Chapter 80 - Confession and Assault
...
"Tomorrow's the big day." Hifumi says, sounding exhausted as she sits on her bed, the sun outside beginning to set.
"That it is." Hanako says, concerned.
Azusa nods in agreement.
"They aren't going to change the time and place again at the last second, are they?" Koharu asks, trembling.
"Nothing on the notice board has been changed yet." Arona explains. "I've been keeping a close eye on it all week, and nothing. It's still the same time and place, but the stipulation of scoring a ninety or higher remains. Trinity Building Nineteen, Classroom Thirty-Two."
"That's on the district outskirts, but not unreasonably far away." The busty girl notes. "The exam begins exactly at nine AM- exactly as scheduled. The only strange thing I've noticed this week is how quiet the main campus has been. I haven't seen but a few- if any- students around at all."
"I noticed that when I got y'all ice cream." I add. It has me very worried.
"Don't worry Hanako, I'll keep keeping an eye one the board!" Arona declares.
"Isn't that tough for you?" Hifumi asks, worried.
"Don't worry, Super Arona can handle anything!" The tiny AI declares, earning a smile from us all.
"Thanks, Arona." Hanako says, grateful.
"I'm really proud of y'all." I smile. "You've been working your asses off for weeks now, and it's almost time for that hard work to finally pay off."
"Scoring a ninety or higher on any test can be hard, but maybe- just maybe- if all the questions seem familiar, then..." The blonde says.
"That's just wishful thinking! I'm gonna cram all night this time!" Koharu declares. "They can't fail me if I score one-hundred points! Just watch!"
"No. You need to rest your body as well as your mind, Koharu. Get some rest." I lightly order.
"Sensei's right. We all know how hard you've been working. Don't let it all go to waste by being too tired to focus tomorrow." Hanako says.
"True. Your body need to be just as prepared as your mind." Azusa nods in agreement.
"That goes for you too, Azusa." I say, causing the silverette to stiffen.
"I know. I'll be well-rested- for tonight at least." Azusa confirms.
"Good." I smile.
"It all comes down to tomorrow." Hifumi says.
"I... No, let's leave it at that. I promise to pass tomorrow." Azusa declares.
"Me too! I'm not going down like this!" The tiny pinkette adds.
"It's strange." The blonde says, wistful. "I was feeling kinda down about our chances... but you two are right- I should be more optimistic."
"You should. Everyone's done the best they can do." The busty girl agrees.
"The situation is dire, but when has an exam ever been easy?" I point out. "Even regular exams always cause tension. Just have faith in yourselves- like I have in you- and you'll all pass no problem."
"Sensei's right! You four have got this!" Arona chirps.
"Yes." Hifumi says.
"Right." Hanako adds.
Azusa nods, as does Koharu- albeit a bit more shakily.
And so, we went to bed.
Though, Arona- watching the building's cameras that I never got rid of- and Hanako saw Azusa leave in the dead of night.
"The fated day has changed, Azusa." The cap-wearing Arius student says to Azusa at their usual meeting spot.
"It has?" Azusa says, tensing up.
"Tomorrow morning. Wait for further orders at the agreed point." The bluenette says, not knowing just how much turmoil those simple words just caused Azusa.
"H-Hold on, Saori. Tomorrow, I'm supposed to be-" Azusa attempts to say, reigning her terror.
"Is there a problem?" Saori asks lowly, her eyes narrowing her the brim of her cap.
"Preparations are incomplete." The silverette reasons. "Changing to an earlier date poses an immense risk."
"The decision is final. Trust your training and be ready, Azusa." Saori says, brokering no argument.
Azusa can only lower her head in resignation.
"The course of history will change tomorrow- for Arius and Trinity both." The bluenette says. "Don't lose sight of your mission. You are to destroy the halo of the Tea Party's leader, Kirifuji Nagisa. Nothing else matters... I know you can handle yourself.
Just as you did with Seia."
Saori doesn't know just how much those words trouble her.
With a sigh, Azusa says, "Understood. I won't object any further. I should prepare for tomorrow's mission, then." She says, turning around and walking away from Saori.
"...Azusa." Saori mutters behind her mask.
Azusa stops and looks back at the bluenette.
"Never forget. Vanitas vanitatum." Saori says.
"Everything is in vain. Of course." Azusa says calmly, but inside, her blood boils at that accursed motto. "All efforts, achievements, and even failures are meaningless in the end." She says, not believing a single one of her words, not anymore.
"I've never lost sight of that- not even once." She lies, before turning back around and leaving, Saori staring at her back all the while.
Saori, too, turns and leaves.
Neither one of them noticing the camera- that wasn't there before the Make Up Work Club's second exam took place.
Nor do they notice Hanako, who watched the exchange with worry.
Arona looks at the footage worriedly, as I clench my fist.
Those cameras I placed there after the second exam came in handy. Of course, I had to stalk Azusa on one of her nighttime excursions to meet with this Saori girl, just like Hanako did tonight.
