Chapter 8: Reconnecting with an Old Friend
The first reaction shown by the whole class is utter silence while staring wide eyed at Ichika and Lafter. The second reaction which is expressed five seconds later is to vocalize their surprise that the two of them knew each other.
"""EHHHH?!"""
They all vocalize their surprise loudly in unison, even those who are simply observing. After all, in the short weeks that they knew Orimura Ichika, he has always been a quiet person who generally ignores anyone unless he is addressed for something important. The only person he actively pay attention to are the teachers, more because they are teachers who teach them important knowledge rather than anything personal.
There is a rumor that Ichika was seen meeting with a blonde older woman but nobody dare to actually confirm it with him or even mention it in his presence after his brutal display but… is Lafter the person he was rumored to have met? She is blonde and her figure would make any girl feel envious.
"O-Orimura-kun, you knew her?!"
The girl that was talking to him asked. Mikazuki nodded.
"She's Lafter. I knew her but it has been a long time since I last met her."
Mikazuki honestly said while smiling, again surprising the whole class that he actually made such an expression. Lafter too look happy to see him. Lafter lean forward until their face is only inches away.
"So Ichika, do you know where Akihiro is?"
Lafter asked as familiar name came out from her mouth, the name of a brother to Mikazuki. Unfortunately, to Lafter's disappointment, Mikazuki shook his head.
"No, I haven't met Akihiro or knew if he is around. I did met several familiar faces though. Kudelia would be happy to see you."
Mikazki said. Though Lafter is visibly disappointed that Mikazuki don't know if Akihiro is around, at least she heard another familiar name and her expression immediately turn into a sly grin.
"So Kudelia is around huh? So tell me, are the two of you dating now?"
Mikazuki nodded.
"Heh, I see, good for you. Then tell her that I say hello!"
Lafter said as she stood up and left, knowing that lesson will begin soon. Mikazuki did not reply but Lafter know that he will tell Kudelia about her if they keep in contact with each other. As Lafter left, Chifuyu entered the class, looking a bit confused at the girl who had just exited her classroom and went back to her own.
When her attention is finally set on the class, she saw another strange sight of the whole class being stunned speechless by something. Chifuyu rubbed her temple, getting the feeling that this day will give her more headache than usual, especially since she saw that the source of all the strange things appear to be her brother if the girls' stare meant anything.
'Who was that girl just now...seems like she's very familiar with Ichika.'
Getting so concerned about the girl that appeared this morning, Houki has been unable to concentrate during class.
When she got up this morning, Houki never expect to see something so unexpected like Ichika knowing the transfer student and they seem to be the best of friends and she came to this conclusion because Ichika actually spoke A FULL SENTENCE with her and actually seem to pay attention.
The only time Ichika paid full attention on someone other than the teacher during lesson is when he was talking with Kudelia and that is because she is Ichika's girlfriend. Another thing she took note is that Lafter knew about Kudelia and they also spoke about a person named Akihiro, an unfamiliar name but seem important to Lafter.
This just gave rise to more mysteries about Ichika that makes Houki even more curious. While she normally ignores people and she would admit that she's a bit of an antisocial, though not to the same extreme as Ichika, she is interested in him because she once knew him and is Chifuyu's little brother. So many mysteries and she has no way to find out about anything and that irks her.
"Shinonono, what's the answer?"
"Yes! What?"
Having her name called out, Houki accidentally raised her voice. They're having lessons now, and Chifuyu, not Yamada-sensei, is giving the lesson now which is a bad news for Houki since she was so deep in her thought that she didn't pay attention to the lesson.
"What is the answer?"
"...I, I wasn't paying attention to the lesson..."
The sound of a painful impact echoed throughout the class as the attendance book in Chifuyu's hand found its way to Houki's head. At the back of the classroom, Cecilia was drawing in her notebook with the mechanical pencil. However, she was just drawing some random lines, unable to create any phrases.
It is no secret by now that Cecillia Alcott has a healthy dose of fear of Orimura Ichika. It's not a surprise and no one would blame her because everyone also fears him, though to a much lesser degree. Her trauma is understandable, except, that conclusion is completely wrong. What she felt when she saw Ichika was not simply fear.
