Interlude 8 - Setting up
Bang!
The body hit the floor, blood already pooling around the body from the golf ball-sized hole through the forehead. The arena was silent as the sole survivor of the latest experiment lowered the gun.
Bang! Bang!
Two more shots rang out from the large caliber pistol, perforating the cranium of the already deceased blonde.
"That is enough, Sigma-66."
Dull purple eyes glanced up at the glass observation booth, where masked scientists looked down at him and at the carnage around. The Sigma model locked eyes with the only person not wearing a mask, whose golden orbs stared back with intrigue.
"Was the experiment sufficient, Dr. Hibiki?"
Alen Hibiki's expression did not change as he looked around the veritable circle of death surrounding the lone blonde below. There was a hint of approval in those eyes, something that caused a twisting sensation in 66's stomach.
"I will need more instances, but this particular model seems to exhibit the necessary traits."
'Necessary traits?' The combat model thought, idly picking up a nearby weapon on the floor. It was a 9mm Baby Eagle IV with a 12-round magazine, a smaller variant of the current weapon in his hand, the Desert Eagle.
"And this one seems to be more stable than the rest… Bring him to the gene labs."
Something cold dropped in the pit of Sigma-66's stomach, a minute shudder traveling up his spine at the mere mention of the place.
The Gene Labs was rumored to be where defective Neo-Types were deconstructed and recycled. He had seen some of his fellow Sigma series be dragged away when they began displaying weakness, the guards muttering loudly about how they hated dragging 'these things into the extractor'.
And now it seemed that he was going to the same hell.
"Delta, escort this S-Model to the lab and prep him for extraction. I think I may have found the foundation."
"Yes, sir."
One of the masked scientists cleared their throat, their eyes hidden by a polarized visor.
"You heard the doctor, Sigma-66. Proceed to the arena exit and deposit your weapons."
The shrill sounds of the arena gates opening caused him to turn, where masked cleaners wheeled in the body disposal carts. The sight of which only reminded him of their replaceable nature, causing the Neo-Type's hands to clench, but he relaxed them as he made his way to the exit.
Was this really it? All those death matches, all the bullets fired, all of the wounds, and he's just getting tossed away?
He needed to tell 74 of what was going to happen to him-
"AAAAAAAH!"
"AAAAAAAH!"
Eyes snapping open, Ephraim leapt out from the shower stall still dripping wet. Hastily wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed one of the holdout weapons he had stashed in the bathroom, more specifically in the cupboards; a standard SIG P220. It was one of the many weapons he had grabbed during their Gundam Jacking of the three Frames.
Slicking his hair back, he ever so slightly opened the bathroom door with one hand and peered into the dorm room.
Ryo was halfway out of his bed, alert verdant greens looking around warily as the unsheathed Gerbera Straight gleamed when it hit a stray ray of light that shone through their balcony window's blinds.
"The hell was that?" The adrenaline-filled courier muttered as the blonde crept out from the bathroom, pistol at the ready and alternating between aiming at the balcony and front door. "That sounded like-"
"GET OFF OF ME, YOU PERVERT!" Came Houki's voice a floor below them, which was followed by loud thuds and pained yelps.
"H-Hey, you were the one that pulled me in last night! I couldn't escape-YEOWCH! NOT MY BUTT!" Ichika responded with predictable results, and the two Neo-Types sighed as the adrenaline flowed out of their systems.
He set aside the pistol on a nearby table as the towel-clad blonde shook his head. "Bugger me, this fucking early on a Sunday?" With a wordless grumble, he walked back into the bathroom to finish his shower, closing the door behind him with a bit more force than necessary.
He didn't need to deal with such bullshit this early in the day, especially when his schedule was full.
Unwrapping the towel, he stepped back into the still running shower. He was about to continue with his routine when Ryo began knocking on the bathroom door.
"I'm gonna get breakfast. You need anything?"
"I'm fine!" The blonde responded over the sound of the shower, reaching for the soap. "I had a few energy bars earlier while working out to keep me up. Don't wait for me. Orimura-sensei assigned some extra sparring 'lessons' for me for the rest of the day."
Ryo snorted. "Serves you right. Seriously, ordering a Highball… as if two drunk idiots was hard enough to deal with, you had to drag the others in."
"I haven't had a proper cocktail in months, man! And Chu-Hai cans just don't cut it compared to the real deal!" He growled as the soap slipped from his grasp, juggling the item for a few seconds before he finally caught it. "Gotcha! Stupid fucking soap…"
"Doesn't excuse what you did in the slightest!" The courier shouted, the voice growing distant. "You sure you don't want me to buy you a new swimsuit?"
"I got a bunch of 'em in my wardrobe. I'm gucci. Buy one for Davion though. He won't be coming with you."
"Let me guess, he missed assignments, didn't he?"
"Yep, He's missed a few deadlines, so his grades are starting to plummet. Apparently, he also hasn't been sleeping properly, according to Sarashiki-san, so he's taking today as a rest day and to catch up." He stopped the shower, having just washed off the soap he had lathered, and reached for the towel. "I feel bad for pushing him to upgrade our stuff."
"It was his choice just as much as it was your suggestion. We know how excited he can get about the prospect of upgrades. He just… zones in. Anyway, I'll just buy him an appreciation gift for his efforts. I'm sure I can find something while I go out."
He made a noise of affirmation, and Ryo took that as his cue to leave. The sound of their dorm's door opening alerted the blonde that his roommate was already out.
"W-Wait, did you…DID YOU UNDRESS ME?! WHERE THE HELL IS MY JACKET?!"
"You threw it across the room the moment we got back! P-Put the shinai down-!"
"... I have to deal with a little mess first."
