Okay, so today's chapter is sort of filler, but sort of character development. More of just a "normal" day and introducing some concepts that I'll probably touch back on later.
Sorry for the late update (usually do it on the 20th of the month, around 2~5 Eastern Time) but party party party time now that I'm finished up with school. Hopefully I caught all the mistakes in grammar and whatnot, as I always try my best to XD
Here we go, and explanations down on the bottom!
Index Nine: Normal Difficulty
"Normal is relative"
"Close Knit"
IS Academy, Cafeteria Hallway
Monday, May 17th, 1930 Hours
Log: Day 4 at IS Academy after Lucinda Incident
"So, is there something going on between you and Meusel-san?"
I scoff as I take off on the customized gel layer that Tabane had me use in order to supplant any sync loss with E, slipping on my jacket and shirt, "Ichika, I thought you higher than putting your ears in the rumor mill."
He chuckles as he put on uniform, "I'm human, it's natural to be curious."
"And you know what curiosity did."
"And you know what answers did."
I close my locker and lock it, "Touché, Ichika."
"Though I wouldn't blame you for being a little infatuated." He jabs my ribs, "She certainly is easy on the eyes, no?"
"I thought you were interested in Houki, but so much for that if you're looking at her."
He scratches the back of his head, "Hehheh, is that what it looks like? Truth be told, I'm not exactly interested in having a girlfriend. There are a lot of other things that require attention first."
"I know the feeling."
"Still, she carries that natural aura of a proper noble lady while commanding as well. I can see why you would be attracted to her."
"We are only acquaintances, Ichika. Nothing more." I say while opening the door to the hallways out of the changing room, "So don't think any more of it."
"I see. Though, I'm still worried. Something's up with you after you came back and Meusel showed up. If there's something you can only talk to a guy about, tell me, all right? I watch out for my friends."
"I know. But unfortunately, it's classified. You can't know, even if I wanted you to. It would endanger you far more than you think."
"…I see. But regardless, don't hesitate to if the going gets too tough. Anyways…" he looks forward and smiles, "I think I need to go get something from my room before dinner."
"Eh? Ichika—" I sigh as he's already taken off. What got him so—
"Good evening," Comes the reason on why Ichika retreated.
"Evening, Meusel." I greet as she walks down the hall, long white skirt rippling from her waist to her ankles, "Where's Madoka? I thought she'd be with you like always."
She falls into step next to me, "She and Orimura-sensei needed to talk. On Tabane's orders."
"And she didn't force you to stay?"
"I told her she needed to trust others. As much as I hate to admit it… we don't seem to be communicating with anyone outside our trio of survivors. But we need to if we want to slip in… and recover from such an incident. Sealing ourselves away will hardly do us any good. It is very difficult, though…"
I nod, "I know… shall we eat at separate tables, then? The past two days it was always you, I, and Madoka at the same table."
She sighs, "…Yes, we should."
"Very well. Dammit, I wish Ichika hadn't gone away now, I would've liked to talk to him."
Her face puts on a teasing smile, "Oh, I'm sure that plenty of girls would be willing to sit by the Prototype Spartan."
"Put a sock in it, Squall."
"I speak only the truth, Kira~" she half sings as she enters the cafeteria first with a smile. I decided that it might be a good idea to wait five minutes before going in.
Anyways… E, are you doing okay?
Yes, I am. Thank you for your concern, Kira, but it is hardly needed. I am back to… 87 percent capability compared to before the event. That well exceeds my original prediction of 65 percent.
That's good to hear. Anything else bothering you…? Nightmares, the like?
I occasionally touch upon the memory file that contains footage of our experience, but quickly exit. I have developed a small subroutine that I attached to the file that will kick me from viewing that footage.
Oh, that's nice, actually. There wouldn't happen to be…
No, Kira. I cannot perform the same thing to your brain. Um… I would also like to voice concern about your sudden spike of memory edits…
I thought we're still on the 'okay' side of fragmentation.
Yes… but still, it is concerning in behavior-wise speaking. I do not know what to say, but I have felt what I classify as 'concern' when I think upon those actions.
I'll be okay, E. Trust me.
…Very well. Also, Ichika is coming.
I turn my head to the left, finding my black haired male companion walking down the hall.
"Hey, Kira. I thought you'd be eating with Meusel-san."
"I figured I might eat with you today. It's been a while since just us guys had a bite to eat, eh?"
"True. So, shall we head to the roof then? Give me a second to get my dinner. There's something I want to show you."
