Disclaimer: I do not know anything by IS: Infinite Stratos and/or any fore-mentioned materials that belong to Third-Parties. They belong to their respected owners. However, original characters all belong to me, Grayjedi-Productions...

More fluff and whatnot! Also, I am starting another writing piece but due to its nature, it is not a Fanfiction but a completely new universe. The Vanguards is now on fictionpress! Please support its official releases!

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2135 Hours - May 20 2022 – IS Academy – Library 2nd Floor

(Main theme is Heaven's Divide from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker)

"Did you try using force equals mass times acceleration?" Charlotte asked as she looked from the solutions manual of the IS regular Physics book.

"I don't see how that would work in the long run though." Kenneth replied, scratching his head peeved. He had a look of tiredness about him, clouding his critical thinking.

It was a quiet night in the IS Academy and the Finals Week was underway. Due to the multiple nationality students coming from all parts of the globe, a regular schedule had to be established during this week. Two days ago, all classes had officially ended and the study period began. Luckily Kenneth had requested ahead of time for the STARIS "Protocol Waltz" several weeks ago so he could just focus on the upcoming exams.

But that still left the whole problem he had with Physics class. So he turned to Charlotte, perhaps one of the best students in the subject.

Twirling his pen around, then switching it to a reverse grip, he flung it lazily to the far side of the long table. "I'd rather be fighting several IS rogues than doing this."

Charlotte came over and bopped Kenneth on the head with her solution book, "I honestly doubt that Soldier Boy." She said in a playful manner.

Kenneth didn't bother with trying to remove the book from his head. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. But still."

Charlotte sighed as she closed the solution manual and walked to pick up Kenneth's pen. Flinging it towards him, she said. "I bet you don't complain about this doing that little exercise against those other pilots."

Kenneth grabbed the bouncing pen with his synthetic arm as he sighed, checking the time. "True."

Hearing his grumble, Charlotte opened the solutions again. "Alright then, let's try this again. Remember that the total force is equal to the mass times the acceleration."

"Alright then… The total mass of the force…" Kenneth mumbled again as he started to glare down hard at the paper, tapping a few numbers away at his calculator. Charlotte patiently waited.

After a few minutes Kenneth set down his pen, pushing back alittle. "That's pretty much all I can do with that problem."

Raising an eyebrow, Charlotte waited over and checked the answer. Looking over, she started to giggle. Kenneth face turned with irritation. "What's so funny?"

Charlotte turned to him with a smile and said. "Well the answer in general is correct."

"But?"

"You are going to get significant figure points off because it was only four sig-figs to your two."

Kenneth lowered his head and sighed exasperated, gathering his things. "Bullshit annoying ass…"

Charlotte rolled her eyes at Kenneth's cursing. Waiting for him to get completely packed up, she tapped on the table waiting. "Alright that's enough of that. Let's get something to eat."

At the mention of food, Kenneth's stomach growled. That's right, I completely forgot about dinner today. He thought before saying. "Wait, I thought you already ate with Ichika and company."

"It was more of a snack than anything else. Hopefully the cafeteria will still be open."

Slinging his backpack over his shoulders, Kenneth nodded and said. "Alright let's go."

The two of them walked over to the stairwell as Kenneth opened the door, saying. "After you." Charlotte let out a small smile as she descended with Kenneth just behind.

Stepping back into the first floor of the library, Kenneth walked back to Charlotte as she started to shyly look away, a red tint on her face.

"Char, I haven't seen you this shy. Something on your mind?"

"Oh nothing. Just thinking that's all." Kenneth was unconvinced, but decided to just let her muse before she asked.

"So how is Ichika doing now? You know after that whole getting chased by everybody?"

Kenneth had a little laugh, remembering what happened. "A few burns and cuts here and there. Most of the damage came from Houki and Rin. Cecilia couldn't really get a good hold in the hallways with her sniper rifle."

"You again have a strange sense of humor. It's kinda sociopathic." Charlotte pointed out.

Kenneth's face turned stoic in response, a little regret in his voice. "I'm sorry."

"Is it because of-" Charlotte turned to Kenneth as he looked down and away. "Kenneth is it because of what happened a year ago?"

"I guess." Kenneth continued to keep his voice low. He unconsciously started to grind his teeth together as the shoulder of his left arm started to have a small orange light bleed through his Academy uniform.

"Battery recharging?" Charlotte asked, seeing the light. Kenneth hesitantly nodded then said, "So I see that you have been paying attention to what exactly is going on with my augments."

Charlotte nodded in response saying, "Well since only Cecilia and I know exactly what happened." She then added on,

"So do you need to go back to your room to recharge or..?"

"N-no, I have a few hours before I need to charge. It's just a warning light. We can still get dinner."

2140 Hours – IS Academy – IS Cafeteria

Kenneth grabbed several sandwiches and piled them on his tray. Most of the food stations were closed or all out, leaving sandwiches as the primary food. Charlotte had already taken a seat at a table as she started to lightly bite away at her snack, a few cookies that were leftover by the usual rush.

Walking over to the table and placing his tray down next to Charlotte, he slid himself over to her and started to quietly munch on his sandwiches. The two continued their silence in awkwardness when Charlotte said. "Well at least we have the entire cafeteria to ourselves."

