A/N: Hello minna-san. I'm back from the 'dead' so to say. I apologize for my late update. Had a couple serious writers block, college stuffs, life and so on. Just a quick heads up just in case, this particular chapter is just part one out of two parts for one of the episode in Infinite Stratos. Besides that, due to the word limit on the chap title so the name would be slightly different. Anyway, enjoy!

As usual, I don't own Infinite Stratos and Gundam 00. Both works are rightfully own by their respective company. (Though I hope I do T.T)

Chapter 7 (Part I): Signs of the raging storms

Unknown Location

A group of technicians can be seen working on their respective jobs in a hanger. Some are discussing with each other, some are working on the computer. In the middle of the busy technicians, stood a tall man wearing a uniform that indicates that he's the head mechanic eyeing the IS that stood in the middle of the hanger with a hint of pride in his eyes.

'How far we have come?' mused the man to himself. 'From sticks and stone to this.'

His train of thoughts was broken as he heard a sound of the automatic door opening. He turned around and straighten himself as he saw a female walked towards him.

"What's the status of the prototype?" asked the female as she stood in front of the head mechanic.

"The prototype is 100% ready, Ma'am." said the man.

"What about the OS?"

"All green in all sections."

"Then launch the prototype," order female looking at the IS and smiling sadistically. "Target... IS academy."

IS Academy Hanger

'What the?' thought Jayr while turning his head towards a direction.

"What's the matter?" asked Cecilia looking at him curiously.

"Nothing." said Jayr.

'What was that just now?' thought Jayr quietly then slightly shook his head. 'Forget it.'

Jayr leaned on the wall looking at Houki talking to Ichika who is looking very nervous and is ignoring her.

'I don't blame him since this is his first deployment with the Byakushiki,' thought Jayr. 'But he's too wound up to listen to her at all.'

'Looks like he needs a little bit of a push.' thought Jayr while pushed himself off the wall and walked towards Ichika.

Despite Houki efforts to help Ichika to ease his nerves, it doesn't seems to work and it's starting to worry Houki.

'How can I help him?' thought Houki to herself while glancing at Ichika at her corner of her eyes. 'He's not listening at all.'

The whole room including Ichika was caught off guard when Jayr grabbed Ichika and pulled him on level to Jayr's face and punch Ichika at his stomach.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" screamed Houki.

Ichika eyes widen not from the punch which was very light but from the fact that he was snapped into reality.

Jayr ignored Houki and looked at Ichika right at his eyes.

"Look, I know you are nervous and scared but this is too much." said Jayr eyes narrow. "Just remember this: Get out there and don't give a fuck."

Just then, Chifuyu's voice came over the speakers.

"Orimura, if you don't go out now you'll be disqualified."

Jayr let go of Ichika and nodded at the catapult.

"Now get out there and survive."

Arena

Rin was in her IS hovering over the arena as she waits Ichika to reach the arena making her first mistake: Not to count your chicks before they are hatched.

'I wonder what will I order Ichika to do.' thought Rin blushing while her imagination running wild.

Since the promise was made between Rin and Ichika, Rin finds it harder to bring herself to focus as days goes by as she keeps fantasizing what could she do with Ichika when she wins.

'Maybe I'll tell him to bring me on a date. No, no, maybe Ichika should feed me.'

xxxxxxxxx

Ichika thought back what Jayr had said as he was launched into the arena.

"Just remember this: Get out there and don't give a fuck."

Ichika felt that his resolves to beat Rin and to win was harden as he approaches the arena.

As he hovers over the arena, he saw Rin was hovering on the other side of the arena and doesn't to give notice to Ichika's arrival.

Ichika calls out Rin through the frequency that was been set for the match.

"Rin. Rin!"

Rin snaps out from her daydreaming by Ichika and notices Ichika has already arrived the arena.

Rin draw out her both of her blades, spins it around and points it at Ichika.

"Since you are here, shall we get started?"

Later. Observation Room

Jayr raises one of his eyebrows as he saw what Rin did when she drew out her blade.

'What the heck? Is she just showing off or is there something else?'

Unknown to Jayr, Houki was looking at Jayr recalling what happened when Ichika launch.

Houki pulled Jayr to face her as Ichika launch himself into the arena and slapped Jayr.

"Why did you punch Ichika?" asked Houki, clearly angry. "Why?"

Jayr looked surprise for a moment from the slap but his face turned serious as he recovered from the slap.

