Chapter 3- First Day Woes
The air in the room had never been thicker as the students of Classroom 1-1 stared intently at the front row. Some with curious expressions while others wore obvious discontent on their face. A cool breeze snaked its way into an open window, offering the only air circulation into the stifling room.
Staring at his fingers, a Japanese boy twiddled his thumbs to avoid the uncomfortable stares. Despite sitting at the front, he could feel the judgmental eyes of the entire class behind him, his mounting anxiety did little to quell his nerves. Fortunately for him, he found an ounce of camaraderie with the other nervous boys in the class. Two boys sat to the left of the Japanese teen, both doing their best to ignore the stares and absolute quiet.
The sound of a sliding door refused the intent stares as a green haired teacher stepped into the thick room. The sudden shift of attention caught her off guard as she walked towards the front of the room with a little less confidence. Readjusting her glasses, she fiddled with the large touchpad on the desk. Scrolling through some alerts she mentally frowned at the newest message.
'Seriously? Who schedules a meeting right before lectures.' She mentally sighed.
Displaying slides onto the smart projector she steeled herself with a bright smile before addressing the students. "Congratulations on your entrance into the IS Academy. My name is Maya Yamada and I'll be one of your homeroom teachers this year."
The neutral and uncaring faces further unnerved the young woman as she attempted to elicit any type of reaction from the classroom. 'Tough crowd…Geez what's up with them.'
Ignoring the elephant in the room, or rather three, she pressed on with the default introduction that all teachers had to do for the freshman class. A tightly defined script that required certain points be made with absolute certainty, a job that no teacher enjoyed.
"Okay…Right. The IS Academy is the premier Infinite Stratos institution, all of you should be proud of yourselves for making it through such a rigorous selection process." Stumbling mentally, she spoke as if on autopilot.
The attempt at flattery drew little to no positive reaction, if anything she swore one of the student's scowled at her words. Rattling off the rest of her scripted introduction she hit the points, all accompanied with a nervous smile.
"During your stay on the island, you will be living with a lot of girls from diverse backgrounds! Girls from all corners of the world, you'll have plenty of opportunities to make amazing and lifelong friends. Friends from all over the world." Mentally she ticked off another box on the checklist as she finished the rest of her introduction.
Taking a quick break, she sighed a silent breath of relief while checking her watch. Only fifteen minutes had passed, however, to the young teacher it seemed like an eternity. Having hit the required talking points, she let her mind take a short break. Raising her glance to the front row her heart skipped a beat as she finally registered the three boys practically under her nose.
'Maya! You idiot, how could you forget about them! What the hell were you thinking!' She mentally chastised herself, though she found some solace in the fact that none of the boys seemed to care.
"Why don't we go over some self-introductions. Let's see, why don't we do your name, where you're from and an interesting fact about yourself." Maya encouraged as the tone in her voice recovered some self-confidence.
Starting at the back various students of different nationalities stood up and listed off their name and a fact about themselves. The indifference that Maya felt earlier slowly withered as her students nervously stumbled out their lines. The weight of expectations laid upon the shoulders of the young women easily clouded their self-confidence, thrust into the limelight each did their best to nail their introduction. In a way she identified with her students, especially the unfortunate ones who went first.
Like the rest of the class the three boys were stuck in their own pit of nervousness, each trying to find something interesting about themselves that would go over well with their classmates. Staring intently into nothingness, Ichika's mind raced as he tried to recall something interesting from his past. A sudden and abrupt tapping on Ichika's desk brought him out of his stupor as he stared up at the impressively imposing figure before him.
"C-Chifuyu-nee?" He managed to stumble out before receiving a powerful flick to his forehead.
Rubbing his temple he winced in pain as he looked back at his older sister. Her striking figure was complemented by an even more menacing aura, she stared back displeased at her younger brother who seemed to have forgotten their earlier conversation.
"At school it's Orimura sensei or Chifuyu. That shouldn't be too hard to forget. Right?"
"N-No."
"No what?"
"No Orimura sensei." Ichika mumbled out, still reeling from shock and embarrassment.
"Good, now finish your introduction instead of spacing off. And that goes for all of you! You will all show the respect your teachers deserve!" The older Orimura barked much to the silent protest of Mrs. Yamada.
Her words and stature carried a powerful presence. One that outright professed experience and a wealth of superior knowledge. If there was ever a person to be the center of attention in a room, it was her. Everything about the way she carried herself implied that she was leagues above anyone in any room when it came to the IS. Even if one had never heard or seen an Infinite Stratos, the way the older Orimura carried herself would garner universal respect.
"And I expect you to extend that respect to your classmates! Regardless of who or where they come from. " She continued, quickly quelling the hushed murmurs and snickers that arose after Ichika's impromptu lesson.
Meekly standing Ichika began to introduce himself, the embarrassment from earlier still fresh in his mind. "Uh…My uh…My name's Ichika Orimura. I uh come from Japan. An interesting fact a-about myself…Is that I…I used to do kendo."
