IS: The Future, and What Lies Behind it Chapter 4

A/N: ...Yeah...I wrote this a long time ago, back at September, but I forgot to upload this :P

So anyways, I'm uploading this, and the next chapter in one day. Why? Because I'm doing this in school, and I'm bored as eff. Excel exercise...Blah. But let's not talk about about it. Here you go, remember to R&R!

Ichika was scowling thoughout the entire time when changing. Or maybe he was just anxious. What could actually make Chifuyu-nee fear it so much? It was actually maddening to see Chifuyu fear anything at all. He thought she was like a cold-blooded soldier at heart: No regret, no feeling for death or life. "Guess I was wrong on that one."

He closed his locker, and ran towards the boarding docks, where his IS was right there, waiting. He parked it there after taking it to use a shortcut with Houki. He walked up to it, and said "Awaken, Byaku Shiki!"

Immidately, the bracelet beside him glowed, and then Byaku Shiki opened a space for him to be equiped on. He walked inside, and the parts surrounded him, then stuck onto him, perfectly placed for him to control. The HUD displayed the statistics of the IS:

Engine 100 % Full

Shield Power at Maximum ( 100 %)

Primary Weapon "Valkiyre" (He named it that cause it was annoying to keep saying a long name.) in Perfect condition

Secondary Weapon Mini-Turrets:

Ammunition at Full, rounds at .50 caliber

Cannon condition at Perfect

Suddenly, all that cleared, and a pop-up came up with a call sign and Houki's ID. Ichika blinked, and said "Connect." a visual of Houki popped up, her face right up front with his. "What's wrong, Houki?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing...I want to ask you something, Ichika."

"...Go on."

"Umm..." How should I phrase it, Houki thought. Should I just say it bluntly? No, he'd be pretty shocked. How about...You know what, fine. "Hey, could we go on a d-date..?"

Ichika blinked. "You mean, just the two of us...? Uhh...sure. When?" Houki blinked. The idiot didn't say anything? Just...accepted? That's strange. "Um...how about tomorrow, after this scouting is all then?"

"Okay. No problem. See you at the gates at about...1-ish?" Houki nodded. "Alright. So, done preparing? We'd best get this over with quick." Houki replied "Right."

The call ended after that, and Ichika made a bunch of last checks. Finally, after 2 minutes of frantic checking, he was satisfied, and began to move Byaku Shiki. Akasubaki started to move as well, along with Charlotte's and Cecelia's Blue Tear. They all nodded as one, and ran off towards the platform, and kicked off towards the skies.

"According to the map, we're not too far from where the forest is. Let's get this over with be there by dinner!" Ichika said over the com channel. All three replied with "Got it!" and sped off towards the forest in formation. They looked like a swan, flying gracefully above the skies.

Soon after, the forest came into view to the four of them. Ichika separated from them to get a small bird's-eye view. Sure enough, there was a path where trees were gone, and that from the air, you could see it was a arrow pointing off towards a small mountain.

"There's the cave."

"Yeah. We're gonna need to investigate that."

"..."

"What, you scared? Houki, I know you're better than that."

"Shut up! I'm not scared...Just, maybe it's dangerous, you know."

Ichika sighed. "Okay, geez. We still have to go there either way." Houki didn't reply. "Hello? C'mon, Houki. You there?"

"...Yeah, I'll be fine. Let's get this over with." It sound like a very depressed voice. Then, Charlotte chipped in. "Ichika-san, there's something on the radar. I can't seem to see it though." Ichika opened a small sensory system that all IS had. Just like Charlotte said, a red bleep was a bit ahead of them.

"...Alright, flank the red bleep. Cecelia and Charlotte, go left. We'll take right, now let's move!"

They separated off, then sped towards the red bleep. Soon, they were right where it's suppose to be. Ichika looked down. It was barren down there, so they shouldn't be there without cover. "Strange. There should be one-" he was cut off by a small beeping noise. An pop-up was then displayed: ENEMY APPROACHING. The left side of the radar had 5 bleeps headed towards them. Ichika looked over; it was a small group of jets, not related to Japan's Army, looking at the emblem they were sporting.

