Aiko Aihara

Aiko Aihara (Kanji? Aiko Aihara) is a member of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army and leads her own squad in the Moon Demon Company.

Appearance
Aiko has dark wavy hair that reaches to her mid-back. She wears it half pulled back with a rectangular hair clip. She does not have bangs except for what escapes her hair style. She has visible lower eyelashes.

She wears the standard JIDA uniform with a skirt, pantyhose, and knee-high boots.

Personality
She is a focused soldier who cares deeply about her comrades. When reporting their deaths, she cries. Even so, she is serious and hard-working, willing to continue with dangerous missions even after such loss. She does not hesitate to sacrifice herself in order for her comrades to escape.

Brave, selfless, and compassionate.

History
???

Story
During the attack against Nagoya, Aiko Aihara leads a 15-member team to assassinate a noble vampire. Although they succeed, they suffer eight casualties and the remaining seven have injuries but can still walk.

She arrives at the regrouping point after Shinoa Squad and Narumi Squad. When she asks about them coming out unscathed, Sergeant Makoto Narumi says "Team Leader" Shinoa Hiragi led them well, and Shinoa panics briefly. Special Private Yuichiro Hyakuya offers to let her team rest while they keep watch. She takes him up on it.

Guren Squad arrives next. She reports to him and ends up crying when she mentions eight deaths. Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose says its that type of mission and congratulates her on bringing seven of them back alive. Guren states this makes three nobles confirmed dead with five of their original targets left. He takes Shinoa Squad and Narumi Squad into his team to attack Thirteenth Progenitor Crowley Eusford, Seventeenth Progenitor Chess Belle, and Horn Skuld and rescue hostages. When Aiko asks to join him, he teases her, saying that anyone who cries on the battlefield is not allowed. He orders her to wait half an hour for late squads and then proceed to Nagoya Airport.

After half an hour, five survivors from another team limp their way to her. She notices vampire helicopters arriving and orders them to flee to Nagoya Airport. She manifests her weapon and shoots through the first one.

Lacus Welt, René Simm, and Mikaela Hyakuya jump down from the second. Mika tells her he has questions for her.

Natural Abilities
Leadership skills. She is also attentive to her surroundings and is quick to act on her feet.

Demon Weapon

 * A manifestation-type bow and arrow.

Trivia

 * Aiko (愛子) is a Japanese name meaning "little loved one."
 * Aihara means "source of love" or "a blue field."

Quotes

 * "Nobody's come back. Are they all... dead?"--Aiko Aihara to herself, Chapter 29, "Who's Pulling the Strings?"
 * "STAY BACK!! The lieutenant colonel is at Nagoya Airport!  We'll act as decoys and hold them off!  You run and hide!  Hurry!"--Aiko to a surviving squad when vampires arrive, Chapter 29, "Who's Pulling the Strings?"