I'm almost through it all, and I don't know if I'll be able to do this in time, but I'm doing this so I can put of the Christmas Chapters on time, as well as the New Year Chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Infinite Stratos.
After managing to bring the Representative Candidates back to reality, Ichika and Elias fall prey to World Purge themselves! What are their ideal worlds? And will they be able to see through the illusion?
Thankfully, Thomas finally responds to the situation, and comes to assist!
In a race against time, can Thomas manage to fight through the digital world, and save the day once and for all? Will he too fall under World Purge's spell, and be trapped in a world of his own desires?
Or does he have nothing left to want?
Whatever happens, Thomas's life will never be the same.
Chloe Chronicle floated through cyberspace.
But she wasn't aimless. She was searching for something.
As she drifted, she found it.
Chloe now stood before a massive crystal formation within cyberspace.
"Ah..."
Chloe drifted closer and closer, not caring for any danger that may or may not be lurking about.
"So this is the System Core..."
Chloe navigated deeper and deeper into the crystal formation. She'd gone so deep, she found a cave within the crystal leading to the heart of the massive formation. She went even deeper, and finally stopped as she found a unique crystal before her.
Encased in the crystal was a strange woman-like figure.
But what was it doing there?
"It's just as Mama Tabane said..." Chloe said to herself.
Tabane's instructions had guided Chloe here, to this very spot.
"The Core of Chifuyu Orimura's Personal IS Unit," Said Chloe, "The Kurezakura."
Chloe's hand pressed against the crystal that encased the Kurezakura. She attempted to try an interface with it.
This new development would prove very interesting for Tabane's research.
Thomas flew at top speed for the IS Academy.
He ended up choosing friends over answers.
Part of him was angry, furious that fate played the biggest troll on him. It really wasn't fair that he was put into a situation where he had to pick between two things he wanted most. Part of him wanted to continue chasing that woman, instead of helping his friends. Sometimes, it felt as though Ichika and the others held him back, rather than help him got forward.
It may not have been their fault, but everyone kept getting in his way.
Thomas's anger turned to disappointment as he reached the IS Academy.
He was simply so fed up, he couldn't even be mad.
After all, this was to be expected.
Thomas quickly knew where he needed to go, as there was a building marked with a massive hole in the side.
"Follow the explosions, Jazz." He muttered.
Thomas flew into the building, and found himself in a fortified corridor. The boy began to trace Nana's call to his phone from the Revive, and skated down the corridor as he located Nana's phone.
A minute later, he fond himself in the OS-Interface room.
"Stop the clock!" He announced, "I'm here!"
"About time!" Said Nana, "Where have you been?"
"Looking for answers, but none of that matters now." Said Thomas as he recalled the Revive.
"Why not?"
"Because right when I was close to getting them," Growled Thomas, "This shit goes down!"
"Sorry..."
"Don't bother apologizing, I don't even care anymore." Thomas groaned.
"You made it just in time." Said Kanzashi, "The school was attacked by a hacker, and we got stuck in a blackout. Everyone tried going into a VR of the IS Academy's Operating System, but they were attacked by something from the outside, and were trapped. Ichika and Elias went in and got everyone out, but..."
"Say no more." Said Thomas, "Just pull up my chair."
"Right."
In a matter of minutes, Thomas changed into his pilot uniform and prepared for a cyber-dive.
"Be careful in there," Said Nana, "Whatever attacked us made worlds based on everyone's desires. Whatever you do, don't go into a door that just pops up like an ad on an unprotected site, the free reward's not worth it!"
"Yeah, yeah." Said Thomas, sitting down in the interface.
"Please bring Elias back!" Pleaded Cecelia.
"Mhm."
"And make sure Ichika's okay! It's so obvious he was too dumb and the attacker took advantage of it!" Criticized Lingyin.
"And that's why you'll never get him to notice you." Retorted Thomas.
"W-Wha?! What's that supposed the mean?!"
"Shut up and let me do my thing already."
"O-Okay then," Said Kanzashi, "Stand by for cyber-dive."
Thomas's blunt insult took everyone by surprise. He was snarky and sassy at times, but right now, he seemed far more irritated than usual. Did they pull him away from something he deemed important?
Thomas refused to share, so they wouldn't know.
Thomas breathed in as he left the real world, and entered the virtual.
"Let's party!" Shouted Ichika.
Everyone roared in agreement, and began to mingle and converse with each other.
Currently, Ichika was attending a party everyone was throwing at the Gotanda Family Restaurant.
Houki, Alex, Lingyin, Chifuyu, Thomas, Laura, Charlotte, Nana, Cecelia, Elias, Maya, Tabane, Tatenashi, Kanzashi, Honne, Dan Gotanda and Ran Gotanda were all there, and they were greatly enjoying themselves.
It was perfect.
Lingyin and Ran were cooking in the kitchen, coming out and playing a bit until someone requested one dish or another. Alex and Chifuyu ended up in a contest to see who could drink more, with Maya watching them to make sure they didn't overdo it. Everyone else was talking eagerly to one another on any subject that came to mind, transitioning to another in a matter of seconds.
There was nothing more that Ichika wanted.
