We have our title drop

[empress_without_a_throne]

1.

[When the DuskBird returns to Sakihama Base and is dispelled back into Mizuki's shadow, the woman's limping and wincing.  And also in strange, regal apparel.  Black silks with gold embroidery, necklaces, a sash... lots of fancy stuff she didn't go out in.  And Sara's standing there, looking shocked and running to her friend's side.]



Mizuki...!  My god, with what happened out there.  You and Ken and... and everyone!  Don't... scare me like that!  Please!



I'm fine, I'm fine... just got a little taste of what some of my predecessors had to deal with.  And believe me... I'm glad to see a Sara who ISN'T trying to kill me.

[So have a friendly hug... just a noisy one because, again, all that jewelry.]

2.



[Some time later though...]

[Video]

So... I was thinking...

... How do people feel about the word "Savior"?  Like the "Savior Team"... or "SolSavior".

Comments

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Don't worry Kei, they're just heterosexual life partners. And Kei doesn't go unnoticed for long either.]



Oh... Kei! S-sorry for the scene, I was just...



She was just worried about her friend rushing on out there without any backup.

[Another moment passes as Mizuki looks between the two.]

... You two know each other?

[majestic_keiki]

You don't need to apologize.

[Kei smiled awkwardly for a bit, Sara's phrasing apparently just convincing her more that she'd walked into something private.]

And I can understand being worried about that. It reminds me of Nora Colony.

[empress_without_a_throne]

The saving grace is we had precautions in place to keep the city from taking any more damage. At least we won't have a lot of refugees weighting on our consciences this time.

Still...



This is the line of work we signed up for. And we'll have to do our best at it.

[majestic_keiki]

Right. And it looks like you were successful.

...We can expect attacks like this all the time, can't we? It seems like the last few weeks have been extremely busy.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Honestly, I'd argue that recently things have... almost felt like they've picked up. Between the discovery of La Gias, another hostile alien race, the possibility that the UE and Wulgaru are working together...

I don't really like the feeling of this. Then again, who would?

[majestic_keiki]

I don't know. I'm surprised morale isn't worse, given the last month.