Entry 4

Momo Talk exchange: 09:22am

Yuuka: Hello, Sensei. It's Yuuka. Do you remember me?

Sensei: I have near perfect memory, Yuuka. I almost can't forget things.

Yuuka: Except names, right? Anyway, I managed to get your contact information to talk to you about something important.

Sensei: Report.

Yuuka: Schale needs to reimburse us for the ammunition we used to reclaim the Club Room. Can I expect an invoice soon?

Sensei?

Sensei, are you there?

Sensei: I wasn't briefed on how to do that. I can fill out a requisition form if you need one.

Yuuka: Millennium can handle the requisition orders, Sensei. Bullets aren't free, though.

Still, it's troubling that you don't know how to make an invoice. Well, I was planning on visiting Schale today anyway. I'll bring one over and talk you through it.

Sensei: Your assistance would be appreciated.

Yuuka: Don't worry about it. See you soon, Sensei.

As I waited for Yuuka to arrive, I browsed some of the websites I'd used to purchase my gear. I'd been in such a hurry to gather my basic equipment that I hadn't given much thought to buying some of the other things I'd seen. Waiting for requests to come in was, admittedly, a rather boring affair.

I scrolled through the stock and saw many weapons and extras that I liked, and given the amount of money at my disposal, getting them would be no issue. They've even got a 50% off sale on frag grenades, and a clearance sale on 5.56mm ammo with a free SCAR-L thrown in if I buy fifteen-hundred rounds. With a little extra, I can get it delivered today. This is the kind of thing I could only have dreamed of back home.

One thing that really caught my attention was an up-armoured Humvee with an attached M240 Bravo machine gun if I get it on finance. That's tempting. Now if only I knew what 'on finance' meant.

I lit a cigarette as I weighed up my options. After a few puffs on it, the room was slightly hazy with smoke. The officers used to hold meetings in offices like mine. Theirs were much bigger since they needed to have room for command staff using console banks to manage whatever field ops were in action. As they briefed us, they'd light up cigs and we'd be allowed to as well. As much as I didn't like the officers or any of the higher-ups, it was always somewhat comfortable to be out of the toxic morass outside, smoking with my squadmates.

My relaxation was broken when high-pitched alarms started blaring. I shot up from my chair and swiped my MP45 from my desk, loaded it and stuffed extra mags into pouches on my plate carrier. My X5 Legion was already holstered.

It seemed Schale was under attack again. Strangely, Arona was silent. As my Lieutenant, she's supposed to keep me updated on the happenings within Kivotos. She was probably sleeping. Despite seeing this as a dereliction of her duties, I decided it was best to leave her be and moved out to engage the threat on my own. My MP45 has the laser sight attached under the barrel, and it was raised as I began to navigate the hallways of the building, the alarms still squealing.

Many thoughts were running through my mind as I went. Had Wakamo decided that she wanted to take another crack at this place? If so, what numbers could I be dealing with? She must have ran off to regroup with more thugs to retake Schale. To attack now would mean that she'd been watching me, making sure that I was here alone to maximise her chances of a successful takeover. I had to admit, I'd underestimated how cunning that stuttering, fox-faced-felon could be.

Going floor by floor, I swept the place. Every room, every corridor, yet so far, no hostiles. It was as I made it to the ground floor that I heard movement in one of the corridors. I pressed my back against a wall and peeked around the corner. Nothing. Carefully, I advanced, my eyes watching the doors, which I also checked one by one. Still nothing.

There was a mechanical chime that I've come to learn was the elevator, followed by a synthetic voice saying, ''going up,''. Whoever's there must be on their way to my office. Waiting for the elevator would take too long, so I found the nearest stairwell and began my ascent back towards my office.

At the top floor, I pushed the stairwell door open and checked in both directions. It was clear, so I headed towards my office. Whoever's here had definitely got a handle on stealth. They moved quickly and quietly, only let down by the elevator giving away their position.

There was someone outside my office, then they opened the door and went inside. I caught a glimpse of a halo, but I didn't see enough to determine who it could be. After a few moments of waiting, I threw the door open with my gun raised.

''Don't move!'' I ordered, the barrel of my gun mere inches from the back of the infiltrator's head.

The unknown student yelped and spun around, her face the definition of fright. Oh...

''Yuuka?'' I asked and lowered my weapon. She heaved a great sigh of relief and placed a hand to her chest, closing her eyes to steady herself. Then her eyes snapped open with a glare.

''Sensei, what the hell are you doing!'' she exclaimed, ''what's all this about?''

''It's a good thing you're here. We're under attack. You armed?'' her face scrunched up at my question.

''Under attack? What? There's nobody here, Sensei.'' She gave me the same look Rin has taken to giving me when I do or say something stupid.

''Can't you hear the alarm?''

