Chapter 11: Mission 3: Counter Strike: Global Offensive (Part 3)

When choosing between student or teacher's dorm, Lady 'Mary' set her interest in the kids to nurture and guide the brilliant young minds to their bright future rather than sharing a room with her colleague listening to their laments of their love stories or troubles that Dante did in class or their lesbian fantasy about Brunhilde Orimura-sensei. Of course, she was not the only teacher who shared a room with students. There were others too- but not that many in which, she could rely onto them anytime when running into a trouble. She held a satisfaction look at the room she was assigned to. She had to admit that the ISA student dorm could rival the 5 star hotel room despite being an educational institution, which she believed that the old man Juuzou Kutsuwagi sugarcoated the room too much for all his beloved students.

Lady dragged her suitcase contained her personal belongings into the room. Once she was done unpacking, a good bath was all she needed to rejuvenate herself. Lucky to her that this room also had a shower inside to keep her privacy in check than the public bath the Academy offered to her.

She unbuttoned her blouse, and put it next to her towel revealing a pair of strong prominent orbs fastened by a seducing lacy black colored undergarment with butterfly motives joined the article together on her cleavage-courtesy of a lingerie she modeled for Victoria's Secret. Unhooked the bra, her breasts dangled as she removed her short pants, slowly sliding the matching colored underwear all along her porcelain smooth white legs, and her womanhood was finally exposed. Before she completely forgot, she took off her eyewear which served as a purpose of show and placed on the faucet.

Her alluring naked figure stepped into the shower to welcome a gentle rush of lukewarm water pouring like rain from the shower head. She suddenly thought of Dante. A sorrow jammed pain into her heart but with a strange feeling of gratefulness for their reunion. Of all these times, the pain, loss and comfort the two of them had shared from their first meeting, even when he slammed his door in front of her eyes and Trish, this so called ISA became her reunion ground with him?

Her memories drew back to the day when ISA threw a grand exhibition. She was just another model invited to become one of the living showcase by a fashion company to walk back and forth on the narrow catwalk wearing their company's proud clothing article, until shit hit the fan unexpectedly that she became one of the hostages held by a vile group known as Phantom Task.

With her deadly ability, it wasn't like she did not want to retaliate or something. She could not. Her gruesome training in her younger age fueled by hatred and revenge for her twisted father and demons , whom took her mother from her, to single-handedly deported those damned creatures back into the pits of hell. Everything she had built up was totally shattered in one day by the...how she called it the first time again? Robots?

Infinite Stratos, or I.S in short.

She was calmly expecting for any special counter terror units to move in for their rescue, unlike the VVIP-s bounded with her who were stricken by fear. Instead, it was Dante who came to their aid mercilessly gunning every single enemy he saw.

Or was it really him?

Although famine sucked most from his body, Lady could instantly recognize what's left of his muscular build and his trademark red jacket and blue jeans that had already worn out underneath of some kind of mechanical armor resemblance a particular Devil Arm Dante possessed in his office.

She knew those pair of particular identical guns jumping violently on each of his arms spitting deadly leads on lethal accuracy. Despite half of his face was hidden by a mouth cover, but those shooting speed, styles and techniques, no doubt he was Dante, the one who severed their bonds for God knows why.

The image of a playful silver haired devil hunter of whom she liked to spend her free times in his office just to pester him to clean his debt he racked on her account, only as a cover to just be with him until the end of the day or another job called, was no longer existed.

The moment Dante came to a showdown with the last standing Phantom Task operative holding her as a hostage and threatened to take all of them together with her, here right in this current moment, she thought that she would never cry again when the image of Dante's eyes flashed in her mind:

It was just another enraging demon manifested inside the one of whom she dearly held her feelings for, of which she swore to deport to hell during her days as another devil hunter.

Speaking of the last Phantom Task terrorist, she deserved her end by a bullet in her head courtesy of Dante's pistol. The bomb was activated and slipped from her grasp when the bullet impact occurred. Once the grip on her neck was loosened, Lady quickly juggled the explosive lightly with her left leg sending it to the air following by Dante's bullets did the rest of the job tossing the explosive higher in the air before the dumbass triggered the supernova and rained glass shards on them.

At least no one was dead nor heavily injured during the glass rain.

The counter terror units eventually arrived lately just like in movies or cheap soap opera in doing their job and eventually secured Dante away.

Living under the spotlight and the ogling eyes of elites on international catwalks did not put her in a distance from the days of devil hunting. Every night when she slept, her mind was constantly awake as if she was ready for something and her body unconsciously yearning for a battle. Yet the days of demons were numbered past replaced by the dawn of advance warfare.

Improvise, adapt and overcome.

That's how she worked to level herself with the war machines as she found new demons to deport to hell: Phantom Tasks. When that dreadful day was over, she made her quick recovery just in 2 days and shoved an application to old man Kutsuwagi for a position in this academy. Her educational background (which she took a PhD in general teaching funded by Victoria Secret for all these past times) fortified by her working experience took the principal's interest. Only one test remaining, which is a proving ground in I.S combat.