It was so perfect, too perfect when Ichika thought about it.
Almost unreal...
Houki suddenly downed the drink in her hand.
"Ichika!" She called.
"Huh?"
"C'mere!"
"Houki wha-?!"
Suddenly, Houki puckered and smashed her lips right into Ichika's and proceeded to make out with him.
The shock from Houki's bold move left Ichika thoughtless. Everyone all began to cheer as they encouraged Houki to make out with Ichika, showering her with praises of finally getting Ichika's first kiss.
What was he thinking about again?
Eh..It probably wasn't important.
"That's our best couple!" Shouted Thomas.
Ichika felt strange.
But it was Houki, his loving girlfriend, that helped him see the truth.
There was nothing to feel weird about.
Nothing else mattered.
"I understand." Said Elias, "I'll plan things out more carefully going forward."
"Have a nice day, Mister Dansforth."
Elias turned off the phone, and sighed.
"Yet another long day of this nonsense..." He muttered, "S'not like I wanted any of it..."
Elias was the CEO of the Dansforth-Alcott Corporation, as a very certain event had merged the two separate companies. Said event had left Elias quite happy, despite the constant amount of work he'd been thrown into.
That event was marrying none other than Cecelia Alcott, bringing their companies together like matrimony.
Elias had somehow become the CEO, while Cecelia settled for Secretary.
Elias came closer and closer to his office, forgetting the stressful climate of the workplace as he retreated to the sanctity of his own office room. If he made it in time, he could get any further appointments cancelled, take a bit of time to rest...
Elias burst into his office and turn around to shut the door behind him.
"Another hard day?" An all too familiar voice said behind Elias.
Elias turned to his office, and found none other than Cecelia sitting at his desk, awaiting eagerly for him.
The young man sighed in relief.
Of all the hardships in life...
...The one he was living was just too perfect.
He had a successful company, a loving wife, and plenty of good surprises around the corner.
What else could a man ask for?
Nothing, that's what.
If this was a dream...
...Elias didn't want to wake up.
"You look horrible," Cooed Cecelia, "Come over here, I'll nurse you right back to health!"
Elias staggered over, and fell into Cecelia's loving embrace.
"Your body's all tense!" Said Cecelia, "Let's soften you up~!"
Cecelia snuggled with Elias in the chair at his desk.
"Miss Secretary," Said Elias, "Can you cancel any appointment I have for the next few hours?"
"I was doing so before you came in~!"
"Ah...Good. You're always on the ball, have the rest of the day off."
"Yes sir~!"
To Elias, it felt as though Cecelia was the one running the company, and he was simply there to look pretty. Not that he was going to complain. After all, it took a great deal to run a company as large as theirs.
Cecelia was so loving and patient.
"Ssh..." She whispered softly into his ear, "Having a lovely brain like yours all work-centered can be painful, no?"
She cast a spell upon Elias.
"Don't worry," Cecelia cooed, "Soon enough, you won't have to think about anything. You can just leave it all to your wonderful Secretary, Cecelia Alcott..."
Elias's heart sped up as Cecelia began to play with his body.
She was right.
Cecelia was always the one doing so much as his Secretary, and letting her indulge herself with his body was just one of the various rewards she enjoyed for her hard toil in the workplace.
He didn't need to think, act, or say anything for himself.
All he had to do was obey her.
Cecelia began to remove Elias's clothes, as well as hers.
This was what they wanted.
Chifuyu jumped further and further back.
Leader screamed with rage as she swung savagely at Chifuyu with a Combat Knife.
Chifuyu bounced about like a bunny, flawlessly evading each of Leader's attack.
Leader was growing angry.
Even though she wasn't talking, Leader could tell that Chifuyu had so many insults lined up. The condescending look on her face, it simply served as little more than a means of silently taunting Leader relentlessly.
The pair drew near a room of the corridor.
Chifuyu jumped up in front of the doorway, and kicked Leader right in the face. The used Leader's head to launch back, and fly into the darkness of the room in front of Leader, as if to dare the IS Pilot to follow.
Leader rushed into the room, smiling.
Chifuyu had boxed herself in, and with little room to maneuver, Leader could finally wrap her hands around Chifuyu's neck, and strange her hard enough to pop her head right off her neck.
The thought of such had blinded Leader to the reality of the situation.
As Leader went further into the room, the door snapped shut behind her. Leader looked back to finally see why Chifuyu purposely chose to run into a dark room, and take Leader with her.
It was then that Leader knew she'd walked right into a trap.
"Your turn, Maya!"
Leader turned back into the room...
...Only to find Chifuyu standing in front of Maya, in a custom Rafale-Revive.
What made Leader almost wet herself is that Maya's Unit was currently carrying 4 very, very large Vulcan Gatling Guns.
"H-Hold on!" Realized Leader, "T-That's a Custom Revive! What the hell?!"
The 4 guns began to rotate, and build up speed.
"Oh boy!" Cheered Maya, "Looks like I landed A WHOPPER!"
Leader panicked.
"Q-Quad Phalanx!"
