Now let us walk together
For that reason, let's start and I'll give it all I've got
Believe me, I will bring to you all the feelings
The warm sunny colours of tomorrow


Chapter 8

He tasted the blood that was on the tip of his tongue and he rolled it so that the liquid would run down his throat. The boy had lost track of how long he had been captive for, but it was evident that his well-being was not a concern for the perpetrators. Ichika knew he should have stayed at home, with his sister's match being scheduled today he should have known better than to make himself a moving target.

For the third time he tried to wriggle free from the ropes that bound his wrists but to no avail. It was not the blindfold that scared him but just the silence that told him that he was alone in the room. He had tried crying for help, but all that was heard was his echo.
Container? Shipping container?
It was cold.
Or was it just his sweat?
Shivering with fear.

Fourteen, he didn't want to die at this age.
But more than that he didn't want to disappoint his sister who would no doubt resign her match.
They wanted her to come, this must be a trap. If he didn't do anything then they would both die in this place.

Ichika ground his teeth and once again fought against the restraints. Blood seeped into the thick rope overflowing onto his hands, but he didn't stop. Even if he had to break his arms he would make sure to free himself from the binds. With a scream of effort his hands slipped free taking a good chunk of his flesh.

Pain seared through his body almost causing him to vomit but he swallowed the sensation taking off his blindfold swiftly.
The first thing he needed to do was to hide.
Seek an escape route.
Then to run.

It was at this time that lightening tore through the darkness spraying debris everywhere. Light poured through the opening and like an angel his sister stood, reaching out hand towards him.

He wanted to tell her to run.
To tell her to be more selfish.
But she would never listen.

That intolerable sister of his.


It was when the pilot took off her helmet that Ichika's state of frenzy wore off. He thought nothing could possibly bring him back to reality, but in front of him was the love of his life wearing the armour of the one who he vowed to kill.

"So you are the Pale Rider," he whispered softly. His head must have been shaking from side to side as his vision began to blur.

Higher ranking than Cecilia

"You've gotten so strong Ichika," Charlotte said with a smile. The expression tore his heart to pieces as he knew there was nothing he could do past this point. Around him the sounds of combat where echoing clearly and there was no way he could throw away their trust.

"We will never surrender," he said holding up his sword. A war cry erupted from every defender as they readied their weapons, but still the army of Pandora remained stationary obeying the selfish will of their young commander.

Pivotal moments of history were made, Ichika was sure of this. Standing alone in the middle of Russia against an army at least one hundred times their size and facing against the ones he vowed to protect… the ones he loved, this outcome would decide the fate of the world. The defenders began to itch away from him and he was grateful, he wanted no inhibitions when battling Charlotte Dunois.

Yukihira was vibrating softly in protest but all he could do was clench his teeth together and bear the pain. To cut her down, there was no other way. Cursed from the very beginning, a relationship and foundation built on lies towards each other the only thing that they could do was fight for what they believed in.

The Pale Rider inched forwards, two bolt guns raised in caution towards the Byakushiki. Ichika stepped back and kept his distance. The weapons were converse to their actions but he was aware that she was a skilled close quarters fighter and his own most powerful weapon had to be deployed from a distance because of her insane speed. Ichika morbidly smiled as he predicted her next move; a feint to the right before boosting to the left and drawing Shield Pierce to end this in one hit.

But even though he knew it was coming it was difficult to block, the blade deflected off Yukihira and the three shots in the feint ricocheted off several stone walls and hitting him in the left arm stopping any ideas of a double handed counter. In response he boosted back and observed his opponent again.

He was caught off guard.

The Pale Rider was the Second in Command in Pandora, there was no way that she had any weaknesses, rather everything was in her comfort zone. His hasty retreat was met with an angry pursuit, her Shield Pierce switched for dual plasma blades of pulsing silver.
Fast
He was a master of the sword and was always confident in his ability to read his opponent's moves, and she shattered that thought. Her slashes were a blur of movement as she continued her violent onslaught, above, below, right, below, above… the tempo increasing until he was surviving on instinct alone.

There was no counter in the madness of exchanges.

Ichika utilised all of his knowledge to hold his own, countering, blocking, dodging… before finding an opening. He committed into the stab motion seeking to interrupt her rhythm before the whole world seemed to slow down. A large scimitar was only inches of cleaving his head off. When had she changed weapons? There was no avoiding the death strike and he prayed to Byakushiki with a miracle… the IS boosted forwards crashing through the corpses of defenders that blocked the opening into the inner quarters of Moscow, but he couldn't stop.

