A/N: Here it is. Remember how I originally said two transitional chapters were most likely needed? Well, it turns out I only required one.
Chapter 38
The following morning was rather hectic, as everyone had to get up early to pack up their belongings. This was followed by breakfast, where Giorgi announced the winners of the exercise. Ichika was not at all surprised to hear that Charlotte and Laura's group ended up taking first place, followed by Kanzashi and Honne in second while his and Lily's group in third.
As breakfast came to an end, Giorgi pulled Ichika aside, leading him off until they were alone.
"Are we taking care of the boats now?" Ichika asked after looking around and seeing nobody else nearby.
"Not yet. We'll do that once everyone else is loading their belongings onto the bus. No, what I wanted to talk to you about is future meetings of STS-01." Giorgi replied, and Ichika nodded.
"Firstly, I commend you on your choice of room. Meetings will continue there. However, Maya or I will be leading the meetings from here on out. We will be meeting on a weekly basis, starting tomorrow. In the event of timing issues, meetings may be rescheduled." The older man continued.
"What will we be covering?" Ichika asked.
"At the moment, my task is to make sure you are kept updated on relevant global events and aware of potential courses of action our organization may end up taking. If there are orders for you to carry out, they will be issued there as well. Finally, if you have anything to report or questions to ask, this will be the time to do it." Giorgi replied.
Ichika nodded in response. Prior meetings had always been rather informal, and at times seemed to serve more as an excuse to just relax in a private setting than to conduct any real business.
"Now, with that out of the way, how are things with Lily?" Giorgi asked. Ichika thought for a moment before giving his response.
"We've... Gotten to know each other a bit better. It's safe to say that we're friends at this point." He replied, thinking back to their earlier conversation.
"That is good to hear. Has she told you much about herself?" Giorgi asked.
"Nothing that we didn't already know. She's avoided talking much about her training, but she's opened up a fair bit with regards to her life before then." Ichika replied, frowning. It felt a bit wrong to talk about Lily like this, especially considering the plans that were doubtlessly being drawn up.
"So if you were to give her the recruitment offer tomorrow, how would she react?" Giorgi asked.
"I don't know. All I can say is that it probably would not be good." Ichika replied.
"I see. Well, that is about as expected. Honestly, I would have been very surprised if you'd said anything different." Giorgi chuckled.
"I see..." Ichika replied.
"You're probably wondering why I've even bothered to ask the question, aren't you?" Giorgi continued.
"You did say earlier that we weren't trying to recruit her immediately. When you asked, I was wondering if things had suddenly changed." Ichika replied, and Giorgi nodded.
"I can see why you'd think that. However, my intention was mainly to try and get an insight as to how to better expedite the recruitment process. At the moment, protocol for IS Academy is to proceed with extreme caution after what's happened so far. We got very lucky with the Sarashiki sisters, and the rest of the girls were brought in under extenuating circumstances. However, our superiors see all that as too risky, and have ordered me to determine ways to improve the recruitment process. Lily is the current test case."
"I see. So are you asking me for advice?" Ichika asked.
"Do you have any?" Giorgi asked in response.
"Actually, I do. Cecilia said something interesting yesterday, and I think it might be helpful in this regard." Ichika answered after a few moments' thought.
"Really? What would that be?"
"Well, she proposed starting some sort of official student society. Now that I think about it, it might be a useful way of reaching out to people." Ichika replied.
"Hmm... That is indeed interesting. In fact, it may be an excellent solution to some of the problems we have been having thus far. I will need to discuss it with my own superiors, but it could work." Giorgi said.
Things were silent for a few long moments before Ichika spoke up again.
"Is everything alright? You seem a bit off today." He asked. Giorgi was silent for a long while before sighing.
"I'm worried." He said simply.
"Why is that?" Ichika asked.
"Part of it is unfortunately classified. The rest, you'll hear about soon enough... Suffice to say, I disagree with how our leadership has been handling outside affairs recently." Ichika opened his mouth to ask for clarification, but Giorgi shook his head.
"You'll hear about it soon enough, with everyone else."
It was as good a dismissal as any, and when Giorgi had nothing more to say, Ichika took his leave. He then made his way back to the rest of his group, who were busy packing the tent away, having already moved all their belongings out onto the thankfully dry ground.
The rest of the morning was spent packing, moving their belongings to the parking lot, and then loading them onto the buses. Then, near midday, the students had a quick lunch before boarding their transports home and starting the long ride back to IS Academy.
A bit over an hour later, the convoy stopped to refuel, and the students got out to stretch their legs, Ichika included. It was then that Kaoruko Mayuzumi, the head of the school's newspaper club, approached him with an apprehensive look on her face.
"Hey Ichika..." She began.
"Oh, hey Mayuzumi-san. What is it?" Ichika replied.
"I... How do I say this... I have a bit of a favor to ask you." Kaoruko continued.
"What is it?" Ichika asked.
"Well... My sister works for a publishing agency, and she asked me if I could arrange for a photoshoot and, well..."
"You want me to be part of it, right?" Ichika finished for her.
"Yes. You and Shinonono-san, actually. If you choose to participate, then you will get to keep any clothes you try on, along with a meal at a three-star restaurant." Shizune replied.
"Did you already ask Houki?" Ichika asked.
"Ah, Not yet." In response Ichika looked around and, spotting Houki talking with Rin and Lily a short way off, waved them over and explained Shizune's offer.
"Huh, so you're being asked to model? That's great! You know, I actually did some modelling as well before coming to IS Academy. Wanna see?" Rin exclaimed, pulling out her phone.
"Oh, you modeled? What was it like?" Lily asked, coming to look over Rin's shoulder,
"It was pretty fun! It got a bit annoying sometimes when the photographer kept wanting to redo some shots, but for the most part it was just me trying on new clothes and posing for the camera." Rin replied as they all crowded around her, looking at the results of her photoshoot.
"So what do you say?" Kaoruko asked after they spent a few moments watching Rin scroll through images of herself in various outfits, mostly various shirts, jackets and pants.
"Well... Why not? What about you, Ichika?" Houki asked after a few moments.
"I don't object to it... If you want to, then I'll go with you." Ichika replied, smiling. In truth, standing in front of a camera with a smile on his face didn't sound particularly fun, but the girls seemed to like the idea. What harm could there be in trying it out?
"Great! Then it's settled!" Kaoruko exclaimed.
"Out of curiosity, is anyone else invited?" Lily asked.
"Do you want to come as well?" Kaoruko asked. Ichika noticed a frown briefly flicker across Houki's face at the suggestion.
"I mean, if I can then I won't say no." Lily shrugged.
"I... I will have to ask my sister. I'll get back to you." Kaoruko replied after a few moments.
"No problem... Do you happen to want a sample photo?" Lily smirked, striking a pose. Kaoruko laughed and snapped off a picture with her phone in response.
"Why not? Anyway, I'll get back to you hopefully some time tomorrow. The photoshoot is this Thursday, so if any of you happen to change your mind before then, just contact me and I'll pass things along to my sister. I'll give you more detailed information about the shoot some time tomorrow as well." She continued.
