Chapter 28: Ignited
(Ruined Settlement. On Kyoto's surrounding area.)
[Okamoto]
Toppled buildings as far as the eye could see. What was once a chirping city is now nothing more than a desolated graveyard. And as stupid as it may sound, this graveyard is all they have left.
The small group of people refuse to give an inch, they don't want to leave their city. 1st Lt. Ichimonji is trying to reason with them, because if they rebel we will have to detain them. We, who act on the Shogun's orders, have the power to order these civilians to move out and come with us to a safer location. By force if necessary.
I don't like this, at all. I don't know why I was given an offer to be inducted into the Guard. I mean, I don't dislike the uniform, the pay, or the privileges that come with the position, but all this nonsense about status and power? I don't mix with this.
It doesn't help that most people here are so prideful. Look at 1st Lt. Ichimonji, for example. Instead of approaching the people more calmly, trying to actually talk with them, he's just screaming at them.
"-of the Shogun, this area is no longer safe. The Shogunate has taken hold of the ownership of these lands, you as vassals of the Empire should know what this means. You are currently illegally living in the Shogun's lands, shame on you! Desist in your futile struggles and let us guide you to a shelter. The Shogun only wishes you to be safe, why can't you understand that?!"
Yeah, keep shouting at them. Sigh… The things I do for money… Thanks to this whole situation my dream of having my own house is getting farther and farther away by the second. I know we just barely survived the first wave but, is this truly necessary?
"These are our lands! We're not the Shogun's slaves! The Emperor is our leader!" A young man screams at the 1st Lt., making the other people rise up.
"Yeah! You young'uns think that us peasants are nuthing' but a bunch a' ignorants? We are the Holy Emperor's vassals, not the Shogun's ones!" An old lady says quite annoyed while waving a wooden stick at Ichimonji-san.
"What she said! You samurai always do whatever you want! Why haven't we heard no words from His Excellency?! Huh?!" A younger woman, probably near my age, shouts while pointing at us.
I don't know much about it, but I haven't heard the Emperor talk once. Seems he used to do press conferences often after the war was over, but I don't recall him doing so since a few years back. What is he doing in the Holy Palace anyways?
"We, members of the Royal Guard, follow the orders of the Shogun. The Emperor speaks only to the Shogun, to avoid his words be twisted by some traitorous vermin. If you call yourselves loyal to His Excellency, you shall comply to our orders. Or else, you shall be branded as traitors to the Empire!" 1st Lt., I think that's not a good idea.
The peasants start kicking up a fuss, calling us names and raising their shovels at us. Ichimonji-san made a gesture with his hand, and another of our group shot once at a place near their position. The impact from a 36mm shell on the ground silenced all their vigor. Is this how the Royal Guard operates? Ruling by force? Were is the honor in this?
"I do not wish to taint myself with the blood of my people." He says, folding his arms, giving all of them a good look. "Desist on your actions, we are here by the Shogun's orders to ensure your safety. However, if you raise your arms against us one more time, under the laws of the Royal Guard, we will have to treat you as traitors." A gray Zuikaku points straight at the group of people, who start retreating into the small building they were living in.
This is wrong, this isn't what we should be doing. Harming our fellows? Isn't there a different way of doing things?
"Screw the rules, we gotta help our fellows! Isn't that what we should do as the guardians of the people?!"
Shirogane's words come back, those so firm yet rebellious words he uttered in the middle of the battle as he convinced his squad leader to send some help to the city. While the Guard was too busy trying to take control of the MDF unit I was in, he addressed the more pressing matter despite the risks that had for him. It was because of his insubordination that we made it in time to save the people that were evacuating from the Warriors, because of his bravery we were able to begin cooperating with the Guard during the invasion while we guarded the vehicles that would take those escaping to safety, not letting a single BETA get anywhere close to the highway or the subway.
The suit covering my hands gets stretched as I clench them, a sudden heaviness comes up on my stomach. Feeling my legs as stiff as when I had to carry Yuri on my back whenever she got hurt, my breathing a bit rugged as it was after helping Mom clean the house, and the underside of my fingers feeling the peeling pressure of the grocery store's plastic bags' torture like whenever I had to carry them back home by myself, I clench my teeth and inhale slowly, filling my stomach and exhaling a few times until I got rid of that awful feeling.
I may not be him, but… I am a Royal Guard now, and I gotta do my part to protect my common fellows.
"1st Lieutenant, Chain 6 asking for permission to speak."
"Permission granted, what is it?"
"I believe that continuing with this course of action will only bring us more problems. Please, reconsider your approach." His face that appeared on my vision through the Data Link looked quite different than his usual calm face.
Tilting his head slightly backwards, as if to imply he's looking down on me, half closed eyes with a fire in them staring right at me. We never got along well, me speaking against his actions will only make our relation worsen. But I'll be damned if I do nothing to avoid this mess.
"What do you suggest then, 2nd Lt. Okamoto?"
"I do not know. But I beg you to listen, if we keep intimidating all the people that survived the attack, they will only grow to resent us, and by extension the Shogun. It is not hard to imagine them eventually growing to despise us, and His Highness, if we don't show them any measure of kindness. I know it's a futile gesture, but I believe we should keep trying to talk peacefully with them. We of the Royal Guard should be the ones to uphold our honor code more than anyone, what example are we leaving with this brutal way of doing things?"
"So you're just wasting my time… What did I expect from a fresh inductee?" His face twists as if he were smelling rotten food.
"1st Lt., my origins have nothing to do with my words. If us as a group start giving people the wrong impre-"
"And who are you to decide that? We were ordered to evacuate the people, this group here is rebelling against us. They're insulting the Shogun, raising their weapons at us! I, as your flight commander, cannot allow any damage to befall any of you. I have made myself clear yet they are still refusing our helping hand, raising the few weapons they have at us. Why should we overlook this offense?"
"Even so, this is abuse of power against a defe-"
"No, it's subduing an enemy of Japan. We must remove this kind of attitude from its roots, these kind of people that raise their swords at us when things go rough are the worst kind. They only care about their wellbeing, as soon as things go badly for them they stop cooperating. We have already lost enough time with them. More than what they're worth, if they cannot see how much the Shogun cares for them. But at least this served to know what side you stand on, 2nd Lieutenant."
"I do not know what you speak of. I only wish to finish our duties without harming our fellows."
