Notice: Hey everyone, CrimsontheKing is back at it again with another story! Just to let you know, I do not own Infinite Stratos or any of its characters. I do however, own my OC that I am using for this story. The OC's name is Connor Alexander Rain, story will be told in a third person style. If you guys have any comments/questions about this story please let me know. Hope you all enjoy Infinite Stratos: Burning Star. Rated M for matureness, blood, cursing. The backstory takes place two years before "The Gospel" incident and then leads up to after it when everyone comes back to the school. Has no relation to the second season. Also, just to let some people know thoughts or mental conversations will be like such
How the hell did he manage to get himself into this mess, one minute he's trying to get his little sister from school the next he has a gun pointed to his head by some government agent. It wasn't as if he knew about them testing for aptitude for IS pilots, let alone that as soon as he got near the damned thing it turned on. He quickly tried to explain that he had no idea what was happening and that he was only here for his sister so they could catch a flight to a tag-team tournament in New York. But did they listen, of course they didn't fucking listen, why would they listen to the second male to ever activate an IS. Connor silently sighed to himself as he was about to put through some very rigorous testing and possible training.
"Fucking bullshit." Connor thought to himself as the probes that were on his body were finally taken off and he sat up. "It's not my fault their machine is messed up and decided to activate then and there." After sitting there for a bit he was then escorted by some suits to a large hanger in which another one of those machines sat, but this one was different. He wasn't sure how, but it was like he could almost feel it. Another suit then stepped out from behind the machine and smiled at Connor. "That can't be good." After brief introductions, the suit identified himself to be the head of the IS development in the U.S. and that he believed that they could work together to do something incredible. It was at this time that Connor was knocked to the floor by one of the suits behind him, while the others held him down the one that knocked him down stepped forward with a syringe in his hand. Connor became wide eyed at this and struggled to get free, that was all stopped rather quickly when the syringe entered his neck and everything started to go black.
"Don't worry Mr. Rain, you'll love what we're going to do to you." The man said and with that everything went black. As it turned out, the stuff inside the syringe was actually a prototype of an AI system that would merge with its host's mind and become a second mind that would assist the host in all things. After a while of being unconscious Connor woke up, feeling like something was watching him he looked around. Seeing no one, not even the suits, he decided he need to get the fuck out of there then and there. After standing up something ticked, "What the hell was in that syringe?" He soon got his answer as a female voiced answered him, in his own head. "That would be me, the experimental AI known as Flare. Pleasure to finally make you acquaintance Mr. Rain. Or should I call you Connor?" So in short, Connor's life was now fucked.
All of that was two years ago, since then he has been trained in anything and everything about the IS, trained in multiple types of combats, given weapon training, language training, and finally, training to use the AI in his head to his advantage. Eventually he was given access to a room in which he could stay in without being supervised. He would be soon given an IS of his own that he had designed for the most part, he got a say in color, weapons, and the first form. Other than that, it was up to some genius whom he had never even met. Now, if only this room he was in had a game console or a pc, he'd finally be able to take back his rank as one of the best gamers in the world. Unfortunately, that was not the case, he was just given a basic living quarter with a bed and small desk. "This sucks, doesn't it." After time, his AI had adopted to his personality and became his only friend during those two years of hell. She simply replied with a soft sigh as Connor laid down on his bed. "Guess after I get my IS, they'll send me off to that academy." He said to Flare, "Guess you're right. Better not be thinking anything weird!" She said and he simply responded with she'd know if he did. About an hour or two later, he was called to come to the hanger to receive his IS. Reluctantly he did so, dragging his feet as he was tired. As he got to the hanger, his tiredness seemed to fade away as he saw his IS and grinned. It was a dull grey, but that was only because he hadn't bonded with it and activated its first form, and if he had gotten what he wanted he doubt it'd be that way for long. As the main suit stepped up beside him, Connor had started calling him 'Crazy bastard' a few months after he was first brought here. It was a name that stuck and he and Flare had many laughs over it in his head.
"Well Connor, are you ready to go to school?" Crazy Bastard asked him and Connor simply nodded. He was later briefed on the situation he'd be going into. He'd be going to the academy as a first year and was told to act as if he'd never even seen an IS besides the one that activated for him only a few weeks ago, which was when the US released that he had activated an IS, and be the representative cadet for the US. After Connor was briefed he was told to pack his bag and be ready to fly to Japan, his personal IS would be delivered to him later in the day. Soon enough he was on his way to Japan in a private jet and was to say that Crazy Bastard was his uncle and that's how he was in a private jet.
