A/N: Hello! I'm back with this chapter! It's a bit rough around the edges since my beta reader is busy with his own project and I didn't want to interrupt him, but they told me to go ahead and publish this since they are busy and I'll just update it once he manages to finish fixing it up.
Anyways, I'll take a second of your time to explain a few things concerning Mateo's weapons, especially their unnatural strength. So, in the Division 2, guns and most equipment have three very important things: Talents, Core Attributes, and Attributes. Talents can range from increasing damage depending on how far you are to dealing more damage to certain enemies with certain debuffs. Core Attributes and Attributes just make your equipment better in certain ways (this is an extremely simplistic explanation but I don't wanna take up too much space). Of course, some Talents are difficult to translate into writing reasonably, so instead these Talents will be translated into Mateo's own skill, whether it be in fighting or with his guns. For example, he'll be able to knock down any mook with a single melee attack, and his armor will generally be tougher (Again, pretty barebones explanation, but the essence is that certain gameplay elements don't translate well into a story, so instead they'll be used to make the field more even).
With that said, let's get onto responding to reviews!
snipervtk4- Well, if you count the Black tusk invasions and the fact that Mateo is technically from after the events of Heartlands and the Division 3, that count is probably at around seven. Also, Mateo probably won't, though that depends on what I find the most compelling or the most amusing. As for the cruise missile and Arius…yeah let's just say I have a few things planned for them, there're a few hints at the extra at the end.
reverseddarkness- Thanks, I hope my writing meets your expectations and that you enjoy it.
BoundlessVortigern- Thanks! I hope you enjoy it.
Golden Saint of Domination- Thanks! Trust me, there's a lot of cute and funny moments to come.
Those are the reviews. Leave some more and I'll read them but also check out the poll on my bio with a question I'm curious about. Anyway, I've said all that needs to be said, now, onto the chapter!
On a strip of road going on for hours, a woman clicks her tongue as she taps her foot against the tarmac. "Fan out, we lost his signal around here. I don't want any stone unturned."
With her, a group of people moved, some had a Brick attached to their person, like her, and some looked far more mundane as one of the Civilian Militia came up to her, "Ummm… Agent Kelso?"
"Hmm?" Alani Kelos hummed as she looked around, turning to the soldier, "What?"
"I know you told us that we're looking for someone but, I'm sorry to say that I was brought in at the last second." The soldier said, scratching his head, already imagining Kelso's expression. "Could you tell me who…?"
Kelso doesn't answer immediately, looking around for something to lead her to where the idiot she calls a younger brother is.
Finally, she sighs, turning to the Civilian, "A few days ago, Agent Vernes' Smart Watch signal disappeared entirely. We're here to find him."
The man seems confused for a second before stiffening, looking around as he whispers, "Y-You mean the Sandman? The one who retook control of D.C. practically single-handedly, hunted down Aaron Keener, that Agent Vernes?"
"Yup." She answers, looking around as she brings up her binoculars. "Check it out." She says, handing the militia her binoculars, "You see that building?" They nod, "That was his last mission location, but he must've been injured since his Smart Watch registered a gradual decrease in his vitals."
"Then," the Civilian Militia starts, almost reluctantly, "wouldn't he be-."
"Dead? That's none of your concern." She responds, shutting them down before continuing. "He's a perfect Division Agent, quick on his feet, capable of acting in a team or alone, adaptable, hardy, even, Manny's title of 'Sheriff' fit him best. He's alive."
The Civilian Militia was about to continue but Kelso shut them down with a glare, "You're here on a job, go do it."
Scampering away, Kelso frowns, taking in a deep breath to assuage the worry growing in her breast. "C'mon Matty, where are you?"
There was something she didn't mention, the fact that any and all electronics used to track Division Agents show nothing, not his phone, not the satellites, nothing. It worries her, which is a bit strange.
She reminisces on the memories of first meeting Agent Vernes, a rookie a decade younger than her but with great skill and a lot of potential. Potential she helped foster along with the other Agents, skills he took to like a fish on water. Skills he used to become one of the most feared Agents in the West Hemisphere.
He'll probably survive a trip to Hell.
Inwardly muffling the chuckles, coursing through her, she joins the others in looking for Mateo.
They'd find blood, a lot of it, that matches his, but no corpse. The fact that she was only worried that he'd be hurt says a lot.
Rin watches the man that appeared in her office when she was wondering about her Sensei.
She had just come back from fighting off reporters and the like after the disappearance of the GSC President, so hearing gunshots go off in her office followed by the sound of a glass pane breaking in her office sent her in a panic. Her confusion was palpable when she found a chair missing but also no body down below.
That's when she felt it, the feeling of something cold on the back of her neck, her hand reaching for her holster only to realize she's missing her pistol, which is probably what the person behind her is holding against her head.
Then, the person spoke, his voice rough and muffled, slightly scratchy as she marveled at how little presence he has despite the way he spoke.
Rough. That was the first impression she had of Mateo Vernes.
The second impression was far better, his mouth covered by a gas mask with brown eyes with hints of orange in them looking at her in confusion, he was fairly dirty in comparison to their clean surroundings, making the smell of dirt, sweat, and gunpowder far more noticeable. He was also armed and prepared to the teeth, his backpack basically bulging with odds and ends, an assault rifle with a shotgun and a pistol holstered at his thigh. He also wore slim but thick armor, probably to make up for his lack of a halo.
But the thing that really stood out was how young and old he looked, his facial features were youthful, from the smile he gave her that was only shown in the way he closed his eyes and tilted his head, but his eyes spoke of experience in battle and a sort of resignation and peace to them like an old war veteran. This was only confirmed when he removed the mask in front of the other girls.
The third impression she got was experienced. His relaxed tone of voice gained an authoritative edge when he gave orders, his eyes narrowed and hardened in combat, the orange in them seemed to brighten, even when something went wrong he'd simply glance and bark out orders with a calm tone. It was like seeing an expert in action.
At the same time, he lacked something. It was obvious he was in the military, but Rin noticed he lacked the gruffness associated with the military, his service record was basically blacked out in its entirety with the exception being his designation as an 'Agent', but his stance was too loose to be self-taught.
Yet, he was kind, she watched as he looted the students, grabbing the ammunition and passing it out to the respective students. Watched as he kept them away from combat despite it being clear that it'd be faster to fight than to sneak around. Watched as the students became closer with Mateo.
She also watched him absolutely lay out a thug with one punch, watched him use a pistol to shoot a grenade before it's thrown, and watched as he used that same pistol to shoot a thug in the head at a distance that far exceeds its optimal range.
She watches as he ducks under cover with Yuuka, the twin tailed Seminar member activating her barrier as a thug flanks them, the bullets bouncing off uselessly as Yuuka and Mateo fire back, Mateo falling to his side to circumvent the spherical barrier and knocking her out before grabbing Yuuka and pulling her down with him as an explosion goes off.
"Ah, S-Sensei! Wha-?" She starts in a fluster.
"Grenade." He points out as he gets back up with a blushing Yuuka.
"I would have survived." She points out and he shrugs.
"Force of habit." He switched his M4 with his M870 and peeks out before blasting a thug that got too close while Yuuka shakes her head.
It only reinforced the knowledge that Mateo is squishy. One bullet would be enough to kill him. Yet despite that, in the face of an explosion that wouldn't have even hit him, he pulled down an ally to protect them.
He said he was twenty-one, and the file only started when he was seventeen.
While she followed after the group, she couldn't help but wonder, what did he have to go through to become this experienced in such a short amount of time?
"Hey Rin," he asks, worried as the other girls file into a backroom of a store near the SCHALE club room, "how ya holding up?"
Rin glances at the man looking at her in worry, the adult putting the student's worries before his, some of the students looked tired but he looked as right as rain.
"I'm fine, Sensei." She says, shaking her head before asking. "What about you?"
"I really don't wanna face down a tank." He admits as he shakes his head, closing his eyes and slumping, something she noticed as she had to keep her amusement down. "I'd be different if I had my TAC-50, but…" He trails off, shrugging as Rin blinks.
"...I'm sorry, the TAC-50 is an anti-material rifle, right?" She asks in realization as he nods.
