Chapter 7: Changeable and unchangeable part4

Takeru POV

Good God. To hell with this mess of Hayase's hardcore fan. Good god, I' m seriously dying here. Me and that battle madden woman? I don't know if this is a twisted of fate or someone twisted sense of humor. Recalling the event at the combat field only bring me nothing but embarrassment and shame.

"Her hardcore fan!" Takeru cried out as he yield to the pressure of the girls killing intent

"Eh"…. Everyone standing on the field let out that single sound as the result of Takeru unexpected line.

Time stop for everyone on the combat field including the clown himself who is tearfully realized one heck of a mess he just created.

The first to regain time herself was Marimo "Why's Hayase of all the people? I could understand if it's Izumi or Haruka. Why's Hayase?"

I don't have any idea about that as well Marimo chan. She was the closest to me among all the Valkyrie, her combat style rubbed on me unknowingly. No choice in this matter, I have to make a dash for myself here…

"Geh"

"You shall not escape Takeru", both Meiya and Ayamine steel up their iron locks. "Not until you explain"

My body simply froze as I have just seen a divine revelation. My gift to Yuuko wasn't the project I work with Kasumi but my KIA report filed on her table with the title "Live and die for the sake of love", at least she could have a good laugh to relieve her stress.

"Explain you Takeru", everyone send their hostile glare at the clown.

"She is my…" I couldn't think of any excuses now

"She is your what?"

"She is my…" I still couldn't think of any excuse

"…" the killing intent intensified while the glaring from the girls petrifies Takeru himself.

Something, some excuse, anything will do, no matter how farfetched,…

Then, something which was long locked inside the bottom of my heart was unlocked. "She is beautiful and strong". The time I spent under her wings is vividly displayed in my head. How she motivated and looked after my helpless self when I was still in shock after Marimo chan's death. "She is smart and caring for her squad". While she appears to be strong and dependable outside to everyone in our squad, she herself is just another normal girl inside. This is the part of her that makes her the most remarkable among the Valkyrie. No matter how depressed or despaired she was, she would never yield to any of those pitiful feeling while motivate everyone else with one of her usual jokes or challenge. "She prioritizes her friends over herself. While she was renowned for her strength as the undisputed ace of the Valkyrie, it was her caring side of her that I found most admirable. Never succumb to despair or sorrow for the sake of everyone around her. She was reliable and dependant when it counts." She was the one who honed and tempered the weak and depress me into a warrior whose worthy of everyone's expectation. The moment she sacrificed herself at the bottom of the base was just too cruel for me to accept it. I was too powerless to do anything, too powerless to save her. That was when one of my emotional nerves snapped. I locked away these feeling to the bottom of my soul, and accepted her legacy as a member of the Storm vanguard. If I succumbed to those miserable feeling inside me, what would happen to those girls in the squad? If I didn't stand tall and keep my head held high, I would never able to meet up with her expectation and her last wish. "She is too, another important piece of my soul who defines what I am today."

"…"when I open my eyes after reminiscence my memories of Hayase, the whole world around me was blurry. My eyes were clouded. Hot tear streamed down my own face like a broken faucet. Now if I was thinking about it, her death was one of the most traumatic experiences for me. I was powerlessly forced to run away, left her behind and accepted her death.

"We are sorry Takeru, we didn't mean to…"Meiya looked downward and spoke guiltily

"We are sorry…" The rest of the Squad responded guiltily in unison

"No, as long as you all can understand it." I sheepishly wipe away my tears and cracked a small laugh. I never intended to let out all of these realistic emotions of mine out into such speech. I was only intend to come up with some farfetched excuse, however, the sudden visualize of her image has brought out my locked away emotion.

Marimo irritably minces her words "What the hell are you talking about Shirogane? She is still living and kicking" she then sends me a chilling glare "and stop stupidly turning to your crybaby self to escape"

"Eh. She is still alive?" The girls couldn't hide their surprise as they listen to this information from Marimo

"Gulp." How true! Crap! I forgot that woman was station in this base as well. After all, she was a candidate for the 00 unit.

"You spoke as if you know her very closely. How did you acquaint with her? Your profile says that you were in the State up until now." (Sorry America, I know there is definitely not a single American guy as stupid and dense as this guy. If you want to blame this citizenship of his, put the blame on Yuuko)

"Gulp." I unconsciously swallow my saliva and sweat profusely as the girls renew their killing intent toward me once more time.

Among 36 strategies of Sun Zi, only one would work well in this particular situation. I told myself. Tactical retreat!

"Instructor, it's time for lunch now. See you later in class. I can't wait to have myself stuff " I spoke while break out of the girls enclosure in full dash.

