To say the students of the E-Class had never undergone such an advanced research project would be an understatement—there was a distinct difference between planning the infiltration of the Citadel, which didn't officially exist on any maps, and the infiltration of the ISS, a top-secret scientific building owned by the government.
"The reentry capsule carrying the research data will splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The capsule will be transported to the lab unopened, to prevent unlikely theft of the same by the target super-creature," Korosensei read out loud. "Very clever precautions indeed. I can't carry anything too heavy. Use a five-ton capsule as a safe and there's no way I can steal it."
"That's why we get them to show us while it's still in space," understood Okano, nodding. "But does Japan really have the technology to launch a manned rocket?"
"Their technology is reliable enough for that, anyway," confirmed the octopus. "My influence might have moved things along."
We're doing good time, mused internally Ame, looking over the blueprints Korosensei had provided them. Everyone's giving their all to this plan, no matter how absolutely crazy it might be. At the pace things are going, we'll definitely be ready for the launch of the rocket—and with time to spare, at that!
Everyone seemed to share the same kind of thoughts, because they were all in high spirits, and many were practically bouncing in their seats as everyone returned to their respective desks, while Isogai went to stand at the front of the classroom. Once he had the attention of all the students, he decided to speak up.
"Our plans are in place," he announced, also eager to move forward. "Now, to put them into action: the rocket will only hold two people. Who wants to go?"
"ME!"
Over half of the class raised their hands, instantly volunteering for the mission, and it didn't take long for Ame to notice that she was the only girl with her hand raised.
"Aah, you just can't stay still, can you?" teased Rio, a tad exasperated. "With you, it's always out of the pan and into the fire—can't you go a single day without trying to put your life in danger?"
"Rio, I'm offered the opportunity to go into space—screw danger, you can bet your ass that I want to go!" replied hotly her friend, her eyes sparkling slightly. "This is an international research facility, Rio! Can you imagine just how much info I could gather for the Zodiac?"
"Ah, of course," sweatdropped the blonde.
"Keep in mind that this is an experimental vessel with no successful flights yet," then pointed out Korosensei. "Who still wants to go!?"
Ame once again thrust her hand in the air, as if aiming to reach the ceiling, while many of the boys who had been previously interested slowly lowered their hands. Then again, there were actual risks involved in that mission and, as fantastic and unique the experience would be, there was absolutely no guarantee that whoever went in the rocket would actually make it out.
"I still want to go," then announced Itona, unperturbed. "A rocket would make any mech-head's mouth water. But, I'll give up my seat this time—looks like Ame really wants to go."
"I do, I do!" she confirmed, grinning from ear to ear.
"Well, it was her idea," grunted Terasaka, leaning back into his seat. "Hers and Takebayashi. You interested in going?"
The bespectacled boy simply shook his head. "Not particularly, no. As amazing as it would be, I quite like having my two feet safely connected to firm ground."
"Well, if Ame's going, then we need someone with a cool head on their shoulders to keep her in check," then pointed out Fuwa, flashing a smirk at the black-haired girl. "The last thing we want is for her to provoke an international conflict, right?"
"Aah? I might do dumb stuff from time to time, but I'm not that stupid," huffed Ame. "If I wanted to start an international conflict, I wouldn't be dumb enough to get caught doing it."
I don't know what's scarier—her answer, or the fact that she's right, sighed internally Nagisa, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"Well, if we're in need of someone coolheaded, then Isogai-kun's the right choice, isn't it?" then remarked Rio, instantly jumping on the opportunity.
Maehara was quick to ally with her. "Oh, right! The class representative with the high-level charisma and the spy prodigy with the necessary skills to make it through without a hitch—practically a match made in heaven, right?"
"Ame's quick to take risks, and Isogai's reliable enough to pull through if those gambles turn against them," mused Karma, definitely on board with the secret matchmaking schemes. "It ought to work out well enough—that is, if our class rep is willing to go…?"
"W- well, if everyone's alright with it? Itona?"
