Disclaimer: Do not own.

AN: I'll have an actual one at the bottom again.


"I hope you have a good reason for missing my morning class today Ichika." The sight of his big sister angry never failed to terrify Ichika Orimura.

This time was definitely no exception.

He was close to cowering behind Houki. She glanced to Ichika out of the side of her eyes and barely held back the urge to sigh.

She could almost sympathize with the silver haired teen but it was also frankly ridiculous. He was basically a man and he was basically cowering behind her to avoid his big sister. To be fair his big sister was Chifuyu Orimura. She was the woman renown as the first Brumhilde. She was one of the most talented, if not the outright best, IS user. She was a woman without equal and was seen as comparable to a force of nature to some. She was viewed as unstoppable by nearly everyone in the world. She was the measuring stick all other pilots aspired to surpass in skill. She was a living legend.

Houki could actually see why he was all but cowering behind her now. Chifuyu Orimura may be his sister but she was completely terrifying in the end, wasn't she?

'What did she do to him to make him this scared?' Her mind briefly flashed to what life must have been like with the stern Chifuyu as one of the few people he could rely on and Houki couldn't help her wince.

'Yeah, it must have been terrible.' She felt a good deal amount of sympathy for Ichika before she focused on the task at hand.

"Orimura-sensei, it was my idea to take him to practice with his IS before class began. Since it showed itself to be so different from the normal IS, I wanted to see what I could help him on during our training sessions so he wouldn't be completely lost during class. We decided that the best way to do that was to see how well he could use his IS in a more controlled combat setting such as training. Tatenashi Sarashiki then arrived and offered to help, she would test him with her partially deployed IS while I took down several notes for future sessions. Our results were mostly inconclusive. We must have lost track of time during the testing we were conducting and missed class." Houki somehow managed to look Chifuyu in the eye as she gave the excuse and the teacher narrowed her eyes. She glanced between the two several times before she closed her eyes and sighed.

She seemed to be counting down from ten just under her breath.

"I'll forgive it this time and this time only. From now on, contact either myself or Yamada-san as one of us will supervise such training from now on." She withhheld the desire to glare at the two students. "Ichika's IS is unique but it is also more dangerous than either of you two realize. An accident can easily occur during training with its strange and unknown abilities. The IS Academy cannot let a student risk her life if there is even a possibility of injury. You two may continue this independent training but I expect you back in class tomorrow and to keep me informed when you decide to to train. It would do you both some good if you were early."

"Y-Yes Orimura-sensei." Houki was the only one to respond.

He didn't ignore responding to his sister because of fear.

He was horrified at himself.

He used Raiden near Houki.

He could have hurt someone because he was too stupid to realize how dangerous the thing on his arm was.

'I can't believe I forgot.' Ichika looked away from his sister, his eyes tried to focus on the ground but they drifted towards his arm.

"Be quiet!"

"I am sick and tired of hearing you talk!"

"Now, let's see what you've got!"

"That's not what I want!"

It was still hard to believe he had changed so much during his fight with Cecilia. He could hardly remember the fight but he remembered what feeling had just taken over his mind, what had filled his veins.

Bloodlust.

He remembered how much he enjoyed the pain, how he liked the sight of his own blood. He remembered how much he wanted to see the girl the same, see how much of it he could spill before she couldn't take it anymore.

He should have never agreed to be alone with Houki when he was encased in that thing. He should have never agreed to do anything but stay far away from everyone.

It was for their own safety.

He couldn't hurt anyone if he was away from them, right?

"Maybe that's not such a good idea." He couldn't stay quiet. Couldn't risk staying quiet when he knew what would happen. "I-I should get training somewhere else. I'm not a good fit here with...I just don't belong here." He couldn't call that thing his.

That thing was something else. It was dark. It was twisted. He wasn't like that. He couldn't turn into whatever that thing wanted. He just couldn't. He wasn't that messed up. Right?

"Raiden is still an IS. It's different from any other model currently available, in production, or under development but the only place to safely learn about it is at the IS Academy." Chifuyu was ready for this. Houki didn't need to hear anything but the way she spoke her words, the air of rehearsal to them, to know Ichika's sister had been waiting for him to say something like it. "The instructors here can help you more than any other place in the world. This school was made to teach girls to be IS pilots, it can teach the only male pilot a different way."

