I was awoken by the sound of my phone's alarm ringing on the bedside table. I groaned and grabbed it with the tips of my fingers, careful not to wake Char. I rubbed my face and looked at my phone. Char grumbled and curled tighter against my side. I checked for any new notifications before setting my phone back down and slid an arm behind my head. It was a weekend and the Academy teaching staff were meeting to get acquainted and have any questions they might have answered. I was going to be their combat instructor, so I knew my job pretty well already.
"Who was it?" Char asked, her head still resting on my chest. I laid my free arm over her.
"Just my alarm. I wanted to make sure I was up early enough so that I'd have enough time to get ready for the meet-and-greet at work." I answered. She grunted in affirmation before falling silent again. I traced small circles along her back through her shirt. We laid like that for a few hours before I sat up and got out of bed. Char groaned and sat up as well.
"Morning sleepy-head." I teased, pulling off my shirt and walking to the closet. I grabbed my 'uniform' and checked it over. It was similar to what we students had worn in Japan, but it was colored differently. What had been white was now red for the guys and blue for the girls. The red striping was changed to either white, blue, or black. The three years based on color. I had requested that my uniform be a Military uniform and had been given a Marines custom uniform. While they were usually a different color, mine was colored green with white and black patches all over in a digital camo look. I pulled on a sleeveless tee before shrugging into the shirt. Char walked into the bathroom and I pulled on the matching pants.
"What are you wearing?" Char asked, having stuck her head back into the room.
"My uniform. I asked for a custom look and this is what they gave me." I replied, grabbing my wallet and car keys. She nodded at my answer and I walked over to her.
"I'll see you later. I just need to go play nice with the other faculty for a bit and I'll be home." I said. We hugged and I was out the door on the way to the Academy.
3 hours later...
"Please kill me now." I mentally groaned, rubbing my face.
"And introducing our new combat instructors for all years... Zeke Altec and Charlotte Dunois!" The president said. I stood up before replaying his words in my head. So, that's what you've been doing all this time. Alright then. I thought, smirking as an evidently female frame stood up a few rows in front of me.
"What is a man doing here?!" I hung my head. "Great, another one of them." I thought, turning to face the woman standing a few rows behind me, her hand outstretched and pointer finger pointed at me.
"This man..." I paused, "Is trying to get back on his feet and help teach future generations of IS pilots how to protect themselves and others from harm. This man," I paused again, "Is Zeke Altec, IS Representative of the United States of America. Now please, who are you?" I finished, holding my hand out towards her.
"Nora Pitt. I come from a family of extremely successful and powerful IS users. And I won't let a man teach things that a woman can do much better." She spouted. I grinned. Seems just like Cecilia before I showed up. Well, let's deal with this the same way then.
"How about a spar, then? First one who's IS hits the {Absolute Barrier}. You win, I'll leave. I win, I stay. Deal?" I stated. She nodded. "Alright then, how much of a handicap?" I asked, crossing my arms as Char came to stand next to me. She lightly smacked my arm and I chuckled softly. Nora seemed to think I was asking for a handicap.
"Well, since you asked..." She started. I interrupted her. "How about this... I'll use my 2nd generation IS against whatever you choose, sound fair?" I asked. Nora sputtered and several of the surrounding women went to say something, but were silenced by Char's silent stare.
"You're on! I'll show you and your pitiful IS what it's like fighting against a trained opponent." She said, confident. I shrugged.
"Well, let's get this over with then." I said, walking out of the auditorium and heading towards the battle arenas.
The arena...
"Alright then. Thoughts G?" I asked, slipping into the schools IS uniform. The arena was similar to the ones back in Japan, but it was all enclosed.
"She's using one of the newer models. Oh," Gospel gasped. I mentally looked at her. "Apparently she's a fan of the Gospel." She said, flashing a schematic of Nora's IS. I shook my head side to side.
"It looks just like you did before your {Second Shift}. Any ideas on specs? Capabilities? Anything?" I asked, feeling her form around me and soon I was enclosed in a black and green Gospel. "Uh, G. What happened?" I asked, flexing my hands. I looked over the... Improved Gospel.
"I scanned the armor you got back on the island and was able to convert most of the armors tech over to my own. This... Is a side effect of that transfer." She said, meaning the color swap. I nodded.
"Fair enough. Let's do this!" I said, crouching and flying out of the hangar. I gained a little altitude, coming to match Nora as she hovered in the center of the arena.
"Nice of you to join us! I was beginning to think that you'd gotten lost or ran off." She taunted. I steeled my face to show no emotion as a rifle formed in my hands, followed by Gospel's winged arsenal charging. Nora took in Gospel's form and glared at me.
