[Runty]

Seems Snowman is busy with 2 summer jobs and other stuff. Ouch.

Well, in the meantime, I thought I might as well refresh my idea for an Anisette oneshot, this time with an ideal cast selected.

Spoiler for Anisette Detachment:

Much like what happened with her sister, Edy, Anisette gets herself and a few others from Class G separated from the rest of the squad while chasing some Rebels. Dragged along with Anisette are Reiner, Joachim, Marion, Magari, and Chloe. Chloe and Joachim are quick to point out that Anisette is basically responsible for their predicament, though Magari gets them to settle down.

As the group is making their way back to Class G's position, while being lost at night (only Chloe is able to lead them through the darkness), the squad stumbles upon a Rebel group escorting a unique artillery tank, fitted with a strangely-built cannon. Behind the tank is a truck carrying a number of unique shells. The truck hits a bump, causing one of the shells to fall out, but it doesn't explode, much to the relief of the Rebels who, the cadets realize, are all wearing gas masks.

The Rebels discuss what they're doing as the "Anisette Detachment" hides and listens to the conversation. As it turns out, the Rebel group is heading toward a Darcsen-occupied village in order to test a new weapon. One of the Rebels has concerns, however, that the weapon, a poison gas tank round, would be illegal by continental law. The leader of the Rebels, a Major, however, says that he doesn't care about such laws, as they're just holding back the goals of the Rebels in wiping out the Darcsens. He then orders his men to keep moving.

Horrified by what they've heard, Anisette and the others agree that the Rebels have to be stopped in their plan, and that they're the only ones who can do it, since they lack a radio to contact the others. Anisette remembers the story her sister told her about defending a Gallian village from Imperial forces, and suggests they try the same tactic. This idea is quickly dismissed, however, as Marion and Reiner point out that the Rebels wouldn't need to fight them if they can just use the gas rounds and kill them at long range. Though dismayed that Edy's original plan would never work, Anisette quickly thinks up a new one, deciding that the detachment will ambush the Rebels and destroy the tank, preventing them from using the gas rounds.

A short while later, the Anisette Detachment ambushes the Rebels, with Reiner destroying the tank with a well-placed lancer round. The Rebels quickly counterattack, leaving the Anisette Detachment heavily outgunned and outnumbered. Worse, Magari is wounded by a stray shot, so she's unable to resupply the others, who quickly run out of ammo. Realizing they're beaten, Anisette is forced to have the detachment surrender.

Unfortunately, Anisette ends up making the Rebel leader quite angry, and not just for blowing up his tank. The Rebel shoots Anisette in the chest, and prepares to have the others executed. At that moment, the rest of Class G arrives, with Avan shooting down the Rebel leader. The Anisette Detachment is saved, but Anisette herself loses consciousness.

Anisette later wakes up back in Lanseal's hospital wing, alongside the rest of the Anisette Detachment (who were all wounded in battle). More to her surprise, and to the dismay of the others, Edy comes to visit and congratulates her sister on her accomplishment. To "reward" her for her success, Edy decides to sing for Anisette, which the others find torturous. Only Chloe, though, is the one who openly shouts out that Edy is completely tone-deaf, which Edy and Anisette take extreme offense to.

Funny ending?

Also, I just thought up another possible idea, this one starring Mischlitt and having Cordelia as a guest star. Oh, and Elysse Moore too.

Note, however, that this one would probably extend past a one-shot for length reasons, so you could do it as a stand-alone story with a few chapters.

Spoiler for Cordelia/Mischlitt:

Class G is again assigned to escort Cordelia Gi Randgriz to a Gallian village on a mission of peace. They aren't deceived this time, however, on who they're escorting, and they're accompanied by Class A and a sizable force of Regular army troops as well.

When they arrive in the village, however, they find a mob of Rebel sympathizers protesting Cordelia's presence. To Cordelia's shock, the mob even throws forward a number of beaten Darcsens as a symbol of their ideals. Cordelia's escorts turn away the mob using teargas, though Cordelia is still taken aback by the mob's actions, and has her men treat the wounded Darcsen civilians.

While assisting with duties in the camp, Mischlitt ends up having a chat with Cordelia (and Elysse Moore, who is now Cordelia's personal bodyguard) on her belief that Darcsens and non-Darcsens can coexist. While Cordelia is an adamant believer in this idea, Mischlitt is understandably critical of the concept, having seen so much similar cruelty in her childhood. Though Mischlitt wants to believe the ideal can become a reality, she feels that such old hatreds will not dissolve easily, and that Cordelia may not even live long enough to see the day her ideal becomes a reality, if it ever does. Cordelia pushes that thought aside, saying that she is willing to die for such a cause, impressing Mischlitt. Juliana joins in the discussion at this point, saying that she does not believe that such hatreds will ever disappear, and that Cordelia's ideals are foolish. Mischlitt and Elysse take offense to this, but Cordelia simply asks Juliana why she fights for her cause if she doesn't believe in it. Juliana justifies her actions in saying she fights to end the fighting, not for Cordelia's sake; Cordelia accepts this.

