Infinite Stratos: God of Thunder
By: The 483
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Infinite StratosFranchise.
Spoiler Alert: Warning: Light to mild spoilers for the Anime may be included herein.
Alright, then. First off, thank you to the commenter labeled "Unknown" for pointing my error out, as I never would have noticed that the cannon on Laura's shoulder was refered to as a railgun. Damn it. Bums me out. But, I will, at some point, excuse the tidbit away, mostly likely with some cheap excuse about it being a chemical powered projectile, I.E. the anti-tank sized shell casing ejected when she used the cannon the first time she fought on the show. Thanks for pointing it out, I'll try and make less scrub mistakes from here on out.
Impatient Out Patient
Catherine knew they were there. She had known for the last twenty minutes. Or maybe it was just 5, and felt long under their baleful stares. She had hoped they would go away, and leave her in peace, but judging by the aura of frost and the occasional sniffle, she didn't really believe such a thing was going to happen. With a frustrated sigh, she opened her eyes and stared fixedly at the ceiling.
"Good, you're awake." Chifuyu said briskly, the implied meaning to the words reading "Good, you've finally accented to acknowledge us." "I have seen that you're injuries were not severe. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize on behalf of both the school, and the staff for allowing this to happen." Catherine, laying on her back in the infirmary bed, sheet pulled up to her chin, said nothing. She continued to stare straight ahead, willing the situation to be over. "I wish to assure you that the strictest disciplinary actions will be taken…"
"No." Catherin spoke, still to the ceiling, interrupting and causing the teacher to take a rare pause.
"Excuse me?" The word had the tone of a challenge, rather then the confusion anyone else would have described.
"I desire no actions to be taken. This was my fault. I failed to follow safe operating protocol." It was a few seconds before Chifuyu continued.
"As… friendly as that is, Miss Chambers, I am afraid that this situation is not that simple."
"Why not?" Her voice was still flat. "This situation was an accident, and the injuries sustained by myself were the result of my own error in judgment." Miss Orimura's eyes narrowed slightly. This kind of eagerness to avoid this matter triggered warning flags in her mind.
"I hardly think that a student willfully firing upon another outside of a sanctioned duel can be classed an accident." She expected another combative response from the prone teenager, but all the girl did was turn her head so that they could no longer see her face. The sheet slipped, and Chifuyu noticed the ridges of white scarring that was detailed in the nurses report on the left side of her neck, barely showing over the sheet.
This situation was such a pain. Never mind that it was at the very least a case of assault with a deadly weapon, but the international angle, involving Brittan, Japan, and America, had staggering implications. She expected calls for action from the United States against the British Isle, and incompetence complains against Japan and the school for this one. The Americans loved to fight any battle they could, especially when they could be perceived to be the victims.
"It was an accident. It wasn't her fault. She might have inferred something, but she wouldn't have known the match was over." Cecilia, who had been unusually silent save when the waves of shame and panic had swept over her, looked up, wide eyed.
"…What do you mean?" Chifuyu asked slowly. Cecilia had sworn up and down that she hadn't known that Catherine had forfeited the fight. She had thought that Tatenashi, upon seeing her pinned in the air, had leapt in to provide aid against a common antagonist. Chifuyu, knowing full well what had happened, and the frustrations the girls felt with her younger brother, understood why the duel had taken place. The thought of a new challenger didn't sit well with any of the harem, but she would have never imagined that something like this could happen.
Cecilia had claimed, and convincingly in the eyes of Rin, Houki, Charlotte, Laura, Kanzashi, and even the normal pert and playful Tatenashi reported seriously that she believed that Cecilia, occupied as she was, was unaware that the match had ended. But, any of those girls might have a reason to lie. But if Catherine herself, who had been unconscious until about 10 minutes ago, was also advocating her innocence… that just didn't make sense, unless she was hiding something as well.
"All the conversation took place over the radios of the IS's. Her radio would was most likely not working. I would bet my life that it wasn't. So, my forfeit would not have been heard." Chifuyu scowled. Cecilia had said that she hadn't heard anything on the radio link while she freed herself from her magnetic straight jacket.
"What makes you say that?" Catherine reached up and poked at her own face with her right hand.
"Where are my glasses?" She asked, and for the first time, sounded tense, almost worried. Her voice had remained emotionless, almost bored until now.
