Chapter 25: Beauty and the beast
7thDecember 2001
5.00pm
He was the first.
First crush he wasn't but, surely, Hayase has never felt this way toward another person.
It was a complicated feeling that even Hayase has no idea of what it is.
Was that because he is strong, strong enough to go head to head with Hayase? He has the kind of strength that people found it was hard to fathom and accepted. It's unquestionably a reason for Hayase to grow interest in that boy.
It is one of the reasons why Hayase was so infatuated with him. But, that wasn't all there to the story. Strength was not the only reason Hayase became infatuated with that boy, because there was no short of strong people around Hayase.
Being the undisputed ace of the Valkyries doesn't make Hayase the best at everything. For example, if people were to compare the mentality strength of a person, perhaps, Hayase was the weakest among the Valkyries. She tried her best to look strong so that she could be their support, but deep inside, she was weaker than anyone else.
On another hands, the Valkyries squadron comprised of a bunch of hot shot, each of their individual strength could not describe in words. From the oldest Isumi- a superhuman woman who could do anything to perfect except getting her crush realizing her feeling, to the youngest- Kashiwagi whose sniping skill was so unrealistic that it seemed farfetched. Thus, the life of a Valkyrie was never short of fun for Hayase, she could always train herself while competing with her squad mates anywhere and anytime.
But, he was different.
Hayase has heard them, those rumors circling around Yokohama Training school of that boy's prodigy. People spreading rumors depict him as a genius who could effortlessly accomplish anything easily. But, Hayase knew from the first time she crossed blade against that boy, he wasn't that kind of person. The so call genius Eishi was nothing but a person who beaten himself to death into learning all sort of skills and strengths, until people could only recognize his strength as anything but normal. While it was unarguable that the way that boy maneuvering his TSF around and including the creation of XM3 was incredibly prodigious, the manner he fought and swung his blade around was an undeniable evidence that he was the same kind of person as Hayase, one who once fell into despair of his lack of strength, one who lacked both strength and talents. There was no luster of talent and the sharpness of gift rested on the sword that boy swinging around. It was graceless, desperate, unsightly yet heavy.
If that boy is a prodigy, he would be a prodigy of hard-work, of unable to giving up.
It could not be explain to people of the differences between people with talent and those who don't. But, Hayase could tell that she and the boy are birds of the same feather.
Perhaps, that's why Hayase kept on waiting for that boy in her squad's simulating deck; even it was nothing but vanity for a whole month…a whole month he stood her…
Thanks to that, a simulator was unjustly received Hayase's wraith every night until its outer layer was deformed…
"Can you stop grinning already?"
Hayase darted Munakata a fierce look as though she could devour her friend alive in one gulp.
"Haiiiiizzzzz"
Long and jokingly came Munakata's answer, simply unconcerned of her friend's demon look.
"What's your problem?"
Hayase couldn't help herself from questioning Misae in an annoyed tone since the other party kept grinning evilly non-stops ever since the moment Hayase came back to the squad.
"Nothingggg" With her wide grinning lips, Munakata answered. "And the one with problem is not me…"
Immediately, Hayase stepped closer to the grinning girl.
"Then, who is it?"
Threatenedly, Hayase dared as her face grew hot
"Who know…uhuhuhu… maybe it is Captain Isumiii who delivering him to us right now"
Hayase could only swallow her anger and avert her eyes away from the grinning devil. Hayase had instinctively sense her trouble coming.
"She knew…."
Hayase sighed inwardly in a distressful manner. She can only sense nothing but trouble at this rate. She was always talked down by the grinning devil, and now… uwa she doesn't want to think about it.
There is no way for someone as sensitive as Munakata could miss Hayase's flutter, considering how long Munakata has known Hayase and her obsession with strength.
But, when it took form? When did Hayase become so obsessed with the need of being strong? Hayase only knew the reason for her obsession but she never knew when.
…
Tick tock. The clock turned backward at an incredulous speed. The scenery changed as though someone has just pushed the backward button on a video. Time was rewound.
Two girls stood waiting on a sea of grass.
Not a single day passed by that Hayase forgot about that day, the day she waited for Takayuki with Haruka on that faraway grassy hill.
It was a distant past before Hayase and Haruka was conscripted. Yet, it is only yesterday to Hayase.
Suzumiya Haruka was someone shy, timid and almost invisible to the eyes of public.
Hayase was instead always the center of attention wherever she went. She was frank, funny, strong and sociable.
Nobody could believe if someone like Haruka could befriend with Hayase. But on the contrary, they were the best of friends, despite the differences in their personality.
While their personality was a world apart, they shared a great many common likes and dislikes. Ironically, even their first crush was the same Takayuki Narumi.
The week before Hayase and Haruka were conscripted, they decided to make Takayuki realize their feeling while remaining friends forever no matter what kind of answer that they will receive.
Though, there was a large operation on that day. Being an Eishi and a soldier, Takayuki was forced to deploy to the battlefield.
Waiting and praying was the only thing that Hayase and Haruka can do.
The duo remained on the sea of grass looking at the Yokohama battlefield where the man they loved was deployed to. That day, nothing passed through their eyes missed. Not even the faint and lucid falling star that quickly cut across the day sky on that day. At that very moment, both Hayase and Haruka closed their eyes in harmony and prayed.
Even now, neither Hayase nor Haruka has yet to tell each other of the content of the wish they made that day. But, surely, it would be the same.
"Please, please watch over him."
…
An ominous iridescent mushroom rose skyward from the direction of Yokohama on that day. As though shivering upon that ill-omen, the earth shook and the sky clouded with dust. It was an explosion like nothing else in human history. Not even a product of ten nuclear warhead's explosion would be as huge as that.
