|next day – course 2 classroom|
"Wow, what are you doing there Tatsuya?" Mizuki asks while Tatsuya is typing away on his console.
"I'm checking the courses and chose them already." Tatsuya replies, keeping up his work.
"Do mine too, I'll take anything that gets me out of this classroom." Sosuke begs from the seat next to Tatsuya, his upper body lying sprawled across the desk lifelessly.
"Do it yourself." Tatsuya replies, not even bothering to look at his former comrade.
"Impressive, that is quite some speed, especially for someone using a keyboard." Leonhart Sajiro says from his seat in front of Tatsuya.
"If you're used to it, you can be quite fast. "Tatsuya replies, looking up at the new face.
"I'm Leonhart by the way, Leo if you want." He introduces himself.
"I'm Tatsuya Shiba." Tatsuya replies.
"Sosuke." Sosuke yawns, raising his hand only for Erika to chop him in his head.
"Make yourself presentable." She hisses at her new friend, before introducing herself to Leo.
"I'm Erika, and that's Mizuki."
"By the way, my speciality is Convergence- type fortifying magic, what's yours Tatsuya?" Leo inquires.
"I want to become a magical engineer." Tatsuya informs him just before the bell rings and their teacher appears, who turns out to be a young brunette woman, who is actually an intelligence gathering specialist and gets recognized by both Tatsuya and Sosuke.
After their introduction classes Sosuke, Tatsuya, Erika, Mizuki and Leo meet up with Miyuki who wants to head home with her brother and his classmates, but her new classmates are against Miyuki fraternizing with course 2 students.
"Just leave them alone." Leo tells the group of course 1 students, who are trying to stop Miyuki.
"Miyuki wants to go home with her brother. Can't you just let them be?" Mizuki says upset.
"This is a matter that concerns course 1 students. Don't meddle in our business you weeds." Shun Morisaki, the leader of the group says.
"We're all new students, why do you think you blooms are superior to us in anyway at this point?" Mizuki challenges them.
"You want to know how superior we are?" Shun asks cockily.
"Can't we just bounce and let me have some of Mizuki's food?" Sosuke asks Tatsuya, with the three standing at the sidelines.
"No. This could become a problem." Tatsuya replies, observing the situation.
"Interesting, why don't you show us your superiority then?" Leo challenges, getting in a running stance.
"Fine, then I'll show you." Shun agrees, getting out his gun cad, aiming at Leo who only gets a few steps closer to Shun before he's already casting magic, luckily for the bulky brunette Erika beats Leo Shun to the punch, knocking the gun out of Shun's hand with her baton cad.
"Moving my body is much faster at this range." Erika says cockily.
"You could have smashed my hand too you know." Leo tells her annoyed.
"Hah, as if I'd ever do such a thing." Erika says with a fake laugh.
"You weeds." Another of the upper course student curses, readying his cad.
"All of you, stop." Honoka, a petite brunette with purple eyes yells, casting a spell with her cad.
Tatsuya sees this and analyzes the spell, when he seemingly stops the time around him while he's computing the magic sequence, he's stunned to see Sosuke walk over to the girl casually.
The next thing everyone sees is Sosuke kissing Honoka's cad wielding Hand while kneeling on one knee and gives her a wink while her cast gets disrupted.
"Stop it right there! Unless it's for self-defense, head-to-head magic attacks are criminal acts." Mayumi tells the group.
"I'm Mari Watanabe head of the disciplinary Commitee, I'll be taking your statements now. All of you, come with me!" Mari says, walking up to the group with Mayumi, both having their cad's ready.
"Ms. Student Council President. No need to be so tense." Sosuke whispers from behind her suddenly, giving the shocked girl a gentle should rub with one hand while lowering her cad wielding outstretched one.
Mayumi turns her head to the side shocked to see that he's suddenly behind her and Sosuke simply gives her a wink also, continuing to rub her shoulders.
"Sorry about that. It was just horseplay that got out of hand." Tatsuya apologizes, stepping forward.
"Horseplay?" Mari asks, having her cad aimed at Sosuke with a tickmark on her temple while Mayumi is simply enjoying the attention from the new student.