"Here." Chifuyu lifted the thin gold framed glassed off the nightstand, and placed them in the girls groping hand. Her left arm didn't move, her left torso being the area that got injured. Catherine didn't turn her head, placed the glasses on her face, and seemed to ease slightly. This was a bit off odd behavior, as her IS in standby was in the form of a small, plain silver ring on her right middle finger. It glowed slightly, and from her angle, Chifuyu saw data begging to scroll on the inside of her glasses lenses. She thought this was peculiar, as a IS pilot could make the displays pop out holographical in midair. This desired privacy also seemed to hint that maybe she was hiding something.
"Three of my cross magnets were damaged, and one destroyed." She replied after a few seconds of reading diagnostic data. "As she focused on freeing herself, I doubt she was paying attention to what was going on between the student council president and myself. I had even forgotten that she was there, after my… disagreement. She fired, thinking everything was fine, and I was hurt because I was stupid. End of story. Accident." She said quietly, and killed the readouts on her glasses.
"Why would you say her radio was out?" Chifuyu asked. Cecilia had been so relieved when Catherine seemed to verify what she had told the teachers, she was even able to be irked that she had been forgotten. But she kept her mouth shut, she was haughty, but not completely stupid.
"She was at the center of four high powered magnetic fields. Most systems of the IS are hardened against electrical and magnetic interference, but the radio cannot often be shielded, because of how they work. While not too sophisticated, the radio gear is susceptible to becoming unaligned in super compressed magnetic fields." Chifuyu looked speculatively at Cecilia, who was carefully starring dead ahead, as if in a court martial.
"So, you'd say she wasn't lying?"
"I am not saying anything except that I do not believe that her radio was working, and that is why she shot. You can check easily enough. A simple diagnostic wouldn't likely pick up the issue, as there would not be damage to the unit, but a full one would detect the misalignment." Chifuyu started quietly for a moment. True, it would be easiest if this all fit. Avoiding an international incident would be grand, not to mention the closer scrutiny and other nuisances that would be loaded on. But, she had to understand why, and have it convincingly enough that there would be a easy to present explanation if the event ever came up for review on the national level.
"Okay. Let us say that it is all as both of you have said. That there was no true ill intent, it was an accident, and you feel that it was your own lack of attentiveness that this happened. The why are you so insistent that there are actions taken?" Catherine was still looking away, but sighed wearily.
"Madam, I cannot answer that without sounding rude. Would it be sufficient to say, that being new to this school, I would prefer not to start off at the center of something as unpleasant as a potential international incident?"
"I suppose I can accept that." She finally conceded. She gave a dagger glare to Cecilia, who stiffened sharply, even though she was still starting straight ahead, and looking as if she might start crying. Chifuyu rose from her chair, and flattened her skirt. "Very well, Miss Chambers. I assure you that nothing like this will happen again. I will have someone sent to escort you to your room, and have you shown around properly in the morning." She turned on her heel, and left the room.
Awkward silence filled the air, as both of them wished Cecilia would leave the room, but neither was rude enough to bring it up. Finally, hoping to get things moving, Catherine spoke, though she still looked away.
"If you radio is still not working after about three days, come find me, and I will demagnetize you components. Sometimes the magnetism wears off over time, but depending on the composition of the component metals, it can persist until treated."
"IReallyAmVerySorry!" Cecilia blurted in almost a single word, staring fixedly at her lap. Apologizing for being in the wrong was not one of her core skills.
"Forget it. I don't want to deal with this anymore. Let's drop it." She replied, almost curtly, a clear dismissal that irritated Cecilia despite that she was off the hook. So, graciously, (so she thought, anyway) she rose, tried to conceal that she was shaking slightly, and left. Catherine counted off a full minute after hearing the door click shut before she turned to make sure that she was alone. Once that was verified, she sat up, letting the blanket fall way. She was irritated, as her shirt had been burned and ruined, she guessed, and discarded. Now all she wore was a sports bra that had been set aside when the dual was declared and she changed into her pilot suit, and a wrap of ace bandaging covering a padding of gauze. Irritating, but not insurmountable. It was late, maybe she could get to her room before anyone saw her. Even though she didn't know where her room was… damn. She started probing her injured side, feeling out how badly she was hurt. She got nothing, so she leaned forward and grabbed the clipboard at the end of the bed with her diagnosis on it. She surveyed it quickly, no stranger to doctors charts. She had often read them when she had been in the hospital for most of two years, about three years prior. Some first degree burns, nothing to serious, an abrasion across and arm and leg from where she slide from the impact, and a cut on her back down onto her side, shallowly, from splinter of metal. Nothing too bad. She really couldn't wait to get down into the shop, and see just how bad her IS was hit.