...The mystery continues.
I've seen these girls take bullets from anti-material guns, and Rin's surprised that I had access to said anti-material sniper rifle? Honestly…
Speaking of, I check my Go-Bag, inspect the magazine of my M4 and the shells of my M870 and can't help but frown. They've been doing less damage than usual.
Sure, both are high-end weapons along with most of my equipment, but it still feels...lacking. Like I'm trying to kill an Elite soldier, with a weapon I'd find on the floor or on a Hyena. Granted, my M4 and M870 were both modified inside and out to the point they could shred any common thug.
Is it the halos?
I glance at Yuuka, the blunette breathing heavily as I blink. I've been so deep in thought I forgot to say anything. Reaching into my pack, I grab my canteen and rest it on Yuuka's cheek, the yelp she releases breaking the atmosphere. "Here, get some rest and regain your energy, we're on the last stretch."
Reluctantly, she nodded, "Okay." She says while grabbing the canteen and taking a swig.
Turning to the others, I ask, "What about all of you? I have some food if you guys need it."
Chinatsu and Suzumi reach out and I give them a few granola bars, I see Hasumi glance before looking away. Turning to her, I give her a granola bar, "Here, we need your energy up for the last spurt."
"Ah, i-it's fine, Sensei." She says, flushing and looking away before glancing to the bar in my hand before looking away.
I frown, grabbing her hand and placing the granola bar in her hand, "It's not, we're under a time limit. Worrying about anything other than your capabilities will only make others worry and might cause you to falter. And we can't have the sniper failing at an integral moment."
Glancing at her hand, a slight blush on her face, she nods, "Okay."
Smiling, I pat her shoulder, "Good. Take a load off while you can."
Returning to my pack after giving Yuuka a granola bar, I returned to inspect my equipment. Though that's when I realize something.
"Hey Yuuka, can I see your gun?" I ask as she tilts her head.
"Hm, sure Sensei." She says as she passes over the black with blue accents MPX and asks, "Can I ask why?"
"I want to confirm a few things." I say as I inspect the gun, removing the magazine and pulling the charging handle as the bullet falls out before I catch it, inserting into the magazine and leaving it to the side. "Still," I say as I inspect the gun, "it's a beautiful gun, well-maintained too."
"Ah." She says, her face flushing before coughing into a fist and puffing her chest out, "Of course, Millennium only gives the best to their students." She probably would've kept going if she didn't see me start to disassemble the gun to its barest parts.
Nearly a minute later, I have Yuuka's MPX into its pieces as I try to remember the pieces of my old MPX.
A few things standout, though they seem like a more personal touch. Though its strength comes from its material. Or does it?
Still, this gun is beautiful, well-maintained, and aesthetically pleasing. Though I'm probably the last person to say that considering my own sense of style is horribly skewed.
With practiced ease, I began to rebuild the gun as the others watched me. A minute later, I'm inspecting Yuuka's MPX as I reach for the magazine and grab a bullet. It's a 9mm, and nothing looks out of place. Frowning, I place it back in and hand it back over to Yuuka. "Sorry about that."
"Er, no, it's fine." She says, giving the gun a cursory check to make sure I didn't fuck anything up.
"What was that about, Sensei?" Chinatsu asks as she walks beside me as I lean on the wall.
"Just a feeling." I admit, "My guns feel weaker than usual." I say as she turns towards the guns, holstered onto my backpack. She hums but when I glance at her, her eyes are blank.
"Wait a second." She says while pinching the space between her brows. "You're saying that your guns are...usually stronger?"
I revised my statement and decided to change it. "It's either that or everyone here is tougher than I'm used to. It's less effective than I thought."
"Sensei," Yuuka pipes up, her eyes on my guns, "from our view, your guns are weirdly strong for not being Kivotos-made."
"Are they?" I ask, turning to the guns as I shrug, "Well, they are pretty High-end, not to mention the mods I've added to them. They're pretty reliable."
I pat the ISAC brick on my backpack strap as Yuuka's eyes hone in on that. "Sensei, this has been bothering me, but what's that?"
Frowning, I tap it twice and bite my lip, after a second of silence, I answer, "It's an ISAC brick. For now it lacks something and is basically useless. Maybe once this is over I'll tell you more but for now, we'll leave it at that."
Yuuka seems to want to ask more but stops, causing everyone to fall into a peaceful silence as I take the time to swipe my canteen from beside Yuuka, the blunette panicking for some reason as I take a swig from it, her face as red as a tomato and her eyes widen in a panic but I ignore her, sitting down by the wall and taking a bite out of a granola bar.
I check my watch, seeing the time and sighing. Time to plan it out.
From our current position, my HUD shows the Schale club room is a direct run over, but from here I can hear the vague rumbling of a tank, not to mention the jeers from the nearby thugs. I lack access to maps at the moment so I can't really plan much but it'll have to do.
Changing anything in our current formation is the height of stupidity. Yuuka's natural endurance with the barrier makes her the ideal choice for a frontliner, Suzumi's skill with an assault rifle and her flashbangs makes her an undeniable asset with me in the middle, Hasumi's accuracy is a marvel to see and her spot in the backline is practically assured. That isn't to undermine Chinatsu's role, from my luck allowing me to sustain only minor injuries and the girl's bruises, she's been instrumental in healing all of them.
Though these girls' skills and knowledge with their guns allows them to excel, my own skill with my M4 and M870 allow me to switch between frontlines and the middle seamlessly.
Now if only the SHD Network was up and running, with how much information I'm lacking, I feel practically blind to the world. Not to mention my gadgets.
Pulse, I miss you. Come back.
I close my eyes and release a breath of air. Now that the formation has been established, we need an angle. We can't go through the buildings, most of them are broken down. So, this leaves us in a precarious position.
I'm a flesh and blood human with nothing important to me aside from the High-end weapons I'm packing, my luck, and my skill. So charging at a tank obviously leaves me with a very uncomfortable feeling in my body. But at the moment, nothing else seems to be working. Now it'd be a different story if I had access to my gadgets and the SHD Network, but I don't. So…
It seems like the only choice we have is to charge in from the front.
Leaning back, I move my hat and scratch at my head. If only Kelso was here, she always had a way to be reliable in the worst moments. Or even Manny, he was always good at planning.
Regardless, our time is running out. Standing up, I clap my hands, gaining the attention of all the occupants in the room. "Right, we're on the final stretch, splendid work making it so far, all of you." I complement with a smile as the girls return their own, "That said, we still have a tank and a gang to take care of, so, once again, last stretch." I relax as I roll my shoulders, jostling my backpack as I begin. "Nothing changes, our formation stays the same and Rin is staying here, as the only one who has communications from the GSC. The only thing that does is the worst-case scenario, that being, obviously, if we are pinned down by a tank."
Reaching into my pocket, I bring out my phone, pressing a certain app as a compass pops up. "Suzumi, if that were to happen, you'll be the one tasked to take this to wherever it points." I say, passing the phone to Suzumi as she committed every detail to memory. "If I'm right, you should be able to turn it on."
"Gotcha, but what about everyone else?" She asks with worry lacing her tone.
"We'll be fighting, I already have an assault rifle so I can take the middle. I thought of sending Yuuka but-." I explain before being interrupted.
"You don't have to do that." Yuuka interrupts, worried and anxious along with everyone else.
"I mean, I coul-." I start but Yuuka quickly puts her foot down.
"No!" Yuuka says as I quickly raise my hands before putting them down.
"Well, that aside," my hand reaches back towards the circular object hidden in my back, gently tapping it, "that could either do something or nothing. With a bit of prayer, it might be what's needed to turn the situation around."
"I'll stay here." Rin says as she fixes her glasses.
"Right." I nod. "Right. There any students near here that might need our help?"
"Not at the moment." Rin says as I nod.
"Good." I turn to the girls and start. "I sound like a broken record but this is the last stretch! There's only one thing standing in between you and your bed, your dinner, and a calmer day. That's around thirty thugs and a tank! So if you want to say something, speak now or forever hold your peace 'cause unless Rin says that there's a group of students nearby we can help and then draft into our services, we're going directly into the mouth of the beast. If things start to go horribly or something unprecedented pops up, like the escapee being really strong, Suzumi will detach from us as we create a diversion for her to go in and activate the SHD Network and to flank from the inside with her flashbangs. So, in essence: go in, hit hard, and hit fast. Everyone on the same page?"
