Chapter 5: Academy Stars
Staring at the cafeteria menu, Ichika did his best to avoid the concealed glances sent his way every so often. To their credit, the women weren't as overt as his classmates, but the attention was felt regardless. When he and his newfound friends stepped into the cafeteria, they expected to see other students. Yet it was teachers and staff as far as the eye could see.
Carting their trays the group of five students found a corner seat, somewhat hidden away from prying eyes; just barley. The cafeteria's menu had a decent spread, each found something interesting enough to order. For an academy as prestigious as the ISA, no less was expected. Picking through their meals the teens ate in silence for a few moments, all out of their element in the sea of adults.
"It's…It's not bad." Ichika opened as he ate a piece of his salmon.
"Could use some more ginger." Houki quietly complained, her displeasure muted in the presence of so many staff members.
"What'd you two get?" Ichika asked, observing Nate and Kenny eating a dish he had never seen or heard off.
"Oh. It's a Cascadian dish. Basically vegetable soup, but the broth is seasoning for the noodles. Well…It's not supposed to be noodles, back home we have this really thin bean sprout plant. It's clearish, but super absorbent." Kenny explained, slurping down a mouthful of wheat noodles.
"Yeah our brother nails them perfectly. I don't think I've ever seen anyone get it as good as his, even restaurants. Really hard to get the sprouts to absorb it correctly." May chimed in, biting her sandwich.
"Huh. That actually sounds pretty good. You'll have to show me how to make it one time." Ichika pointed his chopsticks at Kenny.
"She meant our older brother, none of us can pull off that dish. Or anyone here." Nate raised the thick udon noodles with his spork.
"You have an older brother?" Houki questioned, her eyes boredly plucked away at her own meal.
"Yeah. Actually, he's Liana's twin."
"Twins and triplets huh. That's quite the family." Houki stated blandly.
"Must have been a really cramped house. Hopefully you didn't have to share beds. I bet it's really quiet now that your parents have the house all to themselves." Though he outwardly laughed, Ichika silently cringed as he saw no such similar response from his new friends.
For a moment the triplets shifted uncomfortably, each staring at their food without saying a word. Though it lasted a fleeting moment, both Ichika and Houki had managed to catch the sudden mood change.
"Well. Our real parents died when we were really young. Liana and our brother raised us, so they're basically our parents." May said.
"Our older brother's basically our dad. But Liana's more like a really old sister. She still has that strict edge to her, but like. It's not the same as our brother's. I'm not really sure if that makes any sense?" Kenny added.
"You're right. She's cooler!" Nate laughed.
"That's not what I meant-" Kenny tried to defend, losing his focus when he turned to his smiling sister.
"I mean. He's not entirely wrong." May tried to say with a straight face, remembering a few choice memories between her older brother and sister. "You get what I mean right?"
"Yeah. Chif- Orimura sensei is sorta like that, but also not at the same time. She raised me and my sister herself. But she's not really a mom. She'd kill me if I called her one." Ichika laughed along with the Cascadians.
"Madoka would always call her mom growing up and Chifuyu would always yell! 'I'm not that old!' I remember when Chifuyu went to Madoka's first parent teacher conference, Madoka would tell her that only moms could go." Ichika cracked up.
The sudden tone shift in the conversation had caught Houki off guard as she finally finished her meal. Washing it down with a drink, an annoying feeling crept over her. It had been near torture the past couple days trying to dig up her childhood friend's past ever since she left. Yet here he was. Spilling his life's story so freely to people who couldn't even speak his language fluently.
"So who'd you end up staying with after I left?" Houki cornered.
"Oh uh…Well we stayed with another friend of mine. They had a spare room. But that didn't last too long. You remember Dan, right? We moved in with his family after that. His mom and grandad officially adopted us, but Chi-"
"Orimura sensei." Houki interrupted.
"R-Right. Orimura sensei still raised me and Madoka though. She hated when Ren-san or Gen-san tried to parent us. I think that's why she always showed up for parent-teacher nights and skipped her opening ceremony for ours. Me and Madoka went to different schools, so she'd have to run from one school to the other, and then all the way back to hers across town." Ichika smiled.
"I see…Well, Dan's okay I guess." Houki concluded, satisfied that her strategy worked.
