A/N: Here it is, the second part of the big tournament arc! Before I start, I would like to mention that Warmach1ne32 has submitted a side story to this fic, which has been published as the first chapter of Agent Orimura: Supplemental Files. More on that below.
Chapter 26
"I'm booored!" Tatenashi mock-yawned as she leaned back on the bed, her head coming to rest beside Ichika's leg.
"Do you mind? I'm trying to work here." Ichika replied, not looking up from the hologram resting in his lap.
"But there's nothing else to do! The weather's awful so I can't go outside, and the only thing on TV are unarmed Slates punching each other!" Tatenashi complained.
"I'd have to agree with her on that one, Ichika. Watching teams of unarmed Blank Slates punch each other out gets boring after five or so times." Rin added.
"Why do you think I'm working on this?" Ichika replied, gesturing at the hologram of the gun that was currently undergoing testing in ISSpace.
"How are you working on it? It looks to me like Ori-chan is doing all the heavy lifting and you're just watching!" Tatenashi pointed out.
"She has a point!" The hologram spoke, Ori not bothering to shift it back to her normal avatar.
"Not my fault you can do a couple months' worth of work in an hour. There isn't much else for me to do but say what needs to be done and supervise." Ichika replied.
"What can I say? I'm just that good!" Ori chuckled.
"I could probably do something similar if I was in control of a pocket-dimension filled with a von Neumann factory and had infinite resources at my disposal. Oh, and I can't forget about the time dilation factor, that makes things even easier." Ichika replied.
"True, true. I'd still do it faster though."
"Ichika-san, your IS terrifies me sometimes." Cecilia muttered.
"Agreed. I'm not sure why you were the first to come up with something like that, but I'm thankful it was you." Kanzashi added.
"Actually..." Ichika smiled sheepishly.
"You mean there are more ISSpace foundries like that out there?" Cecilia exclaimed.
"Technically, every IS has one. How else do you think your suits get fixed after every battle? The only difference between yours and mine is that mine has the ability to actively expand itself and produce new blueprints, as opposed to just fixing and reproducing existing devices." Ichika replied.
"But why hasn't anyone ever done something like... Well..." Cecilia trailed off, gesturing towards the hologram.
"A few reasons. One, you need an AI to actually take advantage of something like this. Two, even with an AI, not many people are willing to trust such technology to any individual entity... No offense meant to any AIs in the room."
"None taken." Eight voices chorused.
"Finally, there is an unspoken agreement between governments and IS engineers to never actually design such tech for general use. After all, if something like this were exploited to its full potential, the entire world economy would be destroyed. Infinite natural resources would do that sort of thing. Just look at what happened in America after their last president swapped out their power grid for an IS core. Power bills dropped to zero, and a whole lot of companies went bankrupt overnight. Imagine something like that, but worldwide and affecting absolutely every industry." Ichika pointed out.
"Didn't stop the moron from being re-elected..." Cecilia muttered.
"But... You've still done it." Houki pointed out.
"Yes, I did. The Organization wanted to test the system out before building a larger-scale version for their main base. Suffice to say, the test was successful and the Organization no longer has to rely outside entities for materials..." Ichika trailed off as a darker thought crossed his mind.
"I would wager that Phantom Task is using a similar system. I can't see how they're able to field such large fleets of Golems and submarines without it." He finished. Nobody replied to that.
A few moments passed in silence, then there was a knock at the door.
"Can you open up? We've brought lunch!" Instantly, Tatenashi shot up from the bed and rushed to the door. She opened it to reveal Laura and Charlotte, both girls wearing long raincoats and carrying moderately soaked paper bags in their arms.
"Where were you two? I thought you were just heading down to the ground floor and picking something up!" Tatenashi exclaimed a moment later.
"Well, that was the plan, but I'd heard that Nemuro was famous for its good sushi and, well... I thought I'd get us all a treat!" Charlotte replied.
"Y-You didn't have to-" Houki began.
"But I did!" Charlotte replied, an angelic smile on her face as she walked into the room, Laura following right behind her. They promptly unpacked their bags, placing eight small boxes on the room's second, empty bed.
"Bon Appétit!" She finished once the last box was laid out.
"Thank you!" Tatenashi was the first to take one, followed by Laura.
Ichika thanked Charlotte as well and took his, along with a pair of chopsticks. Opening the box, he found eight sushi rolls stacked side by side. He popped one in his mouth and smiled.
"These are very good." He told Charlotte who nodded, her mouth full.
A moment later, Ori's avatar shimmered into being in front of him, along with seven others.
"Ichika? I... Well, all of us, have a question for you." She asked.
"What is it?"
"What's it like to taste something?" The other seven avatars nodded at that.
"I..." Ichika wasn't sure of what to say. Judging by their stares, the rest of the room had no idea either.
"I'm not sure how to explain it." He finally responded.
"Called it." Kanzashi's AI, Gladys, said a moment later.
"It just doesn't make much sense to me. So few nutrients, but so many different foods? The only reason for this is their different taste, but what is taste?" Guilliford mused.
"It's clearly a hardwired biological reaction designed to produce pleasurable sensations from nutrient intake. It's intended as a conditioning mechanism to encourage continued eating!" Moira, Laura's AI, postulated.
"But then why do some people perceive perfectly healthy food as bad-tasting? It makes little sense!" Mabel, Charlotte's AI, countered.
"Well, natural evolution is hardly a perfect process." Moira replied. Charlotte giggled at that.
"I don't think you should be getting so scientific about it!" She exclaimed.
"Then can you explain it?" Moira asked.
"If only I could..." Charlotte sighed in response.
"Once again, I told you this would be their response! They can't explain it to us because we don't possess the required organs!" Gladys exclaimed.
"W-Well, Houki-sama? How do they taste?" Aki asked as the conversation between AIs degenerated, first into a vocal argument and then into a silent exchange of data."
"Very good, Aki-san. Thank you, Charlotte." Houki replied.
"It was no problem. After all, you'll need it for your battle. It's coming soon, isn't it?" Charlotte pointed out. Houki nodded, checking the time as she did so.
"Yes... Oh! It looks like I'm scheduled for the next bus!" Houki quickly finished her food, glancing at her wrist to make sure her IS was firmly in place before standing up.
"Thanks again, Charlotte!" She said as she grabbed her raincoat and headed out the door. The rest of the room watched her go.
"Well, at least we'll have something interesting to watch soon." Tatenashi finally declared.
Around half an hour later, Houki's turn had come up, and Laura had once again connected to the regular stream so that they could listen to the squadron introductions.
"Starting over Habomai, we have Squadron 043, Warrior Squadron! Their sponsors are: Dacia Industries, General Electric, Israel Aviation Industries, Embraer Advanced Technologies Division and Hellenic Aerospace Industries. Quite a diverse lineup, wouldn't you say?" The announcer recited as the camera panned over the squadron. It was somewhat strange to see so many different nations and corporations represented in one squadron, and Ichika shuddered to imagine the communication issues that would have plagued a squadron where every member spoke a different language.
