A/N: Yay! Merry Christmas, everyone! This is one of the few times I've managed to publish any chapter on this day, so be proud. Like usual, my beta reader has yet to go through the chapter and has yet to publish a chapter of his own but according to his profile, he's cooking like a madman, and he might publish it at midnight which is when he usually publishes something in my time zone.
Honestly, I'm excited, I can't wait to read it. Sadly, I didn't manage to write any Christmas specials yet, so I hope you can forgive me.
Now here's where we get to see some interaction between Sensei and his students, hopefully, I managed to get their character correct. A few scenes are inspired by other fics but I hope you enjoy it regardless.
Also, I've recently been playing Warlords of New York, and it's been fun. I've beaten Theo Parnell but due to reasons(family taking up all the wifi) I haven't been able to go further.
Now, I believe that's it for news and such, let's go to responses!
farhangibran15- Thank you. Speaking of, thanks for all of your guys' input on the romance section, it's given me a few ideas so look out for that!
GoldStar77- Alright, one order of romance, coming up. But yeah, not much romance out there, kinda sucks.
snipervtk4- Ooooh, well… yeah he's definitely gonna need one, but whether he'll get it is another thing entirely, I'll try to find something. And no problem, I enjoy writing this.
SaintLeiker-...So, I'm answering to these reviews at most weeks after so I can't remember if I had any idea of what you're talking about, but I'm not sure…
Anyway, TFC! TFC!
Hutakata- I'm glad you enjoyed both the chapter and Mateo's personality and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
ApertureGaming011- Well, I hope you enjoy this regardless. And the present tense is mostly thanks to the help of my beta reader, UnknownSixth.
Anyway, that's it, I hope you guys enjoy this!
I grumble, opening my eyes in the dark Crafting Chamber as I sit up from the couch I was seated on. For a second, my confusion resurfaces at how comfortable I feel before remembering that I'm not sleeping on the ground or some broken-down house. Stretching, I feel a few pops in my spine and arms as I groan. Letting my arms slump, I smack my lips, blearily blinking away the sleep in my eyes as my ScanTek lenses activate.
"I believe I've said this before, but please do not sleep with audiometric earpieces and contact lenses on." Barely woke up and ISAC is already nagging me. "And good morning."
"Morning." I mumble. "Arona, what've we got today?"
Arona doesn't answer, instead ISAC does, "She's still asleep, I'll be your assistant for now."
Almost as if to signify ISAC's presence, the traps I laid out were outlined, unlike with Arona where the HUD is usually empty with the exception of her occasional presence. This time, ISAC manifested as he leaned on the pedestal holding up the strange stone.
Grunting, I force myself up, "Damn it, now I've gotta deal with a guy's voice in my ear."
"I could always just leave you to your devices." ISAC threatens as I turn to him with a lazy smile.
Bowing, I plead, "Please, don't…."
ISAC just sighs, "C'mon, we have food you forgot to get yesterday and paperwork to look over."
At the mention of foods, my stomach asks for attention, with a groan my mind leads to the times I'd have food at the White House. Sardonically smiling, I chuckle, if people heard that, they'd probably expect a huge spread worthy of kings. Not the usual spread of oatmeal and other food that's easy to make and healthy.
Remembering the White House, my mind wanders over to my place here, the Advisor to SCHALE and Sensei to all the students here. Isn't...that against the rules? Does it count if I'm not in America? What about ISAC?
Actually, should I even be leading this agency?
As my thoughts continue to spiral, my duty and training as an agent conflicting with the worry I feel as an adult for anyone younger than I am, my hands reach for my M4 on my Go-Bag as I turn it to reveal a saying carved onto the handguard of the gun. The motto for the SHD, 'Extremis Malis Extrema Remedia'.
Extreme evil, extreme remedy.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
The motto calms my mind as I exhale.
I'm technically not taking control, I'm just an advisor. For now, I'll do my job and see where it goes. The first thing that's needed is a phone.
First, I've gotta get changed and freshen up, then, time to get a phone.
After putting on a pair of jeans and a shirt, I gear up subconsciously and follow ISAC's direction towards the convenience store.
And by God, it's a convenience store. I've seen them multiple times before the Dollar flu fucked them all over but this one is clean. The tiles are as white as snow, there's no bulletproof glass in between the cashier and the store section, it's all so...nice.
