Chapter 2; The First Day

Rushing to the arena, Maylin joined a small crowd growing in the stands as two IS pilots fought it out. Both of them were girls this time, and one of them was clearly losing badly. The IS that was currently on the ground, and was probably the focus of the explosions Maylin had heard, was a mix of oranges and black, wielding a scythe as its primary weapon. It also had a pair of short swords sheathed at the base of the pilot's back, though it had no obvious long-range weapons. The other IS was equipped with a pair of short swords as well, although its wings were considerably larger and bulkier. Its paint job was ice-blue and white, and the pilot was visibly content with the attack she had just landed. "Had enough yet, little girl?" she said to the pilot on the ground, twirling one of her swords. "Hardly," the other girl responded. From her voice, Maylin knew that it was Madoka, although why she was in a match with this girl was beyond her.

Springing back into the air, Madoka brought her scythe back as she charged the other girl. Smirking, the girl in white gestured at Madoka as ports on her wings opened. "Then maybe this will make it clear to you," she said. Suddenly, dozens of missiles streaked out of the open ports, trailing a fine mist as they curved in around Madoka. Left with nowhere to go Madoka opted for charging right through the center as they began to hit her. Explosions chained across the front of her IS as its shields were ravaged by the missile attack. Despite that, she avoided half of them and came soaring through the smoke as she brought her scythe around. Bringing one of her swords up, the other girl blocked the attack almost lazily as she brought the other one forward and slashed across Madoka's chest. Rather than falling back, Madoka brought one hand up as a sword hilt popped up on her left wrist, deploying an energy blade. Bringing her scythe back, she stabbed into the other girl's chest, taking her by surprise as she spun and brought the scythe around the other way.

Before it could hit her, Madoka altered the blade's course, bringing it inches over the other girl's head. Using that momentum, she brought it up in an ark before spinning and bringing it down on the other girl's shoulder, sending her towards the ground. Deciding to not give her any breathing room, Madoka pursued her, clearly hoping to finish the fight quickly. However, when she saw the grin on the other girl's face, her blood ran cold as she realized she had walked straight into a trap. "Goodbye," she said as another streak of missiles came from her wings. This time they exploded seconds after launching, creating a large smoke screen and blinding Madoka. Before she could recover, the other girl flew back up into her with her swords held in a cross slash. Using their combined momentum, she slashed through Madoka's remaining shields, effectively winning the match.

Madoka landed rather heavily on the arena floor, destructing her IS and looking really pissed that she had just lost. "Wow, that was a close one," the other girl said as she landed, "Good match." Rather than answer her, Madoka turned and left. The other girl looked a little annoyed that she had just been brushed off so easily, and Maylin couldn't really blame her. What is Madoka's problem? Deciding not to stick around as some of the other students congratulated the winner, Maylin turned and left the stadium to find the dining hall. She was still rather hungry, after all.


The remainder of the week passed quickly for the staff and students, and before anyone knew it classes had begun. Maylin was rushing through the halls as she tried to find her classroom, cursing herself for not setting an alarm. She managed to find it with a minute to spare, room 1-1. Taking the only remaining seat towards the back of the class, she glanced around and was mildly surprised at who she saw. Madoka was in the same class as her, which wasn't so good since they still weren't on speaking terms. However, Erin and Annabelle were also there, and Maylin felt better for it. They were really nice people, and she felt they could become friends. She returned her attention to the instructor as she welcomed them to the Academy before starting the introductory lectures on the IS. Maylin already knew all of this, of course, but she accepted that some of the others didn't. Taking the time to properly look around the room, she noticed that her class actually had three boys in it, not just Erin.

One of them had short, silver-white hair and was fidgeting at his desk, clearly not used to sitting still. He actually looked annoyed at having to remain stationary at all, and Maylin wondered just what he would do when they got to practical lessons. The other boy had longer black hair, and at first glance he appeared to be paying close attention to the lecture. However, as she looked closer, she saw that he was messing with something on his desk. Since all of them were smart desks, basically large tablets, he could have been doing anything while pretending to listen. Maylin saw that he was playing a chess game, of all things, and that he was running circles around whatever opponent he was playing against. Sighing, Maylin returned her attention back to the lecture, silently praying that he wouldn't get found out.

After a few hours, they were dismissed for lunch before having to head to their hands-on class. That was another change made with the schedule; instead of most of the classes held in the main building they had been spread out around the grounds, with several of them becoming practical classes instead of normal lectures. After eating and chatting with Erin and Annabelle, where she insisted that Maylin call her Anna since everyone else did, Maylin and her class made their way to the IS bays. When they walked into the room, it was to see an IS partially deconstructed with several of its major components laid out on a table. The lack of a teacher waiting for them was slightly confusing, and for a moment several of them wondered if they were in the wrong room. "Glad you all found your way here," they heard from behind them. At the sound of the voice, Maylin's hopes plummeted. It was a male's voice, and she knew of only one male instructor in the IS tech department.

