A/N: This chapter started somewhat slowly, and I had to re-write the beginning from scratch before I was satisfied with it, hence the long wait between updates. Sorry if the beginning still feels a bit rushed, but I wanted to get to Charlotte's introduction.
Chapter 7
The black haired girl knelt in the center of the dark room, an unreadable expression on her face, as her new commanding officer paced around her.
"My my little M, you've certainly grown since I've last seen you!" Squall spoke after a few minutes of silence. Madoka didn't reply, continuing to stare at a single spot on the wall.
"Aww, no hello for your childhood friend? I'm hurt!" Squall said, walking up behind her and placing her hands on the younger girl's shoulders.
Madoka remained silent, although her body involuntarily tensed up as the older woman's hands came down upon her.
"Well? Don't you have anything to say? Anything at all? Won't you at least thank me for rescuing you from that shipwreck?" Squall's voice began to lose its playful edge, and Madoka braced herself for what was coming next.
"Hmph. How rude! Not even a small thank-you for me saving your life! It looks like you need to be taught another lesson in manners." At that, a wave of agony coursed through Madoka's body as the device hidden in Squall's hand activated. Only experience prevented the black haired girl from crying out, while her body barely twitched, despite every nerve in her body burning in pain.
"Bitch." Madoka choked out several seconds later, when the pain finally stopped. Squall simply sighed in response.
"Have you forgotten how to address your betters, little M? No matter, you will soon learn your place once more." As she spoke, Squall twisted Madoka's head until their eyes met.
"I know how to address my betters, Meusel. You don't qualify." Madoka replied, causing Squall's crimson eyes to flash in anger. Before she knew it, Madoka was slammed against the wall, the older woman's hand on her throat.
"Until further notice, you will address me by my full name and rank, or not at all. Remember, the only reason you are still alive is because of your IS compatibility score, and even that is mediocre in comparison to my own. You are expendable, little more than cannon fodder in this organization of ours. If I so wish, I can kill you right here, right now, with my bare hands, and nobody, not even your own mother, would bat an eyelash. Do you understand?" Squall spoke, her face inches away from her new subordinate's own visage, which remained emotionless.
"I understand, Cell Commander First Class Squall Meusel." Madoka's face was calm as she gritted out those words, but Squall could see the rage burning behind the black haired girl's eyes.
"See? Being a good little mistake isn't so hard after all!" The older woman said mockingly, patting her victim on the head.
Madoka growled as she was set down, causing the cruel smile on Squall's face to grow.
"You will be living here from now on, little M. Maybe if you're lucky, I will let you out once in a while!" Squall chuckled as she walked out of the dark room, slamming the door behind her. Madoka heard the door lock a few seconds later. Then, with a scream of rage, she put her fist through the wall. She heard laughter coming from outside as her older cousin heard her.
"Now now M, don't damage the wallpaper!" She heard Squall say, followed by the sound of receding footsteps.
Madoka soon lay down on the small cot that was the only real furniture in the room, burying her face in the pillow, her tears soaking into the fabric. It was only when she was alone like this that she allowed herself to cry.
As Madoka was quietly sobbing into her pillow, Ichika and Tatenashi were disembarking from a Chinook helicopter and entering the confines of the Organization headquarters. The scene had certainly changed from when Ichika had first entered all those years ago, with exposed wiring and dim lightbulbs being replaced by sleek, well lit corridors, through which the pair were now walking.
"This certainly feels like something out of a spy movie." Tatenashi commented as they turned a corner, only to be met by Yukari and two uniformed men. The men carried rifles, while the Japanese IS pilot had an earring on display, indicating her status as an IS pilot.
"Recruit Sarashiki, you are to surrender your IS to us before proceeding beyond this point. Failure to comply will result in your arrest and detainment until further notice." Yukari announced as the pair came to a halt in front of her. After a few moments of hesitation, Tatenashi handed the device in question over. Yukari took it, before speaking again.
"Junior Wing Commander Orimura, you are to come with me to the R&D labs. We are to deliver this IS unit to Dr. White for refits. Recruit Sarashiki, you are to follow these two gentlemen." Yukari said, gesturing to the two armed men that flanked her.
"Wait, what are you going to do to my IS?" Tatenashi asked.
"We're going to improve it." Ichika said simply, before he followed Yukari down one corridor, while Tatenashi was escorted down another. Once they were out of earshot, Ichika spoke to his mentor and superior officer.
"Since when did you get your own true IS?" Ichika asked.
"Oh, this? My old Revive just got a refit while you were away, that's all." Yukari replied, touching her earring.
"Ah, I see. So, did anything else happen while I was away?" Ichika asked.
"Well, we've finally got our next male recruits in the IS corps, although they're still cadets so they won't be seeing action for a few months, at least. I've heard that R&D has begun working on mass production TIS units as well in order to meet the corps' requirements."
"Oh, I've already looked over the MP unit schematics, and I have to say that I am impressed." Ichika said.
"You have? That's nice to know." Yukari spoke as the pair entered the R&D bay. Looking around, Ichika saw four IS units in early stages of construction. He recognized them as the mass production TIS prototypes.
"Orimura! It's good to see you here! I assume you have the Mysterious Lady with you?" Dr. White said as the pair walked up to him.
"Yeah, here it is." Yukari said.
"Good. Deploy it so that we can get started." Dr. White ordered, and Yukari complied, the Russian IS bursting into existence around her.
"Alright, we'll take it from here. You are dismissed." The doctor ordered, and Yukari stepped out of the IS and left.
"Ok, Ichika, you know the drill. Let's remove the core." Ichika did as the doctor ordered, and soon the black sphere was removed and placed in a core containment system, being carried away by several engineers.
"Now that the core has been dealt with, let's begin the refits. If we work fast, we should be able to adapt it to fit a White Pattern core by the end of the day." Raymond said. Ichika nodded in response.
It was several hours later that Ichika felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Tatenashi wearing an Organization uniform with an Intelligence insignia on her right shoulder, and an IS corps insignia on the other.
"So, what are you two doing to my IS?" Tatenashi asked, looking up at the Mysterious Lady, which was currently cut open and had a White Pattern IS Core sticking halfway out of it.
"We're replacing its IS Core with one of our own make, as well as an AI control module." Ichika replied.
"An AI? You mean like Ori?" Tatenashi asked.
"What about me?" The AI shimmered into view above Ichika's shoulder.
"Oh, Tatenashi here is just getting an AI partner like you." Ichika explained.
"Yay!" The AI cheered, causing a shower of confetti to appear around her avatar.
"You certainly seem excited about it!" Tatenashi said.
"Of course! This means that I'll finally have someone like me at the academy! We'll have so much fun together!" The AI said, confetti still raining down around her.