Though, as I look through the snacks section, I begin to notice a few things. Like the variety of languages on them. Which is weird, since I'm sure I've been speaking English this entire time.
Has ISAC been translating them? No, couldn't be, I could understand Arona yesterday when I was giving my ears time to rest away from my audiometric earpiece.
Regardless, I reach the area with the food, displaying a great number of options with a better presentation than what I'm used to. After a bit of thinking, I begin picking out some foodstuffs and placing it in a basket as I hear ISAC sigh.
"Sensei, this isn't very healthy." He admonishes and I shake my head with a smile.
"Not like you can stop me." I mutter under my breath.
"Sensei, Sensei, buy me some, please~?" Arona asks as I raise a brow.
"I mean, sure, but how are you going to eat it?" I mutter in curiosity but Arona doesn't answer. Regardless, I grab something extra for Arona and head towards the counter at the front.
A nice tone rings out in the store as a young voice is heard, "Ahhhh~, I'm late! Why did they barely tell-!" She stops abruptly once she gets a good look at me in front of the cashier. An adult wearing a gas mask, body armor, armored to the teeth and practically towering over her. Raising a gloved hand, I greet her.
"Hi."
That probably made it worse as her blue eyes dilated and narrowed in horror and fear as I recognized the look as someone about to cry. Quickly, I turn away, leaning forward and onto the table of the cashier. "You should go and clock in."
She blinks in realization, darting around the counter to go to the back, a flurry of muffled sounds coming through until it stops. Finally, she pops out, wearing a blue apron with one of the straps falling off with her blonde hair brushed back and revealing her forehead. "Somehow, I managed to clock-in on time, thanks Sens-."
She stops herself once more, the fear coming back as she's frozen, looking at me. Sighing, I reach up, removing the gas mask and placing it to my side, giving her a small smile. "Hi, I'm Mateo Vernes, the advisor to SCHALE, nice to meet you...Sora."
"How-," She stutters out in fear, "how do you know my name?"
Quirking a brow, I point at the tag on her apron, "You have a nametag."
"R-right!" She yelps, still shaking like a leaf in a storm.
Sighing, I ask, with as kind of a smile as I can, "So, what's a girl as young as you working here?"
"I-I need the money to pay for my tuition." She explains, still shaking, "A-And this was the only place that hired people my age."
Really? Huh.
"That even legal?" I ask myself under my breath but she must've heard since she straightens up.
"Yup, v-very legal, nothing wrong here!" She cries, her voice a pitch higher, causing me to sigh.
"What's with the shaking? I…" I trail off, holding a hand to my chin, "Well...I'd be lying if I said I was harmless, but you look like you're staring at the devil himself?"
"U-um…" She trails off, fidgeting uncomfortably, "Th-There's a rumor going around that a halo-less Sensei is going around punishing bad students."
Really? Well, I can't tell if that's good or not. "Well, I'm not here to punish. That'd just be cruel."
"R-really?" She asks, a bit less scared as I nod.
"Yup. I just came here for some food. I was too busy to get some yesterday." I explain, placing the basket on the counter as she blinks.
"B-But, can't you just get something at the cafe?" She asks, probably referring to the cafe in the Residence Hall.
"I could. But I kept it closed yesterday." I explain, "Yesterday was a hard one and I didn't want to bother all the employees right after the riots yesterday."
The Residence Hall had a bunch of activities within its halls, and most of it generates revenue for SCHALE, and me, not to mention all the vehicles being stowed away in the armory at the basement and the helipad at the top.
"Oh, so it's open today?" She asks and I nod.
"Yup, if you want you can go and get some food later." I add.
She thanks me and tells me the price of my purchase and I couldn't help but flinch. Even in my time as an SHD recruit, I still had to pay for the classes I took, and those got expensive. Not to mention the fact that I'm in a world where money is suddenly worth something, my monetarily sense is basically shot to the point where everything is worth a lot more, not only in my mind, but in the fact that this world uses yen, so all the prices have to be divided by 100 to equate them in dollars.
Reeling, I swipe my phone over the machine. A second later, the food was paid for. "Thank you for your purchase."
I nod, glancing over to the clothing section and humming. Well...why not.
Before I could go over and raid the clothing section, Sora speaks up, "Umm. Sensei," she starts, anxiously twiddling her fingers, "um y-you were hired by the GSC President right?"