A sharp gasp drew her attention, and she turned her head with wide eyes to see that she was not alone. She had been so preoccupied with reading her chart and thinking, she had not heard the door open. Houki Shinonono stood, staring in frank horror at what she saw. Chifuyu had sought her out when she had left, as Houki was trusted not to do anything to make things worse. She had been given a rundown of why this incident had occurred, and was asked to escort her to her room, and smooth things down, if necessary. She agreed, and went to find the girl in the infirmary so she could show her to where she would sleep. She had past Cecilia in the hall, but she was in a clear hurry, and did not answer Houki's hail.
She didn't mean to gasp or be repulsed. It was just a knee jerk reaction to what she had thought was the result of Cecilia's attack, even though it logically could not be. With the sheet around her waist, and wearing not much more than a bra, Houki saw the blanket of white scarring that covered the girls whole left side. From the base of her neck, over the shoulder, chest, and back, down the side to the waste, reaching tendrils toward her navel, and crawling down her arm almost to the wrist. The amount of damage was grotesque, and the horrified look on her face as she was looked at made Houki feel even worse for her outburst.
Catherine gave a small scream as she wrenched the sheet hard in attempt to cover herself. It fluttered up and revealed more scars from knee to panty line, before she quickly managed to tuck it in to cover all of the scarred aspects of her body with her undamaged right arm. Both girls were motionless, glowing bright red out of embarrassment and frustration as Houki lambasted herself for her inconceivable rudeness at staring. Damn it, she had been trying so hard to get a better grip on her emtions and reactions, too. She wanted to be more then just "that violent girl who was ranked high because her sister gave her a fancy toy." She knew it was too late to repair rhis, but she would do what she could. She gave a sharp bow.
"I am very sorry for my rude conduct, Miss." Catherine, horrified that she was seen, not because she was ashamed of being caught naked, or nearly so, or ashamed of her scars, but because she was afraid others would judge her because of it. But this matter required some thought, as this was now twice in the same day she had been confronted with intolerable acts. But, she still wanted to not burn any bridges she could salvage, so she decided to take the high road. Mostly.
"It's okay." She said, breathlessly, then added, a bit sarcastically. "I like being ganged up on by six girls for no reason, and then gawked at when it puts me in the hospital." She could tell that this barb drove in a little too deep, and decided to retract it. This girl wasn't one of the ones that had pushed her into that lopsided contest. "No, scratch that. Sorry, I'm just tired. You think they would have developed a drug to deal with jet lag by now, wouldn't you?"
Houki, desperately grasping on this change of subject, straightened, while still trying to look apologetic, and moved tentatively forward. She continued when she saw no resistance to this, and took the chair Chifuyu had vacated earlier.
"I cannot rightly say, Miss. I never really traveled outside the country." Catherine did a quick, practiced survey of the girl. Tall, straight, firm blue eyes, an air of discomfort with herself, a rather proportioned bust, and a set of curves that would do roller coaster proud. Her steady blue eyes spoke to her not dealing willingly with foolishness. Catherine decided she could get along with this one.
"Please, Call me Casey. And I know what you mean. I used to get around my own quite a bit, but never outside it, although it is a big land mass."
"Oh, and I am Shinonono, Houki. Nice to meet you." Casey looked a little perturbed, and edged into her next question.
"Please excuse me if I seem rude, but…" Houki halted her with an upraised hand and a light smile.
"After the day I have heard that you have had…Casey, I think you can afford to be a little rude." This gave Casey a slight chuckle, and she decided that she liked this girl.
"Alright, well, I came to this country knowing only that it is super rude to tip the waiters in restaurants. I am still having trouble telling first names from last names, and every time I think I have got it down, I learn I have been doing it wrong for the past month. What should I call you?" This was not an uncommon dilemma.
"Well, normally, it would be proper to use the last name, in this case, Shinonono with an honorific postfix. But we do get a lot of foreigners in the academy, so no one will really be offended if you use the wrong form. But, you can just call me Houki." Catherine smiled. The first real cheerful smile she had done since she arrived in Japan.