"Sounds reasonable. We'll be looking forward to it." Ichika replied. Kaoruko promptly bid them all farewell and headed back to the bus.
"So Rin, is there a story behind that photoshoot of yours?" Ichika asked, to which his friend simply shrugged.
"Nothing much, really. It was just some publicity stuff I was asked to do. What about you? You haven't done anything like this before, but you've definitely received offers, right?" Rin replied, to which Houki, Ichika and Lily all responded with a curious stare.
"Wait, don't tell me. You really haven't gotten any offers like this before?" Rin exclaimed after a few moments.
"Not really. There wasn't exactly a big window of time between me first stepping into an IS and me coming to IS Academy for these offers to reach me." Ichika replied.
"I... I was really just an average student until the end of last semester so..." Houki trailed off.
"I was in a secret government facility." Lily chimed in.
"I see... Well, if you have any questions, just ask me or Cecilia. She's had even more experience with this sort of stuff than me... Stupid photogenic Cecilia..." That last part was muttered, but Ichika caught Lily stifling a giggle regardless.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Ichika replied.
"So Lily, is there a reason for why you wanted to take part?" Houki spoke next after a few moments of silence. The blonde shrugged in response.
"If I were to be honest, it was the restaurant that sold me. A chance to have some great food for free? Sign me up! Heck, while I'm at it, I might as well bring my squadron along as well. Treat them to something nice before the next tournament!" She replied, and Ichika chucked.
"Of course that's what convinced you." Ichika laughed.
"Well, that and the chance to show off for the cameras. I'll have to do plenty of that anyway once I go pro, so might as well practice now." Lily continued.
"Right..." Houki looked like she wanted to say more, but the call to board the buses interrupted her. Soon, they were all on their way again.
The sun was dipping below the horizon when the buses finally arrived back at IS Academy, and the stars were starting to emerge by the time they'd finally crossed the monorail. Once they were back on campus, Giorgi made a big show of returning their IS suits to them, congratulated them all on an excellent week, and allowed them to go their separate ways.
Ichika ended up following Tatenashi off the platform, although it was soon clear that she was not heading straight to their room. Tatenashi quickly noticed him walking after her, and paused.
"Ichika, do you mind taking my stuff up to the dorms? I've got some business in engineering to take care of." She asked.
"Sure... What is it?" Ichika asked as he walked over and took Tatenashi's suitcase. Thankfully, most of her belongings had been strapped to it in one way or another, meaning that he only had to roll it.
"The pilot armor I ordered from WSI just came in. I just want to confirm its arrival and prepare it for installation. Shouldn't take more than a few hours." Tatenashi replied.
"Just pilot armor? Wasn't there some other hardware you were planning on installing?" Ichika asked.
"Yeah, but the pilot armor I could just obtain from WSI. Everything else needs to be custom made, so I might as well get the easy stuff out of the way first. Then I can worry about positron cannons and point defense systems." Tatenashi replied.
"Fair enough. Is it just standard armor?" Ichika asked.
"Actually, it's a pre-production model of the Mark IIB. Mostly the same as the one you've got, but it has a few new convenience features. Slightly improved armor plating, longer battery life, a manual ejection mechanism, and attachment points for supplementary limbs." Tatenashi replied.
"Really? That sounds interesting. Mind if I take the opportunity to upgrade my own?" Ichika asked.
"Sure, go right ahead. I'll let you have a look at it once it's installed." Tatenashi said.
"Sounds good. Try not to make too much noise when you get back, I might be asleep."
"I'll keep that in mind. See you tomorrow, if not tonight." With that, Ichika turned and headed up to the dorms, weighed down by extra baggage. Sure enough, as soon as everything was laid down, he went to take a quick shower before crawling into bed and falling asleep.
The next day went by fairly quickly, with Kaoruko stopping by after class to notify Ichika and Houki of the time and date of their appointment, as well as apologetically telling Lily that she was not invited, but that she would be informed of future opportunities. Lily didn't seem particularly upset by this, instead merely shrugging and thanking the other girl before wishing Ichika and Houki luck.
Tatenashi had spent much of the morning in the engineering facility, completing the installation of her suit's new armor. Once the installation was complete, she called Ichika over and allowed him to quickly scan it, with Ori promising to have the new armor installed by the next day.
That afternoon found Ichika and Tatenashi in their shared room, waiting for the message telling them to convene for the day's meeting. However, the relative quiet would soon be broken by a frantic knock at the door.
"Onee-chan! Onee-chan! I know you're in there! Open up!" Kanzashi's frantic exclamation caused her sister to spring up from the bed and rush to the door.
"What is it?" Tatenashi asked once her frazzled-looking sister was inside.
"Ichika? Oh, good, you're here too. Read this!" Kanzashi exclaimed, pulling out her datapad and opening up an email. Ichika and Tatenashi quickly read through it, their eyes widening in shock.
The message was from ATLA, the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, which was shocking in and of itself. Apparently, Kanzashi's performance in the recent tournament, and in a modified Uchigane no less, had impressed some very highly placed individuals at the perfect time.
The Uchigane, Japan's primary mass production IS suit, had proven to be a disappointment when compared to many of its contemporary second-generation mass production units. The JGSDF had quickly relegated its suits to the trainer role while awaiting a replacement, and the helicopters it was meant to replace remained in service. Meanwhile, the JNSDF had slightly better luck in adapting theirs to the anti-submarine role, but they still deemed the suit an inadequate replacement for their own helicopters. With no replacement in sight, the Japanese attempted to purchase Hellhounds from the United States, but it ultimately proved too expensive and only one JGSDF squadron ended up receiving the more capable suit.
Now, more than five years after the Uchigane's first flight, a replacement was urgently being sought. However, judging by the contents of the message a replacement was still some time away and the JSDF still had over two hundred Uchiganes occupying space in hangars across the country. That was where Kanzashi came in. She was only fifteen years old, and yet she was not only a skilled IS pilot, but had also been able to upgrade an Uchigane frame into a design that had been able to reach the semifinals of the recent tournament, and had even been able to trounce the newer Byakushiki in combat. This had caught the eyes of some very important people, and apparently those people had decided to reach out and ask her to create a retrofit design to be applied to the Uchigane models already in service. More exact technical details had not been included, most likely to be disclosed in a more secure manner once Kanzashi accepted the offer. However, it mentioned that the JNSDF, JGSDF and JASDF could potentially all have their own requirements for separate variants.
"Wow..." Ichika breathed as he took that information in.
"What do I do?" Kanzashi asked.
"What do you mean? This is incredible!" Tatenashi exclaimed, throwing her arms around her sister.
"But... I don't know if... Can I even do this? I don't..." Kanzashi stammered. Ichika placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Take it slow. What is the problem?"
"I... Well, two things. First, I'm not sure if I can do it. I mean... This is something that normally gets done by big companies with trillion-yen budgets! I mean..." Kanzashi trailed off.
"And yet you already did it once, with your own money and a helping hand from the rest of us. I think you'll be fine." Tatenashi pointed out.
"What else?" Ichika asked.
"Well... I'm not sure if I'll be allowed to do it because of, you know... I mean, they specifically told me in this message that I am only allowed to speak with certain individuals about this, with you two both being mentioned by name." Kanzashi said.
