The Iron Dragon
Chapter 4
I don't Own High School DXD or any other material.
"Talk about a shocker" Issei said as he stepped out of his armor.
"you know that real magic exists along with science. Just look at the stories of Doctor Strange" Lain said.
"I always hated those stories. Magic always pissed me off" Issei said as he activated the repair programs.
"Yet they and monsters exist" Lain said.
"Like Rias Gremory" Issei said sitting in his chair.
"Now don't think like that. You don't know the whole story. Maybe she was right, and that creature really was a monster" Lain said.
"There were plenty of monsters in the old days, and the old heroes never had to kill them" Issei said.
"Different worlds" Lain said.
"Just don't do anything stupid. Kiba's still your friend" Lain said.
"Yeah" Issei said. Over the next few days Issei kept a closer eye on Ria's Gremory, Akeno Himejima and even Kiba. At school he saw no signs of the callousness Rias showed when she executed the snake monster. Rias and Akeno were considered the first and second great ladies of Kuoh for their intelligence, maturity, kindness and beauty. Kiba was seen the same way, the prince of the school for his charm, chivalry and good looks.
"Guess I'm not the only one with a secret identity" Issei thought as they ate lunch and Issei stared out at the sky.
"Are you alright, you seem distracted?" Kiba asked.
"Oh, it's nothing, just a lot on my mind" Issei replied.
"Would you like to talk about it?" Kiba asked truly concerned for his friend.
"Don't worry" Issei said touched.
"Maybe Lain is right" Issei thought. Over the same days Issei also recalibrated his sensors to search out the same dead zone as the one the strange monster had seemed to generate.
"I hate magic and monsters, but they exist, and as the only hero in the city, I have a responsibility to protect it from them, even Rias Gremory and Kiba" Issei said.
"You could just ask them. I thought Kiba was your friend" Lain asked him.
"He is, but not enough that I feel safe confronting him about what I saw or letting him know about being Iron man. Maybe somewhere down the road, but for now I'm going to keep my eye on them as both Issei and Iron Man, to make sure there not a threat" Issei said. At the same time work on the Gundam was moving quickly, his friends just needing a little push before taking control of their project, leaving Issei little to do but supply the resources and give advice when needed.
"This reminds me of some of the group projects back at MIT. Maybe mom and dad were right about me coming here" Issei thought as he watched them work.
"In a week we'll have it put together and ready for a test run" Shinji said.
"The question is, who gets to pilot it?" Matsuda asked.
"Forget it" Reika said.
"Yea, I'm out" Daisuke added.
"You guys are wimps" Matsuda chided them.
"then you pilot it" Kenichi said.
"All right I will" Matsuda said.
"Why not have stupid Shinji Pilot it?" A new voice asked behind them. They all turned to see a pretty girl with read hair a shade different than Rias with crystal blue eyes standing looking at the Gundam.
"Hey Asuka" Shinji said.
"Is she?" Issei asked
"Yes" The rest of the team said.
"and she's from?" Issei asked
"Yes" they replied.
"So, this is the other university graduate here" The girl said walking up to him and giving him a once over.
"Hmm your kind of cute, in a manly sort of way" Asuka said.
"Okay if Misato Katsuragi walks through the door next, I'm rage quitting" Issie said and Asuka blinked and burst out laughing.
"You're pretty funny" She said giving him a friendly grin.
"So how about it Shin-Chan?" Asuka said and even Issei could see the pure affection in the look she gave him.
"I've been thinking about it" The boy said.
"Really?" Matsuda asked.
"I know every aspect of the systems programming, including the control scheme. Besides, I really want to pilot it" Shinji said blushing.
"Well consider yourself Unit-01s official pilot, pilot Ikari" Issei said making Shinji sigh in exasperation as Asuka laughed and slung an arm around Shinji's neck.
"So, Unit-01?" Matsuda asked.
"it's a good prototype name, and we can always think of something better later" Issei said.
"Man, I thought I was a good programmer, but Shinji's on a whole other level and he doesn't even know it" Issei said going over copies of the boy's code he had made.
"Your right. This is impressive, but Shinji is solely a programmer" Lain said.
"Sometimes a specialist is what you need" Issei said.
"This code can cut the response time and processing speed of the armor by almost a full second" Issei said.
"And using it in the armor will help refine the code even more to put back into the Gundam's systems" Lain added as Issie nodded.