''Sensei, that's a smoke alarm,'' she said, then sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose in disgust, ''what's that smell? Have you been smoking in here?!'' she put her hands on her hips and gave me her own version of Angry-Eyes.

''Yes, but that's not important. We need to look for intruders, Yuuka.'' What part of this didn't she understand? She put one hand on her forehead and started muttering equations to herself.

''Sensei...'' I could almost feel her disappointment, ''we're not under attack. The alarm's going off because you've been smoking indoors. Now open a window already!''

''So... we're not under attack from a gang or fox-faced criminals?'' I did as she instructed and opened the top set of windows behind my desk. After a short while, the whining alarm became silent. Huh, would you look at that.

''Look, I don't like that habit of yours, but you're an adult, so you're responsible for your own health. But you can't smoke indoors, Sensei. Not only is it illegal, but it's inconsiderate of others,'' she frowned, ''they're a waste of money, too.''

''I didn't pay for them, though,'' I replied and she groaned. Personally, I call it the acquisition of key resources. Others - complete amateurs - call it stealing.

''Not the point,'' Yuuka sighed. She'd brought a small bag with her, and she tooks out a sheet of paper and handed it to me. There were various boxes on it with different titles. ''This is the invoice form. It's the universal template, so once you learn how to fill this out, you shouldn't have any problems with them in the future.''

''Right,'' I moved over to my desk and she followed. I sat down and she stood next to me and began to talk me through it. It's as we went through it that I began to see that Yuuka has quite the mind for mathematics. She did calculations with speed that I had some difficulty keeping up with. We were pre-programmed with the basics, just enough to do whatever logistics work was needed in the field. Due to my role as Squad Captain, I'd have to fill out requisition forms for supplies, ammunition and replacement firearms. I can fill those out in my sleep.

As I filled in the necessary details on the form, Yuuka took a look at my computer. I've nothing to hide, so I let her do as she pleased. She scrolled down the page and hummed.

''That's a lot of hardware you're looking at, Sensei. Expensive too...'' I know for next time that I should be wary if she trails off like that.

''I found their prices to be reasonable enough. Did you know they have a wish list?'' I think, maybe, that I almost sounded excited for a moment.

''Hmm...'' I suddenly felt as though I was being scrutinised, and as it happens, I was right, ''that SMG of yours. That's new, isn't it? And your clothes... Sensei, have you been spending responsibly?''

''I have spent some money, yes,'' I said flatly.

''Okay, but have you spent a lot?'' I could feel the intensity with which I was being stared at. It was a little unnerving, being honest. The feeling was similar to being in a sniper's sights. Except a sniper's intent is obvious. It's only as I write this down that I realise I walked into a trap. However, this is in retrospect, and I had no such apprehension at the time.

''The total for all of my new equipment and necessities was over three million.'' I realised then that I had made a tactical error in telling her that.

Yuuka went eerily quiet for a while. I looked over my shoulder and saw her with her eyes wide and mouth agape as if I'd just called her every name possible. Of course, I'd never do that because she's my student, and my mission is to make my students happy.

''Th-three million... what?! Sensei! That's a fifth of Schale's budget for the term!'' I could have sworn she was seconds away from shooting me.

''How do you know that?'' She a cyber warfare specialist? Perhaps she hacked Schale's systems. I'm watching you now, Yuuka.

''Not important!'' she slapped a hand to her forehead again. She should really stop hitting herself. ''Okay, breathe, Yuuka,'' she stared me straight in the eye, ''I was a little worried this kind of thing might happen. I don't know why, but you seemed a little... lacking in the common sense department. No offence,'' she added hastily.

''None taken,'' I said with a shrug, ''and to be fair, this VAT thing added onto the costs. I looked it up and it means 'value after tax'. Is it possible to avoid paying tax? It makes things cost more unnecessarily and I'd like to spend less money if it's a problem.''

Yuuka looked at me like she had a whole lecture at the ready, but instead pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

''I'm not helping you dodge taxes, Sensei,'' she sighed, ''look, you're a great tactician and you're amazing in a fight, but this combined with your total lack of awareness that you can't smoke indoors leads me to believe that you have very little in the way of life skills or understanding of how Kivotos works.''

''You're correct,'' I stated. She's right about me, really. I only got my hands on money for the first time yesterday, and I didn't even know what a smoke alarm was until twenty minutes ago. Kivotos is still alien to me. Nothing about my life here is regimented from any higher authority, because I, apparently, am the higher authority. Things the students and citizens take for granted are an entire unexplored world to me. War and rigid structure are all I've ever known. I was always told where to go, what to do and how to do it. Thinking and learning only came when communication and the chain of command broke down. You've got me figured out, Yuuka.

''Huh?'' I don't think she expected me to agree so readily.

''I said you're correct. I'm good at fighting. Not much else.''