After quickly stumbling out his lines Ichika quickly took his seat, unknown to him the words struck a sharp nerve with one of his classmates. Unfazed by her little brother's nervous introduction, the older Orimura leaned against the front wall. Shoving her hands into her pockets she stared down her class, trying to get an angle on their behavior. Who they were, where they hailed from, what made them tick and what would make them break. Internally she sighed disappointedly as the task of personal introductions seemed to be great enough to mess with some students' self-confidence.
Shooting up from her desk a brunette teen stood tall as her arms laid perfectly by her side as if she were a soldier called to attention.
"Madoka Orimura. I am Japanese. I am a Cadet Representative for Japan." With the curt introduction over she gracefully took her seat with far less vigor than she had launched out of it.
Internally she rolled her eyes at how painless and easy the introduction was for her. She couldn't fathom how anyone would have any issue simply speaking. In her mind she sized up the rest of her class, coming rapidly to a judgment.
Eyeing her younger sister, the older Orimura gave the slightest nod of approval. Several students whipped their heads back and forth as they processed the rapid-fire introduction and sly nod. Having the entire Orimura family in one room was a rather special occasion, to some the fact that they would be spending an entire year with what was arguably a celebrity, and her two younger siblings didn't go unnoticed. Some students annoyedly recalled their parents constantly telling them to 'network' with other students, though for reasons less to do with friendship. Others wondered what type of person Madoka, and Ichika were, being the younger siblings of the great Chifuyu Orimura. Breaking the momentary reverie, a redhead teen lazily stood up next to give her introduction.
"Uh, my name's Marilyn Rockwell, but you can all call me May. I'm Cascadian, and an interesting fact about myself is that I can play the guitar." May said casually as if she were introducing herself at a party.
The lackadaisical tone in her voice caught the class off guard as a different type of confidence juxtaposed the authoritative one from earlier. Multiple looks ranging from curiosity to disapproval cast down on the young woman, none phasing her in the slightest as she boredly fidgeted with a pin in her hand.
Standing up with a slight anxiousness to his stature, Nate looked straight to address the class. Taking some old advice to focus on nothing in particular to give a public speech.
"Uh…My name's Nathaniel Rockwell, I'm also Cascadian and I guess an interesting fact is that I…Uh I like to build model kits." He stuttered for a moment.
Public speaking had never been his forte, his quick wittiness only extended only to smaller group interactions. Sitting back down he felt a cool wave of relief, the tight anxiety that gripped his chest dissipated rapidly as he finally finished his introduction.
Eyeing Ichika to his right, Nate took in the Japanese boy's features as Kenny stood up to present. A scowl soon crept into view as a displeased Madoka leaned into view, taking his staring past her the wrong way. With no voice she mouthed something at him, judging by the scowl and intense glare, he assumed the worst shrugged before breaking his gaze.
"...Once read five books in a day." Kenny beamed with a smile, clearly having the most fun out of everyone in the entire classroom. His idol regarded him with a raised eyebrow before dismissing him and verbally commanding him to sit down.
As the last of the students finished up their introductions, the temperature of the room finally increased by a few degrees both literally and figuratively. But to Ichika it was still a few degrees chillier than he would have liked. Part of him amusingly wondered if the cold had followed the Cascadian teens into his class.
"Right. Now we can finally begin. My name's Chifuyu Orimura and I will be your primary homeroom teacher this year! Maya has already introduced herself, but I trust that you will all show her the respect that she deserves!" The older Orimura bellowed out, her powerful voice caused a few students to shrink in their seats.
Despite the loud and stern nature of their teacher, many students still swirled with intense adoration and muted happiness as they finally shared a room with their idol. The fact that they would receive a one of a kind education from the strongest woman in the world overshadowed the apprehension in the back of their minds. Chiefly amongst the fears was a sense of dread that centered around keeping up with their peers and one of a kind teacher.
"It is my duty to teach you all to become the best possible versions of yourselves, and I will tolerate no less. If you can't deliver, then feel free to leave!" The black haired teacher's hand snapped accusingly at the door.
"The only one keeping you here is yourself! Neither I nor Maya will chase after you! None of you are children anymore, all of you are here representing your country. What you say, how you behave, and how you perform are all reflections of not just you; but the entire IS Corps of your countries. If you want a normal life, then this isn't the place for you. All of you have some major growing up to do!"
The silence of the class was deafening as no one dared to utter a single word or shift the slightest in their seats. Even Maya felt pangs of fear every time her colleague spoke, part of her felt like she was a student all over again. And for good reason, in the presence of the older Orimura, none in the room could hardly compare. In just her twenty five years of life, Chifuyu Orimura had accomplished more than what most could only dream to have accomplished over an entire lifespan or two. Her words struck hard at the heart and minds of the young women in the class, giving each pause for thought.
"You will all be graded in two categories, theoretical and practical. Maya over here will teach you all about the history and theory of the Infinite Stratos. My job is to teach you how to actually use that. You can't pass our class with one or the other." The stillness of the room irritated the black haired teacher.
