Scene 5: Beginning of An Adventure/Declaration of War
- Shintoshi City, Old Kashakaido -
"A Cybele, huh..." Kogure said, "I never thought I'll be meeting one in this situation." He continues to dig in on his spicy meal enduring the stinging hot sensation on his mouth.
"What? Is this your first time seeing one?" The Scarlet Crimson asks, whilst finishing up a tenth helping of her Curry and Steak DX can.
"...Not really." He calmly replied, "My sister is actually a Cybele, too. I'm just quite surprised that I'll meet another one other than my sister. Both the Chevalier and UN are offering high-rank positions for any rare individuals like that."
Grabbing another can of her rations, "Whatever the Chevalier or the UN releases information to the public, they are always half-truths and all lies." She
interjected, "Those two organizations want to monopolize the information regarding the Cybeles so that they're the only ones who can find and recruit them into their ranks." She then throws her now empty can of tasty meal to the bulking mountain of cans beside the bed.
"Damn, she eats like a piranha..." Kogure said to himself, while looking at the mountain of cans piling up beside him. This is the first time he saw a woman who eats like a brawny sailor. "So, what are we going to do after this?" He asks.
"I'm thinking of taking a boat from here and take refuge in the Philippines." Marina answered, "I'm going to rendezvous with a friend there to help us." She then throws again another empty can of her favorite ration beside the bed.
"H-Hold on... we're actually leaving Japan!?" Kogure exclaimed with an astonished look. It didn't sit well to him what she just said.
"Yes... but first we have to resupply our rations. We've already consumed most of our stock just now." the Scarlet Crimson interjected, looking at the black bag placed on the cabinet in front of the bed.
"Hey, wait..."
"But I guess we can get some on the way to the pier... But I can imagine the security on the ports would be at red alert level that it won't be easy to break through..."
"Hey..."
"If my Maverick's still intact we could at least neutralize the guards there and hijack a small cruiser. But then again they could've saw that happening and prepared for an ambush..."
"H-Hey, can't you just consider my position here!? Leaving my home so suddenly... even more-so leaving this country!?" He blurted out, "Disappearing without saying anything to my friends... and to the two of them... that's something I can't do!" he grits his teeth after finishing his sentence. He doesn't really like it when someone ignores him while he is panicking.
"The news already said that you were missing in that incident. With you appearing out of nowhere it's going to be a riot for both the media and Chevalier.." Marina nonchalantly told off Kogure's protest against her plan.
"But, I just can't..."
"Then you shouldn't had made the decision to meddle with my own problems. That way we don't have to be in this awkward situation where you're the unwilling victim of this tragic event of your life..." Marina darted a glare at Kogure, pissed that he still refuses to accept his circumstances even with all the explanation that she gave to him.
"..." Kogure couldn't talk back to her after hearing those words, held frozen by her beautiful glare. He wanted to say something, but couldn't build up a
good reply against her statement.
"Now that you've already grasped the situation we're in, might as well skip the debate whether or not you will be coming with me." Marina nonchalantly shifted her focus on her bag once again, this time with a worried look on her face.
"O-Okay..." Kogure complied with a weak and defeated voice. Seeing her face in a stressed outline just made him feel more miserable thinking that he just made her more desperate and aggravated.
"Now stop whining and help me think of some plan getting more supplies and getting out of this country." The crimson beauty irked as she closed her eyes in frustration. Even with a bitter expression Marina still looked so glamorous for Kogure.
After a few moments of tranquil stillness thinking of their next move, Kogure voiced out his opinion for their next objective.
"I think... We should go to my house for now. It's just a block away from here, and we can get access to a nearby docking bay from there."
"Huh?"
"It's safe there, Marina-san. If I remember correctly this is the Kashakaido central plaza, and there's a hidden blindspot west from this place, around the former department store." Kogure stated out, "We should be able to slip through the security details if we follow that road going west..."
"...Wait. Why should we do your suggestion?" Marina asks with a raised eyebrow, "And you were just whining about your dilemmas a while ago..."
"Because my idea is the only option that we have. And, you said earlier that we're partners in crime now, didn't you?" Kogure reasoned out, with a calm and composed expression.
