought to protect civilians while jaegers typically worked for the highest buyer. If Elaine went through with this, she would be spitting in the face of the oath she had sworn as a Bracer. But she had no obligations to the Bracer Guild anymore, did she? They wanted nothing to do with her anymore.
Elaine nodded. “I understand that my request may be unusual, but I am quite serious, Shizuna. I wish to become a jaeger, if you’ll have me.”
Shizuna crossed her arms under her chest. “Then lemme ask you something, Elaine. If you were a jaeger and received a contract to kill someone, what would you do?”
Elaine pursed her lips. Even if she knew this response would likely end the conversation here, she knew in her heart what her answer would always be. “I would only take their life if it was absolutely necessary.”
Grinning, Shizuna brought her hands behind her head. “Spoken like a true bracer, huh? But that type of answer doesn’t exactly fly in our line of work. We do whatever the contract says. If you’re trying to convince me why you’d be a good jaeger, you’re doing a pretty bad job, Elaine.”
Elaine smiled. “Perhaps, but my answer remains the same. I won’t sully my blade at another’s request. That’s my choice to make. Much like you make your own choices, Shizuna.”
Shizuna’s eyebrows flew up in surprise. Then, humming, Shizuna looked up at the night sky in thought. As a few long painful seconds passed, all Elaine could hear was the crashing sound of the waterfalls behind her. When Shizuna’s gaze landed back on her, Elaine saw a bright grin surge onto Shizuna’s face. “Welcome to Ikaruga, Elaine! Glad to have ya!”
Elaine blinked. She honestly hadn’t expected that. “You’re okay with it, just like that?
Shizuna snickered. “Sure, I can’t say I expected this development when I woke up today, but it’s no biggie! I joke about your former title, but I know from firsthand experience how capable you are in combat. We could always use a little extra firepower and, well, if you’re offering, I’ll happily take you up on that offer!”
Elaine crossed her arms. “I appreciate your willingness to accept me into your ranks, but I imagine this will cause problems, yes? I can’t imagine your fellow jaegers will be willing to collaborate with a former bracer like me so easily.”
“Eh, they’ll get used to it. Everyone has their own baggage, anyways. Besides, as the deputy commander of Ikaruga, what I say goes. And you’re one of us now, Elaine. Welcome aboard!”
Elaine frowned. Something about Shizuna’s overtly exuberant demeanor just didn’t sit right with her. “Are you only agreeing to this because Van asked you to look out for me?”
Shaking her head, Shizuna placed her hands on her hips. “Nope! Like I told you already, I won’t say a thing to Van and the others about what you’re up to. This is my decision to make and I’m saying yes to your request, Elaine. Have you ever been out to the Far East of Zemuria?”
When Elaine shook her head, Shizuna continued speaking as she stepped towards Elaine. “It’s a horrid place. Those unfortunate enough to be born in those lands often make their way west in search of a new life. And Ikaruga welcomes many of those folks into its ranks. We help them find a new path, a new purpose.”
Now standing just in front of Elaine, Shizuna held out her right hand towards her. “So, if you really think being part of Ikaruga can lead you to your new path, then I happily welcome you, Elaine.”
Taking a deep breath, Elaine gently took Shizuna’s hand with her own. Although her own hand was still decently wet and cold from earlier, Shizuna’s surprisingly soft hand was quite warm. “Thank you, Shizuna. I appreciate it. I won’t disappoint you.”
Shizuna grinned as she vigorously shook Elaine’s hand. “Glad to hear it! I’ll be expecting a lot outta you, especially since we didn’t do the initiation test! That means you’re pretty special!”
Pulling her hand back, Elaine narrowed her eyes. “Initiation test?”
Shizuna shrugged. “Eh, I mean, we do have tests for new recruits, but those guys aren’t fully combat trained yet. So we gotta weed ‘em out before they’re in over the heads. You’re a quite different story though, so you get a free pass. Isn’t that cool?”