All the girls nod as they flick the safeties of their guns.
Nodding, I follow them, flicking the safety of my M4, "Good, everyone good on ammo? Cause once we're on our way our chances to loot will decrease."
They all nod again, before I open the door, "Right, I'll wait outside, come on out once you've given your guns a final check."
Waiting outside, I squat and flex my extended thumb in anticipation as I jostle my Go-Bag, the gadgets clattering as I bite my lip. It feels like that time I went to the Space Administration HQ to reactivate the SHD Network.
The memory of the mission causes shivers to run up my spine as I sigh, leaning into my hands as I try to keep the shivers down.
No mission has ever affected me aside from that one. Watching an Outcast member turn into red paste to try to kill me via suicide bombing? Terrifying but I got past it. Hunters? Close second but I managed to get past it. Rogue Agents? Never really my alley so I never got around to confronting them unless I needed to. Aaron Keener and his allies? Lightwork.
But that mission? It was probably one of the most important missions I've had. It was also the first time I've ever been as close to death. The experience is practically engraved into my shoulder with a burn scar.
To say that mission was completed via a miracle is an understatement. I was out of grenades, lacking SHD Tech with offensive capabilities, out of body armor kits, broken armor, out of shotgun ammo, and running out of assault rifle ammo. Did I mention I was also bleeding out? Yeah, I was.
On paper, the mission was completed with remarkable efficiency and skill, but in reality, Kelso had to drag me back to the White House a bloody mess where, according to the doctors, I lacked a pulse before having to perform a blood transfusion to the minimal level where I then had to recuperate on the move in a post-apocalyptic society while performing my duties as an Agent.
That was the day my mortality hit me with a sledgehammer.
A few days later, I would be hit by a sledgehammer.
Regardless, that mission would stick with me forever. Not just because of the powerlessness I felt, but because of the injuries I had.
I hear a group of footsteps as I straighten out, turning to the girls as I nod, "Everyone ready?"
They nod as I smile. "Then let's do it."
The streets shake as I peek out the corner of the alley we're hidden behind, looking at the group of thugs and a tank in front of a large building, definitely not fit to be a 'club room'. A loud round goes off, causing the area to shake as I duck back, listening to the payload go off as we all turn to each other.
"...I'm regretting this." I mutter as Yuuka turns to me.
"Huh? Sensei, this is your plan." Yuuka points out while I have to stop myself from slumping at the fact.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it." I point out as I peek around the corner, "That's a tank."
"Yes, a Crusader." Yuuka points out as she continues, "Their armor..."
I'm sorry Yuuka, but that's way too much detail. Why do I need to know the length of the round that can blow off an arm? Or how futile it'd be to shoot at it with an Assault Rifle.
Honestly, what chance would I have with an M4 against a tank?
…
Oh.
Oh wait…
Clamoring, I swing my Go-Bag off, opening it and looking for something as I mutter, "C'mon. I know I have a magazine or two here."
After a bit of moving, I found them.
"What's that?" Yuuka asks out of curiosity as I reach in and bring out a set of black magazines with a strip of red tape on the bottom along with a few blue shells, replacing the shells on the caddy on the side of my M870 with the blue shells.
"Ammo, with a bit of spice." I say as I peek out the corner again and my eyes widen as I spot someone new.
"Who's that?" I ask as I try to narrow my eyes to get a better look at them.
Thankfully, ISAC listens to my wishes, the ever-useful contact lenses activate as they take a pseudo-picture as I lean back, watching as the blurry image is cleared to reveal a very attractive woman.
"Who?" Hasumi asks as she sets herself beside me.
I stare at the image as I hum. "Let's see…" I mutter, unaware of Hasumi staring at my eyes as the orange of the ScanTek embedded into the contact lenses glows and mingles with my brown eyes, nearly losing herself in my eyes. "She's got black hair, wearing a kitsune mask, her...kimono? I think it's a kimono. Anyway, her kimono is black with a flower motif and she has a… Kar98k or a Type 38. I'm not well-versed enough in either weapon to really tell the difference. Recognize her?" I ask as I turn to Hasumi, her expression far more intense than it was before, along with Chinatsu, Suzumi, and Yuuka who are all making varied expressions but none of them are the same.
"I really don't like the look on your girl's faces." I mutter as I attempt to peek out one more.
Only to have my instincts and entire being yell at me to move as I do so, a bullet whistling where my head was as I gulp. "Sensei!" They yell as they hear the tank begin to move.
"My, my~! It's hard to believe that a group like the General Student Council wouldn't have the strength to come here in person~!" She practically yells out, sarcasm and amusement lacing her voice as the rest of us freeze. "I hope they have a good spot to watch as I blow up something that's precious to them."
As one, all of us look at each other as they understand without a need of saying anything. "We'll give you an opening, Suzumi." I tell the silverette as she nods, Hasumi giving her the same before turning. "Now Yuuka!"
Right!" She says as she activates the barrier, filing out first before I followed and Hasumi peeked out of the corner and fired off a round, the bullet whizzing by me as I find cover in the form of a car as Yuuka stands up and reveals her second MPX and opens up with a flurry of bullets with surprising accuracy as the thugs duck for cover while some fire back. The bullets bouncing off of the barrier and clattering to the ground but that wouldn't hold for long.
I peek out, holding my M4 as I aim down sights and place the head of a thug in the crosshairs of the holographic optic before firing a burst of gunfire, their head jerking before a second burst stopped them mid-turn as their halo flickered into nonexistence.
A burst of gunfire closes in on my position. "Hey, he doesn't have a halo!" One of the thugs pointed out something none of the others were able to since whenever we would fight it'd be quick and silent, usually not letting them get a good look at me before gunning them down.
There was a lull as I peeked out, showing them that I do not, in fact, have a halo.
I also showed them that my lack of halo does not make me any less of a dangerous combatant, accurately unloading bursts of gunfire into the heads, necks, and torsos of the thugs despite the distance, until the M4 was empty before ducking back into cover. Replacing the magazine, I hear the thugs begin to fire on my position once more with more concentration as I bite my lip.
That probably wasn't a good idea.
"Hey, where do you think you're shooting?" Yuuka yells out as she steps in front of my cover and reasserts herself as a target and a combatant, firing her submachine gun at the thugs as they duck into cover.
A humming sound caught my attention, watching as Hasumi glared at the thugs, pulling out a round and flipping before catching it, "How troublesome." She muttered, shadows gathering around her rifle as she aimed it and waited as it gathered until it resembled gunsmoke before firing.
The bullet whistled past, cutting through the very air and through the cover the thugs were using as it hit them and knocked them out.
I whistled, impressed before shaking my head. "Push up! Hasumi, aim for the stragglers! Yuuka, move to the center and keep them away from the right." I bark out orders except for the last one, since Yuuka was close to me."
"On it."
"Yes, Sensei!"
I pulled out a grenade, pulling out the pin before throwing it. "Grenade!"
Before I could duck back, a round goes off and I hit the ground, a bit dizzy but uninjured until I check my HUD and notice how a section of my body armor was broken. The one near my heart.
"Oh~? Was I not supposed to do that?" The masked woman asks sarcastically, probably enjoying the panicked looks from Yuuka, Hasumi and Chinatsu.
"You-!" Yuuka began but I sat up, coughing as I grunt. "Sensei!"
"Ah, he's still conscious." I hear Wakamo mutter as I remove the broken plate, replacing it with a new one as I shake my head.
"Go! I'm fine." I bark out as I switch my M4 with the M870. Disengaging the safety as I aim down the sights and release a spread of buckshot before pumping the forend and letting the shell clatter harmlessly on the floor.
Aiming at the thugs out of cover and in, I aim as I wander to the side, my eye on the masked fox who was previously looking uninterested but now had her eyes on me, her weapon still at her side as I go behind cover.
Nothing has happened yet so Suzumi either hasn't gotten there or something has happened.