And sure enough, when she turned around it was Simon standing there holding a book, waiting for the last of them to enter the room. He glanced at her briefly and smiled slightly before gesturing through the door. With a sigh, she walked in and found space to stand with Anna. "Alright, class, as I'm sure some of you've figured out by now, I am Simon Felix," he said, walking to the front of the room, "Today we're going to go over the basics of an IS' systems. Hope you're prepared to take notes, because this will be important latter on. Any questions?" Looking around the room expectantly, he was mildly surprised that Madoka was the one to raise her hand. Nodding to her, he prepared for what he knew was coming, since it was a question he had received every time with a new class. "Why do we need to know this if we're going to be pilots?" she asked, "Isn't this kind of thing for the tech geeks?"

"Miss Orimura, right?" he asked, making a show of looking at his roster. He already knew her, of course. "Well, to be perfectly honest, you don't. A pilot's job is simply to operate the IS. It's the mechanics job to fix it, right?" When she nodded, he just smiled and shook his head. "Alright, what happens if the mechanic isn't there?" he asked, smiling at her confused look, "Or if it's a problem during a match? This isn't something we're doing to torture you. It is actually essential knowledge." When it was clear that she still wasn't getting it, he decided to make a point. Turning to the table with the various parts, he picked up a disk with a small sphere at the center. Tossing it to her, he said, "Alright, if you're so smart then I want you to completely dismantle that by tomorrow, okay?" "What is it?" she asked, turning it over in her hands. "That is the housing for an IS core," Simon told her, smiling at how several students leaned in closer to get a better look at it.

"I'll say it again; this is essential knowledge," he said, addressing the entire class, "Once you know how your machine works, you'll know when it's having problems. More often than not, you will know it before the mechanic does." Turning to the smart board, he brought up the schematic of the Uchigane and began to break down the systems involved. Every time he turned back to look at the class, he noted that more and more of them were starting to pay closer attention, though some of them were paying attention to him specifically and not the lesson. Well, that will come back to bite them later he thought as he continued. It was slightly entertaining to see Madoka fiddling with the core housing, already trying to figure out how to take it apart. That was easier said than done since it was easily the most complicated piece of any IS. He also noticed that Maylin was paying attention, but was making an effort to not make eye contact. While that hurt, he understood why and had already vowed to try and make amends.

As the class ended for the day, he noticed that Madoka was trying to put the piece back onto the table. "I recall asking you to take that apart, Miss Orimura," he said, causing her to flinch. Grimacing, she pocketed the part as she left the room. "Miss Felix, a moment?" he said as Maylin was leaving. He noted how her shoulders slumped a bit, and also how two of her classmates looked at her with concern. Wow, making friends already he thought with pride as she walked back into the room. "So, how was your trip?" he asked as he started tidying the table up. "A little awkward, but fine," she answered, "Did you need me for something?" "I can't just have a conversation with my daughter?" "If that's what you wanted, then why didn't you come see me before classes began?" Ouch, full contact on that one he thought as he turned back around. Taking a closer look at her, he could tell that Maylin was torn between running to him and hating him. He could fully understand both; his work hadn't left a whole lot of time for his family.

"So, how's your mother?" he asked, trying to change topics. "She's fine. Still opposed to me being here, but fine," Maylin answered. "Alright, let's stop dancing around this, then," Simon said, finally fed up with the verbal fencing, "You clearly have something you want to say, so say it, Maylin." Maylin crossed her arms and looked down, trying to organize her thoughts. "Why?" she asked finally, looking back up, "Why weren't you ever around?" "Because my job required me to remain here," he answered, walking over to her, "Because Chifuyu was rebuilding the Academy and I couldn't trust someone else to watch over the tech department." "That's it? Because of your job?" she asked, her temper starting to flare, "Why, when we're already investors in several successful companies? We already have more than enough money, so your job isn't a reason." "Maylin, a job is more than a paycheck," Simon explained, sighing, "When it's something you love, it's never about the money. And besides, I can make a real difference here, more so than running around the world consulting."

"But you never had to do that, ether!" Maylin said, "We have all the money we need. You wouldn't have ever had to work again. So why? Why couldn't you just stay at home? Why weren't you around when I needed you?" And there's the heart of it he thought, feeling his heart break as Maylin started to tear up. Her faked anger was starting to give out, the pain she had been hiding exposed. Stepping forward, he pulled her into a hug, saying, "I'm sorry, Maylin. But there were things that I needed to tend to, and they were things that I had to do." He wasn't about to try and explain it to her; how he had used his growing connections to track down everyone involved with the Gospel program. He had found every last one and exposed them, although it had been difficult to do it without revealing what he and Chifuyu had agreed should never come to light. It had taken years to find them all, and when he had finished he had been exhausted. He had considered just stopping and settling after that, finally spending time with his family and raising his daughter. But then Chifuyu had approached him with the offer for the Academy position. He had already known about her restructuring of the Academy as a whole, and when she had asked for his help he hadn't been able to refuse.

