-1000 HRS. Hallways-
It was a casual and class-free morning. School day was cancelled because the staff had a conference on next months' activities. The academy grounds were filled with the usual chatter of the girls, some of them were hanging out with Ichika.
"It's kinda nice to take a break for a whole day at this time." Ichika said.
The girls lightly nod in agreement. "Yeah, I could use a long day's rest." Rin added as she stretches her back.
"But then again, some people can't take a break." Laura stepped in.
Ichika tilted his head. "What made you say that, Laura?" He asked. Laura pointed at Alex, who was approaching them.
"Ichika, I need you to gear up at Arena 2, 2PM sharp. Don't ask why, just do." Alex instructed.
"…okay… We'll see you there." Ichika said.
"Hold on, Alex!" Rin called. Alex stopped in his tracks.
"How's the arm?" Laura asked.
Instead of answering, he rolled his right sleeve to see a bandage-free arm. "Hope that answers your question, Laura." He added.
"Tch. Showoff." Laura scoffed.
"Whatever. Anyways, I'll see you later." With that, Alex hurried off.
"Well, at least we know he's okay." Cecilia assumed.
"How come?" Rin asked.
"He's becoming the workaholic we once met." Cecilia answered, making Rin chuckle.
"Guys, that's not funny at all." Charlotte defended. The girls turn their eyes at her.
"Worried about him?" Rin asked, giggling with a playful smile.
"No! Well… kind of… But not like that! It's just that I've seen him on duty before…" Charlotte stammered. The girls giggled as she tries to hide the red tint on her face.
"I still like Ichika right? I still have feelings for him, right?!" She thought to herself.
"Well… At least he's getting better. I guess." She assured to everyone.
"Admit it, Charlotte! You're having feelings for Alex! I bet you were watching him when he was on duty!" Cecilia laughed as she teased.
"N-No! It's not like that!" Charlotte defended.
Ichika stepped in. "What's so bad about it? I mean… You're all beautiful and talented." He assured.
The girls smiled with happiness glowing as they heard Ichika's complement. "You really think so?" They asked in unison.
"Yeah, I think so… I mean any guy can fall in love with your looks… and all of you are really kind-hearted." He added. The girls swooned as they were complemented by the guy they like.
"I know a guy that can take you on this restaurant downtown…" He said. The girls felt shattered and glared at Ichika.
"Wait! Wh-what are you gonna do?!" Ichika stammered out of fear.
Somewhere around the academy, a few students heard him scream in terror.
-1400 HRS. Arena 3-
"Man… Why did you girls do that?" Ichika asked, massaging the lump near his forehead.
Charlotte sighed. "Sometimes I think you're doing it on purpose." She said.
"Doing what?" Ichika tilted his head.
"That." She sighed in frustration. Clearly she was talking about how dense Ichika is, and evidently he was too oblivious to it.
"Well, we're here. But where is he?" Ichika asked, seeing that Alex was nowhere to be seen. A few moments later, shots were heard being fired from afar.
"I think I know…" Charlotte assumed, following the sound of the shots being fired. They ran to the flight deck to see Alex in his IS unit, firing an Assault Rifle. By the looks of it, he used the arena as a firing range, looking at the holographic targets that were projected several meters from where he stood.
"You called us?!" Ichika called his attention, making him turn around.
"Great timing! Get your asses down here and suit up, double time!" He instructed.
-A few minutes later-
"All right, Alex. We're here." Ichika said as they approach him.
"Good. Now, I want you to…"
Alex looked at Ichika's forehead as he notices the lump. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked as he pointed at the lump.
"Misunderstandings." Charlotte answered.
"Hmm… He did it again didn't it?" Alex guessed.
"Yup, he did it again." She nodded.
"God, what am I gonna do with you?" He sighed as he face-palmed from Ichika's density. "Oy vey… Anyway, gear up."
The two had their IS units materialized. Alex looks at the holographic targets being projected in an inverse-T shape at the center of the field; the horizontal line facing them.
"Ichika." He started.
"Yes?"
"I want you to try shooting those targets from where you stand. We're gonna have three exercises. Ten targets each." He instructed.
"Why?" Ichika asked.
"Just do it, man. I want to see how you shoot." Alex persuaded. Without a moment, Ichika fires at the targets by single shot or short burst. All of them weren't hit at the center.
"FIRST SET: 800 PTS."
"Uh-huh… Now do it while moving." He instructed.
"Thrusters or feet?" Ichika asked.
"Both. Do it with thrusters first. You're gonna go there and back." Alex answered. The next set of targets was projected diagonally across the field. As Ichika followed his instructions, the results were still the same as he used his thrusters as he shoots the targets.
"SECOND SET: 736 PTS."
The last exercise made his performance decrease. He observed that Ichika lands and ran towards the targets as he pulls the trigger.
"THIRD SET: 550 PTS."
"That ain't gonna cut it." He sighed in disappointment. "Charlotte, you taught him how to shoot, right?" He asked.
"It's a long story, but yeah, I did. He could use improvements though." She answered.
"No kidding. Okay, Charlotte. You're turn. Same procedure; Standing, then Thrusters, then Leg movement." He instructed.
"Okay, Alex." She replied as she materialized two SMGs.
"This should be interesting…" He muttered.
Alex observed her performance. From the standing position, everything was okay for her as she fires three-burst to full auto.
"FIRST SET: 950 PTS."
"Good, good. Keep going to the next exercise!"
Next was for Charlotte to use her unit's thrusters. It was easy for her because mostly they use thrusters for movement, and her unit's made for ranged combat. The shots were accurate and precise.
"SECOND SET: 855 PTS."
"Okay, Charlotte! Now run back to the last targets!"
The last exercise got her in a pickle; running while shooting was the same maneuver Ichika did, with one gun in hand… He observes as her performance decrease significantly.
"THIRD SET: 650 PTS."
Alex gave a sigh to Charlotte's performance. "What's wrong?" She asked, somewhat irritated.
"Do you know why you were in a pickle when you tried to shoot while running?" He asked the two of them. They shook their heads in unison.
"Might as well show it to you. Give me your gun, Charlotte." He instructed, placing his hand.
She unlocks it for him as she gave it to Alex, making him examine the piece.
"The Garm SMG. Personal Defense Weapon… Modeled after the Fabriqué Nationalé P90… Caliber's Dot-Six-One. (.61), similar to my X-5 Tactical SMG." He muttered as he gave a thorough inspection on the weapon.
"You have an eye for guns, I'll give you that much. Let's see how you do it." Charlotte challenged him.
"Only if you'll allow me to use your gun, to make things fair!" He added, making them nod. Alex makes a stance and takes aim. Remembering his training, Alex simulated the whole thing as if it was training for SWAT.
"SHOOTERS ON THE LINE!"