"Kind of bullshit if you ask me, why send us now after The Gospel went rogue and was destroyed. No one is going get anywhere near us." Flare said in his mind as they flew. She was processing how to make him seem less weird on his first day. "Maybe that's for the best Flare." He responded tiredly, his sleep schedule was going to so out of whack when he got there.
Ichika and the gang were sitting on the roof enjoying their lunches, talking about today's activities and seeing what everyone was doing after school. Everyone had eventually accepted that Ichika and Houki had gotten together, they had even made a little party congratulating them. Soon the bell rang for evening class and everyone got up and went to their class, Rin went to Class-2 because she wasn't in Class-1, and took their respected seats. That was when Miss Yamada entered and stood behind the desk.
"Well everyone, I have some exciting news for you! We have a new transfer student!" She said as the class groaned and complained about a new student this late in the schoolyear. Miss Yamada sighed and Chifuyu entered the room.
"You kids should learn to respect what your teacher says." She said as she then slammed a hand on the desk. "And you will greet this new student with kindness and respect!" everyone silently nodded with frowns as Chifuyu motioned towards the door. "You can come in now."
At the sound of the door opening everyone turned their heads to see who would be entering the room. Much to everyone's surprise, Connor walked in with an academy uniform, but instead of the usual red and black, his was only black with a bit of red around the cuffs. Everyone gasped in surprise as he walked in the room and whispers were heard. Connor had styled his brown with red tips hair back before he came to the academy and his eyes seemed almost completely black, he also seemed very tired. He then stood next to Chifuyu as his name and ID card appeared on the screen behind him.
"Hello everyone, my name is Connor Rain. Pleased to meet you. And before I get questions about my eyes, no they are not black, they're just a really dark shade of brown. And…" he took in a deep breath "I am the Representative Cadet for America." At that last part, Ichika, Charlotte, Houki, Laura, and Cecilia all looked like they'd seen a ghost or something. Needless to say, they were shocked. "Hope we can have a good rest of the year." With that, Chifuyu sent him to his seat, which was in the very back, and began the evening lesson.
At the end of the class, Chifuyu directed everyone with personal IS to spend some time training while everyone else was to study. With class now dismissed and everyone leaving Connor began to be one of the last to walk out of the room with his hands in his pockets, but he was suddenly stopped at the door by a hand on his shoulder. He looked back with tired eyes to see Ichika was the one with his hand on Connor's shoulder.
"Can I help you?" Connor asked. "No, but maybe I can help you. Cause if we want to get some training in, we'd better run." It was at this moment Connor remember that they were the only guys in a school full of girls. He cursed under his breath and looked at Ichika and nodded and the two guys bolted down the hallway as a group of girls had begun running towards them, yelling out questions. "Flare, I need a quick escape route here please." Flare then pulled up a map of the building and showed him the quickest path whilst avoiding girls.
After Connor and Ichika got to the dressing room and gotten changed into their piloting outfits they began to make their way to the practice field. Connor was then pulled to the side by Miss Yamada and informed that his personal IS had just arrived and she handed him its confined form, which was a dark red watch. He nodded in thanks and then caught up to Ichika on the field. He then heard an energy cannon charge up and he stopped in tracks, and looked up in the sky to see Cecilia and her Blue Tears aiming her sniper rifle at him.
"Shit." He thought to himself as he thought about activating his own IS but Flare told him not. "Perhaps she just wants to talk?" Soon after Flare said that Cecilia called out to him.
"Who do you Americans think you are?" She said as she slowly drifted downwards, her rifle still aimed at him. Connor then looked at Ichika as the rest of the girls began walking onto the field, the only one who wasn't there was Charlotte. Connor then responded to Cecilia, while looking Ichika in the eyes.
"This was a setup, they're going to make you regret coming here by trying to make you feel guilty about The Gospel incident." Flare said in his mind
"I have no qualms with you, nor did I take any part of The Gospel going rogue, so I don't see why you should be angry at me." Connor then stopped for a moment. "Unless you mean to ride my conscience about something my country had no control over. If that's the case, I'm out of here." Connor said as he turned away from the group and Cecilia suddenly growled and fired at him as Ichika yelled at her to stop. The laser should've hit Connor dead on, but thanks to Flare, he was able to react in time to be spared. He sidestepped the shot and then looked at Cecilia in anger, not only did she attack without reason, if he didn't have Flare he would've just died.