"When a friend asks you for help, you help," he told Maylin, "I don't expect you to understand now, but someday you will." Maylin just nodded as she silently cried, clinging to her father. She had missed him so much, but she hadn't fully realized it until now. She had missed the way he talked with her, always speaking with her like an equal and never like some child. He had never lied to her to make her feel better, never hidden anything from her when she had asked for his advice or help, and he had never settled with half-measures. "Can you give me another chance?" he asked after her tears had run out. Stepping back so she could look at him properly, she smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "On one condition; could you talk with Madoka's parents for me? I think there's something bugging her." "Consider it done," Simon replied, smiling back. Reaching out, he ruffled her hair slightly, getting an annoyed moan in response. "Dad, I thought you would have learned not to do that to girls by now," she said, pretending to be mad. "Yeah, yeah. Now hurry or you're going to be late for your next class," he said, stepping back, smiling. As Maylin left the room, Simon noticed that the Steffens twins were there waiting for her, and that they immediately led her aside to make sure she was okay. Simon smiled as some old memories came back to him, and he briefly wondered where Rin was right now. He could definitely use the Chinese girl's spunk right now.


Thankfully, the rest of the day passed with little else of note, although when Maylin returned to her room it was to an interesting sight. Madoka had the core housing sitting on her bed along with some simple tools. She was currently trying to use a screwdriver to take the ring off the housing. Judging from the look on her face, and the fact that the housing was still in one piece, she wasn't having much luck. "Want some help with that?" Maylin offered. Maybe they could use this as a bonding moment and Madoka would finally get over whatever was bugging her. "No, I don't," she replied, dashing those hopes, "Don't need it, or want it." "Okay, what exactly is your problem with me, anyway?" Maylin demanded, dropping her bag on her bed and walking over to face her. She had been trying to remain civil about this, but Madoka's insistent attitude had finally gone beyond the limits of her patience. "So, this is immediately about you, then?" Madoka shot back, setting the core down and getting up, "Little miss rich girl, has to be the center of the world, right?" "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Maylin asked, her voice starting to rise.

"I don't know!" Madoka said. Clutching the sides of her head, she turned away and managed to stifle a scream of frustration. "I don't know," she said again, calmer this time, "I just… just leave me alone." And with that, she grabbed her key and went to leave the room. Instead of just letting her walk past, Maylin stepped in front of her, arms crossed. "We're not done here, Madoka," she said, sounding stern. "Get out of my way," Madoka said, glaring at her. "Not until you give me a straight answer. Whether you believe it or not, I do care." "Good for you. I don't, so move, now." The two girls just stood there, glaring at each other. Maylin was trying hard not to lose her nerve now, while Madoka was trying to keep her conflicting emotions in check. "Alright, I have a way we can settle this," Maylin said finally, "Fight me." "Excuse me?" "An official match this Saturday," Maylin clarified, "If I win, then you tell me what's bothering you." "And if I win, you move out and leave me alone," Madoka replied, her gaze still pure ice. They didn't need to say they agreed to the terms, their glares were answer enough.

Finally stepping aside, Maylin waited for Madoka to leave the room before collapsing on her bed and screaming into her pillow. Why the hell did she say that? She didn't have an IS, and there was no way she was going to be able to throw one together by the end of the week. She barely knew how to make one of the damned things move, let alone fight. I can borrow one of the Academy's Uchigane. That solves my first problem, but what about the second she wondered as she rolled onto her back. She could ask Anna and Erin for help, they would probably be more than happy to train her. But how much could she learn about IS combat in four days? Well, I guess I'll find out she thought as she grabbed her phone, I just hope Dad is having better luck then I am.

As it turns out, while the girls were having their little talk, Simon was on the phone. He had decided rather than going to Houki he would call Ichika, since he was less likely to down-play what he was about to ask. When the line finally connected, he heard, "Hello?" "I'm looking for a bluenette smart-ass, former IS pilot, that sort of thing," Simon said, trying to sound serious. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Simon," Ichika replied, laughing softly, "As it turns out, I enjoy not risking my life on a daily basis. Speaking of, how are things with your students?" "Oh, you know how it goes," Simon replied, smiling, "Some of these girls haven't been exposed to men too often, so they immediately swoon over the nearest one. Same old, same old." "Bet that makes your wife happy. So, what can I do for you?" "Well, you can tell me why your daughter is acting like a…" Simon trailed off there, unsure of how to finish that sentence. Thankfully, Ichika knew what he meant. "It's kind of a long story," he said, sounding sad about something, "Did you know that she had been dating someone before going to the Academy?" "No, I had no idea," Simon replied, "You're wife isn't exactly the gossiping type." "Well, she was. The boy seemed nice enough, except that he started to turn into the possessive type. The relationship went south from there."