"STAND-BY! READY!"
He hears a whistle blowing in his head as he started to shoot the targets at a standing position. The two observed his performance as he takes a steady aim while firing.
"FIRST SET: 870 PTS."
In the second exercise, he made sure that as he flies to shoot the targets, most of his shots became precise as he compensates the range and gravity of each shot.
"SECOND SET: 855 PTS."
The last exercise caught Ichika and Charlotte by surprise. Target after target, he stops at a split-second in mid-range and takes aim and fires at each target. The shots were accurate.
"THIRD SET: 950 PTS."
He de-materialized the gun that Charlotte gave to him as he approaches the two pilots, apparently in surprise.
"In combat, you have to adapt your skills, even in the most unpredictable times." He said to the two. "Usually you'd use your thrusters to engage the enemy, but what if a certain point in time, you couldn't use them?" He asked.
"So that's why you wanted us to use our legs while shooting!" Charlotte exclaimed as she realized this.
"Bingo. All right, let's tackle what were your flaws during the exercise. Ichika, let's start with you." He added, making Ichika somewhat nervous. Alex started to point out Ichika's mistakes.
"Ichika, you shoot round after round to make it precise, that's good. But that only happens when you stand still. We're gonna work out on your shooting, because you're still a sloppy mess behind the trigger, kiddo." He pointed out.
"Yeah. I could see that—Wait… With a real gun?!" Ichika reacted.
"Remember, you have to keep a steady hand and a steady mindset. Because if your hand slips, it's lights out." Alex said, listing Ichika's mistakes. The latter gulped as he heard lights out.
"Charlotte, you're a seasoned shooter, and I can see that. You've got that competitive drive. There's a couple of flaws though." Alex said.
"What's that?"
Alex pointed out. "Well… You saw how the SMG's projectiles scatter when you ran on foot."
He could see the gears turning in her head.
"But keep in mind that you have to compensate for the range of your gun. Be it close-quarters, mid or long range, you have to compensate for the range of your gun. You can't just go in guns-blazing. Like that, the rounds of your SMG scrambled when you were shooting in the third exercise right?" He said.
"Right. I didn't even have a problem shooting with two guns when in flight."
"Do you know why you two were in a pickle when you were shooting during the third exercise?" He asked the same question earlier.
"No… why did we?" Ichika asked.
"It's because you kept on running while shooting. The "Run and Gun" maneuver won't do at most times. You should at least stop and take aim for a short while." Alex emphasized.
"But you didn't tell us what to do when we used our legs! You didn't tell us that we should stop and shoot!" Ichika exclaimed.
Alex sighed. "All right. Say that there's an enemy pinning your partner down at a range, and your partner can't make a move and she's losing shield fast. You can use your Yukihira or your Garm SMG. What are you gonna do?" He asked Ichika.
"Use the Garm and fire at the enemy." Ichika answered.
"Okay, so what now, Ichika? What are you gonna do after?" Alex asked.
Ichika was dumbfounded by his question. "Well let's see… I could… No… Wait, then I might able to… No… that may hurt my partner." He kept guessing.
"There, can't quickly think of a way? Not even try to wing it?" Alex said. "You, Charlotte. Same question." He pointed at Charlotte next.
"I could just shoot the enemy where it's holding the weapon or open fire just to make her flinch, just to disable it to give my partner room to break out." Charlotte answered.
"The Shoot-to-Disable tactic. Not a bad choice, Charlotte. It can be used as a diversion, though the only catch is that you have to compensate for your shield and the enemy's. Though you have a point on the last one. It'll be lucky if the enemy flinched." Alex said. Charlotte had no trouble understanding his teachings, taking account of his experience in the line of duty.
"Now… Think fast!" Alex yelled as he quickly materialized a handgun and fired a shot at an off-guard Ichika, taking a decrease on his shield.
"Hey! That was uncalled for!" Ichika exclaimed as he flinched.
"In any situation, unpredictable things may or will happen in a split-second. So yeah. Almost everything may or will be uncalled for. So you have to think and act fast because every second counts. As for the hypothetical situation earlier, it's just not only what to do in a situation, but also it's a matter of HOW you take it on. If this is the real deal, there are no instructors, no teachers, it's all you." Alex lectured.
The two nodded as they understood the lesson.
"Let's keep this up for a couple of hours, then get some rest."
-2000 HRS. Hallways-
Alex roamed around the halls for four and a half hours, volunteering for patrol. The only thing that kept him company was his equipment and a can of soda. As he performs his duties, he sees Laura and Houki walking amidst the halls.
"Hey, Houki! I see you've joined Laura on a bridal hunt!" Alex called, making their heads turn to him.
"Hello to you too, Fields." Laura pouted as she greeted back.
Alex silently chuckled but tilted his head in curiosity. "What are you guys doing here anyway? Finished training or something?" He asked.
"We were done training a couple of hours ago. Speaking of training, how did it go with Ichika and Charlotte?" Houki asked.
"I had no problem with Charlotte. But Ichika? It's going to take more than a month to get his head straight! On my opinion, I don't know what's worse. Ichika being so dense it makes my neck break, or him can't even get his mind focused in the fight." Alex groaned.
"Both." Houki and Laura said in unison.
"Oh, you think?" Alex exclaimed sarcastically.
Laura sighed. "I don't know if you'll get used to it. Looks like you could use a little break. We're gonna have dinner at the rooftops. Want to join us?" She asked.
"Give me half an hour. I'm cooking."
-2045 HRS. Rooftops-
Ichika and the girls were ready to have dinner under the night sky. As they look around, the circle was incomplete.
"So, where's Alex?" Laura asked.
"I thought he'd be here in half an hour." Houki assumed, remembering what he said.
Alex approached the gang as they were preparing to eat. "Told you I'll be here." He said as he sat down next to Charlotte.
"Took you a few minutes late though." Houki added.
"Doesn't matter. I'm here, right? Let's eat." Alex said. He opened a paper bag to show a plastic container with fried rice and dumplings.
"So, how did the training went?" Rin asked before taking a bite.
"Good… I think. Ichika still needs improvements… Big time." Alex answered.
"Why are we not surprised?" Cecilia said, smirking.
"Hey, Houki. You wouldn't mind me borrowing Ichika for the next few weeks? I mean, you've been training with him every morning since this whole academy thing started." He asked.
"Hm… I could use a break for a while. Sure, Alex. He might learn a thing or two from you." Houki agreed.
"I guess Houki's right. Sorry about last time." Ichika said.
Alex rolled his eyes. "Don't be. You were just having a glimpse of what I was trained for and what I will train to you, possibly all of you. Ichika, if I was your instructor and you were training for service, I would have thrown your ass out for a sloppy performance. But no, this is the Infinite Stratos Academy, and I can't throw you out just like that. What we just did this afternoon was just the very tip of the iceberg." He said.