"You dare mock Silvario's form with that, that thing. It's a disgrace!" She growled, her IS mimicking her angry motions. I growled at the mere thought of that fake IS.
"Are we here to talk or fight? Because I'm here to fight." I said, raising my rifle to point at her.
She darted upwards, trying to take the high ground early. I tracked her and landed three shots from my {Vent} rifle before moving to avoid Nora's counter attack. I replied with a barrage of my own, unleashing the entirety of Gospel's wings. It was a carpet bomb tactic that caught her off guard and left her defenseless and blind due to leftover smoke to my follow up. I rushed through the smoke, having switched to a thermal setting on my HUD and fired both of the shotguns, known as {Rain of Saturday}. Both shots impacted Nora and she started falling out of the sky. She regained control and leveled out a few feet off the ground. I hit her again with the {Vent}, having switched midair. She hit the ground and skidded a decent range before coming to a stop. I hovered a few feet off the ground and watched her for movement. I missed her as she used the thrusters of the 'angel wings' on her form and slammed an elbow into my midsection. I hit the ground in a crouch and she landed a few feet away. She ran at me and I slid a foot behind me and braced it as she collided with me in a sloppy tackle. I took advantage of it and slammed her into the ground before backing up. She rose quickly to her feet and swung at me. I ducked under the punch and landed two punches to her midsection before she kneed my chest. I flipped with the momentum, removing Gospel's wings as I reached the apex of my flip. A sniper rifle, larger than the {Vent} appeared on my back as I flattened out just above the ground. The rifle was in my hands as I rose into a crouch. Nora rushed me, thinking me unbalanced and I raised the rifle and fired. A loud boom rang throughout the arena and Nora hit the ground about 15-20 feet away from where she had been. I stood up and put the rifle back on my back as I ran towards her. She struggled to rise and I offered her a hand. She batted it away and I raised both in surrender before a pistol was in my hand and I emptied the mag. The final shot finished her shields and the {Absolute Barrier} activated. I returned my guns to storage and dragged her locked IS to the hangar and deposited her on the floor. I dropped to the floor in front of her and Gospel returned.
"Don't underestimate me just because I'm a man. I've done things you'd never believe. This is Gospel, the first Gospel. Don't disgrace her with praise for her mocker. I beat it, I beat you." I said, my eyes boring into hers. She was wide eyed as I finished my speech. I walked out as her techs came rushing forward. Char met me in the hall and we walked to the main office to meet with the director.
"You didn't have to hit her that hard, did you?" Char asked. I nodded.
"I did. She reminded me too much of people that I met when I was first recruited as a kid. And she mocked Gospel. She thought the Silvario was this all-powerful IS and that I mocked it by piloting her." I replied. We walked down the hall before stopping in front of the director's door. "When were you going to tell me, about working here?" I asked, hand on the doorknob. Char grinned slyly at me.
"I wasn't. This was payback for showing up unannounced on my door after 10 years." She said and I rolled my eyes as I opened the door.
"Director, Zeke Altec and Charlotte Dunois." I announced. She waved us in from behind her chair, back facing us. We walked in and I closed the door.
"So, they sent you two to teach here, huh. Do you know who I am?" She asked. Her voice sounded familiar and Char and I shared a look.
"You seem familiar, did we go to school together or something?" Char asked. I grunted my agreement, since the woman still had her back to us. She laughed lightly.
"Yes we did. The Academy in Japan. We were in the same class, actually." She replied, reaching for something off to her left. I followed her hand and noticed a red bracelet with two little bells hanging down from it. I nudged Char and pointed it out to her. We both grinned at each other.
"It's been awhile, Houki. How is Ichika?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. The person jerked in her chair. The chair spun around and we were met with the face of one extremely confused Houki Orimura.
"What gave it away?" She asked. I grinned, but kept silent. Char pointed to her own left wrist and Houki looked at hers, noticing the red standby form of Akatsubaki. She blushed and Ichika came walking in, grinning. "Told you. You should have taken it off, Houki. He's too good for that." He said. The four of us laughed and Ichika sat in a chair he brought out from the corner.
"What's up guys? Last I heard, you two were teaching in Japan. This is a ways away from Japan, last I checked." I said, and the room filled with laughter again.
"We were, but we got a call a few months ago from the US. They were talking about putting together a team of specialists for some project under the guise of teachers and staff here. We agreed and moved here. They put us up in an apartment a few blocks from Char, actually." Houki said. Ichika nodded in agreement. I nodded.