"If they mentioned me by name, then they are most likely trying to reach out to the Organization. The Japanese government knows that I'm a member." Ichika replied.
"As for the question of whether the Organization wants to reciprocate? We can answer that at the meeting. Still, I think you should do this. It'll be a great opportunity for you to finally get some real recognition where it matters. It would probably all but guarantee you getting your Class Four ISDL too, right?" Tatenashi added.
"Plus, if you need help, you've got me." Gladys piped up, her hologram shimmering into view. Kanzashi gave her a small smile before nodding.
"Alright... Although it would take up a lot of time on my part." She replied.
"I'm sure I can pull some strings. Maybe get you exempt from some less necessary classes." Tatenashi said.
"Well, a PE exemption wouldn't hurt... But I was more concerned with my squadron. With me working on this, I'm not sure if I will be able to keep training with them as often as I normally do. I was wondering if perhaps you two might be able to pick up the slack for me." Kanzashi replied.
"I don't think it would be a problem. We can definitely handle it, right?" Ichika turned to Tatenashi, who nodded.
"Yeah, we can definitely fold them into our own practice sessions." She added.
"Alright... In that case, I'll bring it up at the meeting. Come to think of it, shouldn't it have started by now? It's getting late." Kanzashi pointed out the window, where the sun was setting.
"Maybe the meeting's been rescheduled?" Tatenashi mused.
"I don't know. Maybe-" Simultaneous pings across three phones cut Ichika off.
"Talk about coincidence. Let's go." He said, already heading for the door. The two girls followed, and they navigated the deserted hallway to reach the nearest maintenance tunnel access point.
Soon they were climbing down the ladder into the bath, where Giorgi and Maya were already waiting, the former standing while the latter was sitting down at a small table with a laptop. The three of them were the first to arrive, with Charlotte and Laura close behind. Cecilia was next, followed by Rin and Houki.
The bath itself had been drained of water, with part of the dry pool being occupied by a large holo-projector. Currently it was displaying a map of East Asia, with multiple dots slowly moving through the nearby seas and ocean. Eight chairs had been arranged in front of it and everyone was soon seated, allowing Giorgi to begin.
"Good to see that you all made it. Before I begin, is there anything urgent that needs to be brought to my attention?" Kanzashi raised her hand in response.
"Ah, I take it you received the message from ATLA?" Giorgi asked, and when Kanzashi nodded, he continued.
"Good. We'll discuss that in detail once the main items are out of the way. Is there anything else?" Nobody else raised their hand, although a few curious glances were directed at Kanzashi.
"Very well. I now formally call to order the first chaperoned meeting of STS-01." Giorgi clapped his hands. Behind him, Maya began typing on her laptop, evidently being saddled with the role of notetaker.
"First and foremost, I will explain the purpose of this meeting. Some of you, I am sure, see this as a punishment. That is not the case. My primary goal in chaperoning your meetings from here on out is to act as a teacher, a role that I have been remiss in performing over the past few months." Giorgi paused for a moment before continuing.
"Over the course of these weekly meetings, I will be primarily focused on ensuring you are prepared to act as Organization agents upon graduation from IS Academy. As some of you may have already inferred from the display behind me, that means briefing you on the regional and global situation, as well as how our own operations fit into and affect the big picture. In addition, I will be handing down orders from both myself and my superiors, should such orders exist. Finally, any business that you may have brought to my attention earlier in the week will be addressed and we may potentially determine a course of action as a group. Are there any questions?" Giorgi asked. After a few moments of silence, he continued.
"Seeing none, I now ask you all to take a look at the map behind you and tell me what you see." He said. Laura was the first to raise her hand.
"Yes Laura?"
"It looks like a map of the ongoing exercises across the Pacific rim. Is this live?" Laura asked.
"No, it is approximately a day old. Still, you are correct." Giorgi nodded. Cecilia was next.
"It looks like much of the activity is centered around Okinawa. There are so many ships and aircraft flying around it, more so than in any other region where the exercise is ongoing." She said.
"Yes, Okinawa was selected as the ideal choice for amphibious landings, so most of the forces involved in that portion of the exercise have been moved there in preparation. Furthermore, the presence of the Spratly Bastion in the South China Sea complicates fleet movements there, meaning that the majority of the naval combat exercises will be taking place in the East China Sea as well." Giorgi replied.
"What is the Spratly Bastion?" Houki asked.
"It's a region within the Spratly archipelago, which is currently almost entirely under Chinese control. The many airfields and small naval bases in the area allow China to keep a large fleet of submarines there. This includes several ballistic missile subs." Giorgi explained.
"So those are the yellow dots down there?" Houki asked.
"Yes. Those are military bases. The locations of submarines in the area are unknown."
Charlotte spoke next.
"It looks like the Chinese are keeping their distance from the ongoing exercise. I would have thought that they would be trying to monitor things closely." She said.
"The US has stated that they are enforcing large exclusion zones around their fleets and that they are willing to fire on anyone that violates them, much to Beijing's displeasure. As it is, Chinese surveillance planes and their escorting fighters are circling around just outside these zones." Giorgi replied, gesturing to several yellow dots as he spoke.
"What about those black dots mixed in with the American fleets?" Rin asked.
"Those would be our own observers." Giorgi replied.
"Wait, what? You're telling me that we have ships in among the exercising fleets?" Tatenashi asked.
"Yes. Just over three weeks ago, we came to an agreement with officials in the CIA. They allowed us to embed several of our oceanic patrol vessels into US naval groups in the region, officially as intelligence gathering craft under CIA control. In exchange, we are to monitor and report any Chinese and Russian submarine movements into the Sea of Okhotsk and shadow any subs that pass through the Kuril island chain, as well as allow CIA observers onboard our embedded vessels." Giorgi explained. Ichika blinked at the sudden revelation, but Rin spoke before he could.
"Wait, so you're telling me that we're giving away the positions of Chinese submarines to the US? I thought we were supposed to be fighting Phantom Task!" She exclaimed, and Giorgi sighed and nodded.
"Yes, our main goal is still to continue the fight against Phantom Task. The problem is that we can't do it alone. Even with our electrolocation equipment, we simply can't cover enough ocean on our own, and Phantom Task is wising up to our movements. We've lost three of our oceanic patrol vessels in the last two months to Phantom Task Golems launched from submarines outside their detection range. We suspect that they either have their own satellites to track our ships, or are receiving information from those belonging to various nations. They don't seem to be able to identify which ships are ours, but they can definitely spot lone fishing and merchant ships of the approximate size and strike at them. Privately owned ships disappearing like that isn't helping the international situation either. Just two days ago, they sunk a Vietnamese trawler, and the Vietnamese government is blaming a Chinese submarine." Giorgi replied.
"So our response is to align ourselves with the United States? I was under the impression that we were a neutral party attempting to maintain global security." Laura frowned.
"Believe me, I have already protested quite extensively against this course of action and was overruled. I have no desire to see our organization turn into a CIA cat's paw, and pretty much everyone else agrees with me. However, the fact remains that we are losing ships and, more importantly, losing crews in a time when we are already short on manpower. Already a third of our ships, along with both of our new submarines, are laid up in dock with no crew to man them. The fact of the matter is that even Phantom Task would not be so suicidal as to attack an American carrier battle group, meaning that our ships can continue limited patrols in relative safety." Giorgi replied.