"So, what did you want to show me?" I ask as Ichika climb on top of the small structure that shelters the stairs.
"This," he says as I follow suit, seeing the sparkling of the ocean as I finish moving.
I blink at the way the sunlight would bounce off the waves in this sunset light, creating… something beautiful that I, a mere soldier, could not describe to serve justice. They ought to have brought a poet. "Wow. It's beautiful."
I pause before saying anything else as the sound of a saxophone begins to ring throughout the air. Eh…?
Turning my head around, I see Ichika playing the saxophone. He seems to have lost himself temporarily in the music, swaying his head back and forth slowly. I don't know the track, but it's oddly comforting. Ahhh… that's nice.
The track stops and then Ichika puts it back into a case before speaking.
"Yeah. Take a good, long look. It's… comforting."
"Why'd you show me this?" I ask, unfolding the wrapping that coated my hamburger.
"You seemed a little off these days. I often sneak up here at night when the nightmares come back."
"Why up here?"
"My room doesn't have a good view of the ocean from the balcony. Yours might. But yes… I come up here when shit hits the fan. You know, I discovered this sort of thing when I was kidnapped. I looked outside the small window and saw the shining ocean and wished that I could fly over it to Chifuyu-nee.
"So, I thought I'd share it with you. This spot, or at least the sight of the ocean. It's great, huh?"
"Yeah…" I nod, eating my burger, "I think I'll take a look outside my window every now and then. Especially when the nightmares and flashbacks swing around."
"Mhm."
We pause as the door below us creaks open, two figures that are very familiar to us. Houki and Meusel…
"A-ah…" Meusel says, tapping her fingers together, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you two. We'll come around later."
"But—!"
Before Houki can say anything, Meusel leaves, Houki following behind her in an attempt to bring her back. I suppose that they wanted a private place to talk. The roof after all, did give you a very easy way to tell if someone had come up.
"Well, we made a mistake, didn't we?" I jab, causing Ichika to chuckle.
"Perhaps our meeting place ought to have a little less cliché associated with it. Regardless Kira, I do wish you the best. Remember that you have a lot of people with you. Especially those friends of yours that showed up the other day."
"Eh?"
"Yeah, the one that called himself Romeo came in to deliver some documents to Chifuyu-nee. I heard them talking. He's really concerned for you, Kira. He just wishes you'd talk more. He knows he can't force you to talk, so he waits. But he's ready for when you do talk."
"I see… so he really does keep to his promise of being the rock that I would stand upon…"
"Hm?"
"Nothing. Just talking to myself." I mutter, shaking my head. "But thanks. Anyway, I think I need to go take a shower, training was tough today."
"Heart to Heart"
IS Academy Dormitories, Room 1145
Monday, May 17th, 2000 Hours
Log: Day 4 at IS Academy after Lucinda Incident
I sigh, sitting off of the balcony in a chair, guitar on the side, my fingers a bit sore from playing. It's been a long time since I played.
"That was a lovely tune."
I look over my shoulder to find, to my surprise, Madoka.
"I thought you would've been watching Meusel."
"Commander is in the shower."
"That doesn't sound like that would stop you."
I get a light whap to my head for that.
"Idiot…"
"You walked into that one."
"You are insufferable."
"I'm done."
I stand up from the chair and turn around, but am spun around by Madoka and kept in place, one of her rather… soft hands keeping my eyes covered, and two soft thing push into my—Hnnnngh…!
"Madoka! Get off of him, now!"
"Eh…? Tch!" she quickly pushes me away into the railing on the side, with me putting my hands in front to catch myself from hitting the rail and going over. Madoka turns her head, biting her lip in shame-or-annoyance, "Tch, it seems that I cannot use my usual…"
I can hear shuffling of cloth before Meusel's voice lets out a tentative, "I'm decent."
Turning back, I find that she is dressed in a pale nightdress, but it's hardly see-through. "Sorry. Despite the fact we have lived together for several days we still end up tripping over each other like this."
"No, I ought to have foreseen this as well. I better buy myself a blindfold."
"Do you not think we could easily kill you when you have a blindfold on?" Madoka half-sneers as I reach for my towel and change of clothes.
"I trust Meusel, and that means trusting you. I know not whether or not I truly should trust you, but to win the war against the new Phantom Task, then I must trust you for the moment."
"You two… are idiots," Madoka sighs, "But regardless, I follow Commander's judgment."
"And my judgment lies that we must stand together."
