Part 4: Re-Evaluating the Team
-FIVE MINUTES AFTER SHIBUYA TECHNOLOGIES SKIRMISH-
When the IS Academy got word of the battle results, it was an absolute frenzy. When it got word of Cecilia Alcott abandoning the mission, it got lit.
Lingyin gave the Golden Dragon task force orders to return to the IS Academy to relay her message that everyone, including Ichika, must ban together to fight the renegade.
It had...severely varying results.
"Why?!" Xingjia complained, "Why do we need his help?! One man is more than enough! We do not need another!"
"Well, what voice do we have?!" Chifuyu demanded, "In case you don't know, two of my peeps are down, two of yours are out, and he's got an IS that took six people to take down! We are severely short handed!"
"You must believe me, Chifuyu," Xingjia said, "We have more than enough pilots to take the Gospel and put an end to the renegade's antics."
"Did you just call the death of a hundred and twenty civilians 'antics' or are you lodged up the ass with silicone?!" Chifuyu shouted, "And what about Phantom Task, huh?!"
"Xingjia's right," Ichika butt in.
"She is?!" Chifuyu stammered.
"I am?!" Xingjia stammered.
"What happened with the Silverio Gospel was six versus one, and it required everyone's help," Ichika explained, "What happened with the renegade was one versus six, and he beat everyone hands down. If we going to take him down, we need to get everyone in the game. Not just the pilots, not just the local police force, not just Japan. Everyone. Spread out all resources throughout each prefecture, even the remote ones, scout and any all hiding places, no matter how dank. Total domination is this guy's game, and total obliteration is the only way we can beat him and calm everyone else's nerves."
"Unexpected smart person vomit..." Chifuyu muttered.
"So, how should we conduct this "total obliteration", as if we haven't already?" Xingjia demanded.
"Well, you've looked in the places where there would be high-tech IS things," ichika rattled his head, "but with all that hair, it'd be easy for him to fashion a disguise with just his hair, and he's pretty daring to hide out in the red light districts. What I'd say is just focus on places with tons of people, and use elite assassins whenever there's a possible hiding place, though you'd have to look where no woman would dare to go because that's where he goes-"
"Ok, I get it," Chifuyu smacked him with a clipboard, "We need everyone to go everywhere."
"Just trying to help..." he whimpered.
"Please," Xingjia flaunted, "We've had enough of your 'help.' Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to-"
"Wait, don't go that way!" he yelled.
Xingjia glared, "You dare order me-" before getting pummeled by food refuse and ungodly loud voices.
"Told you..." he said.
"Oh, what's happening now?" Chifuyu ran off to calm the masses.
Ichika just shrugged it off, "and after I juiced it up, too." He just rolled his shoulders and walked off, "Oh, well. We're halfway through upgrades, so I'll just do those until you need me."
And he just left Xingjia there to dust herself off. She spat in his direction as he gathered the women who didn't care about politics and redrew plans for enhancing Arena 3 and surrounding park.
"Seriously, President..." she growled, "Why do we need him?!"
"IIIIIIIIIIKUUUUUUUUUUUUN!" someone yelled, "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"
"Oh, for a box of crapola bars!" he screamed before he gave Nohohon the plans, "It's in your hands, ok?" and darted off towards the central port, where everyone is losing their crap.
"Uh...why..." he groaned.
"Ohhhhhh, Ikkuuuuun!" Tabane of all people...she slumped into Ichika's arms, "It's terribllllllllllllle!"
"Uh, what's terrible?!" he stammered, "Just tell me what's up!"
"It's a live game of whack-a-mole!" she looked up with starry-teared eyes (just go with it), "These people are livid over the renegade beating up the President of China and I just told them that I have a bonafide plan to beat him but no one listened to me!" Her eyes got bigger and waterier, "AND NOW THEY'RE ALL FREAKING OUT! YOU GOTTA HELP MEEEEEE!"
"Uh..." Ichika struggled for a moment, "I would, but then..." He closed his eyes and looked away, "I'm a guy, so if I say anything, they'll rip the island in two...I think you know what I mean..."
"Curses..." Tabane muttered before receiving a megaphone from him.
"If it's any consolation," Ichika said, "Turn it up all the way, and everyone back on the mainland will hear you now."
"Really?" Tabane asked.
"Really..." Ichika said as he walked away.
Houki caught him returning to the fountain in front of the dorms. "That's so unlike you," she commented, "Throwing cold water on a lit situation."
"Yeah," Ichika stretched his neck, "Anything to get away from that little show back there..."
"Well, shall we finish the upgrades?" She grabbed his hand and walked with him.
"Yeah," he answered, "Let's."