Similar to Dante's fight she witnessed the earlier days, but only on a showdown against Yamada Maya-sensei in her case. For the first 10 seconds, Lady struggled for the control of her unit. 5 seconds later, she began to accustom to the machine maneuvering around the arena eluded every attack Yamada threw. Lastly, in the next 3 minutes her pent-up combat reflexes and skills burst awoke like a ferocious lion awakened from its slumber and mercilessly worked Yamada-sensei onto the ground. Had her tits were not so enormous to become a cushion for her fall, Lady would feel bad for injured Yamada's cute childish face.

Lady quickly ceased her sorrow when she heard someone went in. She believed that whoever it was must be her lucky student to spend the whole semester with her. The thought slightly cheered her up as she quickly tapped off the shower, dried her hair, then wrapped herself in a towel and gladly stepped out of the inner washroom.

"Hi there. So you are the lucky girl to spend the entire semester with me, huh? Although you call me Lady-sensei, just drop the sensei and simply call me as Lady ins…"

Her natural dual colored eyes widened and refrained her from finishing the entire sentence. Because now, for each second counted was a matter between life and death.

"BINGO FUCKIN' JEEZUS!"

The name of Dante just became a smoking hot talking object in the corridor connecting between the Student Dorm and the Main Building this evening. Following the event of the sudden visit by the delegations of the UN members this morning, the eyes coming from the students which were initially filled with disgust and resentment were took over by admiration drawn to his exhausted but well shaped built as he passed every bystander on his sides. Few managed to get a look at him to pull out more topics to talk from his worn out face, only to add red into his ears. Dante quickly took out his keycard unlocking the room with a nasty downward slide to the card reader. Before the small light on the card reader turned green, Dante had already swung the door quickly then slammed it against the noises. His knees finally gave in as he slumped down to the floor.

Breathing in, out, in, out, in, out, inhaled, then exhaled and finally, he calmed down.

This room has become his personal asylum where he wanted himself to be. Surrounded by the walls offering protection against the voices elevated from whispers for the object of the talk just disappeared from the gossipers' eyes. Here, he just wanted to be alone in this upside downed world as he silently protested and cursing against the God for breathing life for this damned day.

Dante made a mistake today. A big one with an enormous F-word next to it.

He had underestimated those humans, their sins. It was undeniable that pride had fed humans' blackened heart and descended into such degradation in this age of Weapons of Mass Destructions.

War never changes.

It always started by a man following by people, then a small group, a nation, finally allies and axis. Thus, here he was: Being a fuse to a bomb known as world war, primed by seductive sweetness of money, status, power and women, especially by the women in cloth of whom he found distasteful for the sake of one sided interests. Dante was not interested in the earthly pleasure that this world offered to him. Money and pride were the seeds of evil which never struck his fancy whilst he found women did not suit him. He neither swung the other way or both. It was only the women he found so far were only yearning for his body. And because of one's foolishness to let go of the Eves of whom enveloped him in their warmth presences unlike the other cheap sluts only because of a stupid reason, he had to pay the price.

The Nephilim and his demonic butler must be laughing sinisterly wherever they were now. Who thought that their displeased meeting in the interrogation room would turn out to be like this very moment? Dante did not like the idea of becoming a pawn to whatsoever games those unearthly beings were playing, especially when it involved unearthly entities. If this was a game where his fighting skills were put in the test, then he could easily turn the table on the game master.

Yet this was not that kind which required his physical strenght. This game…or should he say 'test' was meant for his wisdom, but he was not a wise in the first place. Maybe he was a tinker, but only meant for a certain things involving machines like his guns, not humans. Although he was half of them, he hardly found any similarities with the humans' mind.

He had to choose, to pick a side with a country. Question was which one struck his fancy? All was none to him. What about the one that needed his help most? He didn't know, to make things worse, it was eons since he read news in regard to the international situation. The questions kept popping up tormenting his mind in infinite cycles.

He didn't know the answer.

He was in the brink of losing himself. A word. Just a single word was all he needed to escape from this torment, yet he knew damnation would befall to the mankind from his decision aftermath. To think that for all these times he raised his sword and baring his bleeding edged fangs against the wicked for this creation of whom The Old Man in Heaven loved most, yet until the so called damned thing of I.S were invented by an eccentric scientist of Shinonono's big sister (if he was not mistaken based from what his I.S provided to him), humans were reverted to the stone age of mentality. What an irony.

Dante shut his eyes and craning his neck to the white colored ceiling above. He purposely let a curse escaped softly from his mouth thinking that this day would eventually come when humans would be succumbed to their sins and ended up destroying each other. But why it had to be him who was chosen to strike the hammer of apocalypse? Why it was not God's perfect creation instead? Better yet, why it was not Himself to rain blood or space debris on behalf of His fury on human's foolishness if He had already enough on their filths?

He didn't understand.

Again, he was facing the tall wall. From all of the people he could confide into, Morrison was the last. How badly he wished the old man was here to pull him out of the gutter. The old man was already a goner for sure. And Morrison's phantom offered no help but torment to him. Dante could picture that the ghost was calling out his name right now from the windows in front of him.

