Rin-solve
The following night since Arke's emergence, Maki was once again crashing in Nico's apartment. While she was on the phone, Nico looked at the many documents recently downloaded from the laptop.
"I must admit… that's a very good job. Way better than expected," she thanked, "I appreciate working with you in the future, Nero."
Ending her call, Maki joined Nico who was already engrossed in the information found within the documents.
"This… this is big…" Nico exclaimed, "Are you sure we're not in some movie?"
"Don't be an idiot please." Maki insisted, "But this proves some of my theories at least. Refer to Document 1."
Nico scrolled all the way up, to the top of the list where the said document was.
Document 0001: Diary Excerpts from Soldat [REDACTED] of the Wehrmacht Heer, who was involved in the German occupation of Greece during the Second World War. Text has been translated to English for archival purposes.
The occupation has been somewhat annoying, what with all these freedom fighters still shooting us every now and then. Never thought my first holiday to Greece would be in uniform and greeted by bullets.
Damn those freedom fighters! Ambushed my company at night patrol and forced us to flee. Only Hess, Rosenberg and I survive. Withdrew into some old-looking place with steps like a theatre. Hess claimed the place is called Delphi or something…
For the night, hid in a cave found in the area and… My God! We found treasure… so many paintings and pots, Hess was going mad with joy. Not gold, just some old junk. Maybe can profit from the museums after the war…
Went in deeper upon Hess' demand... and Hess just fell off some huge pit. Looked down to check Hess' body and… [DATA EXPUNGED] My God! Forget these junks and those Greeks and the war! This is [DATA EXPUNGED]
"World War II… Nazis… the Heck…" Nico drily browsed through.
"Nico-chan, the keyword is Delphi!" Maki exclaimed, "It is the place where the Oracle was said to live."
"Oracle? As in telling the future, that Oracle!" Nico also exclaimed, "How's that supposed to link to Japan?"
"Well, they found something there and it was moved to America for some time." Maki explained, "And then, look at Document 62."
Document 0062: Encrypted memo sent from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to America's Central Intelligence Agency
Package has landed in the Rising Sun. Eagle will return to roost.
"They gave that something to us, Japan." She continued, "I'm guessing we're safeguarding something very dangerous, something that drew in the first few Avatars."
"Okay genius, so what is that something and where is it?" Nico asked.
"Well, the documents are numerical order and some of them are not there," Maki answered, "I've asked Nero to collect more of such documents so we can understand the situation even more… But I think Document 99 is interesting…"
Document 0099: Suicide message from resigned Tokyo Mayor [REACTED]
My homeland is the sacrifice to the world. This city is now the sacrifice to my homeland.
"They may have redacted the name, but only one mayor of Tokyo committed suicide within the last 50 years and it coincided with some time after the deployment of iDols," Maki elaborated, "That man died of seppuku, a fate borne only out of great shame and disgrace."
"Maki, I think we should keep all this to ourselves." Nico said, "We are getting ourselves into something huge, very huge."
Elsewhere, Nero had long finished his call with Maki and moved on to the next call.
"The girl got the package and boy, is she happy." Nero recounted.
After that night, the next day was another regular school day in Otonokizaka Academy. The single first-year class was having a break between periods, so people were chatting everywhere in the room… or most of them.
"Maki-chan, you look spaced out." Hanayo informed her friend out of concern, snapping the redhead out of daze.
"N-no! I'm… I'm just deep in thought…" Maki exclaimed.
"Sigh, am I the only one here not in a daze?" Hanayo bemoaned, "Someone, please save me!"
"What do you mean? I don't understand." Maki wondered.
"Look at Rin-chan," Hanayo sighed.
As Maki could see, Rin was not her usual energetic self. Even she was uncharacteristically in a daze. She might be somewhat airy, but her look was one of worry and uncertainty.
"What happened to her?" asked Maki.
"Well… we had a elementary school class reunion recently and…" Hanayo began her recount.
"Hanayo-chan, you look as cute as ever!" one of their male ex-classmates complimented, "It is hard to imagine you as an iDol pilot or fighting those Avatars."
"W-what?!" Hanayo exclaimed in shock.