''Sensei...'' there was a strange look on her face. Like she felt sorry for me or something. ''Even if that's the case, you don't need to fight so much now. You can take time to learn new things. I'll even help you, if you want.''

''You'd do that?'' Yuuka, you're meant to be the student here. If you're teaching me, doesn't that mean I've failed? This confused me.

''Of course,'' she smiled, ''I'm pretty good at mathematics, for instance. I'll help you budget and manage your money. Then I can show you how to do it. How's that sound?''

''I don't understand. I'm meant to be your teacher,'' the best I could do was slightly raise an eyebrow.

''So? I'm sure there's plenty of stuff you know that I don't, but that doesn't mean you can't learn from us. Would it help you to know that I learned more about combat from you in thirty minutes that I did from hours of Blu-rays?''

''I don't know what a Blu-ray is.''

''Doesn't matter for now,'' she said with a small shrug, ''during our operation to reclaim Schale, you led and coordinated us with such confidence and ease that ideas that I didn't understand watching Blu-rays suddenly clicked for me. Like when you held my shoulder when I used my barrier. Or had Hanekawa-san and Morizuki-san keep the enemy in cover while we moved.''

''What I did when I grabbed your shoulder is called 'stacking'. And what those two did was provide overwatch. If we'd stayed in placed and suppressed the enemy while Hasumi and Suzumi went forward, then the tactic would become bounding overwatch as we alternated our movements,'' I explained. I wasn't really sure where she was going with this.

Yuuka's face lit up. I think I'm beginning to understand what 'cute' is through my varied interactions. Further investigation is needed. ''See, just like that! I've learnt from you already, and the Blu-rays hadn't covered stacking yet, but I get it because you showed me in a practical setting. It made our goal easier to achieve when we did it. So learning from us about different aspects of life in Kivotos would make your job easier, wouldn't you agree?''

She had me there. Any adopted tactic or intel gained can make or break a mission. By adapting and learning from my students, it would actually make my stated objective of making them happy and improving the situation in Kivotos a lot easier to achieve. Still, doesn't it oppose my role as a supposed educator? What good is an educator if they need to be educated? That just means they're not qualified to educate because their own knowledge is lacking. A Squad Captain can't be a Squad Captain if they haven't gone through the necessary hypnotherapy. Because I have, I'm qualified to be a Squad Captain. Simple logic, no?

It bears mentioning that Mio showed me how to use an ATM, but to be entirely fair to myself, she literally had me at gunpoint.

But maybe Yuuka has a point. Perhaps I'm being too rigid in my interpretation of my role. I don't really want to, but I might ask Rin about this.

''I'll...'' I hesitated, rather unlike me, ''...take it into consideration.''

''Good,'' Yuuka said, ''I need to get going now or I'm gonna be late. Take care, Sensei,'' she gave me a polite bow and I returned a nod.

''Thanks for showing me this. Dismissed,'' I replied. Yuuka reached the door and it opened, but on the other side was another girl. The two stared for a while, then Yuuka rounded on me like I did something wrong.

''Sensei! What's she doing here?'' she yelled. I angled my head to see past her and saw Mio stood in the doorway, glaring at Purple Rage.

''Hey, teach!'' Mio greeted me with a wave.

''Mio,'' I greeted with a nod. I think my greeting was pretty warm, but Mio didn't look happy with me. She scratched her cheek. Reflecting on it now, maybe my greeting was missing something.

''Uh, did I do something wrong?'' she asked. I shook my head and beckoned her in.

''You've arrived early. Good,'' I looked at Yuuka, ''she's agreed to join Schale, and we're looking to convince her friends to do the same. She's welcome here, as all students are.'' Yuuka, unfortunately, didn't look convinced.

''Okay, but... she's part of a gang. One that's been causing trouble all over Kivotos, Sensei. You sure this is a good idea?'' Before I could answer, Mio beat me to it.

''Think what you want, nerd. Sensei was nice to me and even asked me to come here. I'm not gonna cause him problems,'' Mio said. I should hope not, too. But what the hell's a nerd?

''I'm sure your previous academy believed that, too. Why should Sensei believe anything a delinquent has to say? Are you threatening him or something?'' Yuuka drew close while Mio did the same, suddenly almost nose-to-nose and glaring daggers at each other. I figured then would be a really bad time to tell Yuuka how we met.

''I don't need to tell you a damn thing! This is between me and Sensei, so butt out!''

It seemed Mio wasn't exaggerating when she told me her past often caused her problems. By the looks of it, Yuuka had at least heard of Mio's gang, and so immediately distrusted her. I aim to change this. But first, I needed to de-escalate.

''Quiet down,'' I told them, but the two were so heated that I was ignored.

''You think because you go to some fancy science academy that you're better than me?''