The room was silent for a few moments before Rin spoke up.
"You do realize that this means I am committing treason just by sitting here, right?" She asked.
"I do." Giorgi replied. After a short pause, Rin gave her response.
"Then you also know that I will not betray my country. I... I want to believe that this organization has the best interests of the world at heart, and that includes China. That is why I have stayed with it for this long, and why I want to continue doing so. I believe that as a part of it, I can do far more good for my country than as a simple representative candidate. However, I cannot allow my countrymen to die for the convenience of the Organization. I will not permit it, and if the time comes that I-I have to make a choice I..." Rin choked and Cecilia reached over to place a hand on her shoulder. After a moment to compose herself, the Chinese girl looked Giorgi in the eye.
"Please, don't make me choose." She half-whispered.
"I cannot promise anything, but I can say that I will do everything I can." Giorgi replied. Rin simply nodded, and the room was quiet save for the soft whir of the holo-projector's cooling fans.
"So, what was your purpose in asking us this?" Cecilia finally asked.
"I was hoping to start the process of familiarizing you with the situation in the region. You will, after all, be operating as a group here for at least two more years, and while you will not be expected to take part in combat operations, I think it is still important for you all to know what the Organization is doing and how it relates to the situation as a whole." Giorgi replied.
"I see."
"As you can see, the situation is quite volatile. The United States has been engaged in a fair bit of saber rattling in response to Chinese expansion into the Spratly islands. A lot of the other nations with claims there are not very happy at all. Taiwan is preparing for a potential invasion what with China suddenly building a lot of amphibious assault ships, and China, while it says it just wants to defend its interests in the region, continues to poke and prod at its neighbors. As strange as it sounds to say it, the Korean Peninsula might just be the least tense area in the region. While I don't think the situation will escalate into all-out war, tensions will most likely rise before things get better. Our alliance of convenience with the US aside, we will attempt to remain neutral and carry out our patrols as always."
"But what if war breaks out?" Tatenashi asked.
"Even if war breaks out, the Organization will remain neutral. It is not our job to get pulled into international conflicts, and unless our existence is threatened directly we will not intervene. In that unlikely event, you will all either remain at IS Academy or, if it becomes unsafe, evacuate to Urup." Giorgi replied.
"What about everyone else here?" Ichika asked.
"That is dependent on the situation. At the moment there is no set contingency plan for them. However, I will reiterate that war is not likely. There is simply not enough for any side to gain from open warfare at this time, especially when compared to what can be gained through trade and diplomacy. For now we observe and keep up our patrols as best we can." Giorgi answered.
When no more questions came, the Russian man nodded and the projector changed.
"There are currently no direct orders from high command for you. As for orders from me personally, from here on out you will be adhering to a training regimen dictated by me. After every meeting I will be sending out an assignment list, including physical exercise, reading and writing, and IS combat scenarios to complete before the next meeting. You are encouraged to involve your squadrons in the IS combat scenarios as you see fit. That aside, I have no further orders for you at this time. Are there any questions?" Giorgi explained. When no hands were raised, he nodded and continued on to the next topic.
"Good. Now that that is out of the way, Kanzashi!" He called out.
"Yes?" The blue-haired girl stood.
"Regarding the message you received earlier today, can you summarize its contents for me?" Giorgi asked.
"Yes... Essentially, I have been asked to develop one or more designs for the retrofit of the Uchigane MPIS suit. The document was very sparse with regards to specific details, but I have until next Monday to make my decision. Considering how Ichika was named as someone I could speak to about this, and judging by your reaction, they have also reached out to the Organization via WSI." Kanzashi explained.
"You would be correct in that regard. To put it bluntly, while Japan maintains one of the world's largest IS fleets on paper, in practice the Uchigane is practically useless in actual combat and a replacement is still likely years away. Apparently, they have finally decided to reach out to us for assistance as per our technology exchange agreement. You are permitted to accept this request. However, if you believe yourself incapable of fulfilling it, the Organization will take a more direct role in its collaboration." Giorgi explained.
"No need, I will do it. Did they send us any hard details as to what they want?" Kanzashi asked.
"No, I am afraid they most likely want to issue them to you in person." Giorgi replied.
"Alright. In that case, I will contact them and make the necessary arrangements."
"Good. Now, if there is nothing else on that front, I would like to mention an interesting proposal that Ichika brought to my attention yesterday. It concerns the potential founding of a student society to serve as a venue for recruitment." Giorgi said, changing the subject. Ichika noticed Cecilia shoot him a glance at the mention of her idea.
Maya spoke up next.
"I brought the proposal up to the principal, and he reluctantly stated that IS Academy would be willing to allow for the foundation of a student society on campus provided that its members and their potential sponsors are able to purchase one of several buildings on campus that are currently not in use. Any renovations required would have to be paid for out of pocket as well. However, assuming that the building is bought and renovated successfully, IS Academy is willing to recognize the student society. It does, however, reserve the right to order the society's disbanding should they deem it detrimental to the academy as a whole." She began.
"As for my superiors, they have agreed that it would be a good way to draw in potential recruits. They have also agreed that now would probably be the best time to invest in such an arrangement due to IS Academy's current financial situation." Maya continued.
"So who is going to pay for it?" Cecilia asked.
"Officially, you will. The Organization is willing to reimburse you to a certain extent as well, with the exact sum being decided later." Maya replied.
"I see... Is more detailed information available?" Cecilia asked.
"That is where things get dicey. We can pick one of three buildings. The catch though, is that they are all arenas, and smaller ones at that. I can send you the immediate purchase prices for each one. However, we have very little idea as to how much a renovation to actually make them livable would cost. The issue is that, since they're arenas, there is plenty of space but it's all open air, without even a roof overhead. The only proper rooms that currently exist there are the entrance hallways and the changing rooms. Plumbing and electrical infrastructure is minimal, and heating is nonexistent. Turning an arena into a proper house may end up costing more than buying the building itself." Maya replied.
"Hmm... It would definitely take a year or longer to complete as well." Cecilia thought to herself before nodding.
"Still, I assume we are going through with it?" She asked.
"Our superiors left the final decision up to us. With that said, is there anyone who thinks this would be a bad idea?" Maya asked. The eight assembled students exchanged glances, but nobody spoke up.
"Them I guess we will be going through with it. Or at least, we'll be considering it seriously enough to try and figure out how much it would cost to actually renovate one of those arenas." Maya concluded.
"Out of curiosity, why is IS Academy even willing to sell us an arena in the first place? Aren't they, you know, necessary for IS Academy to function? Moreover, can IS Academy even sell it to us?" Charlotte asked.
