Chapter 4
- Two days after Lyner's meeting with the representatives from the Three Great Academies -
Shun's new restaurant located in the southern end of Sanctum Tower Square - early afternoon.
"So what are you and Miss Elly gonna do now? I mean, coming from a parallel world or not, this place's 'owners' are back and here to stay, myself included," Lyner asked the pair from the foreign nation of Shevat, still trying to adjust this whole crazy situation himself. Incidentally, he ordered an extra larg super spicy curry combo set.
"Ah, about that. Well, after making our latest daily report, Shevat's High Command has decided to change our mission from a periodic routine survey to something more along the lines of a long term diplomatic embassy the main goal of acting as the main go-between and liaison between our nation, its allies, and Kivotos-LOST now that it's getting back on its feet," Fei explained before taking a sip of his green tea. "And, since we can't exactly run and maintain an embassy with just two people, the homeland decided to dispatch extra help by way of some relatives who also work in the government or military. Don't worry though, we were assured, and reassured, that they will only be sending mainly noncombat personnel, so no need to worry too much."
Lyner nodded in understanding. "Nah, I get it. After all, I'm sure this is more than a big deal for you guys considering the history you have with this place. Plus, we're gonna need more info about this world anyway so this works out for us to have a firsthand source on tap before we eventually start exploring outside the city ourselves."
Fei smiled. "Thanks. Anyway, that just leaves where to set up the embassy though... Well, we can worry about that later."
"By the way, how is work on the Eden Charter coming?" Elly asked.
Lyner took a sip of his own tea before answering the orangette. "Honestly? Good, but slower than I'd like. All in all, about what I expected really considering how much work it's going to take to get so many of these girls' Academies on board. I mean, it helps that we have the 'Big Three' along with (Big) Shun's Shanhaijing and Tsubaki's Hyakkiyako on our side, but that's still only like, five out of who knows how many..."
"Sound like you have your work cut out for you..," Elly said with a sympathetic look before it was replaced with a gentle yet confident smile. "But still, I think you'll be alright."
"...And what makes you say that? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the vote of confidence here and all, but me and the new FSC(Federal Student Council) girls have our hands full meeting with as many academies as we work on drafts for the Eden Charter. Sure, the girls from Gehenna, Trinity, and Millennium are helping but they've also got their hands full mapping out the city and helping to get everyone settled in too," Lyner explained, a hint of exhaustion on his face. "I'm just glad we still have time to get all this together. It'll probably be by the skin of our teeth though..."
"Oh, I don't think it'll be that bad," Fei cut in, patting Lyner on the shoulder in a show of support. "Elly and I have been quietly observing the girls talking about it and so far, they don't really seem to oppose it so much as they're just on the fence due to a lack of information and are taking a 'wait and see' approach or to hear more from their own student councils. At least, that's what a lot of the girls we've talked to said about the issue. Honestly, I'm impressed how smoothly the whole things is moving along, all things considered."
"Really? Sorry, we've just been so busy coming up with and going over ideas and drafts that I guess we just haven't noticed... Well, that and we haven't had too many chances to meet with too many other student councils yet... This whole being their Sensei thing is a lot more work than I thought it'd be. Not trying to complain about it or anything, just saying," Lyner admitted with a light chuckle, scratching the back of his head a bit.
"I bet!" replied the long haired martial artist with a hearty laugh. "Glad we aren't the ones having to juggle all that heavy baggage. Still, we can help make it a little easier for you so you don't have to run around as much, y'know?"
"Help out how?"
Elly giggled seeing the wide eyed look on the grey haired Sensei's face. "Well, if it's just us helping to spread the word to other Academy Student Councils or something along those lines, then I think we can handle at least that much without overstepping."
"Thanks. That'd help a lot."
"It's not every day that we get to see history in the making, y'know? Hell, you could even say it's a family tradition for me to be helping you guys out!" Fei said with a shrug and a hearty chuckle.
- Some time after lunch -
"Seriously. (Big) Shun is one hell of a great cook! Just as good as Elly even!" Fei cheerfully praised, patting his full stomach in satisfaction.