"Am I clear?" Her voice rang out. Receiving only silent nods and whispers of affirmation she cursed mentally.
"Am I clear?" Chifuyu yelled more than asking. This time she received audible affirmations that met her bare minimum standard. 'This is going to be a long year.' She sighed mentally while leaning against the wall.
"Well then, let's begin!" Maya exclaimed with some joy in her voice as she began to find her footing amongst the unfamiliar faces. Forcing herself to smile for her students' sake after such a brash introduction.
"All of you should know this by now, but we'll go over it anyways. The Infinite Stratos, or IS for short, was developed in Japan. Originally it started as a space suit, but the numerous military breakthroughs that accompanied it gave the IS a new life." Blazing through the first set of slides, the surface level information hardly piqued the interest of any student. Information about the origins of the IS or the purpose of the IS Academy were common knowledge by now.
Nate feigned attention as he mentally retreated into his own world, the words of his homeroom teacher popped in and out of his consciousness. For his part Kenny flipped through the supplemented textbook on the built-in touch screen in his desk, skipping towards the end to see some of the more advanced concepts they would be learning. May, however, had been scanning a particular section as if she were looking for a needle in a haystack. For his part, Ichika did his best to fill in the knowledge gaps he received from not giving the summer reading a thorough look.
The entire class had been silent, if not bored until Maya hit the topic of the White Knight, the early days of the Infinite Stratos. Continuing her lecture, Maya felt the sudden shift in attention. More eyes suddenly narrowed on her as they became livelier. Grabbing a bottle of water she opened the floor up to any questions as she took a breather. Glancing up, Chifuyu left the wall she was leaning partially against.
As his black haired teacher fielded a few questions, Nate stewed in his mind for a short bit. Part of him wanted to pose a challenging question, one to pick and prod at the White Knight Incident. On the other hand he had no desire to tick off his strict teacher. Despite the popularity and mythos surrounding the White Knight Incident, a great deal of actual detail remained sparse. Notably his own country's response. In his mind no one else in the world was reasonably capable of engaging an IS in head to head combat, only the Armored Core stood in a similar realm.
"This isn't a class about nuclear weapons, both of you can talk about it on your own time." The words grabbed Nate's attention as his stern teacher broke up a debate.
"Well speaking of nuclear weapons, the White Knight Incident was the final catalyst for widespread nuclear disarmament. A lot of you were too young to remember well enough, but the White Knight Incident scared a lot of people. Me included." Maya added at the end, trying to humanize the lecture more as she scratched the back of her head.
In truth Maya could hardly sell how traumatic and damaging the White Knight Incident had been. Where the Cold War brought humanity to the brink of nuclear war, the White Knight Incident realized humanity's worst case scenario in a matter of seconds. The doomsday scenarios were no longer fiction during those harrowing moments. The cultural zeitgeist of the pre–White Knight Incident simply ceased to exist, instead it was replaced with a scared and traumatized people. Entire populations of people were left horrified as they prepared for the end of their lives, and when nothing came of it, they were left to pick up the emotionally shattered pieces that once resembled their psyche. It was no surprise then that the nations of Earth had rallied so hard to dismantle such horrific weapons of war.
No amount of lobbying or military justification could have forestalled the tide of nuclear disarmament. While the world was not rid of all nuclear weapons, the world ending capability they once enjoyed vanished in this new world order. Ironically some of the strongest support had come from those in the service. Regardless of the outcome, the nuclear launches of that fateful day had delivered a devastating blow to the people of Earth, all without a single detonation. And at the center of it was the Infinite Stratos.
"After the dust settled the leaders of the world came together and signed the Alaska Treaty." Maya finished before pausing to observe the confused faces of her Cascadian students.
"If you have any questions Rockwell-kun I'd be happy to answer." Maya prodded as she walked up and smiled at Nate.
"Uh…I just don't really get what the point of the Alaska Treaty is. I mean if it's supposed to bring peace, why are people still building weapons for the IS? Why is it still used in the military? Why build the ISA in the first place" He asked reservedly.
"Ah well. I guess I can see the confusion. The White Knight proved that it was more capable than any nuclear or conventional force. The strike force that was sent to capture it was completely destroyed. But! With zero casualties!" Maya contended as she changed the slides on the screen to a picture of world leaders standing side by side.
"The people who wrote the Alaska Treaty reflected on the combat capabilities of the White Knight. The Alaska Treaty stops all countries from deploying a potential weapon of mass destruction against each other and keeps innocent civilians safe." The answer gave the green haired teacher a sense of conclusion, as if a tough question had been answered.
The hidden truth of the Alaska Treaty had been buried deep within the lines of the treaty. The Alaska Treaty was never designed to stop the weaponization of the Infinite Stratos, if anything it seemed to encourage it. Rather its purpose was to avoid the wholesale slaughter of innocent civilians should war break out. Where nuclear weapons were indiscriminate and affected everyone, the IS was precise.