"Kayo-chin is always the cutest! She could become a model nya!" Rin beamed, "But do not underestimate her. Kayo-chin is strong."
"W-with a b-body like mine! Rin-chan, please don't! It's too much!" Hanayo continued screaming.
"Oh Rin-kun, you're totally her husband!" another male ex-classmate commented, "Especially with you saving the world from those Avatars, it suits you the most with a man's job!"
"So basically, Rin-chan still has issues with her image." Hanayo summarised, "Those boys just opened their mouths and… it's third grade all over again."
"If I were there, I would give those idiots a piece of my mind!" Maki threatened, "We should try stuffing them inside an iDol and let them save the country! It's not Rin's fault that only girls can pilot iDols…"
"Only girls can pilot iDols…" Maki thought.
"We should try to cheer up Rin-chan somehow…" Hanayo suggested, "Uh Rin-chan, I know of a great Ramen shop in Akihabara…"
"…" Rin paid no attention.
"Bribing her with food is quite a childish tactic, if you ask me…" Maki critiqued, "Instead, we should knock some sense into her."
Maki got up from her seat and walked up towards Rin's seat. The dazed girl was completely in her own world, so she suspected nothing. Maki raised her hand and gave Rin a chop to the back of Rin's head.
"It hurts nya!" Rin yelled.
"Get over those idiots' comments, will you! You're just as much as a woman as the rest of us here!" Maki lectured Rin.
"B-but… Rin has short hair…" Rin mumbled.
"Oh for God's sake, bobbed hair is popular for brides nowadays!" Maki shouted, "You are worrying too much over little things!"
"Kayo-chin…" Rin turned towards Hanayo, "You look so pretty… It must be those breasts of yours. Rin is not greedy… Maybe just a chunk of them can help Rin become a woman…"
"What! Wait! Ah… Someone, please save me!" Hanayo screamed.
After school, the normally deserted rooftop was occupied. Rin had brought Nozomi up with her for a private discussion.
"So ya wanna be more of a woman eh, Rin-chan?" Nozomi confirmed, "But I think Rin-chan is cute enough, like a little pet kitty."
"Rin is not a pet!" Rin protested.
"Just kidding, Rin-chan. Relax." Nozomi laughed, "But say, why me?"
"Because you're the most motherly person I know," Rin pleaded, "You must help me, sempai!"
"Ahem… Sempai prohibited. Do you want to end up like Umi-chan?" Nozomi threatened.
"Uh… but I heard breasts grow bigger if you massage them more…" Rin remarked.
"Oh… so you want it… You could just say it~" Nozomi laughed, this time more sinisterly.
Meanwhile, Hanayo and Maki sought for other sources of help. After contacting the second-year trio, they met up in the alpaca pen. While Kotori was busy petting the white alpaca's fur, the others were talking about Rin.
"So since we were kids, Rin-chan always had this complex with her image." Hanayo summarised, "Rin-chan always relapses whenever it is brought up."
"And now, she's constantly harping on it." Maki elaborated, "We're hoping the two of you can help us."
"To think our ever-cheerful Rin-chan has such a tragic backstory…" Honoka exclaimed.
"Fluffy…" Kotori was too engrossed in the alpaca.
"Kotori, we have pressing matters to attend to." Umi chided.
"I'm sorry we held our meeting here… but I really need to tend to the alpacas," Hanayo murmured.
"It's alright, truly." Umi insisted, "Although I am not sure how we may assuage Rin."
"We must try, Umi-chan! Rin-chan is also our friend!" Honoka insisted, "Just think of her not being to marry just because guys cannot see her charm points!"
"Honoka…" Umi mouthed, and her tone raised increasingly, "Yes… I understand. We cannot simply idle about when a fellow woman is unable to exude the spirit of Yamato Nadeshiko! Yes, we must assist Rin!"
"Umi, you don't need to be that excited…" Maki sighed.
"But how do we approach the issue?" Umi pondered, "We need Rin to face her feminine side… Maybe a session of traditional dance will allow Rin radiate the spirit of womanhood instantly!"
"Or we can get Rin-chan to try out some of my new dresses," Kotori suggested, "I did promise her the kitty hoodie, after all."
"NOO!"
A loud scream filled the air, a deafening cry from the rooftop streamed downward to the entire campus.