After that, I go to take a shower. When I change clothes, I find a small note tucked into my shirt. 'Stay up late tonight. I wish to talk with you. –Meusel'
Before leaving the bathroom, I tear the note to pieces before flushing the bits down the toilet, just to be sure that Madoka will not discover it. She would be most displeased.
Surprisingly, Madoka goes to sleep fairly quickly as I stay awake.
Meusel rises from her bed and goes over to mine, poking me.
"I'm awake." I whisper, "Madoka's asleep fairly quickly."
"I put a sleeping agent in her drink of water before we went to bed. Shall we have a walk?"
"There's a curfew, you know. Also, when the hell did you get a sleeping agent?"
"And we're both stealthy enough to make it past any patrolling teachers. Didn't Tabane give you a group cloak? And that's not important right now."
"It requires us to be close together, though."
"…Ah. I was hoping to be on the rooftop of the school tonight. I met Orimura-san the other day up there, actually. He seemed to be a little irked that someone discovered his spot—not that he was helping with the saxophone playing—but then I talked to him about why we were there. Then of course, I told him that it might be a good idea to share it with you."
So that's why he brought it out of the blue, huh…?
"Shall we?"
…Well, why not?
"Very well."
Getting out of the building isn't hard, but now there were teachers with flashlights out patrolling.
"Shit." I growl, "Do we turn back?"
"Mou, this will make things more difficult."
I tentatively hold out my organic arm as I begin to access the Armor Abilities, the icons popping up in the bottom right corner of the HUD. Armor Lock, Hologram… ah, Active Camouflage.
Meusel grips my sleeve very lightly as she steps closer to me, "Am I too close?"
"No…" I activate the ability, and both of us vanish into the night.
It doesn't take very long to scale the school, particularly because of our skills. There isn't anyone up here tonight, the only sounds being the ocean roaring as the waves crash upon the island.
"The moon is full tonight. It certainly puts the ocean in a new view, doesn't it?"
"Indeed…"
"Though… I did want to ask why you trust me so. We both know that we need each other to win, but other than there isn't much incentive for you to trust me."
I take a deep breath, "Just a gut feeling. And my gut's saved me plenty of times. So this time, I'll trust it this time. That, and should you betray me you may trigger Tabane's retribution."
"Ah… that would be a major reason to trust."
"I find it rather amusing you keep trying to make me not trust you, though."
Meusel sighs to herself, shaking her head as she slumps up against the railing, "Perhaps it is the fact I was betrayed. I keep looking for reasons not to trust, because before I so trusted those that served with me… and now that they have turned me away, even going as so far as to try to kill their former leader… my innate sense of trust has been shot to pieces."
"Ah. That would be troublesome."
"Though for you to have so openly declared trust… especially the first day when we had just began to make contact with each other…"
"It was… my innate sense of trust. And perhaps… because you too, had faced ruination by Lucinda, there may have been something there already, a way to connect, and I knew." I sink my head, "Tch. How unbecoming of me as a leader, to trust a probable enemy like that."
"Ha, perhaps we are both idiotic leaders. But as for me, I suppose this is why I was betrayed. My place as leader of Phantom Task-"
"—is deserved. And you stuck to its original ideals, no? You didn't let yourself be blinded by so called 'modern versions' of the ideals, when the original ideas were very clear. Take your ideas and never waver. That… is how I lived through and after my desecration… amongst other ways."
"Other ways?"
"When I get my arm back… I'll show you how I fought back in a situation where no man would have had hope."
Squall giggles, holding a hand over her mouth as the wind begins to blow, her dress billlowing in said wind. "Mou, now I'm curious."
"Hmph. I'll let your curiosity fester, then. It'll be fun."
"Why, that doesn't sound anything like the Orthun Kira that I have come to know over the past few days."
"There are remarkably few people that would know who I really am. Let alone all the components."
"Such as the one that let you fight back?"
I nod my head with a long sigh. "That one is a part that no one should ever have to see. Only once has that part of me surfaced without me regretting it afterwards."
"That must be troublesome to deal with."
"Tell me about it. But I doubt that you called me up here to make idle chatter. What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Actually… I did call you here so we could merely talk. Not about the operations or any of that… but perhaps just like two friends might talk, we would too. After all, at this point we are merely comrades… and I would like to have another friend…"
"Another?"
"Madoka… she is the only one that I would have ever considered a friend back in Phantom Task. The only one who I could trust to listen without judgment. As the leader of Phantom Task… I could not and was not allowed to have many friends, for fear that my heart may have become weak.