(October 24, 2001) 9.00 pm Takeru POV

Good god, so much trouble for a woman who is not even my lover. Hayase is surely one bizarre existence. I can only pray that the next morning, Marimo chan and the girls' wraith will subside somehow.

Takeru connects the last cable to the simulator and speaks "Kasumi, can you begin the record now?"

Kasumi is typing some commands at the Commanding monitor device which is connecting to the simulator. "Please wait for a moment Takeru san, I am calibrating the device."

Takeru realizes what he is doing is tougher than he expected without any of Yuuko' assistant. Even he could grasp the concept completely, the practice is actually impossible to proceed without Kasumi help.

"You are good to go now Takeru san" Kasumi calls

"Yosh, here I go" Takeru grins delightedly as he grabs his control stick tightly. "Heh, this sensation is the best after all. To be one with your mount"

11.50 pm(Yokohama base Hangar)

"Kasumi, let stop here today. I can pack up the stuff here on my own. You only need to retrieve the Commanding monitor back with the OS data." Takeru speaks as he let out a big yawn

"Good night Takeru san" Kasumi speaks as she holds the monitor in her arms.

"Good night Kasumi" Let meet here at the same time tomorrow.

After the small figure of Kasumi disappear from his sight, Takeru packs up the connecting cables lazily. He then went back to the simulator to retrieve his memories record device. It shows good results. As this rate, by the time Yuuko sensei returns, he would completed the new OS. Takeru decides to go back to his own room as he turns off the simulator.

He notices something weird with this single simulator. One of the courses is online. It should be offline at this current time without anyone doing their training. Only with authorization commands, the course will be opened to use. Without any authorize command code, this course shouldn't be online at all. Takeru becomes curious as this newfound error in the machine. He chooses to take the course out of curiosity. "Course SSS is commencing. All unit stand by…" A Mechanical voice emits through Takeru's receiver.

"Course SSS?" Takeru has no memory of such course in all of his previous loops.

Eh? I can customize my own TSF for this mission? That's weird. For lower level course, the Type97-Fubiki will be used. Higher level course, depend on the course priority, the Type77-Gekishin, Type89-Kagerou or the Type94-Shiranui will be available. But in this course for some reason, I could choose any of the fours for this mission. Let's me see to condition of the mission. Eh, it's like this course create for dueling purpose. "Total annihilation to the opposing TSF". I can't help but think that this course is closer to the Valgern game that I use to crazy about rather than a training course design for combat purpose.

"Yosh, I choose you Fubuki" Takeru was excited at this new found course

"Please choose the design mode for the course." The mechanical voice once again emitted through the transmitter.

Mode A is simply a one-on-one battle while mode B is a one vs. many battle. Takeru can't help but think that this is actually more like a Mecha game program than an actual-combat purpose program. "Let's try with mode A then"

Suddenly, a list of codes appears on the simulator screen as Takeru was quite loss at what to do next "So, do I have to choose one of these code to input to the main screen? Let try it then"

Just as Takeru finish entering the code, the main screen went black and the Mechanical voice booms through the transmitter. "All unit stand by. Mission start in 5, 4, 3, 2 ,1, 0. Destroy all opposing TSF at will."

The main screen flares up as its show Takeru the ruin of the Hiragi town outside of the Yokohama base. "So it's a hide and seek game. Let's do our best Fubuki"

Takeru then pilots his TSF through the ruin stealthily. After 30 minutes, still no trace can be found from the opponent TSF. Takeru can't help but muttered "This map is too big for a one on one. Unless one side decides to show up first, there is no way we can end this hide and seek game."

Takeru's Fubuki walks out of its hiding place in broad light. Takeru turns his IFF on as well. "Let see how strong is the opponent". The Fubuki match slowly though the ruin with its IFF turn on as if to invite any of sort of attack against it. The atmosphere was covered in an eerie silence save for the sound of the Fubuki footstep. Suddenly, Takeru was shuddered by some unknown feeling as he pulls back his Fubuki immediately in response. The left shoulder of the Fubuki was completely blown off as its body shook uncontrollably in its landing. Takeru is sweating cold sweat inside his simulator. The opponent is an extremely skillful sniper. It's probably just as good as Tamase in the accuracy. If Takeru was to pull back his Fubuki any later than that just now, it would be his cockpit that was blow up. Anyway, he has spotted the position of the opposing TSF. Takeru still keeps his IFF on while drive his Fubuki to meet the opposing TSF. Another bullet was shot from that same place, Takeru maneuvers his Fubuki barely in time to dodge it. The bullet grazed through the armor of the Fubuki and create a white spark. "That was crazy", the opponent pilot AI response are extremely good. The speed that was used to correct the timing in Takeru TSF movement from such range is just completely crazy. Let alone such a huge angle of depression from the place the opposing TSF fire that shot. "An ace!" Takeru can't hide his excitement as his Fubuki perform a double jump shot through the vacant ruin toward the opposing TSF. He let out a hail of bullets toward the top of the highest building in the Hiragi town. Amidst the gray smoke, a shadow of a type-94 Shiranui can be seen.