He continued to move until his thrusters obeyed him, his instincts telling him not to turn. A brief warning on the IS screen brought him back from the panicked adrenaline that was coursing through his body. Missiles locked onto his position and he cut them down, letting the explosions chip away at his shields. Pale Rider descended near him, this time a spear in her hands.

This was Charlotte Dunois, master of all weapons, able to rapid switch at will... no it had evolved into something far more terrifying, it was almost as if her swords has phased out of existence was replaced by a different weapon in an instant. Far more deadly was the false opening that she portrayed to lure him in. Ichika took a deep breath, he had to calm down. Around them were high rise buildings and only a few hundred metres behind him was the inner square where the last of the defenders lay waiting.

"I'm sorry Ichika. We have to kill you, your existence has become a threat to Pandora."

"WHY?! WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING ME?"

Charlotte looked like she was about to cry, and it was then that he truly hated himself for not noticing sooner. A situation where she was forced to fight.

"Stop this Charlotte… Charl, come back to my side, I will protect what it is that you are fighting for."

"This is one war that you cannot win Ichika," she said now walking closer to him. "You already lost the moment that you got involved, no even before that… and I will protect what must be protected."

She moved again, her spear lancing out. He dodged and his left hand reaching out to grab the weapon, which changed into dual swords that swatted his attempt to one side. Her twin blades slashed into his torso and in response he pushed forwards Yukihira swinging down with terrifying speed.
Blocked by her Herculian Shield.
He backed away avoiding the stabbing sword that came from under her defences and circled to her rear readying his bolt gun.

And was met by suppressive fire.

Abandoning all her close ranged weaponry Charlotte Dunois fired everything she had to keep Ichika locked into one place. Bullets sprayed everywhere as she continued to switch weapons upon weapons firing multiple bullets at different angles with godlike speed. The only thing keeping Ichika alive at this point was his acute awareness of his surroundings, able to avoid the worst of the barrage. He wanted to move forwards but there was no longer any ground for him to advance to, the earth being dug up by the sheer force of projectile weaponry. To get out of this, he had to move faster than the bullets, move faster than she could follow.

Triple Ignition Boost.

The first threw him back, the second circling behind her and the last bringing his IS above her. Byakushiki did not defect and his thrusters endured the savage onslaught of centrifugal force.

"I'm sorry Ichika."

His sword his nothing as her IS disappeared and her whisper of a voice was close… chillingly close. Every cell in his body told him that another attack was coming, but in panic he could not tell the direction of blood lust. The only thing that he could do was to completely dodge the attack. He forced himself to be calm and like before the whole world seemed to slow in motion. Charlotte Dunois was next to him sword raised and with such speed that it looked like flecks of rain flickering towards his immobilised IS.

Fear surged through his body and Ichika felt his senses sharpen beyond human capability. His sword flashed out destroying the after images and forcing the Pale Rider to retreat. In response his Byakushiki seemed to scream in protest as the mechanical joint around his elbow creaked and groaned under the pressure.
Yet his bones were fine.
He was strong…

Charlotte charged again, this time with Shield Pierce and a dagger in the other hand. Her onslaught was not met with resistance as he avoided the stab. Her thrusters changed from the flowing silver to a ghostly ethereal white… she was coming straight at him.

He raised his sword against her furious slashes. Twice he felt the grip from his blade slipping as she began her dance, attacks flying from all directions, all angles. At this close distance he could see her face, her focused expression and gone was the hesitation in her eyes, Charlotte Dunois was now coming at him with the intent to kill. Her movements became more erratic and his eyes could no longer follow her movement. She broke through, her shield pierce embedding himself into his stomach and sending him flying into the building behind him. His shields plummeted into warning levels and it took all his willpower to quickly rise after such a strong impact.

She landed not far, dagger lodged deep into the ground where his neck had been seconds before. He lashed out and disarmed her, but was met again with her dual wielding. Ichika grit his teeth in frustration there was just no opening that he could exploit. Every attack was calculated with such extreme precision. He was launched up and it was only now that he realised what building this was, a church. The day was still bright and his eyes focused on the beautiful stained glass, the high brick and granite towers and the number of religious crosses.

He did not want to die here.

Ichika could hear Charlotte approach and again the world seemed to slow, this feeling… what was it?

Power

This was something that only he could see, he was sure that Charlotte could not keep up with this movement… not even his IS could. This was something that only he had. His arm raised towards the ceiling of the church and he fired everything he had.