"ISAC, locate my phone." I say as ISAC does so, without an SHD Network this would have been near impossible but my phone is also loaded with sensors that work in tandem with my Smart Watch, ScanTek and ISAC brick.
A waypoint appears, showing Suzumi near the entrance, away from all the gunfire as I bite my lip. Glancing at Wakamo, I sigh. "Damn it."
I've gotta pull something to keep their attention over here, especially Wakamo. And considering how close we are to the tank, I know what I have to do.
Switching my M870 to my M4, I pull out a magazine with a blue strip of tape at the bottom, I replace the current magazine with the new one and peek out my cover.
A round goes off and it hits a thug before they yell while seizing up, electricity going through their body as the surrounding thugs stare. Then another, then another as Hasumi and Yuuka freeze for a second. Their surprise was obvious before they took advantage, taking them down as the thugs fell.
Suzumi entered the building, we were pushing up but I was stopped by Chinatsu as she grabbed me. "Are you okay?" She asks, her eyes wide with worry as I nod.
"I'm fine, just a bruise." I say as she peeks over the cover and releases a sigh while nodding.
"Good. But be careful, we're coming up on the Crusader." She points out while I grit my teeth. Right, the tank. "The tank uses an AI to aim, making it capable of moving on its own but it still needs someone inside. Those bullets you use could make it easier but we still have Wakamo and the tank's armor to take care of."
I nod, peeking out at the tank as Hasumi and Yuuka finish off the rest of the thugs. They return to cover, waiting for my order as I look around, trying to find Wakamo. She's not there, I hope Suzumi was able to get inside.
"Right." I bite my lip as Chinatsu points out my worry.
"I can't find Wakamo." She points out as I nod, Hasumi taking out the last thug as my time for thinking has run out.
"Right, let's do this. Hasumi, aim for the light armor. Expose it, and I'll shoot it, Yuuka, keep its attention." I order as the girls nod.
"Right!"
We push up, ducking as the tank whirls around and aims. Or I do, Hasumi fires one of her shadowy rounds while Yuuka activates her barrier and unloads into the tank while moving around, keeping its attention on her.
I had to keep my eyes out for an opportunity to fire, regretting the fact that I don't have any EMP grenades on me.
That opportunity comes as I see Hasumi make a hole in it as I aim and fire, the shock bullets hitting the surrounding armor before lightning arcs around it, as I run forward, to the surprise of the girls as I remove the pin from a grenade and hop onto the tank.
Grabbing the latch, I wait as I hear someone move and then the latch opened.
"Here ya go." I mutter, dropping the grenade before leaping off and taking cover.
A few seconds later, the grenade went off, the tank ceasing its movements as the rest of us tense up.
When nothing happened, Yuuka asks, "Is it over?"
"Where's Wakamo?" I ask my burning question as I look around.
A tense silence overtakes the area as we stay tensed.
I heard something move as I turn, arms up too late as Wakamo, her masked visage almost mocking me as she drags the blade of her bayonet against the tarmac of the street before bringing it forward in an upwards arc. Jerking my head back, the blade cuts my gas mask and some of my chin, the two pieces flying off as she continues the arc and twirls back, aiming her gun while crouched as Yuuka, Hasumi, and Chinatsu yell, "Sensei!"
Still, I couldn't help but notice how her halo looks like the sign for anarchy.
"SHD Network back online. Welcome back, Agent Vernes."
Suzumi watches as the phone on the port turns off, the singular monitor in the server room turning on to reveal an orange phoenix with unfamiliar letters and words passing by. Names and words she can't make heads or tails off except a few.
The words, 'Activated' and 'Online'.
She nods, turning back as she runs out the same direction she came in. Prepared to fight.
I release a laugh from behind the Ballistics Shield I unfurled in the nick of time as I activate the Achilles Pulse, weaknesses pointed out as the map and my other gadgets came online, watching as the girls' names appeared above them, a cross beside Chinatsu, a crosshair beside Hasumi's name, a shield beside Yuuka's name, and a crosshair beside Wakamo's name.
Meanwhile, Wakamo's mask clatters on the floor a distance away, shot off by my M9 at the same time she shoots me revealing her expression to everyone.
I was a bit surprised to see just a young girl under the mask. I was expecting someone a bit more physically imposing or something but that's just my experience in DC talking. Regardless, I let the Ballistics Shield fold into itself as I place the section of the shield back in its place while holding my lowered M9 with both hands and turning to her as my mind stalls.
Wait...what's that expression?
Why is she blushing?
Usually, my expressions would be limited to movement of my eyes and my body, which has made me a very expressive person, or at least that's what I'm told. It's one thing to teach soldiers on a range with a mask on and another to stand in for a teacher while teaching the younger kids what I remember from school. The former required discipline and a stern atmosphere due to my students lacking respect for someone as young as I am while the latter required me to be a comforting presence to the young.
As such, I got used to having the mask hide my mouth while letting my body express my feelings. So I think I can be excused for nearly gaping at the young girl blushing and fidgeting like the schoolgirl she is and not the anarchic terrorist she acted like.
"...Yes. You're…" She spoke softly, her eyes glinting with a dangerous light in them that made me gulp. Before finally, she seems to realize she's lacking a mask, causing her to scramble back and pick up her mask, setting it back in place before turning to me as I reluctantly holster my pistol.
The silence stretches out, my hand still on my M9 as neither of us move, "E…"
"Huh?" I mutter as the fox-eared girl whirls around.
"Excuse me!" She yells, running away as I instinctively remove the pistol from my holster but stop, my eyes trailing the form of the girl outlined on my HUD by ISAC as I sigh.
Holstering my pistol, I decide to deal with the fox girl for later should it ever pop up once more, though I feel like when she does decide to stop by, it'll be more trouble than it's worth.
Future regrets are for the future me. Current me turns to the three girls, my eyes going up and watching the holographic names move with them as I stretch. "It feels nice to have you back, ISAC."
"…" The AI hesitates, something it doesn't do as I begin to worry. "The...feeling is reciprocated, Agent."
Ok, ISAC should not sound that human but I'm in front of the girls right now, turning to them, I smile in relief. "Right! Good work everyone! The mission is officially over. I'd reward you but I don't exactly have the cash to do so at the moment." I say as I scratch the back of my head.
"It's fine, Sensei, it's been an honor." Hasumi says with a bow.
"Well, Wakamo did manage to escape, but we did manage to stop her before she could take down the Schale club room, so thanks, Sensei." Yuuka says, slightly flushed but with a satisfied smile.
Chinatsu nods, "Now all we have to do is wait for Rin to come here and Suzumi."
"I'm here." Suzumi appeared, frowning as she walked to us. "I'm sorry I took so long, I couldn't find where to insert the phone." She admitted while looking down, ashamed as she glared at the floor.
I just pat her head to her surprise, tussling it as I say, "It's fine, the mission's done and once tomorrow comes you'll all have school and this will all be behind us. Let's just wait inside." I say, opening the doors, which have no locks to speak of, "C'mon in."
"We can't Sensei." Hasumi pipes up, genuinely regretful, "We still have to perform our responsibilities for our respective clubs."
I sigh, staring at the dark and empty building. "In that case I'll be waiting inside for Rin. You girls hold the fort."
"If it's any consolation," Suzumi pipes up as I turn to her, "I can give you directions to the basement?"
"Thanks, but I think I can handle it from here." I say, entering the building before glancing at the corner of my vision, the needle of the three-dimensional compass moving as a new waypoint is added in my HUD.
Besides…
"ISAC?" I reluctantly said after a few seconds, "You there?"
"Affirmative." I hear a voice come from my audiometric earpiece, the familiar masculine voice of the ever-reliable ISAC calming me but not enough as I suck in my lips.
"Hey buddy, what's goin' on? I lost contact with you for an entire mission and once you're back you sound…" I trail off, unable to find the correct term to describe the drastic change in my AI companion.
"I...find myself at as much of a loss as you Agent." The AI spoke, "When I reconnected to the SHD Network I felt...different. Like I had an update." He spoke, as information in my HUD began to disappear as it usually would after a few seconds of no action. "Before, everything was an equation with a reason, the HUD is to disappear once blood pressure and heart rate reached a certain level, but now I-I can feel when you're not in danger Agent, so your HUD would just be an eyesore when not so."