That day, Takayuki did not return.
Neither did he in the day following day and the days after that.
He was never seen again.
…
Tick tock. The clock moved on.
It was the third day of the evaluation exam, the last scene of the flashback that Hayase ever want to see.
Everything around Hayase was dyed red, except herself.
Two dead, two heavily injured, including Haruka who lost both of her legs after the incident.
A fully functioned training squad suddenly reduced into but Hayase in a single day.
"If only I was stronger"
Hayase lamented herself. She could not even cry, mounting for her deceased friends or cursing of the ill fate befallen over Haruka. Whether it was the effect of those anti-trauma pills that was preventing Hayase from being true to her emotion or perhaps she could no longer shred any tear after the death of Takayuki, it was still unknown to Hayase.
'If only I was stronger…"
From that very moment, every day was hell for Hayase. Not a day she came back to her barrack without blisters, bruises, cuts and wounds. Not a day she would not drag herself back to her room completely drained of all strength, stamina and sanity.
Hayase has already forgotten the number of punches she threw at the sandbag in the gym every night or the pain of her full of blisters fists. The only thing Hayase could remember was the fact that she had to replace a new sandbag to the gym every day after drilled hole after hole through the ragged sandbags with her bloody fists.
The training program for her squad was frozen since she was the only one remained, but that fact did not stop Hayase from practicing her CQC technique. No, perhaps because there was nobody joining or watching over her practice that Hayase could go full throttle during her self-training. Nobody would be there to stop her from executing those beyond reckless movements nor would they be the one to receive them. Instead, that job fell under the jurisdiction of the sandbags and training dolls. Naturally, those sandbags and wooden doll could act as Hayase's partner for two days at most, before departing to garbage dump tattered and drenched in Hayase's blood.
The training rifles at the shooting range, too, were in no better fate. They were abused for hours until Hayase could no longer pull the trigger anymore with her numbed fingers. During that exercise, Hayase continuously squeezed the trigger with her blistered finger until those blisters popped into bloody mess and her triggered finger went numb.
There were days that Hayase couldn't even dragged her bloody body back to her barrack due to the severity and intensity of her exercise.
Healed wounds overlapped with unhealed wounds. Doctors and nurses in the medical wards grew frustrated over attending treatments for Hayase each and every day in vanity. There was no room for those wounds, cuts, and bruises to heal from the beginning. It was an endless spiral of opening new wounds and reopening old wounds each and every day.
Eating became secondary or perhaps tertiary since Hayase could never get rid of the disgusting taste of iron inside her mouth and her nostril. The food and water that she consumed always mixed with the smell of her own blood. She has long forgotten when it began, the scent of her blood lingering within her every breath and taste.
Hayase's Instructor JinguujiMarimo has warned and punished Hayase about that, over exerting herself in her self-training routine.
But, those words and punishments only felt onto deaf ears. They could not reach Hayase.
Neither the words from Kyozuka oba chan could reach her.
Hayase could not stop herself from killing herself off with all sort of crazed exercises and trainings, as long as those crimson nightmares repeatedly haunted her sleep.
Those anti-trauma relief PTSD pills worked for a while. But, when the effect worn out, Hayase could only see hell, unable to withstand her guilt of being weak and watching her friends suffered unable to help.
Her body was weak but Hayase's heart was even weaker. She badly desired to live her days relying on those PTSD relief pills every day or undergoing hypnotizing therapy to get over her trauma. But, even so, those solutions will solve nothing. Hayase could never forgive herself if she was to rely on those.
That's why Hayase could only train herself as hard as possible. Those exercises and trainings were so tough that she could barely retain any sanity to think or remember of that crimson evaluation exam day. Those ridiculous trainings and exercises were the only medicine that could save Hayase from her nightmare even though they did more than just harm to her body. Though… that medicine would only send Hayase to her death eventually.
People tried to stop Hayase from repeatingly killing herself off in those crazy exercises, and none of them ever succeed.
The nurses injected sedative to put a stop to Hayase's mindless and crazed streak of exercises. Though, it worked only once.
Marimo sent Hayase to the cell over insubordination, indirectly preventing Hayase from those exercises. Though, the only thing change was the location for Hayase to exert herself of her daily exercise.
Soon, she will break.
None would doubt about it.
…
By the time Haruka was discharged from her rehab and rejoined the squad, a year has passed.
The body that everyone has predicted to be broken down in shreds unexpectedly never broke.
It was more than a sheer miracle.
Nobody could actually believe how Hayase could even survive taking those exercises day after day. Nobody could even imagine how a cyborg could make it through that hellish experience, much less a normal girl of blood and flesh like Hayase.
What doesn't kill you only make you stronger. It was exactly the phenomenon happened to Hayase.
Muscles and bones that were continuously worked beyond the point of exhaustion realigned and reshaped over and over again. Internal organs changed alignment, reconstructed and reinforced at cellular level.
People could not understand how Hayase did it, nor did Hayase herself. The feat she accomplished was utterly irregular, illogical and inexplicable from the very beginning.
She was badly obsessed and desperately desire for strength. Not once she took any leisure to neglect herself from her training or her path. And, before she has realized it herself, she attained the kind of strength that people could not readily accept.
But, those weren't the only thing different about Hayase. Hayase became anything but a normal girl from that crimson day when she faced the despair of being unable to protect her friends. At some point since god know when, Hayase grew badly obsessed to strength of all forms, physically or mentally.
"Have I become strong enough?"