Suddenly, Maya's guns fired all at once, hailing bullets like a tropical storm down upon Leader. The Fang Quake's Absolute Defense kicked in, and Leader was pushed further and further back by the sheer quantity of Maya's bullets.
Chifuyu grinned, her back turned to Leader.
She didn't even need to look to know Leader was finished.
She calmly closed her eyes, and began to walk off.
"Eh," She muttered, "Maya n' Alex can handle the clean-up. I need a drink..."
Chifuyu left the room, and began to unwind.
Thomas found himself within cyberspace.
He'd come across two doors.
No doubt, the doors led right to his friends.
Thomas stepped forward, pondering the dilemma of which door he would take first.
"This way, Thomas!" Called a disembodied voice, "Come to Mama!"
Thomas flinched.
He looked around.
Who said that?
It wasn't the voice of anyone he knew. And yet, the voice seemed eerily familiar.
Thomas shook his head to clear his mind.
He had a job to do.
But, that voice...
...No, it didn't matter. He'd figure it out later.
Thomas walked towards the left door, and entered.
Whatever lied beyond...
...Was going to wish it was never born.
"Oh my!" Elias said with enjoyment.
Cecelia giggled.
"You know," She said, "When you said that 'oh my,' you sound like that robot. Remember? From that Star Wars film? The golden robot with poor articulation? You're a bit like him, actually. So easy to embarrass, with big, round eyes...I love it."
Elias was far too deep in his haze to respond.
This uninterrupted bliss, this ability to forget the toils of reality and feel this good was simply intoxicating.
Elias simply didn't want to wake up.
What he had now, all of it, was something that was just too good to give up.
Cecelia began to nip and kiss the base of Elias's neck. Her advances made Elias's heart race, his breathing speeding up as his body began to sweat harder and harder. He didn't have to think about anything anymore.
Is was as though he'd been conquered in body, mind, and soul.
How could he fight what he wanted most?
He couldn't...
But he wouldn't have to.
Without warning, someone's fist punched right through the door to Elias's office with a loud crack. Elias and Cecelia jumped with shock and turned to the door to find a person's fist sticking through it.
The person opened their hand, and pulled it out.
"Wh-Wha-?!"
Suddenly, the person had kicked both doors hard enough to rip them off the hinges and bring them down to the floor.
Thomas stood in the doorway...
...And he did not look happy.
"W-Who the hell are you?!" Cried Elias.
Thomas, without saying a word, marched over to the couple, seething anger on his face.
Cecelia's eyes turned golden as she came up to contest Thomas.
Thomas tripped her ankle, picked her up, and threw her right out the window of Elias's office.
"JESUS CHRIST!" Elias screamed in horror.
Thomas then came up and slapped Elias right in the face.
"Wake up you arrogant shit!" Thomas grabbed Elias by the shoulders and shook him back and forth.
"W-?!"
"You really think you can live a life that's so much more stable and better than the one you're living at the IS Academy?! Did all that time I spent whipping your ass into fighting shape mean nothing?! Please, tell me on a scale of one to ten just how pissed off I'm supposed to be!"
Thomas stopped shaking Elias.
Elias realized that Thomas was wearing an IS Pilot uniform...As in the Infinite Stratos...
The Knight Gunner...
That's right...He'd been sent to the IS Academy, as a tool to be employed for the sake of saving the Dansforth Corporation...He never got married, he was far too cowardly to even ask Cecelia on a date!
This bliss, this euphoria Elias loved so dearly...
...Was just a childish fantasy he was far too fearful to go out and take himself.
The world collapsed, and Elias and Thomas sat in cyberspace.
"T-Thomas?"
"What?" Thomas growled.
"What's wrong? You look furious."
Thomas wanted to shout.
He wanted to scream at something, and throw angry punches until his anger dissipated. It would be so easy just to slip his fingers around someone's neck, and squeeze hard enough to make their eyes shoot out. He wanted to vent so badly. He'd once again been denied the chance to find some sort of closure or absolution on his burning questions in life. Of course he was furious, he'd struggled with this sort of problem all his life.
It would be so easy...
...But he wouldn't give in.
He had to keep it all bottled up. Everyone called him for help because they needed it, and it wouldn't be right to throw a tantrum because he came to their aid of his own reluctant volition. Nobody could, nor would understand what he was going through. Therefore, he really shouldn't try to waste everyone's time by lamenting over a problem they most likely wouldn't understand.
Trying to bury his woes wasn't a very good choice, but it was a far better option than the alternative.
"It's nothing." Thomas sighed.
"You're hurting over something again, aren't you? You've got that look."
"What look?"
"Well," Elias described, "It's...Sort of like this combination of anger and exhaustion. You look ready to dismember someone, but you also look ready to just keel over and take a nap."
"Oh?"
"Y-Yeah."
Thomas sighed slowly.
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"Oh..."
"Just get going, yeah?" Said Thomas, "I'm gonna go wake up Ichika."
"Of course..."
Elias went back to the real world, and left Thomas to his own devices.
Thomas stopped feeling sorry for himself, and sighed once more.
"Right."
Thomas felt as though he was being watched, but couldn't tell from where.
He marched over to the last door, and opened, and entered.
He wanted this day over with already.
"Hey...Ichika?"