Yuuka flicked one of her twin-tails before replying. ''Of course. I don't go causing problems for everyone else, unlike someone. What's worse is that you and your gang aren't even good at it. You're just a waste of everyone's time.''

Just like that, guns were drawn, and Mio was staring Yuuka down. ''I don't need this from you. Just 'cos you got lucky, suddenly you're so much better.''

''There's no luck to it. I just do what I'm supposed to. What's your excuse?''

Mio's eyes narrowed dangerously. ''The hell would you know?''

That's enough. ''Stand down! Now!'' I'm out of my seat like a shot, and the two girls went rigid and turned their heads towards me. I walked towards them, my jaw clenched as I ould feel a vein bulging the side of my head. It's a little bit of theatre, as I'd had to discipline soldiers before. They lowered their weapons and faced me completely. ''Yuuka.''

''Yes?'' the purple-haired girl said hastily. I stared at her hard until she said, ''yes, sir?'' I took a breath and let my usual calm return. I wasn't angry, but she needed to understand that unnecessary fighting with her fellow students - especially ones trying to correct their behaviour - won't be tolerated.

''Shcale is a place for all students. We'll discuss your conduct later. Get to your lessons on the double. Dismissed.'' She nodded and left swiftly. That just left myself and Mio, who stood at attention, whether she knew it or not. I moved back to my seat and beckoned the delinquent over.

''Sorry, Sensei,'' she said without my prompting.

''I get it. What Yuuka said was uncalled for. But by responding the way you did, you only proved her right. When engaging a foe, acting how they predicted will only hurt you. I understand that you get treated badly because of your reputation, but you can't improve it by playing to it.''

Mio nodded, her eyes locked to the floor. ''Yeah, I know. I hear it all the time - always get looked down on. I'm tired of it.'' I'm not really a good judge of these things, but I think Yuuka's words got to her more than she let on. ''I'm... not a waste of time...am I, Sensei?''

''I don't know,'' I said, ''you haven't shown me one way or the other. But I'm giving you this chance, and I want you to show me that you deserve it.'' That's my honest assessment. I don't know much, or really anything, about being a teacher, but I assume that lying to my students would be bad.

''Alright then, Sensei. I'll show you that you made the right choice,'' Mio said and looked me in the eyes. If I could smile, I think I would have.

''Good. Now, let me show you around. For now, I need you to give me a hand with my day-to-day tasks.''

''Like a secretary?'' she asked. I don't know what that is.

''If that's like an adjutant, then yes. I haven't gotten used to the admin tasks, and I need someone with a better knowledge of Kivotos to help me. Can you do that?'' she nodded without hesitation.

''Sure thing, Sensei! But...uh...I'm not that good at paperwork and stuff.'' I'd expected that.

''I'll handle forms and documents. I just need you to make sure nothing goes wrong while I'm out, and help me if my workload starts piling up. I'm learning quickly, so we can help each other,'' I told her. I gave her a tour of my office, then of the rest of the building.

Angel 24 is the convenience store at the ground floor of the building. It was staffed by one person this morning, a young girl named Sora. She's something called a 'middle schooler' - whatever that is - but works at the store when she's not studying. I asked her if the store sells cigarettes, but apparently because it's tied to the academies, it doesn't. That's fine, I guess. I'll just take them from elsewhere. Mio was happy that she could get whatever she needed at any time while working.

The gym is a place only I use. I won't stop anyone from using it – obviously - but from what I've seen so far, my students don't seem very fitness-inclined. It's fully equipped with everything I need, from treadmills to squat racks, dumbbells and yoga mats.

My room is in the basement. Unlike back home, it's pretty comfortable, fully furnished with things that would be considered luxuries. I'm used to barracks or sleeping in the field, so a bed large enough for three people is something I consider a waste. I made a hammock out of some bungee cord and bedsheets and sleep in that. But the room is warm, dry, and has multiple exit routes, so it's fine by me. Mio seemed confused that I was showing her my room, but I think it's important that she knows where I'm likely to be found if there's an emergency. Those places are my office, the gym or my room.

''You're free to stay here, if you want,'' I told her as I showed her a large room filled with bunk beds. It's set out like a barracks, but a lot nicer than any I'd ever stayed in. It helped that the sheets are clean, there are no rats - or things that looked like rats - scurrying across the floor, and the lights aren't constantly flickering. Each bunk has two footlockers, a bedside table – with the top bunk having ones that can fold out from the wall – and charging ports for phones, as well as electrical outlets. There's a communal area nearby, as well as a kitchen, a classroom and a library. Everything my students could need.

Mio didn't respond for a while as she looked around. After she finished her inspection, she looked at me with tears in her eyes.

''There a problem?'' I asked, utterly confused. Everything looked fine to me.

