Infinite Stratos: Secrets of the Gospel (I don't own Infinite Stratos)
Hey all! I'm going to skip over the Heart Pain Killer episode, since I could not find a way to do anything with it. I literally sat at my desk for an hour trying to start the chapter, but couldn't figure out a way to work Zeke into the script. So, I'm moving on and starting the second chapter of Season two with episode three!
Translucent Chord of Cinderella's Heel
"Any news on the base that was attacked earlier, G?" I asked, walking through the steps of a medieval castle, dodging patrons and knights as they passed back and forth around me. "Just that it was a Top Secret base that the United Nations had all collaborated on and created before burying it under a mountain of red tape. It received one shipment that is unlisted, based on the CCTV cameras I was able to access. After that, the base has housed a battalion of IS pilots and technicians along with standard military." She said from beside me, copying my movements as she kept pace as we made our way through the castle. "Where do you come up with these places? They're incredibly detailed." I asked, grabbing a mug of a strange drink before taking a swig. "Wow! That's strong!" I said, coughing as the apparent alcohol made its way down my throat. Gospel giggled at the look of surprise on my face before we were standing in the normal green hill landscape under the tree. We sat down, "When we aren't training or fighting, I have a lot of free time. So I spend it building these different places." She said. I nodded, "They're really good. You could sell them anonymously to any gaming company for a lot of money. I didn't see much to complain about in them." I said, causing Gospel to blush. "You should probably go, Ichika is about to get another surprise visit from the Student President." She said. I shook my head. "Yeah, I should. Try and do some damage control before something really bad happens." I said, standing again. We smiled at each other and I returned to the real world, which so happened to be in Ichika and I's room. I heard Ichika still in the bathroom, then heard his bed shift and move. "You know, sneaking into a boys room is considered perverted, Ms. President." I said, not moving from my laid back position on my bed, arms behind my head and eyes closed. I heard a laugh, "Only if you're caught, Mr. Altec." She replied. I cracked an eye open and looked at her. "Now, what would you do if someone came in here that wasn't the three of us and saw you laying on Ichika's bed dressed like that? I'm genuinely curious." I said, closing my eyes again. "Well, I could always play the feminine card, say I was kidnapped and brought here as I was getting ready for bed." She said, a sadistic smile on her face. I grinned, "Right. You, the Student Body President. The most powerful IS student user in this school, was kidnapped by a dense and clueless Ichika and a happily dating no IS me." I said, sitting up and stretching. She frowned. "Let's see how well that goes over with the teachers." I said, laying back down. "I don't care what you do with Ichika, but if I can hear it over my music. I'll intervene then." I said, putting my ear-buds in and turning on my music, hearing 'Rain feat. Sara Kay' by Klaypex start playing in my ears and I turned it up enough to drown out Ichika's cry of surprise as he found Tatenashi laying on his bed wearing only a shirt. I listened till the sound of something crashing down reached my ears did I stop the music and sit up. "I told you what would happen." I said, getting up from my bed and walking towards the bathroom, which was now without a door. "Today's going to be a long day." I murmured as I took in the compromising position the two had fallen. "You know what, I'll just go take a walk, give you two some privacy." I said, grinning. Ichika gave me a pleading look as I turned and opened the door and walked out to the hallway and shutting the door before laughing.
Later that day, during Class Events...