"They were great, even if we didn't really have any space growing up. Dan's house was a bit cramped, since they lived on top of their restaurant, but we made it work. Me and Dan shared one of the bedrooms. Ran, Madoka, and Orimura sensei slept on futons in the living room." Ichika said, interrupting and quietly shutting down Houki's further attempt at cornering him.
Rambling on some surface level stories, Ichika whittled down the time on the clock. Denying Houki the opportunity to ask further questions. Though unknown to him she ate whatever he sent her way happily. Anything was better than nothing in her mind, the ringing of a bell annoyedly cut short her time with Ichika. The older women around the young students began to filter out, taking their covert gazes and perked ears with them.
Sitting down, Ichika was grateful that the passing period had only been five minutes for the first time in his life. Nearly every student across the academy had dashed for their classrooms, showing up late to class on the first day, of all days, was the perfect way to get on the bad side of one's teacher. The rush of students had meant that few if any had spared him any attention as he made his way back to class.
Taking her spot at the front of the table, Maya flipped through some note cards before turning the projector on again. Displayed on the screen was a map of the island with various arrows pointing to different locations.
"Welcome back everyone. I hope you all had a good lunch! Glad to see you were all able to make it back on time." Maya cheerfully said.
"Being on time is the bare minimum. If you're in this class, I expect impeccable behavior and timing. Skating into class just before the bell rings doesn't get you any points! You won't always have class back here after lunch. I expect all of you to plan well and accordingly!" Chifuyu yelled, casting a directed gaze at a group of girls who just managed to take their seats before the second bell rang.
"I want your buts in seats when that bell rings. Am I clear?" She continued, receiving a verbal affirmation.
An eerie feeling set upon the students as the novelty of having Chifuyu Orimura as their teacher gave way to reality. Despite the diverse cultural backgrounds, many quickly came to the same conclusion. She wasn't just a force to be feared on the field, but also the classroom.
"Before we continue any further, there are a few things we have to go over as a class. During your time here we expect you to use the IS suits on the island or any personal units you may have brought. There are multiple training areas where you can practice on your own or with a group. Our three main dry arenas are built to Mondo Grosso and Major Circuit specifications. So you can train and fight like the real thing!" Maya cheerfully exclaimed, her hand wagged at the projected map.
Three long oval stadiums were spread across the island. The massive gray buildings boasted a large tower as well as four hangars and launch bays. Its large size allowed for a great deal of IS activity to take place within it. From the standard IS combat matches to more artful events that resembled synchronized swimming or dances. One could even race through obstacle courses or set up an impromptu firing range for practice. All with an audience thanks to its impressive directional shielding.
"These arenas aren't just for combat, you can even create a play or film a movie!" Maya excitedly showed a few pictures featuring students from previous years putting on a play for a packed audience. The towering set pieces too large to fit on any conventional stage.
"For those of you who don't have your own IS units, there are training sets on racks in all arena hangars. You'll have to sign them out and you can only use them during certain hours under supervision." She continued, displaying an image of a signout form.
"As to the special ones." Chifuyu eyed a few select students in the room with a steely gaze. "You are not special just because you have your own personal IS. There are designated areas where you are allowed to use your IS. Under no circumstances are you allowed to use them outside these areas without supervision."
A hand popped up, however the black haired teacher's gaze was quick to chop it down.
"You are not rescue workers. You are not firefighters. You are not medics. And you most certainly are not soldiers! There is nothing you can do in an IS that the staff can't handle. Am I clear?" Chifuyu barked. Audibly the class affirmed, much to her satisfaction, they had learned.
"In addition to the dry arenas, we also have multiple wet arenas. We're surrounded by water after all." Maya halfheartedly laughed, drawing a few smiles from the class.
"These arenas are marked by buoys and floats. Unlike the ones on the islands, there are more wet arenas than dry ones and they can be used more often. Both the north and southern side of the islands have shallow sections for training in addition to deeper sections for more exciting matches. You'll be using these areas a lot more than the dry arenas. To the east we only have deeper sections, but they're mainly used for matches. Unfortunately, students can't book them." Maya excitedly pointed at a map of the island and the surrounding boxed out zones.
"I hope you all know how to swim." Chifuyu off-handedly commented with a smug tone.
The expressions on some of her students' faces were enough to stumble her train of thought.
"You all know how to swim right?" She questioned with concern and surprise. The lack of reaction both annoyed and slightly worried her. "Raise your hand if you don't know-"
"If you can swim, raise your hand!" Maya quickly exclaimed, cutting off her coworker whose emotional intelligence rivaled that of a child.