The main gathering area is in total chaos. No one knows what to do with the renegade, and everyone is clamoring for a solution. Tabane has just cracked the code on the Silver Streamline reset and brought it fully under her control, and yet everyone's focused on the renegade being male. So, she decided to play to that exact hysteria. She turned her megaphone to the max and-
"QUIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!" The entire island rattled with Tabane's loudest voice ever. And fell silent. An eerie silence befell the whole park, while waiting for Tabane's next words. She took a long time to gather herself. She inhaled, and-
"Come one out, Silver Streamline!" called out the one weapon she was able to take from the renegade. Everyone backed away. They saw this as the one weapon that the renegade successfully stole. And now, it's been taken back by the one and only. "You see now?! This is what I've been trying to tell everyone! This is the renegade's strongest weapon! A lousy Infinite Stratos PROTOTYPE!"
"Prototype?!" someone yelled, "You mean, this is the first IS ever created?!"
"The first imperfect IS," Tabane gloated, "But now, it's perfect. I've revamped it to fit the sixth generation, and I'm about to take it for a spin! The only problem is, the renegade isn't acting alone, and that's where I'll need you're help!" Tabane pointed to a projection of the map of Japan, "See those red dots? Those mark the locations where the renegade was last seen! If we go over to those dots and fan out every single rank, dank, and dark hole, we'll be able to wring them out and bring them down! So, who's with me?!"
Everyone cheered. All the crowds got rattled by the idea of taking down the one person who's been able to bring three other women under his control, and they can liberate them and subdue the renegade all by themselves. They immediately filled the boats and jet skis, taking to social media to sound the call to stop hiding, take action, and find the renegade. And in a short hour, the entire gathering area was empty.
Tabane just blinked her eyes, "Well, that was easy." And with a smug grin, she recalled the Streamline and wafted her hair, "How simple minded sheep these people are." She turned away and strutted towards Xingjia, who just stood there at what Ichika just did. How a man could give a woman the tools to sway an angry mob to their favor...
"Wipe that "DUUUH" off your face, lady," Tabane snapped her fingers, "You're needed on the front."
"Uh..." Xingjia snapped to attention, "What should I do?"
"Lady Huang is coming here in a few hours," she explained, "And knowing her relationship with the little ponyboy, you best not get in their way."
Oops, that's true. Xingjia did not want to be reminded about that. Despite becoming President, Lingyin always had a thing for Ichika. She never stopped blabbing about how he and his friends came to her family's restaurant every month. And how he always protected them. Xingjia couldn't stand it. And now, the creator of the Infinite Stratos is telling her to stand down. What was she to do?
"Well, that's why I need you on the front," Tabane explained, "If you capture the renegade before anyone else does, you'll be the hero."
That's right! The renegade is the current prize! It's the thing everyone's been talking about!
Xingjia could see it now. Her with the renegade in tow, winning the President's favor, forcing her to realize the power of women over men...it was all she dreamed about. All she had to do was figure out how to lure the renegade into the open. And then she realized. Ichika had just foolishly told her how to do it.
"With pleasure," Xingjia said, with an evil grin. And with that, she left.
"Ugh..." Tabane shuddered, "What's with her?...Like she wanted to play double yo-yo with their nuts or something. Gross."
Maya walked along the dock and saw all the confusion diffuse into the mainland. She saw Tabane happily skipping along the boardwalk and approached her, "You do realize what you've just done, right?"
"Oh, hosh posh..." Tabane wagged her hand, "It's not as bad as you think." She held her hands behind her head and strut her stuff, "Besides, what the hell could happen in five hours?"
NATIONAL DIET BUILDING, CENTRAL ENTRANCE (THREE HOURS LATER)
A worldwide, televised, live-streamed message by the Prime Minister:
"Attention, great citizens of Japan! As of right now, I am declaring a nation-wide state of emergency! The reason is because someone is on the loose. The renegade has been identified by our police force as a young man named Fukuyama Sokoto, blonde hair, blue eyes, ragged clothes. And his accomplices are none other than these three. Code name: Squall, blonde hair, mole on her cheek, 6'5", IS Golden Dawn. Code name: M, black hair, facial features identified and identical to Chifuyu, 4'10", IS Black Knight. Code name: Autumn, orange-pinkish hair, red eyes, 5'10", IS Arachne. These three are members of the organization formerly known as Phantom Task, a terrorist organization committed to disrupting IS operations worldwide. Know this: I only declare a state of emergency to bring to attention this matter. We can no longer turn a blind eye to the threat known as the male counterpart! We must work together to eliminate the threat to our society! This male menace has tormented our world long enough! The Infinite Stratos is a tool meant for women, and women only! How a filthy male is able to use these women I care not, only that this is an insult to our world, our society, our way of life! Everyone around the world, we must unite, as one woman against the entire world! We will take up arms against the fiends, and fight for our rights!"