The Infinite Stratos was championed due to its ability to combine pinpoint accuracy with widespread destruction. Should things come to blows, an IS pilot would train her attention on other IS units and conventional forces, the fallout was considered non-existent to that of a nuclear exchange. Nuclear doctrines of old had long considered civilians a strategic resource along with the cities they lived in. A post White Knight Incident world could not, would not, tolerate such a doctrine.
It was seen as a clean alternative, a modern day weapon for a modern day battlefield. Most importantly it forced Cascadia to the negotiating table. Cascadia's entire nuclear arsenal was created from the ground up after its connection to Earth was established. While it served little tactical and political sense on Terra, its gains on Earth were massive. It took only two particle boosted hydrogen bombs in a show of force to curb Soviet, Chinese and American naval expansion in the Pacific.
In the years before the Infinite Stratos, only nuclear weapons brought genuine power parity between Cascadia and the nations of Earth. However, Dr. Tabanne's wonder weapon tipped the scales greatly. Earth finally had a way to combat the advanced weaponry of the Terrans. The nuclear weapons of old were more akin to a suicide pact than war changing weapons. While the Cascadians could shrug off a concentrated nuclear attack on Lantern Island, the same couldn't be said for the rest of Earth. In the modern battlefield, the IS was simply better.
"Is that all?" The green haired teacher asked.
"Yeah, that's all I had for now." Nate responded as he got the sense that unlike the rest of the people in the classroom, Maya didn't hold his presence in contempt.
"Good, well then we can-" The sound of a bell interjected before she could continue her lecture.
Dismissing her students for one of many breaks throughout the day, the older Orimura pulled a rolling chair for a brief moment's rest. Sighing, she watched as Houki Shinonono made a beeline for Ichika. Her boldness was apparent as she was one of only two girls to approach the boy.
Out of the corner of her eyes Chifuyu noticed a large group of people peering through the hallway windows of the classroom. It wasn't abnormal for students to peer into other classrooms or meet with friends from a different class. But this was different, people were crowding and congesting the large hall like never before, in a way she felt like a zoo animal. A small part of her felt bad for her brother in that particular moment, a thought she quickly dismissed as she recast her attention to two Cascadian boys. Today had been the first time she had seen them in person, curiously she scanned them stealthily trying to get a read on them. Dossier reports hardly compared to the real deal.
Despite having the option to freely leave the classroom, neither Nate nor Kenny dared to leave their seat. Both were acutely aware of the stares from both inside and outside the classroom. The two had faced each other and were in the midst of silent conversation, one that everyone else had trouble following. Joining in on the silent conversation, May hopped onto the edge of Nate's desk. Looking back every once in a while she waited for Houki to finish her conversation with Ichika, though it seemed short of some Cascadian intervention the Japanese boy wouldn't be free for a while.
Lightly kicking Kenny's leg, May led the group of three towards Ichika whose conversation was well past the point of dead. Much to her disappointment, Ichika's engagement with her fell heavily short of her expectations. She found herself leading all the conversations between them, while Ichika responded with less enthusiasm than she would have liked. Nate felt like a fish out of water when he rose out of his seat. The air felt colder when he left the protective warmth of his chair. Forced to allow the triplets in Houki stepped aside slightly.
"So you're the dude who broke everything. Nice to finally meet ya." May casually offered as she extended her hand.
"Oh uh…Yeah nice to meet you." Ichika extended his hand for a warm handshake with a nervous smile.
"It's kind of weird that we never got to meet before. But what are the odds that we're all in the same class?" Ichika continued as he slowly warmed up, thankful that his existence wasn't seen as a challenge.
"I don't think odds have anything to do with this…Arrangement. Guess Li Li isn't celebrity enough to get us into a class with her." Nate offhandedly quipped.
"Celebrity? Me?...Oh you mean Chi-Orimura Sensei." Ichika stumbled, catching a glare from his older sister.
"You're pretty popular even back home. Well you and your sister. A lot more people know about her, but you've made some headlines." Kenny said as he got closer.
"How's the celebrity life treating ya? Sign any autographs lately?" May lightly teased.
"It's uhh…Interesting to say the least." Ichika gave a weary smile, apprehensively scratching his arm as he tried to find the words to describe his situation.
"Wait, your world knows about me?"
"Well yeah dude. You were the only other guy who could control an IS before these two idiots literally fell into one. Ichika Orimura was the only thing on the news for a while, well until news about these two broke." May gestured towards her brothers with a flick of her head.
"Huh. I didn't think it would make the news with all the censorship. I wonder who leaked it." Ichika asked somewhat perplexed.
"Heh. What?" Nate asked as the triplets stared in confusion.
"The censorship. You know, the Invisible Curtain?"
"Invisible-"
"Curtain? What the hell is that?" A puzzled May interrupted Nate.
"Wait, you don't know? All the news that goes through Lantern Island gets censored before it goes to your world."
"Ichika what in the hell are you talking about?" May asked.
"Wait, do you mean the radio interference?" Kenny questioned as he blinked in confusion. Shaking his head lightly and raising his eyebrows in disbelief.