A few hands remained down in a sea of raised hands. Among the non hand raisers were all the Cascadians and a few other students. All embarrassed with sheepish expressions on their red faces. As students retracted raised arms, Chifuyu was forced to make a mental note as a noteworthy portion of the class didn't know how to swim, lessons were in order. A bad prospect for the students who found themselves living on an island.
As Maya rambled on about the wet arenas and its quirks, Chifuyu leaned against the wall once more. Staring down her class, making occasional eye contact with those whose eyes had dared to wander from Maya. Patiently she waited for a moment that never came, if Maya wouldn't set her up, she figured she'd have to make her own.
"What's across the ocean to the East?" Chifuyu sternly asked the moment Maya went for a sip of water.
Despite the obvious question, no one had offered up an answer. Raising her eyebrow at the class, Chfiuyu silently swore under her breath.
"Oh? So this is how it's going to be? The next time I ask a question and don't get an answer all of you will be doing laps around the stadiums. What's across the ocean to the East?" Chifuyu bitterly spit out.
Selected, a blonde teen shot out of her seat.
"Lantern Island and a large vortex known as The Eye ma'am!" A British teen with long hair answered nervously.
"Wrong! Sit down…" Chifuyu drew out while squinting.
"Alcott ma'am." Cecilia said, taking her seat.
"The only thing to the east is Cascadian territory. I don't care how contested those island chains are. I don't care what your government says, I don't care what you believe. I don't care if your parents, aunts, uncles, great grandmother or whoever disagrees. For all intents and purposes, the ISA treats them as Cascadian territory. And you will too!" Chifuyu pointed to a Pacific map pinned onto the side of the classroom.
Sandwiched in between Japan and Midway Island was Lantern Island. A large island that by all accounts could have been its own country. The large landmass had been created on Earth as a result of a freak event. A cloud of ash had formed over the Pacific that slowly grew in size during the late 1960s, early 1970s. Its size spanned a large portion of the Pacific, swirling like a cyclone at speeds that shredded anything that got close to it. When it finally receded, into a much smaller but permanent form, Earthers were shocked to see a massive island instead of an empty ocean in the area.
Island chains spread from it in all directions like tendrils. All created during the late 1980s and early 1990s by much smaller but extremely dangerous ash cyclones. Cascadia was quick to stake its claim on these islands, claiming a decent portion of the Pacific at the same time, as they refused to recognize the concept of international waters in between the island chains. Such claims were constantly challenged, however. Yet it wasn't until the Stafford Island incident had the Cascadians reacted so harshly to an interdiction of their airspace. The numerous dogfights and shootdowns had oddly never fazed them, both in the past and present as certain countries resumed aggressive right of passage operations.
"Let me be clear, if you go east. We cannot and will not help you if you piss off the Cascadian military. If you go past the sea borders of the academy, cross their islands, you lose any and all diplomatic protection you currently enjoy. Do I make myself clear? No one will chase after you, no one will come to rescue you. You. Are. On. Your. Own! " Chifuyu loudly lectured, the words reverberated off the students' chests like loud music at a concert.
Verbally the class responded, digesting the dire warning with different feelings. Some felt a little sick whereas others were nonchalant. Confident in their abilities and the power of the Infinite Stratos. The weapon that had managed to scare even the Terrans. Despite the heavy topic at hand, Maya had managed to return things to a calmer state as she resumed her lecture. Giving a tour of the island in presentation form while answering questions from the somewhat shy class.
For several hours Maya continued her first day lecture. Discussing the mandated talking points she was forced to recite. Occasionally Chifuyu would step in to play the role of the ever stern and loud teacher, barking and reinforcing the most important points. If the students were to take anything from the first day, she hoped it would be her words of warning. Though the class had a few more breaks throughout the day, many elected to stay in the classroom around their seats. A few bold students decided to have hushed conversations amongst each other. The first day quietness of her class didn't faze Chifuyu as much as it did for Maya. As a red sky settled over the island, the final bell rang at last. Just in time for Maya to finish her last remark. Despite covering only light content, many of the students were tired. Even the few who intended to make their mark, instead, desperately wanted to crash onto their bed.
The closest dining hall that operated this late during the first week was not a short walk. Unfortunately for the freshman class all students who attended the academy were required to live on the island. Both Chifuyu and Maya looked forward to the dinner that they had set aside in their dorms.