"...So, you've…" I start, trying to find the word before giving up, "You've evolved?"
ISAC doesn't answer, simply staying silent as it seems to ponder. "I believe that term would be the most appropriate."
"Okay… Right. High-school angels, haloes, girls with guns, students…" I mutter under my breath before I come to a realization. "Why-Why did I agree?"
"Stability." ISAC answered, "Being a teacher here and a Division Agent are similar enough that you probably melded into the events as natural."
Passing by doors, the locks deactivated and lacking light, I find one that has an orange light behind it as I stop in front of it. "I'm guessing this is…"
"The Server room my code is located in." ISAC answers. "The room we're looking for should be right ahead."
Once again, the two of us lapse into silence once more until I ask. "Hey ISAC, you think we should take this gig up?"
"I don't see why my opinion should be part of the equation." ISAC points out, "I'm your assistant in combat. Though my processing ability has gained a massive increase, so long as you do not give the order I will not help anyone else."
"I kno-wait, I don't have that power?" I point out, "Division Agents can't just give permission to random people, and even if they were to pick up a Smart Watch from an Agent, they can't just access you without the brick."
"It seems like the update has come with a few new changes in my procedures." ISAC notes.
I sigh while looking at the door.
Am I considered MIA or KIA, all of these questions pile up along with the guilt of failing my country, my friends, and most importantly, my family.
Maybe one day I'll be able to meet them again, but for now, I'm stuck here. Not to say that's a bad thing, Hasumi, Chinatsu, Suzumi and Yuuka all seem like good people. Rin as well. But…
I feel like I failed myself, not to mention my family and the other Agents.
Becoming a Divsion Agent was a pivotal point in my life. All of a sudden, I had a purpose beyond just living. Now, that purpose...well it's been broken, not yet stripped away.
Kivotos, that's what the name of this city is. Like D.C. it has a lot of problems if Rin is to be believed, but...maybe…
I can't help but snort. I sound like a workaholic, incapable of relaxing unless it's by force.
For now, I'll make my parents proud and possibly gather a few stories for my students back in D. C. along with more teaching experience.
I feel a yawn bubble up from within as I open the door and come upon a dimly lit room with a set of stairs to my left going down to a lower section where a desk with a computer is located. And in front of it is a floating rock. Just a strange rock floating on a pedestal with strange, unfamiliar markings as I walk down the stairs, spotting a couch as I nod.
And the first step is to take a nap.
As soon as I rest my back on the couch, I hear the door open followed by the clicks of a pair of heels as Rin walks in, causing me to sit up and glance at her from my seated position.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm here now." She says, glancing at me before looking around. "Has anything happened?"
"No." I say, forcing my yawn down and aware of my next step. "It's just been me."
"Is that so?" She asks, before turning and heading towards the desk. She opens one of the cabinets and brings out a tablet. "Well, here is what the General Student Council president left behind." She turns it in her hands, inspecting it before sighing in relief. "Thankfully, there isn't a scratch on it."
Finally, she hands it to me as I inspect the tablet myself. Noticing the lack of defining features as Rin continues. "Please. Take it."
I grab it, turning it around and humming. "A tablet?"
"Yes." She confirms. "This is what the General Student Council president left for you. The Shittim Chest."
As I push down the amusement bubbling up from the name, ISAC inspects the tablet and starts displaying information Rin was relaying to me. "It may seem like a normal tablet, but its origins are a mystery. Its manufacturer, OS, system structure, and components are completely unknown."
"You've never thought to break it apart?" I ask as I place it beside me.
"To do that would have meant that I would have known about it beforehand. I learned about this the morning the president disappeared but before I could do anything about it." Rin points out, visibly frustrated with that fact.
"M'kay. So, this tablet will allow me to take control of the tower right?" I ask.
"Correct. None of the other members know how to activate it. Perhaps you may be able to figure it out, Sensei, but if not…" Rin trails off, unwilling to imagine the consequences of my failure.
Personally, I'm not either.
I tighten my grip on the tablet so as to make sure I don't drop it.
"Regardless, my job here is done. I shall let you take the lead." She says as she begins walking away.
"You don't wanna stick around?" I ask, a bit confused as she turns.
"I'd rather not interfere." She says before walking up the stairs, closing the door behind her.
In the ensuing silence, I ask out loud, "So, anything…?"
"I have not been able to gain access via hacking. It's locked tight." ISAC says as more details begin popping up. "Like Rin said, most of this tablet is unknown to them and us, so maybe we'll learn more if you turn it on?"
That has to be sarcasm. But what do I know? Not like my social skills are that great.
I turn on the Shittim Chest, revealing a blue screen with a stylized 's' as the words 'Please enter the system password' flashed on screen, a holographic keyboard appearing seconds later as I marvel at it.
"Wow...I've only seen things like this for the Decoy SHD Tech. It's impressive." I marvel at it as I tab the 'A' button, the letter appearing on screen as I tap the next one then the next.
I press enter but get and 'Incorrect' at that as I click my tongue.
"ISAC, think you can break through?" I ask my trusty AI.
"Negative." My AI lets me down bluntly.
"Well…"
"Agent. Your hands are moving." ISAC points out as I blink and look down at my finger, tapping the 'Enter' key with finality.
We thirst for the seven wailings.
We bear the koan of Jericho.
Huh?
A few seconds pass, leaving me unable to decipher the words before the words confirming my acceptance popped up.
Welcome to the Shittim Chest, Mateo Sensei.
Before I could tap anything else, ISAC piped up from the earpiece, "ECHO detected. The data seems to originate from the tablet. Would you like to access it?"
I blink as I look around, "Huh? Where? I don't-oh." I trail off as I look at the door, the usual orange of an ECHO replaced by blue and orange, causing me to frown. "You sure that's safe?"
Converting to operating system ARONA for biological authentication and generation of verification certificate.
Glancing at the tablet as the words pop up, my gaze returns to the door, beckoning me closer as I do so. I place my hand on the door, activating the ECHO system as I push the door open.
A bright light blinds me, the dark room, originally empty and devoid of any decorations and tables, is now replaced by a classroom, decrepit and broken down with the broken section of a wall leading 'outside' where a pile of desks are piled up high. Beyond that is a body of water that seeped into the room, my audiometric earpiece working in tandem with my ScanTek lenses to render the receiving data into the ECHO I'm looking at.
"Wow." I mutter out loud, the sound of calm waves causing shivers to run down my spine.
This isn't normal. ECHOs are data and intel collected from local sources, like cameras, phones and other sources of data. So, for one tablet to generate this much data…
But there's something else, I spread my arms and I take a deep breath from my nose, the familiar scent of salt coming in through my nose and the slight bite of cold from the sea breeze hitting my exposed skin. Except I know these aren't real.
ECHOs are points of data and, in D.C., were usually holographic figures, orange holographic figures, but the only orange in the area is on me. This…
I don't even have the words to explain this.
"How strange." A voice spoke next to me, choppy as I whirl around and in comes another figure.
He didn't have a halo, instead, he wore a lab coat over a black button-up with the buttons open revealing an orange shirt with some jeans and sneakers. But the most striking feature of his is his eyes, orange and holographic as they changed from from moment to moment.
"...ISAC?" I ask as the person turns to me.
"Reporting for duty, Agent Vernes." ISAC responds with a slight smirk as he brings up an arm in a salute.
"Wha-How?" I ask in shock to the AI, now in human form as ISAC points to his shoulder, where a familiar object rests. An ISAC Brick.
"This. The ECHO is one of my many systems, and with the updates I gained when we arrived, I was capable of doing this." He explains while spreading his arms. "My own brick got an overhaul and we're no longer experiencing a limit in gadgets, so we can expand our arsenal once more."
I smile in relief before finally looking around, "So...what's this place?"
"My best guess: This is the space inside the Shittim Chest." ISAC answers, looking around as he taps the wall. I look at the tablet in my hand and ISAC continues, "I'm getting data through it and, in return, it's getting data from the various scanners on your person, we're working together so this area can be created in your ScanTek."
I nod in understanding as my eyes narrow in on a young girl, sleeping on a desk with blue hair and a white ribbon with a blue halo, resembling rabbit ears as she mutters under her breath.