"Look, I understand that you don't agree with my method and I apologizes for it but," said Jayr before saying in a tone that Houki had never heard before. "If I don't do that, the moment he steps out into the arena he's dead."

Houki widens her eyes when she heard the word dead then she slowly come to a realization that Jayr punch Ichika to snapped him out before going into the arena.

"If you don't have anything to say anymore, I'll be going to the observation room.' said Jayr back to his normal tone after a moment of silences before walking towards the observation room.

'What do he mean when he says dead?' thought Houki quietly to herself. 'Does he really mean death?'

Arena

'This is tough!' thought Ichika as he block Rin's overhead strike.

For the past few minutes since the start of the match, Ichika was forced to be on the defence with little to no chance for him to counter-attack.

"This is all you got?" asked Rin through the frequency. "It seems that this is easier than I thought."

Before Ichika knew it, Rin used her thruster located in her left legs to spin herself around throwing off Ichika and kicking him with her right leg.

Determined to take the initiative, Rin combined both of her blades and charge straight for Ichika with her combined blade raised.

Rin felt herself smirking as she's charging towards Ichika. She felt very confident that she will the winner of this match.

'Just a few more heavy blows and you'll be mine.'

Observation Room

"Hmm… seems like Ichika is holding up fine." said Jayr aloud looking at the screen.

That statement surprise many in the room with good reason but one.

"What do you mean?" said Houki worriedly before gesturing towards the screen that is showing Ichika is being pounded hard by Rin's heavy blows. "Ichika is being overwhelmed and you say 'Ichika is holding up fine.'. Are you crazy?"

"What's Houki says is true," added Cecilia. "Ichika is being overwhelmed. What do you mean by holding up fine?"

"What you said is true," said Jayr putting his hands into his pockets causing Houki and Cecilia to be even more confused. "But from my experience, looks can be very deceiving especially in a fight. You can't tell what's real and what's false."

"But Ichika here is really losing." said Houki.

"Maybe I'm taking this too deep especially for an opponent like her." said Jayr. "Logically, Ichika is going to lose. He had little experience and his skills has just began to develop but in a battlefield where humans are involved even if they are highly trained, things can either go up or down to the opposite very quick. There's no absolute certainty in every battlefield you go. All you got is either odds are either stacked in your favour or stacked against you but that just chances of success and that doesn't mean anything solid."

"And right now," said Jayr gesturing to the screen. "Ichika is at a disadvantage but I think he needs time to get his bearings straight and adapt to the flow of the battle."

Jayr's responds was met with silences as everyone but one is trying to absorb what Jayr has said.

'Is he talking from experience?' thought Chifuyu.

"How do you know about Orimura's situation?" asked Chifuyu.

Jayr closes his eyes and smiles remembering his first sortie.

"Because I was like him during my first sortie." said Jayr opening his eyes looking at the screen.

Arena

'Why isn't he going down?'

That was the thought that was going through Rin's mind as she hit Ichika with an overhead strike which Ichika deflected it and flew off.

'And is he getting better in defending my attack?'

To anyone who are watching in the arena, it is a constant repeat of the same action between Rin and Ichika for the past few moments. Rin charges in with an overhead strike, Ichika deflects it and fly off, both Rin and Ichika flying around the arena to get an advantage and repeat.

This causes everyone in the arena watching the match to be on the edge of their seats cheering but for Rin, it's getting frustrating for her not get an edge to win Ichika.

'If this goes on, I'll have to use that.'

Deep in her thoughts, Rin failed to see Ichika charged towards her with his blade raised. Caught off guard, Rin just managed block his strike at the last minute.

'What in the…'

Before she knew it the tables has turned and Ichika is on the attack causing Rin to be defensive.

'Oh crap!'

Dodging an overhead strike, deflecting a forward thrust, Rin kicked Ichika and ran off distancing herself with Ichika trying to get her bearings straight.

'Damn, this is REALLY bad!'

Observation Room

'At last, took you a while.' thought Jayr smiling while looking at the monitor.

At the monitor screen, it's showing Ichika on the offensive while Rin is just defending herself while trying to make sense what is going on.

"H..how…" stuttered Cecilia surprised that what Jayr had said was spot on.

"I told you I was like him during my first sortie." said Jayr turning to face Cecilia.

'Except…. I had to kill at that time.' added Jayr quietly his mood slightly darkens.

