Hey guys! Irate here with another chapter! A little shorter and more boring than the previous chapter, but it's still a chapter. Don't worry though, excitement is sure to ensue in the next one! I don't own Infinite Stratos! Apparently, disclaimers before the story are much more better than after! :D
Distant Past: 9:25AM April 1st, 2032, in the small crossfire at Tokyo highway:
"Hehehahahahahaha! So this is the male IS user I heard about?!" A purple longhaired woman with an Osakan accent, and with ferocity of a bear, maniacally laughed inside her IS, while mercilessly and rapidly pummeling her powerful, steam-powered and giant fighting gauntlets towards the helpless me. I was fearfully cowering behind Chronos's gear-shaped shield to soften the blows, but it was still dealing damage because of the sheer excess force that the gauntlets blow out. Soon though, I couldn't block anymore and she launched me with her last assault punch, which made me fly and crash land on the ground, with distance between her and I. The 4 militants who were with surrounding the 'arena' cheered for their leader, who has nearly KOed her opponent.
"Ouuuhh…" I moaned in pain as I barely tried to stumble myself back on my feet. Chrono told me that this would be my first fight experience but I've never once fought anyone in combat. Plus, I had quite the number of disadvantages: those terrorists got a head start on fighting me before asking for a duel, I barely have any training unlike the opponent standing in front of me, I haven't had anything to eat ever since I found Chronos, the movements itself were incredibly clunky, etc. "C-Chrono… what do I do…? You said this would be easy…" I asked her desperately in my thoughts, but I heard no answer.
"Hehe, don't make me laugh boy!" The Osakan woman sneered, as I saw her towering over me, with only a foot between her and I. Her smile gave a maniacal twist, as she has been obsessing over something for a long time. The purple IS then gave away steam from its engines and grabbed my torso. "Your gender became weak ever since our time began! And it will keep it that way if I destroy you here and now!" She was about to crush my ribs and puncture into my heart and lungs, but-
FLASH
My armour became white and it started to spread and glow violently. The light felt like the Sun, as I was engulfed by it. I saw her let go and cover her eyes with her massive gauntlets, while the rest of the terrorists shielded their eyes as well. My injuries faded as if it was magic, and I felt a shock of bravery coming within me. As the light shined even more, a voice came to me out of the blue.
"I can tell you desire power…"
M-me…?
"I can tell you desire strength…"
I just want to get out… but I can't even lay a scratch on her…
"Do you want to defeat her…?"
Y-Yes…
"Good. Now close your eyes… and awaken your true self and your true potential…!"
I closed my eyes and I felt an odd twitch in my brain, yet it felt familiar… So damn familiar that it felt like nothing at all once it passed. But I let it take over, as my arms and legs tightened within the grip of Chronos. After the light subsided and everything faded to black, I only heard two voices talking to each other. One of them was certainly the Osakan woman, but the other one sounded… different. It was of no one I once have known, but it felt like I knew who it belonged to:
"W-What?! You were fighting me with the initial set-ups?!"
"Hehehe… so what are you waiting for? Weren't you gonna say that you think my gender and its pride are weak? What about now, after the 1st shift, eh?"
"Ergh… men are still men, even if they are using the same weapon!"
"Hmph! Always the same, before and after combat…! I'll send you to hell personally!"
What… what was happening?
Present: 7:51PM April 4th, 2032, after class, in the student dormitories hall…
"Hmmmm..." I said in my head. I was walking down the hallways after the classes, lunch, more classes and dinner. At least the food was good, but the classes were just boring. Wish I wasn't so bombarded by so many girls though…
"What are you thinking, master?" Chrono's voice resonated in my head.
"Remember that time when we entered 1st shift?" I said. I remembered that memory like it was yesterday; fighting that crazy Osakan lady in a terrorist group was quite scary… "What ever happened after that fight?"
"Oh, ummm…" Chrono sounded as though she tried to remember. "You blacked out because… you were hungry! Yeah, and… the military from this town found you and picked you up! Right that's what happened!" was what she came up with.
"I see…" I replied, as I remember the punches from the IS the purple haired woman landed on me. I still felt their pain… but it's all done and in the past now.
