Disclaimer: I do not own any of the properties portrayed throughout this story. This crossover will contain major spoilers from the original source materials and other related works.
Entering the Academy is a task in of itself for me. The Academy is located on an offshore island and requires the use of a monorail to access it. Only the staff, students, and the occasional guest are allowed to enter. This is just one of the many security measures that the Academy has taken to secure the safety of both its students and the IS units. Just as one would expect from one of the most technologically advanced places in the world. However, there is one thing that is bothering me.
It isn't lost on anyone that the IS only functions through the use of a female pilot. Truthfully, having to go back to school isn't a major issue for me. It was only when I realized that said school would consist of only female students that my confidence wavered a bit. I try my best to mind my own business and make my way towards the Academy.
I'm dressed in what is considered a standard male IS Academy uniform; a white blazer with a black collar and lapel with accents of red along the edges and a pair of trousers. I find it surprisingly comfortable, although I can't ignore the nagging feeling of being watched. The closer I approach the monorail station the more eyes drift towards my direction. It is no secret that there are three male pilots had been identified that can control the IS and so it is no surprise that everyone knows that they will be attending the IS Academy. Yet, many are still in a state of shock as they catch a glimpse of me.
Walking up the stairs leading to the station, I painfully note just how many eyes are focused on me. No one has approached me yet, but it is clear that I have caught their attention and liken it to seeing an exotic animal. Despite all the 'pointers' that Rin had taught me, I still feel way out of my depth. It isn't even an issue of not knowing how to talk to someone of the opposite sex, but rather that I am immediately being singled out. Either way, I'm content with minding my own business and decide to wait patiently for the monorail to arrive.
The Clock Tower has sent me on plenty of ridiculous missions, but this one is just so much more different that I am unsure of where it will take me. There is a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that I can be doing more at the moment. The transition to attending classes five days of the week seems like a huge leap in logic. However, it's just as Waver mentioned, there is no way out of this situation.
Eventually, the monorail arrives and students began to board. I join along with the rest of them and am the last to enter. I decide to stand near the door and hold on to the rail next to me in place of taking a seat. Then, the monorail starts to move – slowly picking up speed.
The students on board can be heard talking and introducing themselves to one another. While it isn't silent by any means, I can still make out whispers pertaining to me with my reinforced hearing. Trying to distract myself, I gaze out across the oceanfront ahead of me and steel myself for whatever I may encounter in the upcoming months.
While the mission itself isn't dangerous on paper, I know how easily plans fall apart. Still, Rin encouraged me to try to enjoy himself; just not 'too much.' She didn't approve of all the risks I take when out on my missions. Even I have to acknowledge that to some degree, but I'm still standing despite any rash decision I may or may not have made, and that had to count for something – or at least I think it does.
Eventually, the monorail arrives at its destination. With the doors opening to the campus grounds, I aimlessly walk out and take in the wide breadth of the Academy. A concaved ceiling encloses the drop-off station. Natural light floods the area from a gap in the structure, framing the city across the water.
In the distance, I see various signs directing the flow of students into the main campus. Luckily, I locate the exit easily enough without too much trouble. I make my way down the tiered steps to the outside.
Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for me to realize the growing pack of students that are lurking behind me. I sneak a glance and the moment I do the students immediately stop in their tracks. However, when I face forward again, I hear their footsteps continue.
I contemplate different scenarios for escaping my current predicament. Unfortunately, I can't do anything too outlandish without bringing even more attention to myself. Still, I can't bear the situation for much longer and need a way out.
It isn't long after that I hear a rumbling in the distance. Turning in its direction, I find the source. A rampage of students running towards my direction with one individual leading the charge. Well… leading would be an exaggeration.
I quickly note the expression of fear on the individual in front. It's only for a moment, but as they are running at a full sprint, I lock eyes with the leader of the pack. It is at this moment that I recognize why the individual is being chased; the student is one of my male peers. Short black hair framed his face as a look of surprise forms in his dark-brown eyes.
