Tides are turning in the new age.
Japan IS Academy
It has been nearly three days since the Enclave's attack on the EDP and the school was still in a uproar over it. Some looked at Daniel with adoration believing in the power of the Union while others looked at him as if he was scum to be scraped off there feet and thrown away. To him it really did not matter. He had spent most of those days helping Ichika learn the finer points of EDP gaming. Well until Ichika's friend came and dragged him off to go sword fight or whatever. Every time he crossed by Cecilia he could she a shiver go up her spine. But right now was dinner and he and Ichika sat in their room discussing their most recent match.
"Man you smoked me. What you have been playing this for two days what's your secret?" Daniel asked.
"I thought you just mashed buttons until the other died."
"Well... Ok I can never show my face at the base if that gets out." The two teens laughed.
"Ok now onto a serious note."
"Oh no the world is coming to an end Daniel being serious." A girls voice was heard saying. Houki had quietly entered without the boys noticing
"Oh Houki only if you knew. But back on topic what do you think of my offer?"
"To fight instead of you?" Ichika checked.
"Yes, you would have a larger impact on her than me. You remember it does not matter you gender only that it matters who has the biggest stick. That Brit needs to learn this."
"And you think Ichika can do it." Houki nearly yelled.
"Kind of..."
"Just admit you do not want to fight her." Ichika deadpanned. Houki gave the two a quizzical look.
"Shhh." Daniel said. "I still need to be seen as powerful not weak."
Ichika facepalms. "Fine fine. I am suppose to get my IS on the same day. Another thing can I have another phase engine?"
"You used up the one I gave you!?"
"What you haven't been mobbed by girls during your time here?"
"Ok now I am jealous the just stare me down." Daniel sighed. "Anyways outside of our class the only girl to talk to me is Houki and she's with you!"
Houki randomly broke out into a blush.
"Oh you know I did not mean I that way." Daniel sighed once again.
"Word it better." She responded.
"Translator does not care about implied meaning." Daniel said.
"Oh yeah that is how you were able to speak Spanish to that girl." Ichika gave a surprised look.
"No I actually know that, I turned my translator off to practice speaking it. I normally use the translator to talk to everyone."
"Hey Houki let's go get some dinner." Ichika said starting to the door. "What wrong you don't want to come?"
She shot up and ran next to him. "Noo-o-o I do." The two left to the cafeteria. Daniel now alone in the room powers up his computer. He starts to watch a movie.
The Academy
The day of the match
Today was the day Daniel entered the classroom and was greeted with looks of sorrow.
"Daniel you do not have to fight you can just ask for forgiveness."
"Yeah you to nice to be hurt."
"Ladies, ladies. Have you not heard the news Ichika is taking my place." He said. "He offered to do it."
"Ho ho ho! You're so weak you need other weaklings to fight for you. Where's you supposed man's pride." A British voice approached.
"Naw I did not feel like fightin you, but mista Ichika wants a go." Ichika walks in. "Ain't dat right."
"What am I agreeing to now Daniel?" Ichika sighs.
"The fight."
"Oh yes my IS came in last night and I got to test it out its really cool."
"But you're pitiful skill can't compare to a representative candidate."
"Oh but Ichika's been practicing." Daniel said.
"Huh when?"
"What have we been doing every night?" The girls gasped at this probably think of something else.
"You mean all the video games. Then I love your training over my sister's or Houki's."
"Ok you idiots get into your seats. Just because a match is taking place later does not mean you have the right to be lazy. Parker, Alcott you read for the match or would one of you like to surrender?"
"Well ma'am." Daniel Parker the pilot of the Christof started. "Christof will not be participating another person wants a piece of the action."
"Let me guess, Ichika." She said half annoyed.
"Yes sis."
"I am your teacher!"
"Yes ma'am."
"Fine I'll allow this. But enough distractions everyone open your computers to the file marked..."
"Ok Ichika are you ready?" Daniel asked.
"Yes. I was going to be a little less enthusiastic about this fight, but she did not have to be rude about Japan, heck our people made the IS."
"It's ok that was one of the reason we separated from the world was because of this stupid man vs woman thing."
"I may just move."
"I don't think your people will let the only male IS pilot go so easily," Daniel laughed. The door to the room opened and in walked their two teachers and Houki.
"Ichika." Chifuyu said sternly causing the boy to jump. "Is your unit ready?"
"Yes Daniel helped put the finishing touches onto the IS."