"Of course, we need to be careful to make sure it doesn't become too advanced." Issei said and Lain nodded.
"The last thing I need is a psycho terminator brother" Lain said shivering slightly.
"Okay, lets load it into the armor and take it for a test" Issei said. It took an hour to integrate Shinji's system code into his armors mainframe, but at last it was finished and as Issei flew around the city, he could feel the difference in response time between his commands and the armor and its processing speed.
"Its is if it really can read my mind now" Issei said as he barely had to think of moving right and he was shooting in that direction.
"The data processing is almost instantaneous and considering the terabytes of information being processed every second." Lain said.
"I think Mr. Ikari hit pay dirt with this" Issei said.
"He Shinji lets eat lunch together" Issei said finding Shinji coming out of his class with Asuka.
"Oh sure, can Asuka join us?" He asked.
"Of course, I'm joining you" Asuka butted in.
"So, don't get mad, but I copied your system code and was running through…simulations of my own, and dude you've created something special" Issie said.
"R…really?" Shinji asked blushing.
"Take a look" Issie said pulling out a tablet and handing it to the boy.
"This…this is impossible" Shinji said as Asuka looked over his shoulder.
"Shies, look at that data load, what the hell were you running this on?" Asuka asked.
"Just a pet project of my own" Issei said.
"But forget about that. Shinji, I want us to keep refining this code. Right now, it cut a full second of response time and processing speed, but I think we can push it to two, maybe three" Issei said.
"Now hold on. Shinji's kept me up to speed on what you guys are doing. If you cut the computers response time down that much, you'll put it beyond the pilot's abilities" Asuka said.
"Maybe, unless…" Shinji wondered.
"Unless what baka?" Asuka asked and Issei saw the concern in her eyes.
"Unless, we think about creating a zero system" Shinji said.
"Are you nuts?" Asuka almost shouted at him.
"I'm with Asuka. I'm all for pushing the envelope as much as anyone but a real life zero system is dangerous not only for the pilot but for everyone. The last thing we need is for you to go bug nuts at the cultural festival." Issei said.
"True, but if it's possible?" Shinji mumbled.
"If it's possible then go for it" Issei said and they both looked at him.
"I have a dozen ideas I'm working on at any one time, but this one, this is yours" Issei said and blushing Shinji nodded.
"But just not in a prototype in front of the entire school" Issei said.
"Right but thank you Issie. I've worried what my thesis would be when I go to university, but now I've found it" Shinji said.
"Geeze dude live in the present for a bit" Issei said.
"Okay, Mr. Millionaire MIT" Shinji teased and they both laughed.
"Still, Asuka's right, we can cut down the time, but not too much or it'll work against the pilot" Shinji said.
"Why aren't you in the engineering club?" Issei asked.
"Because she's in the science club" Shinji said smiling sweetly at her.
"You idiots build your little toys, while we consider the mysteries of the universe" Asuka said proudly.
"Sure, we'll make things to help change the world while you guys have fun playing around in your own heads" Issei replied making her blush and Shinji chuckle, and Asuka laughed along with them.
"Hey, do me a favor?" Asuka asked.
"Sure." Issei said.
"Keep an eye on this idiot. He's smart but he has no confidence in himself. He needs a kick in the ass every now and then to show his true potential" Asuka said.
"Hey Asuka!" Shinji whined earning a laugh from the other two. The weeks passed with nothing eventful happening. Issei patrolled the city stopping petty crimes, but nothing like the bank robbery he stopped his first time out, proving just how peaceful the city truly was and how well the police patrolled it. No more of the strange creatures popped up on his scans of the city, and he got over what he had seen and his friendship with Kiba became stronger than ever. Finally, at the end of spring and the beginning of summer the Kuoh cultural festival arrived. The whole school turned out as each class and club set up their booths and attractions. Food stalls, games, shows, even cafes all sprung up around the campus presenting a never-ending entertainment for one day.
"Man, I completely forgot how cool this is" Issei breathed as he and the club walked through the bedlam on the way to corner of the sports field where they had stowed the Gundam as the field was the only place they could do a proper presentation. Getting under the tarp they set up their computers and ran diagnostics on the mobile suite.
"Everything looks good" Shinji said.
"Then you should get in" Matsuda said, and Shinji nodded. He had already proved he was a natural pilot by walking the Mobile suit out to the field yesterday and there had been not glitches or mishaps.