Dante put another blame to himself. If only he could tell himself and was not hallucinating about the phantom of his twin of whom he had to put at ease and kept his cool heeding his middle man's words…

"I am sorry." Dante muttered.

Goddamnit! Lamenting did not help him. He had to think of something! If an answer could be popped up just by jerking his head, he'd be more than gladful to drive his head onto the thick concrete wall.

"Ha…haha…hahaha….as if." Dante opened his eyes and desperately chuckled.

If moving forward did not offer him any solutions, then Dante simply had to take a step back.

A faint light enveloping his right hand as Dante desired Ebony to be materialized.

For Tony Redgrave, by .45 Art Warks

Bracing himself, Dante could make the name of the engravings carved on the body of his diamond black heavy pistol

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Using both hands fitting the tip of the gun in his jaw, Dante put a serious struggle against his own heart that punching through his ribs as he shoved every inch of the gun into mouth. Resisting the tremor in his hands, Dante wheezed. He was bathing in cold sweats and refused to loosen his grip on the gun unlike the last times.

"Do it, Dante! That's right, pull the trigger! Free yourself from the torment of this world! Do it! Do it!"

Dante clenched his teeth onto the cold metal. He removed Ebony's safety then placing both thumbs onto the trigger.

How's a man's last moment would be?

It was not the first he was faced with this question. They said that life was cheerful while the death was peaceful and he had seen people on this moment himself. Yet in his eyes, only few who managed to calmly accepted death's grace to free from this world's torment. Others however, resisted the ultimate moment because of strong attachment to this world-be it somebody or mostly something, and those who were afraid to pay for their retribution of their sins despite their beliefs that they were graced with salvation.

When Dante invaded hell in order to stop his wicked twin from unleashing the damned souls onto earth in exchange for their father's true power, he saw those pitiful souls- sinners if he preferred, cried out in agony to the Almighty One questioning the reasons of their eternal damnation instead of being reborn in Eden despite their firm belief of savior and the certainty of salvation just like what they were taught to.

For what other reasons God had to slam His door for them? Didn't they believe on Him already? Hadn't enough they practiced His will on the earth? Or maybe did they stray from His path or misinterpret His teachings recalling human's nature of misguidance? If that so, then why He did not send someone or something to fork them back to the right path?

Guess it's the time to find out.

Dante shut his eyes tightly. Between becoming a demon's amusement tool or human's killing toy, he opted neither of them. Thinking back on the root cause, it all pointed at him and him only.

As long as he was still breathing, those women in clothes known as country delegations would stop at nothing until they laid their fingers and body at him. By this he meant their genitals into his (which he found distasteful although his flesh did not resist) like hookers he had met before setting his foot in this prestigious institution. He guessed that the disparity of class for women-whether noble or cheap sluts did not matter as long as they got what they wanted.

Salvation or damnation, any of them could only be attained through death. If the Old Man in Heaven was like what he heard, despite he was being the other half of creature God detested, who knew that he deserved His mercy to be reunited with his deceased mother in Eden and took an eternal blissful rest?

Yet they said that suicide was similar to killing. Difference only laid in the soul that was claimed by the owner. Therefore, Dante thought that he'd be most likely thrown into the pit of hell instead. But that wasn't all bad neither to him than became a puppet.

At least I could make the demons' days worse. Great! All the more for me.

That thought ticked him off.

He finally made peace with himself. All that he had to do was to apply more weight into the trigger and a.45 caliber would do its job before he bugged the Old Man in Heaven.

His thumbs slowly pressed the firing mechanism sending every faintest movement inside his gun. The trigger became heavier in response to the weight applied onto it. A little more. Just a little more until the bullet could blast through his skull and splattered whatever inside his head onto the door with a nasty loud bang. No pain, no gain.

"DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT! DOIT!"

The phantom became livelier with excitement watching its victim's last desperate struggle.

"Sheeh-youh-ihn-hehl-Mohrihshohn!"

Light. He saw a light. Beyond that light he pictured a standing blonde woman with a long straight hair. Her hands were joined atop one another in front of her waist as her eyes emitting a displeased look at him.

"You must not, child!"

The warmth familiar voice shunned Dante. His thumb immediately broke into a sudden halt upon hearing the angelic command came from a dearest figure in his life. Abiding the voice, Dante slowly returned the trigger's initial weight.

"Mommy?"

The figure casted a heartwarming satisfying smile.

"Good boy, Dante. You are a good boy."

Little did he realize that she began to grew more distant eventually swallowed by the warm light that radiating brighter and brighter with less tolerance forcing Dante to snap opened his eyes.

"BINGO FUCKIN' JEEZUS!"

Upon returning back to reality, Dante was greeted by a curse emitted by someone familiar. The first thing that came into his eyes was something flying at him, whatever it was, the thing hit him hard right in his face. A nasty crunch reverberated within his nose. Red bloomed onto the air as his head was snapped backward in response to the brutal impactful force. The pain was doubled when Dante's back head hit the door behind him. The loud BANG distributed the additional pain equally on his head-enough to make his jaw agape to let the gun slipped out with a cry of agony and his hands reflexively applying pressure onto his face to suppress the pain.