''N-no, nothing like that,'' she said, ''it's just that I don't know what to think.'' She took her facemask down and wiped her eyes. ''I told you I was struggling for money, right?'' I nodded. ''Well, when I met you, I'd gotten an eviction notice from the accommodation department. Being a delinquent, I don't have any financial support like a proper student,'' she sniffled, ''I'm basically homeless, and my friends aren't in a much better situation. Hell, one of them is camped out in a construction site.''

''I see. Is that how it usually goes for delinquents?'' I asked. Mio nodded.

''Sooner or later. This city hates us, Sensei. We get no support financially, nobody tries to help us or tries to understand. They look at us like dirt, when all we're doing is trying to survive. We form gangs to stay with our friends. Some of us join corporations as private security, while others join military outfits as mercenaries. None of us wanted this...''

I already had some idea of how bad it was for students without a school to belong to, but this was worse than I'd thought. Granted, I know nothing about being homeless or anything like that. To me, wherever I could sleep and wake up to keep fighting was home. But the delinquents, unwanted by anyone and hated by all, still had halos. Those halos made them important – how, I don't know – but they were important to me because I was tasked with making them happy. Mio wasn't happy, and I wouldn't accept that. I wonder how many just like her are suffering because Kivotos failed them?

''I'll fix it.'' Mio looked up at me.

''Sensei?''

''I don't know anything about Kivotos or its people. But I know what it's like to be left behind. I promise you, Mio, no more students will be abandoned. I'm your teacher and you're my students. It's my duty to help you. All of you. Even if it kills me.'' And knowing me, it might. I'm not suicidal and will try to maximise my chances of survival, I'm just not afraid of dying. That fear was stamped out of me, like all clones. If my mission requires me to die, then so be it. After all, the mission comes first.

''C'mon, teach! Don't talk like that. No one would ask you to go that far!'' she protested. Maybe, maybe not.

''If not me, then who?''

''I... I don't know, but I know I'd like it if you didn't. Sure, I haven't known you long, but you've done a lot for me already. I can tell you right now that there's a lot of girls who need your help, Sensei. And you can't help them if you're dead, ya' hear me?'' There was something about her eyes that told me she was being sincere. Huh, how strange. Normally I'd have people telling me to die right now or die later. Haven't had anyone not wish me dead before. Kivotos is weird.

Having no real response to that and finding myself sick of talking, I settled for: ''Thanks.''

I finished up the tour and since I actually had very little to do, I suggested Mio do whatever she wanted for the day. I told her that she is to be in my office and ready to work at 0900 sharp. She told me she was going to grab whatever she could from her current residence and bring it to Schale. We parted ways soon after.

With nothing to do and no requests, I thought about what my next step should be. It's late in the day now and the sun is setting, so I doubt I'll have to suddenly rush out. I took some time to think about today. A conversation with Yuuka is certainly in order, and it'll need to happen quickly. I understand that she - like everyone else - apparently has a bad outlook on delinquents like Mio. Granted, perhaps it's justified if they've been a persistent problem, so it's perfectly reasonable to assume she'd be up to no good, especially when she was fighting them just the other day.

But Mio showed me she at least deserves the benefit of the doubt. She wants to work and obey Kivotos' laws, but circumstances prevent that from happening. I intend to let her do whatever she can to prove herself. Whether she succeeds or fails, it'll be by her own merits.

I spent the next couple of hours cleaning my equipment. But the whole time, I felt watched.

Deciding a cigarette would take the edge off my unease, I went outside.

Momo Talk exchange: 19:22pm

Sensei: Yuuka. I wanted to thank you for your assistance today.

Yuuka: Oh, no problem, Sensei. Also, I should apologise for how I acted earlier. I know it might seem like an excuse, but I've been shot at too many times by girls in that uniform to be trusting, you know?

Sensei: I understand. But you need to set an example. Just as you have a bad impression of gangsters, she has a bad impression of registered students. If you run into each other again, show her that she won't be mistreated just because she isn't with an academy.

Yuuka: Yeah, you're right. And it was me who started it, so it's my fault. I'll apologise when I next see her. I mean, it's not like she chose this, right?

Sensei: That's true, she didn't. Mio, her friends and their academy are casualties of the GSC's mismanagement. But that'll change. I'll make sure of it.

Actually, I have another request for you.

Yuuka: Oh? What is it, Sensei?

Sensei: Mio is going to be acting as my adjutant for the foreseeable future from tomorrow. She'll need to learn how to process documents and fill out forms. Could you assist?

Yuuka: Uh, sure, I guess. It'll probably take a bit more time, though. Just out of curiosity, does she have perfect memory, too?

Sensei: Not that I'm aware. Why?

Yuuka: Just calculating how much time it'll take. It was quick with you because of your memorisation, but if Mio is like most of us, then it might take a few hours depending on how quick she picks it up. Financial stuff will be no problem, but other admin stuff is a little out of my wheelhouse.