"..." She stayed silent staring at the boy, thinking thoroughly about their situation and his suggetion. Weighing the odds of risks and gains on her mind she imagined every single scenario that could happen if they actually follow his plan.
"Well?"
"...Fine." She finally responded, "I'll follow this plan of yours for now. However, MY OWN WORDS would be the final verdict to ANY of our course of action as long as you're with me from now on, and you'll only take orders from me. In other words, I'm in charge of everything what we do. IS THAT CLEAR?" she ends her conditions with an angry lioness-like glare.
"Y-Yes, ma'am." Kogure stuttered as he gazed at the Scarlet Crimson's terrifying face.
"Good." She quickly stops her glaring at the boy and activates her Volt Texture clothing, "Now then, after we pack up my belongings we'll be getting out of here. And you will lead the way."
"Y-Yes, ma'am." He repeats his answer in a highly tensed voice.
After the two finishes dressing up and prepped their remaining luggages they then exited out of the fallen building and trekked into the western road of the old Kashakaido district.
"You sure no one's going to spot us if we take this route, right?" Marina asks again, still having doubts on following the boy on his tracks.
"Don't worry, Marina-san. Even if the two of us walk around here Chevalier won't be spotting us." Kogure further informed, "While this part of Shintoshi is owned by Chevalier, it is actually severely lacking in security detail. I even heard that the guards stationed here were just playing around to nearby KTV bars during their duty hours."
"I see..." She then narrowed her eyes to Kogure, "But, how did you know there are blind-spots in this area?"
Sighing deeply Kogure explains to Marina why he is well-informed in this particular vicinity.
"I... I once lived around in this part of the city. Back then this was once a lively neighborhood, with all the laughs and smiles brimming from this district... until that incident turned this place into ruins... I often visit here to see what had happened in this place over the last five years..."
"The Eighth NOVA Clash..." Marina concluded, silently imagining the ensuing chaos five years ago.
"Now then, let's hurry to my house. Who knows they might be inspecting this place because we're just a block away from the pier." The boy insisted, carrying the Crimson Scarlet's supply bag on his back.
- UN Main Headquarters, Briefing Room-
"An attack on Ohrdruf base, huh?" A deep voice of an elderly man in a business suit directed the attention of all the personnel inside the room to himself. Sitting on the briefing room's central seat he was reading a report regarding the small-scale skirmish on the old German base.
"Schwarze Hase reported to us that they successfully assisted the Pandoras sent there to fend off the invaders who attempted to take over the base..." Another voice spoke out, this time it is younger and more stern in tone. He seems to be wearing an Air Force Captain's suit. "Other than that, they told us that the attackers managed to get away before they could identify the perpetrators."
"Perhaps those who attacked them were from Phantom Task?" Another stern yet mature voice presented his opinion, all the while examining the footage of the incident. From the silhouette of his body he's wearing a Navy Admiral-style of clothing.
"But then again I guess it's unlikely, since their only target all along is that IS academy in the Far East..." An elderly man in his Air Force General Uniform tossed in his statement, "What I'm more concerned is why Chevalier have to go such lengths to defend that old military base."
"Chevalier only told us that they needed that old base for research and development of more effective weapons against the new Type-S NOVAs." A man in a Army Captain military uniform intervened, inputting several codes on the holographic keyboard. "Although what kind of weapon they are trying to create there is yet to be known."
"This doesn't give us a clear picture of their true objectives." A disgruntled elderly man in his Army General uniform expressed his thoughts, "Chevalier's actions makes us believe that they're concealing something, and those unknown terrorists proved to us that secret is worth the trouble sending an armed force to protect it."
"We are also kept in the dark as to why they still keep that Alaskan facility in their control. Rumors has it that they installed a powerful generator there to facilitate their own power supply." The head of the U.N. council spoke out, "I don't like this one bit, not one bit at all."
"Furthermore, rather than seeking help directly from our main command they went instead to that semi-autonomous German military organization... That does sound suspicious enough..." A man wearing an Italian suit interjected while adjusting his foggy glasses. "It would be nice if Schwarze Hase just gave us a highly detailed report of this incident."
"I don't really like how those 'Black Bunnies' act too independently from our control. While they do comply to our commands, they remained autonomous from most of our authority." The Army General further added, "They refused to be absorbed into the UN due to their loyalty for their own country. They should be more submissive to our organization, if I say so myself."