"Those are the Neo Luffwaffe, a new model attack jets from Germany." Ceceila said, eyebrows furrowed. "I know this because our family was at Germany for vacation once, and they were showing them off as an exhabit. But's what's it doing here?"

They were also in a arrowhead formation, but soon, the 2 ships beside separated off and went back, while the top ship continued its path towards them. The four braced for an attack.

Suddenly, the jet plane started convulsing, the machinary twisting and moving around. A back-cannon sprouted out of a gatling gun hole, and a small pod was where the pliot should be if it were an IS. Soon, it looked almost exactly like Laura's IS, except with some moderations to it.

Then, the pod split into 2, and fell down the air. The pod revealed Laura herself in her mobile suit. Everyone blinked, then sighed in relief. Laura blinked. "What's wrong?"

"We thought you were an enemy for a second." Ichika said, recovering from the relief first. "But anyways, didn't Chifuyu-nee said not to go?"

"I can't stand around, waiting while you fight something! I'm your wife!"

Ichika facepalmed. She still hasn't got the grasp of "friend" and "wife". He tried to explain to her what both meant, and she usually replied with "They don't sound that different. So isn't it basically the same?" He gave up after a few more attempts, since it was basically drilled into her mind that she was his "wife".

"...Whatever. Let's get this over with." Ichika said, sighing. "The cave's close by." They then flew towards the cave, Byaku Shiki leading in an arrow formation.

A few more minutes of flying, they saw the opening of the cave. It wasn't too big, but it looked big enough to fit their IS in. They landed on the rocky surface of the mountain cave, and after everyone landed on the ground, Ichika began to move into the cave.

The cave was relatively bright, so flashlights weren't needed. They continued to proceed towards the end of the cave. Houki had a small shriek when she heard bats moving, and Ichika chuckled. It was amusing to see she was actually scared of things once in a while. He thought she was a machine with practically no emotions. However, as they kept moving, he felt as if there was something wrong with the cave. He kept moving with caution.

Soon, they reached the end of the cave, and they saw a maginaficent sight. A giant crystal was generating the light, the rays reflecting off the mini shards of crystals fallen to the ground or grown.

"..."

Ichika was practically speechless. Was there something as giant as this he'd seen? Not to his knowledge. As long Ichika lived, he had never seen such a...strange thing. And he saw a lot of strange things just back at IS Academy. But this really takes the cake. It was just so magnificent. He wanted to go and touch it so badly. Ichika then proceed to start moving towards the crystal. Then shook his head, as if he was in a trance, and woke up. "What the hell was that?" He thought. He looked to the left, and saw Houki, Ceceila, Charlotte, and Laura all very attracted to the crystal. They were slowly moving towards it to touch it. "No! Stop!" and Ichika started to rush over as well, but for a different reason. "You don't know what'll happen!"

Just as the three girls reached them, Ichika caught up, but he was a step too late. All three touched it while Ichika had his hand on Houki's shoulder.

Then, a bright light surrounded everyone's vision. They were enveloped into light. Then, a girl's voice was heard.

"Shall I take to a world where life is barren?"

Suddenly, all five felt as if they kept moving and moving forward. It was like running on a windy day, the wind slapping against their face.

And then like when the wind stops, you stop, awkward without the feeling of wind against you. Then the five suddenly fainted. Ichika tried to resist, but tiredness got way ahead of him. He fainted.

A/N: ...YES, I MADE A HITLER JOKE. I'M SORRY TO YOU PEOPLE.

Still, Neo Luffwaffe...PFFFTTT.

Anyways, I have a tight schedule, so updates like this might happen, where 2 chapters will be uploaded at the same time.
So uhhh, enjoy and remember to R&R!

The King of Ice,
SwingofIce26.