Ephraim snorted, fully dried and in the process of putting his boxer briefs on. "Good luck."
Rescuing Ichika proved to be far more simple than the courier thought. The poor boy was thrown out of the room the moment he got to their floor, and treating the bruises wasn't too difficult as they ate breakfast.
Sometimes it paid to have a first-aid kit in their Inventory, even if it was mostly used for when Davion got himself hurt somehow.
However, Ryo could have done without the shutter clicks of the not-so-discreet lechers as they took candid shots of him applying a band-aid on Ichika's cheek.
But overall, it was a quiet morning in the IS Academy, and that was what the green-eyed Neo-Type liked more than anything.
No ridiculous events such as Davion blowing up an entire room in Arzenal due to an experiment gone wrong or Ephraim causing another wave of controversy to sweep across the student body because he made some popular misandrist eat her words in one way or another.
Just spending time with his… 'friends' on a quiet morning.
"Hey, aren't those girls from the IS Academy? I think I recognize the one with blue hair… she's your nation's Representative Candidate, right?"
"Yeah, she is. And I recognize that guy as the lucky bastard who could pilot an IS."
…Well, as quiet as riding on a train can be.
Ryo gave a discreet glance over to where the voices were and spotted a man and woman whispering to each other as they stared at his group. The woman was clearly a foreigner, if her facial shape was of any indication, while the man was a local.
"Wait, that's him? He isn't one to look at, if I may be honest." She not-so-politely pointed at Ichika, who was checking his wallet on how much money he had. Beside him, Rin was checking her phone for...something. She wore a black apron dress with a white stripe-like design and a light pink 3/4th sleeve shirt underneath, an outfit suitable for both an outing and a romantic venture.
He assumed that she was perhaps looking at movie schedules if what he heard from her muttering when they stepped off the mainland monorail station was correct. With Houki choosing to remain back on the island to focus on her swordwork, the Chinese girl snatched this moment to rope the boy into having a date with her.
"Hey, don't point. It's rude."
'Ironic coming from two busybodies.'
"This will be the first time I'll be this deep in Tokyo." An arm wrapped around his bicep, and he almost jolted in surprise. Turning his head, his verdant green met amethyst as Charlotte's cheeks flushed lightly. "You won't let me get lost, right?"
The Frenchwoman wore a sky blue shirt jacket on top of a pale pink camisole, a matching ribbon that tied her ponytail, a pale blue pair of low-rise shorts, and matching monk strap shoes. The Closed Form of her Rafale-Revive II somewhat stood out with its orange coloration amidst the light blues, and the courier wondered in the back of his head if displaying such a thing so openly was a good idea.
Her question caused a slight curve to form on his lips. "I'll do my-"
Bump!
"Ah!" The Frenchwoman gasped as the train car shifted, causing her to lose her footing somewhat and sway into the courier's chest. "O-Oh, pardonne-moi…"
"It's okay." Ryo winced slightly as he adjusted his grip on the handrail he was holding on to, ignoring how the passengers around him were jostled and muttering in annoyance. "These things happen." He shrugged as he lightly pulled the collar of his shirt out.
If there was one thing that he disliked about cramped trains, it was the general heat of having so many bodies stuffed inside. He somewhat regretted wearing a long sleeved hoodie underneath his letterman jacket, especially with the summer sun bearing down in the cloudless sky. At least they were both light colors unlike his jeans and sneakers.
Then again, he'd endured far worse than this.
"I'm just fortunate to be sitting down." Cecilia sighed as she crossed her arms, the only one to have a seat while the rest were standing. "Anyway, where did you say we will be shopping?"
She seemed a bit unenthused, obviously due to the lack of the taller purple-eyed blonde, but there were still traces of excitement in her voice.
The noblewoman wore a pristine white empire dress underneath a light blue linen jacket and equally white loafers, an outfit that was as elegant as it was simple. If anything, it didn't detract from her natural beauty. The simplicity of it brought attention to her pristine skin and svelte figure.
The blonde Brit preened at the attention, but it just wasn't the same as Ephraim's ogling from the night prior.
"We're going to Compass Town in Odaiba," Ichika answered as he pocketed his wallet. "There's a summer sale going on there, according to a friend of mine. This is gonna be the first time going there for you guys, right?" He grinned as he looked around their group, excited at showing the Europeans around one of the places he frequented prior to being enrolled.
"Why is it named such..?" Laura turned away from gawking at the Tokyo skyline to ask the question, her brows furrowed. She wore a similar outfit from the night before, except the feldgrau jacket had been switched for a Hellgrau version.
"It won't be my first time." Kanzashi curtly answered, keeping a rather stiff yet polite mask as she stood as far as she could from the male IS pilot. She too, was a bit unenthused due to the lack of a certain brawler, but considering that DiverCity was just walking distance away from Compass Town, she was still a bit happy to be going there.
The bluenette's ensemble marginally resembled what she wore during her and Davion's date, at least color-wise. A red blouse with a matching red beret, a dark skirt, and dark brown mary janes with dark socks to complete the outfit.
"Won't be my first time either." Ryo grinned lightly, momentarily pushing down the most recent memory of his and Tatenashi's 'date' in lieu of remembering the few times he did some rush deliveries to and from the artificial island. "Been a while since I've been there."
'More like a week…'
As they made their way through Compass Town, Ryo noticed that they were attracting attention. Given the fact that he and Ichika were but two guys amidst a group of stunning girls, it was the wrong kind of attention.
"Hey there! You've got an Insta-?"
"No." Kanzashi coldly walked past the guy with a slight huff, her right hand clenching slightly before relaxing.