Simon took a moment to think about that one. If Madoka had half of her mother's attitude, he could only imagine how well that went over. "The sad part is that she really liked him," Ichika continued, "When they finally broke up, she was depressed for weeks. It was…hard to watch." "I can imagine. Had it been my daughter, I'd have wrung that kid's neck," Simon said, meaning every word, "So that's what this is? A bad case of a broken heart?" "Oh, I only wish," Ichika replied, "Honestly, I think it's a lot of things. She lost touch with Maylin, and you know how close those two were. Her first relationship fell through. Her mother wasn't around a whole lot. And there's probably stuff that even I'm not aware of." "Sounds like you've had your hands full," Simon said, impressed with his friend, "Hey, maybe you should drop in and visit sometime. See how the place has changed." "I think I'll take you up on that offer," Ichika replied, sounding a little better. They continued talking idly for some time after that before hanging up. Massaging his temples, Simon debated whether to share this with Maylin now or wait a day. No, she needs to know about this now he decided as he picked his phone up again.

After her father had explained the situation to her, Maylin sat on her bed and tried not to read into it too much on her own. She had already called Anna and she had agreed to bring her brother to the room. Since sitting still left her with too much time to think, Maylin started working on her homework. After a few minutes, there was a soft knock at the door. When she opened it, it was to be surprised with a hug from Anna. "Are you alright, May?" she asked, sounding concerned. "I said we had an argument, I didn't say she hit me," Maylin replied, patting the girl's shoulder while she looked to her brother for help. He just walked around them, snickering. Finally, Anna let her go and they walked into the room. The girls sat down on the bed while Erin took a chair and turned it around so he could sit down and lean on the back. "So, what's up?" he asked, "And why would this need my help? This sounds like a girl problem." "You're just jealous that we have actual emotions," Anna shot back, sticking her tongue out at him. Watching the two siblings, Maylin couldn't help but laugh at how familiar they were with each other. "I need your help," she said finally, "I need to learn how to fight with an IS." "Alright, how much time do we have to work with?" Erin asked, perking up. "Four days," Maylin replied, deadpanning.

They both stared at Maylin for a while, too stunned to speak. "The hell kind of trouble did you get into on your first day?" Erin asked, ignoring the look Anna gave him. Taking a deep breath, Maylin explained her 'conversation' with Madoka. When she had finished, Anna sighed and put her head in her hands while Erin glared at the floor as if he was trying to burn holes into it. "THIS is what's been eating at you?" Anna finally asked, sounding amazed, "You should have said something sooner." "I didn't want to bother either of you with this," Maylin said, looking down, "It's my problem, after all." "And yet, here we are," Erin observed, again ignoring the glare he got from his sister. Getting up, Erin walked over to Maylin and put a hand on her shoulder. "Alright, I hope you're ready to work yourself ragged," he said, "Because this is going to have to be a crash-course." "We'll try not to be too hard on you," Anna said, shooting her brother another glare, which was, again, ignored. "Don't worry about me," Maylin replied, looking determined, "I'll be fine. So, when do we start?" "Now," Erin answered, smiling at her shocked look, "We have till Saturday, right? So, we don't have any time to waste."

Meanwhile, Madoka was outside the dorms, pacing around in the park and practically seething. She couldn't believe that Maylin could be so stupid. It had taken every ounce of her will to not strike the girl, and she still didn't know why she was so pissed at her. Why, why the hell can't I calm down she wondered again, trying to massage her headache away. It had been one thing after another in her life, one shitty thing after another. First, her mother had just left her, too wrapped up in staying with her sister and her aunt to spend much time with her. Then, her best friend had dropped off the radar, refusing to respond to any of her letters over the past few years. Then, her boyfriend had become a possessive asshole who refused to allow her to do anything alone. Is it me? Am I the problem? She didn't know, and that not knowing and self-doubt had been eating away at her for the better part of a year already. She wasn't sure how much of her was left before she snapped and did something regrettable. I can't keep going like this, I just can't she thought, sitting down. This match with Maylin might be just what she needed to blow off some of this steam. I hope she's ready, because I'm not going easy on her.

The first week hasn't even ended, and Maylin is already about to fight her first battle. Remind you of anyone? Who will win the match? Can Maylin and Madoka reach an understanding? Till the next chapter.

No, I'm not going to carrying on with the 'daddy issues' theme, although if you pay close attention to what was said, that's going to come back to bite him later. And in case anyone's wondering, the next generation of the human IS will show up when they're ready to show up. I promise to have a fairly dramatic reveal for them, though.