The boy merely nodded, not minding giving up his seat—if he had anything to say about it, he'd definitely have another opportunity like that one in the future. Noticing the eager and encouraging grins of their friends, Isogai ended up giving in, offering a small smile in Ame's direction, which she was quick to return.
"Well, it's decided, then—Ame-san and I will be the ones going into the rocket," he concluded, straightening up.
"And that's that!" cheered Korosensei.
I'm going to space! Hana and Usagi are going to have an aneurysm once they hear about this!
… right, no telling them 'til I'm inside the rocket, else they'll find a way to stop me from going.
.
.
Cape Shimazu Space Center
The class had split up into two groups: one that would buy their way inside the facility as a group on a field trip, and the other doing the actual infiltration. The latter group was composed of merely five people: Ame, Isogai, Kurahashi, Yada, and Kimura. With startling ease, they managed to bypass the electrified fence and sneak inside.
Ame and Isogai went through the underground conducts, while Kurahashi and Yada snuck inside the facility dressed as civilians. Their mission was to find the launch room and act as a distraction in order to allow Kimura to sneak inside and plug a USB key—which would then give Ritsu full access and control to all of the computers and systems of the facility.
Trekking through the underground conducts was a silent affair until Ame and Isogai reached an open section. They waited for a minute or so, well aware that they couldn't possibly just rush ahead when so much was at stake—if they were caught, there was no telling what the consequences would be. So, biding their time, they finally received word of the infiltration's team success.
"Security analysis complete! I've placed a remote-control virus on the control-room computer. Now, the control center and its system will act on my command!" announced Ritsu.
"Good job, guys," grinned Ame. "I daresay we got through the most difficult obstacle. Now, it's only a matter of reaching the rocket in time!"
"That being said, we're currently stuck," admitted Isogai, looking ahead at the open field. "A part of our entry route is aboveground. Is there anything we should look out for?"
"Roger. Checking your current position… Done! I'll turn off the corresponding camera for ten seconds!"
"Roger."
"Three… Two… One… Zero!"
At once, the two students sprung forward, running right out in the open to the other side of the underground conducts, and Ame couldn't help but marvel a bit at what she had just done. At the beginning of the year, there was absolutely no way that she would have trusted a fellow student so blindingly, even if she was a program.
I've really changed a lot in a single year, haven't I…?
They kept on running through the underground conducts, quickly making their way to the launching area. Following Ritsu's thorough instructions and warnings, the two of them managed to safely make their way to the rocket. Taking the elevator, they then wasted no time in running up the fifty-meter staircase that separated them from the hatch.
When they arrived at last, though, it was only to find their teacher dressed up like a cheap ninja.
"Korosensei!" greeted Isogai, reaching him first.
"Niryufufufu! Inspection? Perfection!" he assured.
"Any accident would be a liability issue, uh?" mused Ame, looking up at the admittedly huge rocket before them.
"Stop saying such scary things so casually!" snapped her teacher.
"I'm relaying recorded footage of the dummies to the control room. If you swap them out now, you won't get caught!"
"Alright, let's do this!" grinned Ame, before extending her fist to her partner in crime. "Let's find what we're looking for and save Korosensei, Isogai-kun!"
At first surprised by the genuinely earnest expression, the boy then smiled back, lightly knocking his fist against hers.
"Right!"
.
.
Ame was febrile as the countdown echoed all around them. Dressed up in the suits the dummies had been previously wearing, Isogai and her had been waiting for a few minutes, now, using small talk to try and soothe their nerves. No matter how determined they were to get that information, there was no ignoring the risks they were taking, and the very serious possibility that the rocket might blow up before they reached the outer space. So, small talk helped them take their minds off off everything—but their nervousness was quick to return as the announcement of the incoming launch was given.
"—20, 19, 18, 17, 16—"
Hana is going to kill me, Hana is going to kill me, Hana is going to kill me…
"A- Ame-san?" hesitantly called out Isogai.
