Dragged About Again

Tokyo, the once illustrious capital of Japan, had become a shell of its former self. The old city rotted amidst the scenery dotted with cherry blossom, like a dying sick man among beauties in their prime. While Nature blossomed, the city was practically at its twilight.

This city had fallen victim of the Avatars' onslaught many times over, so government effectively retreated to Osaka and Kyoto in the west. Many stubborn residents still remained, but life in this once-vibrant city was increasingly tough over time and population steadily declined due to death and relocation.

And because of population decline, whatever city government remained was forced to shut down or buy out public places such as police stations, hospitals and even schools. The most recent establishment slated for closure was a high school near Akihabara, a girls' school called Otonokizaka Academy…

"NO WAY!"

That was the outraged cry from amongst the crowd of schoolgirls, who had gathered in front of the school notice board. Many tongues were wagging with the girls reacting and chatting over the shocking news that brought them together, but none were as loud as that one outcry.

"Honoka-chan, hang in there!" exclaimed a greyish-haired girl, gripping her orange-haired friend who was the source of the scream.

"No… Kotori-chan, it's the end…" Honoka exclaimed.

"We should've expected this to happen," another girl with long blue hair remarked, "The population is just decreasing too much in the last 10 years."

"Umi-chan! How can you say that?" exclaimed Honoka, "This school has been the school of our mothers and their mothers and their mother's mothers and…"

"Honoka, times have changed," Umi elaborated, "The Avatars are threatening the lives of everyone. Tokyo is not safe anymore, especially this district in recent times."

"And the school is willing to help out students in school entrance exams," Kotori added, "We will be alright."

"No, Kotori-chan," Honoka explained, "It is not our education that matters. It is the school that matters. I can't let this school just close like that, just because of some stupid Avatar."

"And what are you going to do? Punch them," chided Umi, "But Kotori, have you spoken with your mother… erh, I mean, the chairwoman, about this?"

"Mum told me that the Self-Defence Force just bought out the school to fund their defence efforts," Kotori explained, "She doesn't seem so affected by it."

And then, Honoka manhandled Kotori and was ready to strangle her.

"Kotori-chan!" Honoka exclaimed, "Why is your mother so heartless? She couldn't just sacrifice the school for the stupid defence budget!"

"H-Honoka-chan…" Kotori murmured, while being choked by her collar.

"Honoka, the defence budget is the reason why we haven't been killed in an Avatar attack," Umi lectured her childhood friend, "And let go of Kotori, she can't breathe at this rate."

"Umi-chan, what about school? School?" cried Honoka, "That's it! We must speak with the chairwoman right now!"

"And you expect us to follow you like always…" Umi remarked.

Honoka, Umi and Kotori had been childhood friends and since young, it was always Honoka that dragged them off to do new things or get into all sorts of trouble. This time was no different as the trio found themselves at the door to the chairwoman's office.

"Okay, the plan is that I will give the chairman a heartfelt speech on what is good in Otonokizaka and…" Honoka explained her plan.

"I concede your charisma, but you can't perform miracles," Umi rebuked.

"Umi-chan, have more faith and tr…" she ignored her friend's scepticism and turned the door knob.

And before she finished, the door just flew open and two seniors marched out. The trio definitely recognised them; anyone in the student body would recognise their own Student Council President and Vice-President. The quarter-Soviet Ayase Eli stomped off in an indignant look in her eyes, as if she had been dealt a grave injustice. Her same indignant look contrasted with the carefreeness of her Vice-President, Toujou Nozomi, that just went with the flow.

"Student Council President…" Umi muttered.

"Ah girls, you were looking for me?" a voice inside butted in, and the trio remembered their purpose there again and entered.

"Chairwoman-san! Why did you let the school close?" Honoka yelled, "Otonokizaka is a national heritage! It has been around since the days of the Meiji Restoration and the school has been a promoter of local artistic talents and it's fun and cosy and…"

"Slow down please, Kousaka-san," Chairwoman Minami said, "The decision for closure was made under much discussion with both the Defence Ministry and Education Ministry. I can assure you that your education will only be affected minimally and it is in line with our relocation policy."

