A short Story about Sadako teaching the ways of Seiza. The Japanese text can be found here.
"It doesn't change anything, no matter how many times you say it!"
Kanno's voice could be heard from the corridor. As I was wondering if it was because of the strikers that were broken in yesterday's battle, the briefing room's door flew open and Kanno rushed out. She looked to be in a bad mood, but instead of being angry, she seemed to be just sulking.
A little after, I heard Flying Officer Krupinski: "We could continue this later just the two of us, we could even have some wine, how does that sound?" She talked with loose lips like that for a while, before leaving the room quietly.
Last was Nipa. "Then, excuse me", she said politely and leaved looking absent-minded.
It was clear who was the chief in that room. As I peeked through the opened door I could here a deep sigh. It was Flight Lieutenant Pokryshkin.
"Good work, Flight Lieutenant" Pokryshkin looked at me with a troubled smile as I greeted her.
"Did I seem.. tired?"
"You don't need to be a great detective to see it. It was about yesterday's battle, wasn't it" I could see Pokryshkin's seriousness, but I wanted to hear it myself.
"Yes, I wanted to have reports regarding that but.. Haah, I wonder what I should do..."
"It seems like those three broke their strikers again, in a brash way"
"The damage in the machinery.. is a problem for the maintenance and supplies. But I understand that it really can't be helped"
It seems that Pokryshkin's troubles aren't really about the Strikers. Certainly, when Gallia was freed the supplies have become much better and numerous. 502nd's area of responsibility is also very important, so some losses in units are tolerated. So Pokryshkin's troubles must be caused not by Strikers, but Witches.
"You're worried about those three"
"Of course. But no matter what I say they won't listen seriously"
"Kanno and Flying Officer Krupinski certainly seemed like that.. but not Nipa"
"That's the problem. Nipa has fallen and been injured so often that she has grown accustomed to it, thus she is like she has given up... Something that can't be undone might happen anytime now, and, I'm scared"
I see, Pokryshkin keeps intensily the appearance of a "leader" when in front of those three, but it's because she is really worried
"If I could just have them listen.."
Pokryshkin was like a new teacher who can't hold troublemakers under her hold. When I thought about my own childhood, an idea occurred to me
"Flight Lieutenant, could you come to my room later?"
"Seiza?"
"Yes, it's an old method of mental training, passed down in Fuso since ancient times."
In Fuso there are many opportunities to practice martial arts and mind and such, but here at 502 base, where almost everything is made of stone, doing seiza would be too much. That's why we came to my room.
"Flight Lieutenant, please take of your shoes and get on the bed"
"Eh? Eeeeeehh!? Pilot Officer Shimohara!?"
For a moment her white face was bright red, and I realized I had said something inproper.
"Nononono! It's not that, uhm.."
"I see, so this is seiza"
We were sitting in seiza on the bed facing each other. It was quite an odd appearance, but because there was nothing like floor cushions, or any better place nearby, this was the only option.
"It's quite... hard isn't it"
"In Fuso it is done on wooden floors. Certainly not on stone."
"Wooden floors? That seems quite impossible"
"You just need to get used to it. Though now it would be better to prepare a cushion. When you correct your posture like this, it is easier to meditate, and confront your problems head on."
"I understand.. Au-"
When I saw Pokryshkin in pain, I decided to stop this for now "Ah, you can relieve yourself"
"Okay.."
"I'm not sure how it can help you, but when I'm troubled I often end up doing seiza"
As we were sitting there, our knees almost touching, and Pokryshkin was rubbing her numb legs, a warm and fuzzy feeling arose inside of me.
Afterwards, seiza was not used for mental training, but it became a way of punishment in the 502nd.