I am left speechless as the moment passes by all too fast. The male student continues to flee. The stomping of pavement eventually subsides as the mob of students chases after their target.
I look back at the group that had formed behind me and notice that their attention is still focused on the fleeing mob. Quickly, I decide to quietly sneak away while they are not paying attention. My classmate may have just provided me a way out, but I am not going to fall into the same trap as he did.
Discreetly making my way around a building corner, I let out a sigh of relief and wonder what the possibility of making it to my classroom in one piece is going to be. Still, if I can't outmaneuver a handful of students on campus, then I'm not sure how much my training in the Clock Tower amounts to. Letting out a sigh of exasperation, I begin the long trek to the main campus.
Arriving to class has been much more of a challenge than I initially thought. While the layout of the Academy is nowhere near as confusing as the Clock Tower, it's still too new to me. In addition, unlike at the Clock Tower, I do not have someone to guide me to my destination.
Looking at the time, I know that I'm cutting it close. Frantically turning my head from side to side, I look for the specific room number that I am assigned to. While I'll eventually learn the layout of this place, it's for the best that I do it as soon as I can.
There! Near the end of the hall; my classroom was within my sight. Without waiting for another moment, I hastily make my way through the entrance.
With a sigh of relief, I enter the classroom and quickly take the last remaining seat in front of the class. Only sparing a moment before sitting down, I take notice of two individuals in the front row whose desks are next to one another. The other two male pilots that were said to be joining the IS Academy just happen to be in my same class. Yet, before either party can speak a word, a new individual makes an announcement.
A woman with short green hair with matching-colored eyes. She stands behind a podium wearing a short-sleeved yellow dress which may or not be a bit too revealing, but I decided it was best not to focus on that specific detail.
"Greetings everyone, my name is Yamada – Yamada Maya. I will be co-teaching your class this year with your main instructor who is running a bit late today. While we wait for her to arrive, let's begin class for the moment. Now, let's begin by introducing ourselves. Let's see, how about we start with…"
Miss Yamada continues with the introductions. One by one, each student stands from their desk and states their name along with something they find interesting about themselves.
Eventually, the first of the three male IS pilots stands up from his desk. Just like me, he is wearing a modified IS Academy uniform that would suit the male physique. Dark-blue bands of hair frame his soft features while his amber-brown eyes focus on our instructor.
"Hi. I'm Itsuka Shido. There really isn't much to say other than that I live in Tenguu City and take care of my little sister. Thank you and I will be in your care."
Shido sits back down while Miss Yamada continues with the rest of the introductions. However, there are murmurs between the rest of the students. From what I can discern, all focus on something different but one common topic is repeated: Tenguu City.
The implication of living in Tenguu City, especially recently, was clear. Which means that Itsuka's daily life may just be more hectic than he's letting on. However, before I'm able to delve into any deeper thought, I hear my name be called out by the instructor.
All eyes focus on me as I stand up to introduce myself. Normally, I would have been at a loss for words having been put on the spot. However, in preparation for my mission, I had to create a cover story, one approved by Rin herself, that would explain my time being employed by the Clock Tower. Of course, my cover story had to include how it is he ended up here.
"My name is Emiya Shirou. I'm originally from Fuyuki here in Japan but have recently spent the last four years traveling to different parts of the world. I will be in your care."
Nice and simple. I sit back down before causing too much of a ruckus. While I'm not expected to keep a low profile, it's for the best to remain so – at least for the time being.
Finally, there is the last male IS pilot out of the three. As he stands, it is clear that he felt the most pressure addressing his fellow classmates. He takes a deep breath and focuses on his response.
"I'm Orimura Ichika." There is a long pause as everyone present waits for him to continue. "That's all."
The buildup comes to a crashing halt. The entire class nearly trips over themselves. Suddenly, a book comes slamming down on top of Orimura's head with enough force to throw him back down onto his desk.