The question gave me pause, turning to her as I sigh, "It's...complicated. But if you're asking why she disappeared or where she is, I don't know."
Sora sighs, looking disappointed but at the same time understanding. "I-I've heard she can be pretty strange."
"I've seen more strange things here than I've ever had before." I admit, laughing, "Trust me, my definition of strange is way too easy to overcome."
With that done, I bought some clothes and left to change quickly.
During my time in DC and other places with similar situations, paperwork was seen as a godsend, paperwork represents stability, a time for bureaucracy where people feel comfortable requesting something and there are people to make sure that request is followed through. That said, no Division Agent in their right mind would ever willingly perform paperwork nor would anyone fault them for not doing so. Even if things are stabilizing that doesn't mean it's completely stable.
In other words, my math skills? Shit.
I can be starving, hiding from hunters in the forest and find a way to win, but I have trouble remembering anything beyond the Pythagorean Theorem. Though, I never did finish High School, so I think I can be excused for my lack of math skills.
Anyway, I look at the paper on the desk, the words melding together and becoming incomprehensible similar to some eldritch god, the knowledge found in these characters driving me mad.
I also can't read Japanese that well.
That's probably why I'm having trouble.
And the clothes I'm wearing. My mother would be horrified seeing me in a black shirt, a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows, jeans, body armor, gloves, and gas mask. It's so clean it feels weird wearing them.
Regardless, I trudge through the paperwork, using ISAC to translate the character on the paper while Arona, who woke up recently, went through the numbers and cleared up a few things that confused me about the cultures of each academy.
By the time I had slogged through half of the paperwork, I was cursing bureaucracy. Why do I have to go through these when some of these have already been done by their respective Student Council?
What does a broken bridge in...Shanhaijing have to do with me? The numbers are correct, but this isn't even my business.
"This fucking sucks!" I voice my complaints, my expression contorting into anger as I lean onto the back of the rolling chair before leaning forward.
My phone has already been set up and doesn't have anyone to talk with aside from the SCHALE account. It's kind of lonely, not to mention that the applicant hasn't come around yet, so I have next to nothing to entertain myself with.
I'm lying, the arcade is really tempting…
"Sensei…" Arona starts, narrowing her eyes at me, my eyes wandering away from the paperwork I can easily leave for tomorrow.
Despite that, my eyes turn back as I give a long, suffering sigh, "I wish I had music."
Traveling with a speaker and music is any Division Agent's hobby and sharing their music is a pleasure for any Agent. Not to mention Manny was more than willing to play whatever he had on hand if there was a dry moment in DC.
Second Wave Agents usually had a speaker or some form of music since our audiometric earpieces were meant to muffle loud sounds while doubling as a form of contact, so playing music though it was generally seen as irresponsible unless it was calm.
My form of music was a speaker with a cable, until the speaker was shot, and my phone was filled with illegally downloaded music. Thankfully, I was able to switch the files to a USB. Actually, I should…
Tugging my bag closer, I open the bags, looking for the USB as I bite my lip. Finally, I find it. "Yes! Hey Arona, can you look through this, make sure it's clean?"
Arona nods, "Sure, what is it?" She asks, excitedly.
"It's music." I answer, inserting the USB into the computer. "Just give it a check and make sure there's no virus or anything."
Humming, Arona listens as I excitedly tap my foot on the floor.
I continue with the paperwork, a second wind propelling me forward until Arona speaks up. "Done!"
"Alright! Connect it to the speakers and play...Raid." I say after giving it some thought, as Arona did so.
The tell tale piano starts as I bob my head along to the song. Idly singing along to the rapping of MF DOOM. "How Doom hold heat and preach non-violence? Shh, he about to start the speech, c'mon silence."
With music now in place, I could concentrate a little better but then came the really insistent feeling to walk around and do something.
But first, damned paperwork must be defeated.
Honestly, why can't we just do this without the paper?
After slowly whittling down the stack, Arona pipes up, "Sensei, the front desk just called, they informed us that the applicant is here. Do you want to have them sent up?"
I lean back, my anxiety rising and worries increasing as I lick my lips. Looking at the speaker playing music, I tell Arona, "Tell her to come in."