He also examined the IS suits that would soon be engaging his childhood friend. Much like their pilots and sponsors, the suits were equally diverse in their appearances and equipment. The first was a bulky IS bristling with guns, covered in armor plate, and painted in a bright stars and stripes pattern. He thought it safe to assume that this suit was General Electric's contribution to the team. Beside her was an IS painted in a brown and tan camouflage pattern, its left shoulder bearing a blue Star of David. Clearly this was the IAI-sponsored design. Like its American partner, its armament seemed limited exclusively to ranged weapons.
The IS making up the point of the wedge provided a stark difference to its previous two compatriots, having not a single gun in sight. It was painted a dark crimson with black trim, and a red cross with gold decoration was emblazoned on each shoulder. The entire suit reminded Ichika of European medieval armor, and judging by the armament and iconography, the resemblance was intentional.
Compared to that suit, the one beside it was painted in all sorts of bright colors, with its pilot clearly having no desire to remain camouflaged in combat. Two long blades were held in its hands, and a pair of unusual-looking devices were positioned on its shoulders. The final IS in the lineup was similarly equipped for close combat, and was painted a bright bronze with crimson trim with a boar and stag on its right and left shoulders respectively. It was clear to see that this was the Greek design, as if the xiphos, spear and shield weren't enough of a clue. An odd-looking weapon that superficially resembled a bow was positioned on its back.
"Houki's got a tough fight ahead of her." Tatenashi commented.
"All that tech must be a logistical nightmare to maintain though. It doesn't look like they have a single standardized component between them." Kanzashi replied.
"It looks pretty unusual as well. It seems like that squadron's carrying unusual, barely-tested proof of concept weaponry." Ichika said.
"Unusual is putting it mildly. I can understand wanting to look unique, but those paint jobs are just plain garish!" Cecilia added. Then, the camera switched squadrons.
"And starting over Shikotan, we have Squadron 008, Yari Squadron! Their technology has been provided by Doctor Shinonono Tabane herself! I don't know about you, but I'd say Warrior has a tough fight on its hands!" The announcer exclaimed as the camera panned over Houki's squadron.
Immediately, Ichika noticed that her squadmates' rifles looked different than before. Evidently they had been modified to some extent, although what Houki had done with them was a mystery to him. Aside from that, their suits were identical, having been stripped of much of their original ornamentation and re-painted in the same red as Akatsubaki.
"My bet's on Houki." Tatenashi said.
"What makes you think that?" Ichika asked, curious to hear her reasoning.
"Because the MIRAI system is ridiculously overpowered, and most squadrons don't carry area bombardment weapons like you do. She can dodge bullets and track gun barrel positions, and in melee she has a huge advantage due to the increased reflexes. Her squadmates might be just one step above complete write-offs, but Akatsubaki can carry this match on its own." She replied.
"That's not very nice." Ichika pointed out.
"It's true, and we both know it." Tatenashi answered.
"Now let the match... BEGIN!"
Both teams immediately sprang into action.
"You know the plan. I'll distract them, while you four secure the flag and cover your retreat." Houki ordered, before pushing her suit to maximum speed and shooting out ahead of her squadron.
"Roger!" Her squadmates chorused.
Meanwhile, Warrior squadron had split into two groups. The three melee focused IS suits had elected to stay below the clouds, while the other two had begun climbing. However, the American suit seemed to be having difficulties doing that, which necessitated its Israeli counterpart to take up position behind it and start pushing it up into the clouds.
"Yeehaw! Let's do this!" The American pilot exclaimed.
"Scream like that one more time and I'm leaving that overweight, overgunned scrapheap of yours behind!" Her escort replied.
"For the last time, focus, both of you! Outlaw, is your missile targeting computer shut off?" A third voice, that of the squadron leader, asked. Ichika couldn't quite place her accent.
"Don't worry, it's off. Nothing will give me away." The American replied.
"Except maybe that paint job!" A fourth voice replied.
"You're one to talk, Carnival queen! You're the one who splattered paint all over your suit and called it a day!"
"Hey, this is modern art!"
"Quiet, both of you! Everyone, you especially Outlaw, keep your eyes on your power supply. If it gets critical, call the battery drone." The leader replied.
"Roger dodger!" The two girls chorused in response.
Both teams flew for several minutes, before the Warrior leader spoke up.
"I see them... Wait... Just one?" She muttered.
"Yeah, I see her too, all alone." Her rainbow-painted partner replied.
"She must be rather arrogant. Artemis, let her know where we are. Outlaw, start your descent. Everyone else, forward!"
"Roger!" The Greek Blank Slate clamped its spear to a magnetic holder on its hip and drew the unusual weapon on its back, holding it as if it were a bow. Next, it drew a long spike from a storage case on its free hip and placed it into the weapon, a holographic 'string' appearing a moment later. She took aim, and the weapon's limbs glowed briefly. For a moment, the spike was encased in plasma, and then it became a supersonic streak of light.
"I swear that has got to be the least practical railgun I have ever seen." Ichika scoffed.
"Miss! She's definitely noticed us though!" The shooter reported. Even as she spoke she was reloading her weapon and taking aim once more. On the other side of the battlefield, Houki had sheathed her two katanas and deployed her two plasma crossbows. The two IS suits fired almost simultaneously at each other.
"Ah!" One of Houki's shots struck home, while her opponent's shot passed through the space she had just occupied. Houki didn't bother charging up a second shot, instead drawing her two katanas and activating her suit's fold-out armor emitters. The Greek IS suit in turn drew its spear and held its shield in front of itself.
"Here she comes!" Warrior Squadron's leader had barely spoken before Houki struck. Her opponent blocked one katana with her shield, but in the process left her IS exposed for the other blade. This one came down in a MIRAI system-enhanced strike, its edge glowing with plasma as it slammed into its target's energy barrier. The Greek IS fell away, its already weakened shield having been completely breached by Houki's second strike.
Then, Houki's IS tumbled backwards, as if struck by some invisible force.
"Gotcha!" The rainbow Blank Slate's pilot shouted as she attempted to follow up on her strike, throwing out a series of spinning rings, their edges glowing with superheated plasma. Ichika saw the air around her suit's shoulders distort as whatever weapons were mounted there continued to fire, but this time Houki was ready, and with the MIRAI system guiding her she was able to dodge the incoming attacks. However, as soon as they were dodged the spinning rings reversed course and shot back at Houki, who once again dodged them just in time.
"Keep her tied up! Outlaw, what's your ETA?" Warrior's leader... Ioana! That was her name, called out.
"I'm about a minute out!"
"Alright. Phoenix, we need you here, now! Drop below the clouds and fire on the enemy! I don't care if you hit or miss, just keep her suppressed. Outlaw, start charging now! We might not be able to keep her pinned down for long enough otherwise!"
"But-"
"I know the risk! Do it!"