"Whoa, look at you! What's your LINE-"
"Know your place, lecher trash!" Cecilia hissed, slapping away the hand that was inching closer to her waist. With a conceited sniff and an upturn of her nose, she stormed off, following Kanzashi as they entered the Aphrodite Promenade.
Ichika glared daggers at the two pretty boys that tried to hit on their friends, his angry brown orbs expressing volatile warnings against everyone who approached them with ill intentions.
"Ugh, I hate those kinds of guys," Rin muttered as she stuck close to her childhood friend, giving the two retreating backs a stink-eye as the rest of the group followed after the two slighted girls. "Always so damn forward without even caring about the girl's feelings."
"Inconsiderate is what they are." Ichika grumbled as he patted down his sleeveless zip-up hoodie as if brushing off any detritus he could have gotten from the two ikemen. "Those guys are the types that give the rest of us men a bad name. What do you think, Ryo?"
...
"Ryo?"
Instead of replying, Ryo broke off from Charlotte as another person began to approach them, eyes obviously on the prize as his gaze wandered to each girl that was in their group. Against what they expected, the courier greeted him with an amicable tone.
"Excuse me, you come here often?"
Frozen in his tracks, the latest individual replied. "Uh… I guess, now mov-"
"Really? Do you mind if I ask for some directions? You see-"
Soon enough, he was being led along by Ryo as they walked, exchanging words with him ranging from different topics, almost seemingly forgetting that he was supposed to be picking up on one of the girls. The others could only follow and spectate his actions with fascination and utter confusion.
"Damn… I didn't know that I was eating at the second-best ramen place here."
"Yeah, only a few people know about it, especially since they don't usually like to advertise their place much-"
A few more moments later, Ryo said his goodbyes to the random stranger as if they were old friends before slowly falling back into their group, only to pull forward again when another person thought they were a good mark.
"Hey, you ok?" He asked worriedly.
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"I don't know. Your eyes look kinda bad. Have you been sleeping lately?"
"I- I- how come I wasn't good enough, man?"
By the end of it, Ichika and the other's confusion slowly became amazement and amusement as one person after another was seemingly greeted and brushed off by their friend like they had known each other since then. It was undoubtedly more effective than Ichika's death glares in driving the more questionable people off.
When they finally reached a less crowded area, Ryo exhaled in relief as the frequency of people attempting to approach them dwindled, pulling back into the group as they stared at him incredulously.
"What?"
"How were you able to do that?" Ichika asked in wonder.
He scratched the back of his neck, formulating a more believable answer aside from the fact that he was unnaturally programmed to be able to do so. "Um… I try not to think too hard, to be honest. I guess you can say I'm used to it." The courier answered as he waved away the most recent individual as they left to their own devices or picked different targets. "That's not to say I'm okay with whatever they're doing, but it's better to just be friends rather than pick a fight."
"Friends?" Charlotte reappeared on his side with a tone of interest.
"Well… they're not my enemy. What's to say that we can't be friends? Besides, they're harmless for the most part. In fact, consider them lucky, especially since the other two idiots are left back in the academy. They'd be dead if they were here, and I'd be on damage control instead."
"How so?"
Ryo turned to Ichika with half-lid eyes. "How do you think Davion would react if he saw someone try to talk Sarashiki-san up?"
The Byakushiki pilot winced, already seeing the teeth flying in the air as he recalled the angered mechanic taking down the albino with them. "Someone's gonna get hospitalized."
"Exactly. As for Ephraim, can you still recall his insults, Laura?"
The albino opened her mouth to retort but then paused. Grumbling to herself, she crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks, mumbling incoherently all the while.
"Point exactly." He chuckled lightly. "He'll rip someone's self-esteem to shreds."
"Ryo-nii!"
As they continued their pace towards their destination. Charlotte kept glancing at the green-eyed courier from the side as he listened to the group's conversations. Amethyst eyes shimmered with emotion as the short blonde's cheeks flushed as he turned towards her just as she was staring. Momentarily, Ryo extended his arm slightly, interpreting it as a message for him to escort her just as he did earlier, to which the Frenchwoman took no time to accept.
"I'll take you up on that offer then, mon chéri~"
"Happy to assist."
Luckily for her, her escort was back to listening to the group's conversation to take notice of her giddy expression.
Taking a deep breath to recollect herself, she turned forward with a fond smile.
As the two annoyed ladies entered Aphrodite Promenade, Kanzashi found herself becoming a pseudo-guide for the British noblewoman. It wasn't as if it was a problem for the bluenette, oh no. She empathized with the blonde's feelings at the moment. If she was correct in her assumptions, that is.
Cecilia wished for Ephraim to be here just as much as Kanzashi wished Davion was.
"Oh, this is an interesting piece…"
Turning her head, the beret-wearing girl saw the noblewoman eyeing a bikini with light blue and white floral patterns. There was an attached sarong with similar designs on the same hanger, and Kanzashi pursed her lips as she was just now reminded that she also needed to find a swimsuit.
It would be an utter embarrassment if she went to the beach with only a school-issue one piece.
"I'm going to go to the dressing room, Sarashiki-san!" Cecilia chirped as she grabbed a few swimsuit sets, all revolving around different shades of blue and of varying skin coverage. "I think I may have just found what I want to wear~!"
"A-Ah, sure." The bluenette nodded as she began to look around for a suitable swimsuit. "I'll go look around for my own set."
When the blonde entered the changing room, Kanzashi walked between the aisles to see which type of swimwear would be better.
'Should I go with a swim dress? I think Davion-kun would like it…' She felt the fabric of the aforementioned swimwear, noting the reddish-orange shade of the floral pattern that reminded her of a sunset. Her eyes wandered to the more revealing bikini beside it, the plain white coloration inviting a sense of innocence but also some allure. 'O-Or maybe I should try something new…'
As the ruby-eyed girl fretted over her choice, the noblewoman was facing a similar dilemma.