Sensei: She said she's no good, but she seems eager. Besides, you're smart. I'm counting on you.

Yuuka: Oh, uh... alright then. As long as she's willing to learn, she should be fine.

Sensei: Thanks, Yuuka. That'll be all.

Yuuka: Don't worry about it. I'll see if I can swing by tomorrow. Good night, Sensei.

Sensei: One more thing. You sure you can't teach me to avoid taxes?

Read: 19:25pm

I hope that worked. To be entirely honest, I searched up 'how to make people get along' and just went with the advice on offer. I don't really get people at all. These girls, they're a lot more complicated than anyone I knew back in my world. There was no nuance there. What you saw was what you got, and everyone was pretty simple in their approach to each other. But here, I have to mediate between people, something I know I'm woefully unequipped to do.

I took a drag on my cigarette as I pondered my next course of action. And even as I write, I'm still thinking about it. I didn't come to any conclusions then, and I'm still coming up with nothing now.

Anyway, it's as I'm standing outside with my cigarette in hand, I still felt as though I was being watched. It hadn't gone away since I took a break from cleaning my pistol. I knew for a fact that someone was here besides me. My eyes narrowed as I looked around. My pistol was still on my desk in several pieces, and my SMG was also on my desk awaiting maintenance. So I was outside in a city full of superhumanly powerful schoolgirls, any of whom had access to Schale, unarmed and alone. Not good by my estimation.

Erring on the side of caution, I headed back inside, still with the feeling of someone's eyes boring into my back. They hadn't made a move yet, but I kept my head on a swivel just in case.

Reaching my office, I sat back down and scrolled through that website again, finding the Humvee I'd been looking at. Tempting. Very tempting. I could go to whichever district I needed quickly with this. I clicked away, remembering what Yuuka said. I shouldn't spend frivolously. With noting else to do, I finished performing maintenance on my guns and went to bed.

My new Humvee showed up this morning. I know I said I wasn't going to, but I weighed up the pros and cons and finally decided the most beneficial course of action was to buy it. I got a message on my phone telling me that it had arrived, so I went outside and found it parked out the front.

There it was. A desert-coloured M1151A1 Enhanced Armament Carrier. Ballistic glass windscreens, three-eighths-inch armour panels, underbody armour, energy absorbing seats and a mounted M240 Bravo machine gun with a 360 degree firing arc and shielding for the gunner. The 2000 rounds of 7.62mm came complimentary. I'd only ever seen pictures of these things, and the only real life examples were wrecks by the roadside. But this one was fully functional and all mine.

I knew Yuuka was gonna throw a fit when she found out, so I decided to get a joyride in while I had the chance.

But that's when I ran into a problem. I'd just started the engine when I saw two familiar faces looking at me through the windscreens. One seemed really interested in my new truck, while the other looked as though she was about explode like a thermobaric weapon.

Yuuka and Mio had arrived together. I checked my phone, seeing it was 0850. Ten minutes early for Mio, so why was Yuuka here? She was in full Purple Rage mode, so as she approached, I locked the doors. She was saying something, but I couldn't hear her through the thick glass or the rumble of the engine. I signed to her that I couldn't hear her, so she took out her phone and called me. I picked up.

''Sensei? Open the door.'' I didn't like how calm she sounded.

''Negative,'' I replied, ''you're gonna shout at me if I do.'' I felt safe in my armoured truck. If it can stop up to 7.62mm, I was sure (kinda) that it could keep an angry Yuuka at bay.

''I'm also gonna shout at you if you don't. So save yourself the trouble. Engine off and open the door.''

I was trapped. I could have sped off, but that would have just made her angrier, and I didn't want her shooting at my new truck. Also, Mio started work in ten minutes, and I couldn't make her late. Sighing, I turned the engine off and opened the door.

To say Yuuka tore me a new asshole would be an understatement. From outside, through the hallways, in the elevator, to my office and inside my office, I was subjected to a rant that would make one of my Sergeants light up with inspiration. By the time she was finished, Mio had brought her some coffee, which Yuuka gratefully accepted on account of a sore throat. It's nice seeing them get along.

''You need to be more responsible, Sensei. I've got enough to worry about in Seminar without thinking about what you're doing. Schale needs to be financially stable, not just for you, but for us students as well. Do you understand, Sensei?'' Yuuka's tone had gone from furious to pleading by this point.

She pushed the right button. Of course Schale needed money to help the students. Am I that stupid with this stuff? Apparently I am. It was time to eat shit and apologise.

''You're right, Yuuka. I've been careless. While I don't regret my purchases, I understand that my spending has angered you. If such spending hurts my mission of guiding my students, then I'll reevaluate my money usage.'' We looked at each other silently for a time. Finally, Yuuka sighed, looking as though she wanted to say something, then changed her mind. I think my apology was pretty good, all things considered.