Though Hanako went over towards the big chapel after, likely to meet with the Sisterhood for reasons that escape me. Azusa, too, disappeared from cameras.
"Of course that's their plan." I groan. "And they just HAD to move the date of their op to tomorrow."
"Things just had to get worse..." Arona says, sadly.
A knock at the door interrupts us. I motion to Arona to look away from the footage.
I get up and opening it, finding Hifumi there, clad in her gym outfit.
"Hi, Sensei, Arona... I thought you two might still be awake." The blonde says.
"Yeah, we're still up. Come in." I say, letting her inside. "Having trouble sleeping?"
"Yes. I just can't manage to fall asleep." The blonde admits.
The door then opens, due to the fully dressed Hanako. "Don't forget about me!" She chirps.
"Hanako..." Hifumi says.
"I was waitin' on you." I flash her a knowing smile. Hanako's eyes widen a bit, knowing what I mean.
"What are you all doing in here?" Koharu asks from the hall, clad in her gym clothes.
"Shouldn't you be asleep, Koharu?" Hifumi asks.
"Shouldn't you?" Koharu retorts. "Tomorrow's exam day for all of us!"
"She's got us there..." Hanako admits.
"Azusa ran off somewhere from the looks of it too." The tiny pinkette adds. "I can get why she'd be anxious, but..."
"Actually, I went out too." The busty girl admits. "I met with some of my contacts from the Sisterhood. There were a few things I was trying to figure out. It's about the building where we're scheduled to have our exam."
"D-Don't tell me they changed the exam location again!" Hifumi cries.
"No, it's not that. I was told the entire Justice Task Force has been dispatched to defend the building." Hanako says, gravely.
Koharu stills, fearful.
"All of them...?" Hifumi asks, dumbfounded.
"The Tea Party told them the building houses sensitive documents relating to the Eden Treaty and to protect it at any cost." Hanako explains. "The entire campus is under martial law."
"Fuck." I groan. "I was hoping it was anything but that."
"Y-You can't be serious. Nothing like this has ever happened before." Hifumi attempts to deny.
"Nothing like every last thing about our club has ever happened before." I point out.
"No one is being allowed to enter or leave campus until the Eden Treaty has been signed." Hanako continues.
"Then how are we supposed to take our exam tomorrow?!" Koharu shouts.
"We sneak in." I suggest. "Either that or fight our way in."
"Regretfully, Sensei is right." The busty girl says.
"No..." The blonde says.
"That can't be right... I should try contacting Hasumi." Koharu says, also in denial.
"That probably won't do any good, Koharu." Arona pipes up. "With how secretive Nagisa has been thus far, why would she have told Hasumi her orders' real purpose?"
"Indeed. She would be disobeying orders if she helped us. Hasumi would be expelled from the Justice Task Force at the very least." Hanako says, gravely. "Nagisa is not going to relent. She will do everything in her power to have the Make Up Work Club expelled."
"Is all of this so necessary? I understand what Sensei told us about Seia, but is that really why she's so paranoid?" Hifumi asks.
"No." All of our heads swivel to the new appearance in the form of Azusa. "It's because of me."
"Azusa?! Where have YOU been?!" The blonde shouts at the silverette, also fully dressed.
"There's something I have to tell all of you." Azusa begins, somber.
"Azusa?" Hifumi asks, taken aback by the girl's tone.
The silverette remains silent, the words stuck in her throat.
"Are you sick or something? You look so pale." Koharu asks, worried.
"And you're shaking." Hifumi notices.
"There... There's been something I've been hiding from you..." Azusa begins, stuttering. "...but I can't hide it any longer... I... I am the one Nagisa is looking for. I am Trinity's traitor."
Silence. Dead silence for what seems like a century.
"...Huh?" Before it's broken by Hifumi.
"What are you talking about?" Koharu asks.
"I originally attended Arius Satellite School. I was able to infiltrate Trinity because my documents were forged." The spy admits.
"A-Arius? Infiltrated...?" Hifumi asks dumbly.
Hanako looks on somber as Koharu is lost. "Wait. What's Arius?" The latter asks.
"The Arius Satellite School... was the faction that opposed the Trinity alliance when it was formed many years ago." Hanako explains. "A lot of complications arose from that-"
"Then Trinity firebombed their entire district and they went into hiding." I add. "Supposedly. They were seen as an urban myth, from what I've seen."
"That's correct. I had never once left the Arius district in my life until I began this mission." Azusa confirms. "I infiltrated at Arius' behest. My mission is... to destroy Nagisa's halo."
"What?! That means you're...!" Hifumi exclaims.
"Your mission is... to kill her?" Koharu asks, quietly.
I scoff. "It ain't paranoia if they're really out to get you."
"...Correct. Arius is determined to eliminate the Tea Party at all costs." The transfer student confirms. "Arius convinced Mika to place me at Trinity under the guise of reconciling relations between our two academies."