"Yeah I guess, my old school's sensei always said that your country jammed the signals so that normal people couldn't read our news. Something about free press, an Iron Curtain and the Soviet Union. But she didn't explain it really well." Ichika mused as he opened up more. Despite the confusing conversation he unknowingly found himself somewhat relaxed for the first time on the island.
The triplets blinked in total confusion, unsure of what to say or even how to act. Kenny finally broke the awkward silence with a slight chuckle.
"Ichika…I've been watching live IS matches ever since I was seven… My older sister would stay up late with me to watch all the matches. The planetary time zone difference really sucked so we'd have to load up on a bunch of sugar and by the time the matches ended we would pass out on the couch." A befuddled Kenny stammered out while he reminisced.
"I mean yeah the natural interference can be really bad at times, but there's no censorship. At least not from Earth to Terra." May added as she cocked her head sideways while raising an eyebrow.
Somewhat embarrassed, Ichika offered a nervous laugh in response. He wondered if he somehow offended the siblings, mentally cursing himself for bringing up politics. Especially with the only two other boys in the school. A small part of him desperately wanted to apologize, even if he had nothing to truly apologize for in the grand scheme of things. Shaking his head with a sly smile, Nate, smirked at his brother before deciding to lighten the mood.
"Yeah, our resident IS nutjob over here has ruined not just his but also Li Li's sleep schedule because of your older sister. Superfans, am I right. He's even-" Nate humorously said, quickly receiving a light slap to the back of his head.
"Glad to see you found your voice." Kenny rolled his eyes.
"Li Li?" Houki asked from the corner of the group, her tone shifting from passive to agitated. The time she had hoped to spend with Ichika was monopolized away, the ease of which irked her the most.
Nate jumped a little as the voice caught him off guard, a small pang spiked his chest as he looked at the Japanese teen. The rest of the group turned her way, the triplets unintentionally stared her down much to her discomfort. Ichika felt bad for forgetting about Houki's existence momentarily, the Cascadians had positively grabbed his attention way better than she ever had so far.
"Li Li? Oh that's our older sister Liana." May answered, the nickname sounded alien for a second as it came from someone who was not family.
"Huh…We all have older sisters? Isn't that a crazy coincidence Houki?" Ichika gleefully asked, trying his best to introduce his childhood friend who was currently in a one way staring match with May.
"D-Don't bring her up!" A startled Houki hissed at the Japanese boy.
'Sore spot. Duly noted.' May thought as she observed Ichika in damage control mode. Despite his best efforts Houki gave a disgusted sigh of frustration. Quietly hissing his name before turning heel and walking away.
"S-Sorry about that. She's really sensitive about Shinonono-san."
"Why?"
"Because your country ruined her life, why else?" Out of the corner of her eye May spotted a Japanese teen with long black hair. The young woman had been staring her down the entire time, a pin of the Japanese flag laid proudly on her collar. Her intense glare matched that of her equally intense teacher.
"Madoka!" Ichika quietly shot back.
"And how exactly are we responsible?" May asked, slowly bringing her guard up.
"Tch. That's Tabane Shinonono's little sister. What haven't you people done to her family? They've been in protection, moving constantly, ever since your country deemed her family terrorists."
Various murmurs arose as rumors and conversations spread like wildfire. Gossip inadvertently shattered the ice in the room and brought the students together, sowing the seeds of friendship. The curiosity about their all star classmate was equally matched by the feelings of fear and uncertainty as each questioned their place in the class amongst the relatives of IS titans.
"Huh. So she's directly related, I thought she was like a cousin or something." Kenny said much to the amusement of his brother.
"There are things about the IS even the great Kenneth Rockwell doesn't know. I guess there is hope for the rest of us after all. Looks like Li Li's job is secure for now." Nate smirked.
"Your sister's a pilot?" Madoka asked from the corner of the group.
"Not just any pilot, she can pilot both the Infinite Stratos and Armored Core." Nate answered with a grin and hint of second hand pride.
"Huh. Must be new. Now that I think about it, almost all the teachers here have done something noteworthy, but I've never heard your sister's name before." Madoka shot back.
"Nah, Liana's been working here before your sister was even considered for the job. She's also a real pilot, you know…Unlike everyone else here." Nate voiced with misplaced arrogance.
Before Madoka could fire back a hand clamped down on her shoulder, gripping it hard enough to elicit silent pain, forcing her attention away. Staring back at her was a less than pleased older Orimura, her sister's head tilted slightly but her eyes bore deep holes into Madoka.
"I think this conversation has run its course." Shifting her gaze towards Nate and the triplets she regarded them for a moment. "The opinions of a boy, whose sole qualification as a pilot is accidently falling into an IS, are hardly relevant. Let alone worthy enough to rank women against each other as if they were items on a store shelf." Chifuyu disciplined, the constant ranking and benchmarking aggravated her.
Shrinking back physically, Nate murmured an apology while doing his best to avoid eye contact like a child who had just been yelled at by a parent. Taking their leave awkwardly the triplets wandered back to their seats as Houki made her presence next to Ichika known again. Ichika offered a weary smile towards May who shrugged in response. As much as he hoped for a friendly first impression, he was left with an unsure feeling. The earlier comments didn't sit well with him.