Cecilia looked at her swimsuit-clad self and frowned. She tilted this way and that, checking if the light blue bikini accentuated her curves. The sarong was ignored for now, as she wanted to see if the bottoms were just the perfect blend of revealing and concealing.
"I need a second opinion…" The blonde muttered as she cupped her chin. Her eyes narrowed as she made a few poses. Huffing, she took her phone out from her handbag that sat on top of her clothes, accessed the camera app and…
"...That's it!"
A mischievous grin grew on her lips as she took a pose.
Click!
"And…send~"
.
Meanwhile, back at the IS Academy…
.
"You get a five-minute break, don't waste it."
Sighing, he could only nod at his superior's words as she walked away to her end of the ring. Doing the same, he idly wiped away the blood that was dripping from the cut of his lower lip.
Let it be known that for all of Chifuyu's apparent leniency towards his shenanigans, she knew when to punish him for his idiocy. Not that he minded it, of course, he greatly appreciated having to answer for his errs.
Ephraim was a man who valued structure in his life, of instruction and order. He was deeply afraid that he would lose control of himself, of losing this sense of order, of this framework of being him. Chifuyu satisfied that need of his, whether it be by her punishments or her silent looks for him to behave. It was why he valued his time with her and, by proxy, her in general.
It was one of the reasons why he pined after her.
However, he wasn't sure if what he felt towards her was truly love. Perhaps it was just some overblown infatuation, or perhaps it was a vindictive need to dismantle the harem Ichika would have amassed. Or maybe it was just pure lust, Lords below know of his types and proclivities prior to their awakening in this world.
Sitting down on the bench where his jug and personal belongings were, he used his towel to wipe away the sweat that clung to his face. He made sure to lighten his touch over the new bruises and cuts.
Bruises and cuts that were already in the process of healing, might he add.
Taking the towel away from his face, he looked over to where the woman in his mind was.
Chifuyu was drinking her own jug with her back to him, and he shamelessly ogled said back's muscle definition.
Both of them were wearing martial arts gis, but she had wrapped her uwagi around her waist due to the approaching summer's rising heat. This exposed the sports bra that she wore, and the blonde couldn't help but stare at her lithe physique.
There was always that inherent eroticism in a woman's back, from the shoulders to her lower back, to which Ephraim appreciated such a welcome sight. It reminded him of all the times he had fuc-
'No! No, bad time!'
Taking a deep drought of water from his jug in an attempt to cool down, his line of thought traveled back to the events of the night prior.
The yakiniku party was a welcome break amidst the craziness of this world. He liked to believe that it brought all of them closer, save for Houki who still raised that crass bulwark of hers towards the Neo-Types.
Sure, he may have erred in influencing the others when he ordered a Highball, but what was life without a bit of stupidity every now and again?
But thinking back to that night, he remembered how Cecilia whispered sweet nothings into his ear as they ate and drank. In all honesty, it was adorable to listen to her attempts to purposefully flirt with him in between her mutterings of honest feelings.
She had never flirted with a boy before, that much was obvious.
But that mere fact scared him.
That clumsiness of hers indicated many things about her.
He was going to give her a chance. He would make sure of it. He was going to date her over the summer, give her a chance for happiness, give their relationship a chance, just like she wanted.
What he was afraid of was messing it up.
Cecilia was…innocent, far more innocent than he was.
She probably didn't know the struggles of being in a relationship with him in particular. Perhaps she saw it through rose-tinted glasses, maybe idealized it as something akin to a storybook ending. She most likely saw him as someone the direct opposite of her late father, who he could barely remember as someone she deemed 'unworthy'.
They would face trials and tribulations, especially when it came to their status; with her as an IS Pilot and with him being both an Astray pilot and as a man. That was not to mention his feelings for Chifuyu, if it still lingered when he and Cecilia would enter a relationship. She'd obviously be devastated if he still pined after their teacher...
'Focus...'
She was…pure, in many shades of the word.
And he was tainted, impure, trash.
He didn't want to stain her being.
Cecilia Alcott was…a good person.
Sighing, he covered his face with both of his hands. "What a mess…"
Bzzt!
Glancing at the phone on top of his spare clothes, he picked it up and read what was on the screen.
1 message from Noblesse Oblige.
Noblesse Oblige: I request your aid in something.
'Cecilia?' The purple-eyed blonde blinked as he eyed the moving ellipses that indicated she was still typing. He had changed his contacts' names out of a whim a few nights prior, but of course he still knew who was who. 'What does she need my help with?'
Noblesse Oblige: Tell me your honest opinion on this.
'...This better not be another trash Tweeter post-'
Noblesse Oblige sent an image.
Ephraim stared down at his phone with a blank expression. There, blatantly on his screen, was Cecilia. Clad in only a light blue and white floral patterned bikini, she was posing in front of a mirror, an arm underneath her breasts propping it up as she popped a hip. He could clearly see the sarong that was meant to complement the bikini just behind her.
Taking a deep breath, the Astray pilot locked his screen and leaned back against the wall behind the bench he was on. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose.
He wasn't some virgin cherry boy who'd holler and whoop at the picture of a half-naked woman. He had received plenty of similar pictures during his escort days, typically attached with the message 'Are you down?'. Professionalism had made him answer the requests with service, something that he wasn't all that opposed to.
But the difference between then and now was that he had a bond with Cecilia. A personal connection, something that was discouraged during his escort days. So seeing her like this was…
'Lords below, don't you dare pop a stiffy in the middle of your punishment!'
Bzzt!