That question never crossed Hayase's mind, not once, for strength was something extremely ambiguous. What is strength to begin with? How does a person know that whether he is strong or not? Does a person become strong just because people around him keep telling him that he is strong? Does a person become strong as long as she could trample down anything opposes to her? Is a person weak just because he could not become a hero, protecting everything and anything that he want to protect? Is a person weak just because he was unable to defy against his own destiny? No matter what, where or when, strength was always such an undefined and shapeless thing.
While strength is always such a vague goal, the road that one must take to attain it was the same for everyone. Strength isn't something that comes naturally to everyone, especially those who wasn't born with innate talents and gifts. Only those with strong desire for power, only those who unyieldingly work for their goal no matter how much effort, tears, sweats and blood they must pay could grasp something as shapeless and undefined as strength. It was such a treacherous road, the path to be stronger, to exceed your own limit. Yet the price you have to pay for something so undefined and vague was so heavy.
As a result, it is almost so natural that people would become twisted somehow, one way or another once they walked down such a treacherous road.
The worm namely "to able to test one own strength and reaching to another level" always hungrily gnawed Hayase's mind. And these days, that worm worked up even worse than it was in usual. The thirst and the hunger for strength could almost never be filled even with competitions among her peers.
That was when he appeared. That was when Hayase chanced upon that unique Eishi who has not even take his Aptitude test, yet fought against her to a standstill. Even though he could do anything but quell Hayase's thirst except only make it became worse, he in fact stirred up her curiosity a great deal.
That boy was the same type of person as Hayase, almost too similar to a scary extent. However, there was something more about him, something unique and mysterious that Hayase could not explain.
2.13PM, unknown corridor
Isumi tried her best not to drag her legs walking even though she felt incredibly tired.
When was the last time that Isumi felt as exhausted as she is now?
But, that was not important at all. What's more important is the reason for Isumi's tiredness… And the reason was a young man with long unkempt raven hair who was following after Isumi closely as though he was her shadow.
However, it's not like Isumi was tired because her heart went pikupiku, seeing him up close.
Yeah, what is more frustrating is that even though the source of Isumi's tiredness is definitely the young man who was walking after her, he was completely unbeknown to the problems he gave Isumi.
Glancing at the young man once again, Isumi shook her head disbelievingly.
The young man has transformed greatly as comparing to the moment Isumi first saw him from the monitoring deck.
By some unknown reasons, the swellings and bruises on his face…disappeared the moment he came out of the simulator as though he spent time mending his own face inside the simulator, not fighting against Hayase.
Guh… That privilege only belonged to cartoon characters and Chop kun. How on the earth the boy did that?
Well, Isumi and the girls in her squad were surprised by that… The Valkyries were seriously having a commotion because the sudden transformation of the boy from an idiotic ragged Cinderella looking boy to a Hollywood movie star. But, that wasn't the problem for Isumi's tiredness.
Kouzuki Yuuko sent the handsome young man to Isumi all of the sudden, along with some weird instructions after calling Isumi down to the simulator deck. But, that's too, not the reason for Isumi to feel this exhausted.
Isumi became the boy's guide and escort instead of Hayase. But, it's also not the reason.
So what's the real reason?
It began the moment the boy started following after Isumi, walking from the simulator deck to the Valkyries' briefing room.
Walking toward her destination, Isumi suddenly felt a chill running down her spine. Immediately, she turned her head around, searching for the source.
Without wasting a second, the moment Isumi rested her sight upon a pair of girls, her woman's intuition immediately tell her that it was them- the reason for Isumi's chill.
Why were they glaring at me in such manner?
Isumi asked herself without slowing her pace.
Before Isumi could go out of those girls' eyeshot, she encountered another girl who walked in the opposite direction along the corridor that Isumi was taking. For some reasons, that girl glared at Isumi with incredibly hostility, too.
And surely, that girl wasn't the last. Immediately after that, Isumi suddenly became a target for hostile glares from all directions as she continuingly walked down the corridor.
They were glares that could skewer and tear Isumi to pieces with burning jealousy.
Uwa… Leave me out of this. He is my new squad member, you know? If you want to have a go with his lover, go and look for my ace, not me.
Isumi cried inwardly, shooting her earnest thought toward those girls who were burning with jealousy. Normally, she would not back down in a glaring competition. But this situation was way too abnormal, and those girls' glares were anything but your average glares. Those girls looked at Isumi as how snakes would toward frog.
Well, if only those girls were mind-readers like Kasumi, they would surely change the way they look at Isumi…or not.
Their bloodshot glares only intensified as Isumi meekly looked at them, nervously laughing and earnestly transmitting her inner thought.
"Die! Die! Why the Valkyries hog him all to yourselves? Why do you have to walk around the base parading your victory over us like that?"
That was how Isumi interpreted those bloodshot glares.
Give me a break
Isumi felt the urge to stomping her feet, tearing her hair and screaming at those jealous girls.
Oy… Why don't you say something and clear the misunderstanding already?
Isumi darted her eyes at the boys who following after her like a lost puppy, expecting him to take his share of responsibility.
Nay… Her thought could not reach him either. The boy blinked innocently at Isumi as though he was confused.
Uwa… No good
Isumi lamented inwardly.
The glares' intensity has reached a peak. The way the boy innocently blinked at Isumi only deepened the misunderstanding between the over-jealous girls and Isumi. They must have think that Isumi tried to show off or something.
Professor Kouzuki should have Hayase support Isumi, escorting this genius troublemaker to the Valkyries's briefing room. That way, Isumi would be saved from those malicious glares.