"Your first sortie?" asked Houki. "You mean during your match with Cecilia?"

Jayr instantly tensed when he heard the question. He closes his eyes as he recalled his first sortie and his first kill. He took a deep breath as he opens his eyes shaking his head to get a grip of his surging emotions.

"No, it was way beyond that." said Jayr looking at Houki before facing the monitor with his hands behind his back. "Sorry but you won't be getting the story out from me anytime soon."

Jayr hand was clenching the other hand very hard as he remember his first kill. His first legalized murder in his own term.

Without realising it, Jayr's facial expression turns very dark and if a glare could kill somebody or something, the main monitor screen would have turned into ashes as he was literary glaring at the screen.

"Jayr, are you okay?" asked Cecilia snapping Jayr out from his thoughts.

Jayr blinked a few times and shook his head to clear his head and to calm his surging emotions for the second time before replying Cecilia.

"It's nothing I'm okay." said Jayr before focusing on the main monitor screen.

Seeing there's nothing wrong with Jayr, Cecilia turns her attention back to the monitor.

His dismissal action was lost on Houki and Cecilia but Chifuyu picked it up and remember the time when he told her about his military career.

'His first sortie. I wonder how bad it is if he's acting like that.'

While Chifuyu was musing her thoughts, Jayr threw his entire attention to the match shown through the screen by analysing Rin and Ichika until he noticed something.

"That son of a bitch," said Jayr grinning. "He's copying me. I'm going to file a lawsuit on him later."

"What?" asked Houki surprised.

"Just kidding. I never expect him to copy my style." said Jayr before narrowing his eyes. "Though it's gonna be close."

"What?" asked Cecilia.

"I said It's gonna be close." said Jayr "The match."

"What do you mean by close?" asked Houki who is starting to worry again.

"At this rate, this match will be all about skills, wits and luck." said Jayr. "Ichika, he got a hell of an ability to adapt but he's outplay by Rin's skill and wits but she'll be on her wit's end when all of her moves has been adapt by Ichika."

"What about luck?" asked Chifuyu.

"That…" said Jayr chuckling before shrugging. "It'll have to depends on who does the lady luck is with."

"Lady…" started Houki.

"..Luck?" finished Cecilia.

"It's just a figure of speech." said Jayr with a slight smile on his smile. "But well who knows."

"So you believe in goddess of fortune?" asked Chifuyu.

"Well… not entirely. I mean when it comes to supernatural and mythology, it's hard to say," said Jayr shrugging. "But sometimes it just put things in perspective."

"But right now where things are." said Jayr eyes narrow. "Ichika might be in for a hell of a fight."

'When she unleashes the dragon.' added Jayr silently

Arena

Back at the arena, everyone is on the edge on their seat watching and cheering for Ichika as he is forcing Rin to defend herself as she was still caught off guard by Ichika's sudden aggressive offensive.

Blocking an overhead strike with her left blade, Rin gritted her teeth as she is starting to feel pressured.

In pure desperation, Rin slash at Ichika with her right blade but Ichika just dodge it. Before she can react, Ichika kicked her hard right at her torso sending her crashing into the ground.

Ichika slowly lands on the ground as Rin stands up using her right blade as support.

"Whe…where did you learn that?" asked Rin her heavy breathing noise heard through the transmission.

"U..uh, I copied a couple of Jayr's moves." said Ichika. "Are you hurt?"

Rin blushed, never expecting Ichika still cares for her despite even in a match.

"Of…of course I'm ok." said Rin trying to hide her embarrassment. "I'm a representative."

"I'm glad." said Ichika relief in his voice. "For a moment there, I thought you got hurt."

Rin was still blushing about Ichika caring for her until the answer to her question was fully processed by her brain.

"Wait, you said that you copied Jayr?" asked Rin.

"Y..yeah, I did." said Ichika.

"I see." said Rin before starting to smirk.

'So it wasn't him. It was him copying Jayr all along.' thought Rin relief.

"So," said Rin readying herself. "Shall we continue?"

Ichika readying himself was all she need for an answer.

Without saying a word, Rin charged towards Ichika with her both blades above ready to strike. Just as Rin did an overhead strike, Ichika jumps out of the way and into the skies.

The move took Rin by surprised causing her blinking at what happened before recovering and started to chase Ichika.

'Come on. Come on. There must be something I can do to win.' thought Ichika as he tries to distance himself from Rin.