''That's why I'm here, Sensei. I said I'd teach you how to budget and manage your finances, and I meant it.''

''I know... I appreciate it,'' I replied. Mio waited quietly, a couple of bags bulging to the limit on the floor next to her. She noticed me looking at her. ''What did you bring with you?''

''Clothes and my old school supplies. I'm gonna set up shop here before I let my landlord know I'm moving out,'' she said brightly. I could tell she was smiling beneath her mask.

''Alright. Good to know you're prepared,'' I beckoned her over to stand by Yuuka. Mio stood beside her, awkwardly shifting in place as she likely expected another fight. ''Now, I've brought you two here for two important reasons. Yuuka, as we discussed yesterday, you are going to make amends with Mio and show her how to fill out the standard forms that come to my desk. Mio, I want you to get along with Yuuka and pay attention to what she tells you. You're both my students, no matter what, so I'll tolerate no fighting today. Understood?'' I sounded as though I'd just given them a briefing, which I suppose I did.

''Yes, Sensei,'' Yuuka said.

''Uh, sure thing, teach,'' Mio said, eyeing the Millennium student warily.

The two set to work, quietly at first. I didn't expect them to talk straight away, but they sat at a coffee table at one end of my office and Yuuka guided my adjutant through the paperwork. It was all business at the start, but as Mio started to get the hang of the invoice forms, the two began to talk.

As they did, I'd turned my monitor further toward me and browsed for more weapons. Not buying, but browsing. 20Lbs of plastic explosive for half price with a free detonator if I get 300 feet of det cord? Tempting.

''You're picking this up pretty quickly, Shigaraki-san. Normally, people hesitate because of the terminology. But you got it right away,'' Yuuka said, sounding rather pleased.

''My grades weren't too bad at my old school. Top of average, I think,'' she said shyly.

''Really? Then I've no doubt you'll be writing these up in your sleep in no time,'' Yuuka said encouragingly. I looked over my monitor and made eye contact with her, then gave a thumbs up. ''Hey, um... I wanted to apologise for yesterday. I should have heard you out first, especially since Sensei asked you to be here. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.''

Mio stopped writing and put her pen down. ''I'm used to it. A little too used to it, I think. I've already told Sensei about it; how me and my friends are treated, how employers fire me as soon as they figure out where I've come from. It's why I got so defensive with you. Sensei gave me a chance and I wasn't gonna let anyone ruin it.''

''I understand. I don't think I've ever spoken with someone without a school. All I hear is reports about property damage, firefights, gangs and other criminal activity. Believe me, I've had to tally up the costs in Millennium's district. But honestly, you don't seem like someone who gets involved with that stuff,'' Yuuka said.

''It's because I try not to. I'm in a gang because it's where my friends are. I commit petty crime because it's all I can do to survive in between jobs. Hell, I only met Sensei because I tried to mug him the other day.''

''You did what!?'' Yuuka couldn't help but shout. At least it wasn't me who had to tell her. I was worried what she might do.

''I was hungry! What do you want?'' Mio replied with her hands up. Yuuka calmed herself down and regained her composure.

''Well, whatever the circumstances, it was quite the stroke of luck. I can't condone your actions, but I get it. Do you have a plan?''

My new adjutant paused as she thought, then spoke. ''For now, I just wanna settle in to a life without crime. I also wanna get my friends to join. My situation was bad, but theirs are worse. One's camping in a building site in Gehenna district, and the other is hanging around the black market in Abydos district looking for work. They were troublemakers back at our old school, but they're really good people. When everything was going wrong, those two were the ones who kept me from getting swept away,'' from my seat, I could see the determination in Mio's eyes, ''I wanna repay them by having Sensei help them.''

''And I will,'' I chimed in, causing both girls to look at me, ''I told you yesterday. No more students will be abandoned.''

''Sensei...'' they both said softly. I couldn't really make out the way they were looking at me or if they wanted me to respond. All they did was say my title and give me those big eyes. So I did as I always do when unable to respond properly: kill the conversation.

''Get back to work.'' As they did, I resumed adding things to my wish list. Yuuka never said anything about stopping that.

It had been a few hours since they began going through the different forms. They'd finished them ages ago, but now they'd just sat around talking with each other. It's good that they're getting along, and I'm proud of them for getting past their differences. They even ate together, something squads typically did together. They shared stories about their friends, what they did at school, favourite places in Kivotos and guns. I was content to just listen, finding no place to involve myself in the conversation even if I wanted to.

From what I understand, it's a weekend, and Yuuka wasn't supposed to be doing work today. I didn't know these 'weekend' things existed, or that people had designated days when the could choose to do nothing at all. I honestly can't imagine doing nothing. Back home, I was always fighting. When I wasn't doing that, I was training, planning or grabbing what sleep I could. Basically, I was always occupied, and the idea that it didn't have to be that way never crossed my mind. Arona told me that making people work longer than they were supposed to is a crime.