Exiting a bathroom, Ichika sighed in relief. Drying his hands on his pants he strolled down the empty and dimly lit hallway. Houki was nowhere to be found, though he didn't mind at all. For one reason or another, she had decided to no longer wait for him after class, not that it bothered him. He didn't hate Houki per say, just that their relationship was awkward at that moment. Observing the students in the courtyard he stared at them, they looked like tiny ants from up high.
For the first time that evening he noticed that he was alone. Unfortunately for the Japanese teen the Cascadian triplets had a meeting with a counselor. Chifuyu had warned him about the constant exposure and attention he would be receiving. How every second of his life would be under a microscope, based on his sisters' reactions he expected to be stalked constantly. Dan, his old friend, had noted how he'd be 'mister popular' all of a sudden. That there'd be lines of women asking him out or the likes. Yet it felt more like a circle. A circle of people that formed and moved around him wherever he went. Observing him, never getting too close, as if they were magnetically repulsed by him. Plenty of stares were sent his way, though scant words ever made it to his ears. His twin sister's prediction that slurs or constant bullying turned out to be false, much to her disappointment he was sure. Madoka wasn't one to concede defeat so easily.
Punching the numbers on a keypad a brown bottle rattled and fell to the bottom of a vending machine. Reaching for it he popped the metal lid as his stomach grumbled, gulping the cold coffee his stomach accepted it less than enthusiastically. The cafeteria lines he had earlier scouted were far too long for his liking. A chorus of voices sang out from the long human chain as students conversed. The last thing he wanted to do was wait in a line, exposed to everyone.
Taking a seat on the picnic table right across the vending machine he plopped his school bag next to him. The quiet area was far removed from any cafeteria or students in general. Unwrapping some gum he chewed on two sticks while sipping his cold coffee. A trick he learned from Dan's grandfather who attended college while poor. Of course, sleeping right after was part of the equation, but he figured that there would be no harm in delaying that. Blue light just barely illuminated him as he chewed and drank on, staring endlessly into the lapping waves of the beach.
Staring intently at the waves, Ichika's mind replayed a few memories. Most of them involved Dan and his family. Arguably his only actual family outside of his sisters. Growing up neither he nor Madoka had ever even seen photos of his parents. A purposeful move by his older sister who sought to erase any existence of them. The image of his parents based on Chifuyu's drunk rants were hardly glowing in the slightest, often accompanied with a whole slurry of swears and slurs. Of course, he didn't buy the fact that they were simply bad or alcoholics, the pure revulsion on Chifuyu's normally stoic face was too visceral to be made up. Pain, as clear as day, was behind her eyes whenever the topic came up.
"You're a ways off from any dorms or dining halls." A voice called out from behind Ichika, startling the teen.
Anxiously he whipped his head around to find a somewhat cloaked figure. Her clothes and the dark had made it impossible for him to identify her. Punching the keypad, the blue light of the vending machine illuminated her coat and frame, but betrayed no identity. Sitting across him she popped the top of her drink, staring at the dark horizon under a bright moon.
"You eat anything? Coffee and gum isn't exactly dinner."
"I uh… How?" Ichika was left stunned at the woman's sharp eye.
"Being poor is a pretty universal thing. Well, multiversal technically." She smiled holding up a green gum wrapper. "If I was extra rich that day I'd chew on the bundle of mint that I used for some mint tea."
Recognizing the tone of voice, Ichika sprang into action. Though he stopped half way as the woman opposite him defensively put her arms out.
"Let's not do that alright. Besides, I'm retired and you're no soldier." Liana smirked.
Sitting back down Ichika tentatively nodded, accepting her presence. For a moment the two sat in silence, though Ichika found himself unable to relax. In truth his guard had been up the entire day as usual, but his heart pounded faster than ever. Sipping her coffee, Liana stared off into the distance absent mindedly. Despite the lack of sunglasses on her face, Ichika could hardly get a good look at the older woman. Suddenly her hands reached into her inner jacket, pulling out a small rectangular container she poured its contents into the metal can.
Crossing her legs, Liana leaned back with relief while taking a long sip from the spiked coffee.
"You ever think you'd end up in a place like this?" She lightly chuckled.
"Never." Ichika quietly said, unsure at her angle.
"Yeah…Never thought I'd end up here either." Resting her head against her arm Liana slowly sipped her drink.
"Have you uh… Is this your first year teaching?" Ichika questioned.