"That voice… Rin-chan!" Hanayo yelled, "We have to save her!"
The five girls immediately dashed fro the school rooftop, hoping that Rin would be fine. When they arrived, they found Rin lying in a complete state of shock and Nozomi innocently standing near the catlike girl.
"Hi y'all! Where's the fire?" Nozomi greeted.
"What did you do to Rin?" Maki demanded.
"Perhaps I overdid my washi washi, but that's not important right now," Nozomi admitted, holding out the reversed Strength card, "We ought to be worried for Rin-chan right now."
"It's no good…" Rin moaned, "Rin must be more woman-like… Rin will give up being an iDol pilot…"
"What?!" everyone cried.
"Rin-chan…" Hanayo murmured.
"Rin, you cannot quit just because of some idiots' words!" Maki snapped.
"Rin, it is not appearances or opinions that matter. It is your spirit that matters the most," Umi consoled.
"No… Rin must become a woman!" Rin declared, jumping to her feet and dashing towards the stairs.
"We have to catch her!" Honoka declared, immediately chasing the agile girl.
And as Honoka led the pursuit, the rest of them joined in too. Within seconds, silence reigned in the school rooftop once more.
Even later, no one was able to find Rin and everyone was still in search of her. Nozomi was among the first few chasing after Rin, joined up with Eli to assist her in the search. Both of them were prowling around the school hallways, opening every room for their target.
"It is still hard to swallow that Rin, of all people, has such problems," Eli repeated.
"Oh President-san, it's often and not that the one smiling the broadest may be crying on the inside." Nozomi inputted, "I suppose the balance finally tipped over and this is the spillage."
"If this keeps up, we can at least confirm she is not inside campus… but she would have left by then," Eli remarked, "Why did we even offer to stay behind when the others are out there, looking for Rin?"
"Always wanting to be in the centre of action eh~" Nozomi laughed, taking out her Tarot deck.
"Maybe not…" Eli sighed, "All these years since I entered Otonokizaka, I've always braved all problems alone… Okay, it is true you had been there by my side, but I shunned everyone else from those problems. Maybe it's time to place trust in the others. I will wait for good tidings."
"Ha, so the Hermit has gained wisdom from her isolation." Nozomi laughed, "But c'mon, for the kicks!"
Without even waiting for Eli's response, Nozomi took out the top card from the deck.
The Fool.
"So Honoka-chan it is, then…" she thought.
At the same time, Maki was joined with Nico to find Rin. Trying their luck along the streets of Akihabara, Rin was nowhere in sight and the duo continued to keep a lookout.
"That g-girl… How can someone be that fast…" Nico panted, "I swore we saw her h-here… a minute ago…"
"She did do track during middle school." Maki rationalised, "In fact, it is safe to assume we will not be able to catch up to her. Instead, let's talk."
"This again!" Nico groaned, "It's only that nowadays! Can't you talk with Nico in general?"
"Have you ever realise that only girls can pilot and control iDols?" Maki asked without care, "No, not just that… But girls who are in their adolescence."
"Yeah, of course I would. Official reasons from the government cited physiological reasons for that," Nico answered.
"The keyword is official, which can be fabricated to conceal the truth." Maki reasoned, "Now, the Oracles of Delphi are always women? Do the math, Nico-chan."
"Then, why can't Nico see into the future?" Nico questioned.
"An Oracle does not see into the future. She speaks on behalf of the gods in mythology," Maki corrected, "Now, supposing we are the oracles, then what is the message?"
Also, Umi and Kotori were paired up in their search for Rin. Like the others, their search was equally futile as they looked into the suburbs.
"I've asked Mum to send people to help us out… Maybe they can find Rin-chan…" Kotori wondered.
"She'll just run away from them. We have to find out where she hangs out," Umi said, "But the greater question is how to help Rin."
"I think Rin-chan is perfect the way she is," Kotori said, "All of us have our own charm points and faults, but they make up who you are and that's perfect as it stands."
"Of course, Kotori…" Umi acknowledged.
"That's why we are childhood friends," Kotori continued, "But maybe only a childhood friend would find Rin at this rate…"
"Hey Kotori, look over there…" Umi called out.