"You're right, but do you think we maybe might've overdone it a bit though?" Lyner asked, also patting his stomach.
"...I really need to get Miss Shun to teach me some of these dishes... You think she would?" Elly wondered aloud thoughtfully, slender finger to her chin. Incidentally, she was the only one who 'hadn't' overeaten.
"Ufufu~! I would be more than happy to, if you wouldn't mind returning the favor that is," answered Shun as she came by to check on her Sensei and the others, quite overjoyed that they so very thoroughly enjoyed their meal.
"Deal. When can we start?" Elly's response was immediate, eyes sparkling with the chance to improve. Agreement made, it didn't take any time at all for the two of them to begin bonding over their shared hobby..
"...They're, gonna take awhile aren't they?" Lyner asked, looking at the two girls as they happily chatted away.
"Hahaha! Yeah. I dunno when it started, but Elly's been way into cooking and learning from whoever is willing to teach her for a while now," Fei replied with a smile. "Done wonders for her making friends and I always get to try something new though, so it's a total win-win in my book!"
"You are seriously one lucky bastard."
"Hahahaha! Says the fucker with a harem the size of a whole city! Anyway, what are you doing after this? More work with the FSC?"
"Actually, I have a meeting with Abydos' Student Council here in a couple of hours."
"Cool, cool."
"What about you?"
"Well, Elly and I need to look for a good place for our embassy. Preferably somewhere near here. That and we have a meeting with the homeland over the new personnel they plan to send over and when." Fei then paused a bit before finally asking about the tablet like device his new friend always carried around with him. "By the way, and sorry if this is coming outta left field, but how did that activation test or whatever go with that 'Shittim Chest' thing of yours? Did you get it to work? Sorry, I guess I just can't help but be a little curious about it is all." Fei's question also caught the attention of the two chatting chefs.
"Oh? Does that mean that little Arona-chan is up and about then?" Shun wondered aloud.
"Wanna see?" Lyner then gently tapped the tablet.
"Ooh! I wonder what this Arona is like!" Fei didn't say anything but wondered the same thing as his long time, beautiful orange haired partner..
A moment later, a holographic display formed atop the tablet's surface that soon showcased the figure of a petite young girl with short sky blue hair with bangs covering her left eye topped off with a white headband/bow. She wore a darker blue and white sailor style uniform accented with ribbons here and there and finished off with a pair of matching white sneakers. Her most distinctive feature, however, were her pretty and bright heterochromatic right blue and left violet eyes that sparkled with life and energy that made it really, really hard to see her as just some advanced AI.
"Sensei? What can I do for you? And who are your guests?" Arona asked in a lively, cute, and slightly digitized sounding voice accompanied by literal question marks floating above her head as she looked at Lyner and the others.
"Oh my gosh! She's so cute! Like, way cuter than I imagined too!" Elly squealed in delight finally meeting the holographic girl in question.
"Good to see you again Arona-chan! And you're just as cute as I remember too!" Shun said with a look of fond nostalgia in her eyes as she greeted a slightly confused Arona.
"Hmm? I'm sorry, but have we met before?" Arona asked looking at Shun, cutely tilting her head. "I only just woke up after connecting to and syncing up with this world's Sanctum Tower and I had to completely reboot my whole system as a result, sorry..."
Shun smiled gently and shook her head in understanding. "It's fine, Arona-chan. It just means is that we can get to know each other again!"
"Oh, I'd like that very much, Shun-san!" happily replied the sweet bluenette with a sunny smile. She then turned to look up at Lyner. "By the way Sensei?"
"Hmm? What's up?"
"About the auxiliary terminals you asked to have begin production? The first batch should actually be ready soon, by tomorrow afternoon." Arona reported with accompanying progress report windows.
Lyner's eyes lit up. "That's great! They'll go a long way in streamlining communications with other Student Councils. Actually, speaking of which, I have to get going soon!"
Arona nodded, pulling up a map of the city seemingly out of nowhere. "According to the updated map data I received after the reboot, Abydos' School District is... kinda far so you might want to get going."
"Thanks for the heads up Arona!" Lyner said gratefully and with a smile.