…
The boy was unexpectedly popular to a scary extent. Isumi knew he was popular with the members of her gender from those rumors circulated around the base…But, she couldn't believe that his popularity has escalating into this.
Uwa…poor Hayase, at this rate she might not able to compete… Nay, if it came to competition, Hayase was always the undisputed queen of all. It's too early to decide whether Hayase has a chance or not.
But, Isumi could sense nothing but disaster at this rate…
And Isumi has yet to introduce the boy to her squad.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Pardon me?"
Shirogane Takeru stiffened up, doubting his very ears
"I am having you and Yashiro chan a part of this unit from now on. As before, Yashiro will be your independent task coordinator. Of course, taking care of her is once again falling under your sole jurisdiction"
KouzukiYuuko, the mad scientist coldly announced, as though the content of her speech didn't involve her one bit
Takeru now was sure that his ears were in good condition, heaving a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness his ears weren't rupture during that scary battle…
Hell no, this is nothing to be celebrating about.
What's with this shotgun of a decision? To think that his Yuuko sensei would actually transferring him into the Valkyries now of all time is just… impossible.
Shirogane Takeru maybe a legendary blockhead among all of the blockheads when it comes to a girl's feeling, but regarding subjects involving his own life, he was always uselessly sharp.
Nevertheless, Takeru has kind of expected this development the moment he was forced into fighting against the person who he both greatly admired and feared at the same time.
Whether he won or lost that battle, he will surely receive a ticket to enter the hall of Valhalla. Takeru was sure of that.
Because it was a curse of the gods "if a mortal ever saw the true form of a Valkyrie with his naked eyes, that Valkyrie will become a mortal." And not only Takeru has seen that certain Valkyrie, but he also entertained her with a duel in her fashion.
But, ironically, the Valkyrie that Takeru saw was unique, unlike other Valkyrie in the old myth. It took Takeru less than 1 second to visualize how the great god Odin would be beaten in to tears and bloody mess if he dared to raise a finger against that particular Valkyrie.
And thus, if the gods were unwilling to go against the law they have set, they just have to bend the rule and makeTakeru into a citizen of Asgard, sending him a ticket to the heavenly world…
And that's the current state of Shirogane Takeru who has just finished his match against that particular Valkyrie who even the great god Odin feared.
"We welcome you to A-01. I am the unit commander, Isumi Michiru"
"…2nd Lt. Shirogane Takeru. It's my honor to serve under you, captain"
Somehow, Takeru was able to reply normally.
Suddenly seeing Capt. Isumi greets him normally like this, the same as how she has once welcomed him to the Valkyries, it's just unbearable. But, for some unknown reason, he didn't cry like how he did meeting up Marimo chan and the girls of squad 207 once again.
Right after the match with the ace of the Valkyries, the moment Takeru opened his simulator lid, he saw his Yuuko sensei and Capt. Isumi waiting for him. Then, immediately, before Takeru has realized it he was standing in the briefing room of the Valkyries.
Kasumi, that girl has ditched him, totally vanished the moment Capt. Isumi came to fetch him. Geez… that little snow fairy is as shy and unsociable as ever. And to think that she was also assigned into the Valkyries as Takeru's special task coordinator… does she intend to become a phantom member of the Valkyries?
But how on the earth that he was suddenly promoted into a member of the Valkyries right away after the graduation? Shouldn't he transfer into a testing unit with Marimo chan and the rest of his squad members? Shouldn't his transfer occur after the XM3 trial day?
Heck? He has suspected this development the moment he was forced into fighting against Hayase… but, it's still too unbelievable.
While suddenly seeing captain Isumi should have triggered some emotional scar inside him, Takeru was too absorbed into his thinking to allow room for that.
Was this a decision of his Yuuko sensei? Damn, he should have asked her about which unit she would transfer him into after graduation. He was too confident in his future knowledge and unable to guess this turn of event.
Why? Why transfer him into the Valkyries now of all the time?
Damn, this is bad
This is bad
This is bad
Did Yuuko sensei see through what he was planning all along?
No, she shouldn't.
He made no error in his preparation.
Even he has made some errors, not even someone at Yuuko sensei level could realize them, since Takeru started working his own plan when Yuuko sensei was occupied dealing with the coup d'état. He even made sure to conceal all of his movements and tracks with the help of that old spy Yoroi.
Damn
Think Takeru
Think
Think
What is the reason for Yuuko sensei to put he into the Valkyries now of all time?
Yuuko sensei would only have her hands bound, transferring Takeru into the Valkyries at this time.
And since this is his Yuuko sensei, she would never do something as stupid as a lover suicide when she still has so many options on her hand.
Maybe this is a test. Yuuko sensei must have set up this whole scenario to make him panic and make some errors…
Yes, he definitely cannot rule out such scenario, since this is the genius YuukoKouzuki that he is dealing with.
Then, if that's the case, he just has to act as nothing has happened and waited for a chance to use his cards.
"Our unit is a special task force under the XO Kouzuki's personal control as you may have known."
"Ma'am"
"The XO may have already informed you. But, there is no harm in repeating it once again. Our unit has the highest casualty rate of any TSF Armored Unit in this base. It used to be a full regiment A-0, the XO personal special mission unit. However, as you can see, it has shrunk from a full regiment to only one company. And yet, we don't have enough recruits to fill up the empty position. But, even so, that doesn't change how hard the missions are"
Takeru could only nod. The latest assignment the Valkyries was assigned to was to stop the rebel main army from catching up with his squad, fighting against a colossal number of rebel TSFs that were 10 times of their size. Not even the word suicidal would do them justice of how tough their missions are.