"Glad I had this suit still, surprised it still fits." I said, shrugging my suit coat on from the night at the White House. Not that they know that. I grabbed my cologne and sprayed a little on, then checked myself in the mirror. I looked at my longer than normal hair. "Guess it's alright for now." I shrugged, walking out of the room and heading for our classroom. I was met by a displeased Ichika in a butler outfit. I grinned at him, "Girls got to ya first, huh?" I asked, already knowing the answer. He just gave me a look and we walked into the classroom. "Looks good, everybody. Nice job." I said, looking around the room as we walked in. I heard a chorus of 'Thank you's before a few gasps at our attire. Ichika was swarmed and I slipped into the back room, near the kitchen. "You do clean up nice though." Gospel said mentally. I shook my head, a smile on my face. "You do, too if I recall right." I said, smirking mentally. I felt her embarrassment before I was grabbed and dragged out into the room. "Ichika is greeting them at the door and seating them. You'll take their orders as he seats them." One of the girls informed me. I nodded and grabbed a tablet to take orders on. I made up a small layout of the tables and the dining room floor. "OK, I'll wait tables. Give this to Ichika and tell him it's from me." I said, handing them a earpiece. I placed its twin in my ear and waved them off. The girl who I'd given the earpiece handed it to Ichika and said something to him, pointing at me. I waved and pointed to my ear. He nodded and placed it in. "Good, now I can communicate with you if we have open tables to seat people or not. Ready?" I said, setting up an impromptu desk so that I didn't have to run around with the tablet all the time. "Hey G, mind helping me?" I asked, moving my head towards the tablet and I slid on a black glove, syncing it to the tablet and Gospel as she connected to the tablet and I slid my white glove on over it. I moved my fingers one at a time to test it, watching as the tablet updated with the different tables changing as I selected them and used more finger motions to mark them as occupied or open. I nodded in satisfaction and set the podium up next to Ichika so that he could see the tablet. "Check that if you want to see if any table are open." I said, watching as he nodded and we parted ways. "Everybody ready?" I asked, getting nods and acknowledgements. I tapped my mic, "Ready when you are, Ichika, send them in." "Alright, here is the first group." I heard as he brought the first group in and I met him at the dining room entrance. "Welcome! If you'd please follow me to your table." I said, twitching my fingers to mark one of the tables as occupied. "Here's your table." I said, gesturing to said table as I set out three menus and the girls sat down, grinning at each other. "How may I help you today? Something to drink, perhaps?" I asked, straightening up as Char helped the next group in. I marked the table and took their orders. I wrote them down and gave them a smile, "I'll have those right out for you." I said. I grabbed another tablet on my way to the kitchen, syncing it to my glove for orders. I grabbed another set of earpieces and handed them to Char and one of the girls back in the kitchen. "Ichika and I already have one. I'll send in orders that'll show up here. Char, Ichika will be using his to let us know when he sends groups in and we use it to let him know if tables are occupied or empty. Got it, both of you?" They nodded. "Alright, here is the first order." I said, handing the slip of paper to one of the cooks before meeting Ichika with another group. "Welcome! Follow me to your table." I said, grabbing a few menus and leading the group to a table. "I'll leave these here for you. Can I get you anything for you to drink while you think?" I asked, marking the table as occupied. They gave me a couple drinks and I put them in, then went back and grabbed all the drinks and served the two tables I had seated so far. "How are we looking Ichika?" "Most of the people who have come are third years, who apparently didn't do anything and are wandering the halls at the moment. Class 1-2 did a Chinese Restaurant, probably Rin's doing. She's currently trying to get me to wait on her." I smirked, "Then do it. My tables are served or leaving now, so I'll cover the door." I said, waving at the group leaving at the moment. A moment later, I was met by Ichika and Rin, who looks amazing. "Nice to see you today, Rin. You look amazing." I said, bowing. She blushed and stuttered out, "T-t-thanks Zeke. You look great too." She said. I smiled at her. "Ichika, take her to that table." I said, pointing out a table in the middle of the room as I turned and headed to the door. "Switch in positions. I'm at the door and Ichika is waiting people at the moment." I informed the girls. "Here comes another group." I said, after checking the tablet for availability. I heard Char say something, but it was drowned out by the rest of the noise next to me as Rin stormed out, her face as red as her dress. "What happened there, Ichika?" I asked. The mic was silent as Char met the next group and seated them. I took another group in and seated them, since Ichika was busy and we continued on without him till he was pulled away by one of the girls. "Thanks, Amini." I said, smiling at her. "Thank you." She said.