"What Houki?"
"I'm feeling kinda...Y'know..." Houki said slowly, "Can we...Y'know?"
"R-Really?! Right now?!"
"Let's go into the bathroom~!"
Before anyone noticed, Houki grabbed Ichika by the wrist and pulled him into the restroom, quickly placing him in one of the stalls, closing and locking the door. She sealed the two of them inside the stall, and had some privacy. Strangely enough, the Gotanda Family Restaurant's restrooms were quite roomy, including the stalls.
"Houki...We shouldn't..."
"I know. But I just can't stop myself..."
Houki backed Ichika until he sat on the toilet seat, and came closer. Houki sat in Ichika's lap, and began to make out with him intensely. Ichika's will to resist was easily stripped away as Houki took control.
Thomas silently entered the restroom.
He crept up to a stall, seeing two pairs of feet facing opposite directions.
He grinned.
At least he got to have some fun in this horrible day of his.
Thomas raised his fist...
...And smashed it against the door of the stall as loud as possible.
Ichika yelped, and almost soiled himself in two different ways as he heard a loud crash. Houki, however, whipped around and broke open the door of the stall, and quickly engaged Thomas.
Thomas reacted by taking Houki and slamming her head into a faucet, and snapping her neck right after.
Houki vaporized, and was no more.
Thomas sighed.
"That was a little therapeutic..." He muttered as he went to Ichika.
"T-Thomas?! What've you done?!"
"Chill, that wasn't Houki."
"What the hell?!"
"Listen! This isn't real!"
Ichika was too overwhelmed to retort.
"There's no way in hell that any of us are so stable in life we have time to party! We're IS Boys, remember? Besides, Tabane's never around long enough for us to have an outing with her!"
"IS Boys?" Ichika thought.
That sounded familiar.
IS? I-S?
The Byakushiki...
Oh...
Ichika finally realized it. He'd been living a lie and enjoyed it. Why would someone like Houki every want to go out with him? The more Ichika thought about it, the more Ichika realized just how unrealistic the world around him was.
But World Purge wasn't ready to let him wake up.
"Thomas, watch out-?!"
Suddenly, the bathroom door exploded as everyone in the other room began to swarm and flood in.
And they were all aimed at Thomas.
Thomas turned to face them.
Taking into account the overwhelming size and strength of everyone's horde-like charge, He'd be overwhelmed in a handful of moments. However, if he could get them to disperse, his chances of fighting his way out successfully went up.
The mob began to split apart, and surround Thomas.
Just what he needed.
Thomas rushed at the main concentration of the mob, and fired away with his fists.
Each blow he landed had to be a knockout, or he'd get swarmed.
As Thomas smashed one person, he'd quickly spin around as he struck another. He made sure to watch his back by keeping a continuous flow of movement, balancing out his blind spots by moving fast enough to see everything.
However...
The mob quickly began to dog-pile Thomas.
"Thomas!" Cried Ichika, still sitting on the toilet.
Had Thomas been overwhelmed?
Was he finished?
No.
In the IS Academy's virtual-reality operating system, a person's speed wasn't limited by the physical body. The only limit to how fast a person could move in the VR was how fast their mind could think.
And Thomas was famous for his quick-thinking.
In the blink of an eye, the massive dog-pile suddenly exploded!
Ichika watched as Thomas defied comprehension.
In the center of the dog-pile Thomas was moving fast enough to leave a blur! He struck one foe, and the next, and kept going round and round as he moved almost to fast for the eye to see!
The enemies around Thomas fell to the floor.
Thomas stood, frozen in time for a single instance to take in his victory.
"I feel a bit better now." Thomas muttered to himself.
Ichika was at a loss for words.
Thomas radiated a dark aura unlike ever before.
Just what happened to make him so ready to bring the pain upon the people he called friends?
Ichika pondered the question as he returned to the real world.
Thomas stood in cyberspace as he sighed in relief.
"About time, I was getting thirsty, hungry, and bored."
Thomas stretched.
"Thomas! Come to Mama!"
Thomas froze.
It was that voice again.
But where was it coming from?
Thomas turned around...
...To find himself standing right in front of one last door.
The door suddenly opened, as though it has a mind of its own. Thomas squinted as a white light bled through the enticing window the door provided, masking the other side completely. Whatever lied beyond the doorway, Thomas would have to go inside to see.
"It's me, Tommy! Mama! You've had such a rough day, haven't you, sweetie? Mama will make all the heaviness go away! So come to Mama, Thomas!"
Thomas didn't know why, but the cooing voice sounded so familiar.
He'd never heard it before, and yet it felt like he had.
Why?
He needed to check in with everyone back at the IS Academy.
But the door was right there!
He might not ever get another chance like this.
Thomas eventually caved into his curiosity, and entered the open door.
He wanted absolution.
And he'd finally get it.
The door snapped shut behind him.
"Ichika!"
"Look! He's waking up! He's okay!"
"That lovable idiot!"
Ichika opened his eyes to the ring lighting of the IS Academy's bunker.
"Ichika!" Cried Charlotte, "Are you okay? Say something!"
"Something."
"He's okay!" Rejoiced Lingyin.
