Chapter 85 - A Request - Schale Patrol
...
After being inundated with paperwork for three days, I got a text in the evening from Mio, the delinquent I offered a job to when I first went over to Trinity.
Hey, Sensei. I don't know if you remember me, but it's Shigaraki Mio.
Yeah, I remember you. You still wanting to join up with Schale?
You know it. I'm gonna bring one of those recruitment forms you put online a while back.
Ah, right. That was a thing, wasn't it? Schale recruitment forms. I posted them on the Schale website back when I first got to this world, hoping someone would use them to join up, but strangely, no one did. The only students who are a part of Schale are the ones I've met/helped out. Arona and I made their joining official later, but no one actually filled out one of those things.
I actually posted updated versions of them a few days after coming back from Trinity. Mio got me thinking about them, so...
Plus, two of my friends wanted to join too.
They fill out those forms too?
Yup.
Well, swing by tomorrow if you three have the time. I'll help get you girls acclimated with the place and the jobs we do.
Really?
Let me text them real quick.
After a moment...
They said they'll come.
We'll be there tomorrow morning.
I'll be waiting.
Yes! You won't regret this, Sensei!
"She seems excited." Arona happily says, peering over my shoulder, currently in her physical body.
"I'm glad for her. If she's willin' to turn her life around, I won't stop her." I say, closing my phone, before yawning. "Ugh. Hungry?"
"Yes!" Arona chirps, always hungry.
I reach over and happily rub her head. "C'mon." I say, stopping the head pat as I stand up. "Go ahead and get the table ready, I'll start cookin'."
"Right." Arona says, nodding with determination.
"Sensei! Mio and two other girls just arrived in the building!" Arona alerted me as I sipped my coffee in the morning.
"Ah." I say, sitting down the cup. "Let 'em in."
A few minutes later, Mio comes in, wearing that same grey uniform as she did when I saw her last, save for the black face mask, which she has pulled underneath her chin. She's also still toting her SMG. Two girls flank her, both clearly looking like fishes out of water.
"Sensei, we're here!" Mio happily says, a smile on her face.
"Nice to see ya again, Mio. Who're your friends?" I ask.
"Kyouichirou Agura." The girl on the left introduces simply, with a slightly deep pitched voice. She has short yet curly blonde hair and eyes. She too wears a black face mask, also held under her chin. She wears a long, grey coat and baggy pants of similar color. The color of her clothes and the black high heels resemble Mio's and the other girl's quite a bit. Both Agura and Mio have the same logo on their left arm, whereas the other girl has it on her skirt. Agura's coat is also wide open, revealing her toned stomach and her chest, which is only covered by a sarashi- bandages wound tightly, thought they're usually under kimonos. She carries a black minigun and her halo is comprised of two white rings- one inner and one outer.
"I'm Yuina Hikuidori, though most just call me Hiku." The other girl introduces, standing taller than the other two, with Mio being the shortest. She has short, black hair done in a bob cut with a strange ponytail coming front the top of her head that falls onto the side, as well as small, black eyes. The same mask is under her chin, like the other two. She wears a grey colored, summer school uniform for females as a top, although it's quite short, revealing her bellybutton. You can't see all of her stomach as she wears a long skirt that covers it and all of her legs save for her ankles and feet, the latter of which are also covered with black high heels. She also has on fingerless, black gloves, carrying a black shotgun in her hand. Her halo is a single white ring.
"It's nice to meetcha, Agura, Hiku." I smile.
"Long story short, the three of us used to go to the same school before it got shut down. After that, we all ended up in gangs and... you can see how that ended up." Mio says, a bit sadly.
"Which school?" I ask, curious.
"The Asamiya Gunfighter's Academy." Hiku says.
"It was tiny, barely anyone even heard of the place when it was open." Agura says, sounding upset just remembering the name.
"It certainly wasn't the best place, but it was better than where we've ended up." Mio adds.
"You mean WHERE you ended up." I correct. "Now you've ended up here."
Agura scoffs at my jest, while Hiku snickers and Mio giggles.
"Anyway, you said you three filled out those forms?" I ask.
"Yup. Right here." Mio says, taking the three papers out from her skirt. I take them and glance over them quickly, not actually reading anything.
"Hmm." I hum, sitting the papers down. "Welcome to Schale."
"Eh?" "Huh?" "Wha?" The three girls squeak, wide eyes.
"Just like that?" Mio asks.
"Did you even read those damn things?" Agura all but growls.
"Look, I'll be honest- you three are the first ones to even fill out one of these damn forms." I reveal, causing them all to blink. "The only other people who filled them out just did it so they could join up and meet with me, usually writing 'meeting Sensei' as their main reason. Schale isn't all about me, it's about helping out and doing good. Mio already knows this, but I was in a situation similar to you three's."
"Yeah." The blonde says.
"She mentioned that." The tall girl confirms.
"Then you know that I know what it's like to be stuck in a situation where no one tries to help. No one was there for me, so I'll be there for you." I say, before looking serious as can be. "Everyone deserves a second chance and a helping hand."
The three girls' eyes widen at that.
"I was right. You really are a nice guy, Sensei." Mio smiles.
"Seems you were." Hiku smiles.
"I still think you're way too trusting." Agura scoffs.
"I'm just tired of always looking over my shoulder and being suspicious of everyone and everything. That's all." I say, a bit somberly.
Agura blinks, before her gaze turns to one of... acceptance? Either way, she seems to understand what I mean.
"Also, I mentioned this to Mio, but Schale is a big place. There are a lot of empty rooms, so I'll be sure to get you three each a room downstairs." I say.
"Actually, could we get a single room?" The tall girl asks.
"Hm?" I blink.
"Memories of Asamiya, huh?" The blonde asks, smirking a bit. Hiku nods.
"We all slept in bunk beds at the dorms." Mio explains.
"That's fine. Hell, those rooms are tall, so I might be able to find a triple bunk bed or somethin'." I suggest, earning some intrigue from the girls. "That floor also is fully decked out, with kitchens, bathrooms, and living rooms. It's basically a dorm there, which is probably what it was meant to be. You three are free to stay as long as you like."
"Really?" The short girl asks, smiling. She earns a simple nod from me.
"Ah, right. One more thing. If you're gonna be living here, you oughta meet Arona." I say.