Does that make me a criminal?

I was disturbed from my browsing and wish list building when Yuuka got my attention.

''I'm gonna head back now, Sensei. Let me know if you need help with anything, okay?'' I stood up, seeing an opportunity.

''I can drive you back,'' I'd been itching to take my humvee for a spin, and now was the perfect chance. Yuuka raised an eyebrow at me.

''You sure? I'm happy you offered, but do you even know how to get to Millennium district?'' she asked, which was a valid question.

''No. But you do.''

Mio came bounding over, leaving her paperwork on the table.

''Oh, oh! Can I come, boss?'' Since when did she start calling me that?

''Boss?'' I asked. She nodded emphatically.

''Uh-huh. I work for you, so you're my boss now.'' Makes sense, I guess.

''Sure,'' I said to her, then looked at Yuuka, ''so?''

She agreed soon after and we got to Millennium rather quickly. Mio seemed pretty happy, but Yuuka swore never to get into a car with me again. Something about speeding and running red lights. Nobody had a problem with my driving before, but then again, everyone here drives so slow and stops all the time. But I think the main thing was the sirens and flashing lights from the cars following us halfway to Millennium. Turns out it was law enforcement, but I managed to lose them.

Mio and I got back just as the sun was setting. We got some food and canned coffee from Angel 24 and she told me about what she'd spoken about with Yuuka while we ate in my office. I'd heard the whole conversation, but I get the feeling that Mio just likes talking to me for some reason. So I let her talk, offering as many ''uh-huh''s and ''I see''s as I felt necessary. They'd added each other on MomoTalk, which is nice.

''Y'know,'' Mio began, ''today's the first time I've felt like a normal student in over a year.''

''That right?'' I said.

''If things had been normal, I'd be a second-year now,'' she looked at me and smiled, ''but here I am, living in the Schale club room, with food and without having to worry about getting kicked out.''

''That depends on you, Mio,'' I state flatly.

''We're having a moment, Sensei!'' she pouted. We were? ''I think the most important thing, though, is having an adult around that doesn't wanna take advantage of me or chase me off just because of my past. An adult who cares. I've never had that before.''

Still not really sure if I qualify as an adult, but I've already gone over that. Am I two or twenty?

''My mission in Kivotos is to make my students happy. I'll do whatever it takes. Nothing is off the table.'' She looked surprised at that. I don't see why, though. I'd gouged a man's eyes out with my thumbs for a gun before, and that seems pretty small compared to my mission now. To make them happy, I'd gouge out a thousand eyes if I needed to because that's the objective given to me.

''You're... serious, aren't you?'' she asked.

''I told you before. I'm always serious.''

Mio stood and walked over to the window. She looked out over the city lit up with a million lights.

''I'm gonna make sure you don't regret this, Sensei. I'll do my best to help you. And maybe one day, I'll get to become a proper student again. Me and my friends.''

I'm too socially inept to have said anything smooth, so I settled for:

''Good. Be sure to do that.''

We finished eating in silence, Mio smiling the whole time. I wonder how I looked to her. I can't smile. I can't laugh or emote in any real way. My voice is always a steady monotone. I can only frown, frown a little less or frown more. I wonder if it bothers her. Or any of my students for that matter.

After that, Mio walked to the door.

''I'm gonna turn in for the night. Thanks for today. G'night, Sensei.''

''Goodnight. 0900 tomorrow morning.''

''But boss, it's the weekend.'' She winked at me for some reason.

I sighed. Of course. Don't need her ratting me out to the feds over employment laws. ''0930, then.''

''S'pose that's the best I'm gonna get, huh? Fine. Later~.'' And she was gone.

This concludes the report of Squad Captain Alpha-07

Callsign: Adam

Serial Number: 071-AC-837-A-07

Signing off.

Hey there. Been a while. Got no excuse besides a bit of writer's block across all of my fics, but BA has been my main thing again for a bit.

As I've been getting further into BA and thinking about the characters, I think there are quite a few that Adam might as well share a brain cell with. One of which - and I'm excited to write about - is a certain wolf girl with a penchant for felonies, and a maid who takes her job a little too seriously, and that's just two of the ones I'll have fun writing. Especially with Shiroko being introduced soon, since Adam isn't exactly what I'd call a law abiding citizen.

I want to say thanks to TRUExtremeSamxX for using the names I made for SMG Sukeban Mio and her old school, Asamiya Gunfighters Academy, in his story. If you're reading, hope you don't mind if I pinch the names you made for the other two delinquents.

Gonna get started with Abydos next chapter. Feel free to fav, follow and a review would be much appreciated. Until next time.