While waiting, I busied myself with paperwork, my leg nudging my bag in anxiety as I tried to relax. Instead, I brought out the Shittim Chest, going to the music and scrolling through my choices. In the end, I landed on something relaxing.
Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue.
Just kidding, it's actually my favorite song, I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.
Still, in the midst of the song, I picked up the Shittim Chest. "Hey Arona, show me the applicant's file."
Arona nods, before the screen was replaced with a file.
A Millenium student huh? That's Yuuka's school, right?
Admittedly, I'm a bit conflicted as I continued reading and spotted the words 'Engineering Club'. While that is good, as I have nothing to really offer them aside from my SHD Tech which is baby things compared to what they can do, a paranoid side of me really doesn't want to reveal my hand.
But..
I glance at my vest, frowning as I note how I might need an upgrade to compete with all the girls with guns.
Kevlar and ballistic plates can only do so much, maybe they have something better?
…
Actually, I doubt it. The armor I'm wearing is the best they could do for me and me alone.
Still, let's see how this goes.
I hear a knock on the door before taking a deep breath and calling out. "It's open!"
"Er, excuse me." I dismiss the file on the Shittim Chest, not having gone far enough to see her picture as she steps in.
And by God, why did it have to be another ten?
The black-haired girl had her wavy hair in a ponytail on the right side with engineering goggles on her forehead above her tired gray eyes, a pair of dog ears resting comfortably on her head and a black tail with a white tip. She wore a white and yellow hoodie over a black and gray tank top with a pair of black short shorts and webbed stockings with black boots.
But it's what she was lugging around that got my interest. She had a metal case with the Millenium logo on it, a bag with tools hanging out, and a mortar.
She was really attractive. Why? Why do they have to be attractive? The closest I've gotten to talking to women was Kelso and Sawyer that really stood out.
She seemed a bit on edge as she looked around, not overtly but more like she's lost on what to do. So, I start, "Go ahead and sit down, I'll be with you in a bit. Grab a book or something to relax with."
"Right…" She trailed off, ambling over to the couches as she plops herself down, back straight, eyes wandering and floppy ears twitching as they land on the music player, playing a song she's never heard.
I, myself, finish up the paper I'm working on before stretching, getting up and sitting on the couch in front of her. "So, want anything to drink? Maybe some water or soda?"
"N-no, it's fine. I didn't think there was going to be an interview." She responded, visibly anxious.
I remove my gas mask, sending her a smile before introducing myself. "If you want to see it that way, fine. I like to see it as...getting to know people. So, I'm Mat-I mean Vernes Mateo, the advisor to SCALE and Sensei. It's nice to meet you."
"I'm Nekozuka Hibiki, I'm one of the members of the Engineering Club and I'm here to try to convince you to increase our club-ah!" She stops, mid-sentence as her eyes blank in realization at her words.
I couldn't help but smile, "Well, you're honest if anything else." She seems to blush, looking down as her hair hides her expression with very little success.
"Mmmh, I told Utaha I wasn't fit for this." She grumbles as I simply laugh louder, covering my mouth to try to hide it but only getting her more embarrassed.
"Hah~," I manage to exhale, in control once more, "sorry for laughing."
"I-it's okay." She says, still blushing, "I'm just glad you're not angry."
"Why would I?" To an extent, I could relate to these girls, materials are expensive, working as an engineer myself and being a child, the idea of creating things is always really cool. Doing so is really complicated and was never my cup of tea as I grew, but repairing was more up my alley since that's what I did most of the time in between teaching kids and acting as an Agent. "It's already costly to repair stuff, but inventing stuff is probably worse."
"You have experience with engineering, Sensei?" She asks with interest.
"I do. Though I'm better with repair than I am with inventing." I admit as she nods.
Repairing is an integral skill considering that most of the factories were closed down so we couldn't just order new parts, we had to improvise. It's why I usually have a battery with me at all times.
"Then maybe I could make something for you." She says, excitedly. "Maybe some new contact lenses that can shoot lasers?"
Wait… How…?
Of course, she's an engineer, when people see someone with glowing eyes they see a monster but engineers instead see it as contact lenses.
Still, do they know about ISAC?
"Or maybe make the Brick you use to scan ahead into a missile launcher that tracks its target!"
Ah...they figured it out.
My face must be really noticeable as she stops, suddenly ashamed and confused. "Were...we not supposed to know?"