"Of course I am!" Ichika grinned.
Cecelia was currently hugging Elias tightly as she went hysterical over his condition. The sight was quite fun and nice to watch. However, Ichika's positivity stopped as he noticed Nana standing over Thomas as he laid in the Interface.
"Nana? What's wrong?"
Nana turned around, revealing her somber face.
"Thomas won't wake up."
"Huh?"
"He should be waking up right now," Said Nana, "So what's wrong?"
Kanzashi looked at her monitor.
"Oh no..." Groaned Kanzashi, "Not again!"
"What?"
"Thomas...Thomas got caught."
"Oh come on!" Shouted Nana, "Really?!"
"I'm sorry."
"Should we go in to get him?"
"This whole thing's going nowhere..."
"We can't just go back in, or we'll get attacked again, and that'll just make a bigger hassle..."
Nana's head was held low.
She was losing faith.
"Hey," Ichika consoled, "We'll find a way, we always do."
Ichika came up, and gave Nana a hug to reassure the girl and comfort her.
"...Thanks."
"Hey!" Snapped Lingyin, "Why're you getting so cozy with her, huh?!"
"Lingyin," Said Cecelia, "This isn't the time for-?!"
"Uh-uh!" Said Lingyin, "Why's Ichika giving her all the attention?!"
"Lingyin..." Ichika said, confused.
"Ichika, Elias." Said Nana.
"Huh?"
"Leave the room."
"Hang on," Said Houki, "That's not necessary!"
"Wha?! Why?!" Ichika cried.
"Just...Leave the room."
"Uh...Okay..."
Nana glared angrily at Lingyin as Ichika and Elias turned and went outside the room. Elias looked nervous, as though he knew what was going on. Ichika was dumbstruck, as the situation was moving too fast for him to pick up.
Chifuyu, wearing her normal business attire, had come up a minute or so later.
"What's going on? Why are you two standing out here?"
"Parker told us to remain outside," Said Elias, "I'd rather not get in her way."
Chifuyu quickly caught on, and went to the door.
Ichika, Elias, and Chifuyu opened the door...
...Only to find Houki, Cecelia, Kanzashi, Charlotte, and Laura doing their best to restrain Lingyin and Nana.
"Come here you little fuck!" Screamed Nana.
"Big talk, divorce court!"
"You wanna talk smack, ironing board?!" Nana hissed with rage, "I'll fucking gouge your eyes out!"
"Hey, come on you two!" Said Charlotte, "This isn't getting us anywhere!"
"I'm gonna beat that little shit!" Threatened Nana, "She's gonna get it when I knock her teeth down that big mouth of hers! Ichika was trying to just trying to be a nice guy and give me a little comfort while I was sad, but NO~! That bitch just has to be a cuckold and get all huffy 'cause Ichika's a nice person and cares about others! I've fucking had it! I'm gonna give her a taste of her own medicine, see how she likes it!"
"That's not what Thomas would want!" Said Kanzashi.
"You're right," Said Nana, "BUT THOMAS ISN'T JUST GONNA MAGICALLY WAKE UP AND STOP ME!"
"Just try it!" Shouted Lingyin.
"You're not helping!" Cecelia reprimanded.
Chifuyu grew tired of the scene, and marched in.
The girls noticed, and released Lingyin and Nana, who rushed at each other, with the intent of doing as much harm as they could.
Chifuyu grabbed Lingyin's head in one hand, and Nana's in the other.
She then smashed the pair's heads together hard enough to debilitate them.
The two cried in pain, and nursed their heads.
"Well," Chifuyu growled, "Since you seem so keen on being so close together, why don't you just kiss already?! Now shut it with all the crap about killing each other, before I BURY YOU BOTH! Am I understood?"
The girls nodded, instantly abandoning their previous hatred.
"Now that you both shut up," Said Chifuyu, "Tell me-in an unbiased description-just what the hell is going on."
"Ma'am," Said Kanzashi, "We were trying to complete the operation, but everyone was under attack by some outside program. Dansforth and Orimura came back and got everyone out, but they were caught after. So, we managed to get Scott to come and rescue them."
"And since Scott's still laying over there," Concluded Chifuyu, "He's come under attack as well?"
"Yes Ma'am."
Chifuyu sighed.
"I see."
"What should we do, Ma'am?"
"Well," Chifuyu answered, "Since the immediate threat has been taken care of, we can afford to leave him be for a few minutes."
"WHAT?!" The girls said in unison.
"He's had to deal with everyone's crap today," Chifuyu said, "I'd say he's earned the right to indulge himself a little. Don't worry, I'll be sending in someone else to go get him out, so he'll only be in limbo until she gets here."
Everyone sighed.
"That said," Chifuyu continued, "You can expect that there will be severe punishments for Parker and Huang after that little episode. And since you were so bent on getting up close, you can spend your punishments together."
Lingyin and Nana looked ready to wet themselves.
"As for Orimura and Dansforth, you both need to get to your places. I know for a fact you did something reckless and disruptive to get here, so you two better get a move on, before I find out what it is you did."
"Yes Ma'am!" The two boys said, racing out of the room.