I almost jump out of my desk as my muscles tense up. Someone that I haven't previously taken note of suddenly appears. An adult came into view. She wore a black overcoat with a matching skirt over a formal white shirt. Despite her long black hair, it didn't hide the way her dark-brown eyes stare daggers at Ichika.
"Big sister Chifuyu!"
"Call me Miss Orimura at school."
Orimura? I glance down to whose head is currently being pinned to the desk. It couldn't be a coincidence that they had the same name, could it? Still, I wasn't expecting the sudden sneak attack, albeit on someone else.
"Has the meeting ended already?" Miss Yamada addresses Miss Orimura.
"Yes. I'm sorry for making you greet my class for me. Folks, I am your homeroom teacher Chifuyu Orimura. It is my job to train you well enough to stand on your feet in one year."
Out of nowhere, the room burst into full cheer. I instinctively go to cover my ears, but am still able to make out what is being said. Most of the female students are shouting compliments and praises such as: 'Lady Chifuyu!' 'I'd die for you!' 'You're my inspiration!'
"It's amazing to see how many idiots come to this school every year; do they put them all in my class?" With a scowl, Chifuyu presses the tips of her fingers to her temple. Then, she turns to address Ichika with the same annoyed expression. "So, you can't even greet people properly."
"Well, big sister Chifuyu, I was just-"
Another book came slamming down on top of Ichika's head sending a shockwave throughout his body.
"Call me Miss Orimura."
Miss Orimura walks over towards the front of the class, then turns to face the rest of the students.
"Be quiet! I want you to memorize the basic knowledge about the IS in the next six months. After that, you'll move on to practical training and you need to let the basic maneuvers sink into your body in half a month. You got it. If you understand answer me. Even if you don't, still answer me."
The class answers her with a resounding yes. It's difficult to get a clear read on Miss Orimura; her demeanor is stern but it's clear that she carries herself with confidence. I guess it goes hand-in-hand with how prestigious the academy was. Only the best-of-the-best were allowed to enroll, aside from certain outliers, which speaks volumes of the instructors.
Without wasting a moment, Miss Yamada begins the first class of the semester.
"Now, despite the Infinite Stratos being a relatively new creation, it isn't without its history. As I'm sure all of you know, it isn't until the White Knight Incident that the IS first made its appearance into the world. The sudden introduction of the IS changed the world as we knew it."
It changed the world, that's for sure.
Military bases around the world lost control of their targeting systems which resulted in thousands of ballistic missiles and military-grade weaponry being directed towards Japan. At the time, no one knew what was happening. Was it all just a huge misunderstanding or an act of war?
Even I remember the day when the world first experienced the IS – it was what many thought would be the beginning of the end. As the sirens blared and people ran throughout the street in panic, the first wave of missiles could be seen in the distance. That is until a knight in platinum armor appeared in the sky.
"As you all know, IS stands for Infinite Stratos. They are multiform suits developed in Japan. Due to the Alaska Pact, they're prohibited from being used as military weapons. Students gather from all over the world to study and improve their skills."
The IS Academy indeed held the recognition of being the only location that teaches users how to pilot an IS unit. This accounts for the variety of students that seek education from abroad.
"Originally, the IS was intended to function for space work, which resulted in its armored exterior. For a brief moment in time, it was hoped that the IS could be used to research the mysterious phenomena known as Spatial Quakes."
Spatial Quakes. An unexplained natural phenomenon that occurs sporadically throughout Earth. To most of the world, not much is known about these events or what causes them to happen. However, the damage they create is unfathomable. Not even the Fuyuki Fire that I found myself in 14 years ago can be compared regarding the unextraordinary loss of life that the Eurasia Sky Disaster caused. A modern-day Pompeii is the best comparison most could describe it as. Just as the Romans didn't know that Vesuvius was more than a regular mountain but rather a volcano primed to erupt.
"Dating back 30 years ago to the Eurasia Sky Disaster, Spatial Quakes have randomly occurred throughout the world. There is no concrete evidence as to why they happen, but what is certain is that they only bring destruction."
