Chapter 53: Reunion
A young Chiara lays on her bed, watching some annoying video on her bright blue tablet with a rubber protective case. Her family is downstairs, talking about boring grown up stuff. Even at this age, Chiara is uncomfortable around so many people even if they are her relatives. Hopefully, she won’t be bothered in her room, or so she thought.
Chiara hears someone knocking on her door. She rolls over on her bed, bringing her tablet with her. A high pitch voice, much like hers, calls from the otherside.
“Hello? Are you in there? Dad said me to come play with you.” Chiara opens the door and it's her cousin Kayla. She is visiting from overseas. It's fourth time her father has flown over to the states to spend time with Chiara's family. She’s in elementary school, the same age as Chiara, with an almost indistinguishable appearance from her own. But while Chiara was timid and not very active, Kayla had to be kept on a leash.
“Kayla. I'm tired. We ate so much.” Chiara tries to close the door on her but Kayla squeezes through into her room.
“Come on, I want to play Chiara. Do you have any video games?” Kayla reaches over to look at Chiara’s tablet but Chiara blocks her arm.
“Hey! That’s my tablet. I’m watching my videos!”
“Sorry. You don’t have to be mean, Chiara.” Kayla moves her hand away. “I’m not good at video games anyways. How about we have some fun with some toys. I brought these!” Kayla drops her backpack onto the floor. She pulls out a single shot dart foam blaster, some foam swords, and a foam dart bow. “Let’s have a battle in this house!”
“I’m not good at war. Why can’t we play with my dolls?”
“Because that’s soooo boring, Chiara.” Kayla grabs the sword and does some swipes in the air. “I want to be a warrior princess like Boudica...or Nausicaa like that film I watch with my parents!” Kayla gives one of the foam sabers and bow to Chiara. “You can be the assassin. Close your eyes and count to twenty. I’ll hide and you have to find me.”
"Fine," Chiara mumbled. "But no hiding in my parents' room...or the dining room." Chiara turns around and closes her eyes. “One, two, three…”
“Don’t count so fast, Chiara! Start over!”
Chiara sighed and started over, counting slower than before. Kayla wasted no time getting out of Chiara’s room. The limited time she had to hide ticked inside her mind. She slides down the rails of the stairwell towards the dining room where the grownups were still having dinner. She strides in with her blaster and saber and casually picks a few cookies from the sweets table to take with her in her backpack while she finds a hiding spot.
“Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty! I’m coming for you Kayla!” Chiara shouts her bow in her hand and saber tucked into her pull up jacket which is going to serve as her improvised armor and coat. Chiara stalks the hallways, holding her darts with her fingers, ready to launch foam projectiles at Kayla. Chiara descends down the stairs, looking over for any signs of Kayla. She spots the family at the dining room just across from the hallway but avoids them entirely. She finds the bathroom and opens it, she aims her bow but realizes the laundry room is clear. No signs of Kayla. The only other rooms left in the first floor other than the dining room, and bathroom is the living room. Chiara could have sworn she heard the front door open while she was counting. She has to be in the backyard.
Chiara ignores the living and opens the backdoor to the yard. She steps onto a patio with outdoor dining tables, shaded with canvas umbrellas, palm trees, and a stone garden around stairs. There is a stone pathway leading to the toolshed. Chiara smirks to herself and readies her bow, ready to barge into the shed. She steps close to the door when suddenly, she feels a foam projectile strike her torso from above.
“I’ve got you!” Kayla shouts from a branch above the old oak tree. “Easy.”
“I’m wearing armor!” Chiara shouts up to the tree. “I’m not dead.”
“That’s not armor, Chiara!”
“It’s bullet proof!” Chiara pats her pull over jacket.
“Is not!”
“Is too! Get down from there!” Chiara aims her bow at Kayla and fires a dart, missing her completely. Kayla uses this as an opportunity to jump down from the tree, landing like a cat on the grass and drawing her saber.
“Come and have a go, Chiara!” She waves her foam sword like a musketeer, beckoning Chiara to strike.