"They tricked her, huh?" I mutter.
"They must have targeted her because of her inexperience and naivety. Mika isn't nearly as politically adept as Nagisa." Hanako realizes. "They may have even planned to pin the blame on her after the deed was done. I've heard that Arius and Trinity were mortal enemies, but I never could have imagined that something like this was being plotted on this day and age."
"Why tell any of us this? What's it got to do with us?" Koharu asks. "I get a lot is going on behind the scenes between Arius and Trinity, but what's it for to do with our club?"
Everyone remains quiet for a moment, awaiting what Azusa has to say- Hanako, Arona and I already knowing.
"Arius students will advance on Trinity tomorrow morning with their sights set on Nagisa..." Azusa explains with a sigh. "...and I'm going to protect her."
"Y-You're going to protect Nagisa?! But tomorrow is...!" Hifumi cries. Koharu stills in realization.
"I know, but there's no other choice. I must stop them." Azusa declares.
"The campus is under martial law, but Nagisa has the entire Justice Task Force stationed at the building where we're supposed to have her exam." Hanako realizes.
"Meaning she's unprotected." I finish.
"There's never been a better time for an attack. That's why Arius is striking now." The busty girl continues.
"Wait, something still doesn't make sense!" The tiny pinkette says. "You said your mission was to assassinate Nagisa! Why do you suddenly want to protect her?!"
"That's because-" The silverette begins.
"Because that's the real reason you enrolled at Trinity, isn't it?" Hanako interrupts.
Azusa blinks in surprise.
But Hanako continues. "You took on the mission to assassinate Nagisa because your real objective was to protect her from the very beginning. You're a double agent, aren't you? You've been telling Arius what they want to hear, but in secret you've been preparing to betray them."
Azusa slowly nods.
"So why protect Nagisa? Whose orders are you following?" Hanako asks.
"No one's. This is my own decision." Azusa answers immediately. "The Eden Treaty will fall through without Nagisa. If that happens, Kivotos will plunge further into chaos. And more academies could suffer the same fate that Arius has."
"Are you saying that you're doing this for the sake of peace?" Hanako asks. "You're being naive. What you're attempting is as foolish as the treaty itself."
Azusa cringes at the pinkette's words.
Hanako continues, "You're a liar and a traitor. You hid your identity from Trinity and your true intentions from Arius. You've lied to everyone around you and deceived them into thinking you're someone you're not. Isn't that right?"
"Hanako..." Hifumi says, warningly.
"I told you before. I knew a day would come where I betray everyone I've ever known- my friends, my faith, and my heart." Azusa reiterates.
"Oh, Azusa. Why...?" Hifumi mutters.
"You didn't betray me." I say, drawing everyone's attention. "Before we all met, I read up and Arius and- combined with what I'd theorized from meeting Nagisa- guessed she was afraid of a traitor. Considering Arius was an urban legend, I kept it in the back of my mind. Even before Mika showed up and told me to my face that she brought you to Trinity to reconcile with Arius, I had you figured out."
"Sensei... But... how?" Azusa asks, bewildered.
"It's not well-known, seeing as how Arius is mostly hidden, but I figured that you'd want to hide your connection to Arius." I pause, before deadpanning. "Then, you walking into the JTF, in cuffs and wearing a gas mask- along with a jacket bearing Arius' logo on either shoulder and under the collar."
All four Trinity students blink in surprise, before looking at Azusa's clothes.
"Really? None of you noticed Arius' logo there?" I groan, rubbing my temples.
"Ahaha... I feel a bit silly now..." Hanako awkwardly chuckles. Azusa is completely lost, more so than Hifumi and Koharu.
"I..." The double agent says, recomposing herself. "A-As I said, I'm the traitor Nagisa has been searching for. I've put the Make Up Work Club on grave danger. I'm sorry... I understand if you despise me- I welcome it, even. Everything that's happening is my fault."
"Now that ain't true." I argue.
"Sensei?" Azusa blinks once more.
"We're in this mess because Nagisa didn't trust anyone, and let her paranoia consume her." I say. "If that idiot that trusted the four of you, or Mika, or just asked you all about what she suspect you of, then none of this would've happened." I sigh. "This is where being untrusting led us. Sad as I am to admit, I haven't trusted Nagisa much, either. It's just the way I've been for a long time."
"Sensei..." Arona says, sadly.
"Yes, I know Sensei. I'm very aware of that." Hanako interjects. "I also know it's nearly impossible to change someone as jaded as Nagisa. She has no faith in anyone but herself." She then smiles. "Yet the same can't be said about our little Azusa."
Said silverette blinks in surprise.
"She trusted us with the truth and apologized. She didn't even make excuses or become defensive when I pushed her buttons." The busty girl continues, before smiling apologetically. "Sorry I did that, but I couldn't help tease you when I saw your adorable and innocent expression. It was tugging on my heartstrings a little too tightly."