"Arona?" Agura asks.
"He means me." Arona says, popping up on a screen nearby, surprising the three girls.
I hear Agura mutter, "Cute..."
"I'm Arona, Sensei's AI assistant." The tiny girl explains.
"AI?" Hiku asks, wide eyed.
"What, so you're NOT just video calling?" Mio asks, dumbfounded.
"Nope, I'm in Sensei's tablet, though I do have a physical body." Arona explains cheerfully.
"Which I got some girls from Millennium to make for her." I add. "You might see her around, either on screens or walking around the place. She's kind of an open secret around here."
"I... see..." Mio says, slowly.
"A-Anyway-" Agura stutters, surprising me. Heh, Arona's cuteness is dangerous. "-, what do we even DO here, anyway?" The blonde asks.
"Basically help me out with either paperwork or commissions we get. Other than that, do whatever you want. I'm not gonna dictate your lives. Just be sure to bring your stuff tomorrow, I should have the room fully set up by then." I explain.
"Is there anything we can do today?" Hiku asks.
"Nnnnot particularly." I say, thinking it over as I speak. "I had a horrible amount of paperwork the other day, but it's died down. And I haven't gotten any new commissions, so-"
And just like that, Schale's landline rings.
"It's from... Fubuki?" Arona says, cutely tilting her head in confusion.
"Eh? Why's she calling and not texting?" I ask.
"Maybe it's something important." Mio suggests.
I nod, pressing a button and answering the call. The hologram on the phone lights up, revealing Kirino and Fubuki. "Hello, Sensei!" Kirino chirps.
"Hey." Fubuki lazily adds.
"Hey yourselves. What's got y'all callin' me?" I ask.
"It's pretty short notice, but we could use your help." The whitette says.
"Long story short, there's a bunch of events going on all at once today, so we could use some backup on our patrols." Fubuki explains, before grinning. "Then we remembered the best helpers in Kivotos."
"So you just want Schale to help ya patrol?" I ask.
Kirino nods happily.
"The Public Safety Bureau is usually in charge of security for events like these." The lazy officer explains.
"Though there are a lot of big events happening around the DU today. We came up with the idea to ask for your help while going over the security detail since we're so short-handed." Kirino adds.
"So can you help us, Sensei? I doubt you've got much else better to do." Fubuki says, earning an eye roll from me.
"F-Fubuki!" Kirino chides. "You can't just say that!"
"Still, how can you turn down a request from one of your adorable students?" Fubuki says, smirking. "Don't be so cold-hearted. I promise we'll share our donuts with you too. Come on!"
"Honestly..." I say, shaking my head. "Keep yer donuts. I'll help."
Fubuki chuckles. "Now you're talking my language!"
"You're lucky I just got three new members who're wanting to help me out today." I say, glancing over at the three girls. They all nod in silent agreement.
"Even better." The lazy cop smiles.
"Th-Thank you!" The bubbly cop says.
"Meh, it's no big deal. I'd be glad to lighten your load." I say, quickly speaking again when Fubuki opens her mouth. "Though not to the point of getting out of work." I say, pointing at her.
"Sheesh. Who do you think I am, Sensei?" Fubuki deadpans.
I deadpan back. "Lazy."
Fubuki eyes me for a sec, before shrugging. "Still, this is important. Keeping smiles on people's faces is what the Valkyrie Police School is all about."
Kirino and I blink at her honesty. "It's so rare to hear you show so much school spirit, Fubuki! You're gonna make me cry!" Kirino says, emotional.
"Plus, all of the shops will give me their leftover donuts when they see how hard I'm working. Win-win, right?" The lazy cop grins. "It pays to be a Valkyrie Police School cadet!"
"There it is." I groan.
"Fubuki!" Kirino chides with a gasp. But the shorter girl just chuckles.
"Anyway, thanks for agreeing to help us with our patrols." Fubuki says. "See you in a bit, Sensei."
And with that, the call ends.
I shake my head. "Honestly, that girl." I say, turning to the other three. "Welp, looks like you three have your first job here."
Mio and Hiku smile as Agura nods, the corners of her lips raised a bit.
After breakfast- which resulted in the trio praising mu cooking skills-, we came out to the shopping district to find that the city was bustling. All the big events prompted shopkeeps to have limited-time sales and the like, en masse.
"Wow! I don't think I've ever seen this place so busy!" Mio says, looking all around with wide eyes.
"It's pretty surprising." Hiku adds.
"It's pretty annoying." Agura groans, constantly shifting to squeeze past people.
"I figured it'd be busy, though not like this." I throw in my opinion. "I just hope Fubuki and Kirino aren't havin' too hard a time."
"Ah. Sensei." A monotone voice calls out. Turning around, I find-
"Sena. Long time no see." I greet the Gehenna student.
She nods. "Good to see you as well. You appear to be doing better."
I chuckle. "Yeah, well, that was a mess for everyone involved."
"So what are you doing out here? Shopping?" The nurse asks.
"Nah. I'm out with my new members here-" I say, gesturing to the three girls. "-goin' to help Valkyrie students with their patrols."
"New members?" Sena blinks.
"Not every gang member wants to stay one." I say simply.
Sena blinks, mulling over that info. "I see. It would make sense for Schale to help students in need."
I nod, happy she understands. The trio smile as well, if you count Agura's lips twitching as one.
"So what brings you here?" I ask.
"I was told there would be dead bodies." The nurse says.
"""Huh?""" The trio all say with various degrees of emotion.
"I beg your pardon. I meant to say. I was told there would be numerous wounded from combat." Sena corrects. "So I've been patrolling the area as part of my club's activities."
"Get used to that verbal tic of hers." I suggest to the trio. "Still, I didn't realize the Medical Emergency Club did that kinda thing."
"With the amount of people out and about today, we've made an exception, like we do for holidays." Sena explains. "Coincidence or not, there are many events being held today, and it's our job to help protect the people and make sure there aren't any problems and that people can enjoy today's gatherings and be happy." She says with a small smile, before turning serious. "However, that is why we must remain all the more vigilant on a day like today. Some ne'er-do-wells may use today as an excuse to target places selling limited items. I've already dealt with three such cases this morning. Conflicts can also arise over rival merchants, or worse still, forces beyond our understanding can clash, causing trouble for everyone. There's no telling how many dead bodies could litter the streets- Er, I mean, how many people could get injured. There isn't a moment to rest on a day like this in Kivotos."