"You really want to do this? Fine, let's do it." With that, Connor held his right arm out as a red light shown, "Howl, LoneWolf." With this, his IS activated and what looked to be almost like the regular training IS's, all for the exception of the wolf like ears and a few other details like the wings on the back looked like two rolled up carpets, the long claws on the hands and feet, and small spikes up the arms with the knees having them as well. Two weapons materialized in his hands, one was a shield while the other was a claymore, and the claymore had a red glow to it. Everyone was somewhat shocked that the American IS unit was rather basic and Cecilia laughed a bit.
"That is what the Americans sent with you to fight third and a fourth generation IS's. Pathetic." Cecilia said as the rest of the group were getting out of the way of the fight, Ichika sighing.
"Hey, remember who beat the Brits in the Revolutionary War? Oh yeah, it was us!" Connor said in retaliation and Cecilia looked quiet mad at that, calling him many names under her breath before she took aim with her rifle once more.
As the two slowly circled each other Cecilia was getting quiet fed up with this nonsense and decided to get back at Connor for insulting her country. She took a shot at him and Connor smiled, he had waited for her to take a shot before he ducked down and used an ignition boost to get close to her. Surprised by this, Cecilia quickly went to aim again but her weapon was knocked out of her hands by the flat side of Connor's sword, she then used the two missile launchers and fired at him, nearly point blank like she had done with Laura in the past. When the smoke cleared she saw that Connor had put up his shield and used the wings of his IS to block the explosion, he then quickly recovered and took a swing at her, hitting her on the shoulder before she got away.
"Huh?" Cecilia said as she saw that her shield was slowly, yet continuously dropping. She then looked at the piece of armor her had hit and saw it was smoking. Then she looked at Connor who smiled and dashed towards her and this time, bashing her with his shield thus stunning her. While she was stunned Connor then flipped and did an axe kick, landing it on her back and sent her back to the ground where her IS then dematerialized, and she looked at him, fear showing in her eyes. Why was she afraid of him, she was the one who initiated the fight.
He then landed his IS and sent it back to concealed form, before turning around and starting to walk off. Looking back, he say that he friends were rushing to her side to help her. He saw looks of hate coming from Houki and Laura, Rin was making sure Cecilia was okay, and Ichika just stared at him. Connor simply said this as he continued walking away, looking at Ichika.
"Now please leave me alone. I don't want to hurt you anymore than what my country already has." With that, Connor left the arena went to his room. He had been given the other bed in Ichika's room since they were both guys. Since it was nearly nighttime, and he was still on US time, he stood by the window wide awake. Wondering if they were talking bad about him, maybe even trying to get revenge on him for nearly hurting their friend.
"Why do you care? You're the one who said he wanted to be left alone aren't you?" Flare said and Connor silently agreed. "Yeah, but I never wanted to be hated. I just wanted to be left alone." He sighed and looked through what few belongings were sent to him. "Then why'd you follow Ichika?" She asked. A very valid question, why did he follow Ichika? Was it because he wanted to make a friend out of the only other guy at this school? Maybe it was, but that decision was behind him now, in the morning he was going to be the most hated person on campus.
He then found something that was sent to him and he smiled. They had sent him his saxophone, his one link to his little sister that he had with him at the facility. He then picked it up in its case and went to the roof of the building, Flare bypassing any security alarms he may have tripped. He then got to the roof and assembled his instrument, he hardly ever got the chance to play anymore so maybe he'd be able to play it more since he was free to do so if he wanted. He then put the mouthpiece into his mouth and it made a squeak, he then winced and adjusted before trying again. This time a soft note came from the instrument and he smiled, he still had his touch. He then got out a small speaker and played on loop some soft piano with a bit of light drums in the background. He then took a deep breath and began to play, putting his soul into playing the song. The sounds of smooth jazz fillings the night around the campus, some students wondering where the sound was coming from while others opened their windows and enjoyed the music. As Connor played, little did he know that he wasn't the only sneaking onto the roof that night.
As Charlotte got closer to the roof, the louder the music got and she wondered who would be playing music at a time like this. As she peeked her out of the door that lead to the roof, her jaw hit the floor. She saw the new kid, Connor, playing a soft jazz piece on a saxophone with a speaker behind him softly playing the background. She was kind of scared to say anything, she had heard from Laura what happened today in the arena between him and Cecilia, and she stood there silently. Maybe he was just sent to eliminate any threats to his county by his government when they found out he could pilot IS.