The moment Ichika went for the offensive, Ichika thought he could win but he was gravely mistaken.

His sudden and unexpected offensive may have thrown Rin into disarray for a moment but when Rin had recovered, Ichika found himself back to square one with his energy level largely reduced due to his aggressive offence tactics.

'Copying Jayr's tactics clearly didn't work but now what?'

Ichika deep in his thoughts was caught off guard when he was hit by something. He nearly lost his focus and crash into the ground but at the last minute he manage to get his bearings and prevent himself from falling from the sky.

Ichika turn around and saw Rin a distance from him causing him to be puzzled.

'If she's there then what just hit me just now?' though Ichika.

"That was just a jab." said Rin through the frequency snapping Ichika from his thoughts.

Ichika eyes' widen as he saws Rin's IS shoulder started to glow yellow. Before he knew what had happened, he was sent crashing into the ground by an unknown force.

Observation Room

"What was that?" asked Houki aloud.

Yamada turn towards Houki and was about to answer her when Jayr beat her to the punch.

"The Ryuhou." said Jayr eyes narrowed. "I'm surprise that she didn't use it earlier."

"Wait," exclaimed Houki. "You knew about it?"

"Yeah, I did." said Jayr. "Or else you think why I asked for yours and Cecilia help in the first place."

"What help?" asked Chifuyu her interest peaked.

Jayr say nothing and nodded at the monitor causing Chifuyu to look at the main monitor. Chifuyu eyes widen when she looked at the monitor

Ichika is dodging Rin's barrage like it was nothing. And it took her by surprise that Ichika pulled some moves that would take a lot of practice and instinct to pull it off. Not only that, Ichika skilfully dodge Rin's barrage and charge towards Rin whenever an opportunity arises despite being forced to back off from the barrage whenever he closes in.

Jayr's smirks while looking at Chifuyu's and Yamada's reaction as he recall the time he ask for help from Cecilia.

"Well, if both of you have nothing to do, I would like talk to the both of you about a proposal." said Jayr cutting Houki off.

This drew a curious look from Cecilia and Houki.

"Keep it short, I want Cecilia and Houki to help me to do a special training for Ichika." said Jayr bluntly.

"WHAT?!" shouted Ichika, Houki and Cecilia at the same time causing Jayr to flinched.

"Are you serious?" added Ichika.

"Yes, I know your hearing are perfectly good but you guys don't have to destroy mine." said Jayr sarcastically.

"But why?" asked Houki.

"Let just put it that Ichika is going to need that special training." said Jayr.

"Hoho! So you need my help." said Cecilia cockily.

"It pain me to say this but yes, I need your help, Cecilia." said Jayr. "But it's up to Ichika if he wants this training."

"So what do you think?" asked Houki.

"If it's helps me then yes." said Ichika after a moment.

"Good because you probably need every help you got to take on Rin." said Jayr.

"What was the training?" asked Chifuyu turning her attention towards him.

"It was Houki as CQC intercept, Cecilia as support with attack drones and me as front line hitter." said Jayr. "Ichika has to deal the attacks from me and the attack drones from Cecilia and at random times I switched with Houki to throw him off."

"How did Orimura-kun do?" asked Yamada.

"It was rough for him at the start then later he got the hang of the drone part." said Jayr before grimacing. "Hell, I've been running him ragged for the past four day just to have him to pull this off."

"But the biggest problem now is if this stalemate continues, Ichika is 100% going to lose. He doesn't have the ability to handle a prolonged fight." said Jayr.

Arena

Everyone in the arena was either surprised or in awe as they watch as Ichika dodge skilfully whenever Rin throw up a barrage with her impact cannon.

"Kyaa! Ichika-sama is so cool." said one random girl.

"Maybe Ichika-kun can teach me that!" said another random girl who is clearly fantasying.

No sooner than three minutes, almost every female spectator is clearly fantasying about themselves and Ichika.

'I've never thought that the training that Jayr gave me paid off.' thought Ichika as he dodge another barrage from Rin's Impact Cannon unaware of the new 'fever' spreading across the whole academy.

Despite having the ability to evade Rin's barrage, the situation is in a stalemate. Every time Ichika tried to charge in, Rin would just throw up another barrage causing him to evade again.

'Come on, think. There must be a way to beat her.' thought Ichika while evading another barrage until he thought of a tactic.

'Will this work?' thought Ichika. 'No, it'll work!'