"Fair point." Agura agrees.
"This city can get pretty crazy at times." Mio adds, Hiku nodding.
Sena smiles a small smile from their understanding. "I find times like these to be the busiest of all, as the Medical Emergency Club president. Now if you'll excuse me, there are more disasters for me to prevent."
I smile. "Good luck, Sena. Lord knows problems are bound to arise."
Almost as if it were fate, as soon as I said that, we all hear an explosion. Must be a strong one as the ground shook.
"Oh, goddammit, I jinxed it, didn't I?" I groan.
"Wh-What's going on?" A shopkeeper asks, frightened.
"A building suddenly collapsed!" Another says.
"The fuck?" I ask. Collapsed? What could've caused something like that?
"Look! The news!" Another shopkeeper says, pointing at a tv.
"Breaking news! This just in from DU Shopping District number three!" The announcer announces. "The wanted criminal known as the Fox of Calamity has been spotted! At citizens in the vicinity of the shopping district are urged to evacuate!"
Another explosion goes off as citizens and shopkeepers all begin to flee around us.
"Oh, crap! This is bad!" Mio says, afraid.
"Very bad." Hiku adds.
"Fuck." Agura says, simply.
Wakamo, huh? I haven't seen or heard from her since we fought back when I first came to this city. No one's heard anything from her. Why show up now?
"Sensei! What are you doing? We need to run!" Mio shouts, shaking me.
"Run? This is exactly what our job is. We need to protect the civilians and help Valkyrie arrest her." I say seriously.
"Sensei, do you even KNOW how this is?!" Hiku shouts.
"Yes, I do. I fought her when I first came to this city." I reveal, causing the trio and Sena to blink. "But that ain't important, we have a job to do. I understand this is well above what you three were expecting to do, but we need to help. I'll be right there with ya."
The trio remain silent, apprehensive. That is, until Mio speaks up.
"What do we need to do?" She asks, lifting her SMG.
Hiku and Agura look at each other before nodding, readying their weapons as well.
I smile at their determination.
"No. I will assist the civilians, you four go and help with the arrest." Sena says, readying her pistol.
I stare into her yellow eyes for a moment, seeing her resolve. I nod wordlessly and she runs away.
"Reporting from the shopping district! We've got eyes on the suspect!" A Valkyrie student reports over her comms as our group enters the front of a mall to find them shooting at Wakamo. I say the front of a mall, but there's a massive hole in the wall.
"We don't know what you hope to accomplish, but there's nowhere to run! Surrender now, Kosaka Wakamo!" Another shouts.
"Oh crap." Mio says, seeing Wakamo walk out from smoke. I place a hand on her shoulder. As she looks up to me, I smile and nod reassuringly.
"My, my. You gnats again." The masked girl growls. "Move. You're in my way." She pulls out her bayonet and returns fire. The cops scream as they duck for cover.
Wakamo giggles, an admittedly beautiful sound. "How bold of you to assume you could stop me~ The time has come. What I've been longing for is within my grasp." As she turns to leave, the kitsune hops back from a few bullets, aimed at her legs.
To my surprise, Sena walks in. She pauses, looking over and nodding to me, before facing Wakamo again. "Threat identified. As the Medical Emergency Club president, I cannot allow you to injure any more civilians. We already have enough work on our plates."
My eyes fall to the other side of the room, where Fubuki, Kirino, and some other cops are sneaking in.
"This is a surprise. You don't seem like a Valkyrie student." Wakamo hums. "Oh, dear. Why must so many people get in my way? All I want is to-"
"Enough!" I shout.
Sure enough, Wakamo freezes upon noticing me. Seems like my idea worked, remembering when she froze upon meeting me in the Schale basement.
"An opening!" Fubuki shouts. Kirino shoots away from Wakamo, yet the shot smacks right against the side of her head, not her mask.
"Now!" I shout, but before anyone else can fire a shot... Wakamo tilts a bit before falling over, her halo fizzling and disappearing before she hits the ground.
"Eh?" I blink, as does everyone else, all having their eyes blown wide.
"What the...?" Kirino asks, cautiously walking over to the downed kitsune. "...she fainted."
"What the hell?!" Agura shouts.
"It was that easy?!" Mio shouts.
"Heh?!" Hiku also shouts.
"Are you serious?!" Fubuki shouts.
Sena walks over and handcuffs the unconscious girl. "Suspect restrained. Excellent work, everyone."
"Huh?" The white haired officer asks, dumbly.
"You CANNOT be serious!" The shortest of the trio shouts.
Wakamo was arrested. I still don't know what happened.
"Way to go, Kirino! You took down the Fox of Calamity like it was nothing! This is a big deal!" Fubuki cheers.
"B-But I don't think I..." Kirino protests weakly. "I'm not even sure what happened. How could a single bullet knock her out?"
"Eh, don't sweat the details." The lazy cop shrugs. "Regardless of how it happened, you managed to subdue one of the infamous Seven Prisoners." She compliments, only causing Kirino to shrink in on herself. "Talk about bragging rights."
"Y-You think so?" Kirino asks, kinda hopeful.
"I still don't see the big deal with these Seven Prisoners. The only one I've even heard of is Wakamo." I say, dismissively.
"Oh, yeah, apparently they're big shot criminals and stuff, though they've been hiding since they broke out of the Corrections Bureau." Fubuki explains.
"That was back when Sensei first came to Kivotos, right?" Hiku asks.
"Yeah." I nod. "Like I said before, our small group ran into Wakamo when we went to get the Schale building back, but no one's seen her since."
"I'm surprised you managed to beat her so easily." Mio says.
"Eh, less 'beat', more 'she ran off'." I correct.
"I don't know much about them, but she used to go to Hyakkiyako before she got suspended, right?" Agura asks.
"Yeah, then an entire third-year squad from SRT had to take her down." Kirino explains. "I seem to remember one of the other prisoners being from Shanhaijing and the other... what was she? A thief?"
"Something like that." Fubuki shrugs. "Anyway, the Fox of Calamity is a moniker she earned, not one that was given. She brings destruction with her everywhere she goes."
