It was hot, really hot. The time wasn't long after sunrise but the temperature had already shot up from the cool night. Maybe it was the sea breeze? They were after all in a racing circuit near the artificial island of Odaiba. It was likely the fault of the sea winds. Or at least, Ichika wanted to blame the sea winds. Honestly he wasn't well-versed in meteorology, or if he knew anything at all. If you think about it, or even if you don't Orimura Ichika wouldn't have known about such. He is still an ordinary highschool boy after all. Albeit, a highschool boy who is the only male able to pilot a certain superweapon. The heat was too great and standing out here in the middle of the asphalt track did nothing to alleviate the feeling. Rather, Ichika now had a newfound empathy for Teppanyaki as it was exactly how he felt on the blacktop.

"It's really hot.", the young man fanned himself with an offhand comment. Though he would just like to stick his tongue out and lay on the ground, that would be equal to lying down on a bed of coals. That was just how hot the road was. Not to mention it would make for an unsightly appearance in this crowd.

Looking up, the bleachers were really full. He noted that the sky boxes above those seats were filled with people as well. People in distinctly crisp suits that spoke of wealth and the blocky build of TV cameras spread out around them.

"Oh? They're televising this event aren't they? Cannonball Fast."

"Yes, they are."

The voice was high pitched. One that unmistakably belonged to a girl.

"Cecilia.", Ichika turned to his classmate and one of his close friends within the whole school.

Curled golden ringlets flipped in mid-air. They glistened like precious metals in the sun, their glaring brilliance contrasting the soft glow of silken skin of the British representative cadet, Cecilia Alcott.

"Ichika-san, as the class representative, you need to be more aware of the events happening in school. My goodness, you are even a staff of the central student council who is supposed to have participated in arranging this event. Why is it that I am more informed?"

"Ahehehe", Ichika laughed uneasily at those remarks. There really wasn't much he could say. Between IS training, schoolwork, extracurricular activities and hanging out with everyone, there just wasn't anything left in the tank for him anymore. It was a miracle he was somehow catching up with lessons in class. "Sorry Cecilia, there's just been a lot going on right now. I'm glad that you're around. Or else I might have died from exhaustion or another.".

Sighing, Cecilia gave the young man a light smile. "I'm still looking forward to that rematch Ichika-san. I'd prefer it if you live until then."

"So do I. Until then, I'll be counting on you class vice-representative.".

"Yes, yes. Do you best as well class representative.", she walked away in a dignified dismissal.

Ichika couldn't understand that girl. One second she was hating his guts, the next she was holding him by the hand through all the most difficult parts of his career. It was a question of whether he should be wary or grateful. Unable to decide, he settled on both.

"Ichika!"

The young man did a 180 post-haste. He knew the owner of that voice was just as if not even more volatile than the British girl. "H-Houki!", Ichika recognized his childhood friend.

Houki glared at Ichika with accusing eyes. The general meanness surrounding her feeling as natural as the ponytail she always wore. Her eyes were steady, watching his reactions. She shook her head telling him, "Get in line. We're starting, class representative.".

Ichika recoiled at how venomous that title was on Houki's lips. She sounded very irritated for some reason. Based on experience, Houki had always been a spitfire. Always quiet and just suddenly exploding, she was less a firecracker and more a bomb. No one knew what set her off, not even him who'd been close with her for over two years. He could only pick up on subtle hints to when she'd explode. What caused them though was still a wholly different story. But for now, there was no time to think on her irritation, because the races were indeed starting.


"LAADIIIIEEEES AAAAND GENTLEMEEEEEEEEN! Right now we are about to start today's event. The high-speed, adrenaline-high CANNONBAAAAAALL FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSST!"

A girl in a shoulderless checker-flag top was standing on top of a floating platform. It must have been powered by some form of PIC because there was no support whatsoever. For the people in the bleachers, this was a miraculous spectacle, a once in a lifetime novelty of sight they could not miss even. But for those who came from Infinite Stratos Academy and those who worked closely with them, this was not the case. Such a platform was paltry compared to what they were normally exposed to. The platform was most likely a derivation of IS derived technology. Probably an experimental model as well. Such technology was something IS spear-headed in research, and laws stating ISA to be its own independent island nation meant no other country had such a thing. Cannonball fast having access to it was thanks to the cooperation of ISA in organizing this event.

The platform moved up to the center of the stadium and streams of light barely seen through the intensity of the morning sun coalesced into a giant ball in the middle. It was a giant three dimensional imaging screen, courtesy of the same holo-screen technology ISA used.

"So if you would please... GET READY TO BLAST THE SOUND BARRIER!"

SCHWAAAA~!

The crowd roared in their cheers

"They certainly are being flashy about this whole thing."

Watching through a lonely glowing screen, two women sat in a dim room. Well one sat while the other stood. The deafening cheers of the crowd thrumming through thick walls all the way from the bleacher to their place in the central control room.

"It can't be helped senpai. Cannonball fast is the only other IS related event next to Mondo Grosso."

"Hmph, that's just because IS is relatively young to the public eye. As people adapt to the IS, more and more similar events should pop up."

The seated woman smiled, "Well when you come back out of retirement, I'll look forward to you winning them all Ms. First Mondo Grosso Champion Orimura Chifuyu."

"Ohohoho, did I just hear you want to have natto in your tea Yamada?"

"Aaah! Nooo!"


Excitement coursed through the crowd. She was just as excited to be honest. Not because she was much into IS but instead because of the piece of paper clutched in her hand. No, it wasn't anything special. It was a ticket, on it was written "Cannonball Fast". It had a barcode and a letter-number combination printed on it. Normally one would cost over ten thousand yen to get such a good seat as hers. Maybe even fifty thousand. But the ticket she had was free, it was given to her. That person who gave the ticket to her made it special. But...