"That's the reason why a hot shot star player such as yourself is more than welcome. We're going to work you to the bone, so be prepare"
"Aye, captain"
Takeru replied, wondering how and why Captain Isumi praised him in such manner. Yuuko sensei spent praised him to the captain? No way.
Unlike the last loop, Takeru has barely accomplished anything this time except for the development of the XM3.
The only possibility Takeru could think of is Marimo's report of the whole squad 207B… and the previous duel with the ace of the Valkyries.
"One more thing, Shirogane"
"Ma'am?"
Not that Takeru really cared about why Capt. Isumi praised him so much over nothing. Yes, nothing since he has yet proven how useful his XM3 is…
"You don't need to be so stiff here."
Here it is. No formality between squad members, the best thing about the Valkyries. Normally, Takeru would love it. But, definitely not now of all time…
"Ma'am"
Takeru replied, ignoring a scary thought bubbling from within his mind.
"Now then, I'll introduce you to the rest of the company"
Isumi nonchalantly said, gesturing Takeru to turn back so that she could start the introduction.
Immediately, Takeru could feel the stares upon him intensified.
No, Takeru believed that those stares which embedded onto his back have long intensified…starting from the moment he walked into the room with Capt. Isumi. And the intensity of those stares has just reached a peak level.
Turning his sight to match with Capt. Isumi's moving hand, Takeru gingerly faced his new colleagues.
"On the right, First Lt. Hayase Mitsuki, commander of Platoon B. She graduated training School three terms before you"
What the hell?
Shouldn't the captain introduce her command post first? Hayase maybe her second, decision making wise on the battlefield, but isn't it was 1st Lt. Haruka her second in rank and command? Shouldn't Capt. Isumi introduce her squad mates from the highest rank to the lowest? And besides, why did…she looked fidgety like that, she - Hayase of all the people Takeru knew?
…
"Shirogane… the greeting"
Takeru immediately did as his savior remind him. Damn, he was too dumbstruck seeing captain Isumi and his 1st Lt. Hayase's weird behavior. If Capt. Isumi didn't remind him of the salute, he would definitely just stand and do nothing but staring at Hayase.
"Please to meet you"
Takeru said, saluting in a very panicked manner.
"Welcome to Isumi's Valkyries. I'll be expecting a lot from you." replied the girl with the ponytail azure hair style, trying her best to look calm and compose.
"… Please go easy on me"
Takeru nervously answered. Why the mood in this room just so weird? 1st Lt. Haruka kept on look back and forth between him and 1st Lt. Hayase. 1st Lt. Munakata kept on grinning evilly as though she was possessed by a ghost of grinning. The rest of the girls were obviously stared at him scrutinizingly while his 1st Lt. Hayase was still acting fidgety as though she was on her first date.
Don't tell him… that the news of "Hayase's hardcore fan has reached her ears"?
No way… impossible.
Impossible
Takeru immediately worked his processor to maximum capability, trying to find the true at all cost.
"Why… Isumi's Valkyries?"
Takeru asked… if Hayase really knew about that stupid stalking rumor of him, she would answer differently than he expected. He could only hope that she would answer that question of his in a similar manner to how she did in the last loop.
"Captain Isumi's Valkyries. We called ourselves as such because the twelve Eishis in this company have been all girls until now. Your arrival has completely screwed it up… Ah, don't mind me, it's not your fault or anything"
"…"
Takeru could barely heave out a sigh of relief. The fact that Hayase still has no idea about that outrageous and ridiculous claim that he once slipped should have been a huge relief… but her tongue was still as harsh as ever. She might not have any bad intention but her nonchalant tongue could drive a guy to a point of suicidal at time.
Damn. But it is undeniable that Takeru put a stop to the long tradition of the Valkyries just by being a Valkyrie. Within the Yokohama base record, he was the only male Eishi transferred into this unit within the 4 years span.
"…"
Even Hayase wasn't wrong, telling him that he screwed up the Valkyries's tradition, but shouldn't Captain Isumi come into his saving? Why nobody bother to rebuke Hayase and defend their new kawai kouhai?
Takeru turned his head at Captain Isumi, looking for assistance. For some reason, the Captain has a face as though she was scheming something.
"Oy. Be nice to him. Wasn't you the one who looking forward to meeting him the most?"
Pfft
Saliva inside Takeru's mouth immediately made speedy escape.
"W…wwhat are you talking about?"
Hayase growled in a fluttered manner
Takeru immediately turn his eyes toward the one who has just said the most dreadful thing in the world.
"First Lt. Munakata Misae of the Platoon C. Two term before you"
Capt. Isumi introduced the person who Takeru was staring at.
"2nd Lt Shirogane, you will have my support"
Mature looking, deep and penetrating eyes, calm and sharp. 1st Lt. Munakata Misae just as Takeru remembered, as well as her dangerous quips.
If this is a gal game, two options would be presented to Takeru. The first option would be "Thanks for your kind intention…but I'm Hayase's hardcore fan. I will follow her to grave." The second option would be "Thanks for your kind intention, I trust that someone as kind and beautiful as you will always save me from someone as cruel and vile as Hayase". And surely, if Takeru would at least is able to save his ass by making one of those choices.
But, the reality isn't nearly as kind some gal game. Right now, the two options available to him are dead or die. The first option would be "Yield your life to the tough love of Hayase, the battle madden and competition obsessed battle maiden of Odin." Naturally, it is a ticket to hell. Nobody would question the fate of the one who take that ticket to hell willingly.