With renew determination, Ichika increases his speed distancing himself from Rin with Rin behind him chasing.

Using every trick he had learned from Jayr and the superior speed of the Byakushiki, Ichika is slowly inches by inches distancing himself from Rin while pulling some extreme maneuvers to dodge Rin's barrage.

'Don't tell me it's another Jayr tactics again.' thought Rin frustrated.

Every time Rin throws up a barrage, Ichika always dodge it like it was nothing and she had a few close call that Ichika nearly manage to land a hit on her which is making her frustrated and nervous.

Slowly as Rin notices, she is starting to have a hard time catch up with Ichika.

'What is he up to this time?' thought Rin nervous.

Observation Room

"Ichika-kun seems to be up to something." said Yamada aloud.

"It must be the Ignition Boost." said Chifuyu. "I taught him that."

"Ignition Boost?" asked Cecilia.

"It's a surprise attack that allows you to travel top speed for a moment and close in to your opponent." said Chifuyu. "If he uses it at the right moment, he can be on par with a representative candidate."

"However," continued Chifuyu. "It can be only use once."

"So you mean it's a one shot kill trick if used right?" asked Jayr.

"Yes." replied Chifuyu.

"Interesting." said Jayr. "But question is can he pull this off?"

"That…." said Chifuyu. "It'll have to depend on Orimura."

"True." said Jayr. "Though my main concern is not Ichika."

"What do you mean?" asked Cecilia.

"My main concern is what if Rin manages to dodge it." said Jayr.

That statement left most of the people in the room surprised.

'What is he talking from experience again?' thought Chifuyu.

"B…but that's impossible." said Yamada recovering from the shock.

"Why?" asked Jayr.

"Because it's Orimura-sensei tactics." said Cecilia.

"I mean no offence, Orimura-Sensei." said Jayr looking at Chifuyu then turning to Houki and Cecilia. "In this kind of situation, nothing is absolute. Tactics that's been used by an ace doesn't mean an absolute 100% chance to nail it. It just gives you an extra card up in your sleeves."

"But…" retorted Cecilia.

"Enough!" said Chifuyu cutting Cecilia off. "What Lai said is right. You need to learn that not everything that an expert teach is always correct."

If Jayr's statement wasn't surprising enough, Chifuyu's statement definably takes the cake.

The statement meant that even the first champion of the Mondo Grosso admits that even her tactics could fail.

At the same time, it also raise some suspicions towards Jayr on how much does he knows that even the first Mondo Grosso champion admit that she could be wrong.

Jayr unaware of what he had did was watching the monitor as Ichika continues to pull of extreme moves and speed to execute his tactics with one thought in his mind.

'Go give her hell, Ichika.'

Arena

Everyone is on the edge of the seat as Ichika is still pulling some extreme maneuvers with high speed distancing himself.

Without any other options, Rin had to use her impact cannon in rapid fire mode, hoping that one of her shot could hit Ichika by luck but none was able to hit him.

'What is he doing?' thought Rin gritting her teeth.

Ichika suddenly slow down slashing his sword at Rin catching Rin off guard causing Rin to be able to deflect it at the last moment. Before she could react, Ichika distance himself from her before Rin can continue pursuit Ichika.

Without Rin to chasing Ichika, Ichika managed to put himself behind Rin with simple ease and saw an opening.

'There!'

Without hesitation, Ichika charge in with the Yukihira raise.

Observation Room

Jayr looked up as he suddenly felt a heavy pressure coming in fast. It took a moment for him to realize what it means.

"ORIMURA-SENSEI, EVACUATE THE STUDENTS NOW." shouted Jayr turning towards Chifuyu.

Before anyone could react, all hell just broke loose in the arena.

Arena

A beam just shot through the shield of the arena and hit the ground throwing up dusts before Ichika could deal the final blow on Rin.

The whole arena was looking at the dust cloud puzzled

As the dust cloud settle, there was a large crater in the middle of the arena but the main attraction is the most bizarre looking IS in the middle of the crater.

Everyone in the arena and the observation room asked the one question.

What on earth is going on?

At the climax of the battle, an unknown IS appears throwing everything in chaos. What does that mean for students and teacher of the IS academy? Find out at the next chapter, chapter 7 (Part II): Signs of the raging storm.

A/N: That's all for this chapter. BTW, I'll be fine-tuning my writing skills along the way so you guy might be seeing something different after some chapter. Anyway, remember to pls read and review. Thank You!