"Why don't you two take a break, have a look around?" "Are you sure?" Ichika asked. I nodded, agreeing with him. "Let's see, you have about 30 minutes." She said, I nodded and loosened my shirt collar, moving towards the door. I heard Cecilia say something, but I was out of hearing range by then. I took off my gloves, all three of them and made my way down the hall. I wandered around the school, stopping in at a few different classes and clubs. I made my way back to the classroom, donning my gloves and tightening my collar again as I walked through. I waved at Amini to get her attention and I went back to waiting tables. Ichika showed up a little later and we settled back into our earlier routine. Then Tatenashi showed up. I was grabbing a couple more menus from the back with Ichika when she appeared, in a maid outfit as well. "Ta-da!" She announced, opening her fan. On it was written 'elusive.' Ichika freaked out as she seemed to appear out of nowhere. I just looked at her, unamused. "Boys! I want your help with the student council's entertainment." She said, her fan snapping shut. I tapped my mic, "Amini, do you need Ichika and I? We're being asked to help the student council at the moment." I asked. "No, you guys can go." I heard. I nodded at Tatenashi. "Why do you need both of us?" I asked, but never got an answer as she basically dragged Ichika and I to the arena. "Here, change into these." She said, handing Ichika a Prince costume and was about to hand me another outfit I wasn't what of, before I asked Gospel and I walked around the corner, wearing a black outfit with a wide brim hat and a white mask, marked with green stripes along the contours of my face unlike the typical red. "Ready." I said, my voice sounding deeper than normal. A sword on my hip and two gun holsters on my chest. She nodded at my costume, "It'll do." She said, setting the unused costume down and walking out to the arena. "Ready to go, my Prince?" I teased, bowing to him. He just laughed and we walked out to the arena as the roof closed and we were plunged into darkness.
"Cue intro." I muttered as a video clip came on, depicting Cinderella as some crazy, bad ass organization that were after the crown on Ichika's head. I was his protector and best friend. The lights came on, showing that we were standing in what looked like a ballroom, the voice said, "Once again, tonight, the night of the bloodthirsty Cinderellas begins." "Get to cover, Ichika. Protect that crown!" I said, drawing my sword. I heard clothing move and turned to see Rin jumping from the terrace above, "That's mine!" She yelled, wielding a sword and lunging for Ichika. I darted in between them and clashing our weapons against each other. "Not while I'm here." My modified voice said, the mask obscuring my identity. "Who are you?" She yelled, trying to grab my mask. I drew one of my pistols, pointing it at her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." I kicked out, pushing her away. "Give me that crown!" She said, standing and throwing three throwing knives. I aimed and fired, diverting them off course. "Ah, ah, ah." I said, wagging a finger. "Every weapon is made from safe materials, even firearms." I heard what was apparently Tatenashi's voice say over the speakers as Rin threw more knives. I would divert what I could before they got past me, three did and Ichika was just able to move his out of the way. "I really doubt that." I heard him say. Rin ambushed me and rushed at Ichika, who had armed himself with a candle stick. He tried blocking Rin's sword, she just knocked it out of his hands and went to kick him. I stood back up and fired between them, hitting her glass slipper and knocking it off. I fired again and hit her other one, knocking it off as well. She turned to me as I rushed her, sword out. We clashed again and I slid my sword down hers, forcing hers downwards at an angle and I kicked it out of her hands. She ran for it as I stood again, just as a few rounds from a rifle impacted near Ichika and I. "Cecilia" I said, my modified voice growled. Ichika rolled away from the wall he was against and Rin grabbed her sword. I followed behind Ichika, blocking whatever shots came our way with my sword. We ducked behind the staircase. "Sniper rifle… does that mean Cecilia?" I heard Ichika ask before a round hit his crown and we ran out some doors that lead to a terrace. I closed them as Ichika took cover behind one of the supports. "What is wrong with this play?" He muttered, I looked at him, "Everything is." I replied. He peeked out from behind the pillar and Cecilia started firing again. "Right, safe materials." I said, watching as the door began to look more and more like Swiss Cheese. "Ichika, jump down there! I'll cover you." I said, opening one of the doors and firing up at