"I… I think so too, 1st Lt. Ichimonji. I don't think threatening them like this is the right way to do this." Another of my partners joined in the conversation, another one that was inducted. A man around my age, with dark brown hair and magenta eyes. Fukuha was his name, I think. "Please reconsider your stance, there is no need to be this hostile towards our fellows."
"Hmph, what can I expect from a bunch of inductees? Your education is severely lacking. We are the authorities, we are the Shogun's sword. Acting against us is the same as acting against the Shogun's life, and by extension the Holy Emperor's. If these people do not cease their hostilities, we will execute them for betraying their soil. Those of you who do not comply will also be treated as traitors!"
Us two kept trying to pacify him, reach a middle ground. However, he retained his cold demeanor not even flinching at our efforts.
Him, a member of the Tozama, wearing his pristine white and orange suit against us, a bunch of inducted people with not a hair of nobility in us, in our black uniforms. Rank is not as important as status, even if we eventually outranked him due to his standing he could still boss us around. Giving people power by birthright is clearly wrong, if this is how they use it.
"SILENCE!" He screamed as the discussion heated up. "These people have refused the aid we offered them, they tried to bite the hand that gave them food, and we, as public servants, have a duty to uphold. I expect you all to honor it. We cannot allow these peasants to sow unrest in the rest of the population."
The people were clearly shivering, unsure of what to do. They could hear him talking, but not what we were saying. They must be terrified right now. There is no talking with him, what is his problem?!
He addresses the people once more, and one of the old men in the group got closer to him. He's trying to reason with Ichimonji, apparently. After a short while, the old man went back to talk with the rest of the people, and after some words and shouts a group started coming closer to us, willing to evacuate. Around half of them stayed behind. Thank the Holy Emperor that this can end peacefu-
One of the young ones that chose to stay behind started hurling rocks at the ones that decided to evacuate. Shortly after, many of them mimicked him, and started to throw rocks and blunt objects at the peasants and us. Dammit, why can't they-
The 1st Lt. gestures towards one of our members, that raises his rifle towards… No, you gotta be kidding me…
BOOOM!
A Zuikaku painted in gray shot at their hideout once the ones that came towards us had taken some distance. The last building in the city that was still standing fell in a cloud of dust, nothing but a pile of rocks remain. The people stand in shock, no longer throwing things. The ones that came with us quickly rode a carrier, choosing to not look back.
The people cry, fall to their knees. One man rushed towards us and tried to punch Ichimonji, but he dodged it and returned the punch. Without even looking at the man, he briskly moved towards his TSF and rode it once more. Then, without a hint of hesitation in his movement… He shot at the people that didn't came to us. In a split second all the people… all of them were… this isn't… I didn't join the Guard for this.
"1st Lt. that wasn't necessary! They had already surrendered!"
"And what do you suggest we do then? They acted against my and their fellow's life, they were subversive elements that had to be removed from our Empire." Eyes closed, he maintains his usual tone despite what he just did.
"Sir, even if they were being aggressive, outright killing them is against the honor code we all got trained in when we were inducted." Fukuha says, also giving him a nasty stare through the projection.
"They raised their weapons at us. We had no choice but to proceed in this way." And he still goes on about that.
"Imprisoning them would have been enough, sir. If we had approached them with a different attitude then-" I'm cut short as the gray and white TSFs in our group surround the three black Zuikakus we, the commoners, were piloting.
"You sound displeased for some reason 2nd Lt. Okamoto, I wonder why that is? You wouldn't be on their side, wouldn't you?" They aim their swords at us, they have all the intention of bringing us down. So… This is how you truly are.
"…My apologies, sir." Biting my tongue within, I tap my glasses to calm down. Fukuha also apologizes afterwards.
"Apology accepted. I expect you three commoners can start to perform your duties as it's expected from you. Understood?!"
"Yes, sir." We all reply with a low, dejected tone. I can't help to grip the controls tightly, this is wrong on so many levels.
"Well then, Chain 2 to all units. We leave this area to the rest of the Rescue Corps. We move to the next settlement, I hope you all to be on your best behavior. Do remember that Raiko-sama isn't as lenient as I am."
"Roger."
The two flights under his command begin to heat up their boosters, the carrier with those who wished to evacuate takes off towards the city. Once it was away enough, Ichimonji gives the order and we take off.
And as we were flying, a private connection was formed with my unit.
"Chain 6, do you copy?"
"Chain 6 here, loud and clear sir." Sigh… Why do I do things? I need to learn to shut up.
"What exactly were you trying to do, challenging my authority?"
"As I said before, I just wanted to avoid unnecessary problems for us. I meant no disrespect sir." As much as I dislike it, he's the one in charge.
"You almost sent our unit into chaos. I know you must have heard this a thousand times already, but to be inducted into the Royal Guard is one of the greatest honors one could receive. It means someone trusted in you so much that they decided to bet their honor and credibility on you. And like it or not, you have a duty and an obligation to ensure that trust is not misplaced."
"I know that, sir. However, there is a big difference between being loyal and being blind. I do not believe treating our people so harshly is fair for them. They've lost everything, their families, their homes, their peace. Their grief is a great one. I think we could allow ourselves to be more-"
"You need no thoughts, you're a blade. You do not waver, you obey your holder until the day you break." Unable to hide my disagreement, I simply close my eyes for a moment. "I was like that once too, you know."
"Like that? What do you mean?"
"I was once inducted into the Royal Guard, I am no noble." He leans back into his seat as his eyes turn relaxed, losing the firmness I'm used to seeing in them. "I merely wished to honor the name my Father had bestowed me, so I enlisted in the IJA and broke my back in my training. I eventually became a surface pilot and was sent to the campaign on mainland Asia a few years back."
He takes a breath, and stares at me before continuing, returning to his usual sharp complexion.
"I was one of the few survivors of that carnage. Someone saw my skills during those fights and thought they could be useful for the Shogunate, and so I was inducted when I returned to the Empire. I also had to deal with this new way of doing things, but I believe this is the most appropriate way now. Dissidents must be silenced, order is above everything, in and out of the battlefield."
"But, why? Why go to such lengths?" The thought of something like that happening to Yuri or Arisa… It's enough to make me want to vomit my insides out, feel as if someone sucker punched my kidney. Thankfully, I know they're safe for now… but if the Capital ever falls…
He takes a deep breath, and after a moment of silence opens them again, going back to his sharper way of being.
"…I saw how everything fell apart because of the people's inappropriate conduct, both in and out of the battlefield. Their pilots were quick to run away, to panic, to break formation. The people didn't cooperate and rioted many times on their shelters, despite the fact that they were taken to safe areas away from the frontlines and had proper beds and meals, while the warriors that fought for them had to be treated in tents out in the wild, on something that could barely be considered a resting place, while eating E Rank synth food."
