Strike Witches: Unexpected Summoning

Chapter 5: Assassination Attempt

"W-what?" Yoshika said as Dimitri retained the same intimidating face. "Looks like we can tell them now cant we?" Hiroshi said as the civilian bus they were on exited the airfield and went onto an almost empty freeway. "Not to be blunt but, we're being hunted down by anti-witch terrorists who've figured out you exist." Dimitri said as he was met with shocked silence. "That's the most blunt thing you could ever say." The driver said as she continued driving, the other space force escort agreeing by nodding her head as well.

"Well, I never learned how to not be blunt. So don't expect me to sound like an airlock when I'm talking about sensitive topics." Dimitri said as the witches finally found something to say. "Why would they try to kill us!? We did nothing against them!" Perrine said in anger. However while Perrine was speaking, Hiroshi saw a gleam from what was presumably a scope. Taking that observation seriously he went up to the driver.

"Eh, I would personally say xenophobia... Hiroshi, the hell are you doing?" Dimitri said as Hiroshi whispered something to the driver. "Нажмите на газ по моему знаку. (Hit the gas on my mark.)" Hiroshi said to the driver with an obvious mixed Japanese and English accent, to which she nodded. "3... 2... СЕЙЧАС! (3... 2... NOW!)" Hiroshi then said as the bus accelerated a few kilometers per hour. "What-"

Dimitri was not given the chance to say a second word as the glass in front of him broke and a bullet hit his arm, the bullet then exiting through the metal walls of the bus, fortunately not hitting any of the witches or Dimitri's bones. 

"О, похоже, меня подстрелили. (Oh, looks like I was shot.)" Dimitri said calmly despite the arm injury he sustained was starting to bleed and hurt like hell. However everyone else on board who hadn't had their dose of conflict, aka just the witches, freaked out. "HOLY CRAP!" Shirley said as she saw Dimitri casually bleeding out from his arm. 

Meanwhile he took a look at the pierced interior walls that was beside Lynnette. "Looks like 40. cal. So I was right in my assumption. Its a 56 anti tank." Dimitri said as he referred to the CG56 anti tank rifle that was commonly used with regular troops and special forces. "NO REACTION!?" all of the witches said in shock as even though Dimitri was visibly bleeding out of his arm at a mildly alarming rate, he still kept a stoic expression. Then grabbing a headphone cable and using it to make a makeshift tourniquet.

"Stay there!" Yoshika suddenly said as Dimitri looked over to her direction is surprise, Yoshika already being near him. "Huh? Why-" A blue light suddenly appeared as a magical circle with an abundance of details appeared. Soon after, the bullet wound on Dimitri's arm started to be put back together, although at a sporadic rate due to Yoshika still being shaken up by the assassination attempt on the driver of the bus. "Oh, thanks."

"How were you so calm when you were shot?" Mio said surprised. It was then that the rest of the Canterians on the bus finally had an opportunity to speak. "All of us have been shot plenty of times. On the limbs, chest, hell even the face for some of us. Its a part of life for the average soldier." Hiroshi said. "I thought Neuroi killed people in one shot?" Eila said, to which Hiroshi looked confused at since not once were the Canterians aware or made aware of the Neuroi. 

"The Neuroi? We shot at people, regardless of age or sex. Sometimes civilians, sometimes soldiers." Hiroshi said to be met with silence.

To the witches and especially Minna, this was a horrifying discovery  as they had just waltzed into a nation where there was no concept of a 'united humanity' against a common, alien threat and humans went against other humans. But for the Canterians, they were confused since they thought the witches world had the same logic. "You guys alright? Well it would be girls since-" Hiroshi stopped as Dimitri put a hand over his mouth. "Let them process this."