"She and the other prisoners escaped while the General Student Council was in disarray after their president went missing." Kirino adds.
"And if they're called the Seven Prisoners, and Wakamo's THIS big of a deal, that means the other six are bad news to, huh?" I ask.
"That's an understatement." Mio says. "Those girls are infamous around the entire city for a reason."
"Nn." Agura nods. "Six more girls as bad as her could be anywhere in the damn city."
"Scary stuff, huh?" Fubuki smirks.
"Meh, not really." I say, earning a wide eyed look from the girls. "I've faced worse."
"Come on. At least sound a little scared." The lazy cop groans.
"I'd rather not lie to my students." I say, crossing my arms with a challenging smirk.
"Anyway, Wakamo is considered one of the most violent among the Seven." Fubuki changes the subject. "She'd been laying low since that last incident, so I was wondering what she might be up to. I didn't expect to run into her today, that's for sure. I bet we could snag a pretty nice reward for this." She smirks.
"Knock it off, Fubuki." Kirino sighs. "That's all you ever care about..."
"That and donuts." I add.
Fubuki pouts. "Anyway, thanks for the help you all. We'll treat you to something nice if we really do get that reward."
"That's quite alright. I was only carrying out my duty." Sena says.
I nod. "Same here. Use that reward for yourselves."
"Come on! No need to be so modest." Fubuki grins.
I shake my head as my thoughts go back to the calamitous kitsune. Why did she freeze when she saw me? She did that too back in the basement of Schale, but why?
"Sensei?" Mio asks. "What's wrong?"
"Was Wakamo acting... off?" I try.
"What do you mean?" The white haired cop asks.
"It seemed she had some kind of goal in mind with her attack. She became flustered when we confronted her." The medic explains.
"She froze when I shouted." I correct. "Come to think of it, I ran into her in the Schale basement right after our fight and she froze up before running off."
"Maybe she's afraid of you?" Hiku suggests.
I hum. "We just can't see the full picture, I guess."
"Well, no use thinking about it now." Fubuki grins. "There's no point in trying to apply logic when it comes to how a criminal like her thinks. She's in custody now, so it doesn't matter anyway."
"Maybe..." I mutter, still concerned about it for some reason. It's like my sixth sense is going off like crazy.
With a beep, the comms on the police girl's uniforms turn on. "Come in, all Valkyrie units in the DU. The wanted criminal known as the Fox of Calamity has been arrested. Requesting the support of all Valkyrie students in DU to help transport the suspect. Please come to East Street as soon as possible."
"That means us, Fubuki! We have to go!" Kirino says, ever energetic.
"Aw man... Haven't we worked enough for one day?" The lazy cop grumbles. "Walking all the way to the Corrections Bureau sounds like a pain."
"Don't be like that! We arrested her, so we have to see this through to the end!" The white haired cop says.
"Yeah, yeah... The last thing I want is to submit a written apology for ignoring orders. That would probably wipe out any hope of our reward too." Fubuki says, upset. "Oh well. We'll be right back, Sensei. Make sure to keep patrolling while we're gone."
I smile and nod.
"See you soon!" Kirino says as the two leave quickly.
"Hmph. That's that, huh?" I grin.
"Looks like it." Mio adds.
"We should both be getting back to our patrols now." Sena suggests.
"Yeah. You wanna join us?" I ask.
"I would like that." Sena says with a small smile.
"Hm. We've been patrolling for a while now, but we've yet to spot any dead bodies." Sena points out. "Sorry, I mean to say wounded."
"That's a good thing, yeah?" Agura asks.
"Yeah, that means our jobs are easier." Hiku adds.
"You shouldn't sound disappointed about that." Mio points out.
"Please don't misunderstand. Naturally, I don't wish to see any dead bodies." The medic says. "I mean, I don't want to see anyone harmed... We'll, perhaps I do have a morbid curiosity."
"Eh, I think a lot of people have that." I shrug, despite the trio's strange looks they're flashing the Gehenna girl.
"However, I'm being sincere when I say I don't want anyone to be harmed." Sena continues. "After all, the nature of our club means that when there's no work, there's peace."
"...You've thought about this a lot, huh?" I muse.
"Yes, but that does not mean I cannot be disappointed." Sena adds.
I let out a bark of laughter at that while Mio lets out a giggle. We walk a bit farther before I see someone I recognize. She appears to be helping out with a pug man.
"Is that someone you know, Sensei?" Hiku asks.
I nod and see her and the pug man going separate ways. I walk over to her, "Yo, Chihiro!"
She blinks in surprise. "Hm? Sensei? And a Gehenna student and...?"
"Some new Schale members." I supplement.
"We're all patrolling the festivities." Sena explains. "My duty is to keep an eye out for dead bodies."
"Dead bodies...? Is this patrol sanctioned?" The hacker asks.
"She means wounded. It's just Sena's verbal tic." I explain. "What are you up to, Chihiro?"
"I was asked to check the security systems around the festival at Valkyrie's request." The bluette explains. "I'll be updating any out-of-date equipment and making sure things such as sensors and sprinkler systems are still compliant. A lot of work goes into making sure such large gatherings like this are safe for everyone involved."
"Sounds like it." Mio observes, sounding impressed.
"It's nothing I can't handle." The hacker brushes the comment off. "Besides, it was a formal request made directly to Veritas. I have to pick up the slack now that President Himari has taken a leave of absence."
I smile. "You're real impressive, huh, Chihiro?"
"You don't have to flatter me." Chihiro scoffs, looking away to hide her faint blush. "Anyway, you said you're on some kind of patrol?"
"Yeah, two Valkyrie girls asked Schale to help out." I explain.
Chihiro hums. "I still have more security systems to check out. Would you like to come with?"
I look to Sena and the trio.
"I don't see why not. There could be dead bodies waiting to be discovered." The medic says. "I mean, injured people who need our help."
"Helping out is kinda Schale's job, right?" Mio says, Hiku and Agura nodding along. But as we being to walk together...
BOOM
"Was that an explosion...?" Sena asks.
"Yeah." I say, narrowing my eyes.
"What now?" Agura groans.
"Maybe a pipe burst somewhere?" Chihiro suggests.