"The Morisaki clan's quick-draw is famous and I wanted to see a demonstration, things just got kind of out of hand." Tatsuya informs Mari.
"Then why was that girl about to cast an attack spell?" Mari questions, pointing at Honoka, while lowering her cad wielding arm.
"That was just a flash spell. With lowered potency even." Tatsuya replies.
"Oh, I see. You have an ability to read activation sequences while they get launched." Mari says, stunning Mayumi and she shakes off Sosuke's hands, giving him a warm smile before he makes his way back over to Miyuki.
"I'm not good at practical magic, but I pride myself in my analysis ability." Tatsuya replies.
"My brother is telling the truth. It was just a misunderstanding. I apologize for the trouble." Miyuki says, bowing to Mari and Mayumi after stepping forward as well.
"That's alright then Mari, right? It was just to learn right Tatsuya?" Mayumi tells her friend.
"However, just to avoid further problems. Let me make this clear, the implementation of magic entails some details I advise you to get familiar with before you attempt to show off your skills again." Mayumi tells the group.
"I'm going to look the other way this time, since the Student council president raised a good point." Mari tells the group, who all bow in thanks, other than Sosuke, who gives Mayumi a thumbs up along with a wide smirk.
"What are your names?" Mari asks Tatsuya and Sosuke.
"Class 1-E, Tatsuya Shiba." Tatsuya replies.
"Sosuke Sagara, same class." Sosuke tells her.
After that Mari and Mayumi leave the groups to themselves.
"Brother can we go home now?" Miyuki asks her brother.
"Sure." Tatsuya replies, while Shun leaves after telling Tatsuya that him stepping in doesn't change anything.
"Um, I'm Honoka Mitsui. I'm sorry for what just happened." The cute brunette who casted the flash spell apologizes to the group consisting of Tatsuya, Mizuki, Leo, Erika, Miyuki and Sosuke.
"Thank you for stopping my cast. I don't think I would have gotten off that easily otherwise." Honoka thanks Sosuke, with a bow.
"Don't sweat it. We're all first year students, so we should stick together right?" Sosuke tells her.
"Umm, is it OK if we walk to the station with you?" Honoka then asks the group after a moment of nervousness with Shizuku standing next to her.
"Sure, come on. I want to taste Miyuki's food as soon as possible." Sosuke says, leading the group out of the gate while shoving the brother and sister pair forwards.
"Miyuki's food? Are you and Miyuki…?" Honoka asks disappointed and shocked.
"Hah, and have him looming over my head as brother in law? Are you crazy? No, no, no Tatsuya still owed me from a bet and Miyuki offered to cook me something instead of Tatsuya, something I'm eternally grateful for." Sosuke explains.
"I don't like you talking bad about my brother." Miyuki says with a frown, ice starting to cover Sosuke's hand.
"Relax, we're all friends here right? And you of all people should know that he can't cook." Sosuke says, poking Tatsuya's arm, while he grabs Miyuki's hand to calm her down.
"He is right Miyuki. I'd be lost without your help." Tatsuya tells her, getting his sister to blush while the rest of the group other than Sosuke is stunned at the brother's and sister's behavior.
|The next morning |
Tatsuya, Sosuke and Miyuki are walking to the school together, since Sosuke stayed the night when Mayumi runs up from behind them, shouting their names.
"Good morning to you three." Mayumi greets them when the three stop and turn around to face her.
"Good morning Ms. President." Tatsuya and Miyuki greet her.
"Morning, can I call you Mayumi by the way?" Sosuke greets her, putting his arm around her and continuing on his path while taking Mayumi with him and the two siblings falling in step with them.
"Uhm, sure?" Mayumi agrees, not used to Sosuke's direct behavior.
"Actually there is something I'd like to discuss with Miyuki. Do the three of you have plans for lunch yet?" Mayumi questions, looking at the brother and sister in particular.
"For you, we'll make time." Sosuke decides for the group, squeezing Mayumi's shoulder once, catching her by surprise.