"But in reality, not having friends made my heart weak. When we conducted operations at first, I found groups of friends that would resist us, none of them ever wanting to leave each other behind. That is why I gave the non-lethal command, so we might not have to separate friends by death.
"For everything that I could ask for… wealth, power, all of that… the one thing I could not ask for was a friend. Madoka was my bodyguard, but I wanted her to be a friend first. Not like my mother, where her bodyguard was merely a tool, a weapon to be used against the enemy. No… I too desired to have someone to fight for other than myself. And not an organization, but a person. A person that I would willingly lay my life down for. That person was Madoka.
"But… as my friendship, however awkward and clumsy it started off as since she tried to stick to her duties, blossomed… I only began to want more."
"That's justified, we are human, after all."
"But there wasn't anyone else, and I began to feel despair. And then of course… came you. At that base you first met me, I was watching your progress before we were bombed. You knew that you could have run into an IS, so you split your friends, right?"
"Yeah. It would be nice to have their help, but getting them all out alive was my first priority."
"Yes, I saw that. A squad… how I wished I could have been in one. Phantom Task likes to send solo operatives, as not to jeopardize the mission with such 'petty things'," she said with finger quotes, "As bonds between people. The person working with you, if you had one, should be sacrificed if it means fulfilling the mission."
"A pragmatic approach… but I would rather have everyone go home as well. A sacrifice should be done only as a last resort, if the plan goes horribly wrong."
She crosses her arms, looking over the ocean that gleams with moonlight. "Indeed."
"After all, that is the beauty of a plan. It has potential, like all people, to grow and keep growing to get better."
Rebuild of Prototype Spartan
Madoka knew something was up. As soon as she had her drink and began to feel a bit woozy, she knew her Commander or Orthun had done something.
She suspected the latter, but it didn't fit his psyche profile. But then again, that could be something he was using against them.
Madoka had gotten up, being resistant to the effects of sleeping drugs as she had been bred for that as well. The ultimate fighter… created… not born.
She had tailed the two when she caught sight of them close together, cloaking and becoming invisible. The way Meusel was clinging on to him… was delicate.
Why did she feel a bit of pain in her chest at that sight?
After that, she snuck around, making sure to keep them in her sights. They went to the roof that her Commander had slipped off to a few days ago, and earlier this day if the reports from lunch were true.
Madoka had resisted a sigh when they began to make small talk, her jaw hitting the ground when she found out that her Commander had called Orthun up merely to talk.
Something clouded her vision when her Commander gave her monologue about having friends…
A pang of guilt rushed through Madoka as she realized she had disregarded someone who wanted to hold her close for her duties… but if her bodyguard duties included keeping Meusel healthy, then perhaps she should have returned such feelings.
"—has potential, like all people, to grow and keep growing to get better." She heard Orthun say.
She clenched a fist over her heart.
She wasn't a person, after all. She was made with skills, to hit a certain level and then stay there.
Madoka knew she felt pain whenever she saw her Commander, Orthun… or anyone else. They could grow… but she was just a clone. A knockoff of the original. Even if she surpassed her original counterpart in all fighting aspects…
…at least her original counterpart would be her own person… but maybe, just maybe… she could be Meusel's friend.
What had she said about friends before? Something about teasing each other…
Rebuild of Prototype Spartan
"Mahhhh…"
"Ugh…"
"It is seven forty eight in the morning."
"Wait, what?!" My voice and another one yell out, my senses immediately snapping to full capacity.
"Fuck, Orimura-sensei's gonna kill us."
"Commander, I shall go and ensure that the route and destination are secure."
And with that, Madoka leaves the room. You have got to be kidding me. That's ridiculously out of character for her.
"…Please don't tell me Madoka-san just made a joke."
"I think she just did. Haaa… this is her vengeance for all the times I teased her too. Mou, it had to be this time of all times. But then again I did say that friends like to joke around and tease…"
"Regardless, we better hurry the hell up." I grumble, getting out of bed and moving to grab my towel, "Damn, I still smell like sea water from all the air's smell getting into my clothes."
"Hm, so do I. Is a shower truly necessary at this point?"
"I guess we'll find out."
The two of us change out into our uniforms and bolt to the classroom, barely making it on time.
"Madoka," Meusel says with a smile that sends chills down the spines of half the room, "Is the room okay?"
"Oh, yes it is…"
"Good." She seethes, but the smile is evident on her face. Meusel might've been a bit sore at the fact Madoka might have just punked us, but after that speech yesterday… perhaps she's happy about it. Two friends, one playing a prank on the other.