"There's more?" Ichika asked.
"Don't expect things to go smooth, Ichika." Charlotte and Houki added.
"They're right. Remember, besides me, you're a pilot as well. To be precise, we're the only MALE PILOTS. But the attention is mostly on you. So expect that you'd be a high profile and sometimes it's not the good kind. The Phantom Task and your Supposed-To-be-Murderer are the examples." Alex reprimanded.
Rin stood up as she heard the last part. "Supposed-To-Be-Murderer?!" She yelled.
"Long story." Alex and Laura sighed.
"Speaking of which, you've looked like you've seen a dead body come to life that night." He added.
"It's nothing… Alex, whatever you try to teach me, I'll do my best." Ichika assured, but Alex wasn't convinced.
"But I won't go easy on you at some point, Ichika. Are you sure you want to go through this?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Ichika nodded.
"Give me a reason why." Alex said, giving a cold stare at him.
Ichika paused for a few moments and sets his eyes at the people around him. He looks at Alex in the eye and gave his reason.
"I want to defend all the people around me."
Alex silently chuckled, impressed as he read Ichika's sense of duty. "Bold words, Orimura. But they're just words. WORDS. You have to convince me and prove it on the frontline. Consider me as one of your trainers at this time. Ichika, I'm expecting you there, and I hope you understand that there are times where I won't go easy on you." He said, making Ichika nod.
"The rest of you join. Houki, Charlotte, Laura, I may need some assistance from time to time, but if you can. I won't force you, but considering all the stuff happening recently, I'm just hoping that all of you could hop in. But once you've placed your boots on the ground, there's no turning back." Alex instructed.
Instead of a word, the girls hesitantly nodded.
"All right… Once everything's all set, we'll start with the basics. Be at the tracks at 6 AM Sharp. Anyone late get to Arena 3. First, we'll do some jogging, then firearms and self-defense. Some point, we'll do some tactics. Just wear a shirt and some sweat pants."
Houki gulped as she heard firearms.
-2230 HRS. Hallways-
Alex continued with his duties. As he patrols the halls, his phone rings to hear a familiar voice.
"Alex, are you there?" Natasha asked.
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be answering my phone, Natasha." Alex said. Natasha paused for a few seconds.
"…Good point. Anyway, I'm kinda unsure of what are you planning with them. Are you really going to train them?" She asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Alex answered.
"Why?" She asked.
"Two reasons. For starters, to get a hold and record of what their IS units are capable of. Probably the attack last time wasn't enough data. I need to see why Phantom Task is targeting these kids." Alex answered.
"And the second one?" She asked.
"It's personal… I… I won't be around forever."
"Alex, please don't make it personal. You've becoming what you once were all those years ago." Natasha pleaded, somehow angering Alex.
"Don't remind me of what and who I once was, Fairs. You'll regret it one day." Alex warned.
"I'm just concerned, Alex. Don't treat everything like before. It'll hurt you, and it'll hurt them as well." Natasha said. Their conversation ends.
"Phantom Task… I swear to God, I won't let that happen." Alex thought to himself. He shook the thought off of his mind and continued with his duty. As he walks off, he hears a computer turned on and clicking on the digital keyboard and mechanical whirring was accompanied with it. It was quiet, it echoed at the hallway.
"What the hell? Someone at the maintenance, at this time of night?" Alex thought as he gets closer to the source of the sound. As he gets closer, it became silent. The sound of mechanical doors and footsteps were barely heard. He moves forward with his hand tucked in the pistol grip.
As he was at the source of the sound, no one was around the hallway. "Who could be here at this time of night?" He asked himself. He opened the maintenance bay to search.
-2234 HRS. Maintenance bay, Alex's POV-
"Police! Come out with your hands up!"
No one was there…
I turned the lights on, holstered my gun and looked around. Next thing is that I turned my sights on an IS unit. It was different than the Uchigane; It was white-clad and the exterior was modified. By the looks of it, the programming wasn't finished. Someone was here but the modified Infinite Stratos was a surprise. A personal unit? Hmm… Best not to touch it and back away.
But still, another personal unit? It couldn't be Ichika's… Cecilia's other unit was stolen by the Phantom Task… It can't be Rin's… Houki's got her own… It can't be Laura or Charlotte's… Another representative, perhaps?
"Anyone here? Anyone own this IS unit?"
I peered outside the maintenance bay. "Anyone owns this unit?" Silence was the only answer.
As I let out a sigh, I felt something under my shoe as I stepped back.
"What's this?"
I picked it up to see what it was. A peculiar pair of hairpins. It can't possibly be Cecilia's… I mean, knowing Cecilia Alcott, the design is nothing that she would pick.
Speaking of Cecilia, I wonder if she'll want me to teach me how to pick a lock. It's amazing how the simple things I do back on duty were amusing for someone like her. Bah… Might as well get out of the maintenance bay.
Best to place the hairpins in a safe place if someone looks for it. I've done my duties for the night and it's time to head towards the dormitories.
-2300 HRS. Dormitories, Standard POV-
Alex was about to enter his room when he spotted Tatenashi going out of Ichika's room.
"Tatenashi Sarashiki. Just the person I need to see." He called, trying not to wake up the rest of the students. As he approached her closer, he noticed that her light blue-green vest and her maroon leggings were missing and some of her buttons were undone, slightly exposing her chest and abdomen.
"Erm…" He turns away out of respect as he saw a glimpse of her body.
"Oh! Did you like what you saw?" Tatenashi asked playfully as she noticed this and playfully covers herself, purposely letting him catch a glimpse of her thighs.
"Sarashiki… I don't want to know what you did in that room… and I hope to God it wasn't what I think it was…" Alex said.
Tatenashi giggled from Alex's embarrassment. "Per~vert… It's nothing like that."
"Good… Anyways, I need to talk to you." He said, re-composing himself.
"Oh? What's up?"
"During my patrol, I found a personal unit in the maintenance deck. I didn't touch it because the programming looked unfinished. It's still there." Alex reported.
Tatenashi had a little bit of seriousness in her mood. "What did it look like?" She asked.
"White-clad, had a couple of extensions, All in all, it's a modified Uchigane. Not only that, I found this." Alex said and pulled the hairpins from his pocket, showing it to her.
Tatenashi's mood became grim as she was struck with a sense of familiarity. "No… She always double—no… triple-checks her work. She can't possibly… No…" She muttered.
"Tatenashi? You still there? You look like you've seen something unsettling." Alex asked, snapping his fingers in front of her.
"Huh? Oh… yeah. I'm fine. I'll find out who's IS was it. On the other hand, you can keep the hairpins. Who knows, maybe you'll find the owner." Tatenashi said, winking.
"Yeah, who knows… Hey, I'm gonna train with the representatives tomorrow morning." Alex reminded.