"Great, come to the student council office then at lunch please." Mayumi tells them and runs ahead of them while fighting down a blush.
|later that day|
Sosuke, Tatsuya and Miyuki step into the student council office after being called in.
"Don't be shy, come in. Join us." Mayumi tells the three and they sit down on the free side of the table, seating Mayumi at the head and three other girls on one side of the table.
"Allow me to introduce everyone. Sitting next to me is our treasurer Suzune Ichihara. You already know Mair Watanabe from yesterday and the last person is our secretary Azusa Nakajo aka. A-Chan." Mayumi introduces the members of the student council.
"President! Don't call me A-Chan in front of underclassmen." Azusa complains.
"Hanzo is the last person on this council for this semester, but he's not here right now." Mayumi continues and the group eat their respective meals.
"Let's get down to business." Mayumi says once everyone's finished.
At this school the student council president is chosen by election but the other officers are chosen solely by the president. There are some exception but in general I can also dismiss or request chairmen for each committee." Mayumi explains to the three new students.
"One such exception is my own Disciplinary Committee. The members of the Disciplinary Committee appoint three officers each to the Student Council, Extracurricular Activities Federation and the Faculty Committee while the Chairman is chosen by internal election." Mari explains.
"Now then as is tradition we'd like to appoint the first year student representative to the Student Council. Miyuki, I'd like you to join the Student Council. Will you accept?" Mayumi says.
Miyuki looks to her brother, who nods for her to accept, but instead she asks, "President, do you know about my brother's entrance exam scores? I believe you should rather choose my brother for the Student Council position I'd be honored to join but I'd like for my brother to join with me."
"Unfortunately that isn't a possibility. The officers from the Student council have to be chosen from the first course student per regulations." Suzune explains.
"I apologize, I shouldn't have been so forward." Miyuki then apologizes.
"It's settled then. You'll be joining us in the Student Council as our secretary Miyuki." Mayumi says, trying to ease the tension in the room.
"I will do the best of my ability to assist you, thank you for allowing me to join you." Miyuki thanks them.
"Uhm, quick side question. What am I doing here? I mean I'm not against having lunch with so lovely ladies, but is there a reason I was asked to join?" Sosuke asks Mayumi, only getting a shrug of her shoulders in response.
"Actually I have a suggestion. There are still two spots on the Disciplinary Committee that haven't been filled, since some of our member graduated." Mari chimes in.
"Mari, I told you we're still in the middle of selection process." Mayumi tells her.
"If I'm not mistaken, selecting a course 2 student for the disciplinary Committee wouldn't be a violation of the rules." Mari says.
"Nice. That's right joining the Disciplinary Committee wouldn't be a problem. Mari, the student Council hereby nominates Tatsuya Shiba and Sosuke Sagara for the disciplinary Committee." Mayumi says excitedly.
"Wait a second here, before I agree to join anything, I don't even know what the disciplinary Committee does." Tatsuya says.
"Basically the Disciplinary Committee maintains order at this school." Mayumi explains.
"That's all?" Tatsuya questions.
"Uhm, the Disciplinary Committee acts against any violation of the school regulations regarding the use of magic." Azuka explains.
"Just one question." Tatsuya says.
"What is it?" Mari asks.
"Whenever a fight breaks out the Disciplinary Committee has to stop it by force am I correct?" Tatsuya asks.
"Yeah, more or less." Mari replies.
"That applies if magic is used as well?" Tatsuya asks.
"Ideally we'd stop it before it gets that far, but yes." Mari says.
"I'm a course 2 student due to my low practical exam however." Tatsuya informs them.
"That's fine. We have enough members who have sufficient strength." Mari tells him when the bell rings, interrupting the conversation.
"Let's continue this after school." Mari suggests.
"Sure, by the way if you're willing to have me I'd be honored to join the disciplinary Committee." Sosuke says, before leaving with the Shiba siblings.
|after school|
Sosuke, Tatsuya and Miyuki enter the student council office for the second time that day after being called in by Mayumi.
"Hey, you made it." Mari greets the three.