"Aww, so you've had enough of me?" Ichika asked, faking sadness.
"Don't worry! You're still my bestest friend, remember?" Ori replied, the confetti finally stopping.
"Of course I do Ori!" Ichika replied, poking the AI on its holographic forehead.
"Junior Operative Tatenashi, there you are. I assume you have been asked to report to me?" Dr. White said, walking up to the pair.
"Yes, I was ordered report to you in order to pick up something, although they didn't tell me what." Tatenashi replied.
"Good." Raymond said offhandedly while he looked at something on his datapad.
"So what am I supposed to pick up?" Tatenashi asked, but was ignored.
"Ichika, finish the modifications. Tatenashi, come with me." Raymond said after a few moments, and the blue haired girl promptly followed him, leaving Ichika alone to work on the IS. He was still working when the pair returned an hour later with a new companion in tow.
"Ichika! Meet Tuman!" Tatenashi called out, gesturing at the holographic figure hovering over her shoulder. The AI in question took the form of a young boy with blood red hair and light blue eyes. The avatar wore a Russian Officer's uniform, and stood stiffly at his partner's side.
"Tuman? He named himself after the Russian word for fog?" Ichika asked.
"Of course! I drew inspiration from my partner's IS unit's original name! Is that a problem?" The AI announced haughtily.
"No, that's not a problem. Now, I trust you know what you will be doing?" Ichika asked.
"Of course I do! Now, let me see what I will be working with." The AI ordered.
"The Mysterious Lady will soon be operational. You can see it then." Ichika said as he returned to his work.
"My IS unit's operational status is not a problem. I wish to inspect it- Hey! Who are- What are you doing? Stop that!" That exclamation caused Ichika to look up and see Ori's hologram hovering inches away from Tuman's own avatar.
"Hello! My name is Ori, and you are going to be my new friend!" Ori spoke, causing Tuman's avatar to shimmer and break apart as she tried to hug it.
"Hey! Stop that! Tatenashi, make her stop!" The newly created AI complained as its hologram reformed. Unfortunately for him, his partner was too busy laughing at his situation to do anything about it.
"Don't worry, we're gonna be best friends! But not bestest friends, that's just for me and Ichika! But we'll still be best friends!" Ori called out, grabbing onto Tuman's holographic arm and attempting to drag him with her. Of course, with him being a hologram, that simply caused his arm to briefly break apart before reforming.
"Ori, I don't think he likes that." Ichika said, watching the interaction between the two AIs. Apparently, Raymond had similar sentiments, as he soon forced the two holograms apart from each other, chastising Ori for her behavior as he did so.
The Mysterious Lady was finished by the end of the day, although Tatenashi wasn't there to see it. The blue haired girl had taken her leave some time before in order to pick up a package from the Intelligence department. Tuman had remained behind, however, as the newly created AI was quite eager to finally inspect his IS, and he had pronounced his satisfaction with the suit after several minutes of constant inspection.
Tatenashi barely had a chance to see her newly upgraded IS before it was time for her to depart. After all, classes resumed for them the next day, and they had to be at IS Academy by then. Tatenashi quickly stowed away the Mysterious Lady, and was soon running out of the room, Ichika following close behind her.
"So what was in that package you had to pick up from Intel?" Ichika asked as they entered the helicopter hangar.
"A few things. A supply of memory serum, for one, along with a box of ammo for the OCP, will be for both our use and Maya's back at the academy. In addition, I've been supplied with a pistol of my own, complete with a pouch to carry it in. Do you like it?" As Tatenashi spoke that last sentence, Ichika noticed the pink, fluffy pouch that now sat squarely on her hip. Ichika also noticed that several cargo boxes were also loaded into the helicopter as he boarded.
Soon, they were leaving Urup island behind them, the Chinook taking them to a landing pad near the IS Academy. It was while they were flying that Tatenashi spoke up.
"At first I thought that Maya-san was exaggerating when it came to the Organization's strength, but I know better now. How you managed to keep all this secret is beyond me." Tatenashi said, her voice serious.
"I honestly don't know how we manage to keep our operations secret, but then again, I suppose that Phantom Task is much the same in that department. All the world nations simply see a lucky terrorist group that managed to steal multiple IS units, but we both know that the truth is much more sinister." Ichika replied.
"Yeah..." Tatenashi trailed off, lost in thought.
"Is something troubling you?" Ichika asked, noticing the expression on the normally playful girl's face.
"I suppose there is." Tatenashi replied.
"What is it?"
"Well, I was just wondering... If it came down to open warfare between the Organization and Phantom Task, who do you think will win?" Tatenashi said after a few moments.
"I've asked myself that same question many times, and my answer is usually the same. Right now, I just don't know. I mean, we are superior in terms of conventional air power, and we're about equal in terms of conventional ground forces. However, that submarine we sank last week could indicate the presence of an immense underwater navy, and we don't have an equal to match it should it indeed exist. As for the IS... I used to think that we had a clear advantage in the form of the White pattern core, but now that they have the Golems, I honestly don't know who has the advantage in that department." Ichika replied.
"Weapons alone don't win wars." Tatenashi said, a slight amount of hope in her voice.
"I know that, but I'm not in Intel, so I know next to nothing about that side of the Organization." Ichika replied.
"Hmm..." Tatenashi didn't say anything for a while, and nearly half an hour passed before she spoke again.
"Let's hope this war stays hidden in the shadows then, Ichika." Tatenashi broke the silence in the dark craft.
"I hope so too. If this secret war is unveiled and the various world nations get involved, the result would be a true World War Three. Not just over Phantom Task, but revolving around the IS itself." Ichika replied, silencing Tatenashi once more.
When the blue haired girl spoke again a few minutes later, she seemed to have banished such dark thoughts from her mind.
"So, Ichika-kun, how much longer before we arrive?" Tatenashi asked, her voice cheerful once more, although Ichika could still see worry in her eyes.
"Another hour or so. Why do you ask?" Ichika replied.
"Okay! That's more than enough time to slip in a quickie!"
"No! Have you forgotten that we've got two AIs watching us?" Ichika exclaimed. This caused Tuman to shimmer into existence above Tatenashi's shoulder.
"No, please, do go on. I am curious as to what you were speaking about, as I have no information on-" Ichika plugged his ears as the AI continued to speak. His eye twitched as he finally removed his fingers from his ears. He certainly wasn't going to be the one to give 'The Talk' to the newly created AI, that was for sure!
Ichika finally made it up to his room nearly two hours later, and saw immediately that the light was on. Opening the door, he saw Maya standing inside, talking to Houki.
"... gotten the room matter solved!" The green haired teacher spoke, only to turn around when Ichika entered.