Shrapnel rained down on him and he felt a curtain of darkness swamp his mind… but beyond that was something else. Light flooded into his eyes and he saw for the first time all that needed to be seen to win this battle. Byakuhiki obeyed without question, turning and facing Pale Rider. Yukihara was raised and aimed at her torso. She was faster and cannoned into him bringing them through the ceiling and into the sky beyond, but her strength could not overpower his. Shield Pierce impacted his chest again but he met the blow with brute force. Ichika dived through the ceiling dragging Pale Rider with him and throwing her against the glass which smashed into glimmers of light.

"ICHIKA!"

Rage seemed to take her over and she struck him with her sword bringing his shields into double digits. His vision was now clouded red in warning visions but he ignored them and once again everything became sluggish.

He got to his feet and let the IS form a protective shell around him, membrane thin, neither metal nor plasma… simply matter. A glowing white aura that was his to command, and extension of his whim. No longer was he inhibited by the iron casing, but his bodily limits. Gone was the Infinite Stratos and now he just stood with his own feet on the ground feeling power flowing through his muscles.

Charlotte Dunois had her dagger drawn but each attack was easily met with his own sword.

"Yukihira secret art," no openings, being one with the blade, "Emporer's Burial."

The sword ran through her torso, tearing through all her shields in an instant. A slight gasp escaped from her lips.

But Pale Rider split into four.

Four fully functioning mirror IS. Their movements were slow in his eyes but even so Ichika could not comprehend the ability. The figure that he stabbed was still attached onto his blade and his eyes shifted left to right digesting the situation.

Less than a second had passed, but all the figures continued to shift closer towards him. In desperation he parried and blocked against the heavy attacks. Ichika's eyes shifted towards the ceiling which was still crumbling slowly. The flower of ash and debris was a trickling curtain of death upon the both of them. And Charlotte moved faster than that.

Pale Rider split into 8 figures, attacks raining down from all directions forcing him into submission. Even without his metallic exterior his fold out shields were undoubtedly absorbing most of the damage otherwise he would have died in that brief exchange. Among the flurry of blades his hands grasped onto Yukihira firmly.
Taught by experience.
Always watching.

"Shinonono Hidden Art, Thousand Strikes!"

His blade snaked out at impossible speed destroying every one of the afterimages until he felt resistance in only one of them.
The rest existed on the same plane of space yet were not connected to her body...
But now that he had found the original…

What was he going to do?

*E%#OR*

His stab was deflected by her blade, but now that he was focused on her true self the feeble attempts that Pale Rider used to defend herself were all swatted away with ease. Ichika knew at this moment that he could control the tide of the battle now.

*KN%$£*

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Ichika snapped out of his battle trance and for the first time properly examined her features. The blood that was running down the bottom of her lip was evidently not a battle wound.
But why was she apologising?
A brief look into her eyes saw his same expression reflected back. The same trickle of blood running across his bottom lip and running over his jawline.

Her EMP bomb sent his whole world flying into black.

Charlotte Dunois… was dangerous. No matter what the situation she would have a weapon that would get her out of a bleak situation, he was fool for thinking otherwise.

He tried to move his right arm but found it trapped between mountains of rubble... as was the rest of his body.
The EMP must have disabled all of his IS output, meaning that his surge in speed was not due to natural ability but due to the machine. He almost wanted to curse in response at being partially buried. Light shone through the cracks and his lungs fuelled to life as adrenaline began to pump through his veins.

Charlotte stood over his half enclosed body with her pistol raised towards his forehead. There was no defence, this was truly the end. His vision began to lose focus as he gazed into the deep empty eyes of the one he loved above all else.
There was no happy ending.
It was all but fiction, cursed from the beginning.

Who do you fight for general?

Philea…

Don't trust anyone Ichika!

Maya…

Mundane!

Tatenashi…

Don't look back.

Laura…

I love you

HOUKI!

Shinonono Houki.

Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki, Houki

*ERROR*

Ichika had been walking through hell for most of his life. Discarded at birth and raised by his sister, there was only Chifuyu that bound him to this world. His affection turned to adoration… but never into the love he yearned for.
Then there was someone more broken than him. Someone so twisted that she had deluded herself that everything was fine. Her ideals, her family, her logic, her kindness, her self-value…

She was perfect for him, and he was sure that it was the same for her.

Two people that had seen hell, through the screens of the test labs and the small openings of the blindfold. Together they had nursed whatever humanity that they still shared and tried to live a quiet life.
But that was impossible.