"You guys were told more than I was. All I knew was I was getting a job here in California as a combat instructor for a new school." I said. Char grinned.
"I was asked to come as an asset for a US project. They wanted my expertise with IS, specifically IS produced by my father's company." She said. I looked at her and we passed into a small space of silence before I broke it.
"So, any idea if any of the others are coming? Laura or Rin?" I asked, moving the topic along. Houki shook her head.
"Not that I know of, although I'll probably recommend them." Houki said. I nodded.
"So. What now?" Ichika spoke up. We all collectively shrugged. I checked my watch and saw that it was going on 2:20PM.
"Shit! Char, did you get somebody to get Keiko?" I asked, standing up. Char checked the time herself and cursed under her breath. "I'll take that as a no. I'll get her and see you back at the apartment." I said. She nodded and I tossed my keys to her.
"Sorry to meet and run, but... Yeah. Bye." I said, halfway out the door. I heard Houki and Ichika yell their goodbyes and I barged out of the front door. Gospel, in her normal white color scheme formed around me and I was in the air headed for the school. "ETA, 5 minutes." Gospel said in my head.
Keiko's POV
"See you guys tomorrow!" I called, slinging my school bag over my shoulder and walking out of the school. Mom texted and said that Dad was on the way. He won't be here for a while if he just left, then. I thought, sitting down in the grass and started getting comfortable. I looked up when there was a massive BOOM above my head and I looked up to see an all-white IS flying above the school. It was heading this way. Why's an IS coming this way? It makes no sense. I thought, standing up. The IS flew right over the school lot, blowing one unlucky students papers all over the place in its wake. It came around and slowed before dropping to the ground with a thud. The sun glittered off the IS wings and torso, like it was studded with diamonds. The IS' head shifted back and forth before it reached up and removed the helmet. I tried to see who was piloting, but was blocked by the IS wings as the IS bent down and the pilot hopped out. A teacher came stomping out of the school, unhappy for some reason. They stomped right up to the pilot and began to chew them out. I walked up to try and get a look at the pilot, but stopped when the pilot spoke.
"Sorry if I disturbed your class, Ma'am. I'm just here to collect my daughter and I'll be on my way." Zeke said, looking over the growing crowd of kids surrounding him and his IS. I pushed my way through the gathered students and my dad caught sight of me. "There she is." He called and the students in front of me parted, giving me a path to him. I shouldered my bag and walked up to him, my eyes unable to leave the IS next to him. I finally tore my eyes away and saw him grinning at me.
"Hard not to look at her, isn't it?" He said, gesturing to the IS. I could have sworn its head moved.
Back to Zeke's POV
"Hard not to look at her, isn't it?" I said, gesturing to Gospel. I felt Gospel focus on Keiko and nudged her mentally. She gave me an embarrassed look, but didn't stop looking. I grinned.
"Come here. I want you to meet an old friend of mine." I said, holding an arm out to Keiko. Can she connect to you like I can? I asked Gospel as I pulled the dog tags out from under my shirt. She nodded and I moved to pull them off.
"Who is it, Dad?" I heard Keiko ask as I slipped off Gospel's standby mode. I handed the tags to Keiko.
"A friend I've known since childhood, kiddo. She's a bit finicky, but you'll like her." I said, helping her put on Gospel's tags. "Go ahead. Touch it." I said, watching as my daughter walked up to Gospel and walked around her before reaching out and placing her hand on Gospel's torso. She froze as Gospel and she connected mentally. I watched as my daughter and oldest friend met for the first time. There was a flash of light and Keiko was standing, surrounded by Gospel's angel-like form. She looked around as she took in the world around her, seeing things through Gospel's enhanced sight. I caught sight of a pixie sized Gospel on my shoulder and I looked at her.
"Shut off all unnecessary components. We'll take it slow for now." I told her. Gospel nodded and disappeared off my shoulder. I heard the telltale sounds and watched as Gospel's form lost most of its bulk.
"Ready?" I asked, pulling the armor set I'd been given years ago from storage like an IS as Keiko gave me a look of shock.
"What do you mean?" She asked, but was answered as Gospel hovered a bit off the ground.
"To fly." I replied unnecessarily as I took to the sky, followed by Gospel as she taught Keiko in-flight. I knew that Gospel was the one flying, not Keiko. That'd come later. We made it home and both Gospel and my armor, which I had taken to calling Light, returned to standby. I caught Keiko as she stumbled a bit, and together we walked into the apartment. As we walked into the apartment, I leaned down and whispered, "Happy Birthday, Keiko."