"Oh! I-Ichika-san! You're back! Good, now I can explain to both of you." Maya exclaimed, turning to face him.
"Ichika? Where have you been?" Houki asked at the same time.
"I'll tell you later Houki. Now, Yamada-sensei, what was this about the room matter being solved?" Ichika asked.
"Well, it's been decided that Shinonono-san will be moving to a new room!" Maya exclaimed, causing Houki to jump up from where she was sitting on the bed.
"Wait, what? Does this have to happen immediately?" The long haired girl exclaimed.
"That is correct. After all, having a mature boy and girl living in the same room is a little... Well, you find it uncomfortable, right?" Maya asked tentatively.
"I- I'm..." Houki trailed off, glancing at Ichika, who had sat down on his own bed while Maya was making her announcement.
"Don't worry Houki. While I'll admit that having my own room will be a little lonely, we'll still see each other during the day!" Ichika said, smiling at his childhood friend.
"V-Very well... I'll change rooms." Houki said, somewhat despondently. Apparently, she was still upset from the impending loss of her roommate.
"A-Alright!" Maya exclaimed, watching as Houki quickly gathered up her things and left, Maya following behind her. As she left, Ichika noticed a post-it note stuck to the desk that Maya had briefly leaned against right before leaving. Ichika quickly picked up the note, and decoded the hastily written message on it.
'Will be recruiting Kanzashi in in a month's time. Get to know her.' The note simply read, and Ichika nodded to himself before finding a pencil and quickly erasing the message. A knock on the door caused him to quickly crumple up the newly clean note, however, and quickly toss it into the trash before he walked up to the door.
Opening it, he saw a blushing Houki standing in the doorway.
"Is something wrong? Did you forget anything?" Ichika asked her, the girl in question staring at her shoes, avoiding eye contact.
"I... I have something to tell you." Houki declared.
"What is it? Did something happen?" Ichika asked.
"Well, about that grade level tournament coming up next month..." Houki took a deep breath at that, composing herself, before she continued.
"Ichika... If I become the champion... you will go out with me!" Houki shouted that last part out, and Ichika quickly pulled her into the room with him, slamming the door behind them. However, if the faint whispering noises outside were indicative of anything, Houki's declaration had indeed been overheard.
"Now look what you've done!" Ichika complained to a blushing Houki. "I can guarantee that there will be blown up rumors about this by the end of the day!"
Houki didn't reply, as she seemed to be in shock. That was when Ichika noticed the position they were in, with his arm wrapped around her, pressing their bodies together.
The two of them sprang apart a moment later, both their faces crimson.
"So will you?" Houki asked, regaining her voice. Ichika was silent for a few moments before he replied.
"I guess so. But remember, if we end up fighting each other, I won't hold back!" He said, smiling.
"Of course you won't! I'll beat you fair and square, just you wait!" The long haired girl exclaimed, a rare smile on her normally scowling face as she left the room. Once he was alone, Ichika turned away from the door and sighed.
"Ten dollars says that all the girls in the academy will be fighting over you tomorrow." Ori piped up.
"Not taking that bet, they do so all the time." Ichika replied as he went into the shower.
The next day, the halls of IS Academy were buzzing with whispers and rumors, specifically regarding Ichika and the upcoming tournament.
"Hey, did you hear?" One girl in Class 1-1 whispered.
"What? You mean about that weird IS the other day?" Another replied.
"No, that was just some experimental machine running amok." A third girl butted in.
"Not that, I've heard that if you win the tournament this month, you can date Orimura-kun!" The first girl declared.
"Really?"
"Seriously?" The other two girls exclaimed.
"What are they talking about so excitedly?" Cecilia Alcott asked from where she stood by Houki. The brown haired girl simply groaned and buried her face in her arms.
"Good morning!" Ichika announced as he entered the room. Immediately, the chattering girls went quiet, before the whispering began once more, this time quiet so that Ichika couldn't overhear.
Of course, as he went to his seat, he still overheard faint snatches of conversation.
"... I hope it's true!"
"I'm gonna be the one just you wait!"
"That date with Orimura-kun is mine!"
Ichika mentally facepalmed at that.
"Everyone, settle down. We will now begin homeroom." Chifuyu announced as she entered the room. Once the class had quieted down, the black haired woman gestured towards Maya, who began to speak.
"Today I will be introducing a new transfer student!" The green haired teacher said brightly, right as the door slid open, immediately sparking a new wave of whispers from the class. Ichika immediately recognized the person entering the room.
"My name is Charles Dunois, and I come from France. It's nice to meet you all!" The newly named Charles introduced himself.
"A-A boy?" One of the girls tentatively asked.
"Yes! I heard that there is someone here in the same situation as me, so I transferred from my country and-" Whatever Charles was about to say was cut off by a collective squeal so loud it could break windows.
"A male student! It's another male student!"
"And he's come to our class!"
"He's so handsome, and the kind you want to protect too!"
"Silence! Settle down and be quiet!" Chifuyu's authoritative voice cut through the chatter like a knife, and the students obeyed.
"Today we will be doing IS practice together with Class 2. Everyone change quickly and report to practice ground 2. Orimura, since you are a boy as well, I would like for you to look after Dunois." Chifuyu ordered.
"Understood, Orimura-sensei." Ichika replied, standing up, while Charles approached him.
"Very well. Move out!" Chifuyu turned away from the group.
"Are you Orimura-kun? It's nice to meet you and-" Charles began in accented Japanese, but Ichika quickly cut the transfer student off.
"No time! We have to go now! The girls will be changing soon." At that Ichika grabbed the blonde's hand and pulled, noting the supposed boy's gasp at the physical contact.
"We'll change in the Arena changing rooms. We'll be running the gauntlet every practice session, so get used to it." Ichika said as he pulled the French transfer student along.
"Wait, what do you mean by running the gauntlet?" Charles asked.
"I'll explain in the changing room. For now, just... Oh no, they've found us!" Ichika slowed to a stop as a girl ran out from a nearby hallway, quickly skidding to a stop and blocking their path.
"Rumored transfer student detected!" The girl exclaimed, and soon the rest of her pack emerged from their hiding spots, surrounding their prey.
"Charles, when I say the word, just run. Don't stop, don't look back, just run as fast as your legs can carry you. Whatever you do, don't let them catch you!" Ichika said as the girls closed in around them.
"What happens if they do?" Charles asked, fear in his voice.
"You don't want to know. I have yet to find that particular pair of pants." Ichika said. He may have exaggerated a little, but the blonde transfer student behind him didn't need to know that.
Ichika turned to face the now hyperventilating blonde, who was now looking around for an escape route.