His world spun with painful rings running inside his ears. It took a long time but Dante eventually regained his vision and came with something amazing. Something he always found in his magazines centerfold at his office that had the power to stir male's carnal desire. Had he was not in such deep pain, he could have taken a pleasure in looking that thing up close.

"Gah! What the… hell, Lady?" Dante groaned.

"You want to know what the hell?" Lady flared, but Dante did not question her expression, especially of what he just did. "This! This piece! You…you…if you want to shoot yourself and die, do it at other place!"

Still wrapping in a towel, Lady quickly worked on clearing the gun she secured from Dante. Judging from her wet hair and the scent of shampoo lingered from her, Dante took that he just ruined his ex-co worker's nice shower time. He guessed that she must be furious when those red and bluish green eyes lit with anger.

"Besides, it's FRIGGIN' EMPTY!" Her words expressed reliefs when she ejected the chamber, yet her voice refused to tone down. "Before I beat some senses into your goddamn thick skull, you have ten seconds to explain WHAT. THE. FUCK. ARE. YOU. DOING?!"

Dante shifted his attention sideway unable to find any explanation that could make his action just. Suicide was something incomprehensible to healthy minds. Dante did not count himself a sane. Not after what happened today and the losing times he went through. One second after another passed quickly until the time limit was reached.

"Hey Dante," Her voice became icy cold. "Clench your teeth!"

Dante rolled his eyes before his hands immediately taking a defensive position.

WHUP!

The first strike coming from his own gun sending a powerful shock reverberating throughout his arms. With Lady's speed and her strength swinging the gun crafted from Titanium, the amount of blunt force traumas were doubled in the second buffaloing which broke his guard and leaving a nasty mark on the spot. The pain was unbearable. It was like he was being hit by an iron bat weight of a ton. Dante gritted his teeth in protest against the urge to cry in agony. After all, devil never cries. Upon receiving such dreadful attack, his left arm refused to rise. Dante was left with no choice but to raise his remaining arm to resist Lady's pistol whipping.

CRACK!

Was it just him, or his dominant arm just cracked? But it couldn't be, right?

He guessed not.

"GAAAAAAA…"

POW!

One thing for sure, it hurt like hell. His scream was muffled by another strike coming fast. This time however, was coming from Lady's fist. It was softer than being hit by his own gun, but remained deadly in terms of speed and the traumas she inflicted upon him.

Rage, hatred, strangely mixed with sadness, sorrow and gratefulness coming together from her fist and those feelings conveyed into Dante somehow became morphine to ignore the raining pain. For after all of these losing times he scarred onto his female partners because of reasons he personally kept, Dante guessed he deserved those punches.

Actually, he deserved them.

Her punches became slower and weaker as her fury consumed her stamina. The awaited moment for Dante came when she stopped and broke into exhaustion catching her breath before she continued beating him down.

Instead, Lady dropped herself into him and encircling her arms around Dante's neck in a strong embrace. He didn't see it coming when her emotions burst out next to his ear.

"I…I…I am…*cough* sorry." Dante said.

"Sorry?!" Lady sobbed. "Is..that what you are saying…after trying to…shoot yourself?!"

"I…"

"You what? Say something goddamnit! SAY IT!"

Little he could do. He was hesitant, but eventually braced himself moving his hand onto her hand gently comforting her like a father comforting his child. He did not answer her no matter how many times she demanded in crier. At least, until she managed to calm herself but still did not let him off.

"I…I was…trying to run away." Dante admitted.

"Run away?" Lady surprised "From what? Dante, if something is bothering you, we can talk about it! We are partners, remember?"

"Not anymore." Dante sighed.

"What?" Lady shocked. "Okay, fine. Maybe we are not partners anymore but in here, you are my student no matter what. So spit it out!"

"What kind of teacher who hugs his male student semi-naked in a bath towel after beating him with a gun?"

"And what kind of student who shoved a gun into his mouth for God knows why unless something's disrupting his mind? Cut the rhetoric questions and answer me already!" She lowered her tone. "Please, Dante."

Dante exhaled. "Alright, you win. You saw them today, didn't you? Those country delegations, they are offering me deals if I choose anyone of them. Money, green card citizenship, women, island, you name your price, they give it to you in exchange of my service to be their representative. Some even tried to put a leash on my neck but I handled them. The thing is about the consequence."

"Which is?"

"I saw it through their sweet talking and none of these people…these women came for a good cause although they meant their prices. I saw chaos and war hidden deep in their eyes, Lady. These humans…they will kill each other all just because of my choice. That's why I am running away from this to prevent this disaster from happening." Dante paused. "And it happened to cross my mind. If my death could put an end into this, but…but I can't. No matter how many times I put my guns on me, I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger."

It was so painful for Lady to hear his sorrowful answer that jammed her heart like a sharp knife. More tears escaped from her eyes as she tightened her embrace.

"How can I help you? Anything. Just tell me to do anything."

"Maybe you can start by letting me off. It's kind of painful to breath, Lady."

"Just one last question, Dante."

"What is it?"

"Just…what's gotten into you all these times? You suddenly disappeared ever since that day and you suddenly appeared in here the day of the I.S exhibition."