"And you want me to be there?"
"If you can. But if you do, there's no turning back. By the way, no catfights, no lovey-dovey play with Ichika. There will be NONE of that, okay?" He emphasized.
Tatenashi giggled. "No catfights. Promise." She assured. "Spoilsport." She muttered.
"I'll just take the night off. Don't get too touchy-feely in there. And put some pants on, Kaichou. I know that were in the IS Academy, but damn. There are perverts snooping around." Alex said before heading off to his room.
"Yeah… Good night to you too."
-0030 HRS. Room 1027-Alex's room, Day 45-
*Knocking*
"Who is it?" Hearing someone knocking at his door, Alex asked from his desk, having a cup of decaf as he reads a novel, listening to 90's acoustics on a small speaker attached from his MP3 player.
"It's Houki… Can I talk to you for a moment?" She called.
"Hmm… That's odd." He thought as he blinked.
"Yeah, come in. Door's open." He answered as he turned off the speaker. He sees Houki enter his room wearing a yukata. Her long hair was reaching down to her thighs.
"How can I help you?" He started.
"It's about tomorrow…" Houki answered.
"Okay, so what about it?" He asked.
"I… have a confession to make." Houki said, flustered as she scratches her head.
"Oh boy… Um… Give me a minute…" Alex sighed, unsure of what she might say. He stood up to make Houki a warm cup of decaf.
Meanwhile, Houki looked at his desk to see a couple of ring-bound books. The first one containing SWAT-oriented tactics, while the second one he drew, adapting such tactics to the IS.
"Hey, these are really good!" Houki complemented on his work. Alex looked at her as she read his tactics book.
"Ah, that? Thanks. The sketches are a doozy, I'll tell you that." He said.
"Well… that, and you've really made a heck of an effort to teach us these. It's really helpful." She praised.
"Thanks, I guess… Just make yourself at home, Houki. I have some reading material that you might find interest." He said. Houki picked up the book Alex was reading.
"Hm… The Pacific." Houki muttered as she read the novel. A few minutes later, Alex came back with another cup of coffee in his hand.
"Huh… I didn't know you read those." Alex said as he sees Houki's eyes focus as she reads the novel "The Pacific."
"Hn? Oh this? I've… read a few American novels in middle school. It's really interesting." Houki said, placing the book on the table.
"Oh, that's nice. So… what are you going to confess? If it's about Ichika, then you're wasting your time. I can't help you." Alex started out as he handed Houki's coffee.
"Ah no! It's not Ichika this time!" Houki defended as she shook her head. "It's about me…"
"Okay… so… what about you?"
Houki paused for several minutes, unsure if she'll say what she wanted to confess. Alex didn't mind and let her compose herself.
"I have never held and fired a gun all my life. It's all sword and kendo for me." Houki confessed, with embarrassment evident in her.
"That's it?!" Alex exclaimed, scoffing and eyes widened.
Houki was irritated by his reaction. "W-what?! So what if I never fired a gun?! Why do you have to mock me for it?!" She exclaimed, getting on his face.
"Easy… I'm not mocking you, Houki. Really, I'm not. It's just that I'm really surprised and somewhat glad that you've told me that." Alex assured.
"Why are you glad?"
"If you didn't told me that you've never been behind the trigger, then you'd be so pressured during the very exercise. Tell me, do you feel a burden being taken away at this moment?" He asked.
Houki paused for a moment. "Yeah… I-I do."
"Good. Now… You've never fired a gun. I can't blame you for that. But I'm here to teach. If you're afraid to shoot then I'm here to guide. Picture it this way. Like how you were trained to wield a sword, it can be the same as how you will be trained with a firearm. It'll be an extension of you. Heck, it could add up to your style." He assured.
Houki was stunned by his words. "I never thought of it that way. Tell me, when was the first time you've fired a gun?" She asked.
"Well… I was 7 years old back then. My grandpa and my dad took me hunting in the woods a few states from California. There's this… old M1 Garand that my grandpa used, and the bolt action rifle for my dad's… Both rifles were given to me after they died."
"How did you get to shoot a gun for the first time?" Houki asked.
"When my Mom died, Dad told me that I need to learn how to stand on my own two feet. The way he made me do that is he taught me how to fight. Also, to shoot with a gun."
"What gun was it?"
Alex recalled his first time behind the trigger. "...I think I have it with me." He said before going to his closet. After a few seconds he pulled out a bolt-action rifle. Its barrel and receiver was black as coal and its stock had an attractive chestnut color, which was a bit weathered by age. He pulled the bolt in front of her.
"My grandpa kept the M1 after World War 2. After the war, he used it as a hunting rifle until he served in Korea and Vietnam."
"Your grandfather served in three wars?!" Houki asked, surprised.
"Yeah, he was 20 when he was deployed to Normandy, France. To think my grandpa lived through all of that. Moving on, both rifles were passed on to me, though the old one had history, but… both had really meant something."
Houki hesitated to grab it as he was handing it over to her. "It's okay, Houki. Just relax when you hold it." He assured.
She slowly took the rifle and examined it its weight and how it felt when she holds it. As she pulls the bolt like he did and takes aim with its iron sight, she saw a small but nostalgic smile from the officer. She returns it to its owner a few moments later.
"How did it feel like?"
Alex paused after Houki asked that. He remembered that he was breathing deeply after he fired his first shot. After breathing, he laughed and sighed softly.
"It was nerve-wracking, mixed feelings, scared shitless and thrilled as hell at the same time. And to think I've shot my first kill during that time. After a while, it's been pretty normal of me to be behind the gun. Once you've felt yourself shoot the gun, you'll feel as if it's an extension of you."
Houki's mood slightly soured as she heard that he shot his first kill, but nonetheless she feels like a child who's listening about her grandfather's tales. "Just like me when I'm wielding a sword, right?" She added.
"Bingo! Look, that aside, I'm here to guide every step of the way. I just want you to calm down." He assured, but Houki was still flustered.
Alex looked at Houki, reading her body language. "Hmm… You just want to impress Ichika, huh?" He guessed, leaving her in surprise.
"You can't lie to me. Your lips say no but your movements say yes. Actions speak louder than words, kid."
Houki gave in. "Fine… You're right. I just needed to be guided so I can impress Ichika." She confessed.
Alex sighed. "If you put it that way, then you don't have to be taught how to shoot if you wanted to impress someone. Just be yourself and enjoy him company. He likes it that way. But I highly doubt that your efforts will pay off." He said.
Houki blinked. "What makes you say that?"
"Houki… I know you're not the only one who's dealing with this, but all of you are trying to impress someone who is as dense as a sack of thick steel bricks." He emphasized.
"Well yeah, but—Wait! I thought you're not helping us to win Ichika's heart!" Houki exclaimed.