"To your second point, IS Academy is able to unilaterally sell off its assets and equipment within certain limitations, and selling off a building for renovation and repurposing it in a manner that may benefit the school seems to fall within those limitations. As for why they're willing to sell, well... The three arenas they're letting us choose from are simply not useful in their current form. IS Academy was originally built with eight arenas, with a plan to expand the island to add four more within five years. Of the original eight, Arena One was meant as the arena where public tournaments were to be held, and was built with large observation stands capable of seating the entire school population plus outside observers. Arenas two through five were similarly sized, but didn't have an observation gallery and were instead meant primarily for academic use. Finally, arenas six through eight were meant to be smaller and intended for personal training. The problem was that most students just went for the larger arenas for practice since they were available most of the time and there were a lot fewer IS suits on campus than there are now. With that in mind, the planned addition of four more small arenas was cancelled, and arenas two and three had observation galleries added around them. However, while students aren't using them, IS Academy still has to perform regular maintenance on the smaller arenas, including regular safety checks to make sure the barriers are functioning properly, and those aren't exactly cheap. Considering how nowadays nobody is using them because they're too small for squadron practice and anyone can just reserve a square of airspace, the best IS Academy can do at this point is sell it off and make it someone else's problem whilst alleviating some of their financial problems." Maya explained.
"I see. So, what is the plan for this going forward?" Charlotte asked, looking thoughtful.
"First, we inspect the sites and determine reconstruction costs. If everything works out, we then pick a site and start the reconstruction process. I don't think it would be wise to announce anything immediately, but we might have you sound out some promising individuals. The official announcement would then most likely be made when reconstruction is complete, but even under ideal conditions it would probably be a year from now at the earliest. At the moment though, there isn't much to do aside from initial inspections which only require you, Cecilia, to do anything." Maya replied.
"I take it I'll be the one officially doing the inspecting and price checking?" Cecilia asked.
"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"
"No. As a matter of fact, I've been looking forward to it ever since you brought it up!" Cecilia smiled.
"Excellent. I take it you want to start as soon as possible?" Cecilia nodded in response.
"Very well. Meet me Wednesday after classes have ended. We'll do it then."
With that out of the way, the meeting began to wind down, and soon enough it was adjourned.
The rest of the week was uneventful. After completing her inspection, Cecilia came to the unsurprising conclusion that the three arenas being offered were practically identical, and they eventually settled on Arena Eight due to it being situated somewhat close to the lecture hall and engineering facilities. Meanwhile, Ichika and Tatenashi met up with Kanzashi's squadron to formalize a schedule for cross-training sessions.
Eventually Friday came around, and with it came the photoshoot with Houki. Their morning classes out of the way, they met at the monorail station, with Houki arriving first.
She had changed into a grey wool sweater, warm enough to keep the chill of autumn at bay, along with a black skirt and matching stockings. While relatively simple, Houki wore them well.
"You're looking nice today, Houki." Ichika greeted her as he approached.
"Thank you. I'm trying to make a good first impression." She replied, smiling as she quickly looked him over. He had also changed out of his academy uniform and put on a navy blue sweater and jeans. Whether or not it passed muster with Houki though, was unclear as the girl just nodded to herself before turning to the monorail.
"Well, it's worked on me." Ichika replied, following her. Houki allowed herself a small laugh at that complement as they entered the otherwise deserted train.
Navigating Tokyo using Houki's phone, they were able to reach their destination with relatively little fuss. There they were greeted by a young woman who, judging by her appearance, was almost certainly Kaoruko's sister. This was confirmed a few moments later, when she introduced herself as Mayuzumi Nagisako.
"It's nice to see you two! My sister told me a fair bit about you, and it looks like you two will definitely look good in what we've picked out for you!" She continued.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Nagisako-san." Ichina replied, his greeting being echoed by Houki.
"The pleasure is all mine. It's not every day that you get to meet both the brother of the first Brunhilde and the sister of Doctor Tabane herself!" Nagisako replied. Ichika saw a frown quickly pass across Houki's features, although Nagisako had already turned away and, after a quick word with a security guard, began to lead them further into the building.
Soon they arrived in a large room, simply furnished and filled with camera equipment. One wall was covered with a digital display, currently showing an autumn forest scene. On the opposite end of the room was a black couch, almost completely encircled by camera equipment.
"The changing rooms are over there. The one on the right is yours Orimura-kun, and the one on the left is yours, Shinonono-san. Inside are three outfits with numbered tags on them. You'll be putting them on in the indicated order. Once you have changed, please come out and we will begin the photoshoot." Nagisako ordered, and the two of them complied.
The first outfit turned out to be a fairly casual combination of black pants and grey long sleeved shirt and pants, made of high quality, comfortable fabric. They also fit perfectly, and Ichika wondered for a moment where and when they had gotten his measurements. Then, outfit in place, he stepped out of the changing room.
Nagisako came over as he exited, and spent a few moments pacing around him, straightening out wrinkles, picking away nigh-invisible specks of dust, and eventually pronouncing her satisfaction.
That was around when Houki emerged, wearing a short-skirted black dress with red trim under an open pink jacket, along with white knee-high socks. Now it was her turn to be fussed over, her own outfit being straightened out while around them the camera crew prepared the set.
"Alright! Now, stand in front of the screen. Not so close together! We'll be doing some individual shots first." Nagisako ordered, spreading them apart and allowing the camera crew to go to work.
"Orimura! Not so stiff! You're relaxing in a picturesque forest, not standing at attention!" Nagisako ordered, glancing back at him from where she was micromanaging Houki's pose.
Pose after pose, photo after photo, time dragged on until eventually Ichika and Houki were pushed together and now made to pose together. What played out was a slideshow of a mock romantic meeting, with the two of them acting out a surprise encounter, a delightful conversation, and a relaxing dance in front of a digital recreation of a lakeside terrace.
They barely had a moment to speak upon the shoot's conclusion before being ushered back into their changing rooms and made to don the next set of clothes. This time, Ichika put on a black blazer and pants over a white button-down shirt. Once more, Nagisako preened away at him.
Then Houki emerged, wearing a sleeveless white button-down shirt, a short blue skirt, black stockings and what looked like a pair of square-rimmed reading glasses that, to him, looked completely out of place on her face. Nagisako seemed to like the look though, and after some quick adjustments it was back to individual photographs, this time in front of a digital image of a generic outdoor cafe.
"Shinonono, please, I know you're not used to the glasses, but you need to at least try to keep them in place!" Nagisako admonished as said glasses fell to the ground yet again.
When the individual shoots were done, several cameramen moved a table and chairs into place, and they were made to sit. For what felt like a small eternity they were made to pantomime a conversation, gesturing and giggling for effect until eventually the second part of the shoot came to an end.
Taking solace in the fact that it was almost over, the two of them returned to the changing rooms, where Ichika found a grey tuxedo and white undershirt waiting for him, along with a bright red flower that Ichika recognized as a camellia after some scrutiny. Attached to it was a note instructing him to present it to Houki at the start of the final shoot.
With that in mind he finished changing and exited the room, flower behind his back. Once again Nagisako adjusted his suit before the other changing room opened and out walked Houki. At that moment, Ichika realized exactly what it felt to have one's heart skip a beat.
His childhood friend was wearing a simple white dress, held up by two thin straps tied around her neck. These went down to a neckline that, while wide, was far from indecent. The skirt was angled, its lowest point being just below her right knee while its highest was at mid-thigh. A light grey ribbon wound around the dress in places, pulling it tight around her midsection and converging into a neat bow.
