ALT-FLAG 07: When They Come for "Her"

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Meanwhile, back at Maijima Academy...

"Is this really okay, Sensei?"

"Why so reluctant?"

"I dunno. I don't think it would sound right as it is now..."

"I thought you wanted to have this essay of yours finished properly..."

The short-haired girl got scratching her head with the pencil she was using. It was about 30 minutes into her lunch break, and she was still in the process of crafting the essay that she was expected to have submitted a few days ago.

"Look, Kosaka-san," said Suzaku who was just standing a few feet from his student. "If you would not be able to express those pent-up feelings of yours, you will definitely have trouble coping up with them in the long run."

"It just feels... as if I'm going through that painful moment again, Sensei," she replied lightly. "Are you sure that I'll be able to get over this sadness of mine and finish the essay through this method?"

Suzaku dragged an empty chair near Chihiro and sat on it backwards. "Let me tell you something I learned from my father: a lot of things in life will forever remain as a constant: fear, change, even regret. But, learning to accept and adapt to them makes one stronger."

"Sounds like what my mom would tell me, Sensei..."

"What do you actually remember about Katsuragi?"

"He was quite a freak to begin with; always in front of his PFP even while in class, not being very mindful of what is going on around him, and yet..."

At this point, Chihiro laid down her pencil, slumped herself towards the edge of the table, and looked at the sky through the window.

"...And yet it's that ignorant, yet proud and carefree behavior that was ironically his redeeming factor. That moment that he seems to be in control of himself despite the fact that there is disorder around him. For the first time in my life, I have found someone who has an identity that he is proud of. Someone who would be my shining beacon of hope."

Suzaku eventually let off a smirk. "And that is what drew you over him, in a nutshell?" She nodded in response.

"Then try using that into building up your essay. Show them that there is something more about him that you eventually discovered during the festival. Something that, deep inside, you can be proud to proclaim to the world."

Upon hearing his teacher's statement, her cheeks turned red, but there remained an unsure expression on here face. Nonetheless, she picked up her pencil and continued writing.

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Going back to Suzaku's demon buddy, she was now in pursuit of Keima who was just taken in by Goidou Yui, one of the confirmed Goddess Hosts. She maintained a reasonable distance from the targets in order not to arouse suspicion, not only from Yui's bodyguards but also from the goddess residing within her.

"So far so good; as if there's anything significant to report though," she thought, while watching over the Goidou Mansion with her binoculars. "I don't think any threat is imminent for now."

Then for the third time, her RSS sensor went crazy with a loud beep. "Aw, dammit; not again!"

She quickly drew her Scythe of Testament, anticipating an ambush. Upon pinpointing the location of the disturbances, she texted Suzaku:

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"Suza-kun, possible code red. Hostiles approaching my position. They may have backup coming your way. Make sure they do not get near callsign Juno. Will try to disrupt their operations before coming to you to provide backup."

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Meanwhile, on another side of town, Shoutarou and Yanagi were steadily cruising towards Maijima. With his personal assistant on the wheel, he analyzed the list that Suzaku sent to him via e-mail.

"Seems Keima-kun's note was spot-on with Suza-kun's data," he said. "We need to get to them before the enemies do."

"What about Ayukawa and Dokurou, Shoutarou-sama?" Yanagi asked while weaving through the hillside roads to the city.

"I have already contacted Dokurou about the situation. She said she'll handle the goons approaching the Akanemaru after meeting up with Ayukawa. We just need to find the Goddess hosts before it's too late. As for the latter, she instructed her to meet up with us in the mansion, so she'll be fine."

"I'm still confused as to Shinozaki-san's e-mail though," his aide inquired. "We have somehow confirmed that the enemy will be targeting the Goddesses; why is he insisting on including a civilian in his watch list, more so volunteering to protect her personally?"

"I honestly do not understand myself, Yanagi," he replied, while looking at the list. "According to Suza-kun, the seventh target which he gave the codename 'Juno' was said to have been involved in Keima-kun's mission to revitalize the Goddess within one of the hosts during the School Festival."

"But since she's just a civilian, the enemy might not target her at all."

"We just have to trust Suza-kun on this one. He's the type who would not allow unwanted casualties to haunt his conscience. Let's just focus on the task at hand; those two will pull through with it."

He then switched his laptop computer to a radar screen showing the entire city. "And we better hurry; we got some disturbances entering the beachside."

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Going back to Sylvia, she was still in pursuit of two unknowns headed towards the beachside. Since she was maintaining her distance in order not to force an engagement, she could not recognize the targets.

Suddenly the two stopped and landed on a clearing, prompting her to follow suit in a nearby tree. "Have they spotted me already?" she thought.

Just then, she noticed a small blade darting towards her, which she quickly deflected with her scythe.

"Seems you're still as alert as ever, Sylvia-chan..."

Knowing that her cover was blown, she turned around and confronted the two figures. "When will you ever learn new tricks, Lune-neesan? You've already pulled of that trick countless times."

She then turned to the person beside her 'sister' and noticed that she was wearing the same cloak that the members of Vintage used. "And I believe you're my sister's second-in-command Gira, right?"

Lune immediately brought back her cutter blade, looking annoyed at Sylvia."Psh, what a bore; to think I'd encounter this showoff who I'm forced to see as my adopted sister."

"Shall I take care of her, Lune?" Gira calmly asked, to which Lune nodded.

"No need to go all out though; just enough to delay her from going after our colossal runaway spirits."

"WAIT!"

"What is it now?"

"Just answer me this, Lune-neesan," she said. "You're not only after the Goddesses, are you?"

Lune responded with a devilish smirk on her face. "Well, we cannot leave witnesses to the events leading to this alive now, can we?"

"Crud, no way," she thought. "I hope Suza-kun's ready for them..."

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-INCOMING TRANSMISSION-

With the developments of the Heart of Jupiter Arc looming, this fanfic will eventually get more comprehensive as well. What I can guarantee though is that ALT-FLAG 08 will be a "sledgehammer chapter." Stay tuned…

-END TRANSMISSION-

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