(Basically, Mischlitt appreciates Cordelia's work and beliefs, but isn't as optimistic as the Archduchess is. Juliana's reason to fight is a matter of honor.)

Later that night, Rebel spies aided by some members of the earlier mob infiltrate the Army base and plant explosives on the tanks that are part of Cordelia's escort. Lavinia Lane catches one of the spies and knocks him out with a wrench before he can successfully plant a bomb on her tank (she actually beats up the spy as well, pissed off that he tried to blow up her tank). Unfortunately, the rest of the bombs explode, destroying all of the other tanks in the base. A couple of Class G members have minor injuries, but only a few Regulars are killed as part of the sabotage (mostly sentries). The Regulars try to interrogate the saboteur Lavinia caught, but he commits suicide with a stolen pistol.

Class G realizes that the Rebels know of Cordelia's position, and likely will send forces to kill her. Worse, due to heavy rain, they can't get her out of the village, as the roads will be too muddy for vehicles to travel on. The best they can do is set up defensive positions and call for reinforcements, and hope that said reinforcements arrive in time. Juliana suggests that they round up the members of the mob and question them, but Cordelia refuses to do this. Juliana boldly calls Cordelia a fool at this time, though Cordelia responds by saying she will not force her ideals onto others.

The next day, as anticipated, the Rebels attack the village, seeking to kill Cordelia. To the confusion of the defenders, the Rebels don't bring anything larger than a medium tank. The reason is quickly realized after the opening moments of the fighting: leading the Rebel assault is a prototype AV armor, codenamed Surtr. (Yes, it's the one I suggested before). The Surtr is armed with twin flamethrowers, and is too heavily armored for the Regulars or cadets to damage, since they lack tanks. The Surtr quickly starts burning buildings around it as it rampages through the streets.

Cordelia watches the devastation through the window of a military complex, much to Elysse's protest as Cordelia could get sniped. Cordelia, however, feels she has to watch to understand Mischlitt's point of view, no matter how painful the experience may be. At that moment, however, the Rebels start broadcasting an ultimatum: if Cordelia comes out and turns herself over to the Rebels, they will call off their attack. Cordelia at first considers accepting the ultimatum, but Mischlitt, who was assigned to guard Cordelia, is against it, pointing out that the Rebels would not likely keep their word, and that Cordelia would be throwing away all she worked for if she simply surrendered.

Cordelia uses a radio system to broadcast her response, refusing the ultimatum. The Rebels, and the Surtr, continue their attack. Avan brings much of Class G together to try and think of a way to stop the Surtr, which is on course to Cordelia's position and will surely kill her if they don't stop it. The plan they come up with is to target the Surtr's rear-mounted fuel tanks, which will hopefully explode if damaged. This plan quickly fails, however, as the Class discovers that the Surtr is both armored AND shielded, preventing them from damaging its fuel tanks. As the Surtr is about to wipe out much of Class G, however, Lavinia shows up in her tank and blasts the Surtr, able to punch through its defenses. The Surtr is destroyed when its fuel lines are ruptured, causing the armor to explode.

However, the Rebel assault is still pushing back the Regulars and Lanseal cadets, who are still outnumbered. Then, as the attack begins encroaching on the complex, Cordelia is suddenly assaulted by one of her trusted advisers, who knocks out Elysse. It turns out the adviser is a Rebel spy, and orchestrated the attack, as well as the sabotage. Juliana tries to help Cordelia, though the spy holds her hostage and sends a pair of his henchmen, who are disguised as Regular Army fencers, to kill Juliana. Juliana is able to hold her own against the two henchmen, but Cordelia is taken away by the spy to the rooftop, upon realizing that his escape route is cut off.

On the roof of the complex, Cordelia and the spy exchange heated words, with the spy saying that Cordelia's ideals are ones that should never come to fruition, for they would (in his mind) destroy Gallia as the sacred home of the Valkyrur. Before the spy can kill Cordelia with his blade, however, he is stopped by Mischlitt, who blocks his strike. Mischlitt battles the spy, but is caught off guard by an underhanded trick and is wounded. The spy tries to finish Mischlitt off, but is stabbed in the arm by Cordelia (she does this intentionally to disable the spy, not kill him), who now holds a rapier in her hand. Cordelia demands that the spy surrender, but the spy commits suicide by jumping off the rooftop.

Just as the battle seems lost for the Regulars and cadets, reinforcements arrive and push the Rebels back. The battle is won.

Class G is relieved in escorting Cordelia back to Randgriz, though Cordelia takes the time to thank Class G again for its service. She also takes a moment to talk to Mischlitt and Juliana, thanking them both for fighting not just in her defense, but in defense of her ideals.

I honestly think we need a story that stars Cordelia as the protagonist, in a sense. She's such an interesting character.

Make changes as needed for both stories.