Elaine frowned. She knew she was going to be the obvious outlier from the jump, but getting special treatment would likely make matters worse for her in the long run. Besides, this sounded quite similar to the tests she had done when she had first started as a bracer. “I would prefer to take this test of yours, if that is all right.”
Shizuna’s eyebrows flew up. “Really? You sure about that? I’m giving you a free pass, you know. Could save yourself a whole lotta trouble.”
Elaine nodded. “If I am to join your ranks, then I wish to be treated the same as the others in the corps. Please, let me face the same test of initiation, Shizuna. Let me earn my place in Ikaruga.”
“If you say so,” Shizuna said as she gazed at the roaring falls of Longlai Pubu. “Well, it’s not really the same test for everybody. You see, the test is supposed to be kinda different for each person. We want our new recruits to challenge their weaknesses, whatever those may be. Usually, it’s a fight against a monster or something like that. Supposed to help them become a better warrior, or so Kurogane says. He usually handles this stuff.”
“But I already know you’re a great warrior, Elaine.” When Shizuna turned back towards her, Elaine felt a chill run down her spine at the sight of the gleeful smile on Shizuna’s face. “So I’ve got just the test in mind for you!”
A short while later, Elaine very much regretted not taking the free pass.
Turning towards the rocky ledge to her left, Elaine gazed down at one of the many deeps valleys of the Kunlun Mountain Range. As a cool breeze brushed her skin, Elaine shivered, but kept her arms and hands securely in place. The permanent blush on her face was doing enough to keep her warm anyways.
Elaine glanced over at Shizuna, standing just a few arge behind her. “So what now?” Elaine yelled at the woman that had become an extreme source of frustration for her this evening. “Are you satisfied yet?”
“Nope!” With a still-soggy white robe under her left arm, a black backpack over her shoulders and a familiar sword and sheathe in her left hand, Shizuna pointed her right index finger up towards the mountain peak in the distance. “See those flags? You just have to get up there to complete this little test, Elaine. Easy peasy, right?”
It was quite late at night, so visibility was incredibly low, but the full moon in the sky above them did provide some semblance of light. Following the direction of Shizuna’s pointed finger, Elaine could faintly see a set of dark flags fluttering in the distance. With how far away those flags appeared to be, the task of reaching that point didn’t seem so easy to her.
Besides, there was another element of this test that had already caused Elaine much distress.
“…Was it really necessary to take my clothes for all of this?” Elaine nervously said she readjusted her hand covers over her front. “I’d really like my things back, Shizuna. As soon as possible, actually.”
Back at the falls, Elaine had thought Shizuna was joking when she ordered Elaine to surrender all her belongings, but was swiftly proven wrong when Shizuna pointed Elaine’s own blade at her and ordered her to undress on the spot. And so, Elaine had reluctantly removed her white robe and handed over the rest of her things to an incredibly amused Shizuna.
It had been humiliating, being forced to stand there naked in front of another person. Not to mention, she had already been freezing from being under the falls, so being underdressed in the cool evening air made Elaine feel even colder. But none of that compared to how mortified Elaine had been during the subsequent walk down the Pubu Pass and the outskirts of Longlai proper. Elaine just hoped no one had seen her. Her future public reputation was going to be bad enough once news of her expulsion from the guild became common knowledge. She really didn’t want to add public indecency to her list of crimes.
As a brightly smiling Shizuna turned towards her, Elaine couldn’t deny her growing fear that this was all just an elaborate prank at Shizuna’s hands. “Of course I had to take your stuff, Elaine! And no, you’re staying like that until this is over. That’s the whole point of the test, remember? And your test starts right now!”
Elaine gritted her teeth. “If the test starts at this precise moment, why in the world did you take my clothing back at the falls!?”
“Why not? Wasn’t it kinda cool sneaking around naked? I mean, you could’ve been seen! Now, that would have been really fun!”
“You and I have quite different definitions of fun, Shizuna,” Elaine grumbled. “Ignoring the fact that you asked for my clothes before this ridiculous test even began, are you saying me being embarrassed from being naked in public is a weakness?”