"Welcome and thanks for coming." Mayumi greets them from her seat at the president's table with Mari standing next to her, while Azuka and Suzune sit on some computers at the side.
After the greeting the other male in the room walks past Sosuke and Tatsuya, to greet Miyuki.
"I'm Gyobu Hattori, welcome to the Student Council Miyuki Shiba." He says.
"OK then, let's get moving." Mari tells Sosuke and Tatsuya.
"Where to?" Tatsuya asks.
"The Disciplinary Committee's headquarters." Mari answers.
"Can you stop with the questions?!" Sosuke asks Tatsuya annoyedly.
"Ms. Watanabe, wait a minute please." Hattori stops her.
"What is it Vice President Hattori?" Mari asks.
"I'm opposed to those two first years being appointed to the Disciplinary Committee. No weed has even been appointed to it before." Hattori tells her.
"It's forbidden to discriminate against course 2 students by calling them weeds. You have some nerve saying that term in front of me." Mari tells him challengingly.
"Do you intent do arrest a third of the entire student body? Because that's what that rule would lead to." Hattori says.
"The Disciplinary Committee is supposed to act against the illegal use of magic, weeds can't take that position. Their skills are inferior." Hattori tells her.
"It's true that the Disciple Committee's members are recruited because of their value in enforcing the law, however… Tatsuya can read activation sequences as they are being cast and accurately predict what spell is going to be used. And Sosuke stopped a cast with a simple touch, I believe there is more to him than meets the eye too." Mari informs Hattori.
"Mari, you're going to make me blush." Sosuke snickers with a grin.
"That's impossible. An activation sequence is loaded with data, no one would be able to comprehend such amount of Data, nevertheless in real time and the only reliable way to stop magic should be known to you Mari." Hattori says, not believing her.
"It's true that it goes against common sense which is why their abilities would be immensely useful." Mari says, intend on making the two course 2 students member of her Committee.
"Also just as you stated, the Course 2 and Course 1 difference is growing bigger by the day. I want to bridge that Chasm by showing the student body that The Disciple Committee doesn't accept unfair treatment towards either course students." Mari tells Hattori.
"President, as Vice President I'm against these course two students joining the disciplinary Committee. With their lack of ability they'd be in over their heads." Hattori tells Mayumi.
"Wait a minute. It's true that my brothers practical test scores weren't outstanding, but only because his skills were incompatible with the method of assessment! In an actual battle, my brother would never lose to anyone." Miyuki defends her brother.
"Ms. Shiba, a magician must be calm and rationally analyse everything as it is. An aspiring magician such as you shouldn't allow her judgement be clouded by nepotism." Hattori berates Miyuki.
"Vice President, will you take me on in simulated battle?" Tatsuya asks the teen, walking over to him.
"Ohh, the sis-con got defensive." Sosuke chuckles, suddenly sitting on Mayumi's table, with her looking at him surprised since she never saw him move.
"What?" Hattori asks outraged.
"Don't be arrogant you're only a weed." Hattori shouts at Tatsuya.
"It's not that I want to be on the Committee, but I have to prove that my sisters judgement isn't clouded." Tatsuya says.
"Fine. I'll show you just how much you need to know your place! And you. I'll show you as well." Hattori tells Tatsuya and Sagara.
|A few minutes later in a training hall|
After fetching his cad with Miyuki, Tatsuya and Miyuki join Sosuke and the student council members in the 3rd training hall.
"Do you always carry around multiple storage devices?" Mari asks Tatsuya, when he steps to the middle of the room, opposite of the waiting Hattori.
"Yes, since I don't have sufficient processing skills for a normal cad." Tatsuya explains.
"I'm going to explains the rules now: Spells that prove fatal as well as spells that would cause irreparable damage are forbidden. Direct attacks should never cause your opponent more than a sprain. Weapons and Bare-handed attacks are permitted. The winner is decided, when one party acknowledges deafeat or when the referee determines that one party is unable to continue.
That's it." Mari announces.