On the other hand, the second option would be "Resign yourself to the devilish Munakata Misae." The question regarding the fate of one who chose that option would not be "Can he survive?" but "In which way that he will die?" Munakata Misae was not a violent and battle crazed person like Hayase but she possessed something scarier, her poison tongue and her crafty mind.
"Please go easy on me"
Gulping, Takeru saluted to his new superior.
Munakata's words are kind but her eyes were suggesting something else. "I found a new toy" Her eyes screamed in joy.
Dealing with Hayase can be a pain but… dealing with 1st Lt. Munakata could turn out to be worse. Contrast to the aura of a cool beauty she exuded, Munakata is total sadist who loves to sexual harassed him and Hayase from time to time. She is also a schemer whose enjoyment is someone's suffering.
"Don't stare at her too much Shirogane. Munakata has no taste for men, you would only have yourself shot down in flame. And besides, you shouldn't publicly make a pass at a girl like that, someone may cry"
Capt. Isumi's teasing voice rang
Luckily, no sputtering for Takeru this time… or not, since everything froze immediately the moment Capt. Isumi made that ominous quip while looking back and forth between Hayase and Takeru, suggesting something too eerie to spell aloud.
Shouldn't making dangerous quip is Lt. Munakata's specialty?
Takeru screamed inwardly as he shuddered in fear.
Why on the earth that Capt. Isumi dropped that bomb shell all of the sudden. And besides, what is she trying to accomplish, playing cupid between Takeru and Hayase. Did he do something wrong that invoke such malice from the captain?
"GáeBolg", Capt. Isumi screamed while launching a crimson arrow at Takeru from afar. Surely, Takeru could never able to dodge something ridiculous as that 100% hit rate noble phantasm cupid arrow of his captain. But, whether he is able to answer to the captain's good intention or not is questionable, since Takeru wasn't confident that his heart would be in one piece or not, receiving such an amazing cupid arrow that could bend the rule of casualty just by shouting its name.
How should he reply now?
Once again, only death awaited Takeru in whichever answer he could come up with, either go with the flow or rebuke against it. That's also including the option feigning ignorance and staying in silence.
How should he reply now?
Damn it. Seriously, Capt. Isumi is not one to trifle with
"Captain. Correction. I have nothing against men, and especially not against someone like him"
Munakata said, looking hurt by the captain's earlier remark.
The room temperature has just dropped by another 100 Celsius the moment Munakata finished her sentence with a wink at the statue namely Shirogane Takeru.
"…"
Takeru could not even sweat to express his nervousness and fear. His whole body was frozen solid the moment his 1st Lt. Munakata dropped that cold bomb shell. This must be what it felt like, being stared into statue by the monster Medusa.
As if her legendary quip "I simply do not care as long as it feels good" wasn't dangerous enough, Munakata Misae nonchalantly threatened Takeru's life following her captain's lead as though it was only normal for her to say such dreadful thing.
Wrong, Takeru was wrong. He was too naïve to think that captain Isumi has usurped the throne of making dangerous remark with her earlier performance.
The person who comes close to steal Munakata's crown of the empress of dangerous quips simply doesn't exist, just like the person who is brave and able enough to snatch the undisputed title of the ace of the Valkyries from Hayase could not even exist in Takeru's wildest dreams.
"…"
Didn't his 1st Lt. Munakata say something about supporting him just now? Why the heck it turned into something like this? Forget about toying around with another guy's heart when she already had a boyfriend, she should never toy around with a person life in their first meeting like this. Munakata is seriously a dreadful being, comparable to the berserker Hayase.
"Hear that Hayase? So don't torture him just because he stood you up"
Capt. Isumi snickered.
"I will remember this"
Grumbled Hayase as though she has just swallowed a whole bottle of toxin
The heck!?
That was the first time Takeru has ever seen Hayase backing down from such outrageous oral challenge. While Hayase was always on the weak side, fighting an oral battle against Captain Isumi and Munakata, but she would never back down and give up that easily without a fight.
And damn, what did Capt. Isumi meant by "Stood her up"? This is the first official meeting between Takeru and the Valkyries. And besides, who on the Earth has the nerve to date Hayase, let alone standing her up in a date? That person must be either a fool or simply sick of living…
"Command post officer First Lt. Suzumiyam Haruka. Three terms before you"
Isumi went on with the introduction, ignoring the growling Hayase and gesturing her hand at a pink head.
"Nice to meet you"
Takeru saluted
"Come to me if you ever need help…especially when it comes to love problem"
"… roger that"
Takeru saluted, wondering if this is the same 1st Lt. Suzumiya he knew.
A pale pink hair girl who is shy, frail and timid was the impression that Takeru has of Suzumiya Haruka, except that she could turned out very strict and strong once she took over her role in the command post. But, she might as well the scariest person in the Valkyries since nobody in the Valkyries, not even Capt. Isumi, Lt. Hayase or Lt. Munakata dare to cross her bad side.
But… for some reason, Takeru's impression of Suzumiya Haruka changed slightly this time. She was kind of different…, more energetic and brimming for some reason.
By the way, he just feigned ignorant of Hayase's threatened glare at him and the pink head Suzumiya. There was no way for him to know what wrong with Hayase. The way she fidgeted around was like that of a child wanting a candy… But, that alone doesn't make Hayase less scary than normal, her bloodshot eyes were still as fierce as ever. The fact that he earned the honor of receiving those bloodshot glares would make Takeru so scare that he could wet his pants any moment. That's why, he could only pretend to ignore them.
"Next, 2nd Lt. Kazama Touko, one term before you"
"Nice to meet you"
Takeru saluted.