"Thanks, Houki. Much appreciated." And there, the conversation died. The conversation had flowed at such a natural clip that neither had thought of what they would say next. Catherine, as her brother was delighted to point out that she did too often, took the bull by the horns, and tried to vent some of the awkward. "Go ahead, ask it." She said in a sigh. Houki looked unsure, the spoke hesitantly.
"Was all of that… caused by the shot?" Casey sat back, astonished. Not the question she thought was coming. She was so surprised, she found that a giggle escaped before she could catch it.
"Oh, no. That hit only gave a few burns, hardly worth noticing. Silly, I couldn't grow that much scar tissue in just the… what… 5 hours I was unconscious.
"Oh… yeah… that's right… sorry." She said, completely flustered. She cleared her throat ineffectually, and changed the subject again. "Anyway, Miss Orimura gave me her impression of what happened. Could you tell me why Cecilia had picked a fight with you?" Catherine cocked an eyebrow. Why was this girl asking for her side of things? Maybe she wasn't keen on either of the English speaking types? Catherine ran down what her recollection of the facts was in a concise manner, doing her best not to color it with her own ideas. When she finished, Houki was making a face like she had just met the legendary sword Excalibur.
"That's about what I figured was the case. If it's any consolation, you're not the first person she's let her mouth pull her into a fight with. If she wasn't actually a skilled pilot, she would have gotten herself in trouble by now."
"Okay… so then if she's just got a problem expressing herself politely, what was the other four girl's problem?" And so, Houki found herself explaining the dynamics of the girls that were in orbit around Ichika Orimura. She did not, of course, intend to tell it all, but it was one of those that, once started, it was easier to keep going then to halt. When she had finished, she'd found she'd spilled her own involvement in the overall picture as well. Catherine looked pensive.
"Well… I can say then, that it's not as bad as I thought. I would much rather deal with that, then if it were a "gang up on the new girl" kind of thing. And thank you for explaining your part in it, too. It may seem odd, but I appreciate the honesty. Alright, then I can forgive and forget. And I will tell you hear and now, and you can relay it for me. I am not now, nor will I ever be, romantically or sexually interested in that man, so they can save their ire for someone else."
"O-o-kay." The bold, almost aggressive way she said it took Houki aback, but she was just a might relieved. This girl wasn't as pretty as Cecilia or Charlotte, or blast it, even Tatenashi, but that wasn't to say she was unattractive. Now, not looking blank or downcast, her eyes flashing, she had a certain unexplainable vitality that served to make her look better somehow. She smiled easily, as if she were comfortable.
"Alright then, what brings you to my neck of the woods? Are you the one that teacher said she would send to babysit me?" I took a few seconds for this now casual series of words to impact Houki's understanding.
"Oh, you mean, to show you to your room and make sure you are settled? Yes. Miss Orimura asked me if I would escort you."
"Well, then I am much obliged. Shall we go?" Catherine slid her legs off the bed opposite Houki, and stood, thought about it a second, decided the damage was already done, and tossed the sheet on the bed, revealing the whole of her badly ravaged side. Houki managed to resist the urge to gasp and shy away.
"Are you sure you should move with your injuries?" She looked over as she grabbed at her thankfully undamaged pants, and gave Houki, eyes averted, a confused look.
"What injuries… oh! Those. Really, it's nothing." She flexed her left arm in a full rotation, noting a little pain, but easy enough to forget. "Will be a little stiff tomorrow, but I'll forget that they are there. And if you mean these…" she made a sweeping gesture to the scarred flesh, "I get along okay." She cinched up the cargo style pants, and clipped the belt, then looked around again.
"Darn. Looks like they couldn't save my shirt or my pilot suit." She bit her knuckle in indecision. "…you think they would mind if I nicked a sheet, if I brought it back?"
"What do you mean?" Houki asked, a little off balance still. Things seemed to be moving to fast, or this other girl was not saying everything she thought she was saying. She turned and looked almost bashful.
"Well, you have already seen my scars, so it is okay if you see them. But I do not like it out there, you know? There mine, and a highly personal and private and important part of me." She sounded very alone and sad, but bounced back quickly. "And besides, I am not really the sort that likes to go around, showing off my disfigurement for the whole world to gawk at. Not to mention all the damned tedious questions that come with it, outside of my perceived ability to operate my IS, which I built." She added with barred teeth. She shook her head and smiled. "That's why I decided I liked you, Houki. You didn't ask any of the questions I wouldn't answer about it."