Shaking her head Liana remained silent.
"Oh. Orimura sensei is pretty new to it. Well, kind of. She was teaching at-" Catching himself, Ichika stopped before he accidently incriminated his sister.
Despite the obvious pause, Liana hardly cared. Instead a different thought was flowing and contorting through her mind. One that had been on her mind all day, Ichika's words triggered a reaction just as she had got over the gnawing thought earlier.
"Do you normally call her Orimura sensei? Seems a bit odd to refer to your older sister that way, right?"
"Well it's just respectful really. She's my teacher so it's only right that I address her as one."
For a moment Liana chewed on the response, unable to comprehend it despite her best efforts. She figured it was something to do with culture, though she couldn't tell if it was a Japanese attitude or a wider belief held by Earthers. Either way, it wouldn't be the first thing Earthers and Terrans disagreed on.
"She told me the exact same thing, said she wanted me to call her that as well. Something about honor and respect. If my kids called me that, I'd think of it as a demotion." Turning her face, Liana's eyes made contact with Ichika's.
"Is she really just your teacher? I'd think that the woman who raised you is worthy of something more. I'm plenty of people's teacher, but only a big sister to three. But hey. Who am I to disagree?"
Surprised, Ichika wondered what exactly the two women had talked about. Chifuyu had hardly opened up about their past to anyone, especially the media. Almost all biographies about her seemingly skipped her childhood, starting only with her explosive entrance onto the competitive IS stage. To say that Chifuyu was a private person would be an understatement, an impressive feat in a word where data was bought and sold as if it were a stock.
"Did…Did she say anything else?" Ichika probed, trying to hide the nervousness.
Shaking her head Liana disappointed the teen. A look slipped through Ichika's natural defenses, one that she smirked at. Though she had no intention of teasing him over it, this time.
"What happened to that girl with you earlier?" Liana questioned, snapping her fingers while closing one of her eyes.
"H-Houki?"
"That's the one! Two of you looked…Close."
"We were childhood friends, she had to move a while ago though. I haven't seen or talked to her till now." Ichika said.
"I bet that was quite the reunion."
"Yeah…It was unexpected. I didn't know she'd be coming to the academy or that she'd be my roommate…" For a moment Ichika stared at the woman pensively, concerned deeply at a stray thought that had pierced his mind.
"Can I ask you a question?" His mouth moved despite his brain's protest.
"Bit late for that don't you think?" Liana nodded her head with a smile.
"Is Houki-Are…Will anyone do anything to her?"
Sighing, Liana reclined flat against the bench. Disappearing from view. Crossing her legs up she stared at the night sky.
"If you're asking me. I really don't care about your friend or her sister. I- My colony has more important things to worry about than them." Lifting her hand up, Liana's open palm partially covered the moon, parts of it glistened in between her fingers.
Light danced in the empty space of her stretched fingers, glowing with a sparkle as if they were fine jewelry. Clenching her fist, as if she were stealing it, the moon disappeared from her view. Leaving only a starry night sky sparkling around her fist.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
Looking up, Ichika stared at a dark and ordinary sky searching for the meaning the woman across him had lost herself in. Unable to spot anything in the ordinary night sky he sat in silence as Liana's arm was the only thing he could see of the woman.
"We don't even have stars where I'm from. Did you know that? The clouds are nearly permanent. During the day you can't see the sun, the sky just glows like one of your cloudy days, other times it's completely red. Like the world's angry at us. When it's night, there's no moon or stars. Nothing. Just black. Pitch black…Somehow it always gets darker when it rains ash." Taking a deep breath she exhaled the crisp air.
"When I first came here, I spent my first night just staring up at the sky. I'd never seen a moon or star in my life until then. It was so…Beautiful." Liana remembered, feeling incredibly small underneath the stars.
Speechless Ichika stared up at the night sky. It was common knowledge that Terra was a heavily polluted planet. So polluted that a permanent cloud stained the sky. But the idea that a grown woman could go her entire life so far without seeing something as mundane as the moon or stars was shocking.
"I just want to enjoy the peace with my kids. Another war is the last thing anyone wants." Liana somberly mumbled.
Struggling to find the words to respond, the only thoughts that bubbled up to Ichika's mind were that of guilt. Plenty of rumors surrounded the Cascadian women who taught at the academy, yet first contact had completely missed the expected mark. The word peace was the last thing he expected to come out of her mouth.