I say nothing and wait until he keeps talking. Seeing it on the news was one thing, but hearing it is… To think that's how Dad spent his last days alive… But even so…
"I do not wish the same to happen to my land. We must maintain order at all cost, lest we fall not to the BETA but to human misery. If our ruler's power is being defied by a bunch of peasants, what will happen when things get even worse than how they are now?"
I'm not so daft to not understand his words and how much this weights on him, but even so this is going too far. One thing is arguing with them, another is pointing at them with an Assault Rifle. They had no way to actually harm us, and they reacted like that because you got violent first. Maintaining order with an iron fist is never the correct way to do things in the long run.
"However, will this kind of treatment not force the people to act against us eventually?"
"Who will?"
"Huh?"
"Who will act against us? We are their lifeline, if they're so foolish to not see that, then they're not worth the sacrifices that have been made to keep their hides safe. Or perhaps, are you talking about yourself?" Again with that look, looking down on me.
"I would never act against the Empire, but to keep pushing the people like this… I frankly do not like it. I believe sincerity to be a virtue, so forgive me for speaking my mind all the time. But I don't believe this is what the Shogun wants." He sighs deeply as his adverts his gaze, eyes getting clouded.
"Nobody wants this. Not this war, not this ruins, not any of the things happening right now. But we are blessed, for we still have our land even if it's in ruins. I understand it can be hard to accept, but know that so long as you're part of the Guard everybody is expecting great things from you. You can feel however you wish on the inside, but never forget the effect your words can have on those around you. Don't let your emotions control your actions. This is the way of the Royal Guard, and only a few elites are chosen to perform this duty. Do not forget that."
"So… You're telling me I have to swallow my feelings and watch as we murder our fellows in cold blood?"
"They're no longer our fellows if they force us to draw our blades. However, I will overlook your offense today. Everybody makes mistakes, just make sure there is no next time. Raiko-sama will not let this misconduct go by without retribution, since she already has her hands full with Shirogane." It is a mystery to me, how do those two even get along. One would think she would have kicked him out of the squad ages ago, instead she's always reprimanding him… How weird, but none of my business. "And if you still have doubts, look to the Capital. See all that we had to sacrifice to merely keep them away for a single night."
"…Yes, sir. My apologies, I shall redouble my efforts."
"Good enough. Don't disappoint us, Okamoto. We expect much from you."
The channel is closed. He always speaks his mind and before waiting for a reply he goes away. Is this how it is then? This is what being a Royal Guard means?
Cold assassins, that's what we are. All to keep absolute order, to keep the people in check, to show that the nobles are the ones at the top.
I understand that we need to keep order to fight against the BETA. And I don't wish to have us lose anything else either, I know how heavy is everything we're sacrificing so far. But this isn't the way to do things. We… We are no different than dogs if all we do is follow orders blindly. Is this what the Shogun wants? Is this how we always did things? Perhaps this is how it always was, but since there was no war, no hunger, no visible death, we chose to look the other way so long as it didn't concern us. I thought… the nobility was better, that they were different than the cutthroat competition we commoners have between each other. Looks like there is no honor, no fellowship to be found here.
If they're branded as traitors, it must be for something. If they're executed, they must have done something. But what if… there was no reason more than to keep the people intimidated?
The next settlement comes into view. I can only pray that these people agree to our terms peacefully.
November 24th. 07:21 AM.
(Hallway.)
[Takeru]
Light pours from outside into the base, clouds slowly making their way to nowhere in particular. My feet barely lifting from the ground for each step, my hands refusing to leave the comfy lair that is my pockets. No one is on this hallway, yet my eyes continue to rebound around, to the ground, to the window, to the sky, to the ceiling. I sigh slowly, arching my brows a bit. Come on, man. No need to feel all antsy, what's the worst that can happen. R-E-L-A-X.
Par for the course, I had another bad dream. Still can't quite piece it together, but damn, it feels awful. There's this really annoying voice yelling at me over and over, and everything feels so… suffocating, so crushing. First I'm on a garden but then it gets set on fire, then I'm seeing a race for some reason but then the whole place collapses on itself, then I'm on some shelter, but the view was kinda… tilted, as if it was in diagonal to my vision, and this voice just kept following me, reprimanding me for some reason.
Thank God Kasumi came to wake me up as sweetly as usual. Seeing her being nice to me really made the cheer return to me, at least until I had to take a cold shower again. Sigh… I wonder when these dreams will stop bothering me.
I keep walking, making my way to our classroom. Today we should have our first lecture on TSFs, assuming NotMarimo-chan doesn't decide to rush through the modules again. Already got breakfast with Takamura, it was D Rank again and the right amount too. Seems like the rumor is doing its work, though people are still talking behind my back, looking at me suspiciously.
So, now's the time to see how they react. The fact should have sank already, they now know I am a murderer.
Kei was rather odd yesterday, she was upset at something that's for sure. But she did made a point to ask me if I was still in the squad. Part of me wants to believe she somehow understood I didn't kill without reason, but, well, she never liked me much. As for the rest, with how sensitive Tama and Mikoto are, they might see me as a monster. Meiya, being who she is, could have reverted back to a negative view of me once she meditated calmly the fact that I murdered 'fellow Japanese soldiers'. And Chizuru… hates foreigners.
Depending on what the Instructor told them, on how they reflected on what happened, it is possible they might not openly scorn me but maybe they will just put a barrier and not talk to me. Who would want to be on my side after what I did? Being the comrade of a murderer…No sane person would risk their honor standing by my side after what I did, after all. I should expect no helping hand nor tailwind, else I'd be setting myself up for disappointment.
To be honest, I don't know what would be worse, they hating me openly or they keeping their distance and ignoring me. Feeling as if static was filling my neck and chest, my fingers keep moving as if I was clumsily trying to play a piano. I know I said I was ready to be all alone, but facing them… is harder than I thought it would be on me. Sigh… Whatever happens, happens.
I reach the room, hear nothing from within. Licking my lips, my eyes look up, resisting the urge to peek into the windows. One deep breath, I move my neck left and right hearing it crack once. I blink at the doorknob for a second, grabbing it and delaying the action as I gulped. Come on, this isn't the end of the world. And anyways… If Yuuhi comes after me, it's all the same in the end.
And so, after sighing hard enough for the air to reach my hand, I open the door and step into the classroom.