The Eurasia Sky Disaster sent the world into a frenzy. Nothing was certain. A catastrophe could be right on anyone's doorstep, and they wouldn't be any the wiser. This resulted in many nations quickly constructing shelters in every major city or landmark. The IS Academy is no exception to this rule. There are safeguards upon safeguards to ensure the safety of the students from any manner of threat. However, many locations simply didn't have the funding or resources to implement such safety measures; leaving many in a constant state of dread. There was a rush in all the world's governments to secure all they could and hope that it would be enough.
"However, due to both the unpredictability of where a Spatial Quake can occur and their dwindling numbers over the years, the IS has seen little success in this regard. With that being said, it is our hope that we, your instructors, will be able to help all of you to reach your full potential in piloting the IS."
Thankfully, the rate at which Spatial Quakes occurred did diminish drastically compared to the initial months when they first started. Yet, this is the truth that the world is forced to accept. However, the reality of the matter is much more complex. Unfortunately, the Spatial Quakes weren't just a freak of nature but rather the workings of a mage.
Sir Isaac Pelham Westcott – an infamous name known throughout the Mage's Association and several other magical communities. A mage that had cut ties with the association in pursuit of advancing his own craft. This action was deemed inconsequential as Westcott reportedly didn't hold much standing among the higher-ups in the Clock Tower. Still, it was through his actions that the Spatial Quakes began.
While the human world had to tend to the tragedy left by the Eurasia Sky Disaster, mages from all around the globe were furious. At the exact moment the first Spatial Quake occurred, a substantial portion of the world's mana had disappeared. It isn't known what exactly Westcott was attempting, but the aftereffects were felt worldwide.
It was not long afterward that the Mage's Association found out about his actions and placed a Sealing Designation upon his name. Yet, nothing more could be done. In the immediate aftermath of the Eurasia Sky Disaster, no one in the magical community had the means of finding out what exactly had just happened. It was an unprecedented event that took many people time to recover from and when they did, the perpetrator was long gone.
Westcott's location was never verified. Whether he had gone into hiding proceeding the disaster or had been caught up in the destruction itself is unknown. Still, after 30 years, his legacy stands as a stain in the eyes of many.
I occasionally think back to when I first learned about the truth. Despite the events occurring several years before I was born, I still can't fathom the loss of life that was caused. Those that managed to survive were forced to face this reality every single day – without ever fully understanding what it was that happened.
It was only after that I joined the Clock Tower that he learned the truth of the Spatial Quakes. The Holy Grail War seems inconsequential in comparison. If the truth about atrocities such as the Grail War and the Eurasia Sky Disaster can be swept away with, it made me wonder what else is has been done away with.
Yet, before I can get further lost in thought, I am brought back to the present when Ms. Yamada instructs the class to take out their IS Handbook. The exact handbook which I never had the chance to open… A week has barely passed since I first piloted the IS and within that week I have been thoroughly interrogated by several government officials. All while having to prepare for his mission from the Clock Tower.
A trickle of sweat slides down the side of my face as Ms. Yamada began explaining the inner workings of the IS. Essentially, the lecture material went in one ear and out the other. This is going to be a long… long day.
Eventually, the minutes tick by until the end of class. With more questions than answers, I sit at my desk in contemplation. The IS handbook which continues to perplex me is laid out in front of me. I wonder how long it would take to completely go through it. I think about the different possibilities until someone next to him spoke up.
"I didn't think that the first day would be so hard to handle."
Looking up, I realize that most of the class has departed by now. Itsuka collapses onto his desk from exhaustion. Despite today only being an orientation, I can't help but share the same sentiment. With the attention of the entire class focused on himself, Itsuka, and Ichika, he found it difficult to concentrate on the class itself.
"Classes should be over for today," I remind him. "Unless you're thinking of checking out some of the different clubs," I respond as I began collecting my belongings.
"I don't think I have the energy to think about doing anything outside of classes for today." Itsuka's face is plastered against his desk. Any spirit he may have had before class began has all but left his body.