"Are you ready? Begin!" Mari shouts, starting the match and Hattori immediately starts casting a momvent spell, intending to send Tatsuya flying against a wall. Before he finishes the cast however Tatsuya runs behind Hattori and launches his attack, causing Hattori to pass out and fall to the floor.
"The winner is Tatsuya Shiba." Mari announces shocked.
"Hold on, was that a preloaded acceleration technique just now?" Mari asks Tatsuya when he's about to put away his cad.
"It wasn't magic, just the result of extensive physical training." Tatsuya informs her, getting a scoff from Sosuke as result.
"My brother practices Ninjutsu, he's a student of Kokonoe Yakumo." Miyuki explains while the council member other than Mari put Hattori sitting up against a wall.
"Was that attack also Ninjutsu? All I could see was a pure Psyon pulse." Mayumi asks.
"That's right. It was a basic oscillation sequence that sends out waves.
"How did that knock out Hattori though?" Mari questions.
"Motion sickness. Mages perceive Psyons the same as they would light and sound. When hit by an sudden hit of Pysons they get the feeling of being tossed around, resulting in extreme motion sickness.
"How did you create such a strong pulse?" Mayumi questions.
"Constructive interference. He created three waves with different Frequencies, chosen so they would create a threeway pulse around Hattori." Suzune explains.
"That's correct." Tatsuya confirms.
"But how did you cast it so quickly? Your test results would have been much higher if it were by normal means." Suzune says.
"Excuse me, is that a Silver Horn? Tatsuya?" Azusa asks, inspecting his cad.
"Silver Horn, you mean as in the legendary engineer Taurus Silver?" Mayumi questions surprised.
"Yes, he's a living legend, who's name face and anything basically is a mystery." Azusa explains dreamily.
"And he's renown for his loop cast system, Silver Horns are special cads designed by Taurus Silver himself." Azusa tells them.
Tatsuya then confirms Suzume's assumption that Tatsuya ran the specs of each wave himself during that short time and Hattori wakes up around the same time.
"Practical scores are based on casting speed, length and complexity of the sequence and the sequence's power to rewrite information on the target. I see now that you were right when you said the test measured your ability incorrectly." Hattori says, getting up with some difficulty, leaning against a wall.
"Are you alright Hanzo?" Mayumi asks, with Sosuke stepping next to her asking "Can I fight now? And can it be someone else than the guy about to hurl? Can I just beat up Tatsuya?" Sosuke asks excited by the idea.
"I'm not going to hurl." Hattori says offended.
"Well you look like it… So what do you say President? Me against Tatsuya or do you want to step in the ring? I promise I'd be a gentleman." Sosuke asks her teasingly with Hattori attempting to push him away from Mayuri, only for Sosuke to jump out of the way while carrying the President.
Mayumi looks to Mari for her opinion.
"I'd be interested in seeing you fight Tatsuya after his display… If he's willing to." Mari says, looking at the dark-haired teen.
"Fine I suppose." Tatsuya agrees.
"Quick question, what are the repair costs for this place?" Sosuke whispers to Mayumi with a wink, while lowering her to the floor carefully.
"Uhm, the room repairs itself via a magic sequence, reverting it to its default state." Mayumi informs him.
"Thanks." Sosuke thanks her, giving the back of her hand a chaste kiss before stepping in the middle of the ring, facing Sosuke while Mayumi has a smile on her face, enjoying the attention he's giving her, even though he often teases her.
"Sosuke. Do I need to ask everyone outside?" Tatsuya asks.
"Nah, I'll just be using my finger gun." Sosuke replies casually, while Tatsuya takes off his jacket, handing it to his sister.
"Are the rules clear?" Mari asks the two fighter, getting a nod positive from each.
"Begin." She then shouts and the group sees Tatsuya appear where Sosuke previously stood.
"Man, have you been slacking off during the last years?" Sosuke laughs, standing behind Tatsuya himself.
Tatsuya whirls around, raising his gun, only for Sosuke to stand behind him again, leaning against Tatsuya, who then throws him over his shoulder towards a wall, where a loud impact is heard with a large cloud of dust beign kicked up.
"Sosuke?!" Mayumi asks schocked and is about to run to the hole.