"Oh, Shinji I made you something" Issei said tossing the boy a plastic wrapped package.
"Go get changed" Issei said as Shinji looked at him confused and walked away to go find some privacy.
"Are you kidding me with this Issei?" Shinji asked and the six of them turned to look to see Shinji dressed in a skintight light blue and black body suite.
"Is that?" Matsuda asked.
"Yep, I fabricated it yesterday" Issei said with a shit eating grin on his face. Shinji glared at him when they heard a wolf whistle behind them.
"Looking sexy baka" Asuka said coming under the tarp.
"I have one for you too" Issie said tossing her another plastic wrapped package.
"Really, and it's really real, just like that one?" Asuka asked.
"It's really real" Issie said as she ran out. Two minutes later she walked back dressed in her pure red plug suite that showed off every last one of her curves.
"Ah I was hoping for the one from the Rebuild movie" She said disappointed.
"You mean the one that's practically see through from the waist to the butt?" Issei asked.
"Yea, the sexy version, that's my favorite" Asuka said. Issie stared at her, growled and pulled out a second bag and tossed it at her.
"Why didn't you lead with this?" She asked angrily as she left again as Shinji glared at him.
"I'm sorry, I am a boy sometimes you know" He said rubbing his head in embarrassment.
"Don't apologize. It's what Asuka wanted after all" Shinji said.
"Damn right" She said and they all stared at the girl dressed in a deep orange plug suit with green plugs at the shoulders and running down her stomach which was covered by an opaque light orange material that showed her stomach and navel but covered her breasts.
"So?" She said striking a pose that displayed all her curves.
"Lookin sexy" Matsuda said.
"Are you going to wear that all day?" Shinji asked blushing.
"Of course. I've always wanted to cosplay this but could never figure out how to make it" Asuka said happily and running up hugged Issie"
"Dank you Issie" She said thanking him in German.
"Your welcome" He said and handed her a third package.
"I actually made all three" He said as she squealed and hugged him again.
"I made you the black suite from Rebuild too" He said holding up a final plastic bag.
"How much of an Otaku are you?" Matsuda teased.
"I am a mega otaku" Issei said proudly as he held up his finger in the same position as Kamina from Gurren Lagann.
"My love for Manga, Anime, and Comic books is the ultimate passion that will pierce the heavens themselves!" He proclaimed earning claps from his friends.
"Now, lets get this passion project off the ground" He shouted earning cheers from everyone including Asuka. It was at this time that they heard the murmur of the crowed assembling to see their project.
"Okay, Shinji" Issei said and nodding the boy got into the open cockpit, closing the door and beginning the startup routine.
"Asuka, with me" Issei said getting an idea. They stepped out of the tarp and walked to the stage that had been set up for them in front of the bleachers. As they mounted the stairs Issie noticed Asuka beginning to strut a little, preening under the stares and comments of the crowed.
"Ms. Soryu, what are you wearing?" Sona Shitori asked.
"Do you like it?" Asuka said striking a pose that earned her cheers and quit a few pictures taken.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the beautiful Asuka Langley Soryu, the ace of the science club" Issei said as the girl continued to pose and smile like an idol.
"But as hot as she looks in her custom-made plug suite of my own fabrication" He said earning murmurs of astonishment from the crowd.
"She is not who you came here to see" He said.
"No, what you came here to see is the last months' worth of effort by the engineering club, an innovation for all mankind, and the dream of Otaku's everywhere" He said tears of passion leaking from his eyes as he got into his presentation.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present you the first fully functional mobile suite!" Issei shouted into the microphone as the tarp raised up and slid off, revealing the replica of the original RX-78-2 Gundam. The mobile suite walked forward slowly and raised its right arm to cheers from the crowed.
"Piloted by our own Shinji Ikari, the RX-78-2, the original Gundam is fully articulated and mobile, capable of both land, air and space combat. Sorry folks it is not armed so no beam swords or rifles" Issei said smiling at the groans as the Gundam waved, then began to jerk.
"Don't worry folks, just a glitch" Issei said as the Gundam began to jerk harder before it stopped raised one leg and stomped down on the stage. Issei leapt to the side tackling Asuka to the ground as the metal foot went through the floor.
"What's baka Shinji doing?" Asuka shouted.
"You really think it's him?" he asked as he drug her up and away as the robot began stomping the stage to splinters and over to the computers where everyone was panicking.