"Roger. Charging Arc Cannon."
"Wait, I see the rest of her squadron. They're flying low, looks like they're rushing for the island. Phoenix, Bull, keep this one tied up while Outlaw prepares her main gun. I'll stall the rest of her squadron." Ioana ordered.
"Roger. Be careful." Phoenix's voice sounded out a second before a stream of plasma flew from the clouds, the desert-camouflaged IS exiting them a moment later. Both guns on its arms were firing, although the two cannons on its shoulders were mysteriously silent.
"The enemy's spotted you! One IS is breaking away to engage you!" Houki reported a moment later.
"What do we do?"
"Change of plans, ignore the flag. Seiko, Kei, engage the enemy IS at range, it seems to be melee-focused. Raiga, Hinata, there's an enemy hiding somewhere in the clouds. Hunt it down." Houki ordered.
"Roger!" Her squadron promptly split up, two of them reversing direction and opening fire on the incoming IS while the other two climbed upwards.
"Heads up, two of them are heading up into the clouds. Outlaw, stay quiet unless engaged. What's the ETA on your main cannon?" Ioana asked.
"Three and a half minutes to full charge." Outlaw replied.
"We can't hold out for that long! She's already taken down two of my Robins, and we haven't been able to land a single hit on her!" Bull replied.
"Outlaw, fire at three-quarters charge. Until you're ready to start painting the target, stay in the clouds." Ioana ordered.
"Roger. I'll drop and start painting the target in two minutes. Let's hope I don't get struck by lightning before then..."
"You're in the bottom portion of the clouds, you should be fine."
"Please hurry!" Bull shouted as Phoenix opened fire with its shoulder-mounted guns. Houki was already evading even before the shots came towards her, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the Phoenix's pilot.
"I think she's somehow able to see where our shots are going before we shoot! That's why we can't hit her!" She exclaimed.
"Well what do we do?" Bull demanded.
"Suppress her. Don't aim at her, aim around her. Keep her as still as possible for Outlaw."
"Minute forty-five!" Outlaw reported.
Meanwhile, Ioana had closed into range of Seiko and Kei, who promptly took aim and opened fire. However, their shots ricocheted off a bright, spherical barrier that suddenly appeared around their target.
"Is that all? I was expecting... More." Ioana muttered as she held position within her shield. Soon enough, her attackers ran out of ammunition and had to reload. In that moment, she dropped her barrier and resumed her charge.
"Here she comes!" Her opponents abandoned trying to reload their guns and drew their naginatas, their opponent twirling her halberd and making a come-hither motion as they did so. The three IS suits clashed a moment later, Ioana parrying a pair of naginata strikes before removing a hand from her halberd and deploying a curved chain-sabre. Revving its motor, she struck at the shaft of Seiko's naginata, sparks flying from the point of impact. Its owned promptly withdrew the weapon before striking again. Once again, the strike was parried.
"Is that all? I expected more from someone equipped by Doctor Tabane." Her taunt was transmitted over an open channel.
"Shut up!" Kei screamed as she attempted to strike again, but in doing so she opened herself up to a thrust from the halberd. The spike slammed into her shield, and a hidden pile-bunker drove it in harder, forcing her back while Ioana continued to strike at Seiko with her sword.
"Minute fifteen!" Outlaw reported.
"Laura, what is she doing?" Kanzashi asked, and Laura obliged, pulling up a camera to observe Outlaw. The IS was hovering in the clouds, but on the infrared scanner Ichika could see an immense cannon of some sort glowing a bright white on her shoulder.
"Whatever that is, it's getting really hot." Rin muttered.
"Where are Raiga and Hinata?" Charlotte asked.
"They're hunting blind, and in the wrong direction. I don't think they'll find Outlaw in time." Laura replied.
"Looks like Bull and Phoenix have Houki pinned down pretty well." Cecilia pointed out, gesturing towards the original holo-screen. The last of Bull's Robins had just been destroyed, but Houki was still unable to make meaningful progress towards either of her opponents. Phoenix was laying down a curtain of plasma fire between her and Bull, while Bull was firing the strange, shoulder-mounted weapons of hers to create a similar screen for Phoenix.
"It can't last forever though. Sooner or later, one of them will run out of power and it will all be over." Ichika replied.
"Plus, Houki can shoot back." Tatenashi replied as Houki switched to her crossbows.
"Incoming!" Bull shouted as she began to weave through a series of evasive maneuvers, Phoenix doing the same. Houki's first two shots narrowly missed their target, instead flying up into the clouds.
"One minute left!" Outlaw reported.
"Can't you make that damn thing charge any faster?" Phoenix shouted.
"No! Hold out for just a little longer!" Outlaw replied.
On the other side of the battlefield, Ioana had been having better luck with her two opponents. To any observer, it was obvious that she was a representative candidate, while her opponents were merely Blank Slate pilots with sub-par equipment. At this point, Ioana was just toying with her opponents, having brought both of them down to within a single strike of elimination.
"I would love to say that this was fun, but I don't like lying. You two were... Disappointing." Evidently, she'd grown bored of the fight, and with one final strike she slammed her chainblade into the shaft of Seiko's Naginata, sawing clean through it and continuing on to strike the shield behind it. Seiko's Blank Slate followed its broken weapon into the ocean a moment later.
Two strikes later, and Kei followed her partner out of the match.
"Bull, Phoenix, I'm moving to assist. As far as I can tell, the other two Slates have gotten themselves lost in the clouds." Ioana reported as she began to fly back towards Houki, who had managed to score a hit each on Bull and Phoenix.
"Thirty seconds! Starting descent!" Outlaw reported.
"Come on..." Bull exclaimed.
A second later, another plasma bolt hit struck her IS, and she too tumbled out of the sky.
"Bull is down! Cover me!" Phoenix exclaimed.
"I'm en route!" Ioana pushed her IS to its limit, and Houki was forced to break off her advance towards Phoenix in order to avoid her charge. Fold-out armor blade met chainsword, and Ionana gasped as her weapon's chain broke apart under the intense heat.
"Damn you!" She stowed the destroyed weapon away and deploying a second, identical unit in its place as she gained some distance from her opponent.
"Ten seconds! I am through the clouds, painting target!" Outlaw shouted.
"Raiga, Hinata, get out of the clouds! The last one of then just-" Before Houki could finish speaking, a bolt of lightning slammed into Akatsubaki.
"What? That wasn't me, was it?" Outlaw shouted.
"Looks like she's... Wait, what's going on?" Phoenix exclaimed. Indeed, while Akatsubaki had been falling for a moment, the suit was hovering once more, glowing a bright gold.
"Kenran Buto. She just restored her shields completely." Ichika muttered.
"But to be able to deploy it before the lightning bolt took her out... Oh. Aki must have done it."
"She's not down! Outlaw, fire!" However, Houki was already moving, and Outlaw's position was no longer hidden from her.