As I approached my new dorm room, knocked and opened the door to my new room 2042, I heard showering. "H-Hello?" I called out. "I'm your new roommate! I'm c-coming in!"
"H-Huh? Oh, already?" A voice from the bathroom came out and into my ears. "I'll be in you care." They sound so familiar. But when the person came out from the bathroom with nothing but a pink towel… "I'm Shinono-."
I immediately covered my eyes as my cheeked blushed from the sight I saw in a lapse of two seconds. "I-Ichika?! What are you doing here?!" Houki looked at me, with widened eyes, as she immediately grabbed her wooden kendo sword resting on the chair next to her.
"H-Huh? W-W-Wait a minute!" I jumped out of the way as she did an overhead slash near me. She was about to do a stabbing style of kendo; I closed the door in front of her. But as soon as I did, the sword went through the door, with my eyes widened by the amount of strength she had with a wooden sword. The door immediately flung open to reveal a red-faced Houki, still with the towel though. Her eyes were filled with embarrassment and anger as she stepped out of the door in her sword stance with a tight grip. No no no… This totally wasn't a good start to my year…
"Ehhhh! Shinonono-san!" A voice came from my right. I turned to see the both sides of the hallway filled with girls, some looking peeved, others looking worried, and a few smiling.
"Never knew she would go for this early…"
"Shinonono, you daring girl…"
"But didn't he act scary today? Isn't she scared?"
"So that's what she's into~!"
This only made Houki angrier, as she heard those comments. Her fist tightened as she again lunged at me with another overhead slash. I closed my eyes to await the pain but-.
GRASP
Huh? I opened my eyes to see both of my hands clasping on the blade, as it was a technique I… knew? Houki was stunned by the tactic, while the spectators were awed from… my technique.
"B-Blade Grasp…" She muttered, before stepping away back into her room and shutting the door. I can tell she wasn't too fond of handling her blade. But I did feel hickey from all the stares going towards me.
"Wow, Tempo-san…!" Most of the girls said as they stare in awe, with eyes-a-sparkling. A couple was giggling from the situation I'm in. Yeah… quite a year indeed…
Yep, a year to behold…
Present: 8:00PM April 4th, in room 2042, after some 'settling down':
"So then why do you hate showering in the kendo club showers?" I said, sitting on the bottom half of the left bed, legs outward.
"I-I just prefer my shower here, that's all…" Houki made a small blush.
"Oh, if you say so." I said, scratching my head.
"Then you tell me," She swapped her voice into a serious tone as she looked at me. "Why are you, a guy, in a girl's dorm?"
"T-They don't have my new dorm room prepared yet…" I told her, with a sigh to start off. "It can take a while, so this shouldn't be too bad." I gave her a reassuring smile, but it only reddened the blush.
"Well, they shouldn't be sharing rooms!"
"I'm not sleeping outside…"
"Fine… I get it, Ichika…"
"Why do you keep calling me that…?" I gave her a confused look, but I knew deep down why she would call me that.
"A-Ah, I mean Tempo-san…" She looked away.
"Thanks, Shinonono-san." I said with a cheery tone, as I got up to take a good shower. I need some immediate relief from the trip to the dorms, and my body needs to loosen up a bi-…
"Why are there no toilets in the bathroom?" I asked Houki on the other side of the pink walls.
"There are none. They are at the ends of the hallways." She answered back. "Why?"
Great… "Oh, it's nothing…"
Distant Present: 8:34AM Tuesday, April 5th, 2032, at the mess hall:
~Yawn…~
A great sleep, and to complement that, a great meal! I was ready to chow down on the Academy's served platter for breakfast: a cup of tea and miso soup, steamed dumplings on the side, an omelette with cheese and asparagus, a BLT sandwich and French buttered toast to top it off! When I took a bite into my BLT, it felt like I haven't ate anything good for so long. Houki was also sitting beside me, eating her comparatively small meal, and having a cold look. Well, she always had that look, but…
"Wow, Tempo-kun~!" One girl said behind me. I turned to see her staring at my platter of food. "That's a lot of food!" What she had… was just a slice of sweetened toast.
"D-Don't worry! I can finish it!" I nervously smiled at her, reassuring that I won't be throwing up all of it in the hallways.
