Prologue

"Eri!" 13-year-old Amaya Tsukiko yelled to her friend, racing down the halls of the middle school.

"What now, Maya?" 13-year-old Eri Asano asked, seemingly annoyed, but the smile on her face gave her away.

"Who's got two thumbs and is the newest Border C Rank?" Maya grinned while pointing at herself with her index fingers. "This girl!"

"You're supposed to point at yourself with your thumbs," Eri said, giving her friend a look.

"No congratulations?" Maya said.

"Of course I was getting there!" Eri said, giving Maya a playful slap on the arm. "That's awesome! You're so lucky! I've always wanted to be a Border agent!"

"It's not too late!" Maya said. "You can get in before the official thing in a month from now!" She grabbed her friend. "Let's go! Then, when we're both B Rank, we can form our own squad, and become A-Rank!"

"You really think we could do it?" Eri said.

"Of course we can! I know it!" Maya said, grinning. "The trick would be finding another member and an operator, but we can figure that out later!"

"Let's do it!" Eri said, her and Maya high-fiving. "One thing. Don't blast it out there. Ishida might hear."

"Oh no, not the Border nut!" Maya said. "Eh, we'll take care of that tomorrow. Let's go!"

15-year-old Shana Lee walked into the big, intimidating Border base in the center of Mikado City. She played with the grip shape of the Trigger in the kangaroo pocket of her sweatshirt. After a little walking, she found the registration desk.

"How can I help you?" said the person behind the desk.

"I'm foreign and here to register," Shana said.

"Did your branch director send us a note?" said Desk Person.

"Yeah," Shana said.

"Name, Squad, Base, Branch, Country, please."

"Shana Lee, Morgan Squad, New York, Northeastern, United States of America."

"Note received. Please hand me your Trigger."

Shana fished it out of her pocket and put it on the desk.

Desk Person took it, scanned it, typed a few things in, then handed it back to Shana. "You're all set!"

"Thanks," Shana said.

She walked away from the desk, and while wandering around, accidentally crashed into someone.

"Oh my god!" Shana exclaimed in English. "I'm so-" She mentally slapped herself before switching to Japanese. "I'm so sorry."

"Haha, no problem," said the person Shana bumped into, a girl about her age with long red-brown hair tied in two braids. "Your English sounds better than most people I know. You American?"

"Yeah," Shana said.

"No wonder you looked lost. This must be your first day," the girl said.

"Yeah," Shana said. "You're pretty perceptive."

"Yeah. It's my Side Effect. I read people really easily," the girl said with a smile. "Any chance you're looking for a squad? I've got an opening."

"That would be?" Shana said, raising an eyebrow.

"I can't believe I forgot to introduce myself!" the girl said, giving herself a little forehead slap. "I'm Maya Tsukiko, captain of the Tsukiko Squad."

"Shana Lee. Nice to meet you."

"Wanna come meet my other member?" Maya asked.

Shana shrugged. "Why not?"

"Hey Maya," Shana said, poking her squad leader. "Check this out."

Eri leaned over. "What?"

"There's an operator looking for a team. I just got a notification from the boards," Shana said.

"Nice," Eri said.

"Awesome! What's her name?" Maya asked.

"Kuni Ayugai."

"I think she goes to our school," Eri said.

"Yeah. I have English with her," Maya said. "Which I am failing..."

"Maya!" Eri said, giving her friend a slap on the arm.

"If you need help, you've got an American who speaks fluent English right here," Shana said, raising her hand.

"Gah, whatever," Maya said. "Let's go find her! Where's the board say she is?"

"She signed in near the vending machines," Shana said.

Maya groaned. "Not the vending machines!"

"Why not the vending machines?" Shana asked.

"A couple weeks ago, some white-haired shrimp from Tamakoma beat her after Maya beat his squad leader," Eri explained. "People often hang out near the vending machines, and she really doesn't want to run into them."

"I beat Four Eyes, then Shrimp gets me. So. Annoying. I'll get him next time," Maya ranted.

Eri grabbed Maya and dragged her out of the booth in the common area where the three were sitting. "Come on! Which would you rather do, get an operator, or not run into Shrimp and Four Eyes?"

"Eri..." Maya whined. "Fine."

At the vending machines, Maya, Eri, and Shana found a girl in an operator uniform getting a drink. She had dark brown hair streaked with teal. When she turned around, she jumped and backed into the vending machine, almost spilling her drink.

"Oh, sorry," the girl said. "You scared me." She took a look at Shana, then Eri, her gaze finally landing on Maya. "Hey, aren't you the girl in my English class who copied off my notes?"

Maya touched her neck awkwardly as her two teammates glared at her. "Haha, yeah. That's me."

"I didn't know you were in Border."

"I didn't know you were," Maya said. "Anyway, my team needs an operator, and you're an operator looking for a team. It's a win-win!"

"Sounds good to me," the girl said. "I might just want to know who you guys are first..."

"Whoops," Maya said. "We're the Tsukiko Squad. I'm Amaya Tsukiko, leader and attacker. You can call me Maya. These two do anyway." She pointed at Eri and Shana.

"I'm Eri Asano, shooter. She's kind of an idiot, but you'll get used to it," Eri said, jerking her thumb at Maya.

"Hey!" Maya said, slapping Eri on the arm.

"I'm Shana Lee, attacker. I'm American, and I don't get why Maya hasn't told me that she's failing English. Ignore those two," Shana said, pointing towards a bickering Maya and Eri. "They're best friends, but they fight like a married couple."

"Haha, sounds like I'll fit right in," the girl said. "I'm Kuni Ayugai."

"I really like your hair," Eri said.

"Thanks," Kuni said, nudging her teal-streaked hair, which sat in a messy bun on the back of her neck. "I break so many rules because of it, but eh, it's expression. Also, don't be surprised if I'm frequently covered in random splotches. I'm a messy artist."

Maya smiled. "I definitely think you'll fit right in, Kuni.