"Well, you've sort of tricked me into it, and since you've made me put it up that way, I bent the rules and played along. Nice job, Houki Shinonono. Well played." He complemented.
"Thank you, Alex… Now I think we should just enjoy the coffee." She smiled as she takes a sip of the warm coffee.
"Hey, Alex. I have one more question." She called.
"Shoot."
"How come you don't have a roommate? It's been on the back of my mind, actually."
Alex blinked for a few times before thinking of an answer.
"I'm… not the most comfortable person to share a room with. That and I got used to sleeping alone." He answered. He showed a slight blush as well.
Houki smirked for a bit. "Ah, but not the most uncomfortable as well."
"What's your point?"
"Well… At some point you might need someone's company when you sleep. And I'm not talking about a stuffed toy here!"
"So you're saying that you want to share a room with me? That's kinda backstabbing on Ichika." Alex teased with a smug smirk on his face, only to meet with Houki's slap on the face.
"Not me, you lunatic!"
"Then why did you asked me that kind of question?! And for the love of all things holy, that hurt!" He raised his voice.
Houki pouted as she huffed.
"What? Are you saying that somebody in the academy likes me?" He asked.
"I'm not saying that, but you'll never know." She shrugged as she lightens her mood.
Alex muttered under his breath after taking a sip of coffee. "Hmm… Being alone kinda bothers me sometimes... I guess it's kinda comforting to be with someone. Not in a dirty way, but at least someone to hug in the night..." It took a while before what he muttered sank in his mind.
"Daah! Alex, what the fuck! What are you saying?! As if someone's sane enough to do that with me!" He bopped the side of his head, surprising the Japanese woman next to her.
Houki blinked for a few times over his reaction. "…What was that for?"
"Just contemplating things ahead. I do that sometimes." He sighed.
-0600 HRS. IS Academy Tracks-
Thanks to Houki, Ichika was awake and at the academy's tracks. It was quiet, and the only thing that kept Ichika company was the cold wind and the sun rising.
"Looking for someone, Ichika?" A voice spoke from behind. He turns around to see Laura and Houki behind him.
"You know who I'm looking for." Ichika answered.
"Knowing Alex Fields, He's already up." Houki said.
Ichika tilted his head. "How would you know?" He asked.
"I've seen him running outside almost every morning. Heck, I've seen him practicing boxing and some martial arts in the dojo, and usually I'm always the first to go there." Houki answered, mentioning how Alex waking up so early in the morning.
"Probably because he has graveyard shifts a couple of times back in the day." Ichika assumed, but somewhat unsure.
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Laura asked, pointing at a figure who was running around the track. It was Alex, wearing a grey t-shirt, Black combat pants, a Kevlar vest and boots. He slowed down as he gets closer to the three.
"Up and early, as usual." Houki greeted.
"Like I said… Join in if you can. Ichika, saddle up. I hope you've stretched." Alex said.
"What are we gonna do?" He asked.
"Ten Laps."
Ichika's eyes widened. "W-what?"
"You've heard me, Orimura. Ten laps on the track."
Ichika was unresponsive, possibly processing what he said in his mind.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, STILL STANDING THERE?! HUSTLE, BOY! GET THE LEAD OUT!" Alex yelled at the top of his lungs, startling the three. Ichika dashed along the track. Alex followed.
"…What just happened?" Houki asked after blinking.
"Training Ichika." Laura answered. "Come on, let's join them. I want to see how this goes." She added before the two followed them.
Aside from Laura, they stopped after five laps, panting and trying to catch some air in their lungs. Alex stopped near them. "You feel that, guys?" He asked.
"Yeah… I feel tired… And exhausted…" Ichika panted.
"Stop and it'll go worse, Ichika. Think of it this way. It's not your sister that makes you run twenty laps through! You can do this, Ichika. Five more!" Alex instructed. Ichika, somewhat convinced, pushed on until the tenth lap.
As the three stopped at the tenth lap, Alex grabbed Houki and Ichika by the shoulder. "Feel that? That's gonna be adrenaline later on." He said. He handed a few bottles of water from a box near them. "Arena 3 in one and a half hour." He said before jogging off.
"This is going to be interesting…" Laura muttered.
-0730 HRS. Arena 3-
"Anyone seen Alex?" Cecilia asked.
"Nope… I haven't seen him in his room either. Strange, he's up early, but I didn't expect it to be that early." Charlotte answered.
Rin snickered. "So you even checked him in his room that early? That's sweet of you!" She said sheepishly.
"Rin, will you stop that?!" Charlotte exclaimed.
"All right, All right." Rin said, holding her laughter. He saw the other three walking in the arena.
"So… Are you going to join us?" Ichika asked.
"I think we're going to watch Alex train you first. After all he's got experience." Rin answered.
"Not to mention he adapts it to an IS unit. You could learn a thing or two from him." Cecilia added.
"Correction! ALL OF YOU could learn a thing or two." Suddenly boomed a voice. Everyone looked up to the nearest flight deck to see their instructor. He rappels down with a large gear bag on his back.
"I'm surprised all of you could make it!"
"What took you so long?" Laura asked.
Alex shrugged. "Had to get a few stuff for training." He said, placing the gear bag on the ground. "I hope that all of you have warmed up." He said.
"An hour ago, yeah. So, what are we gonna do for today?" Houki asked.
"Given the fact that all of you have different types, we'll do different lessons on each type. By the way, you won't be using your IS this time." Alex answered, leaving everyone in surprise.
"You heard me, right? You. Won't. Be. Using. Your. IS." He emphasized.
"What?! I don't understand! What are we going to do for training?!" Cecilia asked.
"Wait for me to explain, before you complain, Alcott." Alex answered as he pulled something from the bag. It was an extra handgun and four metal targets that were foldable. He places them several meters from the girls.
"Ichika, Charlotte. Asses in here, now." Alex called. The two rushed towards him.
"Yeah, Alex?"
Ichika was handed a spare pistol. "Let's see how you hold a gun with your own two hands." Alex instructed. "You've… been taught firearms 101, right?"
Ichika stood straight and held the grip with his hands, his elbows bent a little, aiming for one of the targets. "Keep your finger away from the trigger unless you have a clear shot?" He guessed.
The front end of the gun was pointed at Alex. "And don't point the gun at someone you're not supposed to shoot." He said as he turns the front end to where the targets are.
"Now shoot."
As Ichika pulls the trigger, the recoil pushed him a few steps back, flinching.
"Ichika!" The girls yelled from the moment he flinched.
"Not cool, Alex!" Rin yelled.
Alex made them stop at their tracks. "It's okay girls, they're training rounds." He assured. "What? I'm not that dumb to train Ichika with Live ammo!" He added.
"It even has a stronger kick than in the IS!" Ichika exclaimed.