I shake my head, waving away her worries, "It's fine. Now that we're on the subject, how good are you with clothes?"
Her eyes bore into me as she nods with complete confidence. "Very good."
Nodding, I remove my unbuttoned dress shirt before removing my body armor and removing one of the body plates. "As an engineer and cloth expert, what's your professional opinion?"
Hibiki messes with the kevlar vest first, feeling it and humming, running her hands through it and her ears twitching as she comes across a cut or bump. "This...where did you get this, Sensei?" She asks with interest. "It's similar to what SRT gets." She rubs it a bit, more, "Actually, it might be better." She adds, surprised as she looks the vest over.
"The SRT?" I ask but she moves onto the plates, inspecting it as she flicks it a few times and rubs her hands around it.
"Porcelain? Hmm, Sensei, is there a gun range here?" She asks as I nod.
"It's in the Residence Hall." I say as I stand up. "You want me to bring a few guns?"
"No, your pistol is fine. Let's go." She says, waiting by the door as I lead her to the range.
There, we set up a mannequin and placed a plate on it as she inspected my bullets.
"Impressive for something not Kivotos-made." She mutters before placing it aside. "If all your ammunition is the same you'll be fine, the materials are the same as the bullets here in Kivotos and the size is also the same."
I couldn't help but sigh in relief at that, so I'll be fine once my bullets run out. "That's good."
"Now, Sensei, aim and fire at your digression." She says, looking down at the tablet she has on hand with a camera pointed at the mannequin with a myriad of scanners on the mannequin.
Slowly, I aimed, placing the iron sights right at the middle of the plates before pulling the trigger.
"Integrity at ninety-eight percent." Hibiki pipes up, surprised.
I fire again and Hibiki states, "Ninety-five percent."
Another. "Ninety-one."
Another. "Eighty-five."
"Eighty-two."
"Seventy-Nine."
The plate shattered by the time I unloaded the rest of the magazine and half of another, turning the total ammo count to thirty shots being directly shot at a singular plate with no kevlar. "Impressive." Hibiki notes as I nod along. While the modifications I made to my guns made them strong, I did always have a fondness of going as tough as I can but never did like going a complete tank. "I think this is better than what SRT provides their students. The sukebans go down in less bullets than the amount it takes to break these."
I shelf the term 'sukeban' for later studying. "You sure?"
"I'm positive." She affirms before staring at the kevlar in her hands. "Once kevlar has been weaved it's hard to really change the shape or really change much...and you can't use it for pants, it'll be uncomfortable." She says, holding a hand to her chin. "But your body armor doesn't cover your legs, so maybe we can pad it? Not to mention adding a layer of ballistic gel under the plates or a padding to soften the impact…"
While she mumbled away, I shook my head. "So, you think you can do something about it?"
"With this one? No." She says, passing the vest back to me. "It was made to be used and to last. It'd be a disservice to change it, much less leave it as decoration. But your ceramic plates are something I can improve. Do you have another vest? If you can give us an...increase in our budget I'm fairly sure we can set some time aside to find some way to improve these."
Holding a hand to my chin, I hum, "Well, it'd be a bit lonely around here, so I'll do it if you join. If you're still willing, of course."
She blinked, almost surprised that it worked out, but she smiled. "Yes. I'd be honored, Sensei."
After giving her my specifications which include some way to make my plates last longer and a comfortable but useful kevlar, I waved her away, signing a paper for increased funds towards Millenium's Engineering Club.
Standing in the kitchen with an apron on, a bag of groceries to my right and the oven on preheat, I close my eyes and begin attempting to consult with the spirits of my ancestors.
What can I give four extremely hot women as thanks for helping my ass?
It has to have sugar, all of them move around a lot throughout the day with Chinatsu and Yuuka having administrator duties they'll need the little pick-me up.
I pick up the can beside me, spinning around like some rich guy with a glass of wine. Though I should probably stop, the fizziness will disappear.
Taking a sip from this world's equivalent to Sprite, I cross my arms and close my eyes. Actually, why am I even here with groceries, I have a lesson in a few minutes, I don't have time for this!
"Still…" I mutter out loud. "I've gotta decide something at some point…"
With what I have, I can't make much, not like I know how to make much…
Cookies and brownies were usually left in the stove for too long, but were still delicious afterwards. But what was it that I could make that only I knew…
Empanadas? My mom taught me how to bake them once and were one of the few things I could make without fucking up too badly…
Ooh! Borrachitas! God, I'm drooling just thinking about it.