With reluctance, he opened his messages again.
Noblesse Oblige: Do you prefer this? Or…
Noblesse Oblige sent an image.
Ephraim took another deep breath as he set his phone back down on his personal items. Tenting his fingers, he leaned on them as he propped them up with his knees. Taking a few more seconds to calm down, he opened his messages again.
The newest picture had Cecilia wearing a white bikini with the top resembling clams and both it and the bottom having flower-like decorations. She was in a different pose this time, stretching her arms up while her phone was clearly between her boobs.
He marveled more on how the hell she was able to take a picture without even touching her phone.
Noblesse Oblige: Which one should I buy~?
The purple-eyed blonde did not hesitate in replying.
Degenerate Lancer (You) : The light blue one. It fits you more, especially if you put that sarong on. Perhaps a sunhat too? A perfect ensemble for an elegant lady on the beach.
Hopefully, his answer wouldn't be met with a reply.
…Or another picture.
"Sahaku." Chifuyu called out from her end, her eyes narrowed as she got back into the ring. "You rested up? Good. Now, we'll kick things up a notch." She quickly took a Hidari Hanmi stance, with the Neo-Type quickly recognizing it as from Aikido.
Grimacing, he locked his phone and stood up from his chair. Setting it back on his personal items, he adjusted the tightness of his sparring gloves and got back into the ring.
…
"Hey, sensei, how about after this, we go to Afterlife?"
.
Back in Aphrodite Promenade
.
"Uh, you guys go ahead. I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick."
Ryo did not miss how the Byakushiki pilot's eyes glanced over to a nearby jewelry store. It was evident to the courier that he was going to buy something for Houki on her birthday, and that itself reminded him that he should also buy something for the testy swordswoman, for propriety's sake if anything else.
'Perhaps a shinai, if there's such a shop around here. If not, then I can always ask from a few people that owe me favors…'
"Oh, I think I see Cecilia over there." Rin pointed to a familiar blonde further down the faux-street who was smiling at her phone in front of what seemed to be a swimsuit store. "Ah, they found the store!" The twin-tailed girl ran ahead, waving at her friend to get her attention. Laura, as silent as she has been lately, followed behind her at a moderate pace.
"Hey~!"
"Swimsuit…" Charlotte muttered beside him, unaware that he could hear her. "I wonder what Ryo would like…"
'I'm right here…' The courier thought dryly, idly looking over his shoulder at the various shops which lined the street. Actually, now was a good time to browse the stores for a good backup gift for their resident mechanic.
"Charlotte, you think you'll be fine with the girls?" He asked her as he scratched the back of his neck. "I have some errands to run first. I have to find Davion a gift for his efforts on our suits."
Which wasn't exactly a lie since he still meant to do that later.
The Frenchwoman looked a bit surprised at his request and pouted. "Mou, I wanted your input on what I should wear!"
He sighed slightly as he slowly detached himself from Charlotte, giving her a reassuring squeeze before letting go. "Sorry, better now, so it'll save some time for later. And hey, I'm sure you look good no matter what you wear."
Charlotte flushed, still upset that he was going away but slightly pacified at his compliment. "Fine…"
"Je suis vraiment désolé." With one last apology, the courier walked away from her, shortly disappearing from their sight when a crowd of people walked past.
"Keep a good hold on the bags, 'nii, I won't forgive you if you drop them!"
"Aren't you buying a bit too much?"
Ran Gotanda whirled around at her brother, a fierce expression on her face as she raised a fist in defiance. "The last summer of middle school is special! That's why I must have a swimsuit for every occasion!"
"Wha-"
"One for the pool, one for the beach, one for the real deal, one for the true real deal, and one for the super true real deal!"
Dan stared at his younger sister with an extremely confused and concerned expression. "What exactly do you mean by 'super true real deal'?"
"Aaagh!" Ran stomped the ground in annoyance. "I've got to have them to cover all my bases!"
"What bases?"
"I said—" The girl whirled around once more only to see the smiling face of Ichika Orimura.
"Hey."
"Waaah!" The redhead screeched in surprise as she backpedaled, quickly bumping into her older brother and making him drop the bags to catch her.
"Ah, watch it Ran!" Dan hissed as he stopped her from backpedaling further and knocking them both to the ground. "Don't make a scene!"
"O-Oh, sorry about that!" The Byakushiki pilot apologized as he quickly pocketed the small box in his hand. "I didn't mean to surprise you that badly!"
The older redhead waved his hand, smiling both apologetically and earnestly at his friend. "It's fine, dude. These things happen." Ignoring how his little sister seemed to be speechless, he tentatively let go of her to see if she could stand on her own and when she did, he bent down to retrieve the scattered bags. "I didn't expect to see you shopping here at the same time as us, though."
"Let me help you with that."
Dan looked to his left and was met with a vaguely familiar face, one that he swore he'd seen on the news a while back.
"Oh uh, thanks…um..."
"Ryo!" Ichika was surprised at the presence of the green-eyed pilot. "I thought you were with the girls?"
"I have some stuff to do myself." The bespectacled teen shrugged as he picked up a fair few of the bags and stood up. "Might as well do it earlier, so I don't have to bother with it later- Ah, here, your bags." Ryo handed the bags to Dan, who took them gratefully but continued to stare at the taller teen. "The name's Murakumo Ryo. I'm a classmate of Ichika-san. A pleasure to meet you."
"Murakumo..? Murakumo…" The redhead seemed to recognize the name as his eyes widened. "Oh, no way!"
"Hm?" "Eh?" Both IS Academy students raised a brow at his sudden excitement.
"It's an honor to meet you!" Dan's eyes seemed to sparkle as he bowed at the taller teen. "I'm Gotanda Dan, and this is my younger sister Gotanda Ran. I've heard a bunch of good things about the test pilots!"