Houki was really more of a gentleman then most girls her age. She rose, unbuttoned her uniform jacket, slipped it off, and held it out.
"Here, you can borrow mine for now. I am just taking you to your room, anyway, so it's no hassle." Catherine tried to refuse, but Houki ended it by trowing her jacket down on the bed. Catherine frowned, never being one to like taking charity, reorganized her thoughts into accepting it as a token of offering friendship, and put the item on. She clipped two middle buttons, surveyed, was satisfied that everything was covered, noted that the back of her left hand was still visibly scarred, and tucked it in a pocket. She had left her gloves in her luggage, and that was god knew where.
"Thanks, Houki." She said softly, and then got a mischievous smile. "And goodness, you could tell with the jacket on, but you are mounting some serious cannons." Houki, to her surprise, was not embarrassed by this comment. She found this odd, as whenever Tatenashi made comments/groping's to that effect, she was uncomfortable with the attentions. Maybe it was the difference in the commenter's attitudes. Tatenashi was teasing her, for sure, but there was almost a hint of respect when this girl said it. It was confusing, so she just sighed.
"Yeah… the damned things just seem to keep getting bigger. It can really be a pain during practice for clubs." Catherine walked around the bed, looking at ease in the baggy jacket, almost as if she was out for a stroll, though there was a pronounced limp with her favoring her left leg. The two girls moved into the hallway, continuing to chat affably.
"Oh? They interfere with the IS piloting?" Catherine said, then looked sheepish. She kept forgetting that she wasn't back home, and that she should show some tact. "Oh, sorry, I am being rude, aren't I? It's just weird to me, as the logistics of breast management isn't really a subject I need to worry about." She tried for a disarming smile, and patted her own meager armaments. "Like pop guns to your howitzers… damn it, I did it again. Sorry." She clapped her hand to her forehead, and sighed wearily. Now that they were really moving, her limp was even more noticeable. But, Houki giggled.
"No, it's okay. I don't find it rude. I usually get a bit of envy from some of the… less endowed girls. It's not all fun, having to lug these things around." Her voice switched to one of concern. "But are you sure you're ok? You're limping pretty heavily." Catherine again looked surprised, then looked down at her won leg, as if it were something foreign. She paid attention for a moment, and the limping smoothed somewhat.
"Ah, yeah. That just happens sometimes. I didn't even notice. And no, that's nothing new. Been like that since I got out of physical therapy. Usually it's not too bad. Hardly ever notice it anymore, except when the whole thing tightens up. It's all good."
"How can you say that so casually?" Houki asked, almost aghast. Casey looked at her, and then it was her turn to giggle. "The same way you can do it about your ti…*ahem* I mean, boobs. It's just a hindrance you get used to. Sorry if I am crass. Living with my brother for so long, I never really had a chance to bone up on the lady talk. And it's a bitch… *ahem* I mean, a pain to try and grandfather in." Houki looked skeptical, but accepted it, for now. "Sorry, got distracted. What were we on? Oh, yeah. You were telling me how your breasts interfere with your IS training."
"What? Oh, no. Not that. It's more a nuisance in my Kendo club."
"Kendo? Is that like the wooden toy swords?" Casey asked, and Houki felt the hair along the back of her neck rise. But, she took a bracing breath, and reminded herself that this girl was just ignorant, and not trying to be offensive.
"Well, they aren't toy swords. They are actually heavy and can leave bruises even through the padding. It kind of ritualistic, more about disciple and control then the actual sword craft."
"Oh, that sounds cool. I might have to come check it out, one of these days. Once I get all my stuff back in order.
"You have interest in the martial arts?" Houki asked, glad of her decision not to be pissy. After all, it was not good to be made at foreigners for simply being foreigners. As long as they made an attempt, anyway. Casey shrugged.
"I wouldn't say I normally would have the patience for it. I am more often a hammer, rather than a scalpel. But, that being said, I did break my teeth in knife fighting, and one my first IS tournament bareknuckle." The rounded a hallway corner, and continued on. Catherine was in a temp room, on the far side of the dorms, and would receive her permanent billet the following day.