Alex scoffed. "That's because it's the first time you're shooting with your bare hands. If you think THAT has a strong kick, try shooting with live ammo. Evidently from what I'm seeing, I'm not gonna do that yet. Charlotte, same drill." He said as he took the gun from Ichika and handed it over to Charlotte.
As she takes aim, she shoots the four targets without the pistol's recoil messing her stance and aim.
"How's that, Instructor?" She asked as she hands Alex his pistol.
"Somewhat, I expected that… All in all, that was good." He said, nodding in impression. "As for you, Ichika… Was that the only thing that Charlotte taught you before?" He asked.
"Well… I can't even shoot right, even in the IS. Sometimes I forget her teachings." He answered. Alex was infuriated and groaned in his frustration. He starts to lecture.
"For God's sake… You don't forget, you remember! That's why you're learning, Ichika! To remember! I let you shoot a piece and you messed up! I'm doing this lesson because you can't stay a screw-up! The rest of the girls may have put up with you when they train you, but I won't! Am I understood?!"
"Y-yes!" Ichika stammered.
"I CANNOT HEAR YOU!"
"Yes!"
"God… You may look like an IS pilot, but you don't act like one! For once, act like one!" He yelled.
The girls' eyes were widened by the way he reprimands Ichika. "That was harsh, Alex." Charlotte said.
"But at some point, you had that one coming, Ichika." Houki supported.
"Tough Love." Tatenashi said after she whistled.
"Now. Since you forgot even how to hold a gun right, Might as well teach you." Alex said, calming down before emptying the unspent ammunition from the pistol before giving it to Ichika.
"Well… How do you hold it?"
Instead of telling, Alex goes to stance as he unholsters his service pistol; Arms straight, bent knees and a steady aim. He kept sure that his hands didn't cover the slide.
"You're seeing this? Now you saw it, you do it."
Ichika did and copied Alex's stance. "Good, good. " He said. Alex grabbed the pistol from Ichika's hands and loaded four bullets. He handed the gun back to Ichika.
"Try shooting now. And for fuck's sake, don't forget to breathe."
With that, Ichika fired a bullet, hitting the target at center point. This time, he wasn't pushed back.
"Three more!"
Ichika followed and shot the three remaining targets. Ichika didn't flinch or get startled.
"So… How does it feel to fire your first rounds?" Alex asked.
"It felt so different."
Alex slowly smirked from Ichika's reaction, then patted him on the shoulder. "It felt good, didn't it?"
"Yeah. I'm scared and thrilled at the same time!" Ichika wheezed.
"First time shooting will do that to you." Alex said. "All right, let's do it again, anyone wants to check if they're still a good shot, be my guest. We're gonna do this until noon!"
-1530 HRS. Outside the Dojo-
They were already outside, trying to make a clue on what will Alex train to them next.
"Jeez, what was that all about?" Rin asked.
"What's what?" Ichika asked back.
"Why was there yelling outside this morning? We were wide awake because of it." Cecilia added. The three were surprised when they heard Alex yell from their dorm rooms.
"I can't believe you can hear that!" Ichika exclaimed.
"Of course we could hear it. It was so loud. What was happening out there?" Charlotte stepped in.
"I think it's pretty clear that Fields intends to train all of you, but especially, to train Orimura." Said a voice. They turned around to see Chifuyu.
"Orimura-Sensei?"
"As I was saying… Alex and I agree on one thing. Orimura, you can't be sluggish behind the Byakushiki forever." Chifuyu reprimanded.
"I know, Chifuyu-nee… But why would you make Alex train us?" Ichika asked.
"I wasn't planning to make Fields train you. He proposed it himself." Chifuyu cleared.
"He did what?" Everyone asked after blinking.
"Sensei, why would Alex go this far for us?" Cecilia asked.
"He has his reasons. But on my end, I permitted him to do so, and not to mention, I owe him an explanation." Chifuyu said.
"An explanation?" Ichika and the girls said in unison.
"Do you remember the lecture that Alex stepped in?" She asked.
"Combat theories. Alex had a lot of stuff that he said." Houki answered.
"Right. Bodewig, let me ask you. What did you observe in the presentation?"
"Tactics. Now that you mentioned it, Instructor. There is something odd about them." Laura answered.
"Apparently Alex did some digging during all of that. He found out and now I'm the one that is being questioned." Chifuyu cuts in.
"Instructor, why are you telling us all of this?" Laura asked.
"If I'm right… Fields may have ties to... No… It's unlikely to happen. I may have to contact Fairs about this." Chifuyu muttered.
"Sensei?" Charlotte called.
"…It's nothing of concern or worry, Dunois. All you can do now is to listen to Fields—Especially you, Orimura."
"We will, Chifuyu-nee." Ichika said.
"Good. And another thing, Orimura." Chifuyu called before bopping Ichika on the head with a clipboard. "It's Orimura-sensei. Now move along. Your trainer's waiting." She added before walking along.
On the other side of the door, grunts were heard.
-Dojo-
As they opened the door, they saw Alex sparring with Tatenashi; exchanging grapples to each other, Tatenashi dodging Alex's punches and kicks, While he dodge hers. As they saw the representatives, Alex finishes the whole thing by yanking and twisting Tatenashi's arm and pinning her to the ground.
"Nice try, Sarashiki." Alex said, after taking deep breaths.
"I know, I know… I wanted to do that for fun." Tatenashi said as she giggled.
"By taking me on while my guard's down? Hmm. Well played." He said before turning to the girls.
"Erm… Are we interrupting?" Cecilia asked.
"Not at all, Cecilia… Now, I'll teach all—if not, at least some of you how to fight unarmed. First, let's just tackle on punching and kicking." Alex instructed.
"Alex, why can't we skip to the hard parts? It's an embarrassment for an elite!" Cecilia scoffed.
"For a strong structure, you need a strong foundation." Alex said.
"Meaning?"
"If you don't have a good knowledge of the basics, you'll have a sloppy performance on the long run. That makes sense to ya?" He answered. No one questioned the logic.
"Houki, Last I remember… I owe you and Ichika a sparring session." He said.
"Well… probably. Why did you bring that up?" Houki asked.
"I think it's time to pay my debts. Care for a two-on-one?" Alex asked.
"I don't see why not." Houki said, grabbing a shinai and handing another to Ichika. "So, where's yours?" She asked. Instead, Alex goes in unarmed.
"Try to make me fall on my back. Just once."
"Alex, what are you doing?!" Ichika asked, alarmed by his choice.
"I'll explain later. The rest of you might want to take a few steps back." Alex assured, clenching his fists for a fight. "Okay, Orimura, Shinonono. Show me what you got." He dared, in his fighting stance.
"You asked for it." Houki said as she lunged to land a hit on Alex. In a split-second, he dodged the blow and countered with a grapple and a push by the neck to Houki.