"Didn't sound like a pipe explosion." I correct. "More like a vehicle explosion."
Sure enough, a nearby tv swaps to the news. "This just in! Moments ago, a Valkyrie police van escorting a criminal to the Corrections Bureau suddenly exploded!"
"Are you kidding me?!" Hiku shouts.
"Her again?!" Mio shouts.
The tv announcer continues. "As we speak, a number of gangs have taken advantage of the situation to cause chaos!"
"Are you kidding? What kinda assholes would take advantage of a situation like this?" Agura shouts.
"You sound kinda angry." The hacker observes.
Mio sighs. "After our school shut down, the three of us ended up in gangs, but our groups weren't evil. We didn't go around hurting people and breaking stuff willy-nilly like this! We just did what we could to survive!"
The hacker and medic blink at the admission, before looking at me. "What? They're tryin' to turn their lives around. What kinda teacher would I be if I didn't help students in need?"
Sena gives me an appreciate look as Chihiro sighs. Then, my phone rings. Picking up the call from Fubuki, she appears as a hologram.
"Sensei, come in!" The lazy cop worriedly shouts.
"Go ahead." I say.
"That was the Fox of Calamity escaping just now. She's mobilized the gangs to steal an armored car and weapons from Valkyrie!" She says, frantic. "We need your help, Sensei! If we don't catch her, then it'll be a lot worse than having to write an apology letter- I might have my vacations days cut!" I roll my eyes. "She was last seen heading towards-"
BOOM
But she's cut off by another explosion nearby.
"I think I know where she went. Call ya back. Send backup." I say simply. The five girls around me tense up as Wakamo walks from the smoke of the explosion.
She giggles dangerously. "I know this scent. I never let my prey get away once I've set my eyes on it!"
Oh great, she's after me. And sure enough, behind her are a bunch of gang members. Wakamo giggles as the gangsters with RPGs aim them at us.
"SCATTER!" I shout, everyone managing to dodge the explosion centered on us. "Mio, Hiku, Chihiro, focus on the ones with RPGs! Sena, Agura, keep suppressive fire! I'll focus on the small guys and keeping Wakamo at length! We need to buy time for the Valkyrie to get here!"
"""""Right.""""" They all say in unison.
Normally, I'd be a bit more proactive and leap forward, but seeing as how they have RPGs and Wakamo in their back line, I need to stay back. Pulling my assault rifle from the Shittim Chest, I open fire on some small guys, taking them out quickly with precise shots. Mio, Hiku, and Chihiro quickly remove the RPG wielders from the equation as Sena and Agura also focus on the small fry, making sure none of them move too far away.
Wakamo, strangely enough, doesn't move. This pattern repeats itself until the kitsune joins, firing a few shots at the six of us, likely due to her forces thinning. It didn't matter, seeing as how Valkyrie showed up right at that time. With our powers combined, we managed to overwhelm the calamitous fox and knock her out again. Wakamo did hold her own, seeing as how Fubuki and Kirino were the only Valkyrie girls left awake by the end of it all.
Fubuki sighs in relief as Wakamo gets handcuffed again. She smiles at me saying, "We caught Wakamo again and avoided a disaster thanks to you, Sensei."
"Thank you for your cooperation!" Kirino adds.
I just wave her off. "Just doin' my part for the community."
The police girls giggle at that.
"Wasn't that Valkyrie equipment they were using?" Chihiro asks. "How did they get their hands on it?"
"Another thing, how did she rally all of those gang members together so quickly after escaping?" I ask.
"That WAS really quick." Mio adds.
"We'll, uh... It was sort of stolen in the commotion." The white haired cop awkwardly explains.
"Plus, Wakamo's kinda known for pulling off crazy stuff quickly." Fubuki adds. "I'm almost surprised she didn't get more helpers."
"How could the police school allow such valuable equipment to be stolen so easily? It's unacceptable." The hacker says with narrow eyes. "How is the police school's security system? Does it utilize auto-lock and user verification? Which company's verification system do you use? If you tell me the name of the software, I can figure out how they got around the verification process."
"Well, as for a security system... I think it uses a password. Maybe?" Kirino says, unsure.
"You mean you were using only a one-step verification process?" The hacker asks.
"Yup. I'm pretty sure it was the Security Bureau captain's birthday." Fubuki adds.
"The hell? So my phone is tougher to crack then the police school?" Agura says, surprised.
"Honestly, even Sensei's stupid password is more effective." Chihiro groans.
"Oi!" I shout.
"Oh, and people usually forget it, so they usually leave a note in with the password inside the patrol cars' glove boxes." Fubuki adds.
"...How could Valkyrie be so careless when it comes to security?!" Chihiro growls.
"W-Well, our funding has been down since the General Student Council president's disappearance, so we couldn't even upgrade it if we wanted to." Kirino awkwardly explains.
"The fuck?" I all but growl. "What kind of idiot wants to lessen police's funding? We had enough problems with that shit back home. Who gets you your funding?"
"Th-The Chief Defense Officer of the GSC... What was her name again?" Kirino says.
"Shiranui Kaya." Fubuki supplements.
"Yeah, that's her!" Kirino remembers.
"Good, now I know who to complain to." I smirk.
"Uh, Sensei? That smile worries me." Mio says.
"It should worry anyone who's been lessening Valkyrie's funding more." I say.
The hacker sighs. "Whatever the case may be, I'll just have to take matters into my own hands."
"Come on!" Fubuki says. "Yeah, it was rough going for a little while, but we caught her again. No harm done!"
"What about the buildings and various other public structures? The stop signs and street lights? Those are looking pretty harmed." I deadpan. "And I wouldn't be surprised if the reconstruction is billed to Valkyrie." Fubuki stills. "They might even cut all of your vacation days."
"Sorry about her." Kirino interjects. "I keep trying to tell her to take things more seriously..."
"And I keep telling you not to sweat the small stuff." Fubuki counters.
"They might even cut your pay. How will you afford donuts?" I slyly ask.
Fubuki looks at me, aghast. "Oh, you are cruel, Sensei."
"Eh? It worked?" Kirino asks, shocked.
"A-Anyway, is it just my imagination, or did she go straight for Sensei after she escaped?" The lazy cop asks.
"You mean it might not have been a coincidence?" The bubbly cop asks.