And everyone who's still on IS Academy grounds heard everything, on the gigantic projector in the center of the newly renovated central park area. Just when the IS Academy revival project was completed.
"Hear me, renegade! This is the last time you will every see the light of day, because the next time you ever set foot in public, we will be there to put you in your place!"
End message.
"Oh..." Tabane cringed.
Ichika scratched his head, "Well, that didn't take too long..."
"'A small miscalculation,' huh?" Houki nagged.
"And we're gonna lose the Academy a second time..." Maya groaned.
"I still don't get it," Ichika murmured, "It's not like Cecilia to just leave like that. The renegade wouldn't have been able to put an emotional dent on her, so who could've driven her away?"
-MOUNT FUJI, ABANDONED CABIN-
Deep within the recesses of the still-standing Suicide Forest lies an abandoned cabin, meant to house an occult research team tasked with finding a way to put all the haunted spirits to rest, as well as preventing any more suicides from distressing the departing souls.
Long story short, the plan failed. And the cabin is now the temporary shelter for Sokoto and Autumn.
One of which is tied up to a support beam, snoring his cares away. His bracelet has a Canceller strapped to it, so he can't call the Gospel for whatever's to come. A small breeze rushed through the open window and tussled his hair.
"YAAWWWNNNNN..." he awoke, "Ugh...some dream I was go-" He stopped short of a violent jolt.
Just like in the city, there are too many auras to keep track of. Unlike the city, the auras here chanted the same emotion: anguish. Pure anguish.
"Uh...Silver?..." Sokoto was completely frightened, "Where are we?..." Then, he realized that he was blind-folded. Then, he moved his hands down to his left wrist. He felt the Canceller. "AAAAAAAAAAAH!" he screamed, "Somebody save me! I don't wanna be the ectoplasm of the angry banshee demon horde!" He wriggled frantically, trying to break free of the rope, "Get me outta here! Hey Casper! Anytime you wanna lend a hand here, ya marshmallow vapor breath!"
Then, he felt another aura mix. This time, it was contempt, confusion, and something that would make him vomit just from saying it.
"Oh my god WHAT IS THAT?!" he lost it, "What is that thing coming here?! No, stay back! I taste bad! My soul is salt and vinegar! Do not eat!"
"Oh," demented female voice, "I'm not here to eat your soul."
Sokoto recognized that voice. He turned in its direction and realized that aura's coming from her. "Autumn! Stay back! This place will mess with your heart! Turn your chambers into mush! SAVE YOURSELF WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"
"Shut up!" Autumn slapped him hard.
"Oof!" he keeled over, "What's the matter with you, woman?!"
She punched him this time and brought him to his knees. He was too frightened to do anything, except let her have her way.
"We had an agreement, my little rebel," she creepily cooed, "I thought you wouldn't go anywhere near Squall."
"What?" he never had any agreement! And Autumn just said Squall like she has total ownership or something! He racked his brain trying to figure out what is going through her head. As if the auras didn't tell him enough!
"Now," she reached into her knapsack, "what to do with a little boy who doesn't follow the rules?"
He could hear her rummaging through something, selecting her ideal instrument of torture. Normally, he would brace himself to the challenge, but the aura overdose completely lowered his morale. All he could do was-
"Ah, found you!" Uh-oh. Autumn's aura changed to deviousness and evilness.
"What are you doing, Anna?" Sokoto squirmed, "What is that?!"
"Just something to take you off the edge," Autumn said and placed the mystery gadget on Sokoto's head, "Now, why don't we play a little Truth or Dare?"
"Uuuu..." Sokoto was on the verge of tears. If he picks Truth, then all it costs is some words. But should he pick Dare...
"Go on," Autumn whispered and put the object to his neck, "Truth...or Dare?"
"Truth!" he stammered, "Truth, I pick Truth!"
"Fine..." Autumn kicked him down and put the object towards his posterior, "Question...what were you doing with Squall the night you two fled from us?"
"Huh?!" he was confused, "Why'd you wanna know?!"
She clicked a button, and he felt an extremely hot spot. "ANSWER...THE...QUESTION..." she growled.
"Uh..." he said, "We was just talking, and she told me how she wronged you and needed someone to cuddle up to, next thing I knew I woke up in her arms and it was all warm and musty and-"
The one thing he never learned is what not to say. And now, he regrets it. He still couldn't see, but he felt a pitch-black rage from Autumn. And he felt something pin him down, rip his pants off, and jam up his butt.