"No no, you don't get it!" Honoka exclaimed, "Otonokizaka cannot be replaced! I will not allow the school of my mother and her mother to be shut down just like that!"

"And is this a sentiment shared by all three of you?" Chairwoman Minami asked.

"Chairwoman-san, we were technically dragged here by Honoka… again…" Umi sheepishly explained, "… But that said; is there an alternative?"

"Mum, I don't think we can just accept the school's closure easily," Kotori said, "The quality of our lives will be affected regardless. Can we relocate the campus like they planned for UTX nearby?"

"Relocate campus…" Umi and Honoka echoed her friend's words.

"Well… Otonokizaka is not that high-ranking in the school hierarchy and the ministries agree it would be easier to sacrifice it instead," Chairwoman Minami explained herself.

"Ah… Chairwoman-san, please!" Honoka was gripping her hair and tears welling up at this point as she cried, "Please, Honoka will do anything to save Otonokizaka. I will offer even my body to…"

"Honoka, you can't joke about your purity!" Umi snapped.

"Relax, Sonada-san. And Kousaka-san, you don't need to stress yourself too much," the chairwoman calmed her students down, "As to your plight, I may have a certain idea that may work to save the school… if you wish to hear?"

"What is it?" asked Honoka, having relaxed greatly with the chairwoman's changed stance.

"Tell me girls, have you heard of the iDols?" Chairwoman Minami asked.

"Japan's last line of defence against the Avatars," Umi answered, "They are a series of robots piloted by selected volunteers, usually a teenage female."

"Wow, like a superhero!" Honoka excitedly proclaimed.

"Honoka, the iDols are dangerous work. Please be more serious for once." Umi continued, "They have to face vicious monsters that possess strange abilities and characteristics. Few have retired from iDols alive or sane."

"But Mum, why bring this up?" asked the chairwoman's daughter.

"Because the Self-Defence Force is always recruiting young girls for service, who are the only ones capable of piloting iDols," Chairwoman Minami said, "If you girls can fend off the Avatars from destroying Japan, you can become national heroes and your wishes can definitely be heard by even the Cabinet. The school may be saved then."

"But Chairwoman-san… this is madness… are you saying we throw our lives away?" Umi asked.

"Just as how many risked their lives for a greater good, Sonada-san," Chairwoman Minami explained, "After all, our individual lives are transient. Wouldn't it be glorious for yourself, your family and your country to offer yourself for the greater good?"

"Chairwoman-san, my parents have taught me about sacrifice… but this…" Umi reluctantly continued.

"Okay! Chairwoman-san, the three of us are in!" Honoka instantly declared.

"Wait Honoka-chan!" Kotori cried, this time with sweat drops, "You can't let us die!"

"You aren't dragging us twice on the same day!" Umi yelled.

"Anyway, so where do we sign up?" Honoka just ignored her friends' opposition and continued her queries to the chairwoman.

"Right here," Chairwoman Minami smirked, showing her badge.

As the girls saw the badge, even Kotori as the chairwoman's daughter would be surprised by it. It was a Self-Defence Force security pass with the chairwoman's face and name on it. It denoted a line that stood out the most.

iDol Section: µ's

"iDol Section… Miii…" Honoka tried pronouncing it.

"I think it's pronounced Muse, as in the nine goddesses of Greek mythology," Umi clarified.

"But Mum, I've never about this from you," Kotori demanded.

"I'm sorry, but this is supposed to be a secret," Chairwoman Minami said, "In any case, I will be your supervisor and officer in command in your time under µ's. I will be sure to treat you nicely."

Hours passed by, and the trio walked downtown and still dumbstruck by the recent turn of events that shook their world. Even then, Umi and Kotori continued glaring daggers at their airheaded childhood friend.

"Could you ever use your head and think…" Umi cursed under her breath.

"Honoka-chan, I don't want to die…" Kotori cried.

"C'mon, it will be okay. Honoka has played many video games before," Honoka replied, haplessly indifferent to her friends' concerns.

"Look Honoka, this is real life and not another video game," Umi explained, "If anything happens out there, we may be injured and even die. And we only have one life, and it will be forever game over once we die."

"SOMEBODY, SAVE US!"