"I…I was trying to make peace with myself." Was I? Dante thought. "Or something like that. Morrison brought me to Japan saying I was invited to this exhibition the days after I found an I.S lying at the back of my arsenal in my office. A lot of things happened during the day of the exhibition. He didn't make it."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. It was my fault." Dante grieved.

"But you eventually saved the day, Dante."

"I don't think so. "

"Look, had you not come, I would be lying in a casket with the others now."

"What do you mean?" Dante raised his brows trying not to look at Lady. His memories jogged back onto the bloody day. "Don't tell me that the hostage was…"

"I am." She admitted. "You saved me."

Dante chuckled. "Guess it's the time you are indebted to me, huh?"

Lady slowly let go off Dante, wiping tears on her eyes as she also giggled in response to Dante's sarcasm.

"You are right. Let's get you patch up." She stood up offering Dante a hand, not realized that the towel covered her body slipped during the motion exposing her stark naked figure at him.

Dante curtly smiled at the sensual sight. "Don't think about it. Before that, maybe you should find something to cover yourself."

The hand immediately turned into a fist and found a spot on his right eye.

And Morrison's ghost?

It's gone.

For now.

"Broken nose and teeth as a result of medium blunt force traumas applied on face with a black eye on the right, cracked right arm and deep bruises appeared on both arms. You know what," Bradley carefully examined his patient with a suspicious look. "I am not the one who swears but looking at my patient, errr…Lady-sensei, mind telling me what the flying fuck happened to him?"

Lady found her place on the sick bed next to the pre- occupied one behind Dante and found an entertainment of the boys arguing with each other.

"I jumped on her and get my ass kicked." Dante covered. "Ouch! Easy on the injuries, Romeo."

"Bullshit." Romeo/Bradley Hagel retorted while administering first aid on Dante.

Dante rolled his eyes. Oh, who did he just bull? The doctor's also a psychiatric. He could sense a lie instantly.

Once Lady wore something decent consisted of a simple white blouse and a short pants, she took Dante to the infirmary. Their trip was a smooth one since it was passed the curfew times at 10 P.M. No one in the hallway-saved for several patrolling teachers to ensure their students locked up in their room until tomorrow morning. Lady Luck graced them to avoid any encounter with other teachers on their way to their destination.

Bradley was about to leave his post until he was surprised with the late visitor with nasty bruises all over his body. Nevertheless, he answered his call.

"I am fully aware of Dante's rebellious behavior from the kids, but a teacher must not inflict physical pain on her students. Just say the word that Lady-sensei beat you up and I'll pass the words to the principal. You don't have to stand for her."

"That's rich 'cuz I know another one who practically abuses her students with a thick ass class attendant list and walk the day like a boss, Romeo. Anyway, I need these to disappear by tomorrow."

"You are asking for the impossible Dante." Romeo/Bradley sighed. "On second thought, I can the pain out and most of the marks. Speaking of the bruise marks, where did she get a piece to buffaloing you?"

"Nevermind that. You tested your medical gel on my palms. They worked and the marks disappeared the next day. How about trying on these then? See if you can get these marks off."

"Stay still." Bradley cautiously held Dante's face, then he positioning both fingers on Dante's nose. "Like I said, my medical gel is still a prototype. What happened on your palms is just one thing. Who knows what side effects it might cause but we can give it a try. However, there's no way that I am going to apply them on your right eye!"

CRUNCH!

The voice coming from Dante's nose reverberated throughout the room following with a painful groan coming with blood flowing down from Dante's nostrils. Bradley/Romeo walked onto a medicine cabinet to produce a set of medical instruments. One of it was a white can with a red cross and his name labeled on. He returned to his patient wiping the blood with a piece of cotton then applying a cast on Dante's nose.

"Make sure it stays there for a whole week. Return to me tomorrow morning and noon after you take a shower for another replace."

Bradley/Romeo took the can. He lightly stretched Dante's right arm forward with one hand while the other held the can and shook it. A glob of icy green gel was squeezed out from the white can as Bradley/Romeo pressed the tip. He spread the gel around the bruises on Dante's arm with care and a light green layer formed up on Dante's arm. The same thing he also applied on Dante's other hand.

"This should do for now. Don't move your arm too much for an hour otherwise the gel will wear off and travel down your arm. I'll make an appointment for an X-Ray on your arm tomorrow as well."

The doctor proceeded to make a cast on Dante's right arm. Once it was done, the doctor handed an ice pack which Dante immediately closed his right eye and stuck the medical instrument by himself.

"As for your black eye…I am afraid that you have to do it with a compressor."

"You are being too generous, thanks doc."

"Just doing my job." Bradley suppressed a blush. "But I still demand to know why you deserved those injuries."

"Like I said, this guy jumped on a naked woman, got his ass kicked."

"If there's a worst lying competition, then you'd be walking out as the first winner."

Lady groaned. This would take forever. She shouldn't have let Dante to talk his way in the first place.