Never had she been so outclassed and trivialized that she feels like nothing but a powerless ant waiting to be stepped on. Ichika tore her piece by piece and what he tore is not just her IS but her very world itself. Her confidence, her pride, her everything was torn brutally and uncaringly in such a way that she had become the silent girl of the class. Everything she believed in was grinded to dust without mercy… and he did not even mean it.
That was what Cecillia saw when she fought him and that made it more complicated. Fighting for pride, fighting for country, fighting for what you believe in, all these she can understand. But she was thoroughly outclassed by someone who doesn't even have any reason for fighting. She saw it when he tore her piece by piece, his expression seemingly cold and unfeeling as he did so.
If he was fighting for any of those, she would understand. Hell, if he was fighting like a battle maniac who loves to cause destruction, she would fear him but will also understand. But he was not any of those. When he tore her slowly, all she saw was emptiness, like beating her to the ground into a fine powder held no interest to him. It's like he's doing it simply because things happen to be that way. He was not even seeing her as an opponent.
That expression shook her to the core even more than any simple defeat by a man. A defeat by a man might break her pride and belief but at that time, she did not even think that Orimura Ichika can even be described as a man. And that is why fear is not the correct feeling she felt towards Ichika but rather wonder and curiosity. Yes she fears him, but she also wanted to know what could make a man seem so unfeeling while also being so brutal at the same time. That is not the expression that should be seen on a teenage boy, even she knew that much.
Yet it seems he is not as unfeeling as he appears to be.
The new transfer student's appearance is surprising and more surprising is finding out that Orimura Ichika actually has someone he would call a friend and even a girlfriend. That adds more to the mystery that is Orimura Ichika and that makes her even more curious as how one so strong could have an attitude like his.
During lunch break, Mikazuki would usually sit alone in a corner of the cafeteria while eating anything that caught his fancy on that day. At first, girls from around the campus would gather around him trying to talk to the only boy that could pilot an IS but after seeing how cold he is, not many still try to talk to him. He indulged them very rarely and if he does talk the most he would say is three words per sentence and four sentences per conversation.
The only one who usually ate with him is Shinonono Houki and even when they sat together, Mikazuki and Houki never exchange more than a few words and tend to eat in total silence, though Houki is one of the very few people Mikazuki would respond to when she addressed him mostly because they are roommates and Houki doesn't talk as much as the other girls.
The average teenage girls really are different from the girls he knew. They are very different from the Turbine girls which include Lafter in that list or Kudelia and Atra. They are too loud and too curious as well as obnoxiously annoying when they try to talk to him. The Turbine girls, while they can be as lively, they at least knew when to not talk about meaningless things, not like he interacted with any of them on a frequent basis but whenever he did, they are at least pleasant to talk to.
And speaking of the Turbine girls, one of them came and took the seat directly across Mikazuki. Lafter had ordered an Udon set lunch and joined them in their seat. Mikazuki said nothing as he continue eating a large serving of fried rice.
"That's rare. You didn't eat so much last time I saw you."
Lafter suddenly strike up a conversation after seeing the amount of food Mikazuki ate. If she remembered right, he used to eat a normal portion back in Tekkadan.
"…Kudelia once said that I should eat well and train well if I want to grow properly."
Mikazuki replied. Kudelia once said that to him in their previous life because he was quite short for someone his age. In his new life, Mikazuki had started to indulge himself from time to time, especially in IS academy, and has a much better growth than in his last life, being much taller than he was back then. Lafter hummed, nodding to his response. She can see that he is certainly grew much better this time around.
"Say Ichika, apart from Kudelia, who else did you met? I haven't seen anyone for a few years."
Lafter asked. While she was disappointed that Mikazuki had not met Akihiro, she is curious about who else that he met, though she would carefully word her question so that it appears like she's asking about their friends from simply a few years back instead of a lifetime ago.
"I met Atra a few months ago but I didn't have a chance to talk to her. Other than Kudelia and Atra, I haven't met anyone else."
Mikazuki told her. He actually contemplated whether he should tell Lafter about Micgillis too but decided that it's not important and she probably only want to know about the people she personally knew. As Mikazuki recall, Lafter never met Mcgillis personally. He is probably the one with the most interaction with Mcgillis among the Tekkadan.