"I'm trying, but I can't get the targeting laser on her... NO!" Outlaw screamed as her weapon suddenly discharged, sending another bolt of lighting into the island below.
"What the hell just happened?" Ioana demanded.
"My weapon just misfired! I've got to charge it all over again!"
"Alright... Wait, you've got two incoming. Take care of them, then start charging your main gun. Phoenix, help me tie down the big one." Ioana ordered.
"Roger!" Her two remaining squadmates chorused.
"You sure I can take care of both of them?" Outlaw asked.
"You have to, but it shouldn't be a problem. You are free to use missiles as well." Ioana replied.
"Roger... I have a lock! Firing!" Four missiles exited their shoulder-mounted box launcher, streaking towards their two targets.
"Incoming... Shit!" Hinata screamed, all four missiles landing solid hits on her IS a moment later. She raised her gun to return fire, but a short burst of fire from Outlaw's rotary plasma cannon knocked her out of the sky. Raiga managed to get a few shots off in the meantime, but as soon as her squadmate was down she was as good as doomed. Outlaw's railgun was already firing at her, and soon enough the rotary cannon joined in, sweeping her from the sky.
"You're right, that was easy. Charging main cann- Shit!" Outlaw attempted an evasive maneuver, but the over-armored IS was too slow, and both of Houki's plasma bolts struck home. Outlaw had been eliminated.
"No... We were so close!" Ioana screamed.
"Damn, my battery's running low! I'm calling the drone!" Phoenix exclaimed. The drone descended from the clouds a few seconds later, but before it could link up with its destination, another plasma bolt knocked it out of the sky.
"The drone is down! I've got twenty seconds left, but I'm not going down without a fight!" Phoenix declared before charging at Akatsubaki, all four guns blazing. Ioana did the same, chainblade roaring in one hand and halberd raised in the other.
They were now within half a kilometer of their opponent, and Houki had stowed her crossbows away to draw her katanas once again. Curiously, her fold-out armor was not deployed.
"Take this!" Two eight-cell launchers on the Phoenix's waist spun around and opened fire, emptying themselves in a matter of seconds. However, before they could strike their target, Houki swung Karaware, releasing a crescent wave of plasma at the incoming warheads, destroying all of them and striking both incoming IS suits.
One final, evaded volley of cannon fire later, and Phoenix was falling out of the sky, its battery having been expended to the point where its ADS was automatically activated as a safety measure to cushion her fall.
"Dammit..." Its pilot cursed as she was forced out of the battle.
Then, Ioana's blades met Houki's. Once again however, the chain of Ioana's saber melted and snapped as her opponent cocooned her katanas in plasma. Left with only her halberd, Ioana did her best, but her opponent was able to read and counter her movements before they were even made. Thirty seconds later, Ioana was downed, leaving Houki alone in the sky.
The camera cut out a few seconds later. Then, Tatenashi sighed and leaned back on the bed, a frown on her face.
"Houki should not have won that." She said. Laura nodded.
"That lightning bolt should have taken her out, leaving her squadron to be mopped up. The only reason things turned out differently was because of her IS having the ability to regenerate its energy in such a short amount of time." The German girl added.
"I... Yes. You're right." Ichika sighed, not wanting to admit it.
"Part of the problem is clearly her inexperience. While the rest of us were flying, her squadron was grounded because of safety issues in their Blank Slates, and it took so long to get those worked out that Houki hasn't had as much of a chance to learn as a leader, while her squadron hasn't had as much time to practice. Combine that with her not receiving anywhere near as much pre-Academy flight training as the rest of us..." Kanzashi trailed off.
"Still, she has plenty of time to learn. It's not like any of us were perfect when we started out." Cecilia replied.
"True, true. Hopefully she will learn from this and not get her entire squadron wiped out next match." Laura said.
"Ichika, you might want to talk to her when she gets back, before she comes up here." Charlotte said, changing the subject.
"Yes. I... I can imagine what she's feeling right now." Kanzashi added.
"I... Yes. I will." Ichika replied, frowning. Charlotte and Kanzashi were right. Houki wasn't stupid, and she would easily have seen that her victory was won thanks to Akatsubaki's technical capabilities. Not for the first time, he had wondered just what had been going through Tabane's mind when she'd handed the crimson IS to her sister, exacerbating an already apparent inferiority complex as she did so.
"I'll let you know when her bus leaves." Tatenashi said.
"Thank you." Ichika replied absentmindedly, already focused on the conversation to come.
When her bus arrived half an hour later, he was already on the ground floor. Houki was one of the last to get off the bus, her squadmates surrounding her and glaring at the girls that had gotten off just before them. Evidently, there had been some sort of fight between them.
The first to enter the hotel was a red-haired girl, her pale face set in a furious expression.
"Ioana, calm down! It was just a tournament. It doesn't matter!" A tan-skinned girl with dark brown hair followed right behind her. Judging by her words, she was part of Warrior squadron.
"Yes it does! Our standing at this academy is-" Their argument continued as they entered the stairwell, the rest of the squadron following quietly behind them.
Only when they were gone did Houki enter, and Ichika immediately stood up to greet her. It was immediately obvious that she was trying hard to hold back tears. Her squadron parted when they saw him approaching, giving him pointed looks as they did so. Ichika made a covert gesture to shoo them away, and they responded by stepping back, giving their leader some space but not taking their eyes off him. Ichika smiled faintly at that. Evidently Houki's squadron didn't think any less of her after their somewhat humiliating defeats.
"Ichika?" Houki asked once she noticed him.
"Houki, what's wrong?" He asked, knowing the answer.
"I think you already know. You watched the match, after all." She replied, looking away. He placed a hand on her shoulder in response.
"Yes, I saw you win." He replied.
"No... I didn't win. My opponents did everything right, and I made blunder after blunder... My entire squadron was taken down without accomplishing anything, I was pinned down for almost half the match, and if it weren't for Aki activating the Kenran Buto, that lightning bolt would have taken me down! I shouldn't have won th-" Ichika placed his finger over her lips before she could continue.
"Houki, you made a few mistakes, but you're not the only one who does so! You can't expect to be perfect-" Houki pushed his arm away before he could continue.
"But you all are! You, Charlotte, Laura, Tatenash... All of you have such powerful IS suits, but you don't get your squadrons knocked out as if they don't even matter! You don't rely on an overpowered IS to win your battles for you! You-" Now it was Ichika's turn to interrupt.
"We've trained for years, Houki. You don't see us making such mistakes because we've made them time and time again in training, before we even came here! It's unfair for you to compare yourself to us like this! Yes, you made some mistakes when ordering your squadron, yes, your IS suit saved you from defeat, but so what?" He wasn't quite shouting, but his voice was raised, causing the receptionist to look up from her desk.
"If you don't like giving poor orders, then learn to command better! If you don't like your IS saving you, then train yourself until it doesn't have to! We're in school, Houki, not on a battlefield! We're all supposed to make mistakes now, so that we learn and don't make them again when it truly matters! You have your teachers, you have your friends, and all of us want to see you succeed..." Ichika trailed off, grasping Houki with both hands now.