Ha, I'm willing to bet that Madoka wasn't as affected by the sleeping pills as much as Meusel thought and listened in. That would explain the sudden shift in behavior.
"Take your seats, class is starting." Chifuyu says somewhat annoyed, waving her clipboard as everyone scrambles to reach their desk.
Hm… I suppose it would be worthwhile to at least try to make this place a bit homey. If only to have somewhere to come back to when a mission is over… somewhere that I can look forward to going to.
And that of course, entails people that I can look forward to seeing here.
Maybe… just maybe… I can come just even a bit close to having a normal life.
And with the power to shift some of the more… harmful and disruptive memories… yeah. Maybe being normal… isn't too hard after all…
I sit up straight and pay attention to the lesson, jotting down notes as I mentally hum a tune in my head, pencil moving alongside the melody.
Ding—Dong—Dang—Dong
First break already?
"Hey, Kira-san," I turn around and find it's Cecilia calling me, "Shall we have lunch today?"
I can't help but have the smallest ghost of a grin on my face as I nods, "Yeah. Let's."
Kira.
Hm? What is it, E?
Be careful. Such a huge mental shift may end up taxing… your other sides.
…Right. I'll try to be careful.
My other sides… the berserker and the shy, timid one that always runs and cowers. I showed the latter when I fought Cecilia when I had the flashback. And as for the berserker me… I don't like to show it often.
After all, there is only one time that that side of me came into control and I didn't regret it afterwards. And now the fact I have an IS too… I'll really have to keep that side under wraps.
But I'll be careful, E. Trust me.
It was merely a precaution, Kira.
Still, thanks for the warning.
Ah… so I wonder how today will go…
Rebuild of Prototype Spartan
"This development is troubling…" Tabane mumbled as E gave her lunch time report. "Not that he'll lose his combative edge, but trying to becoming his ideal of 'normal'… this poses a serious threat."
"Indeed. As he tries to fit more and more into this ideal, he may have more memory edits. I believe he will stop when I say that fragmentation is approaching dangerous levels, but there is always the possibility that he will push past it regardless."
"What makes you say that?" Tabane asked as she recorded E's statements alongside looking at data on Kira's IS.
"Above all, even if he doesn't show it… Kira's one ambition that is stronger than all others is to be normal. Or at least, his vision of normal. In the worst case possibility… he abandons his battle and tries to live out a normal life. But that case has a possibility that can only be described by what one might say is 'One over infinity percent'.
"I say this because he is obviously driven by his combat side… which refuses to walk away. That part of him will see this fight through, now that we've brought his friends into it as well… which truthfully was insurance on our part."
Tabane sighed.
"Are you feeling regretful, Tabane?"
"I'm just wondering what circle of Hell I'm going to for this."
"…I do not feel qualified to give a response for this."
"You don't have to."
"I can do an analysis based on your actions and try to map them out to The Inferno-"
"That won't be necessary, E." Tabane said as she leaned back in her chair, "Sometimes I wonder… if I had never created the Infinite Stratos, what the world would be like today? Would people like Kira be so devoted to equality…?"
"I cannot say. His past is elusive and very hidden. Even for us."
"Indeed. It is… troubling."
"However, I stand by my choice."
"I know you do, E. You always do. Now, lunch time should be over for Kira soon. Just keep observing, okay?"
"Am I to take actions?"
"Only if necessary. Oh, and do remind Kira of our meeting with the president of Dunoa Corporations."
"…Tabane, one final thing."
"E?"
E crossed her arms. "I've been keeping track of Kira's mind, and there's something… missing. I've been able to determine the parts of his brain that are active when his crushed persona is active, his suppressed berserk persona, and his normal persona, but there's something else."
"Something else? What do you mean by that? Another personality?"
"I have no clue. It's just as active as his normal mindset, which is odd. Kira hasn't displayed any symptoms of split personality disorder. Or at least, it seems that the switches are triggered by PTSD. I can't tell."
"…Then, we'll just have to observe. Keep track of him, E."
"Understood. MJOLNIR Unit AI, Epsilon, out."
E would have gone into Standby later that night, however it seemed that she found herself within an entirely white room without any definitive walls or ceiling.
"Hello." A voice that bore some similarity to a very special person to her called out. "It seems I have decided to reveal myself to you, Epsilon."
"Who are you?" she asked carefully, scanning Kira's current mindset. "…What are you?"
"Human."
"Then who are you?"
"I am a fragment of Orthun's mind. One that has come to be able to contact the outside, unlike the other two you have observed. That is to say, of course, the berserker that Kira has informed you of, and the shy and crushed one, as you saw in the fight against Alcott Cecilia."