"Oh? Was that what got you sponsored as the Representative Contender for the United States?"
"Nah. I kind of did it backwards. My brother actually built the Tesla long before I was even qualified for training. He was fascinated by the IS's, so he built one, sans core. He then sent the plans and diagrams to Tabane Shinonono herself. About three weeks later, a bunch of Interpol officers showed up with a sealed crate, and informed us that she had thought of his ideas as "cute" and made a core just for the project. She had also gone over and added little revisions to his work, and from what I gathered, invented a new type of battery to power my little magnet stars over dinner one night." Catherine gave a sigh and a sad smile. "And I'll be damned if, rather than offended for her tweaking his designs, I think he actually became physically aroused. Idiot." She snickered, and then wiped her face clear of emotion. "My brother wasn;t really a genius… not really. More a… savant, if you will. He just… got electromagnetic theory. Outside that… I think he was probably pretty much autistic. But Tabane… she just blew him out of the water, and the fool loved it." She laughed again. "He said that, "if I was a Frigate on the sea, than Tabane is a damned Super Dreadnaught." Catherine imitated a voice, hunching her shoulders and crossing her eyes to get into character. She then shrugged again, smiling at the memory. "And, to cut the story short, the government tends to take notice when a private citizen is awarded a IS core by Tabane Shinonono personally. Next thing I knew, I was a candidate for RC for the U.S."
"And this was recently?"
"Not at all. This was almost 4 years back."
"But wait… then you lost out back then, right? What was her name… uh.. Ah, Natasha Faris was RC of America until she retired last year."
"Something came up, and I was unable to compete. Only just got back into shape about 6 months ago for national level competition." Houki was saved having to take a crack at that by them arriving at the room." "This it?" Houki nodded, and Catherine pushed open the door, stepped in, and gestured for Houki to jjoin her, shutting the door after they were inside.
"Well… this is… underwhelming. It was a small room, a single bed, night table, and a joining bathroom. A school uniform was hanging from the shower stall's wall. "Are you sure this is the right room. There's somebody's clothes in here."
"That's your uniform." Catherine eyed the garment distastefully. "What's a matter, have you never gone to a school with a uniform before?"
"Well, no. But the skirt. I cannot wear a skirt." Houki almost asked why, but remembered before she spoke. It was easy to forget when she was not looking directly at the scars. Catherine turned to her, worry in her eyes. "I can get some pants for it, right? Like at the PX or wherever?"
"School store, but it will be closed for now." Houki thought about it, but Laura was the only one that had pants with her uniform, and she was tiny, so they would not fit. "We could ask Ichika, he might have a spare he could lend you." The hope glittering in the other girl's eyes convinced Houki more than any other behavior she had yet seen, that despite seeming not to care for Houki, that Catherine really did have a complex about her scarring.
"Do you really think he would?"
"Yeah. I am sure of it." She replied, flatly with a sigh. "The bastard is equally considerate to all of the girls." Houki was surprised when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "What?" She said, wondering why Casey had a knowing smile that close to her own face. Houki suddenly turned red. "o-oh crap, I said that out loud, didn't I."
"You certainly did. Don't worry, I am sure he'll come to his senses soon. So, where do I go?" Houki swallowed, and tried to regain composure, laughing nervously.
"It's okay, I'll go for you." Catherine stepped back, and shook her head.
"Nonsense. I am the one who need a favor, I should be the one to ask. Here." She shucked the jacket Houki had lent her, and handed it back. The shock at being exposed to the mass of scar tissue was still acute, but at least Houki quit reacting externally. Catherine pulled her own jacket off the hanger, and threw it over herself, clasping all the buttons, as it was a good deal tighter than Houki's had been. "Shall we?" Catherine offered her arm, and Houki took it as a jest, and preceded her out the door. They were quiet for a moment, and then Houki decided to ask the usual first question that came up when confronted with damage of that magnitude.
"If you don't mind, can I ask how you got hurt?" Catherine failed to react so well that Houki thought she might not have been heard. But after another silent minute, Catherine replied.
"No, I suppose I don't mind. But… would you mind terribly if it is a story for another day? I am tired, and I would rather not relive it right now." She flashed a conciliatory smile, and Houki nodded.
"Of course. Sorry." Casey waved a dismissive hand.
"Posh. It's all good. It's a natural question when confronted by a person with burns on about 45% of their surface. At least, according to my favorite doctors estimates."