the battlements of the castle. "Go, now!" I said, hearing Ichika jump and I fired a few more times before following. "G, whatcha got now?" I asked. I felt my clothing change and my armaments changed as well as I landed and rolled, I stood and looked down at my clothing to see. "So, we went from V for Vendetta to Halo?" I asked, taking in the armor that adorned my body. As usual, it was white with green highlights and had a black visor. I felt weight on my back and reached around, grabbing it and slinging it around. A DMR, nice choice. I thought, turning back to Cecilia and firing at her again. She returned fire and one shot hit me, flaring my shields. I could just hear her surprised, "What?" before my motion tracker beeped and I turned, going to a crouch and raising my weapon as I came face to helmet with Char. She held a piece of glass, probably to stop Cecilia's bullets before she saw me. "Well, I guess I'm a little late." She said. I lowered the DMR and asked her, my distorted voice still there, "What were you planning on doing with that?" I asked, pointing to the apparent shield. "I was going to cover him." She said, pointing at Ichika. "That's my job." I said, glancing back up at Cecilia's position. "Then protect him, I'll handle Cecilia here." She bargained. Ichika looked at her, "Thanks Charl," We began to leave when Char asked, "Well, it'd be good if you left your crown here, wouldn't it?" I was about to disagree when Tatenashi began to speak again, "For the prince and his guardian, their country means all. So if they ever lose the crown, which contains the confidential data…" "What does she mean…" Ichika began, having removed the crown before being shocked. "ICHIKA!" Char yelled, "He gets electrically shocked by his own remorse." Tatenashi finished. I looked at Ichika, who was now twitching on the floor and grabbed the crown. I turned and said, "And if I have it? Does he still get hurt?" I asked, my voice thankfully still distorted. "You can carry it instead of Ichika, guardian. Bear in mind that you are to protect the prince as well, though. Not just the crown." Tatenashi replied. I sighed and put the crown in one of my compartments. "Let's go Your Highness." I said, surprised when my voice was clear, and female. I looked down to see my armor had changed color to all black and my visor was now orange. "And now I'm Tex from Red vs. Blue. I approve of this choice." I said, happy with this change. I picked Ichika up and threw him over my shoulders. Char looked at me, confused. "I could have sworn you were Zeke." She said, I shook my head and began walking. I outdistanced Char and hid Ichika in a small cave, apparently made in the arena floor. I popped my helmet off. "Stay here, I'm gonna take care of something." I told him, using my actual voice now since nothing was able to distort it. He nodded and I stood, placing my helmet back on. "Ready to take on the girls, G?" I asked. She nodded in a small window of my HUD and we walked out of the cave, cloaked by one of the enhancements. I sent a message to Tatenashi, saying that if the girls were to beat me. I'd tell them where the prince was. I was going to be in the main courtyard, waiting. "I just received a message from the prince's guardian for our Cinderellas. "If you can best me in combat, all of you. I'll tell you where the prince is hiding and give up the crown." Better hurry girls, they're waiting in the main courtyard." I smirked and took my position in the courtyard.
A couple minutes later…
"Laura, Cecilia, Rin, Char… Where's Houki? G, can you tell where she is?" I asked, cloaking as I counted the girls entering the courtyard. "Can't find her. Maybe she is looking for Ichika while the rest of them come to fight you?" Gospel figured, shrugging. "Probably. Keep searching though, just in case." I said, jumping from my over-watch position and dropping to the courtyard. The cloak barely held as I dropped and I was thankful that it did, since I landed a few feet from the girls. Sadly, noise isn't removed so the girls heard me land and turned in my direction. I ducked behind one of the pillars and listened as the girls spread out and moved in my direction. I looked up and grabbed the ledge above me and climbed atop the pillar, looking down on the four girls as they reached my position and discovered it empty. I shifted silently and looked around, Rin and Cecilia have been working together for awhile now, splitting them up could be good. But that leaves the other with Laura and Char. Laura is probably the best bet at the moment, then Cecilia. We'll see where it goes after that. I nodded to myself and leaned over, my hands curled around the edge. "Whatcha got planned for my next shift, or should I not ask?" I asked Gospel as she monitored the surrounding area. "It's a surprise." She