"Just as expected of the Cannonball Fast.", the girl sighed as she looked around the surging sea of people. They were all seated but the energy they gave off was suffocating in its thickness. The tension giving her this sense of claustrophobia. Walking down the aisles of seats, she was searching for her own. "C-block seat G-32, C-block seat G-32.", she repeated the phrase to herself like a mantra. Her amber eyes scanned over the labels of the rows and columns of bleachers. She was so focused on her task that she did not notice walking into someone until it was too late.

"Kyah!"

The girl squeaked in surprise.

"Are you alright little princess?"

The girl with the ticket blushed red as her hair. She voice that called to her was sultry at best, seductive at worst. It belonged to a woman but the sheer husk and smoothness of tone made it so pleasant to the ears that the sensation rendered her knees weak.

"Uh-uh-I'm uh... fine!", the girl forced out. She was faintly aware that an arm was wrapped around her, most likely that woman's. She wanted to apologize quickly but that was difficult to accomplish. When she laid eyes on the woman who saved her, those weak knees of hers promptly gave out.

"Whoa there.", the woman smiled in surprise at the sudden weight that added onto her arm.

"S-Sorry.", the red girl tried hard to keep the swoon from coming onto her voice.

It was hard not to swoon. The woman who'd caught the girl was gorgeous. Perhaps such words as beautiful and sublime could not even begin to describe her. The only response one's brain could give was to say the woman was perfect. The woman was of a slender build, with toned muscles hidden under soft fair skin. She was taller than the girl and had sun spun hair that fell flirtatiously to her waist. Her face was well featured with deep green eyes and a radiant smile. A beauty mark residing underneath one eye served to throw the perfect symmetry off features such as high cheeks and well defined nose, but such a loss only garnered a yearning to see the woman more. If only to behold the moment her beauty to be complete.

"No worries there.", the woman chuckled at how cute the red-haired girl was. "I wasn't quite looking where I was going either so we're even I suppose.".

"Um... uh...", the girl tried to search for a topic to talk with this glamorous person about but her mind was drawing a blank.

A moment or two pass where the woman was clearly taking amusement of the cute fumbling of the girl before her. "What's your name?", she offered an icebreaker.

"Oh... Ah!... Oh...", clueless surprise painted the girls features. The rouge of a natural blush covering pouty cheeks "I-I'm Ran! Gotanda Ran! It's nice to meet you miss.".

"Hmhmhmhm... I 'll introduce myself. But first. I'd think we should stand properly first yes?"

Looking down at themselves, Ran noticed that the woman still had an arm around her. She quickly scuttled to stand on her own power. Embarrassment was radiating off her in waves that the woman just took in stride and amusement.

"I'm really sorry.", Ran bowed her head in apology once more.

The woman smiled and waved the teen off, "I already said it's fine.". "As promised, my name is Squall Meusel. Can I ask what you're doing here alone Ran? Were you separated from your family by the crowd?"

Ran shook her head, "N-no. I came alone. A f-f-friend gave me a free ticket.".

"Mmm... well I came alone as well. But seeing this crowd, it's quite dangerous for a girl to be alone don't you think?", Squall smiled and winked.

Ran was suddenly concious of herself. She inspected her shoes and swore that she could feel steam radiating from her whole being. "Y-Yes. I think so too.", the teen felt compelled to reply thusly.

Squall took Ran's hand in one velvet glove, "How about we seat together then?".

"Uh... Um... yes.", Ran acquiesced.

The two women walked hand in hand looking for a paired seating. The blonde amongst them turned her gaze from an embarrassed red head to the sky. The smile she kept on her face changed ever so slightly. The festivities were beginning.


"Yuuuuuzuuuuuuu-chaaaaaan! Saaaayuuuuuriiii-chaaaaan! Ooooveeeeerrrrrr heeeeeeere!", a girl in an attention grabbing mascot costume was waving her arms lazily overhead. This caused people to stare at her more.

"You're oddly energetic today Honne-chan.", Tanimoto Yuzu smiled uneasily at her friend's grab at unwanted attention.

Behind the twin-tailed girl was another with black hair extending just below the shoulder blades. Her name is Yorutake Sayuri.

"It's Cannonball Fast! Anyone would be excited right?", Sayuri's smile set in a practical grin.

"Come quiiicklyyyy! I've been saving your seats for some time nooooooooow!"

"Awesome Honne-chan!", Sayuri cheered as she ran towards the section of bleachers her friend was at.

"Alsoooooooo, did you guys get popcooooooooorn?"

Yuzu sighed her discontent. "In the end it's because of the snacks huh?". Despite that sigh, a gentle warmth was coming from the twin-tailed brunette's expression. "Don't worry Honne-chan! We got you popcorn and iced tea too!"

"YAY!"


"Is there anything interesting outside the window?"

PA!

The sound of a wood and paper fan snapping shut reverberated off the dense rich wood walls of the luxury sky box. A playful smile on ruby red lips and eyes gave a mysterious reply, "Just enjoying the sight of my fellow students having fun Director Kazu."

Across the red-eyed girl who spoke was a man in a suit. Taejima Kazu, Project Director for Hidegeki Heavy Industries. Unlike most of the other company heads in other sky boxes, the suit he wore was a dull brown and his worn hands held no form of liquor, visual aid or gadgetry. Even his celphone was tucked away neatly in his pockets. All in all the man looked faded, making him appear to be an age of fifty despite being at a young age of thirty five.

"I'm glad to hear that Sarashiki-san."

"Please.", the ISA central student council president interjected, "call me Tatenashi."


Everyone's hearts are racing! Let's all reach the goal!

Cosmic and Stratos!

Cannonball fast! KITTTAAAAAAAAAAA!