Umi pointed to the massive television screens, showing the news telecast of some familiar apartment blocks.
"… And this apartment is the latest among recent residential areas in Tokyo to be evacuated. The site has been reclaimed by the government and is to be condemned due to structural degradations, as indicated in a recent surveyors' report…"
"We saved that building yesterday, didn't we?" Umi remarked.
The remaining two – Honoka and Hanayo – were paired up as they sought for Rin. After searching inside a shopping mall, both were exhausted and Honoka took it easy. On the other hand, Hanayo was frantic and besides herself.
"Honoka-chan, we have to double up!" Hanayo screamed, "We still have to find Rin-chan!"
"Relax, Hanayo-chan. We've been finding Rin-chan for some time." Honoka justified, "We could use a little break for now."
"But what about Rin-chan?" Hanayo continued screaming, "She could be in danger! Who knows what might happen to Rin-chan?"
"It'll all be okay. We're not going to find Rin-chan on an empty stomach; we need all the energy we need." Honoka assured Hanayo, "Isn't there this restaurant that has golden rice on its menu in this place?"
"Honoka-chan… uh… Ah… Let's go!" Hanayo gave in to her temptations.
Backtracking themselves across the mall, the two tried finding the said restaurant. While Hanayo was still somewhat reluctant, she was dragged about by Honoka who was busy looking out for the store she mentioned.
"Uh, I thought that store was somewhere on this floor…" Honoka sheepishly assumed.
"Honoka-chan! Look!" Hanayo suddenly yelled.
Surprised, Honoka looked towards the direction pointed at by Hanayo. There, they found Rin. She was glaring at the window of a clothes boutique, looking intensely at the many variants of skirts displayed.
"Rin-chan!" both yelled, rushing towards her.
"You guys!" Rin exclaimed.
She tried fleeing again, but it was too late this time and she was too much in a daze to realise beforehand. Honoka grabbed hold of Rin, while Hanayo gripped her friend by the shoulders.
"Rin-chan, we had been looking everywhere for you!" Hanayo exclaimed, "All of us are worried for you."
"Just leave Rin alone." Rin muffled, "Rin cannot become a butch."
"Rin-chan, look here!" Honoka shouted, "You are a strong energetic catlike girl and no one can say otherwise about that! Now, c'mon! Hanayo-chan and I are going to try out this restaurant. I bet you're hungry?"
"Uh… now that you mentioned it…" Rin shyly admitted, "Maybe some food will help…"
"Honoka-chan! We should call the others so they won't have to search for nothing!" Hanayo hollered.
After finding Rin, the three iDol pilots returned to Phoebus Apollo and rested inside their common room. Bringing a stash of food, Honoka had been sighing all the way to the base.
"Why must we come back here anyway?" she hollered.
"Honoka-chan… the Captain did want to speak with Rin-chan… she too don't want Rin to resign unnecessarily," Hanayo said.
"I'm sorry, Kayo-chin…" Rin apologised, "Rin wanted to be herself, but Rin can't run away from her problems."
"Nonsense!" Honoka cried, "Problems aren't solved by running from them. You gotta tackle them head-on! You have to be in control of yourself; you govern your own life and no one else."
"Wow… that's very deep… especially coming from you," Hanayo remarked.
"Oh? Really?" Honoka smirked.
"But how do I do this?" Rin asked, "Rin really wants to be a girl too!"
"Rin-chan, you're the cutest girly girl I've ever known! Please don't beat yourself down like that!" Hanayo cried.
Suddenly, the door opened and Hideko's head peered through.
"Ah, good thing some of you are back." Hideko let out a breath of relief, "We have a situation, another Avatar manifestation… and Threat Level is now Delta…"
"Delta?" wondered Honoka.
"Bad news, very bad news…" Hideko replied.
Inside the Central Command, Captain Minami and her team of technicians continued monitoring the Avatar emergence that would plague Tokyo. The main screen projected an image of a giant bizarre sphere, filled with multi-coloured moving images of eyes. It was descending from the sky, ploughing its way through the atmosphere.
"Helel has reached terminal velocity. Impact time minus 1 hour 12 seconds and counting."
"Impact zone has been detected. Immediate evacuation is 86% complete."