"Why you favorite?" Houki asked, wanting to change the subject, but out of lines to grasp at.
"Because he didn't get mad when I broke his nose when he assumed I could do more than I could in one of my physical therapy courses." She said with a happy memory smile. When they arrived at Ichika's door, Houki knocked. It was quieter then expected, so maybe Tatenashi was out… The door opened and a pair of large breasts straining for freedom from their meager cotton prison appeared.
"Yes, what can I… hmmm… what do you need?" Tatenashi asked, her jovial façade almost slipping. Catherine looked from the boobs, back to Houki, then to Ichika, seeming deflated inside, and then back to Houki.
"Hey, Ichika, Catherine here needs to ask you a favor." Houki said, instead of an introduction. Houki, still vexed about her reassignment out of Ichika's room, not knowing it had originally been Chifuyu's orders, got a small measure of satisfaction out of Tatenashi's irritation at being ignored. Catherine looked back and muttered under her breath, but loud enough that all heard "and you all considered me a threat? Pfft." As she approached Orimura, she saw a hint of recognition in his weary features that made her suspicious. But she wasn't there to probe, so that could wait.
"I hate to bother you like this, but do you possibly have a pair of uniform pants until I am able to get a few pairs for myself?"
"Pants?" Ichika said, slightly confused. Catherine did her best to look demure.
"Yeah… I don't really wear skirts, and had no idea that this school required a uniform, so I didn't have a chance to ask for pants. I would have found out about it and ordered them earlier, but it was a bit of a busy day." She made it sound as if everything was normal.
"Oh, yeah." He rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that. I was the one who carried you in, and I couldn't help but notice…" Catherine hushed him a bit forcefully, then reassumed her demure manner, winked, though she was glowing slightly red..
"Let's just keep that between us for now, okay?" Ichika shifted nervously at the implication that the girl seemed to be making, and was willing to change the subject.
"Umm, yeah, I have a pair of pants you can use. They might be a little big, though." He moved to the dresser against the wall, and removed a pair of the grey white pants. Catherine clutched them to her chest, and gave a short bow.
"Thank you sir, I shall take my leave." She turned on her heel, and returned to Houki, who was getting increasingly odd stares from Tatenashi, but stalwartly not giving her anything. As she passed through the open door, she paused, and looked back over her shoulder.
"Hey, look me up some time. We could have some fun." She said coyly, and then made eye contact with Tatenashi for a full 2 seconds. Then, damage done, and Ichika sputtering, she again left, with a slightly irritated Houki scrambling to catch up.
"Ugh, I am suddenly tired." Casey said, her shoulders drooped.
"What was that?" Houki asked, a mite testily.
"Oh, sorry. That chick just pisses me off, and it was taking willpower not to be a catty bitch. But I had to just lob one shot out there to irritate her. I'd say it worked, no?"
"Yeah…" Houki said, dubiously.
"Ah, relax, friend. I didn't mean anything by it."
"That's not what I mean." She said slowly, thought that was part of it. "She is school council president by merit of being the strongest pilot at the academy. You might not want to piss her off."
"Meh. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. It's not like a loss would kill me. Although that does explain her "holier than thou" attitude when she allowed that blonde to fight me. Oh well, I am not one to dwell on such things." Catherine smiled at Houki wearily. "But, seeing as you've been the first person to nice to me all day, I will not do anything too… incendiary." She took a brace, and sighed. "Alright then. I remember my way back well enough, I don't need ot bother you by having you trek all the way back. I can get there."
"Oh, its fine, I don't mind at all." Houki replied. Catherine waved a hand at her, already walking away.
"Nah, it's late, and there is school tomorrow. I got this, and maybe I'll see you tomorrow." She waved, and vanished around the corner. Houki stood for a moment, puzzling about her strange new friend. She was surprisingly aggressive, but moderately submissive at the same time. It was an odd contrast, and Houki wondered if maybe it was just a cultural thing. She shook her head, and went to her own room.
Meanwhile, Catherine did not really ruminate on day events, other than a vague disconsolation on the ruckus that was made. She was hoping to slip unobtrusively, but that was shot to hell. Oh well. At least she met someone who seemed nice. She opened her room door, placed the borrowed pants on the dresser, turned, and fell face forward onto the bed. She was asleep a minute later.
End 2