"Please tell me someone hasn't hacked our Gundam?" He demanded, and Matsuda's look was all the answer he needed. Shinji cursed and ran over to the satchel he had set next to the table, picking it up he hit the activation switch causing his armor to wrap around him.
"Lain scan all data streams in the immediate area, I want whoever's hacking into my Gundam" Issei said as he took the air.
"Your Gundam?" Lain asked as he barreled into the mobile suite knocking it off balance.
"Sorry Shinji" Issei said as he fired his boosters and pushed the suite to the ground.
"That should hold you for a bit" Issei said.
"I found the hackers" Lain said and an image came up on his HUD a red line tracking back to one of the school's buildings. As the Gundam flailed like a turtle on its back Issei followed the red line and right through the concrete wall of the school to find three boys at a large computer terminal. They all stared at him as he leveled his repulsors at them.
"You have till three to stop your hack" Issei said.
"Three" He said as they screamed.
"Two" He said as they frantically hit keys.
"One" He said and fired his beams at the computer terminals incinerating them.
"Let that be a lesson" He said as he flew back to the field and saw the Gundam had stopped moving and the engineering club and Asuka helping him out of the cockpit.
"You idiot" Asuka said with tears in her eyes as she kissed him.
"Asuka, I'm fine" He said as she kissed him again.
"Shut up Baka" She said. Issie flew to a secluded part of the school and disengaged his armor before walking back to the club's terminal to wait for the others.
"Geeze, I wonder how many people saw me? Good by secret identity" Issei thought as his friends made there way back to him.
"Let's find someplace to talk" Matsuda said, and they went back to the clubroom.
"Dude, I can't believe your Iron Man" Kenichi said as soon as the door closed.
"Onee-Chan keep your voice down" Reika said.
"I don't think it matters" Issei said.
"Don't worry, I'm certain no one besides us saw you" Matsuda said.
"Issei, thank you, you saved me" Shinji said as he shook his head.
"We should have had better fire walls. How the hell did they manage to hack into the Gundam and why?" Issei asked.
"Probably some losers from the computer club who got wind of what you were doing and decided to screw you over" Asuka growled angrily.
"Damn, I should have grabbed them and dumped them in front of the teachers" Issei said rubbing his head.
"You did enough stop the hack before anything really bad could happen" Matsuda said.
"I still can't believe you built your own Iron Man suite" Asuka said.
"My Otaku passion has led me to be the heir of Tony Stark and the Iron Man legacy" Issei said passionately causing his friends to sweat drop.
"Well we're glad you were there" Shinji said.
"I'm just glad I brought my armor. I was hoping nothing would go wrong, but you can never tell" Issei sighed as a knock came at the door. Matsuda opened the door and Sona pushed past her despite being a foot shorter and thirty pounds lighter.
"Ikari-san you need to be at the infirmary" Sona said glaring at him.
"President Shitori I'm fine. Thanks to Iron Man I'm not even bruised" Shinji said.
"Yes, Iron Man also scared the three students who committed this prank half to death as well as causing quite a bit of damage to school property" She said.
"Screw that, those bastards could have killed someone" Asuka shouted.
"That will be decided after a thorough investigation by the student council" Shitori said.
"Fuck the student council, what about the police?" Asuka demanded.
"Ms. Soryu, that may be what you would do in Germany or America, but the school can handle its own affairs" Shitori said.
"Asuka, cool it, this is how it is in Japan" Issei whispered in her ear.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it" Asuka growled back.
"It was fortunate that Iron Man arrive when he did" Shitori said and it took all of Issei's self-control not to tense up.
"I know right, thank god for super heroes" Matsuda said.
"I would have been in real trouble if he hadn't shown up" Shinji said with a straight face.
"Maybe the age of superheroes is coming around again?" Asuka added and Issie thought he saw an angry glare cross the cool beauties normally expressionless face.
"Very well, I see you are alright, but if you start to feel bad make sure to go to the infirmary" Sona said and left, and after she was gone, they all let out a sight of relief. Over the next week the commotion of the festival died down, and the hackers were caught and expelled for their actions.
"Hm, maybe the school did do something right" Asuka said, hanging out in the club room while Shinji and Issie did a thorough cleaning of all the Gundam's systems and beefed up every last firewall.
"I'd like to see anyone hack our baby now" Issie said.