“Mhmm! You need to not let yourself get weighed down by such silly things, Elaine! You’re totally stressed enough as it is! Your body is your weapon, so don’t be ashamed in that!” Then, Shizuna waved at her. “I’ll meet you at the top! Best of luck!” Before Elaine could offer any form of retort, Shizuna leapt backwards and seemingly disappeared into thin air.
“W-wait!” Elaine yelled as she ran towards where Shizuna had once been. But as the cold mountain gales again blasted her bare skin, causing her to let out a hiss, Elaine received no response. She was alone. And had no clothes on.
Elaine didn’t think anything could be as horrible as getting expelled from the Bracer Guild, but this was getting closer and closer to surpassing that with each passing second.
Elaine sighed and turned her gaze towards the peak of the mountain. She could just barely make out the flags fluttering in the wind. Although she had growing suspicions about Shizuna’s intentions with this “test”, Elaine knew she had no choice but to get a move on. Even if this was all for nothing, she needed to try and get her belongings back.
With determination surging in her rapidly beating heart, Elaine started running.
Watching Elaine hurry up the mountain trail as fast as she could, Shizuna fought down the urge to laugh and give away her position. The former bracer looked ridiculous, just as ridiculous as her request to join Ikaruga had been.
After using one of her ninja arts to disappear from sight, Shizuna had darted to the top of a nearby hill to get a better vantage point of the excellent show before her. She only wished her Xipha had a better camera for recording video in the dark. She’d just have to capture this all to memory instead. And, as she gazed at Elaine’s naked form, Shizuna knew there was certainly a lot to appreciate.
When she felt the air around her ever so slightly shift, Shizuna smirked. “Sorry for running so late. Something quite interesting came up, so I simply had to see it through. I’m sure you can understand.”
Glancing to her right, Shizuna saw Kurogane shimmer into existence. The black-garbed ninja’s steel mask gleamed in the moonlight as he watched Elaine scamper up the mountain trail. Kurogane did not gaze at Elaine any longer than was necessary before he silently turned towards Shizuna.
Shizuna raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t approve? She has quite a nice figure, you know. Or do you not swing that way, Kurogane? That’s totally fine in my eyes if that’s the case.”
“Please be serious for even a moment, Princess,” Kurogane stated as he crossed his arms. “That woman does not belong with us. Is that not why you have made a mockery of Ikaruga’s traditions with this farcical test of yours?”
“Oh? Have you been watching us the whole time? You could have said hello, you know. I bet she would have been thrilled to know you were there!”
“I highly doubt that, Princess.”
Shizuna turned her attention away from Kurogane and towards the trail. “Maybe you’re right, Kurogane. Perhaps she is different from us.”
At first, she didn’t think Elaine had been serious. More than a handful of active highly ranked bracers had once been jaegers, but it was practically unheard of for a bracer, even a disgraced one, to fall in with a jaeger corps. Elaine simply wouldn’t fit in, especially given her answer to Shizuna’s question earlier. But Elaine had been insistent that she wanted to join Ikaruga. And then said something Shizuna had found to be quite interesting. How she believed the two of them can go beyond their constraints of their occupations and make their own choices for themselves.
Glancing down at Akegarasu, tucked away safely in its sheathe, Shizuna frowned. As if she could truly make her own choices.
Still, what Elaine said had intrigued her. And so, Shizuna may have decided to have a bit of fun at Elaine’s expense with this little test she devised. She wanted to see if she could make the former bracer think twice about becoming a jaeger. She had to see if she could crack Elaine’s resolve.
When she first ordered Elaine to strip, she had thought Elaine would have refused the test and dropped the matter entirely, but Shizuna had been proven wrong. Despite her protests, Elaine had surrendered all of her belongings and listened to Shizuna’s every word. Even if she was completely embarrassed, Elaine had trudged onwards. She was willing to cast everything aside and do whatever it took to prove herself.
As she watched Elaine continue making her way up the mountain trail, Shizuna felt her lips curl up into a gentle smile. She just couldn’t help but respect Elaine’s determination.