"Good mor-" Before I could even finish speaking, Mikoto rushed to my side.
"TAKERU! Hey, are you alright? What was that about a punishment? Why can't you go to the PX? Hey, why?!" Her face was full of wrinkles, her eyes were sharp as scissors, and it seemed as if steam was coming out of her ears. Royally pissed off, to put it mildly.
"M-Mikoto, calm down. As you can see, I'm fine." She gives me a good look and then takes a step back, restoring my personal space. Sigh… That wasn't good for my heart, dude.
"Really? So? What was that about a punishment?"
"Shirogane-san, is it true that you can't go to your room? Where are you sleeping?" Now Tama came close too, with downcast eyes. Seems like they're the only ones here.
"Yeah. I was given twenty days of punishment, in which I can't go back to my room, enter the PX, and I have to help out someone here at the base. I'm staying in the detention barracks until the punishment is over." Both of them open their eyes wide and then share a glance before curving their brows. They don't… look rejecting.
"The detention barracks? Takeru, I've heard they don't have warm water down there. Will you be alright?" Is she worried? Look at how she joined her hands, she really is. …Thanks, Mikoto.
"Yeah, I'll manage somehow."
"Shirogane-san, will you really be alright? Ayamine-san told us you would have to eat the rations from the CCSE, and we're starting our piloting training today. Are you-"
"Tama, don't worry. I'll make do." I force a smile, ignoring the scratches on the back of my head, and they let out some air, giving me a smile back. But in a second, their faces got clouded again and they start avoiding my gaze, remaining silent. "So… Err…" Now I'm the one looking down. Sigh…
"Um… Shirogane-san?" Tama took a small step forward, her tone as hesitant as mine when I had to show Mom my math tests. "Would you… Can you forgive us? For abandoning you?" Tama and Mikoto gave me a bow. Wait, why are they apologizing?
"Tama, that was an accident. You two had nothing to do with it, so don't apologize." This day started weirdly, I thought they would be against me being here since I'm a murderer now.
"That's not true! Takeru, we didn't…" Mikoto's lips quivered and she looked down for a sec, but then she returned my gaze as she melted the stiffness in her posture. "We didn't try to help you, Meiya-san or Chizuru-san. You didn't deserve that, but we just ran away. Can you forgive us? Please?" Uuuhh… This is cheating, you can't double down on me with those teary eyes. My Mental Fortitude stat is decreasing by the second.
I felt a clog on my throat, unable to process words for a sec under their gazes, honest and clear, showing that they didn't see me as some sort of monster.
"…I wasn't angry at you and I'm not holding a grudge, so stop apologizing. I mean, I thought that you would be more… you know, rejecting towards me. I did kill those soldiers." I bring a hand to the back of my head, lowering my brows and slightly looking away from them.
"Shirogane-san, you did that to save Mitsurugi-san and Sakaki-san, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't-"
"Yes, it does. Shirogane-san, e-even if you ended up killing them, I don't think… that what you did was wrong." Tama made fists coiled and hissed in every word. "What if those soldiers had killed Mitsurugi-san?"
"Well, but there was no proof that-"
"The soldiers were also very aggressive with us, too. Something was really weird with them!" Tama furrowed her brows, shaking just a tiny bit.
"Wait so, those soldiers also roughed you guys up?" Kei did have a patch on her eye yesterday. Did those bastards do that?
"Yeah! Takeru, you're not the only one who had to harm those soldiers." Mikoto frowns, having a mix of fear and anger in her rising voice. "If things had gone wrong we also may have had to resort to that. Her eye is better now, but they really hurt Kei-san during our fight. We just got lucky, really." Both of them drop their shoulders. Tama is slowly playing with her hair and Mikoto is just staring to the floor.
"So you guys had it hard too, huh? Can you tell me what happened?"
They tell me of how they saw the struggle from the other side of the cliff, how they met and dealt with the soldiers and how they reached the evac point. So the soldiers weren't only after me, Meiya and Chizuru. They wanted our whole squad to fail. Considering all those mails Sensei showed me it's not surprising.
"It was really scary, you know. I thought we were done for." Tama closes her eyes and shivers slightly.
"Yeah, me too." Mikoto nods as her eyes almost close. "So it's not like we don't understand, Takeru. We also had to harm those soldiers really hard, too."
"But, well, you didn't resort to… killing. Nothing is going to erase that stain from my hands." We all look down, they don't reply and leave me alone with my thoughts again.
Funny, actually. I didn't have the guts to shoot during the coup or to give Yuuhi the medicine, yet now this really hurts my heart even if I still don't entirely regret what I did.
I murdered Meiya. Compared to her, these bastards are nothing. And yet, it was so… pointless. I killed them, and nothing changed. It could have been avoided, yet I can't really see how. I know that talking it out or trying to scare them off would have backfired, and despite that my heart is choking inside. So easy, so pointless, and it makes me as conflicted as the coup did. I took their lives and in the end… Yes, I did protect Meiya and Chizuru, but I still would have liked to have had the calmness to take another course of action. Maybe if I had and one of them would have gotten injured I would be wishing to have been more ruthless. Wondering about what could have been is pointless, I know, but I still would like to… I don't know, just stop all this messed up shit.
I don't want to shift the blame. I don't want to look away. And I don't want it to be 'forgiven' or for this to 'be the norm'. I will kill if I have to, but I would like for one day for this to no longer be necessary, for whatever made the soldiers do that crazy shit go away to hell and never come back.
I sigh, closing my eyes and arching my brows. Feeling as if I had swallowed an ice apple, now stuck on my neck, I claw at my fists. I wonder… Did you also feel like this? What made you fall in that rage, what pushed you over the edge, twin me? What did the Royal Guard do to you?
…Or is it, what did they made you do?
"Even so…" Mikoto's voice returns me to the classroom. She takes a breath as she played with the ribbon of the uniform, her gaze breaks like ice under a hammer when it meets mine. "I know how hard it must have been for you… When that man got up and was ready to lunge at me…" She begins to quiver, eyes rammed shut. "…I couldn't take out my knife. I knew that they were not going to ease up, but I couldn't do it. All I could do was hit his head with a rock to leave him unconscious, and in the end that almost cost us the test."
"Yoroi-san, that's not your fault! They were the ones who escalated that fight!" She places a hand on Mikoto's shoulder, yet she still doesn't open her eyes.