Azusa looks at Hanako with a 'Really?' look.
"It's strange." Hanako muses. "Our little Make Up Work Club has become the center stage of everything happening, and there's a great big spotlight exposing all of our dirty little secrets. Normally, you wouldn't expect a spy like Azusa to remain in the spotlight for very long. You could have disappeared without a trace weeks ago if you truly wanted to and yet you didn't."
Azusa averts her gaze, embarrassed.
"And I think I know why..." Hanako says, earning a raised eyebrow from me. "It was because your were having so much fun."
Azusa stills.
"And that's why I don't think of you as a liar, Azusa." I say. "You may have hid things from us, but you never lied about enjoying yourself here."
Purple eyes avoid me like the plague.
Hanako nods in agreement. "You enjoyed us studying together, eating together- even doing the laundry and cleaning together. You had fun every single time. You didn't want the fun times together to end." Azusa fidgets. "You reveled in us all working together toward the same goal. You've had fun learning beside your club mates and Sensei. Isn't that right, Azusa?"
"Well, I..." The silverette begins, before sighing. "Yes. You're right. I can't think of any other explanation." She smiles brightly. "I enjoyed learning new things with each of you and sharing our lives, and... and I didn't want that to change. There's still so much more to learn and places we can go together. Like the beach, festivals and theme parks."
"I understand. I knew someone who felt the same way." Hanako says, somber.
Azusa and Arona tilt their heads in confusion, in the exact same way.
"She was so talented as she adept. Everyone couldn't help but adore and praise the things she did." The busty pinkette begins, a bitter and wistful smile on her face. "She found Trinity to be a place replete with deception, prejudice l, and hypocrisy. It was somewhere she couldn't open herself up to anyone or be her true self. Everything felt so meaningless to her, so she tried her hardest to drop out of the academy. For her, it was like breaking out of prison."
"I suspected that might've been the case." I say. "Scholastic pressure and stress isn't an uncommon thing back home."
Hanako smiles, nodding at my words. "You're a much different firm than she was, Azusa. Perhaps better, even. Come to think of it, you completing this mission would mean the end of your academy life, wouldn't it? You enrolled under gals pretenses and plan to betray the place you originally came from. You'll have nowhere to return to once this is over."
"Th-That hadn't even dawned on me..." Hifumi admits.
"Yes she will." I declare. "She has Schale."
"Schale?" Koharu pipes up for the first time in a while.
"What kind of teacher would I be if I let my students end up with nowhere to go?" I ask. "Azusa can come to Schale."
Azusa stares at me, wide eyed and in shock.
"But Azusa, you hadn't planned for that." Hanako points out. "You knew it was inevitable, yet you still worked your heart out while in the Make Up Work Club. The other girl tanked her exams on purpose so she could run away while you dedicated yourself to the fullest. So why? Why try so hard? You said it yourself: vanitas vanitatum. Vanity of vanities- everything is in vain. There is undoubtably some truth in those words and yet, that's not all you said. There was something else you added at the end. ' Even if everything is meaningless, you should never give up'."
We all pause in realization, remembering when Mari showed up and Azusa said those very words.
Hanako continues. "It was then that the girl I spoke of realized something. She realized how much fun academy life can be." She then smiles brightly. "Cleaning the swimming pool in her underwear, going out for a midnight stroll in nothing but her swimsuit, having a symposium with her friends as they wore nothing at all- It was so much fun!"
"That's... not how I recall most of those." Azusa argues.
"It was a SWIMSUIT symposium! We were wearing our swimsuits!" Hifumi corrects.
"So you DID clean the pool in your panties! You admit it!" Koharu says, red faced and pointing at Hanako, who only happily giggles innocently in response.
"It turns out that girl isn't so different from you after all, Azusa." The busty girl says. "So even if everything is in vain, I don't think we should give up just yet."
"Hanako..." Azusa says, taken aback.
"Azusa." I say, softly. "This whole time, you've been telling us you want to save Nagisa and sacrifice yourself for your friends- I get that-, but, you haven't told us what YOU want."
"I-I already told you, Sensei-"
"No." I cut off the silverette. "You told us what Shirasu Azusa the SOLDIER wants, I want to hear what Shirasu Azusa the STUDENT wants." I pause. "What do YOU truly want, Azusa?"
Azusa stares at me with her purple eyes widened. "I..." She stops herself, almost as though someone will punish her for speaking her thoughts.
"Azusa." I say softly. "Trust me. Speak your heart."
As if on cue, the dam breaks and tears well up in Azusa's eyes en masse.
"I... I want to stay with the friends I've made! I want to keep making memories with them! I don't... I don't want to be alone again!" She cries, tears pouring out from her purple eyes.
Instantly, Azusa finds herself wrapped into a hug as I hold her close.
To the side, I see Hifumi openly crying- Koharu and Hanako tearing up, the former rubbing her eyes.