Delving back into the lecture Maya could feel a slightly warmer atmosphere, the social temperature of the room having increased by a degree or so. Making good progress through the slides with little to no questions she assumed that the class had done their summer reading to the letter.
"As you all should know by now, there are exactly 7,994 Infinite Stratos Cores distributed proportionally across the world." The green haired teacher pressed on, lecturing the class on the post IS world and the intricacies of IS distribution law. The review material hardly engaged most of the students who did their summer reading dutifully.
Sighing for a moment Maya clenched her fists, her white knuckles hidden by the lectern she stood at. The projector's image had caused the class to hold their breath, the uncomfortable hum of the projector and lights filled the void. A somewhat blurry picture of a completely encased woman filled the screen. At the center of it was an IS donned in full white and knife-like angular armor, the rest of the machine seemed to have parts bolted onto it. The long shoulder boosters looked out of place and tacked on, as if it were never designed for an IS in the first place. If not for a single dark blue stripe with white stars, many would have been forgiven for thinking that it was the White Knight herself. Students stared up at the screen with varying expressions. The image had not been included in any of the summer reading, the sudden introduction of new material had caught all of them off guard in more than one way.
"About three years after Dr. Shinonono revealed the Infinite Stratos, the Cascadians flew their own." Delicately trying to work around the controversial topic, Maya's mind was a whole ten steps ahead of the words that came out of her mouth.
"After some back and forth, Cascadia was finally allowed to sign the Alaska Treaty. The IISRC or International Infinite Stratos Regulatory Committee was also formed. Their job is to track the movement of IS cores across the world." Maya finished as multiple students raised their eyebrows in response.
A hand raised up, a short haired blonde teen with an inquisitive smile. The glasses added to the overall look. "Mrs. Yamada, how did they get a hold of an IS core? Also, didn't the Alaska Treaty say that countries and organizations couldn't trade cores?" Olivia asked.
"Uh…Well the IISRC isn't exactly sure how they got their hands on a core." Maya awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "And you're correct. The Alaska Treaty doesn't let you transfer cores. However, the Cascadian delegation was insistent on a don't ask policy for their first few IS cores. It was in the best interest for the world that Cascadia signed the treaty, so some exceptions were made for them."
"Do you think they stole it?" Another student asked.
The question drew visible agitation from some students, Kenny was particularly annoyed. Two other Cascadian students in the back shot each other an annoyed but amused look. Rolling their eyes with a quick huff.
"Mrs. Yamada, what about the Stafford Atol Incident?" One of the two students in the back asked.
"I uhh…I'm not really sure how that relates?" Maya nervously responded, shooting a look at her coworker. Taking the cue, Chifuyu stared back at the student.
"My aunt says that an Armored Core shot down an IS." One of the two in the back said with the smallest hint of smugness and pride.
"Oh that conspiracy theory." Another student rolled her eyes.
"And do you have something to add?" Chifuyu redirected to the Japanese student.
"A fighter plane and some drones were shot down over the Lantern Island chains. But a bunch of guys got together and said that the Cascadians shot down an IS. Which is basically impossible."
"Do you have any proof?" A voice from the rear shot back.
"Do you?" Madoka snapped, sharply eyeing her classmate from the corner of her eye.
"Even your own government says that it only shot down some drones and jets." Madoka's words quickly shut the Cascadian teen up.
"If you people really shot down an IS, why would your country try to end the world? Especially with nuclear weapons." She continued, driving the proverbial nail further and further.
Madoka's words weren't entirely untrue or unfounded. Official channels maintained that only drones and fighter jets were shot down during the Stafford Atoll Incident. Despite that, many were left skeptical. Cascadia's overzealous claims across the Pacific had long been contested politically, but it wasn't until about three decades ago did the militaries of Earth finally conduct regular right of passage operations. Yet despite that, Cascadia had never once issued a threat of nuclear annihilation even in situations that involved a loss of life. However, the Stafford Atoll Incident was entirely different, for many Earthers it suggested that the power of the Infinite Stratos was so great that there was no option but to fall back on nuclear weapons. Some even believed that an Armored Core not only faced off, but lost badly against an IS that day. Further supporting the theory that Cascadia had no answer to the wonder weapon that every nation but Cascadia had on Earth.
"No! The only reason you people would try to kill us all would be if your precious Armored Core was destroyed, especially by an IS." Madoka continued, her classmates nodding in support.
"There aren't any IS units that can outrange an Armored Core. It's basically impossible for an IS to get close, even if they have better shielding than an AC." May broke in with a matter of fact tone.
"Well IS pilots are better anyway, we'd be able to close the distance with no problems." Another student proclaimed proudly.
'We?' Chifuyu raised her eyebrow in muted disbelief and amusement.
"Uh. All the AC pilots deployed on Lantern Island are Elite Guard units. They're also very…Highly trained and uh…Skilled." Nate nervously voiced. Referencing the large Cascadian island on Earth with its large contingent of military units.