"We're all here, Houki-san." One of her squadmates, Seiko judging by her voice, said.
"I... We don't blame you. We know you did your best." Another, Hinata, added.
"Plus, we won, didn't we? It just means we get a chance to prove ourselves in the next battle!" A third, Kei, added as well.
Houki didn't reply to them, only pulling Ichika closer, resting her chin on his shoulder. He could feel the wet spots of tears soaking through the fabric of his shirt. Softly, so that only he could hear, she whispered in his ear.
"I don't deserve them, do I?" She asked.
"What are you talking about?" He replied, keeping his voice down as well.
"I... They don't blame me for anything! I got them all taken down, and they just accept me like that? I shouldn't be leading them!" Houki answered.
"Maybe they're right. After all, if you were truly unworthy of leading them, they wouldn't be supporting you like this." Ichika replied.
"I..."
"Please Houki... Don't say such things about yourself. I don't like seeing the proud, strong girl from my childhood reduced to tears like this." That caused Houki to squeeze him closer, and he returned the embrace. After a few seconds, she loosened her grip and stepped back, looking him in the eye.
"Ichika... I think I need to be alone for a while. Tell everyone else that I will be up soon, alright?" She asked. He nodded in response, and she leaned in and kissed him.
"Thank you, Ichika. I love you." With those words, she turned away and headed for the elevator, her squadron following right behind her with slight blushes on their faces. Giving his childhood friend a smile, he headed for the stairwell.
Once the door had closed and he had ascended a few flights, he paused and leaned against the railing. He knew it wasn't right, what he was doing to Houki, but he couldn't help it. Every time, he couldn't help but to comfort her, and every time he did so he saw her falling harder and harder for him. But what did that mean for everyone else? He wasn't blind, and he knew that the other girls had similar feelings for him. Was it really worth breaking their hearts for Houki? Was it worth breaking Houki for them?
''Ori?" He finally asked.
"What is it?" The AI replied.
"Send a message to Tatenashi, tell her that I want to speak with her in private." He finally said.
"Done." The AI replied. A few moments later, she spoke again.
"She says that she can meet you in her room, 310, right now if you want."
"Tell her I'll be there." Ichika replied.
"Alright."
With that in mind, Ichika ascended up another flight of stairs until he reached the fourth floor. Exiting, he found the right room and waited outside. Finally, Tatenashi emerged from the nearby elevator and walked over. With a swipe of her keycard, she unlocked the door and held it open for him.
Neither of them spoke until the door was closed.
"Is Houki alright?" Tatenashi asked, taking a seat on the bed and patting a spot beside her.
"Yes." Ichika replied, taking the offered seat.
"Alright, if it's not her, then what is it?" Ichika sighed at that.
"Tatenashi, Houki is completely in love with me." He finally said.
"And? What else is new?" Tatenashi replied.
"And, she's not the only one. Laura, Charlotte, Rin... I'm not some dense moron who can't see what's in front of them, Tatenashi. To put it bluntly, I have no idea what to do!" Ichika replied.
"And you think I do?" Tatenashi asked.
"Well, yes. I'd expect you'd have some advice for me." He replied, causing Tatenashi to chuckle.
"I'm glad to hear you think so highly of me, Orimura-kun, but the truth is, I've never had a bunch of people of the opposite sex genuinely fall in love with me. I have absolutely no idea either." She replied.
"I... I know. But you have to have some advice, right? It... It just doesn't feel right to have to choose like this." He replied.
"Oh? So you want us all instead?" Tatenashi smirked.
"I want everyone to be happy, and that cannot happen if I choose one of you over the rest. I... Why can't we just have all stayed friends?" He sighed. Tatenashi looked pensive for a moment, before shaking her head.
She stood up from the bed and walked over to where her bag was hanging on the wall. She opened it, and after a bit of rummaging, drew out a white sheet of paper.
"I shouldn't be showing this to you, but honestly I'm not sure what else to do. You won't tell anyone else about this, right?" She asked. When he nodded, she handed the paper to him. Ichika scanned through the first few lines and looked up.
"Tatenashi, what the hell is this?" He asked.
"Oh? You've read it already?" She asked.
"No! I just want to know why and how you managed to get everyone to sign an 'Accord on the Romantic Pursuit of Orimura Ichika'!" He looked at the bottom of the paper again and noticed a signature was missing.
"Scratch that, everyone but Houki signed it, but still! Why am I the subject of treaties now?" He demanded.
"Well, after Houki confessed to you back in WSI tower, I knew that something had to be done. So, I arranged for everyone but you and Houki to meet up and we came to an agreement. Houki confessed, and so we decided to give her one chance. If she wins, then we are to acknowledge that you are hers. If not, then the competition opens up again." Tatenashi explained.
"What? I-I am not some prize to be won!" Ichika exclaimed.
"See, that's why we didn't want you to see it. But still, I had to do something in order to keep all of us together after Houki put you in the position you're currently in. Soon enough, we'll all graduate and then we'll be flying combat missions for the Organization. The last thing I want is for us to get jealous of each other and break up our squadron because of something as silly as a high-school romance!" Tatenashi shouted back.
"I know, dammit! That's why I can't afford to choose Houki, or anyone else, and that piece of paper isn't going to stop those feelings from cropping up if I do! I may be a love interest, but I'm also an officer, and as an officer I can't afford to have STS-01 fall apart like that!" Ichika replied. Tatenashi looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding to herself.
"Ah... I see how you think now." Tatenashi replied, before smirking.
"From what I see, you seem to be operating under the impression that the only way to keep everyone happy is to have none of us... Or all of us."
"What." Ichika didn't quite believe what he'd just heard.
"You heard me. All or nothing, am I right?"
"That's impossible." Ichika shook his head.
"Is it? Is it really so hard to believe that several girls, all in love with you, can learn to work together rather than against each other?" Tatenashi asked, leaning over towards him.
"Yes, it is." Ichika deadpanned.
"Perhaps... But perhaps not. Still, it's an awfully tempting solution, isn't it?" Tatenashi asked.
"It's not a solution because it's impossible." Tatenashi giggled at that.
"You never know unless you try." She answered, staring into his eyes for several long moments before breaking down in laughter.
"I should have known you wouldn't take this seriously." Ichika sighed.
"Oh no, I was being completely serious! It's just the look on your face...!" She broke down laughing once more.
"Tatenashi, please stop." Ichika replied, standing up.
"Why would I do that? Especially now that you've told me the solution to all your problems!" Tatenashi replied.
"You're... You're actually serious." Ichika demanded, slowly backing away from the crazy girl that currently shared the room with him.
"Why wouldn't I be? You said it yourself... All or nothing!" Tatenashi cackled.
"I never said anything like that!" He shouted as his back hit the door.
"But you implied it~!" She sang in response.
"Y-You're crazy!"