"If I can help it, you'll never be alone again. No deserves to go through that, especially someone young as you." I say, patting her hair. "You should've been enjoying your youth this whole time instead of being forced to be a soldier. I know as well as you do that life isn't fair- that sometimes we can't choose our path in life-, but I'll sure as hell make sure that you get that choice. You're a strong person, Azusa, but don't try to shoulder everything on your own."
"Azusa." Hanako says, causing the silverette to break the hug and look at her. "Didn't you say you wanted to learn more? Discover more? That there was so much more you wanted to experience? Like visiting the beach or staying out all night. Why give up on those dreams now? There's no reason to. Nothing has changed. Your mission is now OUR mission. We'll protect Kirifuji Nagisa from Arius' attack."
Azusa flinches, as if struck.
Hanako takes a step towards the silverette. "And then we're going to take our exam and pass. That witch won't have any complaints once we do that. We'll pass- even with all of the ridiculous conditions she's placed on us. It doesn't matter how many soldiers she places in front of that testing site or how many subjects the exam covers. We're each going to score a ninety or higher. Because what other choice do we have?"
"But... how? It should be physically impossible." Azusa asks, confused and taken aback as she dries her eyes. "Arius' attack coincides with the start of the exam."
"Could we maybe ask others for help...?" Hifumi asks.
"No. It won't be enough to help us pass our exams." Hanako says with a grin. "If we're going to do this, we'll need to get one step ahead. Up until now, we've been playing right into our opponents' hands. This time, we're going to devise something of our own. We already have all the talent we need in this very room. A member of the Justice Task Force, a guerrilla warfare expert, a seemingly average student favored by the Tea Party, me- someone who knows everything there is to know about Trinity, and a super-powered AI."
"F-Favored...?" Hifumi asks, a confused look on her face just like Koharu. Azusa tilts her head slightly as Arona puffs up her chest in pride.
"To top it all off, we have Joshua Sensei- the ever-capable leader of Schale." The busty girl continues.
"That we do." I smile.
"With a lineup like this, we could overthrow Trinity in half a day!" Hanako says happily.
"Wh-What?!" The blonde cries.
"Who said anything about doing that?!" The tiny pinkette cries.
The silverette awkwardly looks away, sweatdropping.
"Hmph. With Super Arona on your side, we could do in a third of a day!" The tiny AI pridefully says.
"Fourth of a day." I correct, grinning. And that would be an over-estimation considering how Trinity's been doing recently.
"Haha. Relax. I know the plan is to take the third exam and avoid failing." Hanako smiles, tittering. "I'll devise the plan, all you have to do is follow instructions and give your all."
Azusa nods in confirmation.
"We're right behind ya." I say.
The busty pinkette smiles. "Then let's show them what we're made of!"
And just like that, we were off, Hanako devising a plan in mere minutes as Arona returned to the Shittim Chest.
Before we left, I spoke with Azusa for a moment.
"Azusa, is there anything I should know about Arius' forces ahead of time?" I ask.
"Yes. I'm... uncertain as to whether they'll be a part of this operation, but please be wary of Squad." The silverette says, stressing the seriousness they pose.
"Squad?" I ask. They sound like elites of some sort.
"A group of four elites. They're the best of Arius." Azusa explains. "All of them handpicked by Mada- Beatrice."
I notice she says that with a tone of worry. And was she about to refer to this 'Beatrice' as 'Madame'? Considering she sounds like she's an adult, I may have to give Black Suit a visit and tell him that I'm after a friend of his.
"Beatr-?" But my question is stopped before I can finish, pure rage welling up inside me as I look closer at the silverette.
She was trembling.
Trembling.
Azusa, of all people, seen as a frozen-hearted ice-queen, someone trained to be a literal child soldier, was trembling in pure terror at the mere mention of this 'Beatrice'. I could even see a bead of cold sweat on her face, fear evident in those purple eyes of hers.
She ain't alone in that regard. I've felt fear like that before. It's why Kayoko's bullet fucked me up so bad back when we fought at Abydos. The emotion no longer troubles me as it makes me remember those who caused it...
Then fearturns to rage.
But Azusa hasn't gotten that far, and I hope she never will. I can only hope she can move past that fear of hers.
I sigh and pat the girl on the head, ruffling her silky white hair. I could actually see the girl calm down as I ruffled her hair.
"I promise, I will not let her lay a hand on you or your friends." I say. "If she so much as thinks about it, I'll kill her."
Azusa's head swivels to look at mine, worry back in her eyes- worry for me-, but it fades as she sees just how serious I am.
Our eyes meet, neither of us looking away.
"I'll never let that bitch harm my precious students." I remove my hand from her head and stick out only my pinky finger. "I promise."
She looks at the outstretched finger for a minute, before slowly and hesitantly wrapped her pinky around mine.
A happy smiles appears on her face, bringing one to mine, as she nods and says...
"Promise."
"Sensei." Hifumi asks me, just before we all leave.