"Oh! Orimura!"
"Yes Ma'am?"
"Tatenashi's requested your presence at the Infirmary, so you can decide what to do first."
"Yes Ma'am!" Ichika said as he ran off.
"As for the rest of you," Chifuyu concluded, "I'll need Sarashki to monitor Thomas until my friend arrives. The rest of you can go about the rest of your day until you're called in for debriefing."
"Yes Ma'am!"
"Dismissed!"
Everyone all went to their respected activities, and Chifuyu pulled out her phone.
"Yin? It's me."
Thomas jolted up.
He sighed in relief.
"What a nightmare." He muttered as he got up.
Thomas had been living in the house the Scotts and the Orimuras shared. They all got along like one big, happy family. In many respects, they were a real family in all but name. They'd lived in Japan for years, and people always confused them as a whole family.
It was perfect.
Thomas yawned as he got himself dressed for the day.
Something seemed different, like something was somewhere it didn't belong.
He could hear the clattering from the kitchen.
Why did everything feel off?
Thomas finished getting dressed, and cautiously made his way out of his room.
The sliding glass door to the backyard in the living room revealed Thomas the truth of why everything seemed so strange. The sky was golden as it was the late afternoon. It was almost sundown!
So that's why everything felt so wrong!
Did he sleep in?!
Thomas looked beyond the living room, and saw the kitchen area of the house.
There was a woman standing there, her back turned to him.
Long, snow-white hair masked her head and shoulders.
Thomas walked up casually towards the woman.
"Good to see you're awake." The woman said, "Chifuyu was about to have a heart-attack when you wouldn't wake up. So, You father took Ichika and Chifuyu out for the day to calm her down. Then again-"
The woman whipped around on her heel to face Thomas.
"-That's what happens when you decide to spend all night playing video games! You had your Mama so worried!"
Thomas had witnessed the woman's full features.
She wore a sweater, jeans, and an apron as she worked on food in the kitchen. But most importantly, She had snow-white hair, blood-crimson eyes, and skin that looked as though it was untouched by the sun.
There was no doubt who this woman was.
How could he forget?
"Sorry, Mama..." Thomas whined.
"Well, not much we can do now." Sighed the woman.
"I..." Thomas muttered, "I had a nightmare."
"Hm?"
"Nothing!"
"Oh no you don't! You know better than to bottle things up with your Mama!"
"Well..." Thomas caved in, "I had a bad dream."
"Oh my...What happened?"
"I...Woke up one morning, and you weren't there."
"Oh?"
"And everybody acted like you never even existed, that I was just imagining things. It was horrible..."
The woman set down her cooking equipment as she came up, and gave Thomas a warm, tender hug.
"Don't be so scared, sweetie," She cooed softly, "Mama's always here for you, always was, and always will. You don't have to be afraid of being abandoned and ending up all alone. No matter what happens, I'll always watch over you, so that no matter when or where, you'll never be alone..."
The more Thomas gazed upon his mother, the more backfired her assurances were.
For some reason, the woman looked...Off.
But why?
This was his mother, wasn't it?
So...Why did she seem so out of place?
Wait...Her face...
That wasn't right...Or was it? What was wrong with her?
Images that Thomas couldn't recall began to flood his mind.
Was his mother...red eyes, and silver hair? Or was it short black hair and red eyes? Or was she shorter, and insane? Or was she blonde, and had a limp arm? No, or maybe red eyes, caramel hair, and sadistic?
Thomas began to feel the world around him spin.
What was going on?
"Oh my!" Cried the woman, quickly pulling Thomas back into an embrace until his dizzy spell went away.
"Don't worry," She smiled, "I'm not going anywhere...This is me, your Mama."
The woman gave Thomas a tender kiss on the forehead.
Thomas felt at ease.
This was right.
This was his mother after all...
Suddenly, the front door exploded as another woman broke in!
"Huh?!"
This woman was covered head-to-toe in a black and white Combat Suit, her face obscured by a visor. She had white hair, just like the woman Thomas had deemed mother, but the new woman's white hair was tied into a ponytail.
Wait...What?
Why did that soldierly woman seem so familiar.
Almost as if...
...As if...
The strange images once again went through Thomas's mind.
But they were so familiar.
That woman...In the locker room...In the hallway...On the beach...It was her.
Now it all made sense.
Why this woman was so out of place, why that other woman was so familiar...
...This was all a fake!
That meant...The soldierly woman was that Yin lady!
The woman rushed Yin, only to have Yin put her down on the ground with a martial arts combo.
The world went white, and Yin and Thomas stood in cyberspace.
"Nice to see you again." Said Yin.
"You're...That Yin-woman, right?"
"Yeah...It's...Me."
Suddenly, Chifuyu pulled up on a holo-screen.
"Scott, you're back to normal, return so we can assess if anything happened to you while you were out. Yin-"
"Miss Orimura," Interrupted Yin, "I...I need to do it."
"What?"
"I just can't do this anymore," Yin whined, "I just gotta."
Chifuyu was silent.
Thomas was confused.
"Do what you have to." Chifuyu said, the holo-tab collapsing and disappearing.
"What's that mean?" Thomas inquired.