“But I think a change in tradition is just what Ikaruga needs.”
As she hurried up the rugged path as fast as she could, Elaine encountered a few issues.
The most immediate problem was how she was running. Scampering up the rugged mountain path with her right arm pressed against her breasts and her left hand tightly covering her crotch was not exactly the most efficient way to run. If she wanted to be done with this mess as soon as possible, something had to give.
And so, Elaine had adjusted her form, leaving herself fully exposed as she rhythmically pumped her arms and increased her pace. The sensation of her chest, free of its normal constraints, bouncing up and down with each step she took was quite aggravating, but Elaine endured it and forced those increasingly familiar feelings of embarrassment to the back of her mind.
As she tried to not think about how ridiculous she looked, Elaine could feel her breathing grow heavier, no doubt thanks to the high elevation. She could feel beads of sweats forming on her brow and trailing down her body. But thanks to all of this exercise, Elaine felt quite warm now. The cold mountain air didn’t bother her anymore.
As she approached a wide patch of grass and assorted plants, Elaine encountered the second issue. Thanks to the moonlight, she could see faint flicker of something strange lying in the grass. Stopping just before the grass, Elaine felt her heart stop as she gazed the small assortment of tripwires and bells in the grass. She knew that Ikaruga had been tasked with guarding these mountains, so she figured these traps must have been set up to alert the jaeger corps of any trespassers. As such, it was incredibly likely there were people other than Shizuna watching her right now. And probably had been watching her for quite some time.
With a flustered squeak, Elaine carefully made her way around the patch of grass and kept running. She needed to not focus on that embarrassing thought right now.
After avoiding several more traps no doubt laid by Ikaruga, Elaine ran into the final and most problematic issue. As she ducked behind a nearby rock formation and watched a hulking six-armed skeletal goliath and a pack of rabbit-like beasts slowly pace around the open plateau ahead of her, Elaine grimaced. She should have anticipated there would be monsters up here in the mountains. She would fight the monsters if she could, but she unfortunately had no weapons to defend herself with thanks to Shizuna’s meddling.
Her heart pounding in her chest, Elaine was quite confident Shizuna wasn’t going to save her if Elaine got attacked by monsters. If she got herself in danger or even killed, Elaine clearly wasn’t worth Ikaruga’s time. Elaine needed to overcome this by herself. She had to prove her value on her own.
Gazing down at herself, still very much naked, Elaine pursed her lips. She knew she couldn’t fight the monsters, but she knew she couldn’t turn back either. She was stuck. Then, Shizuna’s words from earlier rang in Elaine’s mind. She had said her body was her weapon. Her only weapon for dealing with the situation at hand. Not that it would be much help against the assortment of bloodthirsty creatures just a few dozen arge away from her, Elaine thought.
Then, like the cold stream of a waterfall pouring onto her head, realization washed over Elaine. If she wanted to be welcomed into Ikaruga, she had to shed her weakness. Though she had been publicly disgraced, Elaine had to prove she was unashamed of who she was. Elaine had to prove that no one could touch her.
Closing her eyes, Elaine took a deep breath and focused. She cleared her mind of unnecessary thoughts. She wasn’t going to let it end here. She couldn’t let it end here. She may have briefly lost her way, but she would move forward. But even if she embraced a new way of life, she would remain true to who she was. She would rise to the challenges asked of her and overcome them. That was just who Elaine Auclair was. That was who she would always be.
And that unbreakable resolve, coursing through her veins, was her ultimate weapon.
When Elaine stepped out of cover, she felt weightless. Under the pale moonlight, her platinum blonde hair appeared as though it was glowing. It would be impossible for anyone to not notice her. Yet, as she dashed across the plateau, it was as though Elaine had become ensconced in shadows. In that moment, she was a living contradiction. She was both visible and invisible. She was a being of both light and darkness. She was just who she was.
The monsters on the mountain had no idea she had ever been there.
