Girls' Frontline Fanfiction: Tsar of the Mountain

Rails to a Lonesome Grave

"...Annika?"

"Yes, Commander?"

"I've said I won't do it again."

"I know, Commander."

"So, can we-"

"No." Annika and Zeldri were walking through the halls of the Mountain as they headed to the command room. Annika's face held a stoic expression.

"But does it have to be her?" Zeldri glanced behind them at the t-doll that was leisurely following behind them. Upon hearing her be mentioned, she gave a smile to Zeldri.

"Aww~, don't be like that, Commander!" MDR said while still texting on her phone. "This is a very important position I've secured. Those fools on the Anonymous Message Board are so jealous!" She chuckled to herself as she took a selfie showing her following Zeldri up the hall.

"..." It had been four days since Zeldri had awoken, but this was the first day he was allowed to return to his duties. And, in the time he was out, Annika had been managing the Mountain and ordered more t-dolls; one of which turned out to be MDR. She had also made an executive decision to place MDR as Zeldri's chaperone. "Why would some dolls on a forum be jealous of you getting to follow me?"

"Geez, Commander," MDR teased, "You're the current talk of most boards."

"...What?"

"Yeah!" MDR tapped away at her phone as she went through some threads. "A lot of dolls, both on and off the base, really enjoyed those speeches you gave. The fact you went into the field for StG44's echelon is also going around. You've got quite a few admirers~. You lucky dog!"

"You make it sound like other commanders are actively mean to their dolls if I'm some shining beacon." Zeldri rolled his eyes at this entire conversation.

"No no, not like that. Other commanders are good, but it's more of how you've grown on us, you know?" MDR scratched her chin as she thought of a way to phrase it. "Like, what feels better: a known nice person being nice to you, or someone indifferent actively opening themselves up to and being nice to you? It means more when you do it."

"That's quite a stretch those dolls are making. And, actually..." A thought occurred to Zeldri as he went over MDR's words. "You said speeches earlier, but I don't recall ever giving a public speech like that to the dolls."

"Yeah, but, I mean," MDR scrolled to a post, "The one about wanting to make sure we all got home. That one's really popular! And fresh!"

"When was...?" Zeldri thought back to his time in bed and when he spouted out such a thing. Only two people were in the room at the time; AA-12 and Annika. AA-12 didn't seem like the type to bother with this so that only left one person. Zeldri glanced at Annika who was now deliberately avoiding eye contact.

"Probably just someone wanting things to turn out for the better," Annika said innocently.

"Ahuh," Zeldri said as he sighed while Annika gave an innocent smile. "Well, forums or no forums, I don't need a babysitter."

"Apparently, you do!" Annika snapped. She was never going to let what Zeldri did go. "And, since AA-12 has other duties, I chose MDR because then I'll always know where you are. All the staff agrees with me, and this was also approved by Miss Helian."

"Helianthus knows?!"

"She knows you personally went against a ringleader and returned unconscious and heavily injured." Annika glanced at Zeldri with a hint of annoyance. "I didn't mention how you got injured, though. So, be thankful I left it at that."