"I-Ichika-san..." Charles said hesitantly.
"Yes Charles?" Ichika asked.
"I... I'm sorry." The blonde replied.
"What for?"
'PUSH!'
The blonde's push sent Ichika sprawling, allowing Charles to make his escape while the girls leaped on his downed comrade.
"COME BACK HERE! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" Ichika shouted moments before the girls dogpiled him.
"Sorry!" Charles shouted back before he turned the corner.
Fortunately for him, Ichika managed to quickly extricate himself from the mass of hostiles and quickly ran for his life after the blonde Frenchman. He eventually caught up with him outside the changing rooms, and they quickly locked themselves inside, panting.
"I... I'm sorry Ichika-san!" Charles was apologizing. Ichika simply turned to face the panting transfer student.
"Don't worry about it Charlotte, I would have done the same in your shoes." Ichika replied, and immediately noticed the blonde stiffen up at the name, his eyes widening as the blonde looked around for an escape route. The ponytailed blonde quickly composed himself, however, before replying.
"Ah, well, my name's not Charlotte..." The student laughed nervously, but Ichika had already gotten all the information he needed. There was no doubt in his mind that 'Charles' Dunois was actually a disguised Charlotte Dunois, masquerading as a boy in IS Academy.
"Ah, sorry, It's just that this is an all girls' academy, so I sometimes slip up..." Ichika laughed nervously, and saw the disguised girl sigh in relief.
"Don't worry about it. Just call me Charles from now on, alright?" The girl said cheerfully.
"Alright then Charles, you can just call me Ichika then!" Ichika replied, before glancing up at the clock.
"Oh no, we're running late! We need to change now!" Ichika quickly turned away and changed into the black bodysuit that he normally wore while piloting.
"You better change fast. Our homeroom teacher is very punctual, and you don't want to be late on your first day!" Ichika said, turning back to the now embarrassed girl in disguise.
"O-Okay! J-Just don't look this way please!" 'Charles' stuttered out.
"Alright." Ichika replied simply, and turned away, zipping up his own piloting suit in the process. He turned back a few seconds later only to see the blonde already changed into a two piece IS piloting uniform.
"Good, you change fast. Now, let's get going!" Ichika spoke quickly, before running out of the room, 'Charles' close behind him. They barely made it to the training ground on time, and quickly got in line with the rest of the students.
"We will begin practical lessons starting today. First, however, we will observe a practice battle. Huang! Alcott! Since you have personal machines, you will be able to begin immediately. Come to the front!" Chifuyu ordered once the class had gotten into position. The two girls obeyed, although somewhat sedately.
That was when Chifuyu spoke quietly, although Ichika still managed to catch Chifuyu's 'encouragement' of the two girls.
"You two should be more enthusiastic. After all, this is your chance to show off to him." Chifuyu commented, and the two girls immediately perked up at that information.
"This is the stage for me, the representative candidate for England, Cecilia Alcott!" Cecilia declared, deploying her IS.
"It is an excellent opportunity to show our difference in skill as personal IS users!" Rin said in turn, ShenLong forming around her.
"It seems that you will be my opponent, Rin-san!" Cecilia said.
"I'm perfectly fine with this arrangement. I'll slaughter you!" Rin taunted.
"Settle down you two, you will both be fighting against-" Chifuyu's statement was cut off by a high pitched scream that rapidly grew in volume until a Raphael Revive slammed into the ground, right on top of Ichika. He barely managed to avoid injury through partial deployment of his own IS unit's barrier
"O-Orimura-kun..." Maya spoke first, just as Ichika was regaining his bearings.
"Well... You see... If it keeps going on like this... I'll have to call Orimura-sensei my sister in law and... well, that's very tempting actually, and-" Ichika quickly leaped off the green haired teacher, noting the mischievous glint in her eyes as she spoke. That was when a pair of blue bolts of energy shot past him, narrowly missing his partially deployed shield. Turning towards the source, he saw Cecilia standing there with an evil grin on her face.
"How disappointing, it seems I missed!" Cecilia laughed.
"ICHIKA!" The Infinite Arsenal sprang into being around him as he turned to see Rin throwing a dual bladed staff towards him, but the projectile never reached its target. Two gunshots rang out, and with a pair of loud 'CLANG!'s, the staff embedded itself in the ground. Turning to face the shooter, he saw Maya taking up a firing position, her IS unit's gun still smoking.
"Ichika, are you alright?" The green haired woman asked.
"Of course. Thank you for the assistance." Ichika's voice rang out from his IS unit's helmet speakers.
"Yamada-sensei is a former IS representative candidate. Shooting like that is child's play for her." Chifuyu lectured as Rin went off to retrieve her staff.
"Well, that was ages ago, and I never went past representative candidate." Maya replied, a nervous smile on her face.
"Now then little girls, let us begin already!" Chifuyu turned to Rin and Cecilia, who were assuming combat stances.
"Wait... Are you saying we're fighting two on one?" Cecilia wondered aloud.
"That's a little..." Rin trailed off in response.
"Don't worry, you two will lose easily." Chifuyu smirked, causing the two girls to glower angrily.
"Now, let us begin!" Chifuyu called out, and the three IS pilots rose into the air.
The following battle could only be described as a one-sided beatdown, and the result was definitely not in favor of the Cecilia-Rin team.
"Dunois, please make a commentary on the IS that Yamada-sensei is using." Chifuyu ordered, and while the green haired teacher dodged through a hail of gunfire up above, 'Charles' began to describe the Raphael Revive and its capabilities.
Eventually, Maya used her sniper rifle to corral Cecilia and Rin into a collision course, and as the two girls slammed into each other, the instructor finished them off with a well placed grenade, sending the two younger pilots tumbling into the ground. While the grenade itself did relatively little damage to their shields, the high speed IS collision in midair, coupled with the force of the two mechsuits' impact with the ground, was more than enough to trigger their ADS, thus disabling them.
"I hope that you all now know exactly how capable the instructors are at this academy. From now on, show some more respect." Chifuyu began, causing Maya to laugh slightly.
"We will now begin group practice. Personal machine users will act as group leaders." Ichika barely had time to groan before he was surrounded by a gaggle of girls. He looked around to see the same thing happening to 'Charles'.
A group of Uchiganes being brought out did little to quiet the chatter of multiple females clustered around the few personal IS operators present.
"Alright everyone, settle down!" Ichika called out, and the girls listened.
"Thank you. Now, all of you line up in order of your student number. You will then step into the machine one by one, start it up, and practice walking. If I can get through all of you before the practice ends, then I might be able to teach you a few other tricks as well." Ichika ordered, and marveled at how the girls seemed to be holding on to his every world.