CODENAME

Because… he was never the person who he thought he was.

CODENAME: ORIMURA ICHIKA
Male, Adam Specimen; Priority 01.
Pandora 00-01.

From the start he was beyond broken.

"Impossible!"

His body burned with intense pain, but he ignored it and slowly rose to his feet. As Ichika's senses returned he realised himself the impossible feet of his actions. Byakushiki was still deactivated due to the EMP, but the steel beams and granite walls he could lift without worry.

Yamada Maya, so this is what you knew.

"You… know then Ichika," Charlotte said. It was strange to talk to her casually but gone were his stomach flutters and stupid rushes of emotions, all that was left was cold rage.

"I'm someone that should have never existed."

"But I'm glad you did."

"But Charl… I'm not Orimura Ichika. The human known as Ichika died when he was 14 in the kidnapping to lure out his sister."

"I know."

"The Ichika that everyone knew was a fake."

"You need to know peace. I will personally make sure of it," she said drawing two daggers.

"I was happy with you," he whispered between struggled gasps. But his pleas never reached her, Charlotte's eyes were icy cold. This was not reason enough to convince her, even if he was crippled and inhuman she would still love him, he was sure of this.
Then what drove her to such insanity?

"Your mother!"

Her eyes showed weakness.

He was Orimura Ichika Project 01 of the Pandora Code. Something that Shinonono Tabane had discovered within her pursuit of knowledge and implanted into his corpse to save his life. An agreement between his sister and the mad scientist to monitor his progress.
This explained his sister's behaviour.
And this explained his own behaviour.

This same code was implanted into countless of Pandora's soldiers, reviving them after death… which meant that Charlotte had someone waiting for her back there. Someone that counted on her.

"Don't do this Charl!"

"I'm sorry Ichika, it's not that simple. There is no choice but to lay you to rest, I won't let anyone else do this but me."

Partial Deployment.

Her leg thrusters roared to life and an aura of angelic yellow enveloped her frame. Ichika glanced to his own shields and knew that his IS was not only disabled, it had been completely run dry.
But he was not afraid, because he knew that as he was now he couldn't lose.

Charlotte's twin daggers snaked towards his neck. His hand grabbed onto her right wrist and hurled her back several feet. The thrusters groaned in pain to reduce the force of impact but Ichika did not follow up the attack and slowly walked towards her.

The French girl drew herself up and her purple eyes were narrowed in thought.

She was always so beautiful.

Ignition Boost to his dead angle, but was countered with a sharp kick followed by a combination of grappling holds. Charlotte was a trained soldier and parried each attack smoothly before her daggers flashed in murderous arcs.
But they were slow.
His knee snapped up, hitting the hilt of her left dagger. Before she could register his disarming move Ichika's fist punched the blade which met her other weapon in a deafening clash... so strong that both blades shattered upon impact.

"Third Stage… I was too late," she mumbled.

She boosted several metres away and the pressure exuberated by her was immense. The church which had previously stabilised began to crumble again with the changing air pressure.

"You're strong, strong enough to rival your own sister. But you cannot leave this place.
Even if my body will die here, I will defeat you Orimura Ichika!"

What was happening?
Who was doing the right thing?
He wouldn't think of actually hurting her.

"Odin's Eye!"

Charlotte's frame was now coated with the same aura, her left eye was no longer purple but a golden mechanical orb, the same orb that belonged to Laura Bodewig.
Sweet heaven that was Laura's eye!
How could she?

She was not human either at this point. He would not die in such a place, that would be a betrayal to everyone that fought and died for him.
Even if he had to kill Charlotte Dunois… he would overcome the darkness.

"PALE RIDER!" he screamed.

Her movements were no longer slow. Blades clashed in glittering arcs and the death battle had begun again. In terms of power and speed Ichika had the advantage, but her dual welding daggers were complex and deflected all his incoming attacks with small compact movements. When he pressed forwards she would hold her ground, but her attacks towards him were ferocious and calculating. She was reacting quickly and in the space of three swings her daggers would move to deflect two. Charlotte was cut repeatedly but her attacks were becoming harder to read as she adjusted to his technique.

No words could be said now as Ichika found himself furiously defending against an onslaught of feints and counters that were all death blows. His sword swung twice in a cross motion which she ducked under, her boot lashing out towards his face. He parried with his forearm, but her knee snapped back, booted heel wrapping around his temple blurring his vision.
And that second was all that she needed.
Charlotte's daggers drove through his sword, shattering it with her complete might and pierced his chest beyond. Pain wracked through his frame preventing movement as his muscles contracted in agony.