The immediate stares sent his way silently telegraphed that his opinions weren't welcome nor needed. A message he and Ichika seemed to catch onto immediately as they shrunk into their seats. Any measure of bravado or confidence had been decimated. Ichika's desire for class participation had taken a nice long hike at that very moment.
"One woman's veteran is another woman's newbie. For all we know we're better trained. Plus when was the last time your country faced an actual enemy in a war." A student behind Nate blurted out.
"Didn't all your pilots die to a bunch of farmers? Can't have been all that great at fighting. Our entrance exam was probably harder than any war your 'pilots' ever fought in." The quip brought light laughter as the ice in the room had been completely thawed over the shared bonding experience.
A couple students in the back of the class gritted their teeth in frustrated anger. Their fists balled painfully as they did their best to compose themselves. Chifuyu sighed tiredly. Politics was never something she was ever fond of. Yet she found herself near it constantly, whether it was during interviews or in the classroom, someone always wanted to know her opinion. Inwardly she figured it was a question of when, not if, she would have to break up a physical fight due to politics that neither student could vote or were alive for.
"As interesting as all this is, we have strayed quite far from the original topic. Stafford Atoll officially has nothing to do with the IS! And lastly, let's make one thing absolutely clear, none of you are combat pilots nor will you leave this academy as such. I don't know who or what gave you the idea that you could stand toe to toe with soldiers, let alone veterans. Only two people managed to defeat an instructor in this classroom. The rest of you survived the allotted 9 and a half minutes, just barley. All of you would be turned into fine red paste against a wall if so much as a determined opponent looked your way. Both now and when you graduate. You aren't soldiers, you're students with a long way to go." Chifuyu sternly lectured, redirecting the lecture back to Maya.
While Maya continued the lecture, Chifuyu internally mused on the verbal beatdown. The irony that she had been using words once lectured at her had not been lost. Despite her best efforts she could tell that not all of the students were satisfied with her decree. Least of all the Representative Cadets. With their new found power and machines, it wasn't out of the ordinary for the young women to have a sense of inflated power. Not even the words out of the world's strongest IS pilot could break their spirit. Though she figured that it wasn't entirely a bad thing, at some point the old had to give way to the new.
Despite the occasional question and ego flexing between students Maya had been able to stay ahead of schedule. Time had served to increase her comfortability with the new class as she picked up on her student's mannerisms and behaviors, unlike her colleague who always kept her students at an arm's length. For her part, Maya was all too happy to play the role of the doting teacher. Teenagers were already going through a tough enough time, the added pressure of being an IS pilot was hardly conducive to their mental health. She enjoyed being there for her students, helping them both in and out of the classroom.
A bell rang out as Ichika closed his eyes in burning relief. Opening them he saw the tall figure of his former childhood friend standing tall above him. The sight of a familiar old ribbon in her hair gave him a quick moment of reminiscence back when the term childhood friends accurately defined their relationship.
'Wow she's fast.' He thought as Houki shot a glance to his sister who answered with an unimpressed look.
Seeking to avoid any drama, Madoka turned off her terminal and made a stealthy escape to the cafeteria. Bidding Ichika a silent and mental good luck. Eventually she would have to deal with Houki, much in the same way Ichika had been doing so far, but eventually didn't mean it had to be today.
"So uh…Lunch?" Ichika tried to break the awkward silence. "With them?" He quickly added much to Houki's dismay. Her face made no attempts to hide her disappointment.
'Smile through it Ichika…Just smile through it.' The Japanese boy thought.
While the two may have been childhood friends at one point in time, both had grown so much during their separation that they might as well have regarded each other as strangers. The fact that they were sleeping in the same room hadn't made things any easier. One assumed that they could pick up right where they had left off, the other silently wanted to start again. Waiting by the windows both stood around awkwardly as the Rockwell triplets received an earful from their strict teacher. Apparently calling their own older sister by her first name was inappropriate at best, and downright disrespectful at worst.
Though he cringed at the fact that his older sister was actively sabotaging potential friendships with the only other boys in the school, he appreciated her consistency when it came to following rules and respect. For as long as he'd known her, his older sister had always run a tight ship and expected discipline and respect from those she kept company with. He admired her honesty in that regard, the fact that she remained honest to herself both home and outside. A quality that he looked up to but had enough self reflection to realize that he was being hypocritical in the situation regarding his childhood friend.
"Some welcome." Nate bemoaned, having bore the brunt of the talking to.
"Sorry about that. Ch-Orimura sensei can be a bit like that when it comes to work." Ichika nervously laughed, hoping to smooth things over.
"Yeah well, sisters, am I right." Nate quipped back, shrugging his shoulders with a smile.
"And what's that supposed to mean!" May jokingly punched her brother's shoulder.
"A whole lot of things." Nate laughed while tapping his forehead.
"If there's anything wrong with me, both of you have it worse." She mocked. Resting her arm on Kenny's shoulder while the group of five made their way to the cafeteria.