"Now then, Aikawa Kiyoka-san, you're up first." Ichika ordered, then snapped his fingers in front of her face when she didn't comply.
"Aikawa-san, you're holding up the class." Ichika said, causing the magenta haired girl to spring into action and leap into the IS. The Uchigane promptly leaped into action and slowly walked in a neat circle before the girl climbed out.
"Good work, Aikawa-san! Now let's give someone else a try." Ichika turned to the line and saw that Houki was next.
"Houki, you're up." Ichika called out, and the girl in question walked up to the Uchigane, only to pause and look up at the machine.
"Hmm... I can't reach the cockpit like this." The girl gestured towards the standing IS. It appeared that Kiyoka had forgot to lower the IS in order to allow someone else entry.
"No matter." Ichika brushed it off, and quickly deployed his own IS. Then, before Houki knew what he was doing, he quickly swept her off her feet and, to the jealous stares of all the other girls in the practice area, he quickly carried her into the cockpit bridal style, before dropping her off into the IS.
"There you go. Now, you know what to do from here." Ichika said to a blushing Houki.
"Ah, thank you... Say Ichika, do you have any plans for lunch today?" Houki asked.
"No, not that I know of..." Ichika trailed off.
"Really? Then how about we have lunch on the roof every once in a while! That sounds nice, doesn't it?" Houki asked.
"That sound alright." Ichika replied, causing Houki's face to light up from joy.
"Shinonono! Get to work, you're holding up your group!" Chifuyu promptly shouted, spurring the long haired girl into action.
Ichika watched as girl after girl took turns in the Uchigane, each one somehow 'forgetting' to lower the IS, thus making Ichika carry each one into the IS himself.
"So, what are you going to teach us now Ichika-sensei?" One of the girls asked as the final student disembarked. Ichika quickly checked the time, and saw that the practice session was just about to end.
"Sorry, but we're almost out of time today, so I won't be able to teach you anything else today." Ichika said, much to the disappointment of his group. Just then, Chifuyu called out the end of the session, and Ichika left to grab his lunch.
An irritated Houki sat on the roof, one of her eyes twitching as she beheld the four other people on the roof with her.
"Ichika... What is this?" The long haired girl demanded of her childhood friend, who was now sitting on the roof with her, his face unreadable.
"Well, I couldn't leave Charles here alone down there, those girls would eat him alive if I did, while Cecilia and Rin sort of invited themselves. I thought it would be for the best though, as Charles here should really get to know all of us, and what better way to do that than over lunch?" Ichika replied.
"I see..." Houki still sounded irritated, but she couldn't argue with Ichika's logic. That was when the boy in question noted that all three girls had brought out their lunches.
Rin opened hers first, revealing sweet and sour pork.
"Here Ichika, I made some this morning and you mentioned you wanted some earlier, so..." Rin trailed off as Cecilia cleared her throat beside her.
"Ichika-san, I happened to coincidentally wake up early this morning, and I happened to prepare this! By the time you're through, you'll understand that England has great food as well!" Cecilia said, revealing several rows of beautiful looking sandwiches.
"I see." Ichika said, and Cecilia handed one of the delicious looking objects to him. Taking a tentative bite, Ichika immediately felt that something was wrong. Only his desire not to offend the pilot of a deadly mechsuit kept him from spitting the food out. As it was, he quickly ate the rest of the sandwich. Surprisingly, the rest of the meal didn't taste as bad, although her wasn't sure whether it was due to Cecilia's skills at cooking or the death of his taste buds.
"How is it? Don't worry, you can have as many as you like!" Cecilia pressed the rest of the food towards him.
"Ah, but Cecilia, I couldn't possibly take all that and leave none for you! You deserve to taste the fruits of your labor." Ichika saved the rest of his tastebuds with his quick speech.
"Such a gentleman!" Cecilia smiled, and took a bite out of her own creation. That was when her face took on a greenish tinge, and she promptly spit the offending piece of food out, making choking noises all the while.
"Cecilia! Are you alright?" Ichika leaped up to help the girl.
"I-I'm fine." The girl choked out as Ichika patted her on the back.
"You sure don't sound fine. Do I need to take you to the infirmary?" Ichika asked in English.
"Ichika... Did the sandwich you ate taste as bad as that one?" Cecilia murmured quietly as she pointed at the sandwich she had bitten and promptly dropped on the ground.
"Don't worry Cecilia, it still tasted good because you were the one that made it. I'm sure that with enough practice you can get better." Ichika replied, getting a weak smile from Cecilia.
"I just don't understand, whenever someone else made them for me they tasted so good, but now..." The blonde trailed off.
"Don't worry. I'm sure your skills will improve if you try." Ichika comforted her. That was when Houki cleared her throat.
"Ahem. I'm next." Houki took the lid off her own, revealing a more traditional Japanese meal.
"That looks delicious Houki! You must have put a lot of effort into it!" Ichika complimented, causing Houki to blush and look away.
"I-I had plenty of reasons to do so! I just spent so much time on it so that I could enjoy it." She stammered out.
"Alright, then I won't stop you from enjoying it." Ichika said.
"Ah... well I guess I wouldn't mind if you had some." Houki murmured in response, before thrusting the bento at him. Smiling, Ichika took a single piece and ate it. As expected, it was delicious.
"You've really outdone yourself on this one Houki!" Ichika exclaimed.
"Really? I flavored it with ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and I mixed in a little pepper before frying. I also added in a little grated radish for flavor." Houki said as Ichika took another piece.
"This really is delicious. Are you sure you don't want any for yourself?" Ichika asked, causing Houki to shake her head.
"I ate all the failures myself, so... I'm fine!" Houki exclaimed as she saw Ichika look at her, concern plain on his face.
"Don't worry about it, I'm glad you enjoyed it!"
"No, I insist that you try some of your own food. After all, you said that you made it for yourself, didn't you?" Ichika said, picking up another piece and offering it to Houki.
"Here. Enjoy." Ichika said as Houki stared at the piece of meat.
"Oh... thank you..." Houki blushed as she ate the offered piece of food.
"Oh, is this what couples in Japan call 'Here, say ah~n'? You two must be on very good terms!" 'Charles' piped up from beside him, causing Ichika to turn around and notice the jealous stares of the other two girls on the roof.
"Yeah Ichika! Why are you so friendly with her?" Rin demanded.
"I request a do-over... later, of course!" Cecilia said, glaring down at the food she made as if it had just insulted her mother.
"Why don't you all just trade one item? That way you can all take turns!" 'Charles' said.
"Yeah, that sounds fair." Ichika chipped in.
"A-Alright, if Ichika says so." Rin replied.