"But we have to be careful not to overexert our authority on them. We don't want to be in the same situation as Chevalier, do we?" The man in the Italian suit wedges in the Army General's opinion, citing his aggressive stand at Schwarze Hase's position.
"Hmph. An army is a formidable group if all of its men are acting as one whole fighting force. One soldier's disobedience could lead to the destruction of the whole force itself." The Army General scoffed out, disclosing the gentleman's reasoning.
"Well that's true, but if we coerced them too much, they might find it we're becoming more oppressive. We have observed Chevalier how it uses its iron fist against anyone who opposes them for years and none of the results of their actions have been without the resentment of the public." The UN council Leader digressed, "We can't let ourselves be on the same hot seat as the Chevalier, otherwise the people will view all worldwide organizations to be some tyrannical rulers that abuses their power."
"So you're saying our hands are tied due to the fact we're so concerned about public opinion?" The Army General irked as he crossed his hands in frustration, "We do our duties for the benefit of our people. They should realize that without us doing what we should do this world would've been fallen into chaos and despair."
"Let's just observe the events unfold for a while shall we, gentlemen?" The UN Leader suggested, "For now let those black rabbits and red knights do whatever they want. We need more information about these aggressors without doing brash methods. After we find out who they are and what are they after that's when we get into action."
"Agreed." All of the attending members of UN council answered in unison.
- Suguru Residence -
"Haah~, I'm home..."
Arriving at the Suguru residence, Kogure casually entered his house at the front door while Marina cautiously followed him inside, darting a glare on every angle of her line of sight.
"So this is your house, huh?" Marina said with a calm tone, "It's quite spacious, isn't it?" taking a careful peek inside as if she was expecting something would go attack her.
"Yeah..." The young boy complied, "It's quite a shame that this will be the last time I'll be coming here..."
"..." After hearing what he said the Scarlet Crimson glanced at him with a stern face. While she did scolded him for being too whiny, she does understand what the boy felt when he said those words.
"This city block had the fewest number of residents living here and the least place people would take a route, so there's a very little chance that someone might see us." Kogure informed Marina to assure her secrecy.
After the two settled down on the living room Kogure then starts to look for anything that he could use as a necessity in this 'unexpected adventure' of his life.
"Now then, let's start packing up what we need and plan our way out of the island." Kogure suggested in haste, "I think we should leave this island before the end of the day so we can avoid being spotted by the authorities. They're probably interrogating the nearby residents for clues about our whereabouts right now."
"Yes, let's do that." The Scarlet Crimson agreed as a response.
Afterwards Marina starts to head further inside the house, as if she was searching for a certain section of the Kogure's home.
"Hey, where are you going?" Kogure asks, wondering about Marina's actions.
"Where's your bathroom here?" Marina replied, "I haven't taken a bath since I arrived on this artificial island."
"Huh? Oh, it's on the right side of the dining room, straight on that hallway you're facing." Kogure instructed, "You should be able to see a green door with a restroom sign."
"I see."
"If you want a change of clothes you can find one at the room in the second floor, just beside the ladder you see before the bathroom. And uuh, don't take too long. I'm gonna need a bath too."
When he said those words Marina gave an eye to eye contact with Kogure.
"W-What?"
"This goes without saying but, if you're going to run away while I'm taking a bath don't expect me to spare your life." Marina sternly gave her warning to Kogure.
As a response, "I know. Just hurry up." Kogure said dryly, "And you don't have to worry about me peeping at you anyway..." he added.
"Hmph, as long as you understand..." Heading towards the direction where Kogure told her Marina then diverted her attention away from the boy.
- Royal Azure Army's Base -
Communicating on a holographic transceiver, Reese Purpleton is having an arrangement of strategy to a certain leader of a rogue organization.
"As planned, you will launch an attack on GHQ while we make Genetics busy fending off our forces. Of course we would still supply you with everything you need, but remember we can't keep our shipping routes hidden for too long."
"Leave it to us, we have already prepared a secured supply line for that. We will contact you later on for further details."
"I see. Until then."
After she ended the call one of her colleagues appears and approaches her.