"I thought it was strange that she showed up here so quickly." Sena adds.
"She even said something about 'not letting her prey escape'. Her and her goons also focused firing on everyone but me." I point out.
"Well, she holds a grudge against the GSC. Maybe she hates Schale too?" Fubuki guesses.
"Then why did she pass out when Sensei showed up earlier?" Hiku asks.
"Well, whatever. At least we stopped her!" Fubuki says, optimistic.
"And you're SURE Valkyrie can hold her?" I stress.
"Maybe." The lazy cop shrugs. "Still, we need to get her to where she belongs."
"This time we'll keep an eye on her!" Kirino adds.
"This time?" I narrow my eyes.
"Eep!" Kirino squeaks. "C-Come on, Fubuki!"
With that shout, the two cops and the knocked out Wakamo leave quickly.
Chihiro sighs. "I have a headache."
"Ditto." Agura adds.
"At least we were able to stop the situation from escalating." Sena says.
"Yeah, it looks like no civilians got hurt or anything." Hiku observes the area.
"I should get back to what I was doing." The Veritas member says. "I'll have to remember to give the people in charge of Valkyrie's security a piece of my mind..."
"Good luck!" Mio says.
"See ya." I say. "And thanks again."
"Of course. I'll see you later, Sensei." Chihiro says with a smile as she walks away.
"Shall we continue our patrol?" The medic asks.
"Might as well. Let's hope that fox doesn't slip out again." I say. "Then again, knowing foxes..."
"We'll just have to hope." Mio says.
After continuing with our patrol, the five of us stopped at a food truck. We all ate our full, but just as we left, my phone rang.
"Oh, god, it's Fubuki." I groan.
"Maybe it's not..." Hiku says, hopeful.
Answering, the lazy cop shows up via hologram, looking worried again. "S-Sensei, come in! We just received word that Wakamo escaped from the Corrections Bureau!"
"Oh, goddammit." I groan. "Get ready, girls."
The trio sigh as they and Sena ready their guns. I hang up my phone as an explosion goes off nearby, again. Wakamo walks out of the smoke, again.
The kitsune giggles. "You won't get away this time!" She says, again flanked by gangsters.
Allow me to simplify. The exact same thing happened. The girls and I took out the goons, then Wakamo got more involved, Valkyrie showed up, all of the cops, goons, and Wakamo got knocked out, Wakamo got handcuffed. The exact same thing happened again.
What. The. Fuck?
"We managed to subdue her again." Fubuki sighs in relief.
"Thanks, Sensei! I don't know what we'd do without you!" Kirino says, happily.
"How did she even get out?" I ask.
"It sounds like they're blaming the facility she was placed in. Apparently, it isn't up to date." The white haired office explains.
"She managed to take advantage of that and escape. Scary stuff." The lazy cop adds.
"That seems likely." Agura says. "A lot of buildings in the DU are still kinda old."
"This is why I've been saying we can't underestimate the Fox of Calamity!" Kirino says, upset.
"We're still missing her motive. WHY is she going after ME? It's obvious at this point." I stress.
"Well, it's not like we can ask her now." Fubuki says, nudging the unconscious criminal with her foot. "Anyway, this time she'll be transferred the the Corrections Bureau's newest facility. There's no need to worry anymore."
"Oh, no, you jinxed it." I deadpan.
"Pfft. Yeah right." Fubuki scoffs.
"A thousand yen she breaks out again." Agura comments.
"I don't take fool's bets." I retort, smiling. Agura smirks back. "Anyway, good luck with movin' her." I say to the cadets, who promptly snatch the kitsune up and leave.
"Shall we continue our patrol again, Sensei?" Sena politely asks.
"None of this fazes you, huh?" Mio comments.
"Gehenna students can be quite rowdy at times." The medic simply says. I let out a chuckle at that.
The five of us got back to patrolling when Fubuki called.
"Fubuki?" Mio asks.
"Fubuki." I say, answering the call. As she pops up, I ask, "Wakamo?"
"...Wakamo." Fubuki says, awkwardly.
Another explosion goes off nearby.
"FUCK!" I shout.
Civilians run. The girls and I get ready. Wakamo giggles and says, "This time, you're mine~"
We fight, Valkyrie shows up. Wakamo get K.O.'d and cuffed. The gangsters and Valkyrie members- save for Fubuki and Kirino- get knocked out too.
"What was it this time?" I ask the lazy cop.
"She somehow used the oyakodon she was served to pick her handcuffs! Don't ask me now that's possible..." Fubuki explains, groaning.
"I'm starting to get why they call her the Fox of Calamity." Kirino comments.
"Foxes are crafty creatures." I advise.
"Eh, it's fine. She'll be served soba noodles instead. Let's see her escape with those." Fubuki shrugs.
"Trying to find the best out of a bad situation, huh?" Mio deadpans.
"Totally full proof." Hiku deadpans.
"And if that doesn't work? Gonna give her macaroni next?" Agura asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't worry! I said it'll be fine!" Fubuki retorts. "I'm sure they'll be super careful this time."
"Learning from mistakes is what the Valkyrie Police School is all about!" Kirino says.
"I thought it was about keeping smiles on people's faces." I remind.
"Er, that too!" Kirino says.
"Thanks again for the help, Sensei." Fubuki smiles.
"We've gotta get back to work!" Kirino adds.
"Yeah." I say. Then they leave with Wakamo in tow.
"This is honestly starting to get annoying." Agura says.
"Can't we just go back to Schale?" Hiku asks.
"And have her attack there next?" I asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Back to patrolling?" Sena asks, her eyes hopeful despite her face being passive.
I sigh. "Fine." I swear I'm gonna punch that fox's mask off.
We got back to it again. This time, it wasn't a call or an explosion that tipped me off, but my sixth sense.
"Sensei?" Mio asks as I stop mid-stride.
"She's coming." I say.
"Huh? You mean Wakamo?" Hiku asks.
"There's no way you can tell that." Agura says.
"I have a sixth sense for things coming after me." I say, seriously. My phone then rings, causing me to groan when I see it's Fubuki again.
"Sensei!" Fubuki shouts as I answer.
"I know! Get over here!" I shout, hanging up. As soon as I do, another explosion rings out and Wakamo walks up.