"If there is anything you don't know, you can always consult with me"
Touko replied with a smile.
"At least Lt. Kazama is still normal, as kind and sweet as I remember."
Takeru quickly took note while secretly heaving a sigh of relief.
Among the five one sama of the Valkyries, the only person who is truly act of her age and her image is Kazama Touko. Calm, kind and soft was the aura that Kazama exuded along with her rich oujou sama aura.
"Next, 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi Haruko"
"Please to meet you"
Takeru saluted to his classmate in his original world.
"Me too, 2nd Lt. Shirogane. Let's work hard together"
Kashiwagi saluted in return
"Kashiwagi joined us two months before you, so she's been deployed out on two missions so far, but you can treat her like a peer"
Captain Isumi said
Hahhh…
Takeru sighed inwardly. He put up his guard against Kashiwagi over nothing.
Kashiwagi Haruko. Well-known as the ace of Hakuryou high basketball team who single handedly responsible for bringing the school team into the prefecture final. A cheerful sporty girl with a lavender short hair style. While there is no complain over her personality, comparing to the Hayase or Munakata, Kashiwagi could be really troublesome at times with her over-the-top teasing.
At least, the mood was starting to get serious. Up until now, it was more like a process of mental torturing than an introduction for Takeru.
"One quick question, are you really dating Instructor Jinguuji?"
Pffft
Takeru almost sealed the title "the splutterer" for himself just by listening to Kashiwagi's innocent question.
Damn you Kashiwagi, just when I start to have a better opinion about you
Takeru inwardly cursed
"What the hell are you talking about?"
After a full 5 seconds of staring at Kashiwagi in dreadful silence, Takeru managed to throw a question. Damn, this time as well, he was wrong. He should have expected such terrible comment from Kashiwagi as well, since most of her seniors have already had their fills.
"Ahahaha, you know, people were frequently talking about it these days"
Kashiwagi nonchalantly chuckled
"…"
People? Is this the revenge of those girls who he rejected? Did they spread those awful rumors about him just so that they could have their vengeance over him? Geh, a girl's jealousy can be dreadful.
No, more importantly, does this mean that those rumors have already circulated among the Valkyries?
"Those were nonsense. Only idiot would believe in something as baseless as those rumors"
If a contest of the fastest being in the universe were to be held right now, Albert Einstein would surely surprise to find that it was Takeru's mouth crowned the fastest being in the whole universe, not light.
"Heh… how boring"
Replied Kashiwagi
"…"
Boring my foot. What the hell were you expecting,
Takeru silently grumbled as he let his eyes wandered around to observe the reaction of other members of the Valkyries.
Capt. Isumi and 1st Lt. Haruka had a strange look on their face as though doubting on something. 1st Lt. Munakata was grinning as she teasingly winked her eyes at Hayase. But, worse than that, Takeru could feel all sorts of stares being embedded on him in this very moment. Doubt, detest, surprise…
Takeru could not help but wondered if the Valkyries see him as a human being or perhaps a newly invent entertaining product.
"Ahem ahem"
Capt. Isumi feigned clearing her throat, trying to lift off the weird pink mood in the briefing room.
"Next in the line, 2nd Lt. Suzumiya Akane. She was the squad leader of squad 207A, same term with Kashiwagi"
"Please to meet you"
Takeru saluted
"You too. It was really an eye opening opportunity for me, watching the rumored genius in action"
"Hahaha, surely you jest. Class rep… no, Sakaki told me about you. You were really incredible, I heard"
Takeru replied.
Suzumiya Akane- student council president, role model student, ace of the swimming club and Sakaki Chiruzu's best friend, well-known and respected by teachers and students alike. In Takeru's original world, Akane was such an amazing person. She was really famous, if not the most famous person in the whole Hakuryou High.
"I don't know what Chiruzu said, but I will look forward to work with you from now on"
"Got it"
"You can probably tell from their looking and family name, but she is 1st Lt. Suzumiya's younger sister. And they both joined this same unit… it seemed fate worked out in an amazing way"
Isumi said
"Ehehehe"
Akane bashfully laughed
At least Akane is normal, comparing to the significant change in characteristic of other members of the Valkyries. Thank god
Takeru sighed inwardly.
"But, it doesn't mean that I will let you hog away 1st Lt. Hayase to yourself"
"pffft"
"Akane…"
Hayase waved around her hand in fluster, stopping her kouhai from spilling any further unnecessary things.
At least let me fantasize a little. What's wrong with the Valkyries in this loop. Don't make readers think that the Valkyries made up of a bunch of weirdoes.
Takeru silently screamed as tears of tiredness and disappointment welled up at the corner of his eyes.
Besides, who on the right mind would try to hog Hayase all to himself, knowing she would torture him through all sort of trainings, exercises, plus all sort of crazy battles until she satisfied…
"You just thought something rude about me just now, didn't you Shirogane"
Hayase growled threateningly, darting her eyes at Takeru
"I wouldn't dare…"
Takeru did his best to avoid the landmine, sweating profusely due to the pressure exuded from Asura like Hayase.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
8.10pm
Never in his entire life, Shirogane Takeru felt as exhausted as he is now. He could barely remember his earlier meeting with the Valkyries due to his state of exhaustion. It seemed that the characteristic of the member of the Valkyries that he used to know has changed. They were somewhat more mischievous, troublesome and frivolous than they used to be. Furthermore, the two girls Takahara and Asakura who used to be Akane's class mate treated Takeru strangely for some unknown reason. The duo could barely introduce themselves properly. They were stuttered like broken radios with beet red faces while steam blowing out of their ears, similar to that look of boiling kettles.