"I would normally consider these actions as improper table manners, but you know what they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, so-" Cecilia was promptly shoved aside as Rin leaned forward, holding a piece of sweet and sour pork. Houki joined in, holding some of her food as well, a serious expression on her face. He heard 'Charles' giggle from his spot beside him as the disguised girl watched him.
Later that night, Ichika found himself sitting across from his new roommate, drinking some tea that he had made earlier.
"It sure is nice to be rooming with another boy." Ichika sighed as 'Charles' drank his tea across from him.
"This tastes different from regular tea. It's strange, but good nonetheless." 'Charles' said, putting down his tea. The blonde continued to speak, deftly steering the subject away from his status as a male.
"Anyway, I've heard that you do IS practice after school, Ichika. Is that true?"
"Yeah. It's not just in the IS either, as I try to stay in peak physical condition as well." Ichika replied.
"Then can I join in? I have my own personal IS unit, so I think I'll be able to fit in."
"Oh? You have your own personal unit? I didn't know that the Dunois corporation had a third generation unit ready." Ichika commented.
"No, it's not a third generation, it's a heavily upgraded Raphael Revive." The blonde spoke, although in a somewhat subdued manner.
"The Revive is a good design. You saw how Yamada-sensei managed to beat two third-gen units in a mass production Revive, so I'm sure that you'll do very well in your upgraded variant." Ichika smiled.
"So, does that mean I can join your practice sessions?" 'Charles' asked again.
"Of course you can!" Ichika smiled.
"Yes! I'll be there!" The blonde replied, drinking the rest of 'his' tea.
"You better be prepared Charlotte, because I train hard!" Ichika said, standing up, while 'Charles' spat out 'his' tea at Ichika's supposed slip-up.
"Ah! Sorry!" The blonde exclaimed.
"You know, you really do look like a Charlotte to me." Ichika said, walking around the table and clapping 'Charles' on the back.
"N-no! My name is Charles!" Ichika's roommate looked to be on the verge of panic.
"Don't worry, I'm just teasing you." Ichika replied, calming the disguised girl down.
"O-Oh, alright. Just... Please, call me Charles." Came the blonde's reply.
"I'll try, but no promises! Now, I'll take first shower today, unless you want to." When 'Charles' did not reply, Ichika headed into the shower, leaving the blonde alone in the room.
The next morning's classes began with another announcement from Maya, although Ichika already knew its contents.
"Attention class! I have another happy announcement to make today!" The green haired teacher exclaimed from her position at the front of the classroom.
"A new friend will be joining our class! This is Laura Bodewig-san, a transfer student from Germany." At that, Maya gestured to the silver haired girl that had entered the room. Laura stood stiffly at the front of the room, her one visible eye closed, while the other was hidden behind a black eyepatch. Her Academy uniform was modified, with its pants being baggier than normal. All in all, it gave the appearance of a trained military officer about to address her troops.
Whispers began spreading around the classroom, only to stop when Maya spoke up again.
"Everyone be quiet! We haven't finished introductions yet!"
"Introduce yourself, Laura." Chifuyu said when the girl remained silent.
"Understood, instructor." Laura said, before turning to the class once again. "I am Laura Bodewig. That is all."
After introducing herself, the silver haired girl turned her focus on Ichika.
"So it's you." Laura hissed, marching up to his desk. Ichika saw her draw her arm back, and a split second later Laura slapped him across the face, much to the astonishment of the rest of the class.
"I will not accept you as her brother! I will never accept it!" Laura announced, her hand still extended from the blow.
Clenching his fist at that statement, Ichika took a moment to examine the girl. Evidently, she was standing still, waiting for a response. Well, if she wanted one, then she would get one.
Springing up from his chair, Ichika quickly grabbed the girl's arm, still extended from the slap, and before the girl could react she was down on the ground, Ichika's knee on her back, while his arms held her own, ready to break the limb at a moment's notice.
"You hyper-extended your arm, leaving it vulnerable. If you had the training to back up your manner, you would have thrown a straight punch rather than a strike clearly intended for dramatic effect rather than combat. Let this be a lesson to you to never underestimate your opponent." Ichika released the girl, allowing her to swiftly return to her feet.
"Remember this, Bodewig-san. Chifuyu-nee may have taught you, but she raised me from birth. Keep that in mind." Ichika said before returning to his seat. As he returned his attention to the front of the room, he saw Chifuyu looking at him with a raised eyebrow. He smiled at her in return, earning a barely noticeable smirk in return, before Maya began her daily lecture.
As soon as class was over, Ichika was quickly pulled aside by both Cecilia and Houki, the two girls peppering him with questions regarding the new transfer student.
"Ichika-san! Who was that girl? Why did she slap you?" Cecilia demanded, her expression promising to unleash hell itself on the German student as soon as he gave the command.
"Yeah! Do you know her from somewhere?" Houki's hands were gripping an imaginary kendo stick as she spoke, the girl doubtlessly imagining putting it to good use.
"What are you talking about?" Rin asked, walking over to the trio.
"A new transfer student came in from Germany today, and the first thing she did was slap Ichika-san across the face. Naturally, a man of Ichika's caliber couldn't let such a slight pass, and he soon taught her a lesson!" Cecilia explained.
"The nerve of that girl!" Rin's expression grew feral, her single fang glinting.
"Just say the word Ichika-san, and we will make Bodewig's life a living hell!" Cecilia declared. The other two girls nodded eagerly.
"No, no, that won't be necessary." Ichika said quickly.
"But why? Laura has insulted you, your relationship with your sister, and has dared to lay a hand on you! Are you really going to let this pass without reprisal?" Houki demanded. That was when the silver haired girl passed within visual range of the small group. At that moment, Cecilia's glare could have boiled tea, while Rin's growl reminded Ichika of a particularly angry bear. Houki herself was looking around for a weapon of some kind, while several other girls were also sending angry glares at the German transfer student.
To her credit, Laura was not at all fazed by the immense amount of killing intent being sent her way, choosing instead to fix Ichika with a calculating look. Ichika met her gaze for a few second before turning to the three girls surrounding him.
"What kind of a man would I be if I let you fight my battles for me? Spread the word that any business between Laura and me will remain between the two of us." Ichika said quietly, and the three girls nodded. Honestly, Ichika would rather not associate with Laura any more than he had to, as he knew that the girl was easily the biggest threat to the Organization's secrecy present in the Academy, save perhaps for Chifuyu herself. However, now that the girl had decided to take an aggressive stance towards him, he wanted to deal with it on his own terms, rather than risk interference from other academy students.
Noticing that Laura was still standing there, Ichika walked over to her, casting a quick look at the other girls to make sure they would not interfere.
"Hmph. What do you want?" Laura asked as he approached.