"Yes with my mastermind plan their is no way this machine will lose... Unless it is operator error." Daniel joked. Houki looked at, no more stared down Ichika.
"Ah Houki? What's up?" He asked.
"Oh nothing just you old friend and you did not ask her to help."
"Ichika you better get going or else she may think up chickened out." Daniel said trying to usher his friend out.
"Ok launching Byakushiki!" Ichika and his IS fly screaming out of the chamber. He exited the tunnel at a fast pace. In the arena Cecilia waited with what Byakushiki analyzers called Blue Tears.
"Oh I am surprised you could make it you go for nothing."
"Ok you two hush up get ready to fight in three, two, one, fight!" Chifuyu announced
Blue Tears let of a barrage of shots and Ichika dodged with ease. She chased him around the field take shots at him. Ichika would use the boosters on his IS to get closer faster. He would try to hit her but she would lay the pressure onto him.
"Ichika is better that I though." Chifuyu said aloud.
"Did you notice he is treating it like a game?" Daniel asked.
"So that's what I was seeing." Just then Ichika took a direct hit from twin missiles.
"Ow. That had to hurt." Daniel commented.
Then Ichika's IS started to glow and the armour morphed.
"What is it evolving?" Daniel asked.
"No it shifting to the first stage. It takes the data of the person and his skills and supports them."
"Uh does it assimilate things too?"
"I guess it could." Ichika's IS disappeared. It reappeared behind Blue Tears and before she could react he slashed her with his sword. He then vanished again. Now he was on the ground and his sword was glowing.
"What was that!?" Cecilia yelled.
"I have no idea, but I like it." Ichika disappeared again. He reappeared half way and his suit deactivated and he fell.
"Oh no." Daniel slapped his face. "God, it combined with the phase module and now it is using Union tech, but your stuff can't handle the power requirements. So it deactivated his shields to power the sheath like it should have, but your IS shut down when the shields go off."
"So what are you saying?"
"You guys need better batteries."
"Hmmm. Daniel it's no real problem that module is a public version anyways and we were going to give it to them."
"Ok commander I just was letting you know."
"Ok son just call it you need me." Daniel shut off his communicator. He slouched back into the chair in the cafeteria. In front of him a cooling plate of carne asada sat begging to be ate. The days just got more stressful. 'Man these girls have way too much energy, but they are on pair with the girls from Mazatlan.'
"Daniel!" Ichika said as he walked over to the pilot. "What did you want to give me?" Daniel tossed a small device to Ichika.
"That is a battery put it next to your inactive IS and it should be absorbed and integrated." Daniel explained. He started to eat a piece of the meat
"Ok thanks."
"Is will make it so you phase engine runs off the battery instead of the main core. It only has a ten minute charge so use it either at the beginning to curb stomp them, or at the end as a coup de gras." Daniel finish up the meat and stood up next to his friend. "So where is you entourage?"
"Those girls? I was able to lose them in the bathrooms. I went out the window." Ichika and Daniel shared a laugh.
"ICHIKA! There you are!" Houki yelled across the room. Cecilia was in tow also yelling obscenities at the poor boy. Daniel switch of his translator and said to Cecilia.
"Oi Islander lay off the poor kid."
Cecilia switched to English a started a tirade on the history of America and Britain. She went on and on about the nobility of the English and the poor english of the Americans. Houki walked up to Ichika and gave him a pout that if she could not kill him in a blink of an eye may have been cute.
Daniel switching back on his translator to assist his brother in arms against the female onslaught. "Ok you two we are in public, if you want to castrate or marry this fine example of a man let's do it in private." That got the girls to hush up. Now both of them had fever red faces.
"We just want to make sure Ichika is ok." They said in unison. Did they practice that line?
"Ok Houki I understand being a childhood friend, but the blonde man hater of there I do not."
"How could you, you America rabble. Ichika is unlike any other man out there."
"And you want him to yourself?" Daniel asked curiously. 'Now I am surprised she has not popped a capillary her face is so red.' "You know what I am tried, Ichika you're on your own 'yawn' see you back at the room."
"Tratoir." Ichika yelled a the girls resumed chasing him.
Later that Night
"Did you know about it?" Ichika asked as he closed the door.
"I know about a lot of thing can you get more specific?" A tried Daniel asked from under the covers of his bed.
"My 'promotion'"
"Oh yeah that party. Was it any good?"
"It was ok, but now I am class representative."
"The Brits idea not mine."
"I thought as much." Ichika gave an exasperated sigh and flopped onto his bed.