"Look, here's what really happened doc:"

Lady told Bradley everything. Even a calm and composed doctor like Bradley had his jaw dropped upon hearing Dante shoved his gun into his mouth to shoot himself. He was slightly winched as if he felt Dante's pain when he learnt that Lady had to flying-kick Dante to prevent him from pulling the trigger.

"So…that's it?" Bradley folded an arm underneath his right hand which pinching his nose. "Those were what happened before I believe you 'beat some senses' onto him?"

"Errr…Yeah." Lady scratched her hair "I mean like…this jackass deserved some ass kicking!"

"Whoa-whoa 'scuse me, 'jackass'?" Dante protested "Now you sound like Chifuyu."

"You should address me as Lady-sensei outside our room and I don't like to say this but you have to address her as Orimura-sensei instead."

Dante groaned in protest. "Oh, come on! You were just being sweet of what? An hour ago and now this?"

"Hey! Hey!" Bradley/Romeo clapping his hands. "People, we can continue this later. For now, we have to focus on Dante's issue here."

"Can't deny that." Lady agreed.

"Okay, let's recap the situation:" Bradley fixed his spectacles "Ever since Sparda Company made a joint venture announcement with a country, we got country delegations all over the world flying to our school at the same time."

Dante narrowed his eyes in suspicion upon the name of Sparda Company sank deeply into him. This was a similar case he took when he made his to Europe to a city named Fortuna where it's citizens worshipped a demon as their god just because Sparda turned his sword against it's own kin for a human priestess. Dante was certain that he was dealing with another fanatic of his father to bring ruin onto mankind.

But one thing at a time, Dante needed to take care of this international diplomacy first.

"They are offering Dante citizenship with irrefusable bonuses." Lady added. "Some even trying to stick a knife on his throat."

"Right." Bradley nodded. "The main problem lies in the country of his choice. Should he choose one, the others will definitely make an aggression, be it silent or public approach to take the country of his choice down."

"Silent or public?"

"That means by cutting diplomacy relationship or to make things simpler, a war."

Bradley's explanation struck Lady and Dante. Even he, as the speaker also began to sweat in fear from his own words, especially from the last one.

"Alright," Dante cleared his throat. "So what's the plan?" Dante asked.

"Basically, you have to choose. But you have to take note for several things."

"I am listening."

"First of all, never-ever choose a superior country, especially like America, Russia or China."

"Because…?"

"Because they are the ones who can instantly trigger World War 3 with their resources and can easily bulls for God knows their wicked reasons."

"Make sense."

"Second, I am not quite sure but Dante, when was the last time you were following international news?"

The question struck Dante very hard right in the spot.

"Figures." Bradley/Rome jumped into conclusion from Dante's expression. "Lady-sensei, we have to think of countries with no particular interest in domination causes!"

"I can start with Japan," Lady suggested. "But shit hit the fan already. The number of Japan's cadet rep already reached maximum number."

"Wait, they can raise the number, right?" Dante naïvely asked. "I mean like one will not make any difference at all."

"Oh, unfortunately, the amount does matter in the International Treaty. And according to the International Treaty, that is a big no." Bradley/Romeo explained. "The maximum number of each cadet rep a country can hold is three. More than that means violation of the clause and result in international court."

"Shit." Dante cursed.

"You can say that again." Lady agreed. "However, Rome is the country which bans I.S usage but they did not say that you cannot choose them."

"Hell no, Lady!" Dante protested "I am allergic to Theocracy! Priests, churches, religious places and The Old Man in Heaven are my on my top screw off lists!"

"It's not about your fuck off list Dante." Lady objected. "Think about the world! You can avoid World War by simply abiding the only country which rejects the idea of using I.S! Problem solved!"

"Shi-t. Sometimes I just want to leave the world to burn by itself. "

"I have to object your suggestion, Lady-sensei." Bradley's disagreed.

"Why?"

"Although Rome is another optional neutral country, it is mainly protected by Swiss. Had Dante to choose Rome as the country he will represent, I am afraid that Swiss would be secretly exploited him behind for their personal cause to make sure no other countries lay a hand on Rome."

"Assassinations and sabotages?"

"Those would be the obvious examples."

"Damnit!" Lady cursed.

"Alright, what're my other choices then?"

Lady and Romeo/Bradley fell into an uncomfortable silence. Either they were thinking hard, or they were actually running out of option.

Dante went for the second one.

"I…I am sorry Dante. But I can't think of any more." Bradley/Rome apologized.

"Me neither."

"Hey don't get down because of it." Dante tried to cheer. "You guys did whatever you can. Thanks."

The trio was alerted by the moving curtain coming from the pre-occupied bed next to Lady. Chifuyu Orimura slowly rose from the bed. She held her head in one hand seemingly suppressing a headache. Bradley/Romeo quickly averting his eyes from Brunhilde's figure upon catching sight of her upper body which was only composed of a black singlet that slightly revealed her chests.

"Oh, hell no." Of all people Dante wanted to see today, Chifuyu was on his very bottom list. "How long have you been listening, teach?"

"Urrgh…speak slowly, jackass." Chifuyu said. "I just had a hangover, and you only make it happens again."

"Hangover? Isn't a teacher suppose not to drink?!" Dante protested.