"I might have to agree with you on that. Still, there are things that I need to get done before the day is out."
"Oh, are you going to the dorms right now?"
"Yeah."
"Mind if I tag along?" His question filled with enthusiasm as he sits up. "I really don't want to end up getting lost trying to find my way around here."
"Sure. I don't mind." I extend a hand out to him. "As for proper introductions; I'm Emiya Shirou. Shirou is fine by me."
Itsuka reaches out and shakes my hand.
"Itsuka Shido. Shido is fine by me."
"Well, Shido, it's nice to meet you. Do you want to start heading towards the dorms?"
"Definitely. Let's go."
With our journey set, we head off in search of their lodging. What they fail to recognize is just how large the Academy is. In our search, we find practically everything aside from the dorms. From the dining hall to the practice stadium, we wander about for several hours.
We consider asking the group that had begun tailing us a while ago but decided against it – unsure of how the situation would play out. If our previous experiences are anything to go by, then it is probably the safest choice.
Eventually, by some miracle, we find our way into the dormitories. The small victory relieves our hearts.
"I've got to admit, I was surprised when it was announced that there's another male IS pilot that would be joining the IS Academy," Shido confesses.
"It is just as much as a surprise for me. I didn't expect to find myself literally dragged here, but I might be able to do some good while I'm here."
"Heh. I'm guessing you didn't have much of a choice in coming here. I guess you can say that I'm in the exact same boat."
We continue forward in our journey. The occasional odd stare here and there from a passing student was the most trouble that troubled the two.
"Let's see. My room should be coming up soon." I reach into my pocket and pull out a document to double-check the information I had been given. "Here it is – room 1107…"
Eventually, we come to an abrupt stop as we reach the dorm. Opposite of the doorframe, standing in front of us, is another IS student.
As I look up, I first noticed her royal-blue eyes filled with concern. A blue headband matching the color of her eyes frames her long, light blond hair, which drapes past her shoulders in coils. She wore the standard IS uniform but is slightly altered to have a long skirt with black frills at the end.
"Hey?" I ask uncertainly. I look over toward Shido to see if he has any idea who she is. It isn't too much of a surprise when Shido has the same confused expression.
"I'm going to have to ask you to move out of the way of my dorm," she growled.
I have a difficult time not envisioning a certain blonde from the Clock Tower right in front of him. The way she carries herself is not too far off from how Luvia, yet there is a degree of harshness in her voice.
"This is your dorm?" I ask incredulously. I brace myself for what may be the harsh reality of her response. A day hasn't even passed, yet problems are already starting to build up.
"Yes. This is my dorm," the blonde states. "What you two are doing here I don't have the faintest clue. Now, I won't ask again. Move out of the way."
"Hold up." Shido steps in and holds up his hands in defense. "I'm sure there's some kind of mistake-."
"There is no mistake!" Shido is cut off by the raging blonde. Quickly, she rummages through the bag at her side and pulls out a piece of paper. Without hesitation, she shoves the document in Shido's face. "Cecilia Alcott. Dorm room 1107. Now, stop preventing me from entering my dorm."
I could already feel the headache that is settling in. Wordlessly, I lift my own document containing my credentials, so that the now-named Cecilia could see. The same paragraph style decorated the document just as hers.
Name: Shirou Emiya.
Dorm Room: 1107.
Cecilia's eyes widen in shock. She furiously grabs my document and begins to scan it from top to bottom with a furious gaze – looking for any sign of tampering. After a moment, she begrudgingly returns it with a fallen expression.
"No matter the case. This is clearly a mistake. You can't honestly believe the Academy would allow this, would you?" Cecilia remarks. "Honestly, the nerve."
"Look, I get that this isn't the best situation," I state. "I'm going to try to find someone so that we can get this figured out."
"I don't think so," Cecilia interjects. "I can't expect either of you," she stabs her index finger into my chest, "to handle this situation. You're just as likely not to resolve this situation so that I'm forced to share this dorm with you. No. I'm going to handle this myself."