"By the way, I head that a lot of the academies are running combat drills on top of everything else going on," Shun commented after remembering something Serika mentioned when she and the other Foreclosure Task Force members came in for dinner yesterday. "Everything else aside, this is a world with real, honest to goodness monsters and magic. That being the case, it's important that we keep our skills sharp. Besides, even before coming to this world, constant and daily armed conflict wasn't anything new for us."
"...Right. I keep forgetting about that. The whole 'you all being armed to the teeth' bit I mean..," Lyner said with a chuckle. "Still, it works out for us though, considering the circumstances," he added as he put the Shittim Chest away and got ready to go.
"By the way, did you want me to make you something to go then?"
"Really?" There was only one answer Lyner could give to Shun's offer. "YES! Spicy curry combo set! Please and thank you!" No surprise really since Lyner really, really loved spicy food after all.
Shun giggled, pleased that her beloved Sensei loved her cooking so much. "Coming right up!"
xxx xxx xxx
The unending sound of constant gunfire echoed all around her as Takanashi Hoshino, the petite pink haired shotgun wielding Student Council president of Abydos High, lazily walked forward unloading shell after shell on the poor girls too slow or stubborn to get out of her way with one poor soul eating buckshot to face for her trouble. As lazy or carefree as she usually was most of the time, Hoshino was a true beast on the battlefield with a reputation so fearsome that even Gehenna's Head Prefect, Sorasaki Hina, would readily acknowledge to any and all who would inquire.
"Come on, come on~! Can't you greenhorns try a little harder than that? This Auntie is gonna fall asleep if you don't step up your game...~"
Unfortunately, one of the new transfer students now turned target practice had the bright idea to ask her to be the proctor for their Practical Skills Assessment Exam.
"...Which one of us said that this would be a walk in the park again?" asked a tall redhead as she struggled to keep her hands steady as she worked on 'reloading' her sub-machine gun. "...Yeah, piece of cake my ass!"
"...If memory serves, that was Mirei-chan their..," replied a bespectacled bluenette by the name of Himejima Nanami who, like her dear friend Yukino Mirei and several others, transferred in from one of the smaller Academies that decided to join up under Abydos.
"...Ugh. Th-That's right...! Dammit! Me and my big mouth!" wailed the pinkette named Mirei as she cradled her near weeping face in her hands. "...And the other members of the Student Council tried to stop me too...!"
"...Which, for whatever reason, only made you want to challenge and beat Takanashi-senpai even more... idiot."
"Hey!"
"But it's true."
"...Ugh..."
...
*BANG!*
"...!" (x2)
"Now, now... I hate to intrude in on your ever so fascinating little conversation, greenhorns. But," Hoshino suddenly cut in after getting the squabbling girls' attention. "we are still in the middle of training, y'know. Well, I suppose if you think this Auntie is going too easy on you, then...~!" The petite pinkette's eyes took on a rather predatory glint as her normally carefree, sleepy little smirk slowly morphed into a wide, feral grin with every word she spoke and step she took.
How then would Mirei, Nanami and the others best respond to this sight? Simple.
"Mirei-chan?"
"...Y, Yeah..?"
...
"RUN FOR YOUR FUCKING LIFE!"
...
"Ah~! That's more like it~! Sweet, sweet music to this Auntie's ears~!"
- Around the same time, just outside Abydos High's main gate -
"...Huh? The hell was that?" Lyner asked with a start, mildly surprised by the sudden screaming he heard coming from somewhere nearby.
"Looks like Hoshino-senpai is really enjoying breaking in the new girls..," Okusora Ayane, Treasurer of the Foreclosure Task Force observed as she led Lyner over to their Student Council room. "I'm surprised though."
"Hmm?"
"I was just didn't expect that you'd get here as soon as you did is all. Did you use a shortcut?" Ayane asked, both legitimately curious and looking for any excuse she could to try and keep the conversation going. Really, this whole business with parallel worlds and alternate selves was still difficult to completely wrap her head around despite all the proof shoved in her, and everyone else's, faces so far. It was such a striking study in contrasts with the state of their own home District and this parallel one they now found themselves in being one of the clearest examples. Even after nearly a week after coming to this world, Ayane and the others still didn't quite know what to think about it all.