"Good." Captain Minami confirmed, "However. I need either Sonada-san or Toujou-san to deal with that."
"They are on the way, but Honoka and Hanayo are trying to take it out right now."
"I see… and what about you, Hoshizora-san?" the Captain asked, turning to Rin who was beside her.
"Me?" Rin exclaimed, "I… I don't know… Rin don't want to do this anymore. I want to be more girl-like…"
"Hoshizora-san, do you know what is the strength of a woman?" Captain Minami inquired.
"Uh… no idea nya," Rin replied blankly.
"It is her strength to protect those they love. In many types of animals, the females are often the fiercer of the genders so they can protect their young," Captain Minami explained, "Do not let other people's perception get in your way. Be in control of yourself."
"In control eh…" thought Rin.
Near the recently evacuated block of apartments, two iDols stood ready for battle. Police was deployed on site to ensure total evacuation of the area, made easy since those apartments were recently slated for relocation.
Honoka and Hanayo mentally readied for the upcoming fight, with Hanayo's Euterpe raised its twin pistols skyward and Honoka's Calliope brandishing its sword.
"Honoka-chan… should w-we re-really do this?" Hanayo questioned, "Hideko-san already said we're not really suited to this Avatar."
"It's okay." Honoka reassured, "Hideko-chan said we only need to fend off that Avatar until Umi-chan or Nozomi-chan can destroy it."
"Honoka! Hanayo-chan! Look up!" the order from Central Command came about.
As everyone present witnessed, the clouds above parted as if a shape emerged from the sea of clouds. Helel emerged, as a multi-coloured sphere of eyes. The being slowly unfolded itself like a flower, each petal bearing an eye and blooming as it descended upon the earth.
Beyond merely spreading itself, the fragments were falling off the Avatar and crashing onto the earth below. Instantly, Euterpe shot down some of the falling fragments mid-air. Some of those that did impacted smashed through the buildings and concrete.
As another building crashed due to impact, Calliope held back the falling concrete while more people were able to flee from the torn-up area.
Back in the Central Command, the technician trio reported the recent turn of events. Captain Minami and Rin looked concerned at the turn as well.
"Fragments appear to be self-regenerating at an estimated rate of 4 seconds."
"Accounting for all recently available data, range of potential impact is increased by 1000%."
"Evacuation of all civilians from affected range is under place. Completion percentage is 21% as of now."
"Urg… We must have Toujou-san ready. Where is she now?" Captain Minami asked.
"She's on her way here. Estimated time of arrival upon Phoebus Apollo within 5 minutes."
"And projected time of impact?" the Captain inquired.
"…Uh… 4 minute 50 seconds and counting…"
"We need to hold Helel off, but its barrage is already occupying the two iDols deployed." Captain Minami summarised, "Hoshizora-san, the country needs you once more. Are you ready?"
"Rin is…" she muttered, "Rin is…"
The fight against Helel could hardly be called a fight; its emergence was a storm that touched down upon the world. The portion of Tokyo it appeared was torn by bombardment, with thousands of civilians fleeing at once. The iDols were occupied with mitigating the damage, so Helel continued its assault without disturbance.
The gigantic Avatar simply continued descending upon the earth, not slowing down at all. The two iDol pilots could only look on as they shot down and sliced through whatever of Helel's attacks within their reach.
"We can't win like this…" Hanayo thought, "Even if all of us are here, we may only be able to reduce the damage… but the main body…"
"Kayo-chin, watch out!"
Before Hanayo noticed, she turned back and saw another fragment falling right towards her iDol. Thankfully, it was kicked out by another iDol. Its yellow armour plating and the cat-like ears on its head was a dead ringer for Rin's iDol – the Thalia.
"Kayo-chin, you have to watch out for your surroundings nya~" Rin teased.
In response, the Euterpe fired a shot from its twin pistols. The agile Thalia dodged it, but it still managed to hit its true target – another fragment that would have crushed Thalia.
"Of course… Rin-chan…" Hanayo smiled.
"Rin-chan! I see you there!" Honoka cried over the communication system, "Looks like you are up for a fight!"
"Yes! Rin is on fire! Rin is gonna protect everyone!" Rin declared.