"Yeah?"
"Will you... really save Azusa?"
"I will. Trust me. I'm gonna get her to live the happy life she deserves."
The blonde smiles a great big smile as I say that.
Around the Trinity district, forces gather- clad in white, wearing body armor and gas masks.
All of them bearing the symbol of Arius.
"Squad Four confirming arrival." One girl, likely the commander, reports.
"Conditions as expected. No additional security spotted." Another says.
One holds a hand to the comms in her ear. "Units Five, Six and Seven are all on standby."
The commander nods, "Target's locations confirmed. Operation will proceed as scheduled. Move out."
In a room in another building, Nagisa sits at a small tea table, relaxing as she sighs to herself as she stares at her cup. "No. I've had my fill of tea." She says, gingerly sitting the ceramic cup down.
That's when a 'thump' sound reaches her ears.
"Huh?" The brunette mutters, as she turns towards the sound-
"Having trouble sleeping?"
Nagisa jolts, whipping her head around faster than before as she lays eyes on...
"You must be anxious. Understandable, since you had the entire Justice Task Force deployed away from here."
"U-Urawa Hanako?!" The brunette asks in shock. "What are you doing here?"
"Are you asking how I knew you'd be at this particular safe house?" Hanako asks innocently. "That's because I know the rotation order of all eighty-seven panic rooms used by the Tea Party."
Nagisa's eyes widen at that bit of info.
Hanako takes a step forward. "I also know about the measures that fall just outside of the regulations too- like how you like to hide in this secret penthouse of yours when you're especially nervous."
"Wh-What is the meaning of this?!" Nagisa demands, standing up, not realizing how her hands are shaking.
"Don't move." A voice demands as they push the barrel of a gun against the Tea Party member's back.
"By the way, we already met your minimal security detail on our way here~ They're going to be... indisposed for a little while." The pinkette brags.
Nagisa looks over her shoulder, causing the gas mask-clad Azusa to dig her rifle's barrel further into the brunette's back. "Both Urawa Hanako and Shirasu Azusa. It couldn't be... To think there wasn't just one traitor, but two."
"No, not quite." Hanako says innocently, causing Nagisa's head to whip back in front. "Besides, Azusa and I are just the meeting party. Someone else here is calling the shots."
Nagisa jolts. "Who?! I demand to know who it is!"
"Answer MY question first, Nagisa." The busty girl says, sternly. "Did you really need to go this far, Nagisa?"
The brunette remains silent.
"I'm referring to how you've handled our club. I understand why you would be so concerned, but did you really need to involve Schale and its authority as well?" Hanako asks.
"Well..." Nagisa weakly argues.
"I can even see why you would find myself and Azusa to be so suspicious, but why cast doubt on someone like Hifumi too? Why involve an innocent bystander like Koharu?" She rattles off, earning nothing but silence from Nagisa, unable to respond. "Especially Hifumi, she thought you were her friend. How could you be so cruel? Did you ever consider how much it would hurt her?!" Hanako shouts at the end, surprising Azusa behind her mask. "Never mind how you could have gotten Sensei- a halo-less man- killed when you got the site for our second exam blown up."
Nagisa's eyes blow wide open. In her paranoia, she clearly never stopped to think about Sensei's status has not having a halo.
The brunette gains a terrified and regretful expression on her face as she remains silent for a long moment. "I... I recognize what I put Hifumi through wasn't right, even if I had the greater good in mind. The same with Sensei, but... Part of me hoped Hifumi and I could still be friends when all of this was over... but I have no regrets."
Even Azusa can tell that last part was a lie.
Hanako just titters innocently. "Then I should deliver a message to you from our commander." She walks right up to Nagisa, and- with a teasing face and bright smile- quietly says, "She says, 'It was a funny fantasy, thinking we were ever really friends'."
"What?! Then the one leading you is-?"
But Nagisa's frantic question is interrupted by Azusa shooting her in the head, knocking her to the floor, unconscious- her halo fading away in the process.
"Target secured." Azusa says outside of the secret penthouse. "She was hit by a five-point-fifty six round point-blank, so she should be out for at least another hour."
"Excellent work, Azusa." Hanako praises. "Would you mind playing decoy from here on like we planned?"
"Understood. This should allow the false intel to reach Trinity's true traitor." Azusa nods. "Arius will have no choice but to hasten their attack if your theory is correct."
"That's right." The busty girl nods. "There are still some questions to be answered, but I'm convinced that there really is a traitor, at the very least."
"By the way, was the last thing you said to her really necessary?" The silverette asks.
"Oh, that was just my little way of repaying Hifumi. Nagisa had that one coming." Hanako says, a vindictive smile on her face. "Besides, I'm sure that little misunderstanding will be cleared up sooner or later." She chirps, earning a deadpan look from the former Arius student. "Never mind that. Can you tell me how many soldiers Arius will be bringing? Will you be able to hold them off by yourself?"