Ryo tilted his head at the rather unusual reaction to his presence. "I see..? Can you give me an example?"
"Hell yeah! You guys are, like, standing up for us little guys, you know?!" The starstruck teen took the surprised and confused courier's hand and shook it. "You three constantly defy whatever slander gets thrown at you. It's so cool!"
'Standing up for you 'little guys'..?' The Astray pilot wondered as he nodded along with the redhead's words.
"Hey, Ran, don't embarrass me! Say something!" Dan hissed to his little sister, which snapped her out of her own stunned state. She looked up at Ryo in slight surprise and shock at his sudden appearance…
'O-Oh my gosh…' The younger Gotanda felt her cheeks get hotter, the longer she stared into his verdant greens. 'He's just as cute as Ichika-kun..!'
"H-Hello." She squeaked out, her amber eyes alternating between staring at either of the two black-haired teens before her. "I'm Gotanda Ran. It is nice to meet you!"
Her heart pounded in her chest, the overactive imagination of a young girl going rampant as it created scenarios where the two taller teens would tend to her every whim-
"Nice to meet you too, Gotanda-san, both of you." Ryo's smile was as warm as it was polite, a well-practiced and well-meaning curl of the lips to make his conversation partner feel at ease. "I finally got to meet some of Ichika-san's friends before he was in the Academy. It's a pleasure."
"Oh, so are those why you randomly mentioned that there was a summer sale here?" Ichika motioned to the bags his friend was carrying. "You guys were buying swimsuits?"
"Nah, these are all Ran's." Dan shrugged, eliciting a squeak from his little sister. "She said something about deals and real deals and super real deals or something, whatever." He then grinned as he nudged said little sister. "Not to mention that she was going to show them all off to you- Ghuhuk!"
Ran elbowed her older brother in the gut with all her might, her face practically ablaze as the other redhead nearly folded in half. The force sent the bags flying again, and Ryo stepped forward to catch all of them with almost flawless proficiency.
This wasn't the first time he had to catch multiple falling items, nor would it be the last, as working as a courier often involved some accidents here and there.
"Wha-? You okay there dude?" The Byakushiki pilot was about to walk over to his downed friend when Ran stepped up before him with a very eager smile.
"So!" The shorter redhead clapped her hands as she forced her blush down. "Did you come here to buy a swimsuit too?"
"Er, yeah…" Ichika answered, glancing at Ryo, who was setting the bags down next to a slowly recovering Dan. "The First Year's Beach Trip is coming up tomorrow, in fact."
Ran covered her face as she let out a frustrated sigh. "Ah, if you had only told me sooner, I would have asked you to help me pick out a swimsuit!"
"Hm? Why is that?"
Ryo schooled his features into a patient smile as he watched from the sidelines at what could only be considered density that surpassed a black hole.
"Nothing!" The younger girl once more denied before she snapped her fingers. "Oh right, I almost forgot!" She turned her head and looked at Ryo, sending a happy smile as she clapped quietly to herself. "Next year, you're both going to be my senpais! Isn't that great?"
"Is that so? Then I'll wait for the day you finally enroll, Gotanda-san." The courier can already see her presence stirring up trouble should she actually show up in the next school year. Hopefully, Ichika would have chosen a girl and gotten rid of the stupid competition between Rin and Houki. Shaking his head, he gave the older Gotanda a hand. "You okay there? That looked rough."
Dan took his hand gratefully and pulled himself up. "I'll be fine. This is kinda normal… I've dealt with tougher customers and blows during Friday nights."
Ryo blinked, feeling a sense of companionship with the younger teen. "Customers? I assume you work in retail?"
"Nah," The bandana-wearing redhead grinned as he placed his hands on his hips. "I help run the Gotanda Eatery with my sis here with gramps as the head cook. It's close by Ichika and his sis' house, so you should try and come over sometime."
The green-eyed teen blinked once more as he searched his memories, more specifically that one time he delivered pizza to the Orimura household. While it was dark, he saw a two-story house with a restaurant on the ground floor along the way…
"I think I passed by it during some of my deliveries…"
"Oh right, you were a delivery boy!"
"Courier, actually." Ryo dryly corrected him, though it was in good nature. "Although delivery boy still fits since a large part of my commissions and contracts consisted of delivering food."
""You!""
Both boys turned their heads at the exclamation, quickly finding both Rin and Ran growling at the other as they held one of Ichika's arms each.
"Oh, great." Dan sighed, shaking his head in slight annoyance. "I didn't expect to see Huang-san here."
Green eyes glanced over at him as the two shorter girls began to argue. "You know each other?"
"Yeah, she went to the same middle school as Ichika and I. She competed for his attention against Ran, where she cooked Chinese while my sis went for native." The redhead frowned when Ichika's arms were getting pulled from opposite ends. "Didn't help that her family used to run a Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood, so her family and mine were sort of rivals."
"I see…"
'That would explain why Rin was very keen on cooking for Ichika if there weren't any leftovers from the Culinary Arts Club.'
"We're back~!"
From behind the arguing duo, came the rest of the girls. Cecilia and Kanzashi both had two bags with them, while Charlotte only had one. Oddly, there was a distinct lack of a certain albino…
"Where's Laura?" Ryo asked, looking around for any sign of his cousin. "Don't tell me you've ditched her."
"She's still in the swimsuit shop. She couldn't decide on what type to buy, so she's trying a bunch of styles." Charlotte answered as the group finally reconvened, minus Laura.
"Should we break those two up..?" Cecilia whispered audibly to them as she watched Rin and Ran attempt to headbutt each other, only prevented thanks to the efforts of both Dan and Ichika.