"I simply want to talk." Ichika said, looking her over. He noticed several bulges, barely visible under her baggy clothing, that denoted hidden weapons. Evidently Laura noticed his investigation and moved one of her hands to her hip, evidently reaching for a weapon hidden there.
"Relax, if I wanted to attack you, I would not do so out in the open with so many people watching." Ichika said, his words not placating the German girl in the least.
"Then what are you doing here?" The silver haired girl asked.
"I simply wanted to ask about how, earlier today, you said that you didn't consider me Chifuyu-nee's sibling. Why is that?" Ichika asked in return.
"Hmph. A woman of the Instructor's caliber should not have been burdened with a weakness such as yourself." Laura replied simply. Ichika laughed in response.
"You obviously have no experience with familial bonds, Laura. Have you never heard of people surpassing their limits when their family is threatened? I am not Chifuyu-nee's weakness, or at least, I no longer am. Rather, I am her greatest strength. Evidently that is something she failed to impart to you during her time in Germany." Ichika replied, looking around. The crowd of girls had thickened, all of them watching the confrontation, some eagerly, others with simple curiosity. Ichika noticed Chifuyu among the crowd, and judging by the faint smile on her face, Ichika knew that she had heard his declaration.
"Someone like you could never compare to the instructor!" Laura shouted, bringing his attention back on to her.
"And how do you know that? If anything, I have better odds of surpassing her than you do." Ichika replied, and Laura's response was a punch, thrown at speeds that even Giorgi would be hard pressed to match.
Ichika dropped down to a knee as the fist flew towards his face, one arm coming up and deflecting the blow above his head, while his other arm went down to his leg and drew his knife. Bringing the weapon up, Ichika slammed the pommel into Laura's solar plexus, the girl crying out less from the pain and more in an attempt to keep the wind from being knocked out of her. At the same time, Ichika's empty hand came down, attempting to sweep the girl's legs out from under her, but Laura anticipated this and stepped out of the way, buying Ichika time to rise to his feet again.
Ichika heard whispering break out around him as the girls saw the two of them face off, Laura having drawn her own knife from out of her sleeve.
"Hey Laura, instead of fighting pointlessly in the halls, how about a bet?" Ichika called out. When Laura didn't move, Ichika continued to speak.
"What I propose is simple: the grade level tournament is coming up next month, giving both of us plenty of time to prepare. We will settle our differences in the Arena. If I win, then you will accept me as Chifuyu-nee's brother."
"And what if I win?" Laura asked, curious.
"Do you want anything particular?" Ichika asked, confident in his chances of victory.
"If I win, then you must sever all ties with the Instructor. A weak being such as yourself should never have been associated with a goddess like her." Laura replied. A splintering 'CRACK!' from behind him indicated a pencil shattering in his older sister's grip.
"No. I will not accept that." Ichika snarled, hand tightening around the grip of his knife.
"Then what can you possibly grant me when you lose?" Laura demanded.
"I can give you private lessons with the one you so admire. If I lose, then I will ensure that Chifuyu-nee will continue to train you, just like she did in Germany." Ichika said.
"And what makes you think that you can accomplish this?" Laura asked, attempting to sound aloof and uninterested, but Ichika saw the eagerness in her only visible eye.
"She only taught you in the first place because she lost a bet while drinking with a friend in the German military. I am sure that she will extend the same courtesy to me, isn't that right, Chifuyu-nee?" Ichika turned to the woman in question as he spoke. Chifuyu seemed to consider things for a few moments, before she nodded and addressed the pair.
"Very well. If a little girl like you can manage to best my brother, then I am willing to invest my time in training you further. I trust that the two of you will let this issue lie until the upcoming tournament?" Chifuyu declared.
"Yes Instructor/Orimura-sensei!" Laura and Ichika chorused together, before turning away and, quickly sheathing their weapons, they walked their separate ways, Ichika heading to Charles, who had joined up with Rin, Houki, and Cecilia while the confrontation was taking place.
"Ichika? What just happened?" The blonde haired cross dresser asked.
"It's a long story. Now, I believe I promised to let you in on our daily practice sessions? Well, they begin now. Let's get going." Ichika replied, turning and heading down to the practice arenas, the four girls following behind him.
"Alright, I'm sure you all know Charles already, but just in case you don't, then this is Charles Dunois. Despite his looks, he's definitely a boy, so none of you have to worry about additional competition." Ichika joked as he introduced Charles to the rest of the girls.
"It's good to meet you Dunois-kun! My name is Huang Lingyin, but you can just call me Rin!" Rin smiled, extending her hand for 'Charles' to shake, the blonde taking it after a few moments of hesitation.
"Now, I am sure you've already heard of me, but I am Cecilia Alcott. It is a pleasure to meet you Charles." Cecilia introduced herself next, smiling kindly at the disguised blonde across from her.
"My name is Shononono Houki, although you may simply call me Houki or Shinonono-san. Oh, and before you ask, I am related to Dr. Tabane." Houki concluded the introductions.
"Alright, now that that's out of the way, we can begin our training. Now, earlier today, a little bird told me that the upcoming tournament will be fought between pairs of students rather than simple one-on-one matches, so I believe that a little teamwork practice is in order. Charles, since you're new, I'll be your partner today. Houki, Cecilia, Rin, you three will be against us." Ichika said, deploying his IS.
"Aren't the teams a little unfair? I mean, it's two against three." 'Charles' asked, deploying an orange IS, evidently a heavily modified Raphael Revive.
"Oh it's unfair alright!" Rin groused as she deployed ShenLong.
"Yeah, Ichika-san has a partner this time." Cecilia complained as she activated her Blue Tears, the small, wedge shaped drones taking up positions around her own IS.
Houki, meanwhile, simply chose to remain silent, drawing her Uchigane's katana.
"Alright, since I have Charles with me, I won't be using any drones during today's match." Ichika said, his IS unit's armament configuration being the same as when he fought Rin and the Golem, save for the Impact Cannon being replaced by an FEL. The other students present simply nodded, before zooming to opposite corners of the arena.
"Alright Charles, I'll engage Rin and Cecilia while you go for Houki. Once you eliminate her, target Cecilia. Keep your distance when fighting Houki, but get in close when you go for Cecilia. Got it?" Ichika ordered while his three opponents made their own plans across from him.
A minute passed, then the battle began, with Houki and Rin charging while Cecilia stayed behind to provide fire support. Houki's charge was brought up short by a burst of machine gun fire from Charles, who shot past her a few seconds later, still firing.
"Keep her between you and Cecilia! Don't let her get a lock on you!" Ichika said as a storm of blue energy bolts shot towards his partner, who took several hits before he managed to bring his own IS around and return fire.