"Hee, so you met both of them, lucky you."
She said with a teasing grin.
"Not really. I did say that I didn't get to talk with Atra so I wouldn't call it lucky."
Mikazuki replied as he ate another spoonful of fried rice. Lafter sighed. She should know that teasing him is not easy like with normal boys or even the other members of the Tekkadan.
Lafter then noticed a bangle with Tekkadan's emblem on Mikazuki's wrist. At first she thought it odd that Mikazuki would wear something like a bangle, that is until she remember that IS in standby mode took on the form of an accessory and that Mikazuki has his own personal IS, like her.
"Ichika, is that your IS?"
Lafter asked, pointing at the bangle. Mikazuki look at his bangle that she's pointing at and nodded.
"It is."
"I see. By the way, I saw the recording of your match with the British Representative Candidate. You really haven't changed. You could've held back a little since it's not a fight to the death you know."
"Is that so? I thought I held back a lot. I mean, I tried not to kill or injure her."
Lafter thought about Mikazuki's answer. Well, she could agree with that. Fighting Mikazuki is not easy and usually ended up with his opponent being brutally killed and ripped to shreds. Now that she recalled it, Mikazuki did not land any lethal attack or any attack that could injure his opponent apart from a few shocks and possibly concussions. Knowing how Mikazuki usually fights and having been his opponent once, Lafter could agree that Mikazuki actually did hold back as the Devil of Tekkadan at his best will always aim for a kill.
"Huh, so you did."
"It took more time than to finish than usual but Kudelia forbid me from killing or injuring anyone unless they try to kill me."
"I see. So she does have you on a leash."
"You don't have to put it like that."
Mikazuki frowns at how Lafter interpret his promise with Kudelia while the blonde girl laughs. She then finished her udon while Mikazuki still has a bit more rice left due to the large portion of his food.
"Anyway, it's good to know that you're still as strong as back then. We can now have a rematch during the tournament. Let's see how I measure up to you now."
"Aaa, I will see you then."
The two of them smiled at each other as Lafter got up and left. Houki who had been silently listening in on their conversation was surprised, as was the rest of the students in the cafeteria. In their mind, they are surprised that Mikazuki actually would speak more than a few words to someone. But in several other people's mind, especially Cecillia, they are surprised at something else.
'He was holding back when he fought me? And the way the two of them said it, she had expected him to kill me?!'
Cecillia screamed in her mind. While most are too focused on Mikazuki chatting with someone, Cecillia actually listen in on the whole conversation and paid attention to the minor details. She shuddered now that she found out that there is a chance that Mikazuki would've killed her if not for his promise to Kudelia and he will do it in cold blood if he has to. Cecillia cast a glance at Mikazuki who is still eating. The usually docile boy really is more than meets the eye, and Cecillia got the feeling that she doesn't want to know what kind of secret and life he has to be who he is now.
There is one other person with the most different thought when she overheard the conversation between Mikazuki and Lafter though. Leaning on a wall in a corner is Sarashiki Tatenashi who has a smile adorning her face hidden behind her fan. She had heard enough to confirm everything she had thought about.
"I was not perfectly sure but now I have confirmed that Orimura Ichika is Mikazuki Augus and the new student knew him. Based on her record and what they talked about, she must've been one of the Turbines. Perfect. Considering their track record and what I knew of them, there is no need to guard him from Phantom Task."
Tatenashi said to herself in satisfaction. She closed her fan and walk away, having heard enough. Her mind then wander to another person, one who is currently far away.
"I wonder, what are you doing now, Macky?"
-One week later-
Finally, after so long, Mcgillis once again stared into the faceplate of Gundam Bael once more, or in this case, its Infinite Stratos version. Unlike the usual lightly-armored IS units, the W-01 Bael is a full-armor unit complete with an armor that cover the whole torso reminiscent of a knight's armor along with a helmet which is the complete recreation of Gundam Bael's head. The pristine white unit is currently standing proudly in front of Mcgillis Fareed, its destined pilot.
"Magnificent."
Mcgillis said as he stare into the eyes of the IS' helmet. A complete replica of his Gundam mixing IS technology with some recreated technology from his old life. Currently it is still unarmed as the weapons are still under construction but the unit itself is ready to fly, which is why he is there in the first place.