The stunned moment soon passed, and Ichika smiled as he walked over, pulling the flower out from behind his back and presenting it to her in a moderately exaggerated manner.
"That's perfect! Oh, great reaction too! Tell me you got that!" Nagisako exclaimed as Houki blushed and took the flower. She looked like she was about to say something, but Nagisako interjected once again, bringing a temporary halt to the shoot while she took hold of the flower. She then spent a few moments looking for where to attach it, seemingly deliberating over the wrist, or one of the dress straps, before eventually slotting it into place just above the bow on Houki's hip.
"Perfect. Now, come over to the couch. No, don't sit down yet! Keep standing, nice and close... Not so close yet!" More photos.
"Alright Orimura, now put your arms around her waist." Ichika complied. Not even a moment later, Nagisako spoke again.
"Not so awkward! Houki, arms around his shoulders, now!" Houki complied in turn.
"Come on Ichika! Don't act so nervous, pull her close!" He did so.
"Not so awkward! Hold her like you would a lover!" Nagisako demanded, causing Houki to flush red even as she pressed herself closer to him, looking up into his eyes. Ichika reciprocated, trying not to let the camera flashes ruin the moment.
"You look beautiful, Houki." He whispered as the camera flashes began to die down.
"T-Thank you." She murmured in response, just as a camera flashed.
"Perfect! Someone tell me you got that!" Nagisako exclaimed. They looked over just in time to see a cameraman give her a thumbs-up.
"Alright, that's enough standing for now. Sit down on the couch, close together, arms around your shoulders, quickly now!" Nagisako ordered.
Thankful for the reprieve on their now aching legs, the two of them sat down and leaned against each other.
From there, it felt like a small eternity before the photoshoot finally came to an end and they were allowed to pack up their clothes, old and new, in specially provided bags. Nagisako escorted them to the door.
"You two did very well today, and I would love to have you back here again. Please, feel free to contact me and I will be sure to arrange something." She said as they reached the building's exit, still wearing their tuxedo and dress.
"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind." Ichika replied with a smile, mentally swearing to never again do something like this if he could at all help it.
"I will as well. It was nice working with you." Houki added, a polite smile on her face.
With that they exited the building and walked away for a few minutes, smiles on their faces before, out of view of the building and anyone inside it they paused and Houki came to lean against him.
"Remind me to never, ever go in there again." Houki sighed, sounding completely exhausted.
"That makes two of us." Ichika replied with a smile.
"I'm definitely not going to look at those sorts of magazines in the same way ever again." Houki replied.
"Yeah... I did not know that they did all those fancy backgrounds digitally now. I guess it's cheaper than actually going out to do the photoshoots in the wild." Ichika said.
"The clothes were nice though. You look pretty good in that suit."
"And you look wonderful in that dress." Ichika replied, causing his friend to smile.
"Thanks..." As she spoke, her stomach growled.
"Hungry?" Ichika asked.
"Yeah, I skipped lunch and now it's pretty late." Houki replied. Indeed the sky was already dark and the city was lit mostly by its own light.
"Well then, it just so happens that we have vouchers to a three star restaurant. What a fortunate coincidence." Ichika said, smiling as he held up a plain envelope.
"Perfect! Shall we?" Houki asked.
"Lead on, my lady!" That elicited a giggle from her, before she wrapped her arm around his own and, after she spent a moment inputting the address into her phone, they set off in search of food.
The restaurant in question was about what Ichika expected, with a sleek, modern exterior and an opulent interior. The woman who greeted them at the entrance took a moment to inspect the tickets Ichika handed her before nodding and leading them over to a small booth against the far side of the restaurant wall.
"A waiter will be right with you. You may order anything you wish from the menu at no cost, your meal is already paid for." She explained as she handed them their menus.
"Thank you." The two of them replied as they began to scan through their choices.
Ichika eventually settled on a steak with a side of roasted vegetables and potatoes, along with some small cheese bread balls as an appetizer for the two of them. He said as much when Houki asked him what he was planning to order.
"What about you?" He asked in response.
"Well, I think the salmon looks nice. A side of rice as well... Oh, and the steamed asparagus. That looks nice." She replied.
"Sounds delicious." Ichika said.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until the waiter arrived and they placed their orders.
"You know what I just realized?" Houki asked a few moments after the waiter had left.
"What is it?" Ichika asked.
"This is our first date." She replied, smiling.
"Yeah... I guess it is." He replied, smiling back and trying his best to suppress the sudden urge to abort everything as what had been a harmless dinner a moment before now turned into him once again leading Houki on. He knew it was wrong, and even as he thought about it he felt an increasingly familiar pang of loathing at knowing how long he'd allowed this state of affairs to go on. His thoughts then strayed to the other girls, which served to only reinforce that feeling. Demoted or not, he would still be commanding all of them, and he was all too aware of the feelings they held for him. Would it not be better for everyone involved if he maintained a comfortable, friendly relationship with all of them, without the complications of romance?
Then he looked once again at Houki's smiling face, and he knew that if he were to make any moves towards that goal, it would break her heart and probably destroy his friendship with her. For a moment he considered it, then discarded it out of hand. He could not do that to her, and he definitely could not watch the breakdown that he knew would almost certainly occur. Not without hating himself in turn. But was it any better to keep leading her on like this, when he knew full well that he did not want to proceed any further?
"Ichika, are you alright?" Houki asked, her smile becoming concerned.
"Yeah... Just thinking." He replied.
"Oh... About what?" She asked.
"Just... Things. The future, mostly." He said.
"I see... I... What is that future like?" Houki asked, and Ichika gave a small laugh.
"Nothing like that. Just... I was thinking about what would happen after I graduate. The Org- WSI, you know that I've already got a position with them waiting for me. I... I'll probably spend most of my life working for them." He replied. Houki raised an eyebrow.
"You're thinking about that? Right now?" She asked. Unsure if she'd gotten his hint, Ichika just laughed.
"You know what? You're right. I shouldn't be thinking about such things right now." He replied, and Houki grinned in response. Their appetizer arrived a moment later.
"Hmm... These are quite good!" Houki exclaimed as she nibbled on one of the small pastries.
"I wonder, can we get something like this at IS Academy?" Ichika mused as he too tried one.
"Charlotte might know how to make them." Houki replied.
"We'll have to ask."
A few more minutes passed in quiet conversation before the main course arrived. With it, however, came a problem in the form of a bottle of rich red wine that the waiter left on the table.
"Ah, I-" The waiter was already gone, and Ichika's abortive protest fell on deaf ears. Houki giggled as he turned back to stare at the bottle.
"I guess it's ours then." Houki said after a few moments.
"There must be some mistake. I can..." Ichika trailed off as Houki proceeded to pour herself a glass.
"Want some?" She asked, eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Ah... Maybe just a little." Ichika replied, mindful of the fact that they were very clearly underage and in a public space. Houki's response was to pour him a glass before taking a sip of her own.
"I... Ugh, I don't think people drink this for the taste. Maybe it's something you pick up with experience..." She commented, taking another sip.