Despite having a sister of his own, two in fact, Ichika still felt a sense of unease towards the siblings. Everything about their relationship seemed off, the joking, teasing, and the physical closeness was completely alien to him. In a way it felt unnaturally warm compared to his own relationship with his sisters. He still loved his sisters, they were family after all, but there was a sense of comfort in the triplets that he didn't have with his sisters. While the triplets leaned on each other figuratively and literally, he couldn't recall the last time he had hugged his sisters, yet he knew they still cared for him.
Despite the intense stares and questioning looks sent the triplets way, it was Ichika and Houki who bore the brunt of uneasy feelings amongst the group. Houki felt as if she were being judged for associating with the boys and Cascadians. That their reputation and behavior was somehow an indication of her as a person.
As the group pressed on, less and less students obstructed their way. The majority of the campus had split up across the island to visit the various cafeterias. Much to her relief, Houki finally let her guard down. A mental load lifted off her mind as inquisitive eyes all but disappeared from the path the group had taken. A sudden blur caught her attention just as she had a moment of relief. Whipping her head around and she saw an arm reach around Nate from behind. Yanking him back the figure's arms tightened across his chest, pulling him into a hug.
Leaning back Nate saw the familiar face of a brown haired woman smiling back at him. Running her hands through his hair, ruffling it affectionately.
"I'm surprised you managed to wake up on time." She spoke monotonously, taking off her sunglasses.
"Hey! I've never woken up late for classes."
"Are you forgetting who carried you out of bed and into the bathroom for the longest time?" The woman sarcastically said while fixing the boy's hair. Styling it into a more school appropriate look compared to its earlier messy design.
'Who the hell is she?' Both Houki and Ichika's minds synced. Despite knowing English, neither could pinpoint exactly what the woman was saying. It was as if the words were on the tip of their tongue, but the translation was lost completely.
"How was class, I see you've made some friends already. Surprised you didn't scare everyone off." The brunette looked at Ichika and Houki.
Noting the lack of an Academy uniform the two stood stunned for a moment before exchanging a greeting.
"Good afternoon sensei."
"Sup!" The woman greeted back in normal English, flicking her wrist up that was wrapped around Nate's shoulder in a greeting.
"Oh. This is Liana. Our older sister." Kenny noted
"Orimura's kid?" Liana asked her younger brother who nodded in reply. The words were still just out of reach for the Japanese teens.
"The other one's Tabane's." Nate noted. Houki's face remained stoic despite her displeasure. Even though she couldn't translate everything, she could still make out her sister's name.
Liana gave the two a small smile in return, seeing through Houki's facade. "Relax, I couldn't give a damn." She said in Japanese.
"So, your sister's really your teacher huh. That must be…Interesting," Liana continued.
"Ah well. I wasn't really expecting that to be honest. I was a bit shocked when I got my schedule at first. More family time I guess, Ch-Orimura sensei spends a lot of time on the island." Ichika laughed lightly.
"Smooth sailing for the rest of the year eh. Put in a good word for these three." Liana smiled while Houki silently disapproved of the casualness. Further annoyed that some random teacher was able to engage Ichika more than her.
"Orimura sensei heh." Kenny snorted while Ichika scratched the back of his head with an awkward feeling over him.
"What about her?" Liana raised an eyebrow at her younger brother.
"Nothing Mrs. Rockwell, just that it's highly disrespectful to use your first name. You know, even though we're related." May answered with a sarcastic tone.
"Mrs Rockwell?" Liana questioned, somewhat taken aback. Her smile faded.
"Funny, you used to call me mom for a while. I didn't raise you all these years to be called that. So don't. Seriously. Did your teacher put you up to this?" She continued in a language only the triplets could understand with an annoyed tone.
May slightly nodded in response, confirming her older sister's subscriptions. Audibly sighing, Liana scratched the back of her head with her sunglasses as she recomposed herself. "Where are you headed? Everyone's already eating." She asked in Japanese.
"Cafeteria, somewhere uh… A little quieter than everywhere else." Ichika responded.
"There's a smaller cafe by the north beach. You'll have to pay, but I'm pretty sure there's a student discount. Not many people go there, not a bad place to lay low for a bit."
"That…Actually sounds really nice. Thanks."
"Mhm. Good luck avoiding the crowds though. Everyone's itching to get their eyes on you three." Liana pointed to the three boys. "Don't worry you'll have your time in the spotlight soon enough." Her fingers shot sharply at Houki.
Ichika and Houki stared back blankly, unsure how to respond. Houki felt a sense of tension tug at her chest as she considered the fact that she too was at the heart of IS politics. The walls in her mind closed in on itself as she realized that her thoughts about the academy were no longer abstract, rather they were very real now that she was stuck on the island for the next couple of years. Despite the uneasy feeling she maintained her strict composure, betraying no emotion.
"Anyways, I have a meeting to catch with your teacher. If you need any help or get into any trouble, give me a yell. You two as well." Liana concluded with the same warm smile she met the group with.
Putting her sunglasses back on Liana started down the hallway, disappearing as swiftly as she entered.