Lyner nodded. "Your District was way farther out of the way than I thought so I'm just grateful that Arona-chan was able to guide me along the shortest route possible. Had to duck through a lot more alleys and side streets than I'd like though."
Ayane giggled watching Lyner-sensei scratch the back of his head as he spoke. "Yeah, even though the overall layout was the same as the Abydos District we came from, there were just so many little differences that we ended up getting lost ourselves the first couple of days after coming here."
"Oh? What was so different about it?"
"Well, for one thing, more than half of the district was slowly being buried under the sand of a slowly encroaching desert..."
"...Seriously!?"
Ayane nodded. "Seriously. I mean, imagine being so used to seeing nothing but sand everywhere you look one minute only to blink and see totally clean streets and a dense forest that wasn't there before way off in the distance... To say that it was a surprise would be a huge understatement. Oh, and tell Arona-chan thanks."
"Yeah, I... um, can't even imagine that. I mean, ALL of this is still so new to me too. Nothing but 'firsts' really. And speaking of new experiences and firsts; did you all finish reading the proposal the FSC sent over?"
"Oh, you mean about becoming signatories for the Eden Charter and joining the new ETO, right?"
"Yeah, that. Did you all get to talk it over? Have any questions or concerns?"
"We did actually. And while it did take a bit to make sure we understood it all, we ultimately agreed to join! A really easy choice for us to make, honestly. Especially now that we have more students and represent the other smaller Academies."
"Oh yeah? How many students and Academies? Gonna need to let the FSC girls know about these things assuming that they don't already know that is."
"Sixteen new transfers and about a dozen of the really small Academies from all over," Shiroko answered after looking over the notes she took. "Right now Serika-chan, Shiroko-chan, and Nonomi-chan are handling orientation with groups of four while Hoshino-senpai trains up the groups that finish up. We're just about done for the day too so you actually came at a really good time, Sensei!"
"Will the new girls will be joining in on the discussion too then?" Not that Lyner really minded, he just wanted to make sure.
"Yeah. I mean, there's really no reason not to have them present, right?" replied the ravenette with a shrug.
The rest of their walk to the Student Council room was spent with the pair happily chatting away and learning more about each other.
- Ten minutes later: inside Abydos; now very crowded Student Council room -
"-...And that about sums up what our plans are," Lyner finished with a sigh of relief after explaining the finer points of both the planned city-wide governing charter and its accompanying central governing/agencies.
"So, aside from us and the former Big Three; have any other academies considered becoming signatories?" Hoshino asked in a (VERY) rare display of seriousness befitting her role as Abydos' Student Council President. "And what about after we finally get set up and settled in?"
"You heard about how this world has these monster things the locals call 'Phantoms', yeah?"
The girls nodded with a mixture of curiosity, excitement, and maybe a little frear about what these 'Phantoms' are and if they're as brutal and violent as they've heard.
"Just what the Big Three and those foreigners told us," Serika replied. "Elly-san even showed us videos from some battles she and Fei-san had with them before coming here. I still can't believe that this world has real life monsters like that though..."
"Wait, what? You got to see real video!? What do they look like?" Lyner asked with no small amount of excitement in his eyes.
"...Well... They're honestly really hard to describe," Serika began, slender finger to her chin as she tried to recall the strange monsters she'd seen. "Tall, shadowy with glowy bits here and there... Vaguely human looking too. Oh, and they were really, really strong and violent! They needed a whole squad of six soldiers to take even just two of them down using those ether arts of theirs."
"I see." 'Man, they seem way more dangerous than expected but, that works out for us in the long run.'
"Why so interested those monsters, Sensei?" Shiroko calmly asked.
"Because one of the goals after getting everything set up would be the establishment of both a 'Field Study' and 'Extra Credit Field Exams' that will let both individual students and whole clubs take on jobs outside Kivotos-LOST to better learn more about the outside world and/or help take out 'Phantoms'."