"I can't learn here Chifuyu-nee. Whatever you can teach anyone else, even before I got this thing, I couldn't follow if my life depended on it. I can't understand half the things Houki tells me when we study, I can't understand half the things you talk about in class, and I don't understand a single thing about how to use this thing on my arm. I can't do anything right here anyway. I'm just the only guy in a school full of girls, just some sideshow act for them to always look at, talk about, to-to-" He didn't finish.

Houki pulled on his arm. He tried to pull away. He should have known the girl he had known the longest wouldn't let him.

"I-I can't stay here." He tried to plead with her, with Chifuyu, but he couldn't meet either of their eyes. "I need to leave."

"And go where?" Chifuyu stepped forward, closed the distance between them when she grabbed hold of his arm, the same arm which sleeve hid the vambrace that would summon the IS called Raiden. "Go to a normal school? Go to some lab to be poked and prodded at day in and day out? Go to some independent school? Go back home?"

"I-I can go somewhere else." He couldn't pull out of her hold. He tried as best he could but her hand was like a vice that wouldn't be releasing him anytime soon. "Just anywhere else."

"No you can't." Chifuyu pulled him in, pulled him into a rare embrace. "I won't let you."

Houki silently left the room. She could understand a moment like this was just for siblings. She wouldn't be the one to intrude on such a private moment and she would make sure no one else had the idea to outside.

"I don't want to hurt anyone Chifuyu-nee."

"You won't. I'll be here. I'll always be here."

The siblings didn't talk anymore, one merely held the other like she had done before. The other accepted the rare warmth from his big sister.

"You'll need to come to class this afternoon." Her voice was soft.

"I know." He desperately wanted to say no, to say it was insane, it was irresponsible to put him with the girls in his class.

He didn't.

He trusted her in the end.

He hoped he wasn't wrong.

He hoped he didn't hurt anyone.

He hoped he wasn't treated like a freak.

He hoped he didn't have to use his IS at all.

He hoped for so much he knew he wouldn't get it all but he still hoped.

It was that same hope that made him stand outside the door to the classroom. Hozuki had squeezed his shoulder before the two had parted ways. She had went in first, headed to her seat, and now waited for him.

He didn't know if he could open the door.

He wanted to lift his arm to it but he couldn't. It was shaking too much.

"You know, the girls in there are dying to meet their mysterious class rep." He didn't jump at the voice behind him.

There wasn't something like a voice but there was a feeling that told him a certain blue haired girl was behind him. He glanced to her, red eyes meeting red eyes. She smiled at him before she snapped her fan open.

'Hurry up and go' was displayed on it.

He only offered a shaky nod.

Her eyes narrowed out of his sight.

She rolled her eyes as she pushed past him.

"Hello students!" Tatenashi smiled as she stepped into the room, completely ignored the glare she received from Houki. She stopped next to Chifuyu and pointed her fan towards the still open door. "As student council president, I'll like to take a moment of your time and introduce you to your class representative chosen by not only democracy but martial virtue as well: Ichika Orimura!"

'No choice now.' Ichika didn't know how having the choice to enter forced on him changed things but it did.

It was like a weight was off his shoulders. Of course another one had taken its place but this one was slightly lighter. He could move at least.

He took a single deep breath and stepped through the doorway without giving himself a chance to think things over. Left. Right. One foot in front of the other. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.

He was suddenly in the center. He was surprised he wasn't hyperventilating. He was surprised he didn't trip during his brief walk and make a fool of himself.

"G-Good afternoon." He was surprised he could actually talk. Every eye in the class was focused solely on him. He managed to walk all the way up to Tatenashi's side and looked out at the entire class.

His eyes nearly instantly focused on Cecilia.

She looked unharmed. She also noticed his eyes were on her nearly instantly and didn't break away from his gaze. She wasn't afraid to meet his eyes, refused to show any type of fear in her blue eyes.

The look she gave him promised something . He had no idea what that something was but it was something.

He gulped.

"Don't you want to speak to your classmates Ichika-kun?" Tatenashi covered both of their faces with her fan once she leaned close enough to whisper in his ear. "They're all dying to hear what kept you from class."

"I will." Ichika closed his eyes, focused on his breathing for a moment, and steeled himself. He opened them and his eyes pulled away from Cecilia and spread to the rest of the class. He saw the curiosity in their eyes, the fear of some at his presence, the eagerness in others at his appearance, and the looks he couldn't quite identify. The girls who had that look in their eyes also had red cheeks, averting their gaze from him when they noticed he was looking.