"Instead of admiring the thing why don't you try using it now? Let's hurry up and start the test."
The dull and bored voice of Renboukouji Akira told him from the speaker. Mcgillis complied. The armor compartment opened up as Mcgillis entered the IS. His back connect with the port inside the armor for the Alaya Vijnana system. The armor closed and fully cover his body and the helmet that was lifter came down to cover his face. Once all parts of the armor have been fully equipped, a HUD appeared inside the helmet and he heard Akira's voice telling him what to do next.
"Everything looks fine and stable. No abnormalities detected in the Alaya Vijnana system here. How is it on your end?"
"I'm fine. I feel refreshed actually. It feels different from the Revive we used as test."
Mcgillis replied, looking at his unit's hands as he moved it around. It feels just… right. While there is no problem and he feels quite comfortable when piloting the Raphael Revive they used as test unit, there is a different, much more intimate sense of comfort when he began moving as Bael.
When he piloted the Revive, it feels mostly like when he piloted Graze Ritter or any other Graze variant. They are good and comfortable units but they just can't match his true units, the Grimgerde and Bael. And now he has the Bael back and it just feels right.
"Good. I have included a prototype AI inside the unit. I don't know how effective it will be compared to the original included in each core but I am sure I have everything down right. We will test it along with Bael's performance. Are you ready?"
Mcgillis nodded. Alan who is also present ant the control room look at Akira and they both nodded to each other. Then a launch gate opened above the Bael and seawater came in, flooding the room. The current base they're in is a submarine currently diving in the Pacific Ocean, to be specific, somewhere in between Australia and Antartica hidden with an advanced cloaking system made by Alan and Akira which is also equipped on the Bael.
When the whole room is flooded, Bael looked up and stated floating.
"Bael, Mcgillis Fareed, launching."
Hi, I'm back but don't expect quick updates to be the norm. I just happen to have the materials for this arc all ready after the hiatus. Anyway, I hope I did well with Houki and Cecillia here. I'm simply setting things up for the future and to show the difference between Ichika and Mikazuki makes a different Houki and Cecillia. Ichika indulges the girls too frequently which makes them take the rein in not simply relationship but also everyday conversation and that result in his opinion being drowned, especially with the girls' stronger personality. In this part, I show that Mikazuki is different in that he very rarely indulges the girls in any small talk no matter what which makes his words, when he actually say something, becomes more valuable and everyone will listen without interuption... or so the impression I wanted to make so I don't have to deal with IS academy girls talking too much.
AnimeFan2016: Not simply traumatized as I have revealed here. I'd thought she will have her uses in the future so instead of traumatized, making her curious would be more productive for the future.
raigalcc: I don't know if I would include Akihiro as part of IS academy since he would then need the Alaya Vijnana system to pilot and the system is supposed to be top secret. While it was originally a whim, Mikazuki being reincarnated as Ichika is also convenient since it means that he is a natural pilot that doesn't need an Alaya Vijnana system to operate an IS.
epikphael: The limiter huh? I don't know, but I think I will make it have one and can be removed manually because MA are not around. And talking about AI and Hasmal gave me a new idea. As for Teiwaz, well, our big bro Naze Turbine is around so maybe the whole Teiwaz too? Who knows. As for Haro, you're like, a Gundam series without a Haro is kinda like it is missing something. I will definitely include a Haro.
GuestGundam: I actually think that Naze and Amida would fit more as her parents than she as part of Naze's harem.
AGundamFan: Probably because Gundam characters are never part of a harem stereotype. Harem girls always have a set of predictable personality.
Drygen: It's not. I rather not say anything about gender difference or anything and I won't comment about gay or transgender stuff. It's just that, well, you know, Gaelio was Mcgillis' enemy for the whole second season and is ultimately the one who killed him. I just find the idea awkward. I mean, the paired girl is the reincarnation of the man who hated you, wear vengeance on you, and ultimately killed you before? well that is just disturbing.
GBF93: No Lafter vs Rin since Lafter is not the Chinese representative but the Spanish representative. The Spanish idea is because I imagine Naze being a Spaniard.