"—13, 12, 11, 10—"
"This is both thrilling and terrifying," she choked out, glancing at him. "What is it?"
"—8, 7, 6, 5—"
"We- we're going to be fine, right?"
Surprised, she then grinned. "Of course."
"—3, 2, 1."
The rocket started shaking violently as the engines were finally ignited to full power but, in that very moment, Isogai managed to forget about all of his worries—Ame's smile didn't flinch, didn't strain. If anything, it widened, and the sight… the sight rendered his mind blank.
"Liftoff!"
They finally took off in a raging blast, leaving the ground and aiming straight for outer space. Despite the risks, Ame simply couldn't stop smiling, well aware that this was the kind of thing she'd never get to experience again—
"Nyuu! It's fast, all right!"
"Wha—why did you tag along, you crazy octopus!?" snapped Ame.
"Well, you know, I worry," replied the octopus, his voice echoing through the wall. "Don't be overly concerned about getting that data on me. You're on a journey through space—enjoy it!"
Surprised, Ame then laughed. "Of course we're going to enjoy it! But, no matter what, we'll also find that data—because, in our eyes, you're more important than any kind of teaching material you share with us."
"As wonderful as the experiences you've given us were, and though we've truly learned a lot from them, you are the reason we've all grown so much in the last year," added Isogai, relaxing a bit. "So, we'll find that data and save you! You can count on it!"
"… I know. And I'm grateful—ghaaa!"
There was a moment of silence, before Ame shot a flat look at Isogai. "He fell off the rocket, didn't he?"
Isogai simply chuckled. "Most probably—we are going at Mach 23, after all. This might very well be the only time in our lives when we're faster than him."
Ame's grin could only return in full force at the thought.
.
.
"Rendezvous complete. Commence HTV catch."
"Roger."
"Mechanical arm: operation verified. Three more meters. Two meters. One meter."
"HTV catch complete. Commence gripping." A moment of silence. "Demonstration ship: grip complete."
'THUD'
"Docking complete."
"Shield interface: all green. Air pressure: normal. Permission granted to open hatch. Welcome to the space station."
Ame tensed up a bit as the hatch was finally opened. Momentarily blinded by the light, she then froze as a shadow made its way through.
"Uh? Where's the dummy?" exclaimed the man in English, confused.
Exchanging a nod with Isogai, she then moved forward and grabbed the man's left arm, while he grabbed the right one. Stringing him along downward, his startled exclamation was quick to alert his fellow crewmates, and Isogai didn't waste any time in "taking him hostage". By the time the other two men appeared, their friend was trapped in a harmless chokehold by Isogai, who was holding a rubber knife to his throat, while Ame also held a knife and an orange box on which was written a single word: "BOMB".
"Hi!" she greeted, a tad too cheerfully for someone who was an inch away from committing an actual act of terrorism.
"Oh, Mizui-san, isn't it? I've seen you on TV before," mused Isogai, glancing at the man he was holding hostage. "I was quite impressed. It truly is an honor to meet you!"
"Why- why are there kids in here instead of the dummies!?" gasped a bald man.
"I have terminated the com-link with Earth!" suddenly announced Ritsu, who appeared on the screen of a floating phone.
"Thanks, Ritsu!" Her grin widening, Ame then reported her attention to the crewmembers. "Hello! As you've surely noticed by now, we're in possession of a bomb. That being said, we'd like to do this peacefully. Why don't you go back in the station so we can talk things out?"
::
"You want to what?"
"Take over the facility," repeated Ame, shrugging a bit. "I doubt they'll actually listen to us unless we use a show of force, and I don't know about you, but fighting in a zero-gravity environment isn't exactly my preferred option."
Isogai sweatdropped as he glanced at the fake bomb she was now holding. "So you want to make them believe we're actually terrorists?"
"Well, just so they'll listen. Once we've explained everything, I'm sure they'll be willing to help us out… Or at least, I hope so. It's a rational deceit!"