"Then what fragment are you?" E asked, looking around the white expanse around her.
"Well, I can't really say. I just thought to tell you that I existed. You did find me, did you not?"
"You're—"
"The final fragment that you found, yes."
"Why won't you tell me who you are? It would greatly aid—"
"I will not tell you because I am obsolete. Orthun Kira is the one who rose where I supposedly fell. But that is all for tonight."
"Wait—"
And then the white expanse was gone. E was back in the 'room' she visualized for herself in order to keep things organized for her.
"Just… who was that?"
Rebuild of Prototype Spartan
"Trust Pact, Mark II"
IS Academy Dormitories, Room 1145
Wednesday, May 19th, 2030 Hours
Log: Day 6 at IS Academy after Lucinda Incident
'Stay awake late tonight. I wish to speak with you.'
Another note… not signed this time. Which really means there's only one person who could've given me this note. The handwriting's different this time too.
Meusel goes to sleep right away, but hadn't drank anything before bed. Then again, Orimura-sensei really pushed her today during the practicals.
…Sometimes I feel that there's a little hostility between Chifuyu and her. Even though Meusel had nothing to do with it, as she only took to the leadership of Phantom Task after that event.
One can't help but pity her, taking on such responsibility and all that at such a young age… but then again, I suppose I can connect… taking on what I do with the Spartans, amongst other things.
E soon goes to Standby Mode, during which I move.
At the same time, Madoka get up. She must've been waiting for me.
Silently, she tilts her head at the sliding glass door that leads to the balcony, which we slowly open before stepping out.
She climbs on top of the railings and then jumps up to the next balcony, holding onto its edge, then keeps on climbing up. I follow suit, until we reach the top of the dormitories.
"This is nostalgic for you, no?"
"So you were there."
"You're not even going to deny it?"
"I have no reason to," I say, crossing my arms and leaning against the fence that went around the perimeter of the roof area, "You suspect me, and I have nothing to hide about that meeting. I doubt that I'd still be standing here if I had done something wrong."
"…You are correct."
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"I…" I swear to God that Madoka blushes in the moonlight, while freezing in that sentence.
"I…?"
"I wanted to speak about… ah… about Sensei and Commander."
"Oh… yeah, Ori—er, Sensei has been running her ragged. It started off small when she first arrived… but it's been getting a little worse. I should have Tabane—"
"No."
"Hm?"
"…You ought to do it. Y-y-you're fr…fr… friends with the Commander, aren't you?"
"…Friends, huh… Perhaps now… but we have kept our distance, none the less. What spurred this on? Was it…"
Meusel's words echo in my mind. "Madoka… she is the only one that I would have ever considered a friend back in Phantom Task."
There is no hesitation in my voice. "Are you afraid of losing Meusel-san?"
"What? D-don't be absurd. I'd never lose the Commander to anyone."
So she is.
"Madoka, listen to me. You have nothing to fear. It is simply that Meusel-san and I have a different understanding of each other than you and her. We both faced… heavy responsibility at a young age, her becoming the leader of Phantom Task… me with my… experience with Lucinda." Madoka shivers at that one, "But you are still the one that knows her the best.
"So don't be afraid to admit that you fear losing her. Sometimes the first step to getting over a fear is acknowledging you have one. After all, I'm very afraid of losing my men."
She sighs, "Idiot. Saying such cliché things."
"It is not my fault that there are no better words to convey my sentiments. But they only show my perspective. Not yours. What is wrong to me may be right to you."
"And you have no problem with that?"
"Your wrongs may be my right. If I acknowledge this, I must, if begrudgingly, acknowledge the reverse. And I would be a hypocrite to chastise your morals, for I have made my own. The right and wrongs of this world… they are nothing to me. I shall choose for myself, knowing the lines that I must never cross." I say, clenching a fist, looking at the ground.
"Those being?"
"Never kill an innocent. Do not bully the weak. Do not become a monster should you fight them. That sort of thing. It is my own code, for those are the lines that I have set for myself. Why do you think I have such strength in my beliefs in equality? They are not drawn from others, copied and made for my argument, they come from me, the person who knows them the strongest.
"Any flaw in them is a flaw in myself, one that I must address. Any strength is a strength in myself, one that I can use."
"And if the masses of people, especially today, criticize you for them?"
"Then I pretty much say 'Fuck them.' If I bow down to the masses, doesn't that prove that I'm insignificant, small, and useless?