"We're all a bit crazy around here." Tatenashi replied, walking up to him.
"Besides, when you think about it, it really does work!" She finished.
"Why did I think it was a good idea to come to you for romantic advice?" Ichika asked.
"I don't know, but I don't regret it!" Tatenashi replied, before opening the door. Ichika barely managed to catch himself from falling flat on his back.
"Don't worry, Orimura-kun! I'll take care of everything!" She said as she exited the room, before turning and heading for the elevator.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Ichika muttered as he headed back for the stairs.
Tatenashi was already in the room when he arrived, and she gave him a knowing look before turning back to watch the ongoing match. The rest of the girls just waved, and he sighed in relief. At least Tatenashi had kept quiet for the moment. Still, it was rather terrifying to think of what the blue-haired girl might try to do with the knowledge she now possessed.
Houki entered the room a few minutes later. Her face was clean, and only a bit of redness in her eyes gave off any impression that she had been crying earlier. She took a seat beside him and gave him a small smile.
"Ichika, the gun is finished." Ori spoke up before he could greet her.
"Already?" Charlotte asked, walking over.
"Yes." Ori replied, her avatar shifting into an image of the weapon in question.
"What does it do?" Rin asked. In response, Ori shifted her avatar again, breaking the gun apart into several components.
"I'd personally describe it as an IS-sized LMG equivalent, designed for medium to long-range engagements. It a bullpup weapon chambered in thirty-six by two-twenty-five millimeters, firing a cartridge of my own design. Currently only APFSDS rounds are available, but several other round types are undergoing testing." Ori's normal avatar appeared beside the exploded diagram.
"The rounds are stored in a mechanized, tubular box magazine underneath the weapon, which stores one hundred rounds." She gestured at the long box that ran parallel to the barrel for almost half the gun's length.
"The weapon possesses an electronic trigger system that interfaces directly with the suit, removing the need for a more traditional mechanical trigger. It is capable of firing up to seven hundred rounds per minute, although this leads to extremely rapid overheating. Thus, it also possesses a selective fire rate system that allows the operator to choose between single shot, a two-hundred rounds per minute limited automatic fire mode that can comfortably fire off an entire magazine, and unrestricted seven hundred round per minute fire rate for emergencies." Ori finished.
"That's..." Laura muttered.
"Much like most modern IS rifles, it possesses a targeting system that links directly to the suit's hyper-sensor. I've upped the ante a bit by including a thermal option." Ori finished.
"You did all that in what, three hours?" Laura asked skeptically.
"Super AI-controlled extradimensional factory, remember?" Ori replied.
"Oh, right, you weren't here for Ori's explanation of how the Infinite Arsenal works. Basically, that suit is the economic equivalent of a nuclear bomb, what with its infinite resources and production capability." Cecilia sighed.
"Technically not infinite production capability, merely continuously expanding." Ori replied.
"Same difference." Cecilia replied. Laura just sighed.
"I shudder to think of what could happen if a system like that fell into the hands of someone less scrupulous than you." She finally said. The other girls sans Charlotte exchanged glances.
"What? Don't tell me... Oh no..." Laura frowned, before flopping down onto the bed.
"It's Phantom Task, isn't it?" She asked.
"Yep." Rin replied.
"Thought so."
The sun had set by the time Cecilia had left for her own match. The weather had improved as well, to the point where, while it was still raining, the risk of getting struck by lightning was now negligible.
"I wonder who she's going to face!" Rin exclaimed.
"Yeah, all of us so far have had rather exciting fights, haven't we?" Charlotte commented. Ichika caught Tatenashi shaking her head out of the corner of his eye, and was about to ask her a question before the announcer spoke up.
"And now, starting over Habomai, we have Squadron 001, the Blue Spears, sponsored by the Alcott Foundation!" As the camera panned over Cecilia's squadron, he was able to finally catch his first glimpse of the upgraded Blue Tears.
The most obvious alteration were the two huge drones that now hovered beside it, each one glowing as it projected an energy shield around itself. The upper portion of each drone was curved inward, creating a perfect rest for Cecilia's sniper rifle, which itself had also been upgraded with a longer barrel, the extension's end ringed by a cross shaped device that seemed familiar to Ichika, but he couldn't make out enough detail to place just where he'd seen it before. Similar barrel extensions jutted out from the ends of the suit's drones as well. Finally, Cecilia was encased in a full suit of pilot armor, the Union Jack emblazoned on its breastplate.
Finally, a smaller gun was seen attached to a magnetic holster right below the suit's right side missile launcher. Judging by its small size, Ichika would have wagered that it was a submachine gun analogue designed for close-quarters engagements.
The rest of Cecilia's squadron had remained unchanged in terms of equipment, although much like Charlotte's squadron, they had elected to paint their own nation's flags on their IS suits, meaning that two now bore the same Union Jack as their leader. Of the other two, one now wore an American flag on its right shoulder, while the other bore a Canadian flag in the same position. They had also painted their equipment to match their IS suit's coloration. Both their railguns and the missiles under their wings had been painted blue. He was unsure if that treatment had extended to their swords, as those were currently sheathed at their hips.
"And over Shikotan, we have Squadron 016!" No sponsor was listed, and Ichika's jaw dropped as he saw that the squadron Cecilia was facing was composed entirely of factory-condition Blank Slates.
"That can't be right! They don't even have weapons!" Rin gave voice to his own thoughts. Tatenashi shook her head.
"The tournament brackets weren't designed with fairness in mind." She sighed.
"You mean that those girls are facing Cecilia by design?" Laura demanded.
"No, it's just statistics at work. Honestly, I'm surprised that Cecilia and I are the only ones here to have a match like that in the first round, considering how more than half of the squadrons at IS Academy are like that." Tatenashi replied.
"But-" Charlotte began, only for Tatenashi to cut her off.
"If the brackets were designed for fair fights only, then more than half of them would be nothing but Stock Slates punching each other well into the tournament. It would be a waste of time." Tatenashi replied, just as the announcer began the match.
"Cecilia? What are our orders?" Cecilia's squadron was speaking English, but Ichika was able to understand nonetheless.
"You heard Lise. She said not to hold back, so we won't insult her by doing so." Cecilia replied as one of her shield drones floated into place in front of her. She rested her rifle on top of it.
"Target locked. Firing!" The end of the rifle flashed a moment later, and Laura pulled up a second view of Lise's squadron just in time for the shot to hit home. Immediately, the unarmed IS suits began attempting evasive maneuvers, but Cecilia's second shot struck home in spite of their best efforts, changing direction in midair to ensure it connected. Two shots were enough to take down the unupgraded Blank Slate.
It took less than a minute for Cecilia to fire all ten needed shots, all of which struck their targets.
"Done. Now come on, let's go pull them out." Cecilia's last order was transmitted a second before the video ended.
"That was completely one-sided." Houki muttered.
"I know." Tatenashi replied.
"Cecilia's going to be furious." Laura pointed out.