"It means...We need to talk."
"About what? Who are you...Really?"
Yin froze.
Should she do it? Was she really going to finally expose herself? Would she finally bring this wild goose chase she'd been on for 16 years to finally come to a close? Did she really have the right to become the mother she should've been?
Yin thought long and hard, her hands moving up to her face to remove her visor.
It would be so easy...
She'd finally do the right thing.
But most of all, she'd have the closure she needed. If she finally took off her mask, come out of her shell, she'd finally know whether or not Thomas loved her, or despised her as his mother.
She would know the truth.
But...
Suddenly, instead of placing her hands to remove her visor, Yin suddenly lunged and pulled Thomas into a tight hug before he could react.
She just wasn't ready to go that far yet.
The one line she dared not to cross.
"Y'know," She whispered, "That little illusion was actually very close to the real thing."
Thomas blinked in confusion, his cheeks beginning to flush red as he felt Yin's chest against him.
One day.
One day, Yin would finally go back to being Ellen Scott.
But today wasn't that day.
"I'm glad," She said, "I'm glad there's still hope for me, Son. So, no matter where or when, You'll know I'm here..."
Thomas flinched.
"Wai-"
Thomas called out, but he was too slow.
Yin dematerialized around Thomas, and vanished.
He could still feel the warmth of Yin's body around him.
Was that real?
Who...Was Yin?
Thomas's once-angered mind softened, and remembered what he'd seen.
All the anger had simply...vanished.
Thomas sighed, not wanting to wake up, and leave the warmth Yin left him with behind.
But...As much as one can dream a utopia, everyone has to wake up and do something with their own two hands.
Thomas closed his eyes, and returned to the real world.
Thomas opened his eyes.
"Good to see you back in the land of the living." Chifuyu said, standing at Thomas's side.
Thomas groaned, and rolled over like he was trying to sleep.
"Come on, idiot," Chifuyu chuckled, "You've napped the entire day away already!"
Chifuyu picked Thomas up, and put him on his feet.
"I...Had a dream."
"Did you now?"
"Everyone was there...But Mom was too. I don't know why...But I think I know what she looks like."
Chifuyu processed, and gave Thomas a tender smile.
"Chi-Miss Orimura?" Said Thomas, "Do you...Think I'll ever get to meet my mom?"
Chifuyu was silent for a bit of time as she came up with a proper answer.
"I won't lie," Said Chifuyu, "I'm not sure you'll get to find her anytime soon, nor is she gonna magically appear if you wish hard enough. But...I'd bet my life that you'll finally find her one day, that she'll come home and we'll all be a family."
"You think so?"
"I know so."
"...Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Now, go ahead and return to your dorm room. You actually slept the entire day away, it's 6:00."
"Oh..."
While you were out," Chifuyu added, "Your father came home, and found you left the door unlocked."
"Oh..."
"You'll have to bite the bullet on that one, sorry."
"Mhm..."
"Get going, I'll be finishing things up here."
Thomas trotted off.
Just who was Yin?
Thomas thought long and hard.
As the boy sat in his dorm room, he changed into his pajamas, and contemplated as night came around.
Today had been quite long.
It was dull, boring, fruitful, bad, and confusing.
But he was so deep in thought that he couldn't sleep.
Thomas walked slowly about the room as he thought about the events, both long-term and recent, that led him to this very moment. The time he spent discovering his talents as an IS Pilot back in the States, coming to the IS Academy to find his long-lost childhood friends, winning, losing, fighting for his life, making and bonding with new friends, playing the days away. He also remembered the dark secrets, Phantom Task's obsession with him, and all the bad things that happened.
Thomas stared into the night sky, uncertain of what was to come.
The unknown scared him.
But that strange question he had long forgotten came back.
What were his friends?
If it weren't for everyone, he wouldn't have come back to the IS Academy to save Ichika and Elias, but rather pursued a fleeting thing that had no guarantee of giving him the answers he'd searched for for so long.
It was what led him to that question.
What were his friends to him?
Were his friends holding him back? Or were they keeping him modest?
As hard as Thomas thought about the question, he simply couldn't find an answer.
Or, perhaps, an answer he was satisfied with.
What would he do?
Would he forsake his friends? Abandon his friends and further himself? If he did, he would have a much better chance of finding what he wanted so long and dearly to see for so many years. It would be so easy to just up and leave, to set his own path and find his own destination.
Or...
Would he stand with his friends? Stay by their side and be there when they fell? If he did, there was no certainty that they'd do the same for him. It felt as though they'd ignored him for the sake of others, and everything he did was simply a cry for attention.
Take his friends for granted? Or let his friends take him for granted?
The path Thomas had was fraught with peril and uncertainty.
He sighed.
There was a strange, but hypnotic purity in leaving it all behind and moving on unencumbered.
But...
Thomas had to stop thinking so narrowly. Moving on with all that held him back was life's challenge. Sure, it would most likely one day come to haunt him, like his mother's absence. Yet...He couldn't find it within himself to leave everyone behind.
He knew he'd struggle with this dilemma again, and didn't make a vow.
But for now...
...He'd stay.
But for how long he'd do so, was still unknown.