"I can't say I have much experience with wine myself." Ichika replied as he too took a sip. Indeed, he could count on one hand the amount of times he'd drank any alcohol before in his life. Houki was probably similar. Nevertheless, he still downed a bit before starting on his meal.
The steak was excellent, and Houki seemed to enjoy her own meal when she too started on it. However, Ichika noticed that her wine glass never seemed to be emptying as she ate, and he soon spotted her refilling it.
"Houki, you might want to-"
"I'm fine! I think I can handle a little wine." Houki replied, spearing a pair of asparagus stalks with some difficulty before washing them down with another gulp of wine.
"Are you sure? You seem a little-"
"I'm fine!" She replied, not sounding at all fine as she refilled her glass once again. Once she set the bottle down, Ichika picked it up and quickly saw that around two thirds of it was already gone. He quickly topped off his own glass, if only to try and keep some of the drink out of his friend before returning to his meal, eating faster than he normally would.
They had both finished by the time the waiter returned. The man's eyes widened in horror as he spotted Houki swaying from side to side in her seat, a goofy smile on her face, as well as the wine bottle, now bone dry, in front of her.
"Are we free to leave, or do we still need a check?" Ichika asked, nodding to his friend who giggled in response.
"Please, wait for a moment. I will be back soon." The man replied, before walking rapidly into the kitchen. A few minutes later, another man walked out, clearly trying to suppress an apoplectic expression as he came over to them.
"I sincerely apologize for the mistake made by our waiter, and I would like to offer the two of you a set of complimentary meal vouchers as compensation. Is... Is that adequate?" He asked.
"Yes, thank you. Are we free to leave?" Ichika replied, caring less about compensation and more about ensuring his friend got back to IS Academy. The man gave an affirmative response, before handing him another plain envelope with more vouchers and apologizing once again.
With that done, he gently coaxed Houki out of her seat and, when she proved unable to walk straight, made her lean on him as he led her out of the restaurant, trying his best to ignore the stares of the other patrons.
They barely made it out of the restaurant before Houki reached around him and pulled his head down into a kiss.
"Mmm..." Her lips tasted strongly of wine, and her breath stank of alcohol. It was a small miracle that her dress remained pristine and unstained.
"Ichikaaa, you're s'possed ta kiss back!" She pouted as she pulled away.
"You're drunk." Ichika replied.
"Yep! And look what that got me!" Houki giggled, pulling him down into another forceful kiss as he tried desperately to drag her along towards the nearest train station whilst trying not to feel the judging looks of nearby observers.
Finally, after two more dogged steps, he turned Houki's next attempt to kiss him against her, forcing her off balance and sweeping her into a bridal carry. Then, with her securely in his arms and thoroughly enjoying the whole experience, he rushed on to the station.
Fortunately Houki would fall asleep on the train, and after he prodded at her to make sure she hadn't passed out, he breathed a sigh of relief. It meant that he would have to carry her the rest of the way to IS Academy, but the ride was far easier and less embarrassing than it would have been had she remained awake and inebriated.
Eventually he was able to haul her out of the monorail and onto the IS Academy campus. Then, hooking her legs through the straps of their clothes bags, he picked her up again and began the long walk to the dorms.
Finally he arrived at Houki's room, at which point he realized that he didn't have the key card. Setting Houki down against the wall, he began searching through her bag, but came up emptyhanded. He then knocked, to no response, and a quick glance at his watch told him that Houki's roommate was most likely asleep. Thus he hooked the bag back around Houki's leg and lifted her back up, intent on heading up to his own room.
Two flights of stairs later he arrived, out of breath and opened the door. His blue-haired roommate was still awake when he opened the door, sipping tea whilst wearing a bathrobe and not much else.
"Ichika? What happened?" She exclaimed, standing up and tying the robe closed.
"She got drunk at a restaurant after we finished the photoshoot, and she must have forgotten her keycard in her room." He replied.
"Drunk? Houki? How..." Tatenashi wondered.
"I'm not sure. I think she might have done it intentionally. Still, she needs a place to sleep and her room is locked." Ichika sighed.
"Set her down on my bed then." Tatenashi replied, and Ichika obliged.
"So why are you still up?" He asked once Houki was tucked in and sleeping soundly.
"Mostly just waiting for you to be honest. How was the photoshoot?" She asked.
"Miserable. Not doing that again." He replied, sitting down on the bed and letting out a sigh of relief.
"I'll keep that in mind... What about the date afterwards?" Tatenashi asked.
"I... I'm not sure if I can do this anymore." Ichika replied after a few moments.
"What do you mean?"
"This... Everything, really. I hate how I'm leading her on like this, giving her... I just don't know, I don't think I can give her what she wants. Not now..." He sighed, lying back on his own bed.
"I see..."
"Do you? I'm pretty sure that Houki just got herself drunk deliberately to try and... I don't know, to be honest."
"Oh." Tatenashi was silent for a long while at that.
"You can't tell her yourself though, can you?" She finally asked.
"If I do, it would devastate her. I can't do that." Ichika replied.
"I... I can talk to her tomorrow. If you really think it's necessary." Tatenashi finally responded. Ichika glanced over at Houki at that. The girl was still sleeping peacefully.
"I..." Ichika paused.
"I... Alright... But please, don't hurt her." Ichika replied, standing up.
"I'll do my best." Tatenashi replied as Ichika headed into the shower. The lights were out by the time he came back out, and he quickly got into his own bed.
"Leave early tomorrow." Tatenashi whispered from across the room. He didn't reply, but nodded to himself in the dark before settling down and falling asleep.
Sarashiki Tatenashi was awoken by the sound of Ichika standing up out of bed and gathering up some clothes, meaning that he was most likely on his way to the bath.
Once the door closed behind him, she rolled over to find Houki still sleeping as the sun began to rise outside the window. She looked the girl over, considering her words. Finally, mind made up, she gently prodded Houki awake. The other girl groaned after a few moments, before her eyes slowly fluttered open just inches away from Tatenashi's own.
"Good morning, beautiful. That was a great night, wasn't it?" She greeted, and allowed Houki to stare in bleary-eyed horror for a moment before giggling.
"Just kidding! Still, what exactly happened last night? All I know is that Ichika came in late with you in his arms and said that you were passed out drunk and needed a place to spend the night." She continued.
"Mh... Head hurts..." Houki finally growled, no mirth at all in her voice. Ah, was she hungover? Tatenashi nodded in understanding and got out of bed. She spent the next few minutes setting water to boil for tea, handing Houki a glass of cold water as she did so. When it was finished, she set two cups on the room's small table and motioned for Houki to sit. The other girl plopped none-too-gracefully into the offered chair.
"That's a nice dress. It looks good on you." Tatenashi said after taking a small sip.
"Thank you..." Houki whispered, before looking down at the ribbon on her hip. She seemed disappointed at what she saw, but said nothing.
"So, how was the photoshoot?" Tatenashi asked after a few moments. Best to start off safely.
"It... I don't think it's something I'd do again." Houki replied, and Tatenashi gave a small laugh.
"You know, Ichika said the same thing last night." She replied.
"Ichika?" At the mention of his name, Houki looked around the room.
"He left early this morning." Tatenashi explained.