"He...hehe...castella...banana milk...better than strawberry…" I could hear her sleeptalking about food as I turned to ISAC, he just shrugs.
Reluctantly, I walk towards her, ignoring the quiet sounds coming from my movement in the water as I get closer.
She was young and cute. She wore a blue fuku with a white skirt. Muttering under her breath as she continues having food-based delusions.
Her cheeks were also plump, makes me want to reach over and pinch them.
"Eh?" The sleeping girl muttered, the cheek that wasn't rested on the desk now displaced by my probing fingers and spreading the data in a spherical area.
"Huh?" I mutter, completely forgetting that this is, in fact, an ECHO and that I'm actually touching air in an empty room with the lights turned on and my eyes glowing orange. All of this, literally, going on in my head.
"Forgot about that." ISAC mutters, flinching at the influx of data as he uses his newfound processing power, thanks to the upgrade and the fact that he is supporting a singular Agent instead of near a hundred, to smooth things out. The bits of data returned to the girl's cheek and left me pinching her cheek without the feel of touching skin.
"Ueh~!" The girl says as she straightens up, touching her cheek as she turns to me with shock in her eyes, "Huh? Who- Wha-." She mutters, stuttering as she looks around, probably confused and aware of the fact that she's in an ECHO and not in the tablet. Finally, her eyes land on ISAC, her eyes widening to great proportions. "How-you're not human!?"
"What are you doing in…" She trails off, her eyes landing on me then the Shittim Chest in my hand. "How…?"
"ECHO." ISAC starts, gaining her attention, "It's data gathered through local sources and compressed into an Image for the Agent," he nods over to me, "to peruse at his wish. Currently, I'm using the data gained from the Shittim Chest in tandem with other sources to keep this place up."
"Let's not go any further than that." I interject, the simple explanation of the ECHO conflicting with how real everything felt to me causing a bit of disassociation as I start feeling a headache. "I'm getting a headache."
"Ah, you're Mateo Sensei?" The young girl asks, watching me doggedly before her eyes land on the Shittim Chest, "I've been waiting for you for a while." She says, her voice laced with excitement before she comes to a realization and she begins to blush in embarrassment, "You-er, Did you hear me…?"
God, she was adorable. I attempt to tussle her hair but stop midway as I remember I'm in an ECHO before lowering it. "I'll see if I can get you some food." Her face explodes into a blush as she tries to cover it. I chuckle, shaking my head as I continue, "Still, you've...got me a bit confused, you know me but I don't know your name. Maybe you can introduce yourself to me?"
Her head pops up as she gasps, her eyes wide in realization. "I can't believe I forgot to introduce myself!" She turns to me, her face slightly flushed before coughing into her fist before turning to me, her hands behind her back as she smiles, "My name is Arona! I'm the system manager that lives inside the Shittim Chest. I serve as its main OS. Think of me as your trusty secretary, Sensei! My physical form is still small and my voice could use a version upgrade, but I know that I can be useful to you!"
…
My eyes wide as I come to a realization, Arona is an AI, just like ISAC, something ISAC himself must have noticed and known but kept from me. Actually, I should have probably realized it earlier. But…
God this place must be advanced if AIs like these exist.
"Well, it's good to meet you too, Arona. This," I say, jerking my head towards ISAC, "is ISAC, he's my AI companion. He helps me in combat, so I hope you two get along."
Arona gapes in shock, her eyes glinting as ISAC just waves his hand. Slowly, Arona speaks, "So, he's my senpai?"
In a flash, she was gone, in front of ISAC as the orange-themed AI reels back, the ECHO flickering and distorting as his mood probably messes with his processing ability. "Wow! You're so old!"
"I've been activated longer than you were," he grumbled, blushing as he turned to me, "hey! C'mon, we don't have much time."
As much as I'd like to continue teasing him, something I've never thought I'd say in the context of being directed at an AI, we have work to do. Something Arona must've realized. "Oh right. We have to finish your biological authentication."
She appears in front of me again smiling as she beckons me down, "Could you bend down a bit?" She asks, a slight blush as she continues, "It's all part of protocol." I follow her instructions, the size discrepancy notable but not enough to really make it extremely obvious. She smiles before extending a finger.
"Just place your fingertip against mine, and we'll be done and ready!" She says with a chuckle, "Kind of like making a promise, right?"
I smile at that, nodding in agreement, "Sure. Let's do that."
Reaching out, my finger touches her as the ECHO doesn't distort, instead it holds as Arona hums. Honestly, this whole thing is a bit absurd. I'm verifying my biology with an AI while being watched by my other AI.
Finally, Arona shrugs in slight resignation, "All done! You're verified!"
"That took a while." I mutter out loud before straightening up. Her eyes widened in outrage before slightly pouting.
"Well I'm sorry. I'm not like some of those scanners, all I had was my eyes!" She says as I turn to ISAC, languidly laying on the table at the front.
"Why didn't you ask ISAC? He has access to most of my biological data, fingerprints included." I ask as she blinks, turning to ISAC as he waves and she turns back, flushed as she continues.
"A-Anyway! What do you need, Sensei?" She asks, leaving me at a bit of a loss.
Well, not really, there's been something bothering me ever since I first heard it. "You know anything about the General Student Council president?"
She frowns, looking down as her halo becomes blue, dripping down as she continues, "I'm sorry Sensei. I don't know who she is or why she disappeared."
"That's a bit weird." I mutter, holding a hand to my chin as I try to come up with an answer as to why that is.
Multiple theories filtered through my mind, from betrayal to assassination but none felt right.
In the end, I have a job to do, and a sad Arona is not a very nice thing to see. "That's fine. Not like I'm not used to intricate plots." I turn to Arona and attempt to sit on a desk, "So, we nee-mh?"
I grunt as my ass hits the ground and the desk disperses, ISAC muffling his laughter and Arona blinking as I try to cough it away, sitting crossed leg while continuing. "Anyway, the city, it's in a crisis. Supplies and whatnot are needed, and I'd like for ISAC to have access to the cameras and satellites."
"Is that what's going on?" She asks, surprised as she turns to ISAC who nods in confirmation. She closes her eyes for a second before opening them, her mouth curving into a smile as her halo becomes a pink heart. "Step one complete! Admin privileges for the Sanctum Tower have been given to you, Sensei! All of Kivotos is in the palm of your hands!"
Oh…
Oh god…
While I was having a breakdown from the weight of those words and entering false scenarios of my obvious failures, Arona turned to ISAC, "Can I have access to your system?"
Glancing at us, ISAC hops to his feet and nods. "Affirmative." He says, closing his eyes and then opening them. "System Manager, designation ARONA, now has access to the SHD Network."
Closing her eyes, Arona mutters, "Wow...You already have access to most local systems. Let me…" She trails off, biting her lip in focus. "Got it! You now have access to the satellites of Kivotos and most systems."
Instinctively, I mutter, "ISAC, relinquish access to personal and private data unless stated otherwise."
"Negative." ISAC retorts to my shock as I turn to him, "Agent Vernes is still an active Division Agent, and I am still ISAC, I am within my right to mine data from all devices to assist you in combat."
"ISAC, there's no reason to do so." I say as I point around us, "The students here are more durable than some of the tanks back in the States. They can take care of themselves, they don't need an Agent, they need a teacher."
"That may be so," ISAC relents before continuing, "That does not change the fact that you are an outsider, you will bleed when your armor breaks. While I lack the capability to interfere, I do have the processing power to give you information and have the job to do so." ISAC says, "I was not programmed to protect the people, I was programmed to assist Division Agents with real-time analysis and similar so they can help the people."
"ISAC." I say, holding back a growl of frustration, shaking my head as I find myself shocked silent. "Fine. But unless it's an emergency, keep your hands out of the personal information from the students."
"Affirmative." ISAC says, before blinking, visibly relaxing as he stumbles. "Argh, gonna have to get used to all of this 'emotion' stuff. Can't believe you could fight for as long as you did with them?" ISAC says, rubbing the side of his head.
"Eh, it was an experience." I say.
"Ooh, ISAC-senpai, I can teach you about emotions!" Arona says as she jumps up and down in excitement.