"H-Houki's not a bad person, she's just in a tough position. It's not her fault. And… I just-"
"There's nothing wrong in looking out for her. Actually, it's pretty admirable." Liana said.
"Oh. Thank you." Ichika's face reddened. Thankful that the woman across from him couldn't see him.
"Just don't burn yourself out kid. You can't live her life for her, it wouldn't be fair to either of you."
Sipping their drinks the two staved off hunger as the night passed. Slowly warming up to her, Ichika answered some questions the instructor opposite him had. In return he learned a bit more about her world and her time on the island. Unfortunately for the Japanese teen, the secluded spot he hoped to claim was already claimed by the woman across from him. Every night Liana made the long pilgrimage to the secluded picnic table at the edge of the island, relaxing without anyone to bother her. Luckily she offered to share, smirking as she made him promise to not tell anyone about the area. The sky above Ichika sparkled a bit more than usual now that he gazed upon the stars with a different perspective.
"It's getting pretty late. You should probably hit the bed soon, you don't want to end up like some of your classmates tomorrow."
"I really need to get a watch." He chuckled as the two cleaned up the table.
"Here let me carry that. I'll walk you back to your dorm." Liana said.
"Oh uh…Okay." Dumbfounded for a moment, he handed her his bag.
Despite it, he found it in himself to relax the guard that he had been keeping up the entire day. It felt good to no longer have to constantly look over his shoulder. Chifuyu had reassured him constantly and well in advance on how safe the island was. But certain past experiences had unfortunately impressed themselves permanently in his mind. Yet for the first time in a while he had found it in himself to take a chance on someone, the irony that it was on a Cascadian hadn't been lost on him.
Strolling down the near empty campus, a few students hung around sparsely. Chancing the fact that they could wake up in time for tomorrow's class. The quiet corner the two had met was far from any freshman dorm. A fact that Ichika made note of when he noticed that a few of the students looked almost as old as Chifuyu or Liana.
"So uh. How long have you been an IS pilot? Or were you…" Ichika's voice trailed off.
Nodding her head Liana remained silent for a moment.
"Armored Cores. I used to pilot Armored Cores. Spent a lot of time teaching other pilots how to pilot, did a lot of cross training with the IS units back home. It's how I ended up here."
"Huh. For some reason I assumed all the staff were veteran IS pilots."
"Most are. A lot of the instructors here are former tournament pilots. The same ones your sister used to compete against. You should have seen everyone's face when people found out she was joining the academy as an instructor." Liana chuckled.
Smiling, Ichika imagined a few funny reactions, in truth he did recognize a few of the instructors' names. Especially the poor pilots who had constantly faced her tournament after tournament. Despite the immense power of the IS and its widespread adoption, most of its pilots came in the form of younger women. The ISA was in a unique position where the majority of the practical instructors were among the first few pilots of the IS. An era for the IS that would never repeat.
"Must be awkward to work with the people you competed against." Ichika giggled.
"Oh I'm sure. It's like a cop going to jail. She gets along well enough with others though." Liana lied.
"So if you were a pilot, does that mean you had one of those cool nicknames?"
"Ha!" She laughed immediately. "If you wanna find out, you're gonna have to buy me a few drinks first. You're a couple years too early for that… And besides, there's no such thing as a cool callsign."
Coming up on Ichika's building Liana handed Ichika's bag back to him. Bidding farewell he made the hike back up to his dorm, cursing the number of stairs he had to climb up. Despite starting the day with some serious misgivings and apprehensions, a part of him ended it with some hope for the future.
Groggily students around Classroom 1-1 silently moaned. Some had red eyes, others dark circles under their tired eyes. Many as it seemed had taken their newfound freedom a bit too far, barely getting any sleep among other things. May took particular note of two girls in the back who were clearly nursing a particularly painful hangover. Despite that, both Maya and Chifuyu continued on. Discussing the day's agenda as the class was about to embark on an impromptu field trip. Reading down a list, Chifuyu split the class in half, amongst them the younger Orimuras and Rockwells.
While Maya disappeared with her half of the class, those under Chifuyu tiredly got up and headed down a different direction. Stretching his arms up, Nate slowed his pace until he was in the back of the group. Quietly he unwrapped a candy bar from its foil sheath. A serviceable meal considering he, along with the rest of the class, had missed breakfast. No one had told them that the cafeteria would be closed for breakfast during the first week. His teacher was all too happy to lecture the students on how real pilots don't have time to eat all day and lounge around. He doubted his sister, an actual soldier, would react positively to such a statement.