What did I do in this loop that makes them changing so much?
Takeru asked himself while walking toward Yuuko's office.
The mad scientist was solely responsible for his suffering now and the next following days. Not only that Takeru became a member of the Valkyries according to Yuuko's order, but he was also tasked the job of proving the power of the XM3 in the trial together with member of the Valkyries.
Dreadfully enough, the format for the anti-TSF team battle for the XM3 trial was in Flight unit. As the result, the next incoming day, Takeru himself who supposed to fully responsible for his own show will instead be under the supervision of Cap. Isumi, 1st Lt. Munakata and 1st Lt. Hayase.
Heck… He could somehow manage it with his old squad mate. Even if they were only newbies with little real experience in combat, they would somehow pull through this trial.
Reason?
Firstly, if the other party checked Takeru and his friends' military background, surely, they would look down on Takeru and the girl. Have yet to overcome the 8 minutes threshold of death, freshly graduated trainees… People can't help but being somewhat careless and mistaken the trial match against Takeru's team as a walk in the park.
Secondly, what the team lack in term of experiences was compensated with the advantage of the battlefield and the XM3. Since the setting is the Hiragi town ruin, everyone except Yuuko's guests were already familiar with their battlefield like the back of their hands. Furthermore, the XM3 which gave a huge boost in the team's TSF mobility and the team overall's strength. Thus, the so call lack of experience weakness is practically non-existence.
Thirdly, unlike chivalrous people like Meiya and Hayase, the XM3 wasn't the only card that Takeru had. He had already prepared for the worst scenario. In case that his team was to put into disadvantageous situation, there was his own original concept of mind-linking system with Kasumi. And, if worse came to worst, when everything turned sour, Sumika Kagami will bring order to chaos and save the day with her ability.
That's why, Takeru needed to talk it out with his sensei since Yuuko's intention was still ambiguous to him at this stage. If Takeru could understand that nothing would stop him from proving the might of the XM3 over the old OS, than obviously, Yuuko would never overlook such fact. There was no point for her to assign Takeru into the Valkyries at this point.
"Sensei, I'm coming in"
Takeru said, knocking on the office's door.
However, the moment Takeru walked into the room, Kouzuki Yuuko was nowhere to be seen.
"Where could she possibly be at this hour?"
Takeru wondered while exiting the room and heading toward the lab.
…
What the heck?
Why on the earth his wardrobe, his pillow, his blanket were lying in front of the lab door?
When did this happen? This morning, those stuffs were still in the lab (Takeru's living quarter)…
"Sensei?"
Knocking the door, Takeru entered the lab.
"Welcome back"
Takeru's heart nearly jumped out of his mouth as a person sweetly greeted his return.
Sadly, that person wasn't Sumika. It also wasn't Kasumi or his genius sensei. Instead, it was the old spy Yoroi.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Takeru growled
"Ahahaha, I was lost and before I knew it, I was inside this room"
The old spy laughed
"Do not ahahaha here. There are only four people who could open this lab door, and obviously, I don't remember that you was given the permission to enter this room. Explain how and what you are doing here… wait, at least explain why my personal belonging was thrown outside the lab first. Did you do that?"
Apparently, Takeru became more and more similar to his Yuuko sensei, feeling extremely exhausted just by meeting the old spy face to face.
"Ahahaha, so many questions all of the sudden. Which one should I answer first Shirogane kun? Maybe I should begin with how hamburger was introduced to our society. Hamburger was…"
"Another word on hamburger, I will bash you up whether you are Mikoto's old man or not"
Clenched his fist tightly, Takeru growled. He is extremely tired right now, after taking hours of torturing both mentally and physically. He has totally no stamina and strength to fooling around with this old spy or listening to the king of troll's oral torture.
"Violence will solve nothing Shirogane kun, Well, I am really sad that you had become such a boring man the way you are now. The last time we met, you were more funny"
"Do not evade my question. Was you the one who responsible for the current state of my belonging? Yes or no. Depend on your answer, I will consider whether or not I will vent all of my frustration from the morning until now on you"
Takeru threatened
"Ahaha, by your personal belonging, do you mean those trashes that lying around in front of the lab door? They were already lying there before I entered this room"
"Don't call them trash. Grrr… So what is your business here?"
"Didn't you call me here to make me a member of your harem?"
The old spy replied with a cryptic smile on his lips
PFFT
Takeru has lost count of how many time he sputtered today. He glared at the old spy with his bloodshot eyes "Why you…"
"Don't you want to hear of 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi and Capt. Sagiri's fate? Also, don't you want to hear my report of the request you made?"
"Hahhhhhh…." Takeru sighed to regain his composure. This old spy can really be a pain in the ass despite his competent ability. Why didn't he tell Takeru that from the beginning? Why the hell wasting time on some stupid joke? It's no wonder that Yuuko couldn't help but grow frustrated dealing with this old spy…
Wait
Wait
Wait
"Did you meet Yuuko sensei this afternoon?"
Takeru asked as he felt incredibly tired.
"Oh yes, while I was looking for your room this afternoon, I met her. And we had a very lively conversation"
"…so it was you"
Takeru growled, finally realizing why he was subjected to those tortures from the morning, ill-treated by his sensei and promoted to the Valkyries all of the sudden. "Damn you, you third rate spy. Do you know what kind of suffering you had me gone through this afternoon so that you could have a lively conversation with Yuuko sensei?"
"Ahahaha, I am sure that Professor Kouzuki was very pleased, meeting me in the base while I am running your errand"
The old spy replied nonchalantly with a sunflower like smile on his face