"Later." I interject. "For now, transfer admin privileges over to the GSC but leave a backdoor open." I order as Arona nods. I may be willing to leave things as they are and help peace return, but in my experience, it's better to have something to fall back on than nothing at all.
"Gotcha!" Arona says as she tilts her head. "Is that it?"
"Well…" I trail off, ignoring the headache before adding, "no. That's it."
"You should go get your phone from the server room." ISAC adds, a slight smirk on his face as his eyes move. "I'll sift through this data meanwhile and share any relevant information with Arona."
"Alri-wait." I stop myself, turning to ISAC as I give him a severe look. "Don't let her into the files from back home."
"Eh~?!" Arona piped up in shock, "Why's that?"
I have at least one recording of a man killing a prisoner, one of another being burned alive, and another being used as a suicide bomber and who knows what else I've collected over the time.
"You're too young." I answer, leaving it at that as I turn to ISAC. "Got it?"
"I hear ya." ISAC says, leaning on the back of the wall. "Now head back, you've got a job to do."
"Wait, what does he mean by 'too you-." Arona tried to interrupt but by that time, I exited the room, leading me into the room with the strange artifact.
"She thinks you have porn." ISAC says as I inwardly scoff.
Not only could the files I'm talking about be the furthest thing from porn, but I keep my porn in my phone.
"Let's let her believe that." I chuckle as I walk out, heading towards the room with an orange light.
I open it and I spot the server room, looking around as I spot where my phone is located. The room itself isn't the biggest, moderately sized with the whirring of air conditioning as I look around. "Now, what's this?"
My eyes catch a familiar case, smirking as I crouch down and pull out the case, excitedly, I open it and inside is my missing weapon. "Hell yeah."
I pull out a McMillan TAC-50C, the anti-material sniper rifle given to any Agent with a specialization in sharpshooting. I pull back the bolt and peer into the loading chamber, it was empty but the ammo was in the case, so I reach into the case and grab it.
Checking once more, I don't find anything else as I stand up, placing the sniper rifle in my backpack as I move a bit, checking if it's alright. "Good. Now, a mask."
Making a cursory check, I didn't find any and I sighed. "Fine, I'll just stay away from chemical warfare."
Regardless of how I feel, I have a job to do.
"Hey ISAC, show me a map of Kivotos." I ask, prepared as I close my eyes.
Opening them, I see the map.
My smile falls.
"This-Wha-I." I stay silent before finding my voice. "What the fuck is this?"
Kivotos is the size of the US!
Why was I never told?
"Sensei, are you here?" Rin asks, peeking into the room as I turn to see the elven beauty open the door wider, the relief in her posture palpable with a small smile. "Good work. The GSC has gained control of Kivotos. While a few of the schools are still experiencing a few troubles, we believe that order should be restored by tomorrow, and it's all thanks to you."
"Don't mention it." I say, waving it away as her eyes trail down my Tac-50 as I smile, "Awesome ain't it?"
"No...I was just wondering…" She trails off, almost shy in her manners while still retaining the secretarial stance she had, "Why?" She asks, genuinely curious, unlike some of the people who've asked me the same question over the years. "You don't have the same endurance the students have nor were you actually responsible for them, so why risk your life for them? Not to say I'm not grateful." She adds quickly as she waits for my answer.
And, honestly, it was habit, that was the only answer I felt could have encapsulated the truth with accuracy. For three years I fought what could be seen as a hopeless fight against forces beyond my understanding, not in the cosmic horror sense or even in some post-apocalyptic beasts. Politics remaining from before the outbreaks that caused the outbreaks. Politics that caused good people to die and many more to tread down a very bad path, usually putting them at the other end of my gun.
I don't regret my choices and when the consequences came, I grit my teeth and prepared for a hard time.
But…
These kids need an example, they don't need a soldier trained to kill, but a compassionate teacher, willing and capable enough to answer their questions.
I technically never even graduated high school, much less done any taxes.
Could I be what these kids need? An adult that was a teenager three years ago with a penchant of lacking any actual goals for themselves? Just doing as ordered so their family could live a calm life?
Honestly? Probably not.
But I'm what they got. Some guy that was dying when he was sent here.
So, I gave Rin my answer. "You asked me to." She blinked in confusion as I smiled, "You seemed to love this place and looked stressed. So, I decided to do it, increasing my tally of liberated cities to three. Well," I trail off, "does the time the Black Tusk invaded again count?"
Rin was still confused, standing in the entrance as I passed by her, righting her skewed glasses. "Be careful, you need those to see ahead. 'Cause trust me, the rest?" I say, walking back with a smile, "It ain't gonna be easier." I wave back as I walk out to the building. "Stop by if you ever need to unwind."
Yeah…
Thinking is for the higher-ups.
I'll stick with my emotions and see what I can do. After all, the GSC president chose me for a reason.
Shaking my head from my thoughts, I exit the building followed by Rin. "Mission Accomplished!" I yell out to the surrounding authorities and girls waiting there, some of them jumping as I stretch. "The SCHALE building has been retaken, energy and resources are in the process of being sent to the academies, and above all, this place hasn't gone to hell yet. All of you wonderful work. Truly." I compliment the girls, my good mood infecting them as they return my smile.
"You too, Sensei." Chinatsu says, bringing out her phone as she shakes her head. "I'd like to stay, but I'm needed back at Gehenna, please come around and visit us one of these days, Sensei."
"It might be sooner rather than later." I admit, scratching the back of my head. "I've got to repay you guys somehow, and shameful it is to admit, but SCHALE is a bit lacking of funds at the moment."
"That can not stand." Yuuka says, crossing her arms and pursing her lips. "To have Sensei be in this state despite saving Kivotos." I just shake my head at Yuuka, reaching up and lightly tussling her head to her embarrassment.
"At least wait a day or three to start bothering Rin. She's got a lot on her plate." I say as Yuuka's face flushes until she is basically a tomato.
Turning to Suzumi and Hasumi I extend a hand towards them, "It was good working with you, I hope we can meet again."
"The feeling is mutual, Sensei." She says, grasping it with a smile before letting go as I turn to Suzumi.
"You too, thanks a lot for connecting my phone." I say, laughing as I bring up my phone.
Only to have it slip out of my hands as I fumble for it before accidentally slapping it and hitting the wall, breaking it as the students and I watch.
No.
Not my porn.
Outwardly, I mutter, "Guess I'm phoneless now."
"Don't worry, Sensei." Rin spoke, "The GSC will provide you with a new phone. It'd be remiss of a teacher to not have any way to be contacted by his students."
I nod, because while the words are very comforting, they also come with the fact that he's been attached to his phone over the course of his travels.
In the end, I straightened up. "Thank you, Rin." Turning to the other girls, I flash a smile towards them, "All of you are dismissed for today, you've got your own schools to take care of. I'll clean up this area."
My HUD displays the surrounding area of the SCHALE club building, ignoring the worry of the girls. "But, Sensei, you don't have a halo." Hasumi points out, worried.
"I know how to take care of myself. You saw me fighting, I'll be fine. And I'm just going to take care of the area around the building." I explain, causing the girls to relax somewhat. "Tell ya what, give it some time for all of this," I motion to the area around us, "to die down and once you have some free time you can come around and apply for real. You all were conscripted on a temporary basis after all."
That causes them to pause before finally relaxing, Chinatsu being the first to pipe up, "If you're ever injured just come to me, okay?"
"I'll try." I say, waving as I rest my Police M4 on my hands and disengage the safety. "All of you, stay safe!"
I begin jogging away, muttering under my breath, "ISAC, find the nearest scuffle and direct me there."
"Ah, get him!" A girl with four others yelled, raising their guns only to fall back from a hail of gunfire, the distance close enough to hit them exclusively with headshots as the four fell under the hail as I hum.
I tap the ISAC Brick, my HUD lighting up as the surroundings show nothing. "Hah~." I exhale.
A way point appears at the corner of my eyes as I run towards it.
Just like home.
I dip into an alley to see my target behind a chain link fence. Speeding up, I activate the Scanner Pulse, outlining my enemies around me and their roles as I kick off the wall and hop over the fence and let my M4 spray.