"Well, I, too, would prefer for things not to get out of hand… Alright, we'll go with your idea. If things go wrong, though—"
"Then blame Karma. It was actually his idea."
Isogai simply sighed, shaking his head. "Why am I not surprised?"
::
Everyone slowly exited the capsule, with the five free crewmembers of the facility gathering on one side of the hallway, while Isogai and Ame floated in front of them, with that Mizui fellow still trapped in Isogai's grasp, while Ame explained everything.
"—and that's basically why we're here. So, please, allow us to copy the American team's data. I can assure you that we won't make any other demands."
"Ame-san," then called out Isogai, keeping a careful eye on the men before them. "They've calmed down rather quickly… I don't think this is working."
"Yeah, I noticed," she sweatdropped, before switching back to English. "You're not intimidated in the least, are you?"
At last, the unreadable expressions shifted into either amused smirks, or annoyed scowls. The apparent leader of the group, the bald American man, started clapping.
"First, let me give you two daring kids a hand. Bravo," he replied in slightly accentuated Japanese. "But, are you really going to take on the six of us—soldiers included? A bomb doesn't scare us—because we've been running experiments here, not knowing when this is all gonna blow up and kill us all." After a few tensed seconds of silence, he smiled. "Enough pointless conflict. This is no place to fight. We'll talk, so please, let him go."
The two students exchanged a glance, before Ame nodded lightly. Nodding back, Isogai then released Mizui. For a man who had been taken hostage, he didn't look scared or even worried in the least, and he calmly returned to his companions' sides.
"Even if you do steal the data, how are you going to get home?" he then asked. "Are you going to ask us for help while you hijack us?"
"Don't worry about that, we've already planned the most optimal return route," assured Ame, shrugging lightly. "All of our classmates worked their butts off in order to work out to the perfection the return orbital calculations."
"And our teacher can do any fine-tuning by pushing us midair," added Isogai, relaxing a bit now that they were willing to discuss.
"This is way too reckless!" instantly protested the only Afro-American man on the crew.
"Maybe you're just young, but aren't you taking your lives too lightly?" added a blonde-haired man, whose French accent was piercing through his tentative Japanese.
Surprised, Ame and Isogai once again exchanged a glance… before the black-haired girl burst in laughter, while the boy chuckled. It took Ame a few seconds to get over her sudden laughing fit but, once she did, she offered all of the men a carefree grin.
"We're students who have been trained to become the perfect assassins in order to kill their teacher. This year, our lives have been on the line more times than I care to remember," she admitted, wiping a tear away.
"We're not taking our lives too lightly—far from it. If anything, the experiences we lived through in the past year have made us learn to value it more," assured Isogai, determined.
"We've learned and grown thanks to the teacher we're now trying to save," added Ame, calming down. "That's why we're trying to hard to secure a future for him—a future that we're all determined to share with him."
"… It seems you have genuine faith in your target's plan," finally relented the bald leader. "All right. I'll take it upon myself to accept the hijackers' demands." He turned to one of his crewmates. "Prepare the data."
"For- for real!?"
"But first, help us offload supplies," he then added, looking over at the teens. "We'll put you to work and get you out of here already."
Startled, Ame then cheered, pumping her fist in the air. "Yes!"
We did it!
The "bomb" was carefully tucked away, the knives were sheathed back, and Ritsu even relayed their classmates' reactions upon learning that the American team had agreed to help them out. After what, Ame and Isogai were put to work though, frankly, the girl had an inkling that the researchers were mostly trying to give them the experience of a lifetime. All previous grievances forgotten, and with their primary goal achieved, the two students were now free to truly enjoy this unique journey.
"Here, catch!"
"Got it!"
However, Ame still wasn't entirely used to the zero-gravity environment, and catching the box thrown in her direction was a lot harder than expected.
"Oof!"
With nothing to keep her steady, she caught the box, but it knocked the air out of her lungs for half-a-second, and she was literally thrown backward. She made a few flips, which rendered her a bit dizzy. Just as she thought she'd meet the wall headfirst, though, she hit something warm and a lot softer than a sturdy wall.