Nearby, the cry of a girl cut Umi's lecture short and the second-years trio turned their attention to the billboard broadcasting live updates to the news.

"While doctors have confirmed that all three members of Japan Self-Defence Force iDol Section: A-Rise are no longer in critical condition, it is likely that A-Rise will be deemed unfit for combat duties and must be honourably discharged for their services to the nation and the world…" And so the report went.

Looking at the news report was a small crowd of people, mostly students who had just finished school. The one who made the loud scream was also in the Otonokizaka uniform, a brunette with spectacles who was joined with a fellow friend in bob haircut.

"This can't be! A-Rise can't just end like this!" the brunette freaked out, "Their winning streak were among the highest of all known iDols!"

"Calm down, Kayo-chin," her friend in bob haircut said, "But I like their fight with that flying Avatar the other day. Rin wishes to pilot an iDol also nya."

"Humph… you're years too early before you can even control an iDol!" a sharp voice declared, belonging to a twin-tailed girl as short as Rin, "and same to you, you iDol otaku!"

"Hey, she's Hanayo and not some iDol otaku!" Rin snapped.

The heavily injured members of A-Rise were being treated in Tokyo's Nishikino Hospital, where the best doctors tended to them carefully and meticulously. Along the snow-white hallways of the hospital, a pair of redheads strolled along the busy hospital hallways.

"Mama, how do you think A-Rise is right now?" the younger redhead asked.

"It was miraculous they survived so much punishment to their bodies. The Interactive Movement System wires their nervous system to the iDol, so any damage to the iDol unit will be felt by the pilot," the elder redhead explained, "Maki, how are your transfer documents going along?"

"Perfectly fine, the school's making it easy for transfers so the entrance papers won't be an issue," Maki answered.

"That is good," the mother said, "Now get to a good university and study medicine. Just don't do something as crazy as those girls we're treating right now. I worry for their parents sometimes. How can they let their daughters do this?"

"Oh I don't know… maybe because of nagging parents like you two…" Maki thought to herself.

While many structures either fell to the Avatars or demolished due to population decline, holy places like the Kanda Shrine remained despite it being nearly deserted of late. Despite that, the shrine remained tended by a local volunteer who was also a local student.

Dressed appropriately in shrine maiden clothes, Nozomi calmly swept off dead leaves from the steps of the shrine so rarely visited. Other than herself, Eli sat on the steps as her sole friend was at work.

"What was the chairwoman thinking?" wondered Eli, "Asking such things from high school students… Their parents will definitely object."

"And won't yours object to it, Eli-chi?" Nozomi asked, "You could've said no."

"And let her pick some other more gullible student," Eli countered, "As the Student Council President, I can't let other students' lives as students be sullied by these battles against the Avatars. I will sacrifice myself to save the school if I must… But why must you join me?"

"Silly Eli-chi, I will always be where you are," Nozomi replied, "Besides, I can't just let the Student Council President throw her life away all by herself. You'll be all lonely and have no one to hug and snuggle."

"Too much details, Nozomi," Eli cut her friend off, standing up and facing her.

"Don't worry Eli-chi," Nozomi continued, holding up a reversed The Fool card, "We are not alone in this. In fact, we have company."

"Really… you and your card tricks…" Eli remarked.

By nightfall, the second-year trio continued to reflect on the recent choice they ended up making. All three were talking about it over the phone, the first truly serious topic among the three of them since admission to the end of middle school for them.

"Uh… maybe I was a bit too impulsive back then…" Honoka conceded, "Dad now wants to give Homura to Yukiho instead."

"Is the shop your only concern to change your mind?" Umi questioned, " But I doubt we can back down at this point. So we should at least fight on as warriors should."

"It's easy for Umi-chan, who's a real warrior," Kotori remarked, "But as for us…"

"I am certain we can train with the Self-Defence Force," Umi answered, "But we have to train on our own terms and regularly at that. One wrong move and it will be catastrophic on a mission."

"Okay, Umi-chan…" Honoka agreed.

"Let's stick together till the bitter end," Kotori followed.

First chapter of the story now begins. The fights are not up yet, but the members of µ's are being put in place.