This got everyone's attention, with Hoshino, Shiroko and a few of the new transfers like Mirei looking especially interested, what with being the battle junkies that they were.
"This sounds a lot like those 'Quests' from an RPG," Serika observed. "...So, does that mean we'll get a reward(paid) after completing them successfully then?" Yes, even if they didn't need to worry about paying back some insanely huge and barely legal debt to a shady loan shark/PMC anymore, the twintailed, cat-eared tsundere, Kuromi Serikia, still wouldn't pass up any chance to get more cash into their school's treasury. That was especially true now that they had more students to take care of and help out.
Lyner chuckled. "I guess they do, and yes. they are pretty much RPG quests I guess. We haven't worked out the finer details yet though. Anyway, it'll be awhile yet before you'll need worry about that. Oh, but we'll be taking volunteers to run some scouting missions as a sort of testing control group soon though so keep an ear out for the announcement if anyone's interested."
It didn't even take five seconds before Shiroko stood up, fists clenched and eyes alight with determination. "Sign me up!"
Naturally, it didn't take even a second after that before nearly everyone else in the crowded Student Council room also voiced their desire to volunteer. After all, it was just too good a chance to pass up. Well, that and the possibility to score some money and bonus points with their favorite Sensei didn't hurt either.
The rest of the meeting consisted of Lyner answering whatever questions the girls had of him and observing another one of Hoshino's brutal training sessions and joining the girls for dinner.
xxx xxx xxx
Evening, in Fei and Elly's living room.
"That's everything we have to comment on today, Sir!"
Facing a large video screen, Fei and Elly were finishing their daily report on the situation in Kivotos-LOST to their leaders back at Shevat's 'High Command', specifically their calm and bespectacled superior, General Citan Uzuki, who nodded with closed eyes as he took in and digested what he was just told by his two best longest serving subordinates.
"So? How are the Guardian Angels themselves taking their Sensei's proposals?"
"Honestly," Elly began. "If it's not about reorganizing their academies and making sure that nobody they know is still missing, Lyner's 'Eden Charter' is all they've been talking about. And so far, general questions and concerns aside, they seem more than fine with it. At least the ones Fei and I spoke with on the subject anyway. I think they see it as exactly what they need to both focus on and help them deal with the strange and absurd situation they've found themselves in."
General Uzuki nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. After all, it isn't every day that you suddenly find yourself in a parallel world with no explanation as to how or why. Still, from what you described and how they are acting, specifically in their attitude and loyalty towards their Sensei and each other, they match what few preserved historical records of their kind that we have. I am also impressed with how quickly they are moving to make the city their home as well as setting up their own government. Even more so considering the condition you mentioned their Sensei was in, even leaving aside the fact that he is from yet another parallel world himself."
Fei chuckled while next to him Elly simply smiled. "Yeah. He's pretty good at generally keeping his cool and going with the flow. Anyway, did you finalize the list for who you're sending over and roughly how long it oughta take for them to get here? We'll need to know so that we can select the best site for the embassy. Also, what do we plan to do about letting the other countries know about what's happening here? I mean, this is literally world changing news here."
"On the former: yes, we have. Considering the restrictions on the barrier and going by the assumption that it wouldn't be taken down any time soon, it narrowed down the pool of we could send which made things pretty easy for us on that front. For the latter issue? High Command has already notified and discussed this with our allies in Aveh and Nisan due to our long and shared history with the city and its former masters. As for the other countries? We plan to host a conference with them later next month. Thankfully, we won't need to worry too much about any information leaks and can just focus getting things ready."
"Makes sense. So? Who made the cut?"
"Well, it took a while to properly screen them and make sure they were cleared to take on such a long term, high level assignment but the group includes your friend Bart from Aveh, his cousin Marguerite, and my nieces Shion and Mion," General Citan answered, going over their dossiers.
"Only four? Well, I suppose having a smaller crew to work with should be alright in this particular instance. But Margie and Bart huh? Well, At least I won't have to worry about him doing anything too stupid then."