"Uh?"
"Are you alright, Ame-san?"
She looked up, only to find Isogai staring down at her with concern, and she only then realized that she had run into him. Still a tad dizzy, it also took her a few seconds to notice that her head had knocked against the top of his chest, meaning their faces were only a few inches apart—close enough that, if he leaned down—
Flushing, she quickly righted herself.
"Y- yeah, I'm fine! Sorry about that!"
Damn it, why do I always get this flustered whenever he gets so close!?
And seriously, WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST THINK!?
They helped offload all of the supplies that the rocket had carried all the way up there. They tried out the space rations, messed around with the zero-gravity environment, and Ame even found the opportunity to subtly sneak away and plug in a special virus into the whole facility's system—as soon as they returned to Earth, it'd grant access to Usagi, and the Zodiac would now have yet another minefield of top-secret information.
The best, however, was most definitely the view. Once they had nothing better to do than wait, Ame found her way to one of the windows on the other side of the station, which had a direct view on the Earth. The sight was thrilling, mesmerizing, and strangely soothing. Seeing the entire world from so far up made her feel entirely untouchable, unreachable, and the thought was… strangely comforting.
Who knows? Maybe I ought to give up everything and become an astronaut…
But of course, she wasn't serious. She had two families who cared about her, and wonderful friends who would surely miss her. And, as amazing as being in space was, she doubted she'd be able to take this otherworldly peace for more than a week, tops.
I'm too used to the action, aren't I? My routine became filled with surprises, shocks, and adrenaline-inducing adventures…
Unbeknownst to her, she was no longer alone in the hold. Upon finishing with his own tasks, Isogai had decided to join her so they could enjoy the view together but, as soon as he arrived, he found himself stopping in the entrance. Ame was gazing outside, relaxed, smiling softly without really noticing it—seeing her completely unguarded was a very rare sight, and the only thing that came to his mind as he watched her—
"Quite pretty, isn't she?" Isogai startled as a hand fell on his shoulder, and he looked up to find Jeremiah, the bald team leader. "You've found yourself a good match. Cute, smart, and obviously your brand of crazy, seeing as she came up here with you."
"We're not—it's not like that!" instantly assured the boy, flustered. He spared a glance for Ame, relieved to see that they were too far for her to notice or hear them. "And- and anyway, she's the one who volunteered to come up here. I just followed…"
The man snorted at that, patting his shoulder. "You wouldn't follow just about any girl into space, kiddo. Plus, I've seen the way you were looking at her."
"I- I wasn't—"
"Oh, Isogai-kun!" His sudden exclamation had snapped her out of her thoughts, and she beamed when seeing him. "And Jeremiah-san! Finished with your work?"
"Aah. The data's just about ready, if you still want it," replied the man, half-teasingly.
"Great! Come on, Isogai-kun!"
Pushing herself away from the window, she floated past the two of them, and grabbed the boy's hand on the way, effectively dragging him along. Isogai instantly spluttered out an incoherent answer, too startled by the sudden contact for his mind to work properly. The girl didn't notice, though, simply assuming he had reacted this way because she had started pulling him along so suddenly, which made her laugh.
Watching them go, Jeremiah sighed amusedly, shaking his head. "Ah, young love…"
They reached the control room, where all of the data they required was currently being downloaded. By the time they arrived, Ame had already released Isogai in order to get ahead, and the boy had used that opportunity to calm down and gather his thoughts for a bit. He had been honestly taken aback by Jeremiah's remarks though, the more he thought about it, and the less he could actually deny it.
Ame-san is—
"That's all of the lab data on preventing that super-creature from exploding," explained Martin, the French guy.
"No signs of falsification," assured Ritsu, still on the phone into which was being downloaded everything. "I can confirm it's the full data from the experiment in question. I'll just grab a copy. There, done!"