"No, he could have choked us unconscious if he wanted, Kei-san might have ended up with even worse injuries than what she has now. So…" Softly biting her lip, she looks at me, a tear running down her cheek. "I know how scared you must have been… and how brave you were to do what you did, Takeru."
"I… I didn't knew you guys had to go through so much shit, too." If I had taken care of him then… I should have maimed the Captain when I had the chance.
"Um… Yoroi-san, you weren't the only one who… harmed a fellow." Burrowing her head underground, Tama's tone jumps off a skyscraper. "There was one soldier I harmed gravely with a rock, when I saw her getting to the rifle before me. At the time I didn't doubt, but I'm sure she's gonna need surgery after what I did to her." Sniffing a bit, Mikoto patted her back, all I could do was bite my tongue within, wring my hands in anger. "I don't understand why they pushed us to that stage… What was the need to be so hostile?" She hangs her head, shaking again.
"I was shaking all throughout the battle, driven by adrenaline and fear. So… I can see why you did what you did, Takeru." Looking back at me, her lips twisted and she let out a sigh but she still returned my gaze, without any shadows or spikes. "If I had seen them harming Meiya-san and Chizuru-san like that… I don't know what I would have done, I don't know if I could have protected them at all. But I think you only were so… aggressive because they forced you to. I'm sure you're… not like that, that this was just a reaction to their aggression." Her tone seemed to be lacking some firmness, as if she were trying to convince herself.
"I agree with Yoroi-san, we heard from Sakaki-san what happened. They forced your hand, if they hadn't kept kicking them nothing would have happened."
"Of course, I'm not proud of what I did, and I am not like that… But I still made a miss. So… Uh, like, do you guys…" I scratch my head, barely able to meet their gaze as the ants again start walking on my back. "…still want me around?"
"Huh? Of course we do, Takeru!" Mikoto took a step forward, hands joined tight. "I know it must be really hard but you shouldn't… punish yourself so hard. We all only defended ourselves from them as best as we could, and they made the first aggression. You wouldn't attack anyone like that again without a good reason, right?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't. I'm… That's not how I want to be as a soldier." She smiles, seeming to finally let go of what kept her tense and compact.
"I can understand why you're so troubled." Tama said as she looked down. "All of us had to bloody our hands, one way or the other. Only that we were lucky to be together and managed to get away by injuring them, but you were alone. So, um, I at the least don't think you're a murderer. You just… tried to protect your squadmates when they were in danger." A feathery knife twists itself into me, hearing her voice honest and soft. They really… don't see me as monster.
The heaviness in my hands eases up a bit and I stop clawing at my palms. I inhale slowly, biting back the tears.
"Thanks Tama, Mikoto. Really… Thank you." This time I didn't have to force the smile.
"Ahaha…" Mikoto laughs dryly, sending her hands into her pockets. "A-Anyways, we don't want you gone. You're our comrade, Takeru. So… let's keep doing our best together from now on, without leaving anyone behind again." I nod at them, we finally all sigh and manage to somehow smile.
"Well, in any case, glad you could make it out without any lasting injuries. So, we're all good with each other?"
"Yes, of course. Shirogane-san, I… I will try to be more resolute from now on, to truly help the squad. I know I'm… the weakest one of the team, b-but I'll do my best to not hold any of you back. So, um… Let's do our best!" I smile at her and see the seriousness disappear from her face.
That's one thing we'll have to work on, since we need you to get in top form ASAP, before the HSST arrives. She might not have killed that soldier, but it's clear Tama is also blaming herself for what happened to them, between what she did to that woman how she hesitated at times to fight back. And since Mikoto rarely speaks about how she really feels, I'll have to keep an eye out for her too, without being too bothersome of course.
"Say Takeru, where were you yesterday? Despite it being our free day and having a lecture from the Instructor, we didn't see you at all."
"Oh, I was helping 1st Lt. Takamura as part of my punishment. I was mostly delivering reports and folders around."
"Oh, it doesn't sound so bad."
"Yeah, it really isn't. It's a light job, honestly."
Then, the door opens and the rest of the squad comes in. They twitch upon seeing me, my hands shook for a moment. Deep breaths, man.
"…S-Shirogane." Chizuru approached me from my left, slow as a turtle but still looking at me in the eye.
"Good morning, Sakaki."
"Good morning. How have you been?"
"Fine, no problems whatsoever." She nods and seems to be at a loss of words as her eyes veer around.
"Sakaki, if you cannot say it allow me to do it." Meiya also approached me. She spoke in her serious tone and was bearing a stern look, reminding me of how she was after Marimo-chan died. Sigh…
"Good morning… Meiya." Knees threatened to tumble under those sapphires, but I managed to hold her gaze. I think Tama and Mikoto flinched as they heard me calling her by her name.
"Good morning. Shirogane, is what Ayamine told us yesterday true? About your punishments?"
"Yeah."
"Why were you given such a punishment?" She's angry, going by how those sapphires of her are glistening. She must be upset about having a murderer on their team now that she had time to let that sink in. Looks like… I'm on the other side of the board.
"Because it was that or either getting kicked out of the army."
"Shirogane, that does not answer my question." She was again folding her arms, eyes closed, her voice still sharp.
"I mean… What did you want me to answer?"
"I'm asking about why you had to be punished! You saved our lives, why are you the one to be blamed? Didn't you tell them of what happened?" She opened her eyes, now filled with those purple flares, and didn't hesitate on a single word.
…She isn't upset or anything at me? Meiya held my gaze with visible fury, but not about me still being here. She… She didn't get all negative again?
"They didn't listen to me. They said I had no credibility, that I was a violent element, that there's no way that would have happened." Again, her eyes flare up as she takes a step towards me. For a second I thought she was coming at me, but she furrowed her brows and seemed to be now holding her hands quite tightly.
"Why did you not ask us to testify for you?! What would you have done if they kicked you out?!" No hesitation, no restrain in her words.
"Meiya, they told me they couldn't count on your impartiality, they refused to call you to testify." The little purple flares in her eyes turn into pyres of fire. She's… worried about me? Like, for real? She… really is…
"…What? Mmmgh! I won't let this stand, there's no reason for you to-"
"Meiya, stop it. That's that, you can't… you shouldn't do anything about it. I mean, I did kill them. That won't change, fair or not I deserve the punishment."
"Shirogane, what you're saying is to make me stain my honor once again." She tilts her head backwards, narrowing her eyes. The venom in her voice was so strong I took a step backwards unconsciously.
"What do you mean?"