"So, Issie, what will it take for you to let me try on one of your armors?" Asuka asked sweetly.
"A few years of friendship and trust" Issei replied making Shinji chuckle.
"Seriously, I don't mind you knowing I'm Iron Man but it's going to take some time before I let you step foot in an armor" Issei said as Asuka pouted.
"Asuka, Shinji?" A voice called down the hall making both of them jump.
"What the hells she is doing here?" Asuka asked as the door opened revealing a beautiful purple haired woman dressed in a short dress with a red jacket.
"Get ready to rage quit" Shinji said to Issei deadpan.
"Hey Misato, what are you doing here?" Asuka asked nervously.
"As your mutual guardian when your parents are away, did you not think it prudent to tell me when one of you decides to become a test pilot for a freakin Gundam?!" The woman shouted stalking toward Shinji.
"I didn't tell you because it was nothing to worry about Misato. I'm fine, no one got hurt and we're making sure it won't happen again" The boy said nervously.
"Are you out of your mind? You know you have other responsibilities as a pilot" The woman shot back then almost face vaulted as she looked at Issei.
"Okay, I'm done" Issei said shutting down the terminal and packing up.
"Hold on a second you" Misato Katsuragi said.
"Nope. Building a Gundam is one thing, stepping into a living re-enactment of Neon Genesis Evangelion, that breaks my Otaku limit" Issei said making Asuka laugh.
"Guess I should have told you the plug suit you gave me was nothing new, the first one at least" Asuka teased.
"What, that was him? I thought those other suits were you ordering them yourself behind my back. Do you know the trouble I got in with the requisitions?" Misato yelled.
"I know, that was hilarious" Asuka cackled with glee as Misato blushed.
"I told you the design I wanted" Asuka said cheerfully.
"I girl your age shouldn't be wearing something like that" Misato scolded her.
"Oh, lighten up. Maybe you should try acting a little more like your counterpart?" Asuka asked and Issei could tell this was an old argument.
"Unlike you, I don't take someone's fictional character as a role model" Misato replied.
"Why not when like Issei said, we're pretty much re-enacting the series, right down the EVAs" Asuka said in a teasing tone.
"Asuka!" Shinji said.
"What, Issei trusts us to keep his secrets, I think we can trust him to keep ours" Asuka said.
"What secrets?" Misato asked.
"If we told you that, it wouldn't be a secret" Asuka said.
"Ok, fuck this shit, I'm out" Issei thought as he walked out of the room.
"Issei?" Shinji asked concerned.
"Yeah, I need some time to process. Just don't ask me to help work on an Evangelion. Bio Tech is a can of worms I refuse to mess with" Issei said as he closed the door.
"Lain, search for NERV" Shinji said as soon as he got home.
"As in Evangelion NERV?" She asked materializing and giving him a blank stare.
"It turns out Asuka and Shinji are in the care of Misato Katsuragi and both work for NERV as prospective Evangelion Pilots" Shinji explained.
"I think a few of my circuits just melted" Lain said after a moment.
"Imagine how I feel" Issei said sitting in his computer chair.
"I'm as Otaku as they come, but I really hope I haven't stepped into Evangelion. I so don't want to deal with Eva's, and SEELE and any impacts" Issei sighed.
"It seems like the world is a lot stranger than we ever thought it was" Lain said.
"Perhaps there are a dozen "stories" that are more real than we thought" Issei wondered.
"I found it" Lain said.
"And?" Issei asked.
"And I almost walked smack dab into the MAGI system" Lain said and Issei almost fell out of his chair.
"Are you alright?" He asked. Lain was an A.I. supercomputer with the processing power and skill to hack anything up to an including the pentagon, and she had yet to meet security measures that could beat her.
"Yeah, but only because I was expecting them. I made sure they didn't notice me and I covered my tracks" Lain said.
"Okay. For now we'll keep an ear on the ground and an eye on Shinji and Asuka. If NERV does get an Eva or two up and running they're safety is our prime concern" Shinji said.
"See, you've already made friends you're willing to protect" Lain said.
Okay so yeah I'm just going to be mashing up any work I can reasonably crowbar in without it being too silly or implausible. Given Issei is the first hero in a generation it opens up a lot of storylines. Also yes, every marvel hero did exist, but they all disappeared leaving behind nothing but their stories. What happened...I haven't figured that out yet.