"We can do this all day if you want!" Alex taunted. Ichika was the next to hit Alex. As he swings his shinai to Alex, He almost grazed Alex's face. As he sees Ichika landing a downward slam to him, he dodges to the left, kicks Ichika in the midsection and sweeps the back of his head with his leg, making him fall face-first.
While Ichika tries to pick himself off the floor, Alex has his attention on Houki. She hits Alex on his leg, making him kneel for a few moments. She was about to deliver the final blow when Alex dodged out of the shinai's way and grabbed Houki's wrist, twisting her arm to her back and leg-swept her, making her fall on her back.
"That hurt less than last time…" Houki thought as she composed herself.
"Alex, that was uncalled for! What does this accomplish?!" She yelled.
"You have to be quick, you have to adapt to your opponent's moves. By the way, you're um… sitting on Ichika." Alex said before pointing down.
"WAAAH! ALEX, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME EARLER?!" Houki exclaimed as she gets off of Ichika. She looked at the rest of the girls, with jealousy in their expressions.
"Yeah… I was going to give you a few seconds to enjoy it but…" Alex was cut when Houki grabbed him by the collar of the vest.
"WHAT DOES THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Houki and the girls yelled in unison.
"Nah, it's nothing. Now let go of me, so I can explain what we did today." He answered. She lets go of Alex.
"Look, all of your IS units have different types. Yours is a melee-type unit, Right? Rin? Yours is a melee-type too?" Alex started.
"Technically… yeah." Rin answered.
"And ranged units have a close-quarters weapon on their arsenal, am I right?" Alex asked.
"Yes, but… one catch though." Charlotte added.
"What's that?"
"Cecilia doesn't have a melee weapon on her unit. She's a sniper-type, period." Laura answered.
Alex looked at Cecilia, who was fidgeting because of what Laura said. "Cecilia, is this true?" He asked.
"Y-yes, Alex… I'm only a sniper-type. I can't go close-quarters like the rest of you." She said, with embarrassment in her voice.
Alex approached her and patted her shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Cecilia. We're learning to adapt here. Still remember my fight with Tatenashi?" He asked.
"Boy, you had to bring that up." Tatenashi muttered as she shrugs.
"You took her by surprise that time. Why did you ask?" She asked him, remembering how he took off Tatenashi's lance.
"You can do that too, even for a sniper-type. You just need to learn how." Alex answered. "Now… let me ask all of you one thing. What do you do when your opponent caught and lunged at you at close-quarters?" He asked them.
"…You try to counter it!" Laura guessed.
"Bingo. Sure, you can switch from one weapon to another, but what if your opponent goes close-quarters on you? What happens then?"
"That's why you wanted us to adapt, right? If we get caught off-guard, we could turn the tables!" Rin guessed.
"That's it. Good, Rin." Alex complemented. He approached his gear bag and took out his UMP45. He removed the magazine and the bullet in the chamber.
"You had THAT when you came here?!" Houki exclaimed.
"A-Alex… Isn't this a bit too extreme?!" Charlotte asked.
"It's not loaded." Alex assured, pulling the trigger and emitting a click. "See? No bullets. And I may have borrowed some stuff from the precinct's armory."
"You've what?!" Everyone exclaimed in unison.
"Moving on, people!" He called as he makes everyone focus. "Say that you're a ranged unit, and your opponent's a close-quarter. Ichika… I want you to hit me in close-quarters. The rest of you—especially you, Cecilia, just watch."
"You shouldn't tell me that." She shrugged.
Alex goes into stance and Ichika swings his shinai downwards at him. He took notice and dodged the swing to his left side.
"Stop right there, Ichika." Alex instructed. "You see how that works? When the opponent lands the hit, dodge and grab the armed hand, then go for the counter… Like this!" He said as he elbows Ichika on the back.
"Did that hurt?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, a bit." Ichika answered after falling chest-first to the ground.
"What? Dude, that was just a tap." Alex exclaimed. "Anyway, that was just simple. You're both ranged and close-quarters, Ichika. You try it."
As Alex swings the shinai, Ichika tries to pull off the move. But he fails on the first try.
"Sloppy. Again." Alex instructed as he swings another time. Ichika performs the move again, but his hand slipped as he tries to grip Alex's armed hand, giving the latter opportunity as he performs a slice on Ichika's torso.
"Dead. Again, Ichika. Your hand slipped." Alex said before swinging another time. Ichika dodges the swing, but as he grabs and twists Alex's hand, Ichika counters it by pushing the arm to Alex's chest and following it with an elbow to the head. This caused Alex to back off a few steps.
"All right, that was good. I was surprised by the elbow on the head. But other than that, that was good." Alex praised.
"Cecilia, you try. Ichika, hand me the shinai, and watch as well." He added as he set aside his UMP beside its case. Ichika handed the shinai over to him. "You're going to have to fight dirty."
"Fighting dirty?! Oh no no no, Alex! A lady must never engage in fighting—especially this low! We must be civilized and go for a fair fight!" Cecilia said.
Alex groaned. "Oh come on, Cecilia! Do you even hear yourself? There is no such thing as a fair fight! I'm telling you this now because I don't want any of you to learn it the hard way!"
Everybody's hearts sank as they heard the last part. "…The hard way?"
Alex sighed. "Move a little closer to me and sit down. All of you." Everyone did so, Cecilia and Charlotte being the closest.
"Yeah. The hard way. I've been shot, stabbed and beaten up just to learn it. There is never a fair fight. Now what happened to me, I don't want to happen to someone else." He grimaced.
Everyone's expression became grim.
"I'm teaching you guys the things you're not good at because you share the same burden as Ichika. You personally know him, and I'll admit you guys are very close. So they can, and they will get you too." He stood up and helped Cecilia stand on her feet. The rest followed.
"Do it, Alcott."
"Alex, I don't know if I can do this!" Cecilia stammered.
"You've been calling yourself an Elite right?! Show me! You can't be a princess forever!" Alex taunted. "Come on, Alcott! You can do this! On the count of three!" He supported.
"One… Two… Three!" Alex counted and swings the shinai downwards towards Cecilia. She dodged it and instead of what Alex and Ichika has shown, she dodges to Alex's right side and knees his midsection and hits the back of his head, falling face first.
"Oh my! Alex, I'm so sorry! Are you all right?!" Cecilia gasped after her action. Alex picks himself up from the floor and looked at her, wheezing.
"Alex, your lip!" Charlotte yelped. He touched his lip to see some blood on it.
"I'll be damned. For a princess, that was a hard hit. I think this is the right time to say that You; Cecilia Alcott, are taking your first steps." He chuckled.
"You're learning, Cecilia… Good job." He praised. She giggled as she heard the complement. The smiles on everyone's faces were a boost to their morale.