"Funeral Parlor, huh..." The Silver-haired woman sighed, "I never thought you would be doing something like this again. Haven't you learned your lesson when making contracts from other organizations when we were still enemies from the past?" The woman wears an pure white office lady's attire that almost blends in on her silver hair.
"Oh, You didn't like it?" The cerulean-haired Reese raised her eyebrow in response, "You're questioning my ways of handling things while you yourself once betrayed me, Silmeria Graceheart?" She wears a violet male Italian suit that compliments her well-endowed physique.
"..." Silmeria doesn't really like how she talk to her. Reese knows too well that Silmeria still haven't proven herself to be loyal to the Royal Azure Army's cause.
"So you're going to use them as a distraction?" Another feminine voice interrupts the two. It was their leader Kana Shimon, wearing a rather revealing and floor-reaching rosy pink gown.
"Yes, we will have them occupy GHQ's attention while we attack West Genetics and IS Academy." Reese continued, "And in order to earn their trust I gave them a little bit of our supplies as a little offering."
"So this Funeral Parlor..." Kana Shimon stated, "Can we really rely on them?"
"It's just what I've said before; we need all the helping hand we can muster to have this operation to be successful." Reese answered in a 'matter of fact' manner, "We need to gather all those who had the same interest in our side."
"But is this really alright? We'll be delaying the actual operation for a few days to be in sync with them." Silmeria digressed at Reese's plan. "Aren't we already wasting so much precious time for this grand scenario?"
"It's fine. That way we can prepare more for our grand introduction to the world and to our future operations after this." Reese confidently gave her response, "We need all the preparations we can do, otherwise a small mistake would lead to fatal consequences."
Despite her answer Silmeria sternly warned Reese with, "However if we wait for too long this might get bad to our plans. You do know we have a timeline to follow, and our soldiers are getting impatient by the minute."
"I've got it all covered." Reese provided again another corresponding reply, "I've already talked to the captain of our mechanized main attack force. She said that she's cool to wait a little bit more as long as she can have a little fun in IS Academy."
"You're allowing Melissa to do as she pleases?" Silmeria raises her eyebrow as she crosses her arms, "You should know better that she tends to be too erratic whenever she confronts her past, right?"
"So long as she does her job, there's nothing we have to worry about." Reese nonchalantly waved her hand, "And, she obediently listens well to that 'lifeless lover boy puppet' of yours, right?"
"Khh!" Silmeria hissed the moment she uttered those words. Right now, she's trying to contain her seething anger against this cerulean woman as a show of respect towards a fellow commanding officer.
"Either way, I'm expecting great results from the show you have prepared this long, Reese." Kana stated, "This better be worth the resources and effort we put in this operation."
"Look forward to it, Lady Kana." Reese assured her leader with a slight bow, "Look forward to it..."
- Suguru Residence -
"Okay! I'm all packed up!"
Now carrying a large backpack Kogure had bagged out everything that he needed. From extra change of clothes, numerous canned and instant ready-to-eat foods to maps and navigational gadgets.
"They probably haven't realized that I'm helping her, so I think it's still safe carrying around a few gadgets with me for now." Kogure thought to himself, "However after we've gotten out of Shintoshi Island I should throw away my GPS before we left the main Japanese Territory."
"I'm ready on my side too."
Coming out from his late sister's room Marina emerges, dressed in a casual mocha coat on top of black shirt, tight-fit white pants and elegant red shoes. She also carries a large bag packed with extra clothes and food supplies. Seeing her in this outfit makes Kogure rather scrupulous and speechless, as her overall appearance and image are reminiscent of his deceased step-sister.
"Whoa..."
"What?"
"You really look like her... M-Miyu nee-san I mean." Kogure scratches his cheek while looking down.
"Tsk, Would you stop that already? It's quite annoying how often you brought up your dead sister whenever you see me." She then frowns at the boy irritated like a pouting girlfriend, "You had a sister complex on her or something?
"...!" Kogure gloomed out in response. Unable to come up with a much better reply, "Sorry..." was all he could utter.
"Tsk. Let's go already. I don't want you to go all nostalgic here." Marina snubs at him and walks towards the main door. Pissed and irritated he left Kogure who's still in the living room.
Sighing, "Y-Yeah, let's go." he said afterwards, following the fiery-themed woman outside the house.