Even so, Thomas finally felt satisfied.
His place was right here, with everyone else.
And that was that.
A/N: Done! I'm so sorry about all the sudden releases of chapters, but I'm trying to do the Christmas Chapter before the end of the year, so here's to hoping I can get things done and go back to normal!
I know, everyone's gonna be so pissed off at me for not letting Yin and Thomas finally be the mother and son they were meant to be, but hear me out, please? This ending was the best I could think of, one that doesn't change everything completely, but there's still some actual development that comes out of it. Please don't kill me, this will just make Yin and Thomas's reunion all the greater.
People are probably concerned that I'm being so stressful during the holidays, but that's because I have a passion for writing American Idiot, which will no doubt one day reach a conclusion, as much as I hate to say it.
However, nobody flipping cares!
You know why?
You guessed it: IT'S FINALLY OVER! The long-awaited profiles for none other than Knight Gunner Remake and the Full-Package Byakushiki are here, at long last! So sit back and read to your heart's content!
The Knight Gunner Remake was commissioned upon Elias's return to England. After a very long scolding, Elias had made a personal request to streamline the Knight Gunner for the coming future. The original Knight Gunner was hastily completed to allow Elias to go to the IS Academy as quickly as possible. The Remake version is far superior in both design and functionality.
The Knight Gunner Remake utilizes a brand-new Lancer Bit-one of the additions Elias requested after the Kyoto Incident-A Beam Sniper Rifle, a Tactical Helmet, Targeting Visor, and experimental Hyper-Sensor Visor Helmet-designed with a Templar Knight helmet shape, twin Thermal Blades,
The Remake still retains its 10 Optical Drones, 4 Beam Cannons, Barrier Shield but these is about the only things that aren't changed.
Further additions to the Knight Gunner Remake include the addition of the "Calvary Mode." When in Calvary Mode, the Knight Gunner's legs split apart to 4 legs, and the Unit's main movements are to use hover-jets. This not only boasts a higher agility in combat, but enough force to allow the Knight Gunner Remake to overpower enemy Units. This modification was requested by Elias, after witnessing Autumn's Arachnae Unit during the Kyoto Incident debriefing.
The Knight Gunner Remake still retains inspiration from the Earlcumber from Knight's and Magic, but now has references from the Hi Nu Gundam and the Gundam Kimaris. The Calvary Mode is an homage to the Gundam Kimaris's Trooper Mode.
Upon returning to the IS Academy, Elias's Knight Gunner Remake was tested in a mock-battle and found to show more promising results than before it received modifications in England.
Onto the Full-Package Byakushiki!
After finally returning to Kuramochi Machinery Development, Ichika was able to finally complete the Byakushiki's modification and production. However, an unforeseen error had occurred. Due to a glitch that seemingly couldn't be fixed, the Byakushiki's power-supply wasn't fixed, and the issue was brought back to its original form, leaving the Byakushiki back at square 1. Kagaribi used data collected from the Byakushiki and added extra weaponry.
The Full-Package Byakushiki now uses the experimental Type 3 Yukihira Nagata. The Type 3 Yukihira is the combination of both the Yukihira Nagata itself and a Laser-Edge Sheath designed to act as a broadsword, the Sheath and Yukihira are combined for a Buster-Sword Mode, serving as the Type 3's trademark. The Byakushiki also wields twin Light Blades, Twin Hip-Mounted Charged Particle Cannons, a Barrier Shield, and the Setsura.
Further modifications include a Tactical Helmet, and Combat Visor. One of the biggest modifications to the Byakushiki was the addition of the experimental new Stratos Armor.
The Stratos Armor was developed as the trademark for 3rd Generation Units, designed for use in any battlefield. The Stratos Armor is an added set of multi-purpose gear deployed and used by IS Units. The modifications are added as sorts of armor, hence their terminology.
The Byakushiki's Stratos Armor features a Charger designed to recharge the Byakushiki while deployed, allowing it to fight longer in combat. It also has a built-in Lancer Bit, Twin Beam Cannons, and Railgun.
The Byakushiki's Stratos Armor was inspired by The Gundam Barbatos 6th Form, from Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.
Upon returning to the IS Academy, it appears that Ichika still prefers to use the Type 1 and 2 Yukihira Nagata overall, and is reluctant to use the newer weaponry out of habit. And so, the Byakushiki's Stratos Armor is rarely seen in use.
The Full-Package Byakushiki was inspired in principle by the Gundam Exia, from Gundam 00.
Hope you all enjoy! I've been working on these concepts for a long time, and I hope they are accepted by everyone! As much as I feel kinda rude for making them, it made sense to do so, as it'll open up opportunities for Elias and Ichika to grow in future chapters.
Happy holidays, wherever you are in the world!
Next Time: A gift for the girl with everything.
It's Christmas time! However, it comes as a shock to everyone to discover Cecelia's birthday is Christmas Eve! As everyone prepares for the long-awaited holiday to come around, Elias finds himself in a pinch! Not only is he panicked to find the right way to celebrate Cecelia's birthday with her, but...
...What can you get for the girl who has everything?
Leave a review, they're much appreciated and show that you care!