"But that's just the first steps. Now let's try it again. Ichika, you attack this time. Have at it!"
-4 weeks Later-
As Alex observes their progress throughout while training with them, he shows some content in his mood that says that his trainees are progressing.
"All right, people. That's enough for today. I want everyone to sit down on the floor." Alex instructed calmly. Everyone did so.
"Okay… During those four weeks of training, what did you guys observe on yourselves?" He asked.
"We've… adjusted our skills, right?" Cecilia answered unsurely.
"Asides that. You guys have some things that you're not good at. Houki, Ichika. You're usually close-ranged fighters. Tell me, did anything improve?" He started on the two.
"Yeah, I got better while using a gun. I got to shoot at ease when shooting with Byakushiki." Ichika answered.
"What about you, Houki? I saw what the Akatsubaki can do. So far it's designed for close range. Despite that, what compelled you to join for ranged training?" Her instructor asked.
"I'm have the feeling I will need it on the long run." Houki answered.
"What makes you say that? I'm not saying that I'm against you joining us on firearms training, but still. What's up?"
"Well… My sister designed Akatsubaki for me. Knowing her, she may have put some surprises up in its sleeves." She furthered.
"…Okay, seems reasonable. Tell me, Houki. How did it feel like? Firing your first shots?" He asked.
They could see Houki gulp before she utters another sentence. "Scared Shitless but Thrilled as Hell."
"Cecilia?" He said as he shifted his attention to the British representative.
"Ranged skills are okay, but I'm actually amazed when I got to close combat! Who knew I got potential!" Cecilia chirped.
"Add that to your skills, princess. Rin, I observed during the first few days that you were rash towards your movement. Sloppy, I'll admit. So, did anything change?" He shifted his attention to Rin.
"I wasn't pressured as the last time, actually. I got flexible on movement. Though I doubt that I'll pull off some of the moves when I'm in the IS." Rin answered.
"Who says that it's for the IS only? You can use it inside and outside of an IS unit, you know. If you get into a tough situation." Alex cleared.
"…It wasn't for the IS only?" Rin blinked.
"Got you thinking, didn't it? Laura, you?" He shifted his attention towards the German Representative.
"Improved. I never expected to learn new things from a policeman." Laura smirked.
"I'll take that as a complement, you little squirt. Charlotte?" He asked the French representative.
"I got used to adapting my movement, It all depends on the circumstances of the fight, right?" She asked back.
"That's right. Now let me ask you one thing. Did you notice that there were no arguments against each other? No fighting, No fuss?"
The girls blinked for a few seconds. "Yeah… Now that you mentioned it, I don't recall us fighting since we started training under you!" Cecilia exclaimed.
"I haven't picked a bone with any of you at all since we started! Laura? Charlotte?" Houki added.
"No, Not at all." Laura answered, admitting that she was surprised as well.
"Perhaps we've been busy taking Alex's lectures in, we hardly fight at all. I even asked if I could practice with you guys; be it ranged, close combat or tactics." Charlotte added.
Alex stood up. "Then you guys made a lot of improvement! Instead of fighting each other, you learn with them as a team, and that's a big milestone!" He exclaimed. The girls agreed.
"It's been long since I've said this, but I'm proud of what I'm seeing towards you. Keep it up. Am I making myself clear?" He said sincerely.
Ichika and the girls stood up and gave a salute towards Alex. "We will, sir!"
Alex was stunned by the way they address him. "…Guys, I understand the salute because I'm a cop… But… we're friends, right?" He asked them.
The girls blinked on what emotions their instructor was showing.
"Of course, Alex! We're friends!" Cecilia chirped.
He showed a smile under the stern expression that showed pride but with humility.
"I'm glad to know that… All right, take a break, everyone. You deserve a hard-earned rest. You guys know the drill." Everyone nodded.
"TEN-HUT!" Alex shouted as everyone followed the drill. He smiled at them before uttering a word.
"Dismissed."
Everyone left but Alex and Charlotte remained. She was staring at him before she calls his attention.
"Hey, Alex…" Charlotte called.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"…Have you ever smiled like that before?" She asked.
He raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, you looked like you were thanking all of us from the bottom of your heart." She emphasized.
It took a quick second to realize what Charlotte was talking about "Ah… that… People rarely get to see me smile that way. I look ridiculous, I know." He answered.
"Well, It's cute. I like it." She said, leaving Alex surprised.
"…You like to see me smile?" He asked.
"I-If you put it that way, yeah. It's really cute. Is it bothering you?" Charlotte asked.
"No… No. It's just that no one said that I have a cute smile before…" He answered.
"No one?! Well I'll be the first to say that now. You're really cute when you smile." She said, smiling at him.
"…You look cute when you smile too, Charlotte." He smiled back.
"H-Huh?! I look cute?!" She yelped. She squealed as she turns around hiding a deep blush. Then she faces him with a pout, her face still red.
"Alex, you pervert… saying things like that." She pouted.
"Wha? What did I say?! I-I just complemented your smile, I didn't—I mean…" He stammered before sighing.
"Will it make you feel better if I apologize?"
She gently shook her head. "I-It's just an overreaction… Sorry, Alex."
"Easy, Charlotte. There's nothing to apologize." He assured. The two shifted their attention as the Mayuzumi was dragging Ichika and Houki to the dojo.
"Ah! Officer Alex Fields! Just the man I need to see!" Mayuzumi exclaimed.
"Alex... we can explain." Ichika and Houki said in unison.
Alex and Charlotte blinked as they see her dragging the two. "Um… Okay, I'm here." Alex started.
"Well… I bumped into these two and asked about the interview this coming week! They told me that they have to talk to you about it. So I joined in and ask too! Please, Alex? Can I have these two for a while?" Mayuzumi pleaded.
"All right." Alex answered quickly, leaving the young journalist in surprise.
"Really, Alex?!" Everyone in the dojo asked.
"You heard me. You kids go ahead and have fun. Hey, Mayuzumi. Throw me in, I think your sister may be in a surprise." He added. In a flash, Mayuzumi squeed in happiness and hugged him.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! Alex!" She chirped. "All right, you heard Officer Fields! You're going to that interview!" She said as they dragged them away playfully.
"It's kinda nice to take a breather, you know?" Charlotte added.
"Yeah."
"But I was a bit irked when you said yes." She pouted.
"What? Jealous?"
"Sh-Shut up, Alex."
Alex sighed and rolled his eyes. "I promise that I'll keep watch to make sure that they don't get too close." He said, but he was replied with a pout on her face.
"What? You want to come with?" He asked.
"…Sure… I wouldn't mind." Charlotte said, but her tone tells that she's unsure.
"You worry too much, Charlotte. Let's grab a bite. My treat." He said as he patted her shoulder.