"Great!" Ame unplugged the phone, before turning to her partner. "Now, all that's left is to return to Earth and validate it."
"R- right. We wouldn't want to overstay our welcome," he nodded quickly, forcing his head to get back into the game. He could think things over once they were back home. "We're really grateful for your help and cooperation, everyone. On behalf of the E-Class and Korosensei, thank you very much."
"Aa. Here, you can keep this as a souvenir!"
Smirking a bit, the girl threw the "bomb" at the bald man, who caught it with a startled yelp.
"Watch it!" he warned, scared out of his wits.
"It's okay, that thing is filled with sweet bean jelly," she snorted, already heading back toward the capsule. "Don't mind, don't mind~!"
"Oh, no…" groaned all of the researchers, only now realizing they had been fooled.
"We've very sorry for the trouble," chuckled sheepishly Isogai, bowing lightly. "Thank you again!"
"There are some pretty amazing junior-high kids out there," mused Mizui.
"You guys are an awesome group of hero," added Jeremiah, amused.
"Come back any time—but next time, do it the right way," suggested Martin.
"Bye-bye! Stay safe!" replied cheerfully Ame.
Waving goodbye, the girl was the first to disappear into the capsule. Just as Isogai was about to join her inside, though, Jeremiah called out to him.
"Oh, and Isogai!" The boy looked up, and the man grinned broadly, offering him a thumbs' up. "Go get her, tiger!"
The poor boy flushed ten shades of red, promptly disappearing into the capsule too. That made the crewmembers laugh boisterously. In the end, no matter how amazing these kids were, they were still just that: kids.
"Aah, it's a bittersweet feeling, to know that our adventure in outer space is already almost over," mused Ame, leaning back into her seat.
"Well, as short as it was, I have to admit that I'm a little homesick," admitted Isogai, rubbing the back of his head. "I've never been so far away from home, before."
Ame snorted at that. "And I doubt you'll ever get that far again—unless you decide to come back up here, someday."
"As amazing as it was, I think I'll pass—there's too much I want to do down there."
She sighed wistfully at that. "Yeah, me too." She then looked up the phone floating above their heads. "How's our return course looking, Ritsu?"
"I'm on it," assured the purple-haired program. "I've crunched a ton of numbers to get you down safely. This spaceship may as well be my own body by now. Plus, all those sensors I have are picking up more than ever before. External temperature, air pressure, speed, the scenery… Isogai-san, Ame, I even have a clear read on your respiration, your conversation, your heart rate, your warmth. To think so much, to move, to feel… How wonderful! This mission has evolved my intelligence—I'm experiencing it firsthand! This is what was missing from the body Usagi made for me… Now I understand why it still didn't feel right, despite the sensors and the systems…" Ame's eyes widened as, for the first time, she heard Ritsu's voice clearly—as if she was a living person talking directly to her, and not just from a phone. "I just gained awareness of an emotion for the very first time. I'm happy—happy to be a part of this class."
Ame could only smile at that. "And we're happy to have you with us, Ritsu. Thank you, for sharing this wonderful journey with us."
"Hmm." After a few seconds, her unusually solemn voice returned to its cheerful self. "That being said, we're now back on tracks and about to start our descent. Please, quickly suit up and ensure that you're strapped up properly—this is going to be a bumpy landing!"
They didn't have to be told twice. Quickly suiting up, they then strapped on the numerous safety belts—just in time, seeing as the capsule soon started shaking rather violently. At that point, though, the awe and adrenaline had worn off, and anxiety crept up on Ame without any warning. This was the last hurdle they needed to clear, and she kept on telling herself that they'd be safe, that they'd make it back without any trouble, that everything was planned and calculated and that Korosensei would be there in case something went wrong—
"Ame-san."
She cracked an eye open, glancing at Isogai, and she was taken aback upon seeing him extending his hand to her. After a few seconds, she found herself relaxing just so slightly, and she reached out to grab his hand. Holding on tightly, she closed her eyes again, forcing herself to focus on the knowledge that she wasn't along and that they'd be fine, her grip tightening ever so slightly as the capsule shook some more—
"Right on schedule! And what a grueling trip it must have—ow!"