They then exited out of the Suguru Residence, with bulging bags at their hands. Slowly walking away from his home, Kogure took a one last look at his house.
"So... This will be a goodbye to my old life, huh?" Kogure thought to himself as he gazes at his treasured home.
"Hurry and let's go! What's the hold up!?" Marina called out, waiting for him at the empty pathwalk intersection.
"A-Ah, okay! I'll be there!"
A few days later...
- West Genetics, Cafeteria -
"I still can't believe it... No one still have found Kogure even now..."
Staring blankly at the blue sky, Hazel just silently sits on one of the cafeteria table beside a window. Ever since Kogure was missing this is her expression almost everyday.
"Hazel-san."
"Huh?"
A few seconds later a beautiful black-haired woman called out and approached her on where she sat. Hazel easily recognized the woman who called out to her; it was none other than the most prominent figure in West Genetics.
"Oh... Instructor Aoi..." Hazel responds, albeit absentmindedly glancing at her professor. "What is it?"
Faintly smiling, "You... you're still thinking about Kogure-kun, right?" Kazuha indicated, giving a somewhat amiable vibe while having a conversation with her.
"..." Hazel just fell silent from her question. For the blonde Pandora, now's not really a perfect moment to talk about Kogure's well-being.
"I'm sure there's nothing to be worried about, Hazel-san. He may not look like it but Kazuya said that Kogure is quite skilled in many ways." Kazuha tried again to talk to her, "I remember that time when the three of them got lost in a middle of a forest during a camping trip. According to Kazuya, he does often does mistakes, but every so often he always makes things better and he's reliable whenever things get awry."
"I know." Hazel faintly replied, "It's just... it's just I want to confirm it with my own eyes that he's safe..." She then averted her eyes downward as she spoke.
"Uhm, I think it would be good if you take a rest for the day." The infamous West Genetics teacher suggested, "If you want I can give you permission to visit Kogure's home after class."
"A-Ah..." As if she suddenly remembered something important, "Sorry, Aoi-sensei. I'll be going now!" Hazel immediately stands up from her seat and stormed out of the cafeteria.
"A-Ah..." The infamous Pandora instructor was left flabbergasted from Hazel's reaction, "Uhh, I think I shouldn't have said that."
"Nee-san, what are you doing?"
Calling out to Kazuha is her younger brother Kazuya, who had a lunch tray at his hand and is accompanied by another blonde Pandora.
"Oh, Kazuya." She then slowly turns her head to her brother, "I'm just talking to one of my best stud-" She then stopped halfway, seeing the Untouchable Queen beside her brother, "H-Hey, you're..."
"U-Um..." Satellizer was pretty much taken aback at Kazuha's reaction towards her.
"Don't tell me..."
"I, uh..."
"Don't tell me... You're going to be Kazuya's Pandora partner!?" Kazuha lets out an exaggerated squeal, "Let me tell you this, young girl! I'm still not ready to hand over my Kazuya to any girl yet!" The elder Aoi proclaimed, pointing her index finger at the British Pandora, "Just how far your relationship have gone with my brother?!"
"N-Nee-san! It's not like that!" Kazuya denied in a flustered expression.
"I-It's not like that!" Satellizer desperately denied, "I-I just wanted to thank him for helping me during the Carnival, and uhm... I want to... get to know him better..." however she cowered out saying her last phrase, which somewhat misheard by Kazuha.
"Did you just said... making out!?" Kazuha backs away and covers her mouth in disgust.
"N-No! I've said-" Satellizer tries to explain clearly the situation, but...
"Satellizer el Bridget! From this day forward... YOU'RE. MY. ENEMY!" The elder Aoi sibling quickly declared, not even waiting for the blonde Pandora's explanation.
"E-Eeeehhh!?"
"Nee-san! What the heck are you saying!?" Kazuya protested, while trying to calm down his sister.
- IS Academy Main building, Classroom 1-1 -
"Haa, what a drag..."
Sighing as she rests her chin on the window beside her, Sayaka has been in a daze since the day she was put into provisional status by Orimura Chifuyu. Her punishment from an unauthorized use of a training machine is a one whole week of hard training sessions with the famous IS instructor. While it did spare her from being dismissed from IS Academy, having a gruesome and harsh training from a notoriously strict teacher isn't really a better alternative.