"I owe you a great debt. It's thanks to you that I passed the CCSE and didn't sustain further injuries, and you wish me to stay put as I see my fellow being punished unfairly, while the culprits are free without even a reprimand? What would that say about me? What kind of samurai would I be if I let you take this unjust punishment?!" She called me her fellow, despite how much weight that word has here. She's… not lying?
Chizuru steps towards me, with a similar look on her face.
"Mitsurugi is right, Shirogane. When we went to talk with the Instructor to tell her about what happened, she told us you were taken to be questioned for your crimes and nothing we said could change her mind to allow us to write a report to help you. She also insisted that we should not bring this up again, since the decision had already been made. We… We all were very worried about you." She then adverts her eyes as she plays with her ponytails. She also doesn't seem to be lying, Chizuru can't even look at me in the eye so lying is out of the question.
"Sakaki-san is right. I also think you don't deserve the punishment." Tama rose a small hand, Mikoto nodded as she frowned. "They were the ones that started it, if they had harmed Mitsurugi-san the UN would have gotten in a lot of trouble. They also tried to harm us, so they should also be punished for what they did."
I… I did not expect all of them to be so supportive, considering I killed Japanese soldiers. They're not lying either. They're… really worried… about me?
"…Shirogane-san?" Tama looked up at me with puppy eyes, holding her hands near her neck. Uuuh… That is not fair play.
"I mean, I did kill them. That won't change. I murdered Japanese soldiers, so technically I am a traitor to the Empire. Are you sure you want to defend me like that?" I feel a tap on my shoulder. Meiya moved me to look at her, her face was twisted into the look of an angry hunter as the purple fire kept coming out of her eyes.
"Shirogane, you're no traitor. You saved me and Sakaki from those soldiers. Our lives were in serious danger, regardless of what the UN may say. So do not speak about yourself in such a way anymore, I promise you now that I will remove that burden from your shoulders as soon as I can. I just ask you to give me a little time, it's the least I can do to truly repay you for your actions." She gives me a small bow, her face tensed up when she met my eyes again.
She's telling the truth. And if she is… As happy as that makes me, as much as it lifted an asteroid off my shoulders and a knife from my heart, I have to stop her from getting into more trouble or from actually lifting my punishment. Yuuhi should already know, the Pickles probably reported it to her, but if Meiya speaks in my favor… I don't want to risk anything being misunderstood, so let's play it safe.
"Meiya, it's better for you to not do anything. It will only keep bringing problems and tension between the UN and the Empire. Think of the implications this accident could have. Just let it pass, I can take it." She pursed her lips as she holds back a retort. Then, softening her gaze, she gave me a nod.
"Sigh… If that is what you wish, I will do as you say. So, you weren't kicked out of the squad?"
"No, I managed to stay here. So it seems you'll have to bear with me until you get commissioned." I say jokingly to try to clear the air, but it only caused them to drop their shoulders. Except Kei, who was just laying against the wall staring at nowhere.
"Are you upset?" Meiya's voice was so small, creaking, that it reminded me of that call I received from that Meiya the day I recovered my memories, and that made me wince for a second. "Shirogane?"
"Err… Why would I be upset? You didn't do anything to make me angry at you. It's the other way around, I'm really happy to… well, hear you don't want me gone or anything. I said as much on the island, if you're willing to have me, let's just start over."
"So Shirogane, you don't… resent us?" Chizuru is being abnormally nice, and hesitant.
I mean, I know how sweet she can be, but that's to someone she really likes. I'm… I mean, for them I was… a foreigner, an enemy. And now I killed people. I still can't believe it, maybe this is all a dream.
"Why would I resent any of you, Sakaki?"
"We scored better than you, we didn't help you when you were questioned. And all of that is our fault, you bloodied your hands because of us." She holds one of her elbows with her other hand. I haven't seen Chizuru being so apprehensive with me ever.
"C'mon, don't be like that. Nobody forced me to do what I did."
"Still, you fought to protect us. Had we not left you behind…" She inhales, then finally returns my gaze as her tone recovers its firmness. "If we had fought back with you, this could have been avoided. And you could have left us behind, but didn't. So, well, I can see how you could resent us."
"Look, I did what I could because I wanted. I know that… I did something horrible, but I chose to do that. I did it, it's on my hands." Their eyes seem to almost close, pursing their lips. "So… You don't hate me or anything?" All of their eyes then turn wide at my question.
"Shirogane, what reason could we have to hate you?!" Meiya, you're… a little too close.
"Because I killed Japanese soldiers and I'm an American or something along those lines?"
"We don't… We don't see you as a foreigner anymore. You're our comrade, we already told you that during the CCSE, right?" Chizuru returned to her usual bossy tone taking a pose like Class Rep, making circles in the air with her finger.
"Indeed. Sakaki is right. Shirogane, you've done a great deed for us, defending us from a clear case of abuse. And instead of being praised for it, you're being punished. I truly do not think we should let this slide. Are you certain you do not wish me to speak with my contacts? If I tell them of what you did for me, I am sure your punishment will be lifted." Oh shit, Meiya's stubbornness activated.
Sadly, my punishment is giving me a cover to start my research and to keep a close eye on the railgun so I can't lose it, even if it means bathing with cold water at night. And… at the least I can see she truly means her words. They really don't see me as a murderer.
"Meiya, thanks for the gesture but I don't want to cause more trouble. Let's leave it at that, please?" I give her a little bow.
"Huh? But… Well, if that is what you wish…" Folding her arms and the embers inwards, she still doesn't seem convinced though.
"Well, so… How are you guys? I mean, I haven't heard about you since we parted ways. How were these days for you?" Relaxing my posture, trying to rise a smile, I look at them all.
"Oh, you won't believe this Takeru! Lemme tell you of how Chizuru-san started choking when she ate- Mmmmmggghh!" Chizuru put her hands over Mikoto's mouth. And she was blushing.
"Tamase, can you explain to Shirogane what happened in these days?" Smiling all the while, she spoke with a soft voice that hid knives within.
"Eh? Sure. But Sakaki-san, Yoroi-san is going purple…" Mikoto's eyes were two big white dots again. Chizuru lets go of her and she breathes deeply, placing a hand on her chest.
"Chizuru-san, that's so cruel. What did I do?!"
"What didn't you do is the question here." Meiya frowned at her as she caressed her ponytail. She was blushing too. The hell happened when I wasn't around?
Tama told me of how they played on the beach before coming here, about some of the food they ate, and about how the Instructor gave them a lecture on teamwork as soon as they landed here. Marimo-chan, come back to us. We need you more than ever.