"Korosensei!" gasped Isogai, startled.
As if on cue, the parachutes were deployed at once, effectively slowing down their descent, though not by much.
"So I didn't need to intercede in the negotiations after all," remarked the octopus, his voice echoing through the wall. "You really must have gotten through to those space guys. Now, to give you two a little shove!"
At that, Ame completely relaxed—despite the pained yelps now echoing from outside. She knew that they were in good hands, and she no longer worried about their landing.
It took them a little while but, finally, the capsule landed directly into what used to be the pool Korosensei had built for them so many months ago. Once Ritsu gave them the all-clear, Ame slumped into her seat, relieved.
"Ano… Ame-san…?"
It took her a few seconds to notice that she was still holding Isogai's hand. Spluttering out a few apologies, she was quick to let him go, her face flushing a deep red. He didn't say anything else, too busy trying to hide his own blush, and the two of them quickly unstrapped and got rid of the suits. Then, Ritsu unlocked the hatch and, at last, they were able to breathe in free air again.
"Ame!"
"Isogai-kun!"
"You made it!"
"Way to go!"
Ame stumbled out of the capsule, almost landing face-first into the water but, thankfully enough, Karma and Rio were quick to catch her. After spending so much time in a zero-gravity environment, she'd need a few minutes to get used to gravity again. Isogai was in pretty much the same state, but Maehara and Sugino acted as his support.
"We're back," simply grinned Ame.
Karma lightly ruffled her hair. "Welcome back."
Rio smirked. "Anything interesting happened up there? You and Isogai-kun were all red when you stepped out of there."
"U- uh? No, nothing like that! It was just really, really hot in there! That's all!"
Her quick reply did nothing to help her case, and her two friends exchanged a knowing grin. Before either of them could prod her for any potential juicy details, though, Korosensei directed all of them to the classroom, saying they'd take a look at the data right away. So, it was with a bounce in their steps that the students all made their way back to the classroom, all the while hounding Ame and Isogai for details about their little trip.
"Naoki." The girl stiffened slightly when Karasuma called out to her, visibly annoyed. "Do I even want to know just how much data you stole up there?"
"… the less you know, the better."
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's what I was afraid of. You're lucky I know you enough to let you get away with this, Naoki. Had you been the type to use this kind of knowledge with malicious or harmful intent, you'd already be behind bars, assassination be damned."
"Ooh? So you trust me enough to let me run wild with all that info?" she mused.
"I do, because I know you're a good person." He lightly patted her head for half-a-second, before promptly pulling away with a scowl. "But I'm not an idiot. Try to use that to your advantage, and I will have your hide."
"R- right. Whatever you say, Karasuma-sensei."
A good person, uh…?
.
.
"Whoa! Check out this data!"
"I'm glad you got it, but with all this jargon—I can't understand a word!"
"I'll handle it," replied Okuda, adjusting her glasses so she could read properly. "Let's see here… An experiment in space proved that the risk of explosion for a tentacle creature is inversely proportional to its size. The bigger it is, the more stable, while the smaller ones have a higher likelihood of exploding. Unlike those the size of a small mouse, the probability of a human-sized creature going berserk and exploding is much lower than expected. Additionally, the drug indicated below is administered and a silicon compound is periodically stimulated to flow through the body. Simply put, by relieving muscular stiffness, the risk of them going berserk decreases dramatically."
"Stiffness?" echoed Isogai and Maehara, confused.
"When the following conditions are satisfied, the possibility of explosion, even at the highest… is less than one percent."
"One percent!?" gawked Yoshida, as taken aback as the rest of the students.
"It is likely that other cells will die out before any explosion occurs, and the creature will gently evaporate within 90 years," concluded Okuda, her voice trembling a bit with emotion.