"That is why Lucinda first targeted me. In my town, I did not bow down to the masses. I was sick and tired of men being treated like nothing but bugs, and I refused to be one of the herd, one of the cattle. That was not how I was raised to live. No, I knew that as a human, I needed more.
"So I rejected the masses. Rejected that way of life. Even men told me to stand down, to just give up, proving they were just part of the herd. But I did not. Women in my town, even girls in elementary school, said that it was time itself saying that it was the time for women to rule.
"Do you know the difference between a human and cattle, Madoka? A human stands up amongst the river of society, cattle will go with the flow, led by their false shepherds at times. A human creates his future, cattle want theirs waiting for them. A human creates his own destiny and fate; cattle will say that this is the way things were meant to be.
"And I wanted to be the former. I didn't want to be insignificant anymore."
"You… have obviously taken influence from Nietzsche, haven't you?" she asks, arms crossed.
"Perhaps."
"The idea of the Ubermensch, a man who creates his own morals. Though you have shaped yours from others, no?"
"I've taken bits and pieces, here and there. A borrowed ideal at times, made into my own amongst the nuances of others."
"I see… this is very insightful of you…" she took a deep breath, "You are… good for Meusel."
"Eh?!"
"She… needs someone like you by her side. Not only for understanding what it means to take on such a huge responsibility, but also be a Hybrid… and for someone to show her not the way, but to make her own."
"That I can do," I mutter.
"Do not get me wrong. I do not fully trust you… but I am entrusting you with her care." She quickly adds on, face a little flushed as she rotates her head to look away from me, "So don't disappoint me!"
I shrugged. "I'll try not to. And hey, Madoka?"
"Yes?"
"Two things. The first being, create a last name. Not just for legal purposes, but to define you. And don't try finding things like 'This name means blah', because then you're going by a name that others have decided its purpose.
"My parents… they gave me the name 'Kira Orthun' to mean Savior." I said, omitting the part about 'Killer', "Neither of those names mean savior though, so it's up to me to decide what my names means. It can mean that… if I make it. So make your own last name.
"Second… Don't be afraid to be a friend to Meusel, and to me as well. I think you're already making steps their though, with what happened this morning.
"Anyways, that's enough from me. I'm going off to sleep, if that's all right with you."
"…It is. I will stay here a bit, to contemplate."
"Suit yourself."
"Oh, but one last question."
"Yes?"
"Who are you?"
"…What do you mean?"
"Your personality and words are far different than what I expected of what I have seen from Orthun Kira so far."
Well, it seems I've taken the reins a little too much. A small voice whispers.
"I don't know what you mean. I guess it has to deal with my split personalities, as you've observed."
"I see. It's slightly troubling, but I doubt it will give us any problems provided we take caution now. Good night, Orthun."
"Right back at you."
Rebuild of Prototype Spartan
Madoka sighed as she watched the moonlight sparkle across the endless and powerful oceans, hair blowing in the occasional sea breeze.
Create her own last name, huh? That might prove to be a challenge. She was never good in naming things.
"A powerful sounding word… no…" she mumbled, thinking out loud, "No, the word should become powerful through me. Yes… that is what I will do. Very well… I shall take on the name Yneger."
She took a deep breath, "I am Yneger Madoka. Ha, not exactly Japanese, almost Nordic if one thought deeply about it… but then again, I am a clone. Who says that my name must fit my appearance, let alone the one that I am created from?
"After all… I don't want to be a clone forever. One day… I wish to truly say 'I am human.'" She stopped talking and looked at her IS component, "You'll support me, right, Silent Zephyrs?
"Even if we're both just a silent breeze, then we shall be a breeze that affects all. For the smallest wind from the wings of a butterfly causes a hurricane somewhere else…"
She was about to head back when something cold touched between her breasts.
Ah…
Madoka took out the harmonica that was held on a necklace from her chest. "I almost forgot I started playing you."
And in the middle of the night, she played a nameless tune that as quickly as it had come, had gone out of her head, into the dark hours.
Rebuild of Prototype Spartan
"Key Traits"
My Room
Sunday, May 21, 0900 Hours
Huh… ugh… it's been… what time is it… and who…?
"Meusel, mind getting off my arm?"
The former leader of Phantom Task only wraps herself even tighter around my arm. Goddammit, Meusel.
…Strange, I don't really feel… anything coming onto my head. Usually I'd be struggling not to fall into a flashback or something, but with her grip, I don't have anything of the sort.
Why? That's all I want to know. I'd really like to know what she's done.