Under a sweltering sun, the students under Chifuyu's watch stood in a miserably long line. Each waiting frustratedly to get access to their keycards.
"Name and country." A woman unfazed tapped away at a computer.
"Uh… Nathaniel Rockwell. Cascadia." Nate answered.
Surprised, the woman looked away from her computer screen for the first time. By now the majority of the class had gotten access to their keycards. This was the first time she had seen one of the boys.
"Right. Give me your student ID." Satisfied she punched some keys on her keyboard as a machine behind her went to work.
Catching up with his siblings he waved the keycard at them. Tapping or inserting the thick metallic card into a scanner would grant them access to facilities across the island academy. Different clearances afforded some students greater access, especially in the domains that considered information and data. Curiously of the three, May was the only one to have a dark blue card. A single white line ran down the far side of it.
"General Armament's Federal Colony of Cascadia." May drew out disappointed, the words plastered in bold across the back of the card.
"Does that mean something?" Ichika questioned, approaching the group.
"Nah, it's nothing." May shook her head.
"Why's yours different?" Ichika asked his sister who walked into the group.
Madoka's card contained a classic angel like IS emblem silhouetted atop a red background.
"Isn't it obvious? It's because she's a Cadet Representative. Obviously, they need a way to distinguish her from everyone else. Esteemed and important people get special equipment and access." A blonde teen spoke with a haughty British accent, shaking her head in disapproval at Ichika.
"And you are?" May asked, both annoyed and intrigued by the blonde.
"Hah! Now that's a good joke. It's quite obvious who I am. The two of us are alike." The teen pointed towards Madoka.
"Sorry, but we really don't know who you are." Ichika retorted, confused.
"I am royalty! How could you not know!" Gasping the blonde brought her hands to her mouth. "Boys." She huffed, shaking her head with dismay.
"I have no idea who you are either." Nate came to Ichika's defense.
"As if anyone cares about what an alien like you would think." The blonde scolded.
"I am Cecilia Alcott, noblewoman and servant of the crown! England's top Cadet Representative and the one who scored the highest on the entrance exam. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Cecilia pointed to her chest proudly, extending her other hand with a bright smile.
Squinting at Cecilia, Madoka quickly shot a sideways glance towards May whose mouth opened slightly. The two shared an unspoken conversation in less than a second. Confirming that neither were in fact crazy or unjustified in their own feelings towards the long blonde haired teen.
"I have no idea who the hell you are. But we are not the same! And you will never be me!" Madoka shot angrily, slapping Cecilia's hand away with all the contempt she could muster.
"Stay away from me and my brother!" Madoka harshly whispered before grabbing Ichika's arm and tugging him away from the blonde teen.
"Damn. It's kind of funny you had to take an entrance exam when I got in for free." Nate smirked.
"Sorry about-"
"No!" May drew out loudly, cutting Kenny off quickly.
Dragging a protesting Kenny, Nate caught up with Ichika further down leaving the British teen alone with May.
Shrugging her shoulders, May's eyes flattened like her older sister's. Gently she cocked her head towards her brothers.
"Stay away from them if you know what's good for you." With a fake smile May left a silent and dumbfounded Cecilia by herself.
Shocked, Cecilia held onto her keycard as if it were the only thing grounding her to Earth. Of all the possible outcomes, she never expected this. Blinking for a few moments she looked up and around, sheepish and embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed red as she felt her stomach churn a bit, her eyes did their absolute best to avoid the gaze of those around her.
"You're a special brand of stupid aren't ya?" An American woman behind another computer giggled. Smiling at the free entertainment that made her day.
A/N: The start of the story is always the hardest part. This chapter alone went through three separate re writes. Now that the ball is rolling things should be easier to plan out.
Q/A:
"When are we going to see Ravens/Lynx/Arms Forts etc.": Soon, very soon. Because there are two points of views story wise, I plan on having a few chapters dedicated to each side before flipping. With the release of the Academy sections, it's time to deal with the Armored Cores. As for AI, there are a lot of interesting things that I have planned for the AIs on both worlds. Terra and Earth are hardly alike even if the land looks similar. Their approaches to culture, war, science, and morality don't necessarily line up.
As always, I don't own Infinite Stratos.