"They are not, unless it is light alcohol." Bradley/Romeo explained while producing a painkiller from his medicine cabinet. "Ummm…Orimura-sensei, if you please, could you put on something more to cover your upper body?"

"I will, but not now." Chifuyu accepted, quickly swallowed the pills. "I heard everything, including the moment when you moaned your sorry ass being fixed by the doctor."

Dante rolled his eyes. "So what do you want? If you are not helping, you can go back to your sweet dream of your little brother while we are working our mind to prevent a world war here, teach."

Chifuyu slightly annoyed with the sarcasm. "Calm down, jackass. I am also in the gutter here. You think you are the only one who's trying to prevent a hundred ninety five countries from killing each other over your choice? The teachers also got their hands on your mess. We are trying to help you, Dante."

That was the first time Chifuyu called Dante's name instead of Jackass. Judging from Chifuyu's tone, Lady knew that she meant it.

"Alright." Dante said. "So what were their sayings?"

"Their options went for neutral countries to prevent the human disaster from happening, but Like Doctor Bradley and Lady-sensei said," Chifuyu folded her arm as the painkillers starting to take effect. "Japan is out of the list whilst Rome will have a big possibility to attach strings on you behind Rome's back by the Swiss to do their dirty works unbeknownst by the Pope in order to ensure Rome's safety. Half of the teachers agreed that you should represent Rome whereas the others disagreed and told you to minimize the damage you will cause by simply choosing between three superpower countries. That's when they reached the dead end."

"But like I said earlier, if Dante chose either China, Russia or America, he will instantly trigger the World War 3 Orimura-sensei." Bradley said.

"Exactly. Now here's what I have better in my mind. So listen carefully."

Dante obliged.

"Ever heard a gestalt problem solving?"

"Sounds German. What is it?"

Chifuyu grabbed her business coat and slung it on her shoulder. She fitted her foot on her shoes before walking past the confused trio onto Bradley's medicine cabinet.

"See the problem as a whole instead of the sum of its parts. Here, catch!" Chifuyu tossed the painkiller she took.

Dante easily caught the medicine while Chifuyu walking toward the exit. He popped 3 pills and took them altogether.

"Even for a person with half of a brain like you can figure it out in no time. Good luck cranking that up." She threw a sarcastic smirk, the one that she gave during their bet at Juuzou's room. "As for Lady-sensei," Her voice suddenly grew cold. "We need to talk once this is all over. BLATERS."

The infirmary door swung opened and the raven haired woman disappeared behind the white door as it closed.

"BLATERS, huh?" Bradley/Romeo shot a quizzical look at Lady.

"That means Bye And See you LaTERS." Lady sighed knowing the trouble she pulled. "It's a slang often used in the modeling world. But more importantly, I guess I have to face the music soon." She looked at Dante. "Anything of her gestalt that makes sense to you, Dante?"

Dante stayed silent.

"Dante?" Bradley/Romeo asked. "Are you okay?"

"Shhht…" Dante showed his palm to Bradley/Romeo.

"Is something wrong?" Lady asked.

"Shhht! Just…shhht! Quiet!"

They fell into uncomfortable silent watching Dante frowned as he froze like a statue.

Dante's face suddenly beaming and his silver eyes were brightly lit like diamonds reflecting a light source. A wide smile of victory drawn across his face as he stood up in joy.

"Of bloody fucking course!" Dante gave the ground a stomp as he stood "That's it! Shit! The teach was right! She nailed it!" Dante laughed.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa! Chotto mande a bloody second Dante." Lady stopped. "What do you mean 'that's it'?"

"Did you manage to get what Orimura-sensei meant?" Bradley/Romeo enthutiastly asked. "What is it?"

"The answer is right there all along in front of us! It is located at the whole instead of the sums of fragments! Don't you get it?"

Lady and Bradley/Romeo gave a thought together. It did not take long until they nodded on each other as they came into a same conclusion.

"I see what you are thinking, Dante. She's right." Lady acknowledged.

"With this, you can avert world war 3 at zero cost! C'est magnifique! Bravat!" Bradley/Romeo laughed. "How stupid I am not thinking of that solution at the first place!"

Hearing the laugh and cheers next to the infirmary door outside, Chifuyu suppressed a satisfying smile.

Maybe he's not the entirely jackass after all.

The long awaited fateful day when one choice would determine the fate of this world had finally come. 3 days, Juuzou recalled. It was exactly 3 days right at this moment since the world paid a visit to this school for their dreadful purposes of fighting over Dante to their wicked cause.

His school auditorium was consisted of two storey and capable of holding 300 seats in this vast room. The press were designated at the second floor whilst his guests of exactly 195 delegations around the world were seated at the first storey on the middle and back row. The old man himself found his place on the very first front row.

Sarashiki had already sat next to him and gave a curt nod as a greeting. Juuzou was able to point the shadows encircled underneath his friend's eyes that he also shared with.

"Et tu, Sarashiki?" Juuzou took the hot seat next to his friend.

"You are not the only one who's lacking of sleep, my friend."