"Goodbye Ichika."

And all he could do was stare in horror as her hand gripped onto her weapon still embedded into his chest getting ready to disembowel him.

This was the end.

The world would fall to Pandora, there was no other person that could stand up to them.

He had failed.
Just as he had failed Maya, Houki, Tatenashi, Laura and most of all Charlotte Dunois.
If he was to die here then all would have been in vain. Everything that anyone had constructed would fall into darkness and he would never know the truth.
Why Charlotte?
Why Sister?
Why Rin?
Why Cecilia?
Why Kanzashi?
To kill others, the people that were once your friends.
He was still far from the truth.

He couldn't die now.

An explosion of activity overcame his body as Ichika felt himself detach from his body. The sensation was akin to being wrapped in the warm embrace of comfort.

And when he opened his eyes, hell had returned.

Her hands had not moved from the hilt of her weapon, Charlotte could not deliver the finishing blow.
But not Ichika.
In fear he had pierced her heart with his own hand.

"No, Charlotte… what have I done?"

The light of life was fast fading from her eyes, but her mouth curled into a thin smile. He could feel her heart beating around his fingers and he longed to pull away, but that would only accelerate her death.

"Come now Ichika, it's Charl isn't it? The name that you gave me."

All adrenaline that he had left his body, he was too tired for tears, too far away to reach her. Ichika felt that he was no longer in control of his body any longer as he willed it to close the distance between them.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't want this."

"It's not your fault Ichika," she replied with a warmer smile. Some semblance of life returned to her eyes.
"No matter what I love you."

"I'm not Ichika…"

"A name is just a name, I love you."

"Then why did you leave?"

"… please don't get involved further into Pandora. Ichika you have to promise me that you'll run from here, the cabin will be safe from outside eyes."

"I cannot do that."

"I thought so," she said with a small smile. "Your stubbornness is what I love about you too."

"Charl…"

"Protect her Ichika, she will only have you left. Go to Switzerland and find the core of Pandora. Be careful… Tabane will be waiting."

"How do I win?"

"I don't know, if I knew I wouldn't be here," she said with a small chuckle. Her knees gave way and she leaned onto him. Ichika protectively wrapped his arm around her feeling the blood pool from her small frame all over his body.

Her breathing became laboured.

"Chal, I love you."

She flinched in his arms.

"Never bring me back Ichika. This is how it should be."

"I promise."

"Then go quickly, tend to your wounds. I wish to die alone Ichika. I certainly don't deserve anything else."

"No."

She reached up to cup his cheek softly. Charlotte's head began twitching with effort, and he got the message. His hand slowly reached for her cheek too, gripping it tightly so that their eyes were forced to meet.

"I'm off soon Ichika," she sighed. The light in her eyes were beginning to extinguish, her heartbeat slowing.

"Have a safe trip."

His lips locked onto hers.

Ichika could feel her warm response, before the cold limpness of death took over.
And more than ever he felt truly alone.


Cecilia watched the battle unfold and found herself yearning to interfere. This was no way to fight. Both hesitating to deliver the finishing blow and just chipping at each other's willpower before death. She glanced towards the screaming figure of Ichika in the middle of the church floor surrounded by rubble and dust, embracing the corpse of his wife.

Such bad taste.

"Has the battle finished?" Perfect M and her sister descended next to Cecilia. The main gate had fallen within the conflict and the last survivors being routed. This was a complete victory for Pandora in every sense as there was no one else that could defy their rule.

"Yes."

"So he won," M said with a sad sigh.

"Unexpected," Cecilia agreed.

"Fucking hell! What a guy!" the more energetic M screamed. She screamed it too loud however and Ichika's head twisted to their direction.
There were no tears, only the smears of blood that were not even his.

"So what do we do now?" Cecilia asked Perfect M. In truth she considered Ichika too much of a threat at this point and wanted nothing else than to finish him off when he was still weak. But she was always under strict orders and now that Ichika was in this state she had to follow someone of higher position.
Some information it seemed she was not deemed worthy of knowing.

"Hmm, it seems like he has been able to grasp upon the Third Shift with his Infinite Stratos. A reset at this stage would be impractical, so I suggest that we ask him for where he would like to go."

"And if he chooses to run?" Cecilia added, not believing the fact that M had just given him the go ahead to make his own decision after killing their second in command.