Chiara draws her bow again and aims at Kayla who surprisingly deflects the dart with her sword. Chiara drops the bow and draws her sword from her jacket. The two of them swing their weapons with no form or purpose, trying to get a hit on one another with no luck. Kayla, despite being more energetic than Chiara, is nowhere near as nimble as swift as Chiara is, but is more quick to act with her mind. Kayla performs a faux strike to trick her. Chiara charges with her saber, but Kayla swings her foam sword with all of her might in a swirl. The foam blade smacks Chiara across her face with an audible thud, throwing her off her balance and causes her to fall onto the ground. “Aha! Victory is mine!” Kayla spins her sword and raises it high into the sky but her pomp and circumstances are abruptly interrupted by Chiara’s wailing. “C...Chiara?” Kayla looks down and sees the red blush on Chiara’s face from where she struck her with her foam sword.” Kayla’s already pale face, whitens with fear. She’s not sure what to do. Chiara’s crying is loud enough to alert the adults from inside to rush to her aid. Kayla sees her dad coming over to investigate along with Chiara’s parents who look furious! They pick up Chiara from the ground and tell her to go get an ice pack from the freezer. Her parents then start arguing with Kayla’s dad.
“What’s the matter with you? Why do you let your daughter be so rough with Chiara!? Don’t you have any discipline for her? Our daughter does not behave so recklessly as yours!”
“She’s only trying to play with her!” Her father holds onto Kayla’s shoulders, trying to defend her from the parent’s wraith. “She’s not used to playing with other girls.”
“Dad?”
“It’s alright, Kayla…” Her father reassures her. “It was just an accident. Chiara is going to be fine.”
“You keep your daughter away from Chiara!” Chiara’s mother scolded back. “Not until your daughter learns some manners.” She leaves with her husband inside, leaving Kayla and her dad alone in the backyard.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt, Chiara.” Kayla muttered. “I just wanted to play.” She always was excited to come over to America to see her Cousin Chiara. Back in her home country, Kayla had nobody to play with her; no siblings and no friends. This was the one time of the year where she didn’t have to pretend to fight imaginary bandits alone in the forest close to her home or re-enact action scenes from films that she would watch with her father. Ever since that day, she wondered if she’ll ever see her cousin Chiara again.
Mai, Emi, Hikari, and Chiara are teleported from their home base in front of the historical armory museum that Mai has already seen the first time she came here. The others look around in awe of all the historical reenactors walking around, marching, and running errands.
“Fancy…” Hikari noted to herself, admiring the architecture and aesthetics of the server. “This is a step up from everything we’ve seen so far.”
“I know, right?” Mai nudged Hikari with her elbow, a proud grin on her face. “I told you you’d like this place. We’re supposed to meet her at the entrance. She has to be around here somewhere.”
“Who...exactly?” Chiara asks.
Mai didn’t have to answer. A World War 2 era Willy Jeep is driving up from down the stone path towards them. The driver, a red headed girl pulls up in front of them at a full stop. She hops out and pats her plaid sweater and vest free of dirt.
“Ahem...sorry about my late arrival.” Her voice carries a cheerful, melodic Irish tone. “Welcome back, Mai. I see you brought your friends here and…” Her eyes catch a glimpse of Chiara who is also in a state of disbelief as much as she is. Emi and Hikari are looking back and forth between the two with Mai standing with her arms crossed, her hands twitching in anticipation as to how this is going to play out.” Kayla's confident posture faltered. Her playful, welcoming expression melted into one of stunned recognition, her eyes wide and unblinking as they locked onto Chiara.
“Kayla…?” Chiara’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Chiara? Is that… it is you.” Kayla steps forward a little, still analyzing Chiara from a distance. It didn’t take long for Kayla to realize it. Her smile grows brightly on her face and Kayla lunges at Chiara with her arms open wide. “Chiara! It’s really you!” She pulls Chiara into a suffocating hug. Chiara is clearly uncomfortable and embarrassed but her friends watch on with glee. Emi can’t help but smile and even Hikari can’t hide her own enthusiasm.