The black Shiranui jumps off from its hiding place from the opposite side of the building. Takeru barely has time to correct his Fubuki movement as he was about to exhaust his booster with the double jump shot. He completely frustrated at the old OS of this TSF he is driving. The control time lag is too large, mobility is too slow and include the freeze time during a landing, he wasted a total 5 seconds without able to do anything instead of catching up with the opposing TSF. "Darn it" Takeru yells out loud as he turns off the assisting systems of the Fubuki's OS. "Good, now I can go all out" Takeru laughs delightedly as he pushes the one arm Fubuki into chasing the shadow of the opposing Shiranui.

Even with an inferior booster, chasing after the opposing Shiranui wasn't a problem at all for Takeru's Fubuki in its current state. Firstly, the only person who are able to perform the double jump in this world at the moment is Takeru himself. Secondly, the Fubuki is no longer has freeze-time during landing. The black Shiranui let out a storm of bullets to stop the Fubuki from closing the distance. Takeru shakes his control sticks to guide his Fubuki through the storm of bullet. Error messages keep on appearing in the screen at every single movement of the one arm Fubuki. Takeru told himself to avoid fighting a mid range and long range combat with the opposing TSF as his current state of Fubuki won't able to handle it at all. With the lock-on system, balancer, OBW (operation by wire) system turn off, the Fubuki chances to compete in a war of projectiles is basically nil. However, Takeru could turn those disadvantages of his into advantages if it was to become a close quarter combat with the Fubuki new mobility.

The black Shiranui suddenly makes a sharp turn and it disappears into the one of the intersection. Takeru could only let out smirk "Is this an invitation to a duel or a trap? I don't care either way. This time, it's my win." The black Shiranui waits anticipatedly as the IFF showed the movement of the one arm Fubuki is getting nearer to its trap. 5, 4 , 3, 2, 1, 0. the target is in position, the Shiranui shoots a hail of bullets through a shopping mall as the Fubuki IFF signal its position in the line of fire of the Shiranui. Gray smoke spread through the intersection and the gun noise from the Shiranui echoes throughout the ruin of Hiragi town like a war cry of victory. Just when the gun noise has fully stopped, the black Shiranui comes out of its hiding place to check the condition of its prey. However, as a gust of the wind blows through the intersection, only a broken IFF transmitter could be seen. The black Shiranui immediately draws its combat sword the moment it recognizes that the one arm Fubuki still in the game.

"Checkmate" Takeru's voice explodes as his Fubuki drops down from the roof of the shopping mall and cleaves the black Shiranui into halves in a vertical spinning slash. "It's my win. Do you think I am stupid enough to chase you into a corner with my IFF on?" However, just the moment the one arm Fubuki land, the cockpit shook violently as if it was hit by a meteorite. Takeru braces himself as he grips his control stick tightly. "That was one heck of an impact" As Takeru open his eyes to look for the source of impact in his simulator screen, his Fubuki was in halves just like the Shiranui.

"Mission completed. All unit standby" the mechanical voice emits through the transmitter signal the end of the course.

"So in the end, the joints can't handle such the landing impact now the balancer and OBW turn off. Arg, I don't feel like I win at all. This is a draw at most"

Takeru want to try the course once more time but he finally realize it is 1.24 am. "Crap at this rate, Marimo chan will surely kill me in the morning." He quickly packs up all the devices and runs to his room afterward.

? POV (Yokohama hangar) 4.30am, October 25, 2001

A blue hair beauty is taking the same "SSS course" as our protagonist in the hangar. She realizes of some new change in the program as it records all entry log of pilots taking the course and converting those movement of the pilot into an AI. "I don't remember registering this entry at all."

6.06 am

The blue hair beauty's screaming echoes through the silent hangar "What's the hell is that" Of all the people she knows, there is nobody could replicate those crazy movement she just saw in the course. If she didn't check the control log record in the simulator, she must admit that those movements were cheated somehow by rewriting the program of the course. Furthermore, she shivers at the crazy stuffs that pilot did during a combat which is turning off the assisting OS just to increase his mobility, an act of suicidal that no Eishi could even dream of. Worse, the control, the movement of the TSF that irregular Eishi pulled of is definitely...unheard, unseen, unimaginable and unthinkable. One couldn't possibly imagine of an existence like that, who could perform such feat.