"Worry not. I only got rid of a bit of baggage." Sosuke tells her, standing in the middle of the group, shocking all of them other than Tatsuya, who rushes over attempting to engage him in a ninjutsu fight.
Sosuke simply dodges the first three hits until Tatsuya would've hit the President with a roundhouse kick.
Sosuke blocks the attack and shoves the man back lightly, causing Tatsuya to skid across the room, before seemingly appearing from sight again, same as Sosuke until they reappear in the middle of the room.
"Tatsuya, you should pay more attention, you almost hit our beautiful president." Sosuke berates him, holding Tatsuya in a chokehold.
"Are you going to give up? Cause I don't want to use my fingers afterall. I mean how would you explain your speedy recovery?" Sosuke asks.
"Not yet." Tatsuya grunts.
"You maybe fast and stronger, but technique wise I always had you beat." Tatsuya tells him, freeing himself from the former mercenary's grip.
"That's fair. I never had a trainer. Though I think you underestimate how far outmatched you are here." Sosuke whispers, before disappearing from everyone's sight, having caught Tatsuya by his shirt and is speeding around the room, jumping wildly around in the half of the room away from the stunned speechless observers.
"Do you yield?" Sosuke asks Tatsuya, holding him over the ground by his shirt with a serious expression on his face while the walls around them are littered with holes from where Sosuke jumped off them.
"I yield." Tatsuya admits defeat and Sosuke stands up, pulling Tatsuya up after him and dusts his opponent off a bit.
"Sorry, you may need your sis to clean your clothes again." Sosuke tells him.
Sosuke then vanishes from sight for a moment before the group sees him sitting in the hole which everyone initially thought he landed in.
"What was that?" Mari asks terrified of him, looking at Sosuke with wide eyes, while parts of the wall opposite of them crumble until Mayumi's face can be seen sketched out with the remaining parts of the wall.
"Too bad the room regenerates huh?" Sosuke says smiling while giving the president a wink, causing her to blush yet again.
"I think its safe to say you're overqualified for the position." Mari tells Sosuke.
"What caused that explosion earlier?" Azusa asks.
"Oh, that'd be these puppys." Sosuke tells her, rolling up his pants to reveal ankle weights with various cad inscriptions on them.
"Wooow." Azusa says impressed, checking the equipment, while Tatsuya shakes his head thinking 'So the commander requested those for him, since he designed those ankle weights himself.'
"Uhm, I apologize to all three of you. I clearly was being presumptuous." Hattori apologizes to the three.
"Ah, nevermind. We're all comrades now afterall." Sosuke tells him.
"OK, while I could use a few days off to process all of that, we should pick up where we left off." Mari says, leading her two new powerhouse members to the Disciplinary Committee room.
"It's a bit messy, but why don't you have a seat?" Mari offers.
"President, would it be alright if I cleaned this place a bit up? As a fledging engineer this kind of mess is very disconcerting." Tatsuya asks Mari.
"Engineer? Why would you put your combat talent to waste?" Mari questions.
"With the current combat tests, the highest license I can get is a class C." Tatsuya informs her.
"Alright fine, let's clean this place up." Mari agrees.
"Ahh, step outside for a second alright?" Sosuke asks them with a sigh.
"OK?" Mari agrees, leaving with Tatsuya and the two hear a lot of noise from inside the room, until it stops a minute or less later.
"Alright, come back in." Sosuke says, letting them enter and Mari is shocked to see everything looking perfect as though it were new, save for a large box of cads and tech pieces sitting on the desk.
"Knock yourself out Tatsuya." Sosuke tells him, sitting down in a chair next to Mari, who observes the two thoughtfully.
"You are very unusual. How did you come to be in the second course anyways Sosuke? With that skill you should've broken the charts or do you suck at the magical tests like Tatsuya as well?" Mari questions.
"Uhh, I kind of blew off the theoretical part?" Sosuke tells her laughing.
"Don't get me wrong, I know my fair bit about magic, but most of it is self-taught and I was never interested in learning it textbook-style so to speak." Sosuke explains.