"He is a guy after all, so he does eat a lot." Another girl walked up beside her, assuring her of that perk.
"Yeah, but… this much? I guess he needs the energy." A third girl approached the conversation. I gave a sigh and continued eating, being a little nervous, but still eating.
"You sure are popular, Tempo-san." Houki said, still giving the cold shoulder to me. I gave another sigh. Don't give me that tone…
"Heeheehee~ Oh Master, I never thought you were good with 'girls'~!" Chrono giggled and teased at the back of my head. You don't need to give me that tone as well! Just the thought of the 'girls' ringing in my head wasn't enough to make me lose my appetite. At least these girls were nice to me…
"They are different, Chrono…!" I softly snapped to myself in my head as I swallowed the last of my BLT, full and satisfied with my breakfast. The three girls that were grouping behind me turned into a large crowd, wondering how I can eat so much, and whether I'll grow fat or not. "These ones are more… 'friendlier'." I told her again, as the girls now tried to introduce themselves to me, and sat down and ate with me as well. It felt really welcoming as time went by, and I was mostly able to memorize the names.
"Hmph, don't give me that… They're just after-."
"Okay, let's not go that far, Grumpy-pants…" I smiled calmly. I was guessing He wasn't an early morning riser.
"Grumpy… pants…? Ughh…"
"Pfft, hahaha~! Grumpy-pants~"
"Oh har-dee-har har…" Chronos couldn't help but howl with laughter in my head. I can tell she was waiting for that one to happen. But it was just to get back at him from yesterday.
"HEY! HOW SLOW DO YOU GIRLS EAT?!" Chifuyu's voice rang throughout the mess hall as she was standing near the entrance. All the girls went ahead and started to munch on their small meals. I left them to their meals, since I finished mine during the conversations, and headed straight to class. But as I walked out the main door, I couldn't help but to feel two small glances behind me. It's part of the sharp and cold variaties too… but I didn't bother to look behind me.
Later: 9:58AM April 5th, 2032, Classroom 1-1, before class begins:
Whose stares were those…?
Through the mob of female students cluttering the hall, it somehow took me a bit of time to scuffle my way through towards the chattering room of fellow students. But somehow, ever since the glances back at the mess hall, I felt really uneasy about today, especially since one of the stares were still on my trail. I looked towards the direction of the cold, hardened stare as I walked, only to notice Cecilia giving off that look.
"Why didn't I take next week on Monday…?" I thought and sighed. I certainly didn't want to take on a fight so early as tomorrow.
I sat down at my desk with books and everything ready to sleep on through the lesson, while Yamada-sensei entered in through the automatic door. She looks a little more tired than usual though; her hair was a little messier and her eyes looked a little sleepy and dead. She wasn't smiling either; she looked deadpanned. Did she have a rough night?
"A-Ah! Orimura-kun!" She muttered under her breath, enough volume in the voice for me to hear.
"Sensei, it's not Orimura!" I snapped back at her, but trying to hold my breath in, as I didn't want her to cry in public. But surprisingly, she didn't react like that.
"There is a meeting that you must go to in half n' hour." She said monotonously. "Orimura-sensei will accompany you throughout the meeting." I was sort of concerned with her lack of… energy, rather than the meeting.
"Umm sure, but…" I looked at her eyes, as if they were a coloured shade of void. "You alright?"
"I just need some water…" She said, rubbing her eyes and taking off her glasses, as she walked out of the classroom. I honestly think she does. Maybe teaching does that to you…?
"Alright, take your seats! Homeroom classes have begun!" Chifuyu announced from the entrance of the room. The students in our class took their seats as a few of them went back out the door. As everything got in order, she began to speak up front to the class.
"As you all know, we'll have our first IS battle for this class tomorrow at Wednesday morning between Alcott-san and Tempo-san." Chifuyu reminded the class. Of coruse, they didn't need the reminder, as that's all they were hoping to see tomorrow. Cecilia gave a sneer indicating… her arrogance, I guess. I'm not so good with reading people. "So for today, I'll be going through the parameters of the IS match…" I immediately dozed off from the talk.
"Hmm..."
"What's up?" I said in my thoughts. When that voice appeared in my head and it was concerned in its own thinking process, I knew there was something really up.