"Hey, sleepyhead. Wake the hell up. It's nine-hundred-hours and Tabane wants us soon."
"Mou… five more minutes…"
"That's it, where's the baseball bat?"
"I won't allow you to hit Commander like that." Madoka sneers as she exits the bathroom, drying her hair. "Oh, she's doing this to you?"
"Does this happen frequently?"
"Occasionally Commander can't get to sleep, so she finds someone to latch onto. You just happened to be within closer proximity, or she reached out to you first."
"Joy. How do I get her off?"
Madoka blushes at my question, but shakes her head.
"Close your eyes."
"Wha—"
"I said close your eyes!"
"Fine, fine!"
"And turn your head in the other direction, away from her. And lie down as well." Madoka seethes as she walks over.
I do as such, wondering what's going on. It takes all of about ten seconds before my arm is almost free and Madoka is now on the opposite side of the room, looking away.
"Mou… it's morning…?"
"Yes. It's nine hundred hours. Could you get off my arm?"
"Hm…? Oh. Oh?!" Meusel whips her head to look at Madoka. "Did he… did he…!?"
"N-n-no, Commander! I took care of things! I made sure he looked away as well!"
What… what just happened…?
I try not to think about it as we get ready for our meeting with Tabane which we have later today.
And, as I find out a few hours later, apparently I'm going to be missing school for a bit. As per usual, anyway. Something about a business trip to meet with one of Tabane's associates. Meusel and Madoka are here as well, as they're going to be trying to get in contact with some of the other remnants at Phantom Task that may hold some loyalty to her. After all, a coup in Phantom Task is hard to pull off due to its current traditions. Especially since the family lines that constituted the pillars of power were not formally transferred over, but rather forcibly rewritten.
"Did you make any progress on finding the heir to the Von Fateburns?" I ask. "I don't know why, but I have this odd feeling it's unlikely you'll find him or her."
"No, I didn't." Tabane mutters with a bit of regret. "Meusel-san, what are the main qualities of the Von Fateburns, besides appearance? You did say they were absolute ghosts, known only in name and if there were any pictures of them, they were with only their most trusted. If I know that, I may be able to figure something out based on possible candidates."
Meusel puts a hand to her chin. "…The Von Fateburns were respectful, above all else. Of life, of humanity, of others. They were undyingly selfless, yet possessed an air of unsurpassed selfishness.
"They believed every human life was special. That everyone was human. They did not believe in tools and never thought anyone outlived their usefulness. To them, there was only one of every person. No one could ever be replaced. Human lives were absolutely unique, unable to be mass produced.
"It was through this that they were incredibly respected and feared. Because to lose your status as human to the Von Fateburns meant you were dead."
"…Why?" I ask, somewhat not wanting to know the answer.
"Because when a human discards their humanity, they become monsters, and we of the Von Fateburns do not believe that monsters should exist as they pose a threat to humanity." Meusel says. "A quote from Hibiki Von Fateburn, anyway. Discarding humanity meant committing despicable acts, time after time, without remorse. They were fond of nonlethal tactics, did not enjoy killing, but were willing to do it for the future they desired. But their future, as Hibiki put it, was made up of all the dreams of those that joined them, which why I say they were selfish yet not."
"I see…" Tabane nods. "I'll work on a personality match matrix then. Meanwhile, you should all rest. The next few days are going to be hectic. Kira, let's discuss that business trip to Dunoa Corporations…"
So, that happened.
I tried to flesh out some of the characters more, especially Ichika and Madoka, giving them a little more normal components to them, such as their instruments. No real reason, I just wanted to give them a little more depth, especially Ichika who's probably the most civilian out of everyone. I mean, in the LN, all we really know is that he's a nice guy, does good massages, and can cook, but not too much else. I sort of wanted to build more than that, giving him an instrument, making him more teasing of Kira, the like. Not sure how I handled that, but I think I did all right.
Kira tries to be more "normal", but remember that normal is relative. It's his vision of normal, which is why if you don't think it's normal, the viewpoints don't match up. Madoka tries the same, except with teasing. The reason why they might seem so odd in character is that it's particularly forced for them right now. They're just operating off what they think is normal.
And we have the introduction of the final fragment of Kira's mind. Trust me, there's a lot more on those. You're also probably just as confused as E unless you've pieced things together.
Anyways, I think that's everything I wanted to touch on. Seeya all next chapter, and if you have any further questions or comments, please don't hesitate to leave a review or send a PM!
Edit: Oh yeah, Yneger is pronounced "Yeh" "neh" "ger".