"Haa, good thing it's already over..." Sayaka sighed in a exhausted voice, "That demonic teacher doesn't really hold back when it comes to training... These are the times I wanna be spoiled by Kogure..."
"It must be tough for you, Sayaka-san."
"huh?"
Disturbing her siesta is Ichika Orimura, Chifuyu's younger brother. Unlike most students in the Academy, she doesn't fuss about Ichika being near to her, mostly because her affection is directed towards Kogure. And given that they are friends with Kogure the two seemed comfortable talking to each other.
"Oh, Ichika-san..." Sayaka lifelessly responded to the boy's call. "Do you need something?"
Seeing her quite depressed, "Don't worry. I knew Kogure, he's tough and reliable." The young Orimura sibling reassured the troubled girl. "We've been through several mishaps and accidents, and that guy is really reliable when things gets rough..."
Even with that reassuring words, "Yeah... You're right..." She still returns to being gloomy.
"Um, look..." The young Orimura spoke, "Tatenashi-san said she's sorry about revealing your plan to Sis-I mean, Orimura-sensei. She really wants to help you, but you're being too reckless in your actions." He then scratches his cheeks and said, "If you want someone to talk with just ask me. I mean, we're all your friends here, Sayaka-san. There's no need to be too reserved, right?"
"Ichika..." Hearing this from Ichika, Sayaka replied, "If Kogure weren't as kind-hearted and good-looking as you I may have fallen in love with you like the rest of my classmates..." The young girl faintly smiled at him.
"P-Please don't say that..." Ichika became scrupulous after she said those words. After all, it's already a pain in the neck for him that he's an apple of the eye of all the female students in the Academy, not to mention those certain girls who are overprotective of him. "Oh, right. Chifuyu-nee said you can go outside the academy grounds now, as long as you don't use an Uchigane."
"Huh...?" Sayaka paused, "Is that right...?"
"Yeah." Ichika confirmed, "She said you can go outside the school campus but you're banned of using an Uchigane for a week."
As if she was relieved to hear that news, "Oh, I see..." Sayaka entered in a trance, similar to being light-headed.
"Chifuyu-nee is really cruel... aside from being personally punished you're not even allowed to use an IS..."
"Haaah..." Not even listening to his words anymore Sayaka's mind continued to drift away.
"Sayaka-san...?" Ichika called out to her, but the girl still shows no response. And then finally...
"Ichika-san."
"Huh?"
"Please tell to your Sis I'll be gone for a bit...!" Sayaka then runs off somewhere leaving Ichika behind.
"Huh? Wait, Hasegawa-san...!"
- Suguru Residence -
"..." Silently staring at the main door, Sayaka is standing just right in front of the Suguru Residence, having an anxious look on her face.
"Seriously... What am I doing here? I knew he's not here so why..." She said to herself, confused as to what she wants to do next.
"So you are here after all..."
"Eh?"
Moments later a familiar voice calls out her attention. It was the woman who is also a close acquaintance of Kogure.
"You..."
"I guess it's not so surprising to see you here. The two of us are fond of him..." Hazel spoke in a soft voice, "I guess we're both too predictable when it involves that boy, right?"
Staring at her silently, "Hmph, I suppose you're right..." Sayaka agreed, closing her eyes in response.
"...Hahah..."
"..Heh..."
A rather scrupulous tranquil moment stops their conversation and had the two wryly smiling at each other.
"I really want to know where he is right now." Hazel finally spoke now in a frustrated voice, "I don't care how or when, I just want to go where he is."
Looking down, "For me it doesn't matter if I'm going to see him or not, I just want to know he's doing well..." Sayaka continued, "But I'd be lying if I said that's the only thing I wanted."
"Sayaka..."
"I do want to see him, like, really bad. You know what I mean, right?" The IS pilot candidate had her teary eyes met with Hazel's, "But, in this situation I can't really do anything right now, right?"
"You poor little thing..." Seeing her like this Hazel runs towards Sayaka and embraces her. This startled the teary-eyed Sayaka, but she didn't protested when she cuddled her gently.
"Ah..." Hazel's warmth somehow soothes out Sayaka's troubled emotions.
"I know that feeling..." Hazel whispered, "Unable to do something to your loved ones and just waiting for anything good to happen..."