"Your teacher used to sound cheery and ditzy, some traits that didn't make a teacher…"
"Yeah… what do you suspect is up?"
"Good. Guess the officials finally went to change homeroom teachers. I don't like cheery people…"
"Ahem…" I make a sound that indicated clearing my throat in my head.
"But I will say that there was something not right about this…" Chrono at least agrees with me. "Maybe you should look at your sister's memories again?"
"Well… I don't want to be caught sleeping again." I replied in my thoughts, with assurance that I seriously don't want to be slapped with another 5-inch thick notebook.
"Alright, I'll keep your eyes wide open! Just glance at your watch, then it'll do the rest for you." She insisted and instructed on me to the watch. I gave a small nod to myself, opened my watch under the desk and closed my eyes…
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH
Distant Past: 9:32AM April 5th, 2032, in the teacher's dorm:
Chifuyu's POV
"So, you're going to let him back in via scheduled meeting, are you…?" I said, even though I hated the fact that my family is going to stop at nothing to get him back. Is him using an IS all they want from him…?
"Yep you know it, Onee-san!" Madoka, my younger, spunky but more sadistic, sister replied. "Even if he does say no, we'll offer him many things! If not, we'll do some more 'convincing', but if that doesn't work, then we'll have no choice but to do the usual… you know~!"
"Even if you tried, he'd still say no." I told her. It was obvious that what we did from those past years, he'll still reject. "And I will not be part of that meeting… I'm teaching a class filled with idiots, you know." I sipped my bottle of water as I walked out of my room, with materials and everything on one hand, cellular phone on the other.
"Awww, at least bring Ichika-san to the meeting, pleeeease~?" She begged. I just kept walking, but after a few minutes of non-stop pleading, I gave in.
"Fine… I guess Yamada-kun can teach, while I bring him over to the room. But nothing more, got it?" I replied, with much defeat in my voice.
"Yay~ sis!" She cheered over the phone. God this girl… I felt the need to break something already. "So we'll be there in half an hour, set up until 10:30AM and-!"
SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOWP
Present: 10:17AM April 5th, 2032, Classroom 1-1
Tempo's POV
Owwww! What the-?! Who cut me out?!
"Hey, you worthless idiot! Wake up!" I opened my eyes to see nothing, but to feel a sort of blindfold over top of it. On my head was the feeling of pain. I opened the blindfold to see Chifuyu's deathly eyes (more angrier than yesterday, I'll give you that) staring down on me. I shuddered as the rest of the class giggled behind me.
"What is it?" I asked as I removed the blindfold entirely.
"Stop sleeping in my class!" Her glare and voice was like a dozen bears, but I felt a little too sleepy to be scared. It could have been the big breakfast, but who cares?
"I know this stuff already." I told her. I would be scared, but I needed to act calm, just like how I learned to. But that tone angered her more as she slammed her palms on my desk, making the books fly an inch high, then going back down.
"Okay, I get it…" I meekly said, hands up towards her, telling her I got the idea. She straightened herself and gave a few breaths to regain her composure.
"Okay. Now I'm pretty sure Yamada-sensei will be back any time, so come with me." She said, with much composure, but clenching her fist, saying 'Don't try to squeeze out of this'.
"D-Do I ha-?"
"Yes!"
"Alright." I got up, picked up the blindfold (it was a green cotton, with eye prints on it… very brilliant of you, Chrono), and walked with her reluctantly out of the class. I turned to get a last look before I go though. Some of the girls looked confused about the meeting, others are still giggling about the sleeping incident. Houki has a very annoyed glare on her face, while Cecilia has a sneering feeling flushed over her body. I, on the other hand, felt kind of sweaty and shaky. I didn't want to see them again. Not after so many years of endless torture and pain… and what they have labeled me as…
Past: 5:02PM Sunday, October 4th 2023, somewhere in the Orimura household…
…
… …
…ugggghhhhhh…where am I…? …Why is it so dark…?