replied, giving me a cheeky smile. I rolled my eyes and locked them on the approaching Laura. I checked the other girls before dropping off the pillar. My cloak dropped just as I landed behind Laura. So when she spun to face me, she took in a wall of black before my fist connected with her chin and she hit the wall behind her. She fell off the wall and dropped to the floor, out cold. The other girls came running to discover an unconscious Laura and… nothing. I had cloaked and had begun moving around the gathered girls. I came up behind Cecilia and grabbed her, slapping my armored hand over her mouth and dragged her behind cover before knocking her out. Just as I knocked her out, Gospel decided to change my appearance, again. I glowed for a second before I looked down to find myself in… white and red robes. I felt a hood and flipped it up, casting most of my face into darkness. I looked down at my wrists and noticed that two hidden blades attached. "Assassin's Creed, really?" I thought, grabbing the two pistols on my back and spinning them on my fingers. I felt Gospel's amusement at my new predicament. That's what you think… I thought, grinning and darting out from cover, firing my pistols and forcing Char to raise her glass shield in front of her. I dropped the pistols and charged, flicking my wrist to activate the blades as Rin charged me. "Got you now, you unarmed baka!" She yelled, not noticing my blades. She brought her sword up for an overhead slash, but I countered with one of the blades and snagged the hilt with the other, flipping the sword out of her hands again and sending it flying into the pillar I was previously using. I looked at her with a grin, she rushed me. I sent the blades back and met her in hand to hand. She went for a kick, I countered by locking it to my body with my arm and pushing my weight forward, making her off balance as I pushed her, releasing her leg and ducking Char's swipe at my back with a dagger. I brought out one of the hidden blades and stood straight. She swung at me again and I bounced it off my bracer, using the blade to knock the dagger free, then as a threat as Rin grabbed her sword and pulled it free as I held Char in front of me, blade at her throat. I wagged a finger at her, then pointed at the ground. She dropped the sword and I pushed Char to her. They fell and I stood over them, sword in hand. "I win." I said, my voice still modded to be female. They gave me a mean look as I tossed the sword away from us. "Till next time." I said, holding my hands in the air. I took off running, headed for Ichika's hideout in a roundabout way.
I was smiling the whole way as I ran through the set, coming out and checking before ducking into the cave. I found Houki and Ichika in a stalemate "Where's the crown?" She yelled, forcing Ichika to the ground and holding one of her swords to his throat. I crept up and disarmed her of both, forcing her away from Ichika before grinning. "You mean this crown?" I said, removing it from one of the pouches at my waist. Her eyes fixated on the crown and missed my knife as it flew through the air before hitting her in the stomach, hilt first. Not taking any chances I thought. She held her stomach as I grabbed her and dragged her to one of the chairs near the cave and grabbed some rope, tying her to the chair. "Now be a good girl and yell for your friends. I'm pretty sure they're awake by now." I said, grinning at her. She looked at me, then started yelling and I went back to the cave, "Time to go, Your Highness." I said, pulling him to his feet and pulling him out of the cave with me. I checked and Houki wasn't looking as I pulled Ichika out of the cave and into the castle again. "And here comes another change." I said, feeling the robes be replaced with… "What is this?" I asked, looking at the mask covering my nose and down, my body was covered in a material I couldn't figure out and I held a bow in my hands. "My own creation, have fun!" I heard her say before she disappeared from my head. I tested the bow strings, feeling their tautness. I checked my quiver, seeing different arrowheads stored in the bottom. Let's see. Electric tipped, tripwire, smoke, noisemaker. I'm impressed. I thought, seeing the different symbols engraved on the heads. I prepped a couple of them with each before we climbed up to the battlements. I took stock of what we had, then cupped my hands to my mouth, "Hey! Last chance to get the crown and the Prince. We're up here!" I called, still sounding female. I heard the girls start yelling and then heard footsteps as they headed our way. I took the crown out of my pouch and placed it back on Ichika's head. "Try and hide, I'll hold them off as long as I can." I said, pulling my mask down. I watched as Ichika nodded, then looked around before