"Hn… yeah." Kenneth mused aloud as his thoughts carried elsewhere. In the past few days, he had been getting into awkward situations with Charlotte on a near daily basis. Whether it was accidently holding her hand, or just coming into close contact with her it started to make him uncomfortable. And he knew why, but didn't want to say it.

Kenneth, for the first time in a short year, was able to find some type of resonance with another female. As an officer, he had always double checked on his work, and this resonance was no exception. There was still an internal pain in his heart, something that wouldn't go away. Every time that Kenneth got into those awkward moments with Charlotte, the pain increased. He thought it was guilt. A promise that couldn't be made anymore. Did I fail in the end?

Charlotte, noticing Kenneth staring into space, waved her hand in front of his face. "You still there?"

"I'm sorry Char. Having things on my mind."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like how Laura is hanging out with us." Kenneth saying the first time in response.

"Oh yeah. That. Well I think proclaiming Ichika 'your wife' would probably do something like that." Charlotte replied then giggled. "According to Cecilia, she is kinda acting like how you when you first came to the IS Academy."

Every day, he would be seen with all five of them, with a new addition of Laura. In hindsight, it reminded Kenneth of what he was like. Cold, calculating and misunderstanding everything that didn't involve a mission of kinds.

Kenneth started to yawn as he checked the battery life left on the synthetic arm. It was getting close to time.

"Alright Charlotte, looks like I need to get going. See you tomorrow?" he said, getting up from his seat, taking the tray that he brought along.

Charlotte nodded and got up as well. "Same time tomorrow."

With a smile, the two started to head over to the tray deposit as a piece of used napkin fell to the floor. With a sigh, Kenneth crouched down to the napkin as did Charlotte. Just as Kenneth had picked it up with his real hand, Charlotte had grabbed the top of his hand. With a slight gasp, she looked over at Kenneth as he looked back. The two of them stared into each other's eyes as Charlotte quickly pulled her hand away, blushing heavily. Kenneth, realizing what happened as well, stood back up, releasing the napkin.

Kenneth's head swirled with thought, as he calculated what happened. For a moment of safety, he had let go of what happened a year ago. All that anger and all that emotion that he kept buried inside, just seemed to evaporate. I promised Angel that I'd stay with her until the end. But the end has happened. She's gone and I live. Is it wrong that I let go? Is it wrong that I..?

"I-I-I guess that we could just leave it there. After all, its the janitorial duty to keep the cafeteria clean and whatnot!" Charlotte said nervously.

"Yeah, we could always just keep the thing there. They need to get paid for something." Kenneth, scratched his head, getting a headache as his brain started thinking up more variables.

"I. Uuhhh. Goodnight Kenny!" Charlotte hurried away as Kenneth stood there, tray still in hand. Looking at his synthetic arm, he remembered the personality core that he implanted into his old SI armor. Though it was no longer there, he still felt that it was. If you were still alive and I were dead, what choices would you do?

0825 Hours – May 21, 2022 - IS Academy – Room 1044

Ichika started to wake up as he rubbed his eyes, yawning. Still somewhat unconscious, he started to reach to the other side of the bed as he felt something restricting part of his movement. Groaning abit, he then heard a soft female yawn as he stutter-yelled seeing a naked Laura curled up next to him.

Slowly waking up from Ichika's sudden yell, she started to rub her eyes as she sat up, taking the blankets with her. Her unusual long grey hair had covered over her petite breasts as she yawned again, rubbing her right eye.

"Wha… Is it morning already?" she muttered.

"Wh-wh-what are you doing in my bed?!" Ichika pointed as Laura shrugged off the blanket, exposing herself completely. "Waaah! C-c-come on! Cover up idiot!"

"But aren't couples not supposed to hide anything?"

A rustle outside the door occurred as Kenneth came in, "Ichika, what exactly is going oooo-…" Upon seeing Ichika and Laura he just stood there.

"Midshipman, this is a private manner. Leave." Laura said with a commanding voice.

"Yes ma'am." Kenneth quickly closed the door as he left the room to Ichika's surprise.

"Hey, hey! Where are you going!?" Ichika extended his right arm to the door as Laura quickly grabbed Ichika's arm as she held it in a lock using her entire body to force Ichika onto the bed face first.

"Isn't this alittle earlier for some CQB? But I wouldn't mind teaching you and-"

"Wh-what are you talking about?!"

Another rustle was heard outside as another female voice was heard on the other side of the door. "Ah, Kenneth. Is Ichika awake?" It was obviously Houki.

"Probably. Go check yourself."

"ICHIKA! IT MAY BE SUNDAY, BUT WE HAVE TRAINING TO DO!" Houki boomed as she kicked open Ichika's door, stepping in. "So wake up an…"

Seeing Ichika being in a body lock with Laura, she was too stunned for words as she dropped her shinai.

"Well that's just rude, coming in on a married couple." Laura said, still in her lock.

"C-C…Co-COUPLE?!" Houki roared as she angrily picked up her shinai again.

"H-Houki! Let's be reasonable and-!"

"Divine PUNISHMENT!"

And that's it for now! The next chapter will cover the fluff that was Episode 9 and maybe the beginning of episode 10! This fanfiction is slowly coming to a close as I had prepared another fanfiction, just waiting to be released after this one!

But as always, please check out the The Vanguards on fictionpress!