"Just a bit more...! So close! Just a bit more and you'll be mine!" She gleefully says.
We fight, again. Same results, again.
Fubuki sighs, but not before I rush over and grab her by the collar. "WHAT HAPPENED, WOMAN?!"
"I... uh... I don't know, now that you mention it." The donut-loving cop blinks, realizing.
"YOU DON'T-?!" I try to shout, before stopping and groaning as I let her go. "Ugh, never mind. Jus... Just get her outta here."
"I'm sure it won't happen again!" Kirino optimistically says.
"Yeah! Whoever heard of lighting striking four times?" Fubuki asks.
"Me, when I got struck by lighting six times two years ago." I deadpan.
"Are... you making that up...?" Mio asks.
"No." I say simply. "My pinkies still twitch every now and again." I say, holding my hand up.
"Lighten up. We're doing our best. Just have a little faith, okay?" The blue haired cop says.
"Fine. I'll do just that." Sena says simply. I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Anyway, we've gotta go. For real this time!" Fubuki says as her, Kirino, and Wakamo leave.
"I don't think I'm even scared of Wakamo anymore..." Mio says, sounding tired.
"Yeah." Hiku adds.
"Ditto." Says Agura.
"Shall we, Sensei?" Sena asks, hope in her eyes again.
"Sure... Why not...?" I groan as we being to walk. My frustration is increasing.
A bit later, we entered a market. My gut told me Wakamo was coming again, but... nothing happened. Well, something did happen, but it wasn't bad. Residents in the area recognized me, and gave me some free stuff for appreciation of what I've been doing. Some of them were especially grateful about me helping the city out when I came here. The Shittim Chest soon found itself filled with lots of free stuff.
The five of us ended up resting at a park, sitting down on some benches for a bit.
"Me feet are killin' me." Agura groans.
"Tell me about it." Hiku adds.
"Those people sure were generous." Sena comments.
"Yeah." I say, a bit tired. Do I really...?
"Sensei? Is something wrong?" Mio asks.
"Huh? Yeah, just thinking." I reassure her. Hoshino told me to stop thinking so little of myself. I've helped lots of people here, even without meeting them. I need to stop saying I'm not worth it. I've done good. I'm a good person.
"That's not it, is it?" Sena asks.
"No." I say, simply. "Sometimes, I don't think what I've done is worth all this."
"Nonsense. They were only trying to show their gratitude." Sena says. "It may sound strange coming from me, but the citizens aren't the only ones who are in your debt. You've been looking after students like me and these three for a long time now. I can sympathize with how they feel."
"Yeah, you gave the three of us a chance when no one would." Mio says.
"You definitely deserve some praise." Hiku says.
"You're a nice guy, almost to a fault." Agura adds, earning a smile from me.
"It isn't necessarily that your deeds have been the most conspicuous. Security detail and stopping conflicts, helping people around town and consulting students, giving advice and listening to their problems. I understand Schale was created with certain problems in mind, but you go so much further above and beyond, in my opinion. I'm sure that's how others feel as well." Sena says, smiling. "The incidents today may have been much worse if not for your intervention. Think of how many people were able to keep smiling today."
I smile. "You're not the first person who's been trying to get that through my damn skull and none of ya will be the last, but... Thanks, you four. That means a lot."
The four girls smile at my sincerity.
Sena suddenly turns thoughtful.
"What's up, Sena?" I ask.
"Ah. I was thinking about Wakamo." Sena says, causing us all to blink. "Why was she wreaking so much havoc today? It seemed like she had a reason, something to do with you, clearly." She says, gesturing to me. "What could she have been after?"
Agura scoffs. "Good question."
"It's clear she was targeting Sensei, based on her attacks, but something doesn't add up if her real goal was to neutralize Schale." The medic muses. "Why enlist the help of hoodlums and steal Valkyrie equipment? Why wreak so much havoc of her target is so narrow? She's acting completely irrationally."
"It seems kinda dumb when you put it that way." Hiku muses.
"Heed my advice. You should return to Schale's office. That's the quickest and easiest way to avoid her assaults." Sena says.
"And what, have her attack there next?" I ask. "Even if the defenses are up, you've seen how slippery she is." Or now incompetent Valkyrie is. "And if she can't get in, what's stopping her from attacking even more indiscriminately in her anger?"
Sena remains silent at that.
"Even more, this whole patrol thing was a request, one from my students. I can't turn that down." I reason. "I also can't run when the civilians are being so damn nice to me."
"...You refuse to put yourself before others? Is that it?" Sena asks.
"I've lost my suicidal tendencies when it comes to tough situations, or at least they've lessened, but I'd hate myself if I let someone get hurt when they were gunning for me, AGAIN." I say, somberly reminiscing. "It's my responsibility. Not as a teacher, but as a man."
Sena huffs. "I don't know whether to call that attitude selfless or foolish."
"Foolish." Mio snarks.
"Definitely foolish." Agura says. Hiku also nods, both of them smiling.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm an idiot." I joke, smiling.
Sena smiles. "Very well. I'll do everything in my power to see to it that you don't become my next cadaver- Er, patient, I mean." She corrects herself.
I chuckle yet again. "Thanks, Sena. As for Wakamo, it kinda feels like she-"
My words are cut off by my phone ringing. I let out a long, tired sigh. "Please, God."
Fubuki appears, looking worried. "Sensei!"
"Again?" I deadpan.
"A-Again." Fubuki stutters. I sigh and hang up as an explosion goes off nearby.
This time, however, no goons appear with the fox, just her. "Just a little more... Almost there." She says, sounding like a yandere. "Please, wait for me. Soon... With my own hands, I'll...!"
But she hops back from a sudden volley of bullets from the four girls with me.
"That's enough." Sena says, sounding upset. "Why you're targeting Sensei eludes me, but rest assured, I'm going to deal with this problem here and now, to prevent a real emergency in the future."
"Will you now?" Wakamo purrs. "I'd like to see you try."
"Resistance is futile, just-"
But she's cut off by the arriving Valkyrie students. "There she is! You won't escape this time, Fox of Calamity!"
"There's no where to run!" One shouts, panting in exhaustion. "Prepare to be arrested, Wakamo!"