He breathed in. He breathed out. His hands curled into fists at his side before he stretched his fingers back out.

'I can do this.'

He bowed to the class.

"I apologize for being absent. I have been under a lot of stress lately but I promise you I will do my best as your class representative from now on. I only ask that you are not afraid to come speak with me if you have any problems. I will do all I can to help."

'Such a humble boy...'

Houki glared at the fan held by the blue haired president that was hovering right above an unaware Ichika's back.

Tatenashi smiled at Houki. She snapped her fan close before she opened it again.

'Isn't he just perfect boyfriend material?'

She snapped her fan close once she was sure the class had gotten a glimpse of the message and ruffled Ichika's hair. He was flustered when he abruptly rose up, doing his best to bring his silver hair back under control.

"Why did you do that?" He half whispered and half shouted his question at Tatenashi who only smiled at him as she rose up her fan once more.

'Sorry Ichi-kun' was the message it displayed before she snapped her fan close.

"As Ichika-kun said, he is here to help as your class representative so, as your Student Council President, I have given you all his contact information, found on all your IS Academy issued smart devices. He will be easy to reach for any of you to help him address any of the concerns you have in a timely manner." Tatenashi ignored the glare Ichika shot her and instead only continued to smile as most of the girls in the class moved to see if she was telling the truth. "That being said, I now turn you over to your one of a kind class representative and wish you all the best of luck in your studies."

She snapped open her fan as she stepped to the door. It read 'Bye for now' and she gave the class a goodbye wave with it before she walked out the room and left Ichika to his own devices.

She had other work to do after all.

"I'll be sure to check on you all when I can but I can't make any promises. The duties of such an illustrious Student Council President like myself never end after all."

"Orimura, head to your seat." Chifuyu sent him away from the front of the classroom.

He was glad to escape to his seat after everything.

It came as no surprise to anyone when Chifuyu asked him to stay after class.

"Be honest with me Ichika, how well do you think you can control Raiden?" Chifuyu never wasted time.

He didn't bother asking her how she knew it's name. He had learned a lot when it came to not questioning her for knowing things early in life.

Ichika also knew his sister well enough to not bother with lying to her.

"I don't know. The one time I used it after that match, my body felt like it was being shocked the entire time. I could barely keep my focus on Tatenashi and I knew she went easy on me. I don't know what's wrong but..." He couldn't finish. His sister looked at him with something approaching remorse before she was back to being a distant professional.

"Meet me here for your remedial lessons."

She handed over a piece paper.

He nodded.

"I'll be there."


AN: This is actually a rather good improvement with updating. Anyway, I have discovered this type of story is not my strong suit. Very difficult to write something for it. I don't know why but it's just generally not something that flows. I could blame the source material but I don't know it enough to do that. Should probably remedy that but I like firing from the hip with Raiden. These two chapters are likely lacking but I did what I could. I suppose I'll do something crazy soon enough with Raiden and Ichika but for now I'll keep it to this level.

Also Blade Wolf will return at some point. He's doing his own thing right now.

Now on to question time! What is question time dear reader? Why it is the point of this AN where I shall impart upon you a number of queries! Curious queries of great curiosity! Queries that will blow your minds! Queries that can be answered only by the most daring of readers!

Madoka: Throw in soon or just ignore? I know enough about IS to have a general idea with her but nothing really concrete. She's his maybe sister to my knowledge.

Harem (purely based on if I get that far): Play for laughs or take it serious? Ichika may or may not have some serious issues thanks to good old Raiden! That can either be funny or horrifying! His harem (seemingly prophesied to occur no matter what) can either help or harm him. I'm leaning more towards help but unexplained beatings leading to an eventual breakdown? Not gonna say it's not tempting...

MOVING ON!

Metal Gear: Drop more elements of Metal Gear into the story? More IS based off of them? What about new factions designed after those in Metal Gear? Just keep it limited to Raiden alone?

Raiden: Admit I have no idea where I'm going with this story and delete it/put it up for adoption? Push forward and see where it can go?

All these questions and more await answers oh diligent readers!

Regardless, based off of my track record with this thing, Raiden was updated in record time.

Peace.