"So, you can make this drug or what?" asked impatiently Terasaka.
"It's- it's surprisingly easy! In fact, I made one almost exactly like it before!"
"That one!?" exclaimed the rest of the students, startled, as they thought back to that particular time when Okuda had tried her hand at poisoning Korosensei—and instead, had turned him into a gelatinous mass of grey matter.
"You're kidding, right?" protested Fuwa. "The key to solving this was right there all along!?"
"Are you sure? I mean, it was almost too easy to find," added Muramatsu, dubious.
"No—the road here wasn't all that easy." Everyone turned around to look at Kayano, who smiled lightly. "Because my sister risked her life to stop Korosensei as he was turning into a destructive creature. Because Korosensei followed in her footsteps, risking his life to teach us. If we hadn't risked our lives, we probably wouldn't be able to make that drug, and we wouldn't have grown into a class that could look for answers way out in space."
"Either way, less than one percent is as good as zero!" then exclaimed cheerfully Sugino, pumping his fist in the air. "Even if we can't kill him, Earth won't explode!"
"Yatta!"
"Hurray!"
Ame slumped in her seat, relieved, and suddenly very exhausted. She was glad things had apparently turned out for the better, and that they hadn't made it all the way to the space station just to return with bad news.
"Ah, wait. What about the assassination?" suddenly asked Isogai, blinking in confusion. "The one we've been working on since our first term? Should we just call it off as of today?"
"Uh? I- I guess we can… I think…?" replied Sugino, now unsure.
"Nagisa!" called out Terasaka. "What do you wanna do? This was your idea to begin with—not to kill him, that is."
"No matter how minute the possibility, the government won't cancel its assassination plans, not as long as he remains a dangerous creature," then warned Karasuma.
"… I want to treat everyone's feelings with care, especially now that we've come through that tunnel," finally answered the blue-haired boy. "So, here's what I suggest: if we can't kill Korosensei by the March deadline, we'll graduate from assassination and go back to being plain old students and teacher. But, until that deadline, let's wield our blades with the utmost conviction! After all, here, assassination is our bond with our teacher—and a compulsory course from Korosensei, who nurtured us."
"Sounds good to me," mused Ame, stretching her arms. "Now that I no longer have to hide anything, I'll be able to go all out. This is going to be fun!"
"Yosh! Let's get him in the last term!" cheered Rio.
"Yeah!"
.
.
"Ame-san?"
"Yo! So, how does it feel, to have your two feet back on firm ground?"
"Not half-bad, I daresay," chuckled the boy.
Ame looked up to the crescent moon above their heads. "This really was a crazy adventure… I don't think my colleagues are going to believe me, to be honest."
"A one-of-a-kind journey… Ne, Ame-san?"
"Hm?"
There was a moment of silence. Confused, the teen looked over to Isogai, who had stopped in his tracks and was now mulling over what to say next. She patiently waited for him to make up his mind, her heart unwittingly picking up the pace. What was that sense of anticipation? Why was she reacting like this? What was he going to say!?
"… it really was a crazy adventure," he finally said, before offering her a blinding smile. "And I'm glad I could share this experience with you of all people, Ame-san."
"I- Isogai-kun…" She felt both flustered and disappointed. What had she been expecting him to tell her, exactly? "I, erm, I feel the same way—that I could go up there with you. Like what, it's truly wonderful that I got to experience the outer space with such a great friend!"
Friend. For some reason, the word felt heavy on her tongue.
Damn it, what is wrong with me!?
"R- right. Friend," echoed Isogai, suddenly averting his eyes. "A- anyway, I should go. I'll- I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"
"Erm, right! Later!"
Why did things feel so awkward? Why did he run off so suddenly? Was it something she said? Or rather, something she didn't say? Her heart was still beating too fast for her liking, and she could feel her cheeks burning as she unwittingly thought back to what Isogai just told her…
Ame groaned, rubbing her temples, as understanding finally dawned on her.
You can't be fucking serious…