"I don't know the exact number, but I've been preparing for this." Azusa says, confident. "I set traps and dug trenches around the academy every night. I'll lure them there and use the terrain to my advantage to buy time. I'll meet you at the rendezvous point." She says, readying her gun.
"All right. See you soon!" Hanako nods with a smile as the two part.
Back inside Nagisa's penthouse, the door is violently kicked open by Arius forces. The soldiers pour into the room, guns at the ready, as they observe the empty room.
"Panic room clear! Target not found!" A soldier relays.
"Someone else has been here. The intel was credible." The commander adds. "Search the perimeter! Make sure to not be seen!" She orders.
Some girls move back outside.
"And where is the spy we were supposed to make contact with?!" The commander growls. "We need an update!"
A 'tccchhhh' sound draws her attention to her comms. "This is unit Four! I-It's an ambush!" Another girl relays, frantic.
"What?!" The commander exclaims.
Inside the halls of the building, the Arius soldiers look around frantic, their vision obscured by smoke, every now and again seeing the faint outline of...
"It's our contact! We've been had!" One of them shouts into the comms.
The sound of slow, steady inhaling and exhaling via gas mask can be heard among the smoke.
The commander grips her communicator in rage and frustration as she can do nothing but listen to the fourth unit be dismantled by their assailant. All from the other side of the comms goes silent, before footsteps can be heard.
"Wh-What's happening?! The spy betrayed us?!" She growls, gritting her teeth under her mask.
"Yes. I have." The double agent says, calmly, causing the commander to jolt in shock.
"Your target has been intercepted." The former spy says calmly.
"Wh-Why?! Why would you do something like this?!" The commander shouts.
"Because I have an exam to take in a few hours." Azusa says succinctly.
"Huh?!" The commander shouts, bewildered.
"Also, the Justice Task Force has been informed of the situation. If you're going to retreat, I suggest you do it now." Azusa says, before the communicator turns off with a 'click'.
The commander stares at her comms for a moment, silent with rage.
"What are we going to do? Should we retreat?" A soldier asks, hesitant.
"No, she's bluffing." The commander says, calming herself. "According to the intel we received, the Justice Task Force won't be going anywhere. It's psychological warfare! She wants us to retreat. Chase after her!"
""YES!"" The soldiers bark back.
A few minutes later, in front of the school's annex, the commander stands there as one of her men walks up to her.
"This way! We confirmed that she took the target and entered this building!" The soldier relays.
"Then this must be where Shirasu Azusa has built her stronghold." The commander surmises.
"Only two entrances lead inside! One is barricaded!" Another girl relays from around the building's corner.
"She's left only one entrance- a likely trap. Destroy the barricade and enter through the other!" The leader orders.
"That will give away our position. Are you sure this is what you want to do?" A girl asks.
"Yes. I was informed by Squad a minute ago that reinforcements are on their way." The commander nods. "We can no longer consider this an assassination mission. We're at war with Trinity. We must retrieve the target! Prepare yourselves!" She barks.
"Charge!"
Soon, the Arius students pour into the annex from one entrance.
"Just as expected." Azusa says calmly as an IED explodes under their feet.
"Don't falter!" The commander shouts outside. "If we can just make it inside, we'll easily outnumber her!"
Soldiers soon come in from either entrance, only to run into trap after trap.
The classrooms, the hallways, the dining room, the bedrooms.
"That bag was an IED!"
Everywhere was trapped.
This was Azusa's playground- her web.
And these foolish flies had just stepped right into it.
Soon, the silverette runs into a large hallway, along with a few goons, all pointing their guns at her.
"Your insubordination ends here, Shirasu Azusa." The commander growls, training her gun on the betrayer.
"Wow, you took out so many of them, Azusa." Hanako says, to the side, causing a few of the soldiers to aim at her as well.
"True." Azusa nods.
"You're trapped. Now tell me where the target is." The leader orders.
"Hidden within the building." Azusa admits.
"We have reinforcements on the way. You'll be surrounded. There's no escape." The commander says.
"Just how many reinforcements?" The silverette asks.
"More than you can handle!" The leader snaps.
"And what about Squad?" Azusa continues.
"Unrequired. On another mission." The leader says.
"Hm. That simplifies things." Azusa hums, before she and Hanako run away.
"Where do you think you're going?!" The leader shouts. "There's nothing but a gym there! I told you- escape is impossible! Her traps have been disarmed! Chase after her!" She orders.
As the Arius students run inside, they come face to face with not two, but four girls all standing together behind makeshift barricades.
I have to admit, Hanako's plan has worked like a damn charm thus far.
One of the many near-identical girls, likely their commander, speaks. "Now I see. Setting up an ambush, were you? And this is your choice of battlefield. How long can you hold out with just the four of you? This will be your tomb!"
Hifumi groans. Koharu readies herself, despite her worry.
"You're correct, there's nowhere to escape- for you." Azusa says, narrowing her eyes.