Rin then looked up to the sky, eclipsed by the enormous alien foe that drew itself closer. Rin grinned and stared at its imposing figure.
"You and Rin, to the finish," she muttered.
At once, Thalia dashed about and a multitude of rocket propellers released from its armour. They enhanced the iDol's speed several times over, and with a leap, the iDol was in the air.
"It flew!" both Honoka and Hanayo exclaimed.
While mid-air, Thalia smashed through the many fragments that continued dropping. Soon, the iDol reached its target – Helel itself. It grappled onto the central eye-like portion and tried pushing it upward.
"Ny-ny-nyaaaa!" she yelled.
The propellers roared along with its pilot cry, using its entirety to push Helel away from crashing. It appeared as though Helel was held back from falling under gravity's influence.
Suddenly, claws emerged from Helel's pupil. It grabbed hold of Thalia and pushed the iDol downward instead, its crushing grip ruining the iDol's arms. A humanoid shape emerged from the pupil, a sickened emaciated humanoid figure with skeletal remnants that could be wings. The centre of the humanoid's chest glowed, exposing its core.
What?!" Rin cried, "The core's… it's in that… th-thing…"
The appearance of the humanoid entity reversed the short victory, for Thalia was being pushed down and Helel continued its descent, albeit slightly slower.
"Rin-chan needs help!" Hanayo exclaimed, "What should I…"
Euterpe raised its twin guns towards where Rin and Helel clashed. While trying to aim, Hanayo tried focusing on her target – Helel's exposed core, but never fire her shot.
"No… what if I hit Rin-chan… Urgh… But I have to…" she thought, debating in her head.
A shot fired out and hit Helel's revealed core, sending Thalia crashing down. It was saved from impact as Terpsichore sprang to the rescue and carried the iDol away. And then, a series of missiles and projectiles shot at the inactive Avatar's main body. Whatever's left of Helel was reduced to rubble, falling to the earth as a type of dust.
Over the horizon, Polyhymnia silently peered from the distance. Inside, Nozomi looked on the situation coolly.
"And so the Fool had indeed found the Strength…" she thought, "But the reins of the Chariot appears to be loose…"
Some days later, life resumed as per normal for most of Tokyo's remaining inmates. Class for Otonokizaka Academy went on as usual, with the first-year class resting in between lessons.
Due to the Helel emergence incident, the first-year iDol pilots were at the centre of attention in their class.
"Wow, tell us again how you did it! We must hear it first-hand!" a classmate pleaded.
"Okay. Rin knew we have to stop the Avatar before it lands, so I spring up and tried pushing it back with all of Rin's might!" Rin recounted, "And then, this strange thing came out to challenge Rin! If not for Nozomi-chan, Rin might be gone nya."
"You mean the Vice-President!" another classmate exclaimed, "She's so mysterious!"
"Yup, and then she blew the whole thing and turned it to dust! Nyamazing!" Rin continued her tale.
"Rin-chan, you're too cool!" a third classmate cried, "You're like those action heroes!"
"Ha, Rin is like a mama! I will protect all my chicks!" Rin declared.
"Rin… that came out wrong…" Maki sighed, "But I guess you will continue this, yes?"
"Yup! It doesn't matter what those guys think, Rin is Rin no matter what!" Rin answered, "Rin can be girly or boyish, but I'm still Rin-chan in the end and that's all that matters nya~"
Later that night, the ruins of the abandoned apartments that were the centre of the Helel emergence laid silent in the darkness. Not a soul was to be inside, or so it was supposed to be.
Nero was already far and deep inside the debris of the site, removing any that was in his way as he dug with a shovel.
"A cold night in the middle of summer, in the middle of the ruins of a dying city, a lonely man of lost pride… Oh damn this, this film noir monologue thing is lame!" Nero cursed, "The Intel from her better be correct! The deepest crater it is, it'd better be!"
As he dug through the rubble, a sharp clang struck the shovel. Nero smiled, clearing the dust and dirt aside. A metal plate was beneath the rubble.
"Well, I'll be damned!" Nero laughed.
This really took as long as it took, or should be even longer. This is kinda like my take on a Rin chapter, but heck... exploring into the female psyche is really tough! But enough of that, thank you for continued patronage.