On Juuzou's right was Orimura-sensei, along with Yamada-sensei and the teachers filling the rows until it came to Sarashiki's children to seat on their designated chairs following by ISA's country representatives students, the school newspaper club, until the last seats were taken by Dr. Bradley Hagel, his school's music teacher under the name of Kyrie- a blind confided unto a wheelchair with her caretaker, Patty Lowell.

An uncomfortable quiet remarked its presence when the person whom became the obsession of the 195 powerful people climbed the stage. Juuzou could sense through their concealed bloodlust masked by the deceptive friendly air emitted were filling the atmosphere. Sarashiki mentioned, if he was Dante, each stair he climbed would feel like climbing toward a gallow awaiting in the form of a podium. Juuzou could not deny his friend's opinion.

Instead of fear, Juuzou saw confidence sparking in Dante's face.

Would Dante Sparda, the troubled student of Orimura-sensei to spark a miracle just like he had faith into, or would he bring ruin upon mankind?

Soon, the moment of truth.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Dante began. "To be honest, this is the first time I speak in public and I feel honored to speak in front of all of your honorable presences."

The opening statement welcomed him a grand applause.

"I am here to answer the call I received from the world since 3 days ago. My decision is not based by the person goes as the Nephilim or his butler and I am fully aware that I am choosing based on my own conscience that I, Dante Sparda, represents none of every single countries of the respective delegations represent here but the U.N itself!"

It was a shocking statement that confused everyone but Juuzou's face was already beamed with excitement. The old man had a good feeling for this!

"From here and out, I only answer to the U.N and every the calls that made must be a result from the U.N councils' throughout discussions and not by any specific parties with their personal vested interests that can strike the balance of this world. The same goes to Sparda Company as well. That's all and thank you."

With that being said, the bloodlust was disappeared and replaced by another grander applause directed to him. Juuzou exchanged look with Sarashiki, of whom he regarded with 'See? I told you!' look. Camera blitz struck Dante's relieved smiley face wildly from above like strobe lights and breaking news spread fast like a wildfire in the internet with a headline mainly entitled:

The first U.N I.S pilot is the second male pilot.

The old man secretly saluted Orimura-sensei's most troubled student. Dante curtly smiled as he noticed the old man's salutation, which he returned it with a two fingers salute resulting him to bathe in more blinding lights of fiercer camera flashes.

"HOLD IT!"

An authoritative shout coming from a long white haired woman with a jacket matching the color of her hair on the middle row of the auditorium robbed the public attentions. Her pretty face was in red as she angrily walked to the podium. Juuzou's eyes wide opened upon noticing how short this...girl (or woman?) that she wore high heels to boost her petite figure, only to reach the level of Dante's chest.

"I objected Dante Sparda's decision!"

Juuzou noticed her accent: a Russian.

"Whoa-whoa easy there, kroshka."

The woman glared at Dante. "Don't call me kroshka. My name is Natasya Rebic, I am a delegation of Russia and I disagree with Dante Sparda's decision of becoming U.N's representative!"

"Well then, I am sorry, miss" Dante smirked. "But I think the daycare is 3 miles on the west of Infinite Stratos academy. Perhaps, you can make most of your times there instead of questioning my decision for the better all of us."

Natasya sent her palm flying but missed Dante's sideway as he bent backward and making fun of her figure. Juuzou secretly chuckled watching the show but immediately nudged by Sarashiki as he signaling him to do something.

"This is unacceptable!" She protested.

The line coming from Natasya Rebic reminded Juuzou of Orimura-sensei's student. But who's her name again, the British representative who challenged Ichika Orimura in the first class representative fight?

"Oh, what's wrong? Can't slap my face breaks your heart, little one?" Dante mocked "Oh boo-hoo."

Mockery laughs could be heard from the audiences. The Russian's representative's face became redder which reminded Juuzou of the old Russian's symbol during the Cold War he read in his files.

The laughing ceased the moment Juuzou climbed forward to the podium. Even Dante and Natasya Rebic's small fight came to a momentary truce upon feeling a repressive aura coming from the old but most authoritative figure stepping in between them.

Juuzou took a microphone from the podium.

Looking at the smile he emitted, Dante rolled his eyes in frustration and slightly cursed as he had read what the old man had in his mind.

What else could better settle a dispute between two parties other than a competition?

Especially, when it involved a nuclear weapon's usage.

That's all folks. Sorry if it takes a long time. Much thanks go to my beta-readers: striberx, Jackie Avocado, Legionnas, IrateWritreviewer, Shi-oon Yi, Twilightiger1602 and Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov. You guys have contributed a lot in this chapter and I can't thank you guys enough of this. Stay awesome guys!

If you guys, dear readers, have reached this point, perhaps you will get the gist of whom Dante'll mostly fight next. That's right. Who's other than Russia's Rep who goes by Sarashiki Tatenashi the chesire cat of ISA? At this point, I am still wondering what kind of battle that suit between them. It's either a one on one battle or a tag team battle, or worse a two(Either Tatenashi will pair with her twins, or Natasha Fairs will jump into the battle too) on one(in which Dante will be the one of course) battle.

I'll just let the review box open. Grill me, flame me just do your worst.