"That sounds rough. Oh right, I forgot to ask, what was your score?"
"Ninety. It was truly a surprise, that's for sure." She beams at me, clearly happy of her result. "Ah… Sorry, I didn't mean to brag. You ended up with the lowest score, right?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't really matter. Our skills in the cockpit are what matters most."
"Exactly. Well said, Shirogane. Our real training starts here, and now we're on even ground with you so we won't let you get that number one spot so easily. All of us have to step up and drive ourselves past our limits, so that nothing like what happened in the CCSE occurs again." Chizuru is clearly trying to motivate the squad, Mikoto and Tama give a 'Yay' and raise their fists. Meiya just smirks and Kei… is staring at me. Guess she still doesn't trust me.
"Say, Special-kun…" Why did I have to look at her? Causality Magnet? More like Disaster Magnet.
"What's up, Ayamine?" She slowly got close to us, I can't read her at all. Is she going for a punch? Or will she throw more hate at me? I'll just have to endure.
"Is it true that you got beaten up by one of the soldiers during the second fight?"
"Yeah, that's the case."
"…How did that go? You didn't harm them, right?" God, it hurts to see her like this. And again, stabs and slashes tickle my neck.
"No, I didn't harm anyone."
"Those two told me you had to restrain the soldier to win."
"Well, yeah. That fight was real tight, though. I mean, Mion was really aggressive because she wanted to check if I was a spy or something. It really wasn't-" Why are they staring at me like that? What did I say? "Guys? What's up?"
"First name already? Special-kun, what a stud." Kei gives me thumbs up. Oh, so that's what happening. They're just surprised. Don't scare me like that, dammit.
"Shirogane-san, did you know that woman?" Tama being suspicious? That's a new one.
"Mion?" I feel a drill on my neck, Meiya's gazing at me quite angrily for some reason. "I… errr… I mean, I don't think so?" I know I gotta play my part in faking being this world's me, but I really don't know her.
"Do you know her or not?" Meiya was looking into me with those blue blades of her. Why is she so upset now? Wait… didn't something like this…
"Meiya, that's my own business, right?" I answer bluntly which only makes her eyes spew more fire.
"Oho? So you had some 'business' with her?"
"She was literally trying to beat the shit out of me. I just wanted to calm her down, show her that I was no spy."
"Takeru, even so, why did she have to beat you up like that?" Mikoto and Tama were now looking at me worriedly.
"You know, she had to restrain me to check whether I had a mask or not. Since she thought I was an American spy. Really, after we sorted that out she stopped being so aggressive." The little ones smile at me, but the other three seem to want to ask more.
"W-Well, but Shirogane, why do you call her by her name?" Chizuru was also giving me a side glance. Kei was smirking from ear to ear.
"I mean, if I had to call both them Tsukuyomi it would get confusing in my head." There are four of them now. And for some reason it doesn't feel right, I wonder if it has to do with his memories?
"Shirogane, that still doesn't explain why she was so aggressive with you, or why you use her name. You wouldn't happen to know them, perhaps?" Meiya was now sending a dubious look at me.
Didn't something like this happen when I called Maya-san that in front of her back in my world? She isn't getting jealous, right? No way, not after what happened.
"I told you already, I don't know them. Look, she wasn't going to believe my words, so I had no choice but to fight her head on. I mean, those two pickles were not going to back down so easily."
…Why are they looking at me as if they were goldfish? Even Kei's eyes are wide open now.
"Shirogane-san when you say 'pickles', who are you talking about?"
"Who?" Oh, I did it again. It feels so natural I just said it without a second thought. "About Mion and Shion, of course. Don't they look like a pair of pickles?"
"Shirogane, you can't go giving nicknames to members of the Royal Guard! If they heard you, you would get in a lot of trouble." Chizuru, again making circles in the air, scolded me as she always did. Heh, it's so good to have that little thing back, instead of that poison-filled voice. Finally some relief for my ears.
"So you also call Shion by her name…"
"C'mon Meiya, what do you want me to call them?"
"Well… Why do you call them pickles, however? You haven't given us nicknames even though you've been with us for far longer than them." She's a bit bothered. She did think I was on the Guard, so me calling them by their names is making her suspicious, I guess. It's still odd, though.
"Oh, he did name me Tama though." She should have stayed quiet, because now Meiya was glaring at her. Tama's eyes became two little white dots as she shivered.
"Um, guys? Can we… make peace already?" Let's stop this before things escalate. I do not want to deal with the wrath of a jealous Meiya.
"Fine, I'll let it go. But you should be more careful about how you approach women from now on. It's unproper for a Japanese surface pilot to act in such a way. Right, Sakaki?" Both of them nodded in agreement.
"Of course. Exactly what Mitsurugi said. You should be more tactful about your actions, Shirogane-kun."
…Shirogane-kun?
Wait… Is Chizuru receiving positive data now? Well, they should always be receiving it when around me, but these days I wasn't around. In this case, she's receiving stuff from my world's Chizuru, but she wasn't like this during the CCSE… The data leak shouldn't be so strong when I'm not nearby. Is that why they're not reacting as badly as they would originally have?
"Sakaki-san, what was that?" Tama asked as she looked at Chizuru with wide eyes.
"What? What is it?" Chizuru seemed puzzled, not noticing what was going on, why the others were giving her the stink eye.
"Chizuru-san, you just called Takeru Shirogane-kun." Mikoto was also narrowing her eyes at Chizuru.
"I did?! I mean… I just… Ahem, I was merely trying to be more friendly with him, seeing how he's taking what happened. There's no problem with that, right Shirogane-kun?"
"Sure, I don't mind." Chizuru smiles a bit as Mikoto and Tama give me the stink eye. Haha, they did the same during my first loop once.
"It will never cease to amaze me how relaxed you are." Meiya sighed as she caressed her ponytail.
"Come on, now. If she's more comfortable calling me that, just let her. I'm calling you Meiya and nobody complains. Or what? You want me to go back to calling you Mitsurugi?" She flinches at my words, staring blades at me.
"Of course I don't want that. I promised to allow you to call me by my name on my honor as an apology. So you can't call me anything but Meiya now, because you'd be breaking our accord." She kept nodding at her own words. She's so cute when she gets nervous, really.