Ryo opened his mouth, paused, and then closed it.
"Feel free. I'm not doing it."
Even there were some conflicts he'd rather not untangle.
Laura looked over the three sets of swimwear she had chosen, frowning as she tried to envision herself wearing any of the three at the beach. They were recommended to her by one of the store's employees, as she had little to no knowledge that there were different types aside from the school swimsuit.
The first was a standard black bikini, nothing too extravagant or fancy. There was beauty in simplicity, and as a soldier, Laura could appreciate that.
The second was a dark long-sleeved one-piece with red cuffs and golden yellow patterns at her waist. It reminded her of her nation's flag, and she grabbed it due to that very fact.
The last one was more akin to a wetsuit, with pants and long sleeves. The employee had asked if she was going to surf, and Laura merely nodded at that, reminding herself to look up what 'surfing' was later.
"I can't choose…" The albino muttered as she took out her phone. She took a few pictures of the sets and sent them to a certain someone before dialing their number. "It's time for a second opinion."
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Schwarzer Hase Headquarters, Germany
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(BGM Start: Project Wingman - Contract Details)
"Hauptmann, latest reports from Area 6 have come up inconclusive. No signs of the interlopers."
"Verdammt…Try Area 17, they couldn't have gotten that far."
The Command Center was abuzz with activity, black uniformed girls typing on numerous holographic screens. Several of them were gathered around a central map, also holographic, which was marked with various red x's displaying the whole of the EU.
Captain Clarissa Harfouch tensed her jaw as another search came up empty.
There had been mysterious attacks on multiple military and research installations within the member states of the European Union, some resulting in the destruction of crucial hardware such as two Infinite Stratos', the theft of one their COREs, and the disappearance of sensitive data concerning the EU's investigation of Project: Astray.
"Hauptmann, we're receiving a call from Kommandantin Bodewig." One of her subordinates called out from the second floor. "And she sent…pictures?"
"Patch her through."
Almost all activity in the command center paused as the members of the Schwarzer Hase waited for their commander's words.
"Clarissa, I require your help. This is an emergency situation!"
The captain narrowed her sole blue eye and looked over her shoulder at a few of the women under her command. Giving them a few hand gestures, she nodded before they scrambled to their seats, the computers activating as they began to trace the call and see if they could be of any aid to their leader.
"What seems to be the problem, Kommandantin?" Clarissa asked with a tense tone. "Do you require backup?"
"Nein, nothing of the sort. I sent you pictures that will explain my dilemma."
"Open them." The executive officer ordered and her subordinates obeyed.
Three more holographic screens winked into existence, each displaying one of the three swimsuit sets.
A fair few of the uniformed girls' expressions slacked from tense to deadpan.
"Here is the situation. I am to join the First Year's beach trip in Kanucha Resort, Okinawa. These three sets are what I have deemed suitable for such an event, but I am unsure which to pick. I require advice."
"Natürlich!" Clarissa accepted the call for help passionately, clicking her heels as she stood up straight. "We of the Schwarzer Hase are always with you, Kommandantin!"
Clearing her throat, the blue-haired woman crossed her arms behind her back. "For my reference, what equipment do you have as of the moment?"
"The school issued swimsuit and one of our wetsuits I managed to smuggle in."
Her visible eye widened, and she grits her teeth. "Ridiculous!" She boomed, stomping a foot down for good measure. "If I'm correct, the IS Academy employs the old-style school swimsuit, yes?! The blue one piece with the white box for your name?!"
"J-Ja..?"
"Aaaah!" Clarissa messed up her hair in aggravation. "While I would normally approve wearing such a traditional outfit, doing so at a beach is nothing more than pornography to satisfy some weirdo's sick fetish!"
Many of the Schwarzer Hase whispered and gossiped behind her, their expressions ranging from wonder to incredulity.
"As expected of our Second in Command!"
"Her love for Japanese manga and anime just isn't for show."
"...What?"
"Then what do I wear, Clarissa? Do I buy a new set or one of these three?"
"All of them." The blue-haired woman pressed. "The bikini if you're looking to seduce a boy who has managed to catch your eye, the one-piece for leisure, and the wetsuit if you need to perform some clandestine activity!"
"Wha?! I am not looking to seduce anyone! I just want to fit in! Remember that we still have a mission, Hauptmann!"
Clarissa winced. "A-Ah, yes. Well, going for the modest and practical one-piece never hurt anyone."
"Danke. I'll be sure to wear it tomorrow then. Now, what is your progress on the investigation?"
Everyone in the command center stiffened when the executive officer snapped her fingers. They knew what she was talking about, their little clandestine research behind their military's back.
"Stabsgefreiter Schnee, report!"
"Data has been compiled into an easy to read packet, Kommandantin!" Specialist Schnee stood from her computer unit, a flash drive in hand that had a snowflake charm attached. "Would you like me to send it to you now?"
"That would be much appreciated. Now, I have to go. I just saw Ryo-nii enter the store and he most likely has spotted me in turn. Bodewig, ou-"
"Wait!" One of the Schwarzer Hase suddenly stood up, raising a hand and with her expression one of embarrassment. "The Kommandantin is going to the beach tomorrow, ja?! Can she perhaps take pictures of her brothers?"
"...Why?"
"F-For research purposes!"
"Stabsgefreiter Fuchs!" Clarissa barked, her expression one of affront as she whirled around to the insubordinate girl. "Watch your words! This is our Kommandantin you're talking to, you do not get to order her around!"
"But-!"
"Laura, there you are. Are you done picking your swimsuit?"
"A-Ah, hold on Ryo-nii, I'm finishing a call."