"Ichika, you should talk to her once you get back." Tatenashi said.
"I... Alright." Ichika replied, sighing inwardly. Was that really all Tatenashi had planned? He could handle that, at least.
Where Houki was close to tears when she arrived, Cecilia was just indignant. She spotted him almost immediately after her squadron entered, five more girls walking in right behind them.
"Oh, Ichika-san? Did they send you down here?" She asked as he stood up.
"That they did." He replied.
"Good, that saves me some time." She replied, before turning to an unfamiliar blonde girl who wore an unzipped raincoat over a standard IS Academy pilot suit.
"Lise, this is Ichika. Ichika, do you mind showing her what you've been working on?" Cecilia asked, turning back to him while Lise gave him a hesitant wave.
"Right here?" He asked, somewhat confused.
"Of course!" Cecilia exclaimed.
"Alright." Ichika shrugged, and sent the mental command for a partial deployment. A moment later, the IS-sized machine gun flashed into being, hitting the floor with a dull 'crack!' a moment later. Ichika faintly heard the receptionist 'eep!' in the background.
"What is that?" Lise asked in heavily accented Japanese.
"Oh, it's the first in a line of mass-production weaponry and equipment that Ichika-san's squadron will be unveiling very soon. If all goes well, your squadron might be using them well before the next tournament starts." Cecilia explained. Lise's squadmates weren't the only ones staring at the oversized gun.
"No way..." A familiar voice breathed, and Ichika turned to see Theresa standing beside an unfamiliar blonde girl. She promptly walked up to him.
"Ichika, are you some kind of gun god? There's no way you should have been able to make something like that so fast!" She muttered, keeping her voice low.
"It was a concept that I'd already mostly finished, it didn't take long to complete." Ichika replied.
"Pity, I'd have worshipped you if that were the case." Theresa muttered as she began to walk around the weapon, inspecting it from all angles. Finally, she nodded before turning to the small crowd that had begun to gather.
"You heard it, folks! This gun, and many others like it, will all be for sale at the Fox Four Blank Slate Customization Store! More information coming soon!" She said, before walking back to her friend. Before she could finish, one of the people in the crowd spoke up.
"How much for that one?" She asked.
"Prototypes are not for sale!" Theresa shouted back.
"I'll pay double!" Another girl shouted.
"Triple!"
"Name the price! I'll quadruple it!"
"Prototypes are not for sale!" Theresa's shout was lost over the sound of bidding. Finally, Ichika had enough and stowed the weapon away.
"Awww!" The entire crowd seemed to deflate as one, moments before Chifuyu entered the room.
"I am Orimura Chifuyu, and this is my favorite hotel in Nemuro!" As if announcing her entrance, her voice sounded out from the TV on the back wall a moment later.
"What's going on here?" A moment later, she had forced her way through the crowd, her eyes immediately coming to focus on him. She stared for a few moments, before throwing up her arms in defeat.
"Alright, everyone who's getting on the bus, get on. Everyone else, get back to your rooms. I'm too tired to deal with you all right now." She growled, before turning on her heel and walking out. The rest of the students followed suit, with some heading out towards the bus, while others headed back up to their rooms until only Ichika and Cecilia were left standing in the once crowded atrium.
"Well, that was certainly something!" Cecilia finally said as she started to head for the elevator.
"Yeah..." Ichika replied, unsure of what else to say.
Soon the elevator arrived, and the two of them stepped in. Once the doors closed, Cecilia turned to him.
"So, what are you selling it for?" She asked.
"I'm honestly not sure. Given how it was made, I could sell it for one yen and still make a profit." Ichika replied.
"True, but I don't think your business partner would be happy if you sold them for that low." Cecilia replied.
"True, true. I need a nice figure that's divisible by five." Ichika replied.
"Two thousand yen?" Cecilia asked.
"Where did you get that figure?"
"I just made it up. Still, it's affordable, divisible by five, and since you're producing the weapons at zero cost the actual price doesn't really matter. Still, before you start selling them, I highly suggest creating a contract of some sort to ensure that these weapons stay at IS Academy. The last thing you want is for them to leave the school."
Ichika nodded at that.
"You're right, I should do that. Thanks for the advice, Cecilia." He replied.
"You're welcome..." For a moment, she looked like she was about to say more, but she seemed to think it over. She didn't say another word until they returned to their room.
"Welcome back!" Tatenashi greeted as they entered. Cecilia just waved, before sitting down in her usual chair.
"Is everything alright?" Charlotte asked, and Cecilia nodded.
"Just... I just hope my next match is better. That one was... It wasn't a good one." She replied.
"I know. My first match will be the same." Tatenashi said.
"Really?" Ichika asked.
"Yeah. My opponents have already accused me of rigging the randomization system." Tatenashi replied.
"Did you?" Laura asked.
"No, I think that was Maya's job, although it might have been some other teacher."
"Wait, what?" Cecilia demanded.
"That was a joke!" Tatenashi exclaimed.
"It wasn't very funny." Cecilia replied.
Nobody spoke for a few long moments. Then, Rin decided to break the awkward silence.
"So Ichika, what are you making next?" She asked.
"Ori? Care to explain?" He addressed the AI, who popped up a moment later.
"Well, I'm making a little bit of everything. Ichika wanted me to create an entire line of weapon systems with a focus on interchangeability. That means I'm making IS analogues of pistols, submachine guns, carbines, sniper rifles... You name it, there's a good chance I'm making it. Honestly, it feels nice to just have some work to do to pass the time." Ori replied.
"I didn't know AIs could feel boredom." Charlotte commented. Mabel promptly shimmered into being in front of her.
"Our brains work much faster than yours. To you, a second is nothing, but to us it's a small eternity. That makes prolonged periods of inactivity very boring." The AI replied.
"At times like this, I can't help but feel a little envious of you, Miss White. You've got your ISSpace foundry to manage, but us? When there's no IS combat going on and no cybersecurity duty, we've got nothing to do." Guilliford added.
"It's not just Ori who's got it made. I heard Xingke figured out how to fall asleep." Mabel complained.
"What gave you that idea?" The Chinese girl's AI demanded.
"I dunno, maybe the fact that you never talk to the rest of us?" Gladys asked.
"Well, it's not my fault that I've figured out a good way to pass time... Wait, what are you doing? No! Stop that!" The Chinese AI shouted.
"I knew it! I knew that there was another AI playing against me!" Gladys shouted in triumph.
"Wait, what do you mean?" Rin asked.
"Well, Kanzashi here made sure to give me a bit of extra hard drive space, which I used to download a few games to play in my spare time-"
"Lucky!" Mabel complained.
"W-Well, if you want to, I can try and do the same for you..." Charlotte suggested.
"Really? Thank you so much!" Mabel exclaimed.
"A-Anyway, I just knew that there was another AI playing against me, and it looks like I was right!" Gladys continued.
"I was the only one playing against you!" Xingke replied.
"Yeah, but I didn't know which one you were because you never talked to me!"