It's still a surprise for sure, seeing them be this friendly. I sigh, relaxing my hands and releasing the stagnant air in me. I still have my squad, and it seems like we might be able to finally start building some trust between us. Well, it's not like they're head over heels for me, they're just being considerate towards me. I'm sure that even if I'm a stronger Nucleus the transfer couldn't happen so fast. But that's more than enough for me, I'm lucky they're still willing to talk with me after what happened.
"Okay. So… You're really cool with me staying?"
"Yes, I have no complains whatsoever. Let's keep working together, Shirogane-san!" Tama beamed at me with her usual cheerful smile. Mikoto gave a nod.
"I also wish for you to remain on the squad, it's obvious you were not at fault for what happened. We're all in agreement, right?" Chizuru crossed her arms and looked around the room to see the others' faces. But she stopped on a certain black haired one.
"…Ayamine, what about you?" I look at her and she just looks away.
"You're really on our side?" She says, still not looking at me. I look down, closing my eyes.
"I mean, yeah?"
"And you won't harm anyone in that way again?"
"Ayamine, that's rude. Shirogane-kun already proved us he isn't the type to harm when it isn't needed."
"Sakaki, it's fine. She has all the right reasons to doubt me. Ayamine, is there anything you would like me to do to prove you that I'm not some sort of madman?" This is my problem, so I'll deal with it myself.
"…Yes. I have a question."
"Go ahead. Fire."
"Why did you kill the soldiers? Feel like answering today?" Sigh… It really hurts, different world or not.
"…Because I saw Meiya was unconscious while getting kicked on the head and Chizuru crying in pain." Both of them look down, grimacing. "Honestly though, I was enraged at the time from my previous fight, so well… I'm not proud of my choices back then. That's why I'm taking the punishment without complaints. I lost it when I thought one of them might have been dead, but I won't put up excuses. I killed them because I decided to not hold back." She stared at me in silence for a second, keeping that poker face perfectly.
"Hmm… Then, is it true that you were trained on the UN and not by America?"
"Yeah, I was trained at Yukon Base." Regardless of the place, I only ever got trained by the UN. So, that is not a lie. She stares into my eyes for a while and after a while she leans back and returns to her usual bored face.
"Hmm… Fine. You're good." She raises her hand, showing me her palm with her eyes closed. She relaxed her posture, so she believes me for now.
"Well, glad we can get along." She probably is letting this go to not get in an argument with the rest of the squad. It's up to me to prove to them I'm not a psychotic murderer.
"A-Anyways! Let's do our best together from now on! Say Shirogane-san, did you know that we also have to pilot for a short while during our aptitude test?" Tama comes up to me as she bounces around the desks. It's so endearing, seeing you so hard to stay cheerful while trying to clear the air.
"Oh, that's gonna be hard. Takeru, don't take it too hard if you crash after some seconds. I don't think anyone could actually do very well on their very first try." Mikoto closed her eyes and with her hands joined she began to shiver.
"Yes, I've heard about it from Takamura. Well, today is just our first try so there's no point in overworrying." And I'm gonna crash myself into a building just for the heck of it.
"That's the idea. Squad, regardless of our score today, it's what we do from now on what determines our real aptitude! So, after we're done, how about we all go to the library to discuss about our impressions and read some books on tactics? Shirogane-kun, can you get permission for that?" Chizuru is definitely doing her best to lead the team this time. Well, considering what she went through…
"I don't think so. I will probably have to go help Takamura as soon as I'm done with the test." And after that I gotta start my research, and then Kasumi will try to make me remember some stuff from this world's me.
"…Shirogane, who is this Takamura you speak of?" Meiya was again folding her arms, giving me a firm stare.
"The 1st Lt. I've been assigned to help for the duration of my punishment. I'm basically her assistant."
"So, is it a tough work?"
"Nah, just handing some folders around. Nothing too complicated."
"Shirogane-kun, you're not intimidated by doing office work? I would get so nervous I'll probably end up mixing some reports in my head. Helping out in actual matters is no small job." Chizuru was again making circles on the air. "Well… It's a shame you can't join us, but we will keep you up to date with our studies so don't worry about it."
"Thanks, Sakaki. Really." She adverts her eyes. Is she embarrassed? I forgot how cute it was to see her like this.
"Good morning, Squad!" The Instructor enters the room, as I see her she smiles for some reason.
…Considering how she treated me during the final evaluation, how she chose not to warn me, and the report she sent to Mooroka-san… Yeah, I can't expect her to be nice to me. Marimo-chan does not exist in this world. My old Instructor or not, it is clear we stand in opposite sides of the board.
"Salute!"
"At ease. First, it is a surprise to be welcoming you back, Shirogane." Smirking much, she places a hand on her desk. "Glad you were allowed to stay here. I expect you to remain on your best behavior from now on."
"Thanks, Ma'am. So I shall do." She nods, brushing some hair out of her face.
"Now, I have three things to tell you today. Number one, I'll be giving you a long lecture on how TSF are controlled until noon. After that you'll have to read up the documentation on your own. Second, I've been informed your Fubukis will be arriving tomorrow."
"EH?! Really?!" Mikoto bolted up in joy, and then immediately sat down again as the Instructor's gaze drilled her eyes shut.
"As I was saying, your TSFs will arrive tomorrow. Since you're the only Cadet squad here for the time being you'll have priority to use the simulators during the afternoon. However, if you wish to train for more than that make sure there are no commissioned officers waiting to use the sims. Understood?"
"Roger!"
"And lastly, just because you're going to be training to become surface pilots doesn't mean you'll get a nicer treatment." She smiles widely. Oh God, what now? "You all, with the exception of Shirogane due to his punishment, will have to run twenty klicks with full gear everyday after we're done with the morning lectures and before you go for lunch."
I could feel the temperature crash down in a second. Everybody got tense at the notion of having to keep running twenty klicks on full gear from the start just before the simulator training. Marimo-chan is nowhere to be found here.
"Roger."
"Now then, here's your textbooks. But before that… Shirogane."
"Yes, Ma'am?"
"I've heard you'll have to leave as soon as you finish your training, and that you haven't got authorization to perform extra training if you so desired, is that true?"
"…Yes, Ma'am."
"Hmm… Well, it's a shame. I was wishing to include you on the evening courses." Is she doing this on purpose, or did Sensei just not tell her? Can't tell, haven't seen Marimo-chan being like this ever. "I expect you to perform at your best with the little time you have so that you do not fall behind." I nod, she then proceeds to hand us our textbooks.
Going back to the desk, grabbing some chalk, and then writing on the blackboard 'Basics of TSFs' History and Design', she turned around with a huge smirk.
"Now, let's start the class!"