With a grin nearly splitting her face wide open, Shizuna excitedly clapped as Elaine placed her right hand on the wooden flagpole. “Wow! I mean, wow Elaine! That was amazing! You really are something, huh?”
Unashamed of her current state, Elaine removed her hand from the flagpole and turned towards Shizuna. “I’d like my clothes back, please. My other belongings as well.”
Shizuna sniggered. “Well, uh, sorry to say, Elaine, but I don’t have your clothes anymore. Tossed ‘em in a ravine on the way here. You’re fine being nude at this point, right?
“You WHAT!?” Her teeth clenched, Elaine’s gaze grew hostile. “So help me Aidios, Shizuna, if you don’t give me my clothes back right now, I’ll-!”
When Elaine took an aggressive step towards her, Shizuna nervously waved her hands in front of her face. “Kidding! I was just kidding, Elaine! I didn’t throw your clothes away, I swear!” From seemingly out of nowhere, Shizuna held out towards Elaine a familiar black backpack. “See? Here you go! All safe and sound!”
Snagging the backpack out of Shizuna’s hands, Elaine couldn’t have put her clothes back on any faster. After pulling her teal coat over shoulders, Elaine crossed her arms under her now-covered bosom. “So that’s it then? Have I passed your ridiculous test?”
“Yep! Congrats on officially being part of Ikaruga!” Shizuna giggled. “Wasn’t that test just the best?”
Elaine frowned. She had more than a few words she could use to describe the ordeal she had just gone through, but she held her tongue. “Before we proceed any further, Shizuna, I have one condition.”
“Oh, this should be good!” Shizuna’s eyes were gleaming with excitement. “Name it.”
Elaine narrowed her eyes. “As I said before, I refuse to take a human life if it’s not absolutely necessary.” If she was going to go down this path, Elaine resolved she would not waver from her principles. “I will not dirty my blade with meaningless bloodshed.”
Shizuna nodded. “Yeah, I figured that’s what you were gonna say. But so be it, If that’s what you really want. Not sure how it’ll go for ya though! Anyways, if we’re talking ultimatums, I also have a condition for you, Elaine,” Shizuna said as she kneeled down and carefully picked up Elaine’s sword, still safely secure in its sheathe. Standing up straight, Shizuna held the sword out towards Elaine. “Normally, our shinobi and kunoichi use Eastern weapons, like kunai or katanas, but this is your true blade, Elaine.”
As Elaine gently took her sword back from Shizuna, Shizuna snickered. “I know you said you didn’t want to be treated differently, but just think of it as me honoring your resolve to stay true to yourself, okay? No one would dare question that. I’ll just punish ‘em if they do!” Elaine wondered if that meant Shizuna had a penchant for taking other people’s clothing just for fun.
Gazing down at the steel sword in her hands, Elaine smiled. It was quite relieving to have her blade back where it belonged. As she set her sword sheathe at its usual spot along her left hip, Elaine nodded at Shizuna. “Thank you, Shizuna. And thank you again for this opportunity. I promise won’t disappoint you.”
“Great!” Shizuna smiled back at Elaine for a moment before her eyes grew wide. Shizuna snapped her fingers. “Oh, right! Before we head out, you need a name!”
Elaine raised an eyebrow. “A name? What in the world for?”
Shizuna brought her left hand up to her chin. “Well, we are a jaeger corps, remember? We aren’t ones to use our actual names, so we use code names based on words from the East.” Shizuna then nervously laughed. “Well, uh, besides me. Kurogane won’t stop badgering me about giving out my real name too often.”
Elaine thought for a moment. “Your code name is Princess, right? It’s a nice name.”
Shizuna sighed. “It’s Hime if we’re getting specific, but yeah, the others call me Princess. As much as I wish they wouldn’t.”
Based on Shizuna’s resigned tone, there was a whole lot to unpack in that remark that Elaine didn’t dare inquire about. “So, I need a name, yes?” Elaine asked as she tried to get the conversation back on track. “I suppose it should be something from the East, shouldn’t it? I admit I’m not quite familiar with the Eastern languages though. Did you have a name in mind?”