"Don't worry, I'm not in a rush. I'll be waiting over at the register when you're done."
The command center was silent, tense as they shut their mouths in fear of being heard by the person their commander deemed one of her 'brothers'. They knew who he was, a worldwide courier with an uncanny ability to get into unfortunate situations and talk his way out.
It was better for him to not know about their organization.
Of course, they themselves were unaware that the Neo-Types knew of them and their capabilities.
(BGM End: Project Wingman - Contract Details)
.
.
.
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Shinjuku, Shinjuku City
"Ain't seen you in a while, Graham."
"Went overseas to visit family for a bit, Emmerick."
"That so? And who's this?"
"A friend from University. She's cool."
"Alright, if you say so, choom. Come on in, Claire'd be glad to see you again."
Ephraim nodded at the bouncer as he and Chifuyu walked into the Afterlife. The literal underground nightclub had quickly become a hotspot for young adults within Shinjuku. He had frequented the place before he and his friend's enrollment into the IS Academy, and at that point was a common face to see.
He just hoped that his few months of absence didn't make the staff think that he was gone.
Once more, he was in his 'Graham' disguise and she was in her 'Madoka' mask. The life-like synthetic mask that he wore over his face was identical to the ones he wore whenever he did go out as 'Graham', whether it be for recreational use or for escort jobs. Alongside the green contacts and some padding in his outfit to change his build, he was, by all means, a different person.
Opposed to his, rather over the top, disguise, Chifuyu opted to let her hair down and put on red contacts. It was a simple but very effective disguise.
They both were wearing the similar, yet different, outfits that they wore during their meeting a few months back; a simple hugging black shirt underneath a gray sport jacket, jeans, and black shoes with white soles for him, and a black leather crop top jacket with a black and white sports bra underneath, techwear-style pants that stopped mid-shin, and similarly monochrome sneakers as him.
As they walked down the neon-lit staircase, passing by leaving clubbers, both drunk and tipsy, Chifuyu stuffed her hands into her pants pockets.
"Remind me again why I let you talk me into going here?"
The blonde pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his sport coat and put it on, hiding his green eyes beneath another layer of anonymity.
"Because we're going to be drinking Silverhands?"
The dark-haired off-duty teacher hummed.
"Point."
Arriving at the bottom of the staircase, they made their way down the neon-lit hall and towards the doors at the end, where faint club music could be heard from within. Ephraim nodded at the bouncers flanking the doors, who nodded back, before he pushed them in.
(BGM: CYBERPUNK 2077 - COME CLOSE by Sebastian Robertson and Daniel Davies & Keine)
Unlike the last time the two were in the Afterlife, there were fewer people present that were enjoying the amenities. Since the two were there more for the drinks than the partying, it was more of a boon to have less people.
Approaching the bar, the woman behind it looked over at them and smiled.
"Graham! Where the hell have you been these past few months?"
Ephraim smirked as he took a seat, leaning against the counter as he shook his head.
"I went overseas to visit family." The blonde chuckled as Chifuyu took the seat next to him, earning him a cheeky smirk from Claire as her eyes darted between them. "Got tangled up with some family business, but I'm back now."
"I see, I see…" The bartender nodded as she leaned on the counter. "So, I'm guessing that you're here to unwind with your friend? Whooo I still haven't gotten the name of."
"Madoka." Chifuyu introduced herself with a slight roll of her eyes. "I'm really just here because this idiot invited me for a few drinks."
"Hey now," Ephraim turned to her with a slight grin. "Where we're going tomorrow, there won't be anyone that'll serve a good Silverhand."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Claire chuckled as she looked at the two of them. "So, two Silverhands to start off the night, then?"
"Just one for me, I'm not looking to get blackout drunk tonight." The disguised teacher sighed.
"I think I'll try the Veever Hand instead of a Silverhand. I need something to wake me up after a long day's worth of stress." The blonde pointedly looked at his superior with the last word, who merely huffed.
"As if you didn't deserve what you got."
"I'll continue to doubt that."
Claire gave another chuckle under her breath as she went to make the two cocktails they had requested. As she did so, she glanced at the red-eyed woman conversing with the blonde.
It wasn't often that Graham was seen being accompanied by someone as, more often than not, he drank alone and left just the same. Sure, he flirted with the women and those that approached him, but it never got beyond an exchange of numbers and, at most, a kiss or two.
So to see the handsome blonde bring a companion into Afterlife was a bit surprising. Nevermind the fact that it was the same woman that she could remember approaching him a few months back, the one that talked to him in hushed, serious tones as opposed to the usual sultry or inviting ones. She could recall the tiredness in his tone, as if he had just been heaped upon problem after problem, when he ordered a Silverhand, so either the woman was some sort of co-worker or something more to the blonde.
"Just to be clear, after a Silverhand, I'm leaving." The dark-haired woman huffed. "You know that we still have work to do tomorrow, Graham."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." The sunglass-wearing blonde sighed as he hunched against the counter. "But can we set aside that sorta talk for now? This is the first time in months since we've both been in a club. Live a little!"
The sigh that the other woman let out was familiar to the bartender. It was one of long-suffering, but ultimately accepting and tolerating.
Her lips curled into a smile.
Yeah, these two were definitely closer than co-workers.
AN:
[Rewrite Finish Date: 10/27/23]
What's this? I separated Episode 9 into two?
Well, yeah, because the original was like if two episodes were squashed into one. So, yeah. I turned the first half of the original Episode 9 into an Interlude.
And yeah, I pulled the Afterlife from Cyberpunk 2077. I didn't label it in the Prologues, but I think it would have been obvious enough with having Claire as the bartender.
That's all!
...Man, I said a lot of 'yeahs'...