"Behind you!" Ichika called out as he wove through a barrage of impact cannon fire, his FEL targeting one of Cecilia's drones as he did so. Charles turned around only to see Houki directly behind him, sword raised for a devastating strike. Barely dodging out of the way, the blonde swapped out the long range rifle that was currently in 'his' hands for a large shotgun, firing into Houki's side at point-blank range before accelerating away, keeping the sword wielder between 'himself' and Cecilia, preventing the British girl from getting a lock on him.
As 'Charles' was dueling Houki, Ichika ducked and wove around Rin's melee strikes, firing bursts into her IS at point blank range. He was not undamaged by any means, as the Chinese girl was quite adept in melee, her twin scimitars flashing within inches of his shield's coverage area, landing quite a few hits. However, Ichika was far from helpless at close range, having already whittled away half of the twin tailed girl's shield charge with a combination of point blank gunfire and lightning quick energy dagger strikes, while his arm's barrier shield kept the worst of the incoming blows off of him.
While all this was going on, his FEL was focusing on Cecilia, having already blown one of her drones out of the sky, and was almost finished with a second one. While Cecilia's drones were now capable of acting independently thanks to Ichika's upgrade, the controlling AI did not have much experience, and thus the drones were slow and clumsy whenever they weren't under Cecilia's direct control, making them easy targets for Ichika's point defense armament.
A quartet of missiles launched from the Blue Tears promptly altered the face of the battle, with Ichika disengaging from Rin in order to evade, his FEL swiveling to target one of the incoming warheads, detonating it early and causing the other warhead to spiral out of control into the arena wall. Threat eliminated, Ichika fired off a suppressing barrage at Rin as he went in to finish her. Out of the corner of his eye, Ichika saw one of the two missiles heading for Charles detonate in a hail of machine gun fire, while the second missile was knocked off target, zooming around and homing in on its target once again. Charles clearly noticed this, as the Raphael Revive Custom that 'he' was piloting suddenly accelerated towards Houki, dodging to the left at the last second and barely avoiding her incoming strike. Cecilia's missile did not have such evasive properties and promptly slammed into the Uchigane frame that Houki was piloting, while a burst of machine gun fire finished what the missile started, sending the training IS to the ground, its ADS activated.
With Houki eliminated, 'Charles' charged towards Cecilia, weaving through a hail of bright blue energy, dodging most of the incoming fire, but still taking a few hits. However, Cecilia kept her missiles in reserve until the last moment, firing a volley of four warheads once the French blonde was too close to dodge, the Raphael Revive Custom being only a second generation TIS and thus lacking the maneuverability needed to avoid the incoming missiles. Cecilia scored four direct hits, and promptly finished her opponent with a well placed rifle shot, sending Charlotte down to join Houki on the arena floor. That was when another of Cecilia's drones exploded, Ichika's FEL doing its work once again. With only one drone left, Cecilia began to panic, firing everything she had at Ichika, who had just finished Rin and was now charging at her.
As his FEL took care of the incoming missiles, Ichika took aim and fired on the last drone on the field, the blue wedge being replaced by a cloud of smoke and debris a moment later. Dodging the last of Cecilia's fire, Ichika waited until his main gun was pressed against the Blue Tears' energy shield before speaking.
"Any last words?" Ichika asked, smiling.
"Good match!" Cecilia smiled back, before firing off all four of her missiles directly into Ichika's own IS, the resulting explosion setting off both their ADS systems, sending them to the arena floor.
"Alright, looks like another draw." Ichika said, stowing away his IS, while Charles and Rin walked up to him, their IS units already hidden. Houki had clambered out of her Trainer as well, and joined the group.
"Good work everyone. At this rate, all of us are guaranteed to at least reach the semi-finals, provided that we don't end up fighting each other early on." Ichika complimented the girls, who all blushed at his praise, 'Charles' included.
"But we still couldn't beat you, even when you didn't use drones!" Rin complained.
"Ah, but I had a partner with me this time around, and you managed to force a draw." Ichika replied, somewhat comforting the Chinese girl.
"If the three of you couldn't beat a second generation hack and a poorly designed scrapheap with two third generation IS units and an Uchigane, then my victory is assured." A familiar voice called out from the arena entrance. Turning to its source, Ichika saw Laura Bodewig standing encased in a black IS, her face emotionless.
"You're one to talk about poorly designed, Laura. How about you take that overdesigned prototype of yours into the ring and see how long you can last against a real IS suit!" Ichika replied, causing the silver haired girl's eye to twitch as she took aim at him with the oversized railgun on her shoulder. Seeing the threat, Ichika's IS flashed into existence around him, its two shield drones deploying barriers and preventing Laura from having a clear shot.
"Should I begin analysis?" Ori piped up as Ichika took aim at the German representative candidate.
"Not yet. We'll see what she does from here." Ichika replied.
"Hmph. I know what you are trying to make me do, and it will not work. Your IS hacks into and assimilates the data of its opponents, thus allowing you to use their armaments as your own. I will not give you the chance to do so." Laura smirked, before storing away her IS and landing gracefully on the ground.
"I will see you in the arena. If you try to run away, I will kill you." Laura threatened, before turning and exiting the practice area. Icika quickly stowed away his IS and, sighing, turned to the rest of the group.
"I'm sorry, but we'll be cutting practice short today. I have to leave now." He spoke before heading off to the changing rooms. It was after he had finished changing that he remembered the note that Maya had given him two days earlier. He left the changing room and began to walk down to the IS maintenance bays, intent on speaking with a certain quiet blue haired girl.
A/N: And this chapter is FINALLY done. It should have been done two weeks ago, but unfortunately life decided to go and throw a wrench in the middle of things, making it hard for me to work on this. In addition, I had a hard time starting this chapter, and I ended up completely re-writing the beginning from scratch twice, further delaying the project. All in all, I'm not very satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but I'll leave it to you readers to decide on that.
Now, in response to a review from VV that said that the Golems were actually created by Dr. Tabane as a method of evaluating Ichika's skill, I will admit that I missed the line on the wiki that said that, and thus created my own explanation. I knew that Dr. Tabane was involved in the Golem's creation and that it had an unregistered IS core, which led me to the conclusion that Tabane leaked the IS core design to Phantom Task in order to allow them to build the Golem Mk. I. While this does differ from canon, I have no regrets, as this was planned out by me way back when I first posted this fic up. Besides, a fanfic like this should deviate from canon every once in a while, otherwise it would simply be a novelization of Infinite Stratos.
Anyway, now that that's said and done, I hope you enjoy this fic. Read, fav and/or follow, and most importantly, review! It's the reviews that keep me working, after all!