The fresh scent of blood lurked in my head, and everything was hurting all over. I painfully looked around to only see dim lamps around me. The rest was blanketed in murk. I tried to move my beaten arms and slashed legs but they seemed to be strapped on tight, and blood came out of the wounds. It felt like the torture room I've seen in eternity, and torture felt the most painful, so being locked in one is never a pretty feeling, but I couldn't tell… After being here for… who knows how long… who would care for me…
"My oh my… your little 'son' has finally awoken from all that pain~…" A slurring female voice rang in the air, when hearing those words made me try to struggle out in vain. Who's… voice is that…? And why does it feel so hot…?
"Yes… this little brat never learns, doesn't he…?" M-Mother…? The heat intensified.
"I agree~. It's sad this brat never followed what we said… now he's lower than garbage~!" N-N-Nee-san…? If there were flames, they would be touching my back now…!
"It's time we labeled him out of the family… for good!" No… don't do it… please O-Onee-sa-!
"AAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGHH HHHHHHHH!" Something stung my back as I screamed my lungs out… something hot and tasted like condensed hell with pain incarnate. It felt as though it lasted for countless hours, scorching without end. I heard maniacal laughter filling the air, as if it was mocking the very sight of an actual torture scene. It really did feel like the deep layers of hell… The devil was kissing me down to the very core of my soul. As the pain finally ended, there was nothing… Everything black, except for one phrase that echoed in my head…
"Know your place, heretic…"
Present: 10:28AM, April 5th, 2032, in the classroom hallways:
Ugh… My back grimaced in pain, as well as my head, as I slowed down from behind Chifuyu, who was leading me to the Orimura's. Eventually it came to a stop, because the pain felt so vivid and realistic and boy, did it feel like pain from another tomorrow…
Honestly, I didn't want to go, but it wouldn't be courageous of me to face it… To face my past will be torturous and it would be really painful, but I have to… Just like how that voice told me before at the school…
"Hey, keep up, will you?" Chifuyu's voice reached to my ear, as I saw her a few meters away. She had the stern look, yet she also had her 'I don't care' attitude with her. If I weren't her student, I would ignore her and just run. But that wasn't the case…
"Yeah…" I got up and jogged back to her distance and we just kept walking until 3 minutes later, when we have reached a secluded door, different from the rest. Chifuyu just looked at me when she stopped at the door and turned. She nudged me to go in with closed eyes, while I saw her walk back to the direction of Classroom 1-1. Some teacher…
I turned around to meet the door. It was certainly different: it was automatic like the other doors but this one had a more… darker hue to it. I gulped and took a deep breath. It wasn't easy to meet with the people you hate with all your heart and soul, as they try to win you back and apologize for the mishaps they did to you. They would shower you with gold and love, give you comfortable hospitality and you know… in my case, use me for their own purposes. Well, as Chronos said to me before:
"If you wish to obtain my power and your dreams… then show me your courage."
I gotta do this. I took my sweaty palm and it went towards the do-.
OPEN
"NIIIIIIIIII-SAAAAAAAN~~~!" A voice cheered as someone barreled right through and slammed into me. I was certainly caught by surprise and was knocked backwards. As it turns out, the person was a woman with black hair, all long and is apparently hugging me. She had a maroon dress over her body, stockings on her legs and long heels.
"N-Nii-san?!" I questioned in awkwardness, as I immediately, but not forcefully, pushed her away. That means… I'm her brother? I looked at her, as she's releasing me from the hug. She had blood red eyes staring at me, and a large smile on her face. She had a hairpin in her black hair, resembling an iron cross with a ruby-shaped rose in its central bind.
"It's been too long, nii-san!" She cheerfully said as she straightened her hair to let it flow, after launching herself like a cannon. "What's with the blond hair and contacts?! Never thought you wanted to look hip!"
"Shut up. What the hell do you want?" I replied back, with much disdain. I didn't want her to waste my time.
"Aww~, is that how you talk back to Madoka-nee~?" She told me in a playful stern voice, as if she was the elder sister, but it felt more mocking than playful. I just grunted back with, again, much disdain.
"Oh, right! Anyway, the rest of the family wants to see you!" She said as she removed herself from the door's way.
"SURPRIIISE!" *confetti*
"Oh, uhhh…" A… surprise welcome party…? But… aside from the usual gang, who are those guys… and why do they have guns?
So what do you think? Post comments, read, review, fav or follow! Please! PLEEEASE! *begs on the floor, with tattered shirt and pants*