Elly giggled. "Agreed. Margie's really good at reining him in before things get too bad. Still, I'm honestly surprised that those two really got engaged though." 'I guess opposites really do attract sometimes... or something like that.'
"Speaking of Marguerite; she was recently made the new Holy Mother of Nisan just last month. AS for their engagement? As you two might recall, both Aveh and Nisan have been especially close for many generations now; for the last 400 years to be more specific," added the bespectacled raven haired general. "That being the case, it isn't too uncommon for the two countries to engage in political marriages every now and then because of those close ties. Well, it helps that they, despite appearances, are very fond of each other," Citan mused with a chuckle. Fei and Elly did the same as they recalled their old friends and unlikely pair of lovers.
"Right? Margie's always so stoic, poker-faced, and hard to read while Bart is just...-"
"-Loud and a bit hotheaded. Still, you can't find a more reliable friend when you need it than him."
"...That, and he has a bad habit of sometimes showing a little too much... appreciation towards the fairer sex though." Fei reluctantly added.
"Which is why I made sure to remind Marguerite to keep a somewhat tighter leash on him while he's there. After all, we don't need him accidentally offending any of the Guardian Angels while they're there."
"...Seriously. I mean, if they're anything like Alice then we REALLY don't want to upset a whole city's worth of girls even half as strong as that..," Fei muttered with a wince, slightly rubbing the back of his head after recalling when he and Elly first met the near emotionless girl who so effortlessly swung a large portable beam cannon like it was just a child's toy. 'Even going all out against her just ended up with her throwing us both out of the city and beating the crap out of us in the nearby fields... Yeah, never gonna underestimate a literal living legend like that ever again...'
"Well, at least she healed us, and it was kind of our fault for not believing her... I mean, we should've known something was up the moment we saw her 'not' being forcefully ejected from the barrier. I'm just glad she was nice enough to let us explain things afterwards," Elly said, shuddering a bit from the less than pleasant memory.
"Indeed, and if I'm being honest, I wouldn't have believed it had it not been for your mission recorder data... In fact, that's actually one reason why my nieces wanted to come."
"...Not to fight them I hope!" Fei, for all his trademark mild battle lust tendencies and general martial artist's natural desire to face stronger rivals to improve and grow, even he knew when 'not' to push his luck too far.
"To study them, actually. After all, both Shion and Mion specialize in ancient history, which means that we can both compare and cross reference what about these newcomers match what we already know while at the same time help prepare them to get ready for when they finally venture outside the city." Again, both Fei and Elly could only nod at the general's wise words.
"Either way, I look forward to seeing them again. Speaking of which, about when are they going to get here?" Fei asked.
"About that, High Command actually had something we wanted to run by you both first." For Fei and Elly, this was the first time ever seeing their normally unflappable and ever calm and collected general, Citan Uzuki look so nervous, even if it was only for a split second.
"...?"
"General Uzuki sir? Is something the matter?"
After taking a moment to collect his thoughts and recompose himself, Citan just let out a sigh before he started to explain. "Simply put, High Command wanted to meet with this Sensei and a few of the Guardian Angels for themselves and perhaps have them sit in on the upcoming summit I mentioned before escorting your new team back to Kivotos-LOST's embassy..."
...
"...Sir...?" Elly began.
"Hmm?"
"Is that a request for us to pass on, or an order for us to, somehow, try make this happen...?" Fei asked, desperately hoping it was the former.
...
"Well, it is 'technically' a request but... we all know the other nations in the Union will want to see them for themselves and in person at least once..."
"...So an order then..," Fei concluded with resignation.
"...Unfortunately, yes."
xxx xxx xxx
A/N:
And that's it for Ch. 4!
This didn't take especially long to write but, as always, ended up taking a while to trim/edit... That always takes the longest time...
A lot of set up for Lyner and the girls to have an excuse see the outside world as well as establish the sort of roles I have in mind for them.
I did take some inspiration from FF VIII's lore. Specifically, the Garden and SeeD elements.
Nothing like student mercenaries who get to see the world and take out eldritch monsters for cash!
I thought it worked with what Blue Archive already had going on along with tying it into the Xenogears inspired world too.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
Until then, see you next release!