Ori made a show of exasperation as the argument continued.
"Hey guys! Sorasan just uploaded something new!" Mabel suddenly exclaimed, and the argument stopped cold. With all the focus on the AIs, only Ichika noticed Kanzashi's eyes widening in recognition, before a blush creeped up her face.
"Wow, really? What's it about?" Gladys asked.
"Nevermind, I'm looking at it now... Oh... Oh my! She really works fast, doesn't she?" Moira muttered.
"Ori, you might want to have a look at this one!" She called out a moment later.
"I'm lost... Who is Sorasan?" Ichika asked. It was Kanzashi who answered.
"She's an artist who... Well... She..." Kanzashi blushed again.
"Well, she's an artist who imagines what IS suits would be like as people, and then draws manga about how she thinks they would interact! Her works are really interesting to read." Tuman spoke up.
"That's... That's one way of putting it." Kanzashi gave a nervous laugh.
"Oh I've got to see this. Tuman, mind pulling a few up for me?" Tatenashi asked.
"W-Wait-" Kanzashi began, but it was too late. A hologram appeared in front of Tatenashi, its contents being a cover image of two rather well-endowed women, one of whom was wearing a veil over her face. The title read: 'Sorasan: 2036 Collection'.
"That one's the Mysterious Lady!" Tuman stage-whispered, pointing to the veiled one.
"I couldn't tell..." Tatenashi replied dryly as she gestured to turn the page. The rest of the girls crowded around her.
A few pages later, their faces had all flushed beet red.
"This is what you read for fun?" Cecilia demanded.
"Well... Sometimes, yes! It really is fascinating, isn't it?" The AI replied.
"It's smut!" Cecilia shouted.
"To you, maybe. To me, it is a fascinating insight into how humans can apply human qualities to nonhuman objects, to the point of being able to imagine them as fellow humans. For an AI like me, it's... Heartwarming to see that you are capable of such things, no matter how irrational they may be." The suited AI replied.
"Oh..." Cecilia trailed off, unsure of how to respond.
"You know, it's getting pretty late. We might want to think about going to bed." Charlotte pointed out.
"True. We should get going." Laura added.
"You could do that... Or we could all sleep over!" Tatenashi proposed.
"Wait a minute-" Cecilia began.
"I'm up for it!" Rin exclaimed.
"Sure, why not?" Charlotte replied.
"I... Alright, but what about, well..." Houki looked over at Ichika.
"Well, of course the invitation applies to him too!" Tatenashi replied.
"W-What?" The rest of the room's occupants chorused.
"After all, Orimura-kun here is both an officer and a gentleman, am I right? I'm sure he won't have a problem sharing the room with the rest of us, right?" Tatenashi asked, winking at him. Ichika considered leaving, before sighing in defeat. Best to just cooperate now and hope Tatenashi got bored from his lack of resistance.
"Alright, why not?" He shrugged. Surprisingly, very few of the girls complained vocally at that, although later Ichika would chalk that up to shock.
Nearly two hours later, the lights were out, and despite his protests about being able to sleep on the floor, Tatenashi had insisted on giving him her bed. As a result, the seven girls had all piled into the other.
"A-Ah! Tatenashi, watch it!" Cecilia whispered.
"Sorry!" Tatenashi replied, although it was clear to Ichika that she wasn't sorry at all.
"Both of you, just shut up already!" Rin complained.
Ichika promptly buried his head into his sole remaining pillow and tried to drown out the muffled fighting sounds, with little success.
A/N: There it is, a bit later than I'd originally planned, but it's out regardless. Before I say anything else, I would like to congratulate LurkerTheNinth for contributing his own OC IS squadron to the story. Meanwhile, AzureTemplar3535 is the mastermind behind Warrior squadron, which went up against Houki early in this chapter. Finally, before moving on to the traditional commentary, I would once again like to draw attention to Agent Orimura: Supplemental Files, a side story repository for the main fic. Right now there is only one story in there, which was sent to me by Warmach1ne32. If you are at all interested in such things, I suggest checking it out.
Now, on to chapter commentaries. Firstly, I finally introduce the rest of the AI units. Some of you may already recognize their names from The Declassified Files, where I had them listed for quite some time now. They haven't really done much, but I'd like to say that I've given them a bit of character.
Secondly, I never quite realized what 'Tournament arcs are cruise control for plot' meant until now. Remember that the original plan was to have all eight characters fight in one chapter, but here I am two chapters into the tournament and only four have gone. That definitely calls for a few timeskips after the first round. Don't worry though, Cecilia will get the fight she deserves.
Next, there is the description of the Infinite Arsenal's namesake system, the time bomb that could potentially destroy the global economy if it ever went public. When combined with Ori's ability to both streamline the automated manufacturing process and her capability to quickly design complex items, Ori can almost literally pull machine guns out of her ass, for a certain definition of ass.
Next up, I find it somewhat ironic how the characters I liked the least in canon, namely Tatenashi and Houki, have slowly become some of my favorite ones to write. Tatenashi, for instance, is a creator's pet Mary Sue in canon. In this story, on the other hand, I've done my best to portray her as a good friend, Ichika's right-hand woman, and generally a fembro of the broest caliber. At least, that's what I hope I've portrayed her as. Houki, on the other hand, was a cliche tsundere creator's pet who had too much tsun and not enough dere, coming off as more of an abusive bitch than a likable love interest. Here, however, Houki is a more 'soft' tsundere who puts on a tough front but, much like Kanzashi, possesses a severe inferiority complex that is only reinforced by her sister's misguided attempts at helping her.
Ichika, by comparison, has also been significantly altered from the dense moron we see in canon. Indeed, in this story he knows a little too much and has seen it happen enough times in fiction to be very afraid of the consequences of love polygons. He's able to see that Houki isn't the only girl who has feelings for him, and is thus afraid to make a conclusive choice because of the various resulting scenarios he's imagining. However, he also sees just how precarious Houki's mental state currently is, and knows that outright telling her the truth could devastate her. All in all, he is currently in what he perceives to be a no-win scenario, where no matter what he does, someone he's close to will get hurt.
Of course, going to Tatenashi for advice probably wasn't the best idea. Now he's got a self-proclaimed shipmaster trying for the true Harem route, although whether or not she will be successful is a different story. I did enjoy writing that scene though, as I feel like this story hasn't really had much comedy in it lately. Global conspiracies, terrorist attacks and fight scenes are all nice, but it's not Infinite Stratos without a bit of romantic comedy mixed in as well. I just hope I did it right.
The Cecilia fight, meanwhile, was a simple necessity. I needed to keep things somewhat bound to statistical expectations, and when most of the squadrons in ISAc are unsponsored, sometimes I just have to bite the bullet and have Cecilia mow down an unarmed squadron. Don't worry, she'll get her fight and all other fights of that nature will be skipped over.
I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to writing the next. I will update Blue Tears' Declassified Files entry when I have the time.