"It's time for the finishing touches~" Hanako coos.
"Ohoho! I've been waitin' for this!" I say, causing the Arius girls to swivel around and finally notice me to the side. I flash them a savage grin.
"Welcome to a tactical command class led by none other than Schale's advisor and the Make Up Work Club's homeroom teacher: Joshua Sensei!" Hanako theatrically introduces.
"Commencing with the elimination of targets." Azusa says, readying herself.
"Then let's GO!" I shout.
My four girls and the Arius students begin to fire at one another en masse. Suddenly, a few aim at me.
Oh, this is gonna be fun!
I hop over the makeshift barricade and rush forward, smiling the whole while. I swerve, easily dodging the hail of bullets sent my way. The soldiers can do nothing against my speed, one suddenly finding herself punched in the face. I grab her rifle and unleash a burst of bullets into another as I rush a different girl, smacking her in the stomach with the rifle's butt as I reach her. Another close by attempts to hit me with her rifle, but I brush the attack aside, causing her gun to smack into her friend's head- who I just hit in the stomach, sending her flying. The girl pauses, having struck her ally on accident, but that costs her as I pop her in the head point-blank, knocking her out.
Getting a brief respite, I gauge the situation to my side.
The commander is sitting back, allowing her grunts to do all the work.
"Hifumi! Distract!" I shout.
Ready for this, Hifumi tosses that Peroro disk into the middle of the crowd. As it projects the Peroro hologram, the soldiers all begin to shoot at it.
"Koharu, Azusa! Grenade!'
With my order, both girls lob a grenade at the enemies, blowing them unconscious- also with the added effect of causing Hifumi's disk to come sliding back across the gym floor.
Soon, a pattern emerges. I focus on melee and close-range attacks while the girls stick to long- and mid-range fighting. We thin their numbers this way in mere minutes, showing clearly that each of my four students are much stronger than they let on. Soon, all that's left are a few stragglers. The commander begins to fight as well, but-
"Azusa! Drill!"
Azusa tosses a bullet up, before catching it and slamming it into her rifle. With no hesitation, the round is fired right into the Arius commander, drilling into her and causing her to be stunned. Sprinting forward, I reach the leader and deliver a punch to her chest, followed quickly by a discombobulating smack to both ears. Next I grab her by the head and ram my knee into her stomach, letting her go in the process- only to wind up a right haymaker, which slams into her face, knocking her down and causing me to stumble a few steps forward from the sheer force.
The commander is the last to fall. Turning around, I see the four girls a fair bit gobsmacked at my brutal takedown.
"I wasn't aware you excelled at CQC to such an extent, Sensei." Azusa praises.
"Yeah. It was like watching an action movie." Hifumi adds, mouth agape.
"I couldn't keep up." Koharu admits.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprise that Sensei can be that dominant~" Hanako teases.
"Been in lots of fights before, remember?" I ask, rolling up my sleeves a bit, revealing a few of my scars.
"Is it over?" The tiny girl asks, hesitantly.
"All enemy units incapacitated." The silverette reports.
"Well, that's one crisis averted at least." The busty girl says, relieved. "Arius' reinforcements will arrive soon. Our objective is to buy time until then. We need to hold out until the Justice Task Force intervenes, or everything we've done will go to waste."
"I-I've already contacted Hasumi! She should respond soon!" Koharu says.
"Good job." Hanako nods. "They're still under the Tea Party's direct command, so this was the only way to get them to move from their post. Hasumi should have noticed that Nagisa has gone missing by now. You contacting Hasumi should speed things along. It's only a matter of time before the JTF confirms the situation." She pauses, before speaking in a quieter voice. "I just hope they arrive in time..."
I put a hand on Hanako's shoulder. I nod reassuringly as she looks up at me, earning a small smile from the pinkette.
BOOOM
An explosion then rings out down the hall.
"Reinforcements..." Azusa says, narrowing her eyes.
If we thought there were a lot of enemies before, now there are AT LEAST double that, pouring into the gym all at once.
"They're here already?" Hanako blinks.
"H-How?!" Koharu cries.
"This is more like an army than a reinforcement unit." Azusa points out. "Half of the satellite school's roster must be here..."
"Th-They've sent this many forces into Trinity territory?!" Hifumi shouts.
"And still no sign of the Justice Task Force." The busty girl points out.
"Of course there isn't." A cheery voice says from the sea of Arius students.
The crowd steps aside to let the newcomer through. Once in vision...
"Y-You?!" Hanako cries, green eyes wide.
The same reaction is on all of our faces, especially mine, as the one leading Arius' assault this whole time...
Trinity's real traitor is...
"You've been surrounded..." Misono Mika- one of the three members of the Tea Party and the one who seems to be Trinity's real traitor- says casually with a smile, in front of Arius' forces. "...by the armed force that will replace those Justice Task Force girls as Trinity's official army."
AN
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next!