"Oh..." Houki looked disappointed at that. Now, Tatenashi mused, should she continue beating around the bush or cut to the chase?
"Don't look so disappointed. I told him to leave early last night. I don't think he needs to hear this." The direct approach it was.
"W-What do you mean?" Houki asked, her teacup coming down hard on the table and spilling several drops.
"You two went out on a date last night, did you not?" Tatenashi pressed on.
"W-We went out to get dinner after the photoshoot!" Houki exclaimed.
"I take it that is where you got drunk?" Tatenashi continued.
"I-I..."
"I'll take that as a yes." Tatenashi said, before pausing and looking over Houki's expression. The younger girl was clearly upset, panicking at the suddenly uncomfortable situation. Tatenashi even caught a glimpse of betrayal in her eyes. With that in mind, she sighed and leaned back.
"What happened?" She finally asked.
"I don't see why-" Tatenashi cut off Houki's protest with a raised hand.
"As student council president, I have to know if this will be a repeat occasion. Now, I'll ask again. What happened?"
"I... No, it... The waiter gave us a bottle by accident. That is all." Houki replied. Tatenashi let the resulting silence stretch for a few long moments before asking her next question.
"Did you do it deliberately? Getting yourself drunk, I mean."
"I..."
"That's what Ichika told me last night. He thought you did it deliberately, probably to try and make a move on him. Is this true?" Tatenashi watched as Houki's face fell. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft.
"Yes."
"Why?" Tatenashi asked, keeping her voice gentle.
"I... I thought that maybe if... If I could just..." Houki trailed off, tears starting to slide down her face. Seeing them, Tatenashi stood up and walked over, wrapping an arm around the younger girl's shoulder.
"It's alright." She replied, holding Houki close for a few moments before standing up and refilling her teacup.
"Drink. It'll help." She helped guide the cup to Houki's lips and watched as Houki took a hesitant gulp before setting the cup back down on the table.
The room was quiet save for some quiet sniffles before Houki spoke again, her voice soft.
"I... I must have embarrassed him so much." Tatenashi said nothing, instead beginning to slowly stroke Houki's back, just like she had once done with her sister.
"He... He must hate me now, after all of that." There was the opportunity she was waiting for.
"If Ichika really hates you after just one embarrassing moment, then he doesn't deserve you. Fortunately, I know that to not be the case." Tatenashi replied. Now it was Houki's turn to remain silent.
"However..." She felt Houki tense beneath her fingers at that word.
"I... I think it might be for the best if... If you put your relationship on hold." There, now the cat was out of the bag.
"What do you mean? Is it because of... Does he..." Tatenashi placed her finger to her lips, cutting the panicked rant off whilst her other hand guided the tea up to her mouth again.
"No, it's got nothing to do with last night. It's..." Tatenashi made a show of hesitating before nodding to herself and continuing.
"Listen, I really shouldn't be telling you this. Ichika asked me to keep this between him and I, but I think you need to know. I... Ichika's not ready for this. He's afraid, Houki." She finished.
"What do you mean? What is he afraid of?" Houki asked.
"Hurting you." Tatenashi replied. Houki opened her mouth, but Tatenashi continued.
"The rest of us as well. He... He's afraid that if he gets any closer to you he'll hurt the rest of us, but if he tells you that, then he'll hurt you far more. He's told me that time and time again, whenever something happens between the two of you." Tatenashi explained.
"Then... That means I've-" Again, Tatenashi silenced her.
"No. Not you. You did nothing, understand?" The words did little to stop the tears gathering once again at the corners of Houki's eyes, and Tatenashi suddenly had the sinking feeling that she miscalculated and had only made things worse.
Still, she urged Houki to drink again, steadying her trembling hands with her own. Then, with the cup empty, she pulled her chair over and sat down beside her, pulling the younger girl into a hug and slowly stroked her hair as she began to cry in earnest.
"It's alright. You didn't do anything wrong." She whispered, which only seemed to make the situation worse, which in turn made it harder and harder to suppress the feeling that she had just done something very wrong herself.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Houki spoke again, her words coming out choked between soft sobs.
"Is... Am I selfish? For... For wanting Ichika like this?" She asked.
"No. You're not selfish at all. You're just..." Tatenashi paused.
"You're just like the rest of us." She finally finished. Houki was quiet for a long time before replying.
"What... What should I do?" She asked. Tatenashi took a moment to be sure of her response before giving it.
"Be a friend. What Ichika needs... No, what we all need right now, is someone that we can confide in. I... Things won't always be like this, and when the future comes, we'll only have each other to hold on to. Just... Be a shoulder to lean on. Someone who'll help keep the rest of us afloat when the time comes." She said.
Houki was quiet for a long time before she nodded weakly.
"Alright."
They stayed together for a while in silence, one girl slowly stemming the flow of tears while the other desperately prayed that that one word response meant that she hadn't in fact done more harm than good. Tatenashi's tea, long forgotten on the other side of the table, had grown cold by the time the two of them came apart.
"Thank you, Tatenashi. I'm sorry for..." Houki said quietly.
"Nothing to be sorry about, Houki. If there's anything you need, feel free to come to me." Tatenashi replied.
"I will." Houki replied, before heading into the bathroom to clean herself up and leaving Tatenashi alone.
A/N: Alright, that's another one done. A few days late, but done nevertheless.
This is the last transition chapter before the start of the next major arc. As such, there's not much in the way of plot advancement going on aside from the first few scenes, which have a bit of setup in the form of description of regional affairs and Kanzashi being asked to retrofit the Uchigane into something useful.
However, with me running out of plot advancement and politics to cover before the events of the upcoming arc, the majority of this chapter was thus devoted to me addressing the Houki problem, as I've come to call it. This problem emerged from high school Me having no real plan for romance and constantly vacillating between various ideas for pairings. Cecilia was the original one, as you might be able to tell from the very early chapters, but she was quickly abandoned in favor of Charlotte. However, at no point did I ever consider making Houki the pairing subject, and instead intended to use her confession purely for dramatic effect. This rather spur-of-the-moment decision has since proven quite the complication, which I've done my best to turn to my advantage. However, my plans for where to take romance in this story have continued to shift without any clear direction, ranging from Tatenashi at one point to my eventual decision to go for the pseudo-harem route, which in turn ended up seeming very generic and unsatisfying. At this point, I've made the decision to table the romance aspect entirely, to revisit at a much later date whilst in the meantime devoting more resources towards advancing the plot.
However, that in turn required me to finally deal with the Houki problem, and the opportunity arose in the form of the photoshoot scene in season 7. What was canonically just another inconclusive romance scene curtailed by the need to keep the harem going became, in my eyes, the perfect opportunity to finally disrupt the fragile status quo that was the Ichika-Houki relationship. Naturally, this in turn led to me having to write that rather emotionally charged scene from Tatenashi's POV near the end, and I'll freely admit that these sorts of conversations are not my strong suit. As such, I would particularly appreciate any feedback regarding this so that I could improve further scenes of a similar nature when they eventually come about.
Thank you, and I hope you all enjoy this and future chapters of Agent Orimura. The arc starting next chapter has been quite literally years in the making, and I'm looking forward to finally writing it.