“Kayla! I can’t breathe!”
“It’s really really really you! Chiara! What on earth are you doing on a game like this!” Kayla snuggles Chiara even more so swing her body side to side while she embracesses her.
“I...I was bored...that’s all.” Kayla finally lets go of Chiara but keeps her at arms reach. Chiara has to take a moment to catch her breath. “What are...you doing here Kayla?”
“Oh Chiara…” Kayla wags her finger. “Well you know how I always wanted to live out my dreams of adventure? That’s exactly what I’m doing. And it’s a benefit to my major and interests too.”
“Mai told me you're a history major, right? Emi asks Kayla, still amused by the little reunion going on. “I can’t believe it. You look so much like Chiara.”
“Hah. Well I’m happy Mai told you all about me.” Kayla stretches her hand out to Emi. “I’m Kayla Lorenz. Historical Advisor and Squad leader of Dove Squad.”
“A squad leader too?” Emi shakes Kayla’s hand firmly. “Wow. You really must have a full plate. Are you participating in the tournament?”
Kayla shakes her head. “No. My speciality is in historical warfare and gameplay modes. I don’t know much about the modern military shooter parts of this game.” Kayla chuckles while blushing. “That’s out of my league unfortunately. So...you’re all in Mai’s squad from what I heard?”
“It’s exactly what she told you.” Hikari added before introducing herself. “I’m Hikari Nakumara. The squad medic.”
“Chiara’s our team scout.” Emi implied. “And I’m Emilie Cadieux, but you can just call me Emi. I’m the squad leader of Armadillo Squad and we’re all Chiara’s friends too.”
“Incredible.” Kayla gasps. “I never knew you’d be so popular, Chiara.”
“Hah...neither have I.” Chiara shrugged.
“That’s not suprising. You’re so cute, Chiara! Who wouldn’t want to be your friend? Kayla squeezes Chiara’s shoulder. “Look at you! All grown up like me and still so innocent looking. Found any boys, Chiara?”
“Wh...wha…?! Chiara stammers flustered.”
“Hah. It’s alright, cousin.” Kayla lets go of Chiara. “You don’t have to tell me.” She turned back to the group, clapping her hands together with renewed, business-like energy. “Right! As wonderful as this is, we’re not just here for a friendly chat, are we? You came for combat! Historical Pike and Shot combat!”
“You betcha.” Mai interjects. “I think it would be a good exercise of teamwork and coordination if Armadillo squad did something outside of our comfort zone. Is that cool with you girls?”
“Fine by me.” Emi nods. Hikari follows suit. Chiara seems to hesitate a little.
“I still don’t know what Mai means...by pike and shot.”
“Oh. Well that’s the kind of warfare from the Early Modern Era.” Kayla informs her. “It’s a pretty significant time in history. Highly overlooked in my opinion.”
“Well...when you say early modern…” Hikari chimes in. “How...early are we talking about here?”
“Glad you asked!” Kayla hands motion over to the front of the museum. “It’s a good thing I have all of your answers in this very armory. How about I give you a brief rundown and introduce you to the other players engaged in this specific mod?”
“Well...uh….I think…” Chiara is interrupted by Mai who steps in the middle of the group, looking very pleased by the offer.
“We think this is a wonderful opportunity for you to educate us and show us the ropes around.” Mai smiles back at Emi and the others. “Still in?”
“Sure…” Emi sighs but keeps her smile on her face. “It would be rude to say no to our host. Let alone a relative of Chiara.” She speaks to Kayla directly. “I can’t believe you look so much like Chiara.”
“Well, of course. We’re both cousins afterall...isn’t that right?” Kayla leans her head on Chiara’s shoulder.
“Y..yeah. What she said.”
“Hah...you don’t have to be so anxious, Chiara...relax.” Kayla walks up ahead in front of the group. “We have some things we have to cover before I let you loose on the battlefield. Everything is going to be very different from what you’re used to in vanilla Mil-Sim Story.”