"How do you like that?!" Autumn raged, "How do you like the feeling of someone taking away what you hold most dear to you?!" Expecting a shrill cry for mercy, but all she got was-
"Eeheeheeee...it's so tingly!"
"Huh?" And then every single aura in the cabin stopped. Just in time for Sokoto to spew-
"Is like a...tiny little butt massage, you know, for when you just finished taking a hard dump and you got cuts so you try and massage it but it keeps hurting so now you just-"
"QUIET!" Autumn got really mad, and without thinking, kept shoving it back in and out.
"Ah, Autumn?...Whaddaya doing?..." he was slowly starting to feel something well up, "Why are you doing thi-Ow! Hey, watch it!"
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Autumn really lost it and tried to inflict even more pain on him, using a spiked whip to make him keel.
"Uh...you might wanna stop..." it wasn't pain, "Ok, seriously! I dunno what you're doing, but it ain't-"
Too late. What's done is done.
"Ugh...what in the holy..." Autumn just now realized that he was not a normal person, as if the last few months haven't shown that!
"Uyy...I warned you..." he said with a dopey, drooling grin, "Now what will you do?..."
Autumn didn't take long to put all the pieces together. Why Squall and Madoka radically changed attitudes after the renegade came about. She saw him for what he was right then...
...a pain-immune punching toy for her pleasure, and hers alone.
She held him down with her hips and whispered in his ear, "Well, aren't you a cheeky little boy tonight..."
"What...what's wrong with you?!" Sokoto panted.
"You violated the rules of the game," Autumn stroked his cheek and landed a wet kiss on his mouth, "It's time for punishment." She yanked him away from the beam, breaking the rope and the Canceller, leaving him as floppy as a wet noodle.
The Silver Gospel immediately materialized its android form behind Autumn, then, with all the other spirits, fled the cabin.
-TOKYO HOSPITAL, NEXT DAY-
Laura woke up to a hazy morning glow. She rubbed her eyes and tried to discern the events of yesterday. She remembered tailing the renegade, then cornering him st Shibuya Technologies. Then, she was met by members of Phantom Task, then...
The rest was a blur. She didn't know what to think. She got all the information she needed from watching him in action before, during, and after everything was said and done. He simply had no idea that what the world was like. He needed someone to teach him the ways of the world, to show him what it means to live among them. But the only way to do that was to-
BUZZ*
"Captain Bodewig," a voice transmitted through her garterbelt, "Come in, Bodewig. Do you copy?"
"Nnn..." Laura scratched her head and tapped her thigh, "Copy Major Liang..."
"Apologies we could not come to your aid last night," Xingjia said, "We had...other matters to attend to."
"I understand," Laura dozed off, "It's tough when you think someone doesn't know any better, and he actually doesn't know any better..."
"Wait, what?"
"The renegade. He's a simple soul. No one taught him any better."
"So, he's never understood his place? No one taught him?"
"Not that I..." Laura stopped to think. Someone who doesn't know any better, with near superhuman abilities...
"Something wrong?" Xinjiga asked.
"You don't think..." Laura answered, "He's a biological IS?"
"In all honesty," Xingjia answered, "I don't believe it, but that would be the only logical explanation to why he stood toe-to-toe with President Huang."
"Huang..." Laura pondered over the weird name before realizing, "Huang Lingyin?! She's here?!"
"Yes," Xingjia answered back, "En route to IS Academy."
"Great...more fuel to the fire..." Laura plopped back on the bed and covered her face, "Our only hope now is that every last soul in the country takes the renegade before any ISs are called in..."
"Any idea what you're going to do?" Xingjia asked.
"Dunno..." Laura sheepishly said, "Maybe they'll force me to return to Germany..."
"But why?! You still have your forces stationed here! Why would they make you withdraw now?!"
"Probably because I've had three failed encounters with the renegade..."
"Ugh...if only he would've just died before he escaped the island..."
"I have to go now. They're doing a checkup on me before I can leave," Laura lied, wanting to end it.
"Ok. Safe journey to you. Xingjia out." End transmission.
Laura removed her pillow and sat up. She received her results an hour ago, and because of the injuries sustained within the wings of the Gospel, she will be released in two weeks. She closed her eyes and tried to relive the battle once more.
When she was downed, she asked the renegade one more question within IS sub space before she called him naive. She asked why he was fighting now, a question similar to the question of what makes Ichika so strong. Only instead of, "My need to be strong makes me strong. I want the strength to protect my friends and family..."
...she got, "Something's seriously wrong with the world, and it took my best friend. I want payback."
She clutched her pillow tightly. She now knows exactly why the renegade is so dangerous. And with two weeks of unpredictability among the mentality of the nation, anything can happen.