A/N: So, I'm back! And this is a bit rough as my beta reader has yet to go through this, but once he does go through this chapter, I'll update it, but it might be a while before that, so sorry about that. First, we'll have to go through the only real piece of lore in this, the ECHO.
ECHO- Evidence Correlation Holographic Overlay, in layman's terms, ISAC gathers and mines data from satellites, phones, cameras, and other other devices to create a 'point cloud' that recreates the event in 3D. In-game, this is in the form of a single moment frozen but here, it's a bit more.
This may or may not be important in future chapters.
Audiometric earpieces- Earpieces that protect the Agent's ears from loud noises and double as their communication device.
ScanTek- The contact lenses worn by Agents that display their HUD among other things. Connected to ISAC and the SHD Network.
Again, this is in simple terms, if you want a better explanation, I suggest searching the wiki.
Now, because the first-I mean second anniversary of Blue Archive is close, or here depending on when I get this out, it's time to add a short story at the end that I hope all of you enjoy!
Orange Archive
by ISAC
Hello. I am ISAC. I was tasked by the Agent to compile a summary of his experiences in his time during the pandemic in his old world to inform the girls of the 'dark truth' involving his past should anything untoward happen to him, specifically his death. Though I do not see this happening any time soon as Agent Vernes is harder to kill than a cockroach on steroids as Squad can probably attest to.
That's an issue for another time, though the file the GSC has on hand is probably sufficient, it's heavily blacked out so as to protect Mateo, which is why this will be released after his death should it come to pass.
Be warned, this file is a summary and not a detailed re-telling of his time in his home. Any content you see here will be watered down and a lot will be overlooked in favor of giving the most as comprehensively as possible.
Mateo Vernes was born in Illinois in a small town before moving to the East Coast to Virginia after his father was offered a job there. Growing up, he never had any siblings and instead would 'be adopted' as the older brother in multiple situations and would act accordingly. His grades were average at best, his affinity with sports was good but nothing special, and he was fairly awkward but that never stopped his kindness in multiple situations.
He began to gain attention sporadically during his time in middle school, where he and his class were lost on a trip to a forest and he took charge, something many of the older students took problem with and tried to argue.
Though no one would say anything as to what happened after, the students who tried to fight were found with a new bruise on their face an hour later when they were found.
Though nothing strange, similar instances began to pop up, getting detention from teachers for 'scaring' them despite reportedly saying he never intended to, an acute instinct, and a consistent run time for the mile beating a few of the students.
Though his fights were short and rarely seen, he's also shown proficiency in hand-to-hand combat.
While nothing to really note, all of these skills would soon accumulate into one thing.
During the summer when he was around sixteen, about to be seventeen, he found an SHD recruitment center. He didn't know that, but he thought it was interesting.
Through luck, the aforementioned skills, and a bit of violence, he managed to enter the recruitment and impressed the recruiters while having the time of his life himself. During the tests, he showed an aptitude for multiple weapons and their ranges, familiar with most of them due to a mix of video games, instinct, common sense, and one of his uncle's obsession with guns. This aptitude also extended to tactics and strategies and a strong mental fortitude.
What truly convinced the recruiters is his self-sacrificing mindset, a few of them even thought he was the perfect SHD Agent.
That is, until they found out he wasn't one of the potential recruits and that they just handed a teenager a gun and a bunch of sensitive government files. That was a scare they never wanted.
The on-site Agent tracked him down and sat him down for a talk.
In the end, Mateo signed away his right to sue the government and became the youngest SHD recruit.
After this, he went through the usual process for a recruit, which involved very intensive interviews, administering cognitive and psychological assessments, and watching his performance in VR simulations and missions.
The Recruiters drew up his Candidate Evaluation Report and were surprised at how high he scored in most categories, especially his adaptability and field leadership. Though they noticed that he excels at solo missions and would only ever be a leader if he was the last, or best, choice. Though he lacked technical aptitude and skills, that was quickly rectified by being the student in an auto shop run by another Agent among other things. Of course, they didn't actually expect him to take the field until he was older, where they could then manipulate the files to hide the fact that he was trained at such a young age.
Then, the Dollar Flu swept through the world and killed more than half of the population before he could finish his initial training. Then all the Agents were activated, him included.
A baptism by fire and blood, many died but Mateo didn't, his raw survival instincts keeping him and those around him alive while the thought of his parents kept him going forward. As more and more gangs began to pop up and cause trouble, a certain altercation changed him.
He would entertain the children as he was one of the few that could relate with them due to his youth, during one of these sessions, he noted how one of them was missing as he passed them onto another Agent.
He would not find the child in good health.
From then on, he'd move at night, waiting for the members of hostile factions to sleep before going in and killing them with ruthless efficiency and quiet rage. It was around this time that he got the moniker 'Sandman', as he'd wait for night before killing his victims. Using such tactics and a few things he picked up, things he regrets, he managed to keep the peace through fear and respect.
He still played with the kids, usually sleeping so he wouldn't feel as menacing while teaching them.
That is, until the day of the Blackout, where he was activated a second time to go and re-establish connection to the ISAC network.
After a trek to Washington D.C., the capital of his country, he mowed down enemy after enemy with the help of Manny Ortega, Odessa Sawyer, and Alani Kelso. With that, he single-handedly re-established the connection to the ISAC Network nationwide, saved the President, helped re-establish the Settlements and regain Control Points in the city, and kicked out most of the hostile factions, liberating the city.
He grew throughout this time, no longer just being a soldier of rage and vitriol, but a dangerous and focused Agent with a steady hand and a teacher for the students and children in the Settlements, even a few of the adults.
Of course, nothing good lasts forever and it's revealed that the President betrayed them and sold them out to the Black Tusk, a foreign mercenary outfit looking to establish a government in the ashes of the chaotic country.
Once again, Mateo pushed them back with help of the Civilian Militia and other Agents until they were forced into hiding. From then on, his name was found as he was referred to as simply 'Agent Vernes'.
After reclaiming the samples of the Broad Spectrum Anti-Virals from the Black Tusk who stole them from a government facility with the help of the President, they went on to try and hunt down the President, but ultimately failed. In return, when the Black Tusk tried to get the machine needed to replicate the samples in the Pentagon, the Agent promptly fought them out and claimed it, sending it towards the White House, the building that is at the capitol.
He would soon go to apprehend one of the Division's most wanted, Brandon Schaeffer, and then go to New York, where the First Wave Agents were at and kill the Rogue Agent Aaron Keener.
Though there's more I can say, I will not, as the current me is trying to sparse through the data found in my previous self's memories.
With this, I begin my closing statement: Mateo Vernes is an Agent through-and-through, but he's also a teacher. While I do not believe in a higher power, it is nothing short of a miracle that he lived through the first half of his adventures while gaining the respect of his enemies.
Once again, I emphasize that this is a summary of the events he went through with a few details added. Nothing will change that, and though he regrets what he did, he does not regret making the choices he did.
If this is being read after his death, let it be known that Mateo Vernes was an Agent for as long as he had to be, but he was happy to be a teacher.
A/N: I want to thank u/GoodUsernameNotFound on the Blue Archive subreddit for helping me compile the events I don't remember from the beginning of the game for the extra section.
Speaking of 'Orange Archive', it's a compilation basically re-telling the basics of Mateo's journey. If this story was further, I'd write something else, but I feel like this is enough to really get a peek into Mateo's character and abilities, someone seen as one of the best Agents in the US.
Someone who's extraordinary, but not mythical. Just the best someone can be in the situation that is the Dollar Flu and the events afterwards. I hope what I'm saying is being conveyed correctly and I manage to convey that in my writing.
With that said, some of this is subject to change as my beta reader, Unknown Sixth, is busy with his own stuff that I really don't wanna get in the way of as a fan of his work.
Anyway, I believe I've said all that needs to be said, leave your opinions on the reviews, DM me on reddit under Superb-Philosophy129, DM me on this site, I like hearing your guys', or gals', thoughts.
Also, there's a poll on my profile that I'm curious about your thoughts of. Vote on it or don't, it's your choice, but aside from that, I hope you guys enjoyed and have a nice day.
'Till next time!