As the background music slowly stopped as did Connor stop at playing. He then set the saxophone in a stand that was made for it and then went to the railing of the roof and looked over it and sighed. He then made a sound that sounded like he was sniffling. Charlotte moved a bit out of the doorway and looked at him and was shocked to see that he was crying with something in his hand. She then heard him say.
"Don't worry little sister, I'll be home soon. And then we can spend a whole week playing video games, getting back up to the top in every single one of them." He then sniffled as he wiped his eyes, "So, don't you worry. We're going to get through this, just you and me." He then said something she probably wasn't supposed to here. "Maybe next year, if you pass the aptitude test, I can show you all of my friends I've made, though you'd probably just hit me or something wouldn't you, Lily."
Charlotte then saw what was in his hand and it was a locket with a girl, maybe a year or two younger than herself, with the same color of hair Connor had, but she had these almost crystal blue eyes. And then Connor spoke again.
"Yeah right." He closed the locket. "I don't think I'll have any friends here after what I did to Cecilia." He put the locket away and then slammed his hand onto the railing. "Why did I lose my cool so easily?! Come on Connor, you know you're better than that. But you just couldn't let it go, could you? Sure, she shot at you, maybe it was an accident. After all, Ichika tried to stop her. If it had hit would she have been sorry? Or would she have smiled in the face of victory after hurting someone from a country whose rogue IS nearly killed her friends? Is it my fault that I'm forced to be here?!" He wiped his eyes and took a deep breath, "Maybe coming here was a mistake, I mean, after all. I haven't even been able to unlock my first shift, much less the second one." He then placed both hands on the rail and sighed.
During all of this, Charlotte had gotten closer bit by bit. She knew his words were true, because they were filled with emotion. The same way Ichika's had been when he said she could rely on him. Maybe she should try and reach out to Connor? He seems lost like she was when she had been found out by Ichika. Unsure of what to do, Charlotte started to step forward but then stopped when his head a bit and she could see those dark brown eyes, they looked like they had lost any spark of life they had once held. Connor sighed at her and then looked back out over the academy.
"Come to take revenge for your friend I suppose?" He said with no emotion and Charlotte shook her head.
"I came because I heard your music." She got a bit closer. "It was breathtaking." She could have sworn that was blush she just saw on his face.
"I doubt that, I'm out of practice and I don't really play that often anyway." He said as a soft gust of wind blew by them, shaking his hair slightly.
"Well, for someone out of practice it was amazing, I could feel the emotion you put into each note." She finally stood next to him on the railing and he looked at her questionably.
"Aren't you afraid of me after what I did to your friend?" Connor asked, looking away from her.
"Why would I be? I heard the whole spill you had a bit ago." "Yep, he's definitely blushing now." She said looked at him. "And I think it's sweet you're doing this for your sister."
"You wouldn't say things like that if you knew the whole story" He said moving away from the railing and grabbing his saxophone and putting it back in its case along with his speaker and stand for his instrument. "Trust me, my cher, you would be better off staying away from me. It's safer for everyone." With that, he leaves. Leaving Charlotte on the roof alone, her heart racing. Something about him just made her….. "W-wait, did he just say my cher?" Charlotte was now blushing and smiling, she then looked out over the school and took a deep breath and said aloud.
"I doubt that it's safer for everyone, because it's not safe for you." She then leaves the roof going back to her room falling asleep, remembering the he played that music, she smiled.
Back in his room, Connor made sure Ichika was asleep before he came in. Not wanting to face his roommate after what he did earlier. He gently placed down his case and its contents near his bed before climbing into it and trying to go to sleep. It didn't take long and sleep finally found him. Unknown to him though, while Flare had remained silent the entire night, figuring Connor needed some alone time. She had went through the schools systems until found each one of Ichika's group, excluding Charlotte, and sent them a video file to their phones. Little did Connor know is that she had recorded him playing his instrument. Maybe the soft tears falling from his face he played, or the way he played such emotion, maybe she could change their minds about him. When she down sending the video, she made sure that the message came from a user called Flare, instead of some random ones and zeros. Then as she felt Connor falling asleep, she too turned off her 'mind' for the night. Time to see what tomorrow holds.
Hey everyone, hope you liked Chapter 1. If you have any comments or questions or even advice on this story, feel free to send me a message of just leave a review. Those who do, I'll sure to put answers at the bottom of my next chapter when I release it.
P.S. If you don't know what 'my cher' is, google it.