In the middle of their dramatic scenario they heard a loud explosion not far from their location. The origin of the explosion is so near and intense that they even experience a slight tremor, cutting off their touching moment.
"Hm, what's that?"
"Wasn't that... an explosion?"
"Wait, those smoke..." Sayaka suddenly breaks away from Hazel's embrace and runs toward the source of the huge trail of smoke.
"...Huh!? Sayaka, wait..." Hazel exclaimed, after she promptly followed her.
The two then runs off towards to the connecting highway that leads to both IS Academy and West Genetics. Seeing flames and smoke visible from where they are standing, both Hazel and Sayaka were horrified that their respective academies are being desecrated by blue uniformed soldiers.
"I-It can't be..."
"No way..."
"West Genetics..."
"IS Academy..."
"..Are being attacked..."
Meanwhile, at the same time they saw both West Genetics and IS Academy in flames, several Genetics branches all over the world are also being attacked by these unknown assailants. All of these assailants have a common feature; they are all female soldiers, wears semi-transparent black visors and uniforms similar in design to Chevalier Forces uniforms, but they are color-coded in midnight blue with red trimmings and black patches. Some of them rides on IS units, while others had Volt Weapons in hand.
- Genetics China (phis/Buster)-
China's Genetics branch are being assaulted by blue uniformed soldiers who uses IS machines. These attacks were led by a single IS unit that is seemingly observing the chaos that's been happening around her.
"Khh!"
"...Genetics China... has fallen..."
"Dammit!"
- Genetics US -
"W-What the hell!?"
An overwhelming swarm of IS machines are circling and hovering above the America's Genetics branch. These machines comes in different shapes and sizes, with some of them having large wings and some having bulky armor.
"Where do these machines came from!?" Roxanne Elipton, Genetics US's first ranked third year, is in a middle of the crisis and being surrounded by IS machines with their artillery weapons aimed at them.
"Khh! We're being surrounded!"
"Wh-What's goin' to happen now!?"
- Genetics Korea(S/N) -
"Khh, dammit!"
A squadron of flying ISes are carpet-bombing the Korea's Genetics area while another platoon of ground-based troops were advancing towards their main gate.
"AAaargh!"
"There's so many of them..."
- Genetics France (L.T.D.) -
In Genetics L.T.D., the situation is in no better condition. The military academy is also under attack by IS machines piloted by blue-uniformed pilots.
"Tch, damn these woman-machines! Attacking us out of nowhere...!"
Charles Bonaparte, Genetics L.T.D. top-ranked third year had her hands full dealing with these blue-uniformed terrorists.
"Tempest Turn!" And with that she creates multiple after-images of herself which confuses her IS opponents.
"Kuhaaah!" Using her speed and Volt Weapons she downs the two IS machines in an instant.
"F**k this sh*t! There's way too many of them for us to handle!" Looking around her Charles curses under his breath as there's still too many of these blue-uniformed terrorists storming Genetics L.T.D.
- Genetics Panzer -
"Multiple hostiles surrounding Genetics Academy. Proceeding to intercept!" Julia Munberk proceeds to use her 'Division Wave' technique to down the flying IS machines that's been bombing their academy.
"Who the hell are these guys!?" A Genetics Pandora tries to fend off these IS machines by throwing her boomerang-like Volt Weapon at one of them, but was easily shot down by a commander-type IS machine.
"Weren't they're the same type that we ambushed on Ohrdruf base!?"
- IS Academy -
"Wh-What's happening!?"
Orimura Ichika, Cecilia Alcott, and Fan Lingyin along with several faculty members who uses Uchiganes and Rafale Revives are in a circular formation while the blue-uniformed IS pilots surrounds and outnumbers them by three to one.
"IS machines!? There's too many of them!"
"What's going on!? Shouldn't there only be 467 functional IS cores available to use!?"
One of the enemy IS machine then goes towards them and seemingly wants to greet them.
"It's been a while since we last fought, bratty princess."
"Huh!?"
Flipping up her semi-transparent visor the enemy commander unveils her face to the IS Academy's forces. Cecilia couldn't believe her eyes as she saw the lead enemy IS pilot's identity.
"No way, Y-You're... Melissa Sears!?"
End Chapter 5