running off. I pulled the mask back on and shook my head, feeling the fake long hair running down my back and I undid the braid. "We're going to have a talk about your mental planning, G." I murmured, fitting a tripwire arrow into the bow and firing it, setting the trap a few feet from the ladder. I grabbed the arrow and ran away as the first of the girls got up the ladder. "There they go! Hurry guys!" I heard Rin call before giving chase. I heard her exclamation as she found the tripwire and grinned when I heard a few more exclamations from the others. I fitted an electric arrow and blindly fired around the corner, hearing a whoosh as it hit a girl, then a small scream as the electricity took hold. "Get the arrow away!" I heard. I frowned, Too much. I grabbed a smoke and fired near the same place. Coughing ensued as the smoke filled the air. I ran in and grabbed the arrows and tripped Laura on the way out as I ran after Ichika. "Last time this happens before you're you again." I heard Gospel say before my steps began sounding heavier and metallic. I chanced a look to see purple and green armor, along with two rifles across my back before shots whizzed past my head as Cecilia began firing at my retreating form. "You can keep this one, actually." I said, sliding under a couple more shots and into cover. She agreed with me as I slid one of the rifles off my back and returned fire. Cecilia ducked behind her own cover and we started trading shots as the other girls caught up. I kept an eye on them as they slowly made their way towards me during my reload phases. "I can keep this up all day, you know." I called, Agent North Dakota's voice in place of mine. I barely heard, "Wait, you said the guard was a girl." from Laura before I fired again, shattering Rin's sword. She 'eeped' and shrank farther behind cover. I shifted and fired again, the shot glancing off Char's glass shield and hitting Cecilia's rifle. "Damn it! It's no good!" She called to the others as I laughed. I checked to see that I did, in fact, have an SMG on my thigh before putting the rifle back in place and running again. "They're making a run for it!" I heard Laura call before I turned a corner and came face to helmet with Ichika. "No time. Let's go!" I said, grabbing him and running. I grabbed the SMG and fired blindly behind me, hearing a couple girls swear before… "Now, it's time for the walk-in contestants to participate." Crap.
"Run, Ichika. Run!" I yelled, following him as the mob of girls followed right on our heels. Please have stun rounds, heck, even rubber bullets would work. I thought as I grabbed the SMG again and fired behind me. The mob came to a messy halt as they tripped over one another after a few fell. I sighed and caught up to Ichika. "We'll find somewhere to hide again and make a final stand there." I said. He nodded and we turned to make our way back towards the castle when we were grabbed from below. What now? was all I thought as we dropped into the… locker rooms? I stood, SMG in hand. "They won't find the two of you in here." I heard. I turned around, noticing a single light on in the center of the room, with a person silhouetted in it. "Thanks." Ichika said, breathing hard after our long run. I said nothing as I watched the girl from earlier in the classroom who had talked to Ichika turned around. "Hey, what are you doing here, Makigami?" He asked, noticing who had saved us now. "Well, I thought I should use this opportunity to take your Byakushiki." She said, smirking at Ichika. "What?" "Just give it to me already!" She said, a crazed look in her eye. So, I reacted. SMACK! CRASH! I shook my hand as I looked at her, "I don't think so." She stumbled after I had punched her, sending her and the set of lockers behind her into the next set of lockers. "Just who are you?" Ichika demanded from behind me. "Me?" She coughed, standing. "I'm the mysterious beauty, disguised as someone from a corporate business." She said, activating her IS. Damn it! I thought, hoping she wouldn't do that quite so soon. Eight spider-like limbs appeared on her back. Double damn it! I thought, recognizing the IS. "Ichika, get back!" I said, waving him back behind me as I stepped back. Then he activated his IS, "Byakushiki!" He called. "No!" I said, turning to stop him and instead being flung against a wall away from the two IS users. "I've been waiting for you to use that!" She said, looking at Ichika again. I reached out a hand, as if to grab something. "No." I weakly called, then looked down. "Of course." I muttered, seeing metal sticking out of my abdomen. I looked up, seeing the weird lady charge at Ichika. "Someone, help." I whispered, then the world went black.
Haha! Cliffhangar! I'm probably writing the next one already though, so don't freak out too much! See ya guys!