Cecilia turns and rushes off in search of an instructor, leaving behind a confused and baffled duo. As she reaches the stair corridor at the end of the hall, she turns to address us both and yells, "And don't even think about going into that dorm!"
Fortunately, there aren't too many in the hallway to witness both of us in a state of disbelief. Unfortunately, the growing silence creates an awkward atmosphere between us. That is until Shido interrupts it with a cough.
"Uh, maybe we could check out my dorm in the meantime," Shido suggests.
"Yeah… that's probably for the best," I respond.
Still shocked by our experience, we continue walking down the hall. As luck would have it, Shido's dorm is located a floor beneath where we currently are. Without much difficulty, we located and enter his dorm.
Shido lets out a sigh as he lets himself fall back onto one of the beds. I, on the other hand, pull up one of the chairs. To fill the void of silence, I ask Shido a question that I had wondered about during class earlier. "You said that you are from Tenguu City, right? I heard there's been a lot of Spatial Quakes in the area recently."
"Heh, heh. Yeah. There's been a few more than normal, but from what I've been told a large portion of them have been false alarms."
"Really? That's good, then." It's hard to imagine Shido's nonchalant attitude about the Spatial Quakes when the reports that have been released have painted a different picture. Still, maybe he was just that lucky not to get involved in all that trouble. "Have things changed much even with the few that you've had?"
"I guess you could say that things have gotten a bit crazy – running around from place to place. But things have gone pretty well. My friends back home are safe and that's just about as much as I can hope for."
"I'm guessing it is a huge shock for them when you had to move here out of nowhere."
"Yeah… they aren't exactly thrilled about the idea. Not like I had much of a choice in the matter. I would have liked to stay back home for a while longer – there are some responsibilities that I still have to take care of. Speaking of which, how did you're your friends react to your 'debut'?"
Debut is an understatement.
"Let's just say it was a mix of emotions. I got a harsh lecture from one of my closest friends when I first met up with her." Rin was the first to get in contact with me when she found out. Some choice words accentuated her anger about the situation. "Though, it isn't really about the fact that I piloted an IS. Rather, it is where I found piloting it."
"That's right. I heard you are flying towards a city at the edge of the desert when a bunch of IS pilots finally caught up to you. They thought you had stolen it until they saw the condition you are in."
"Correct. I was traveling across the desert until I had gotten lost. Luckily, I had finds an abandoned base. It was only then-"
Suddenly, there is a large commotion outside the dorm. We look at one another, hoping that the other would have some form of an answer and neither of us did. People could be heard piling out onto the hallways, prompting us to go investigate. I went to go open the door and am welcomed with an intriguing sight.
Gathering into the hall is a large group of students. However, the first red flag that I take note of is that, instead of the standard IS uniform, everyone is wearing nightwear. My face lightly flushes at the sudden sight. Electing to ignore the sight before me, I chose instead to hone in on the focus of the other students. It is a panicking Orimura laying down on the floor who is quickly being surrounded by his female classmates. As Orimura looks around for a way out, he locks eyes with both Shido and me.
Shido motions to Orimura to make his way towards us. Without wasting a moment, Orimura quickly gets up and maneuvers his way through the crowd – dodging and weaving between with the speed of a scurrying mouse. In his rush, Orimura didn't have time to slow down his momentum and is forced to leap into the dorm before I promptly close it – much to the dismay of our female classmates outside.
Orimura takes a moment to catch his breath before thanking us both.
"Looks like we've all had a rough day today," Shido states.
Orimura lets out a chuckle. "Honestly, I still expected today to be way worse. Hopefully, tomorrow will be different."
I kept an ear to the door in hopes that the crowd outside would soon disperse. Only to soon realize that the majority of the crowd had gathered right outside the dorm. Gasps of shock fill the hall as the remaining students soon realize where the remaining male students are staying. I deadpan as I soon realized what this would mean in the near future.
Without any other option, I walk over to Shido and Orimura to break the news. "Looks like we won't be getting out of here anytime soon. At least, not without getting completely surrounded."