That got Shizuna excited again. “Yep! I’ve got just the one! Had a lot of time to think about it while you were running bare-ass naked up the mountain!”
Elaine flushed. She really hoped not a word of this incident got out to anyone. “And that name is?” Elaine prayed whatever next came out of Shizuna’s mouth was in no way related to her naked state.
With a soft smile, Shizuna gently placed her right hand on Elaine’s left shoulder. Elaine could feel the warmth of Shizuna’s hand through her coat. “Hagane. That’s your name.”
Elaine did like the sound of that word. “What does Hagane mean?”
Smiling, Shizuna lifted up her hand and stepped back from Elaine. “Hagane means Steel. In honor of your blade and your enduring resolve.” Shizuna gave her a thumbs up. “Pretty good, right?”
Elaine felt herself smile. The name did fit her quite well. “It’s perfect, Shizuna. I’ll wear it with pride.”
“Glad to hear it!” Then, a mirthful smile appeared on Shizuna’s face. “It’s also a nice reference to your other title, right, Sword Maiden?”
Elaine froze. That horrid name had been an early suggestion for her bracer title, but she had quickly rejected it. And then Elaine got stuck with Beauty’s Blade. Elaine didn’t think anyone outside the Bracer Guild could have possibly known about that throwaway idea for her title, but apparently Shizuna knew it quite well. But Elaine didn’t fully understand the connection Shizuna had made with her new alias.
Then, as Elaine thought about her newly anointed name, her eyes went wide in realization. The first few letters said it all. Without a second thought, Elaine unsheathed her sword and pointed her trusty steel blade at Shizuna. “I humbly request a different name, Shizuna. Now.”
Ignoring the blade pointed at her neck, Shizuna grinned. “Sorry, but when it comes to Ikaruga, what I say goes, Hagane. You signed up for this, remember?”
Elaine bit her lower lip as she sheathed her sword. Right, she had to listen to Shizuna now. Then, realizing just what her current position as a member of Ikaruga implied, Elaine smiled. Two could play at this game of name calling.
Fighting down the immediate urge to burst out laughing, Elaine bowed towards Shizuna. “I understand, Princess. Please forgive my disobedience, Princess. I shall follow whatever you say, Princess.”
When Shizuna groaned, Elaine looked up at her with a victorious grin. Pinching her brow, Shizuna appeared as though she was about to vomit. “Ok, never mind! This is way too awkward! You can have whatever name you want, as long as I don’t have to hear that word come out of your mouth again, got it! I’ll even call you by your regular name if you want!”
Elaine nodded. “Perfectly understood, Princess.”
Shizuna now looked like she was about to pull her hair out in frustration. “Ugh, I knew I should have just thrown your stuff in a ravine and ditched you on this mountain!”
“But that wouldn’t be very proper of you, Princess. Don’t you think you should be a role model for all of your fellow jaegers, Princess?”
Her face getting more and more red, Shizuna childishly stomped her right foot on the ground. “Stop it! I demand you to stop calling me that right this instant!”
Smiling, Elaine courteously nodded. “As you wish, Shizuna.”
Shizuna took a deep breath and started walking down the mountain trail. “C’mon, I’ll lead ya to our base,” Shizuna calmly said over her shoulder. “It’s a bit of a walk, but that’s nothing for you, right?”
“It’s not a problem at all,” Elaine quietly said as she followed after Shizuna. Gazing at Shizuna’s back, Elaine smiled. She had done it. She was officially a jaeger now. The thought was incredibly daunting and terrifying, but also strangely invigorating.
“You all good, Elaine? Being awfully quiet back there, aren’t you? You don’t have to immediately be all ninja-like now that you’re one of us, y’know!”
Hearing Shizuna’s questions, Elaine felt a familiar teasing smile cross her features. She just couldn’t help herself. “My apologies, I was just lost in thought for a moment. Thank you for being so considerate, Princess.”
As a flustered Shizuna descended into yet another angry tirade, Elaine erupted into a joyful fit of laughter.