"Our grades are toast if we let you run away again!" Another shouts, causing me to sweatdrop.
"P-Put your hands up!" Kirino shouts, holding her pistol.
Fubuki sighs. "I'm exhausted."
"I believe this is checkmate." Sena says simply.
"So it is..." Wakamo says. "...for me." She finishes with a giggle. "Just a little more..." She then throws down a bomb at her feet and begins to run away.
"She's running!" A Valkyrie girl shouts.
"C-Catch her!" Shouts another.
And so began another fight with Wakamo. This time, she fought harder than before, but the result was the same, as was the fight. She must've been closer to her 'goal'... She didn't even use that flower trick of hers from a few months ago. The kitsune was knocked out, again.
Fubuki sighs. "Good thing we were able to stop her before it was too late."
"She seemed to be even more resistant this time." Kirino adds.
"She wasn't able to soak up that many bullets before." Hiku points out.
"Yes, which makes me think about what she said before." Sena says.
"Yeah. What was she on about, anyway?" Mio asks.
"Dunno." I say, crossing my arms.
"That aside, this makes it the fifth time she's escaped custody." The medic says. "I can't help but begin to question whether Valkyrie Police School is incompetent."
"That doesn't even begin to describe it." Chihiro says, causing most of the girls to jump. I heard her walking up, so I didn't. "They don't know the first thing about security."
I nod to the hacker. She smiles and nods back. "I just finished my inspection of all of the festival's security systems. I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon- primarily because I underestimated how bad things were going to get. Veritas has concluded that there are no problems with the security protocols of the event vendors themselves, however-" She says, eyeing the two police cadets. "-, Valkyrie and its inability to maintain public order, is another matter entirely. Just what has been going on here?"
I sigh. "You... You don't even know. Wakamo broke out five times, once by picking her handcuff locks of oyakodon noodles."
Chihiro raises an eyebrow.
"W-Well, yeah... she makes some good points." Fubuki admits. "But, still...!"
"We have a perfect track record when it comes to catching her at the very least." Kirino says, before shrinking as the hacker's gaze falls on her. "A-Also, the captain says special measures are going to be taken in light of the latest incident."
"Such as...?" I fish for info.
"Well, the captain isn't happy with how many times Wakamo has escaped by now, either. She's willing to admit that we can't handle this on our own, so we're going to ask for help from the forces of other schools." Fubuki explains.
"Supposedly, we're bringing in some big guns that helped stop the Fox of Calamity the first time she escaped from jail." Kirino adds.
"Oh?" I ask, curious. "You don't mean...?"
Their comms flick on, as holograms of Yuuka, Hasumi, Chinatsu, and Suzumi appear.
"She does. That's why we've been contacted, Sensei." Yuuka explains.
I chuckle. "I shoulda known. Hey, y'all."
"To think the Fox of Calamity would choose today of all days to go on a rampage." Hasumi says, upset.
"We can't allow her to continue disrupting the peace." Suzumi says, determined.
"I don't have much experience with the Fox of Calamity beyond that one incident." Chinatsu admits. "Nevertheless, I'm here to lend my aid on behalf of the Prefect Team."
"No need to be so modest, Chinatsu." The JTF member chides.
The other medic smiles. "The let's do our best to protect everyone."
"It's been a while since the four of us were together like this." Yuuka muses. "Anyway, say the word and we'll bail you out, Sensei."
"Got it." I smile. "Thanks, you four." I say, noticing Yuuka and Chinatsu blush and preen at the praise.
"Oh, and we also ran into two other helpers." Chinatsu adds.
"Who?" I ask.
"Hey, Sensei!" Hoshino's tired voice says as she pops up.
"We're here." Shiroko says, appearing as well.
I smirk. "Oh, Wakamo's screwed, isn't she?"
"Hopefully." Hoshino says, pausing to yawn. "She woke me up from my nap so I'm cranky. We'll take good care of her, Sensei."
"Nn. We've got this." Shiroko says, determined.
"With you six? I know you do." I smile. The four of them who I'm dating all blush.
"Valkyrie is pitching in more security as well, so there's no chance that the Fox of Calamity gets away this time!" Kirino adds.
"We've got this in the bag!" Fubuki adds.
"Jinxing~" I tease.
"Enough of that!" The lazy cop whines.
"And I'll go with them to check on their security protocols." Chihiro pipes up. "Just to be sure."
"You and Yuuka will make a damn good team, that's for sure." I say.
"What? Oh, the Veritas vice president." Yuuka realizes. "I-I suppose it's reassuring to know that you're here."
"Flattery from the Seminar treasurer? Are you always this meek around Sensei?" The hacker asks.
"Huh?" Yuuka shouts, blushing.
"Still, I welcome the support." Chihiro smiles.
Yuuka laughs, clearly pissed off at the hacker.
"Shall we be off?" Chihiro asks. The cops nod. "We'll be back, Sensei."
"Stay safe." I say. The call ends and the cops, Chihiro, and Wakamo all leave.
Mio sighs loudly. "Finally..."
"I know whatcha mean..." Agura adds.
"There's shouldn't be anything to worry about with this many numbers on our side." Sena says. "I say we finish our patrol. How about it?"
I look to the trio.
"With Wakamo gone, any other problems will be a piece of cake." Mio says.
"I'm down." Agura says.
"Let's do it." Hiku adds.
I chuckle. "Might as well."
AN
Long chapter. It kinda got away from me. It's nearly 10k words. I kinda wrote it all in one day too.
And so, we have the Valentine's event... kinda? It's hard to say, honestly. A few of you guessed it'd be the first Trinity summer event (with Azusa), but that'll likely be the next event. It happens before Volume 3 Chapter 3, after all.
I thought about just making these events happen randomly- that is, with no real time line, like Christmas after New Years-, but I thought of a way to make the event NOT happen on Valentine's. You'll see the result of it in a later chapter.
As mentioned back in Chapter 72, I got Mio's- the SMG Sukeban's- name from another Blue Archive fanfiction titled 'Blue Record' by Brutal Aftershock on FanFiction, who himself made up the name from two characters from an old Japanese tv show called Sukeban Deka. The other two Sukebans' names I made using the same formula. The defunct school's name is also from 'Blue Record'.
I do hope that story gets updated soon, it hasn't been since May.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next!