"Then you'll get a chance to test your skills against us," Perfect M said with a slight smile. Cecilia felt a cold shiver ran down her spine. Although she had not properly weighed up the pros and cons of betrayal, the thought had crossed her mind.
And it seemed as though they knew about it as well.

"I don't understand what you mean…"

"Yeah sister, what did you mean by that?" the other M asked.

A moment of tension came and passed. Perfect M smiled knowingly before turning her back on Cecilia. There was no mistaking her meaning and Cecilia felt her breaths coming in short gasps. If M wanted then she could kill Cecilia in a heartbeat, her skill in the Raphael Revive could best even Pale Rider.
She wouldn't betray them, there was not enough being offered on the other side to even consider such an action. There was no hope for victory unless it was part of Pandora… and her mother and father were still waiting for her return.

"Is that Huang Linying?"

Perfect M did not even reply to her sister before jumping down, and Cecilia followed suit not wanting to be left alone with the more erratic one. Cecilia saw the Chinese general take one look at Ichika before taking out her scimitar. It was of no surprise, her only goal was to eradicate the false Ichika that was different from her childhood, to eliminate the person that is taking his place.

"Halt! Shenlong!"

The Chinese general looked emptily back at them and Cecilia felt a wave of self-disgust fill her soul.
What was she doing on this side?
But still she couldn't fight it, to join a losing side… how foolish would that be? There was no salvation for the defeated, the winners would rewrite history and there was still so much that she wanted to achieve.

"So it's the bitch and the clone, great combo," Rin said sarcastically shaking her head. Cecilia let that comment slide when noticing that the Chinese general had not stopped her advance but rather closed in on Ichika. His head rose to glance at her.
Cecilia thought she was seeing things, because it was impossible to see him move in that condition. Body, mind and soul crushed multiple times. He should have been dead on his feet, arms broken, chest pierced but still under all that suffering he rose.

"… to Pandora."

She noticed that it was not only her that was surprised by his tenacity, both M's and Rin seemed to also share an expression of awe.
Covered in the blood of his loved one his voice escalated in a commanding presence.

TAKE ME TO PANDORA

Her heart vibrated with pure terror. He was going to kill her, going to slaughter her, going to dismember her, erase her, consume her, crush, gouge, murder, behead, asphyxiate, END.

A war cry broke her out of the trance.

Cecilia's will had already completely crumbled, and seeing Rin charge towards Ichika truly made her feel sorry for the Chinese General.
The scimitar descended towards the unarmed man who was on death's door. And in the next moment Rin was sent backwards with such force that her IS smashed through the stone wall of the church.

Inhuman.

That was what he had become.
Third Shift.
He no longer needed his IS anymore. The Infinite Stratos only hindered him, the very code was in his blood stream, in his core and under his command.

"Ichika!" Rin screamed charging again. A fist had sent her back last time, but now he had the time to pick up the dagger that Charlotte had used to pierce him.
The next blow would be fatal.
Shenlong accelerated into an ignition boost darting in zigzags to change her centre of gravity so that her blow would carry more force. Cecilia glanced at both M's who both grimly did not move.
They were both clear what the outcome would be.

The dagger rose with impossible speed, entering into the range where the foldout armour could not defend. First it was the knee joint, then the arm socket.
Shenlong was being dismantled with such precision that Rin was helpless in his proximal control.

"Retreat!"

Cecilia recognised the new IS user to be Rin's second in command Yexin. Sappheric Horizon took aim, but M stopped her by placing her arm on the cannon.

"Let them go," she said softly. "We don't want to awaken his powers further."

Terrifying. Even in this godlike form Perfect M was telling her that she could best Ichika as he was. The strongest superweapon that Pandora had developed…

Yexin used her wires to retreat Rin from Ichika's control. As fast as he was, his legs were shaking and unable to make big strides of distance. It was that which saved them as Yexin took the screaming Rin from the battle and hastily retreated.
Cecilia could not understand why Rin was so determined. To be able to break through Ichika's presence, fight against an impossible foe and still have the will to defy Pandora… she was incredible.

"Orimura Ichika, we have met again."

Cecilia Alcott

Pressure engulfed her frame and she struggled to breathe against the heightening tension. She considered herself to be a veteran of war and had seen hell on a daily basis, yet this person made her feel childlike in comparison.

KNEEL

Her legs gave way and she was grovelling on the ground. Such a position almost drove her to insanity, but she couldn't fight against his power.

Take me to Pandora.

"Orimura Ichika, are you sure that this is what you desire?" Perfect M asked one last time.

"It is."