"I was afraid you were gonna say that," Orimura slumps over in defeat. "Either way, I appreciate the save back there."
"Don't worry about it." Shido raises his hands and waves off his thanks. "I figured something like this is going to happen eventually."
"Really? I didn't expect anything like what happened today."
"You'd be surprised. Trust me."
"Well, I guess I haven't properly introduced myself yet. My name is Orimura – Orimura Ichika. You can just call me Ichika." Ichika raises his hand to shake Shido's hand.
"I'm Itsuka Shido. You can just call me Shido."
Then, I extend my arm to Ichika.
"Emiya Shirou. Shirou is fine."
"Shido and Shirou, huh? Well, I'm glad I'm not going at this alone."
"Speaking of which, why are you surrounded in the middle of the hallway just now?" I ask.
"Ah, that." Ichika looks to the side, trying to recall what just happened himself. "I sort of had an argument with my roommate…"
"Then, that puts the both of us in the same boat," I respond.
"Wait, you two aren't roommates?" Ichika gestures to both Shido and me. "I thought I was the odd man out."
"No, we're not." Shido crosses his arms together and tries to think of a way to explain how exactly the room situation played out as it did. "Maybe, it's because we were registered into the Academy last minute?"
"I wouldn't doubt it and it seems the most plausible," I add.
"The same happened to me, for the most part," Shido exclaimed. "I guess nobody, including us, was ready for this to happen. Not that we had much of a choice."
"So, what should we do now?" Ichika asks.
There is a silence among the three of us. Without knowing one another well enough, it is awkward enough trying to come up with something to talk about. I guess this is going to have to be another hurdle to overcome.
1,702:03:55:42
Word Count: 5,657
Publish Date: 4/10/2021
[1] Revision Date: 4/18/2021 | Reason: Grammar Issues
[2] Revision Date:
Author's Notes: Oh, boy. It's been a while, guys. Hope you're all doing well. Would've gotten this chapter out sooner if it isn't for two reasons: college and Skyrim. That and I've been contemplating the fate of a certain character.
On a side note, Date a Live Season 4 hype anyone? Oh, and I guess I'm a bit late but congrats to Date a Live's 10th anniversary. Interestingly enough, this chapter should be posted on Tohka's birthday.
This chapter could be way more polished, but I really wanted to get it out sooner rather than later. Actually, this chapter was going to end up being much longer, but I had to move stuff over to the next chapter. Which will hopefully come out much sooner than this chapter.
Now, what else is there to discuss. Oh, I know. Westcott. I was never a fan of the whole 'I'm evil for evil's sake' and definitely feel that my time is better used in expanding Ellen's character instead. To anyone that has read/watched Date a Live, it's safe to assume that the events of the show have continued normally as they would have up to this point. It's only that Westcott is not involved. Now, how things ended up going in the same direction without his presence will eventually be explained.
I hope that I've been able to properly kindle the broship between our main characters. I'm not the best when it comes to developing character relationships. So, if any of you guys have pointers, I'm all ears. As things stand right now, we'll see more interactions between Shirou and Shido because I want Ichika to still have his development with Houki despite the fact that I most likely won't go too in-depth into it. It's safe to assume that their interactions will stay mostly the same.
As for the timeline of the story, specifically regarding the IS storyline, things will stay mostly the same. This is what these first chapters will mostly be about. Slowly introducing the main cast of characters so that I have time to develop them. One of my major critiques of the series is that it doesn't seem to have a direction it's going in, which is also one of the reasons I like it – it's pretty laid back. As for the Date a Live storyline, I'll be a bit ambiguous as to where exactly we're at since the topic will be brought up again in a couple of chapters. As for this story's timeline, I'll be continuously making small changes here and there so that everything is cohesive.
I think that's it for now. Let me know what you thought about this chapter. If you have any suggestions/criticisms feel free to message me or leave a review. Thank you to everyone who left a review last chapter. I'll see you next time. Later, guys.