I wonder if Angel 24 has any alcohol?
Just as I was trying to remember the recipe exactly, Arona spoke up. "Sensei, Nakatsukasa Kirino and Nemugaki Fubuki are here and waiting."
Nodding, I proceed to put away the groceries I got. "Inform Kirino to enter the shooting range. Fubuki…" I trail off, looking at the camera feed of the front desk via my ScanTek. "Let her in, I'll just ask her why myself. Also, ask them if they want something."
"Right~!" The AI spoke with a peppy voice as she proceeded to relay the information to the two students. "Kirino refused but Fubuki wants donuts."
"Right." I say, exiting the room as I bring out the Shittim Chest, "So, what'd they want lessons on?"
"Well…" Arona hesitated, surprising me as Arona rarely hesitates. "I should probably leave it to them to tell you."
I already knew what the class was about, but something about Arona's tone has me worrying.
Placing my apron off to the side, I sling my Go-Bag over my shoulder, still heavily armed, as I head over to the firing range. Though my attention does wander as they land on the variety of students wandering around the residential area of the SCHALE building. In the end, I shake it off and enter the shooting range.
Inside, a white-haired blue-eyed girl was waiting for me, her halo an intricate shape leaving me at a loss as to what it is and her hair cut short and in braids while wearing an officer's uniform properly unlike her company.
The other girl has blue hair with pink eyes, her halo a pink and intricate figure resembling a flower with a donut in hand as she watches on in general laziness with notable pink sneakers in contrast to her ally's white boots.
Kirino and Fubuki respectively.
"Ah, Sensei!" Kirino spoke up first, jumping up and getting into a salute. "My name is Nakatsukasa Kirino! I hope we get along." She quickly turned to Fubuki, "Fubuki, c'mon! You're being rude!"
"Eh~." Fubuki groaned, "But I'm not even the student today."
"Then, why're you here?" I ask, curious.
"Patrol." She answered simply, "So, when are we going to get donuts?" She asked, showing the most energy out of the few minutes I've known her.
"The offer is for students, not layabouts." I rebuked her as she deflated. "You can always go to the cafe if you want some."
"Hmmm~." She hummed before I turned to Kirino.
"So, Kirino…" I trail off, watching as the tense Kirino doesn't move a muscle, "relax, so, you're here for help with your accuracy?" I say, reading off the request through my ScanTek, my confusion palpable enough and my view wide enough to see her flinch at those words. I wanted to comment on how someone can have problems with accuracy despite being in a city full of what consists of target practice.
"Yes…" She says, imaginary and comical tears rolling down her face, "I always bomb my bi-weekly accuracy test. But!" She suddenly straightens up, her eyes glowing as she spoke, "With your help, I bet I can do well on the next one!"
"Slow your roll." I tell the overexcited girl, "I need to know what I'm working on, go get set up on one of the lanes and I'll see what I can do."
"Right!" She says, heading to the first lane, picking up some earmuffs on the way there.
I lean beside her as she places her gun, a Smith and Wesson revolver, on the table along with a few practice rounds. She turns to me in confusion, "Um, Sensei, shouldn't you get some earmuffs?"
With a shake of my head, I point to my audiometric earpiece, "Don't worry, these muffle sounds to a certain level, I'll be fine. Let's see your stance."
She gulps, almost reluctant as she nods, "R-right."
Slowly, she brings her revolver up and I quirk a brow.
From my view, it's fine. Her arms are straight, she's looking at the target, her feet are spread apart, I wouldn't be surprised if I popped open the textbook she uses and see a picture of her current stance with a diagram explaining why it's so perfect.
It's textbook.
"Right, fire at your digression." I say and she nods, I turn down range and keep my eye on the target of a target.
"Firing." She says, gulping as her hand shakes slightly but she quickly controls it.
A round goes off, her arm jerking back from the recoil but it quickly returns to its previous position. The sequence of events is repeated until the fifth shot and she places the revolver down.
"Let's see our results." I say, reaching over and bringing the target forward in front of us.
Once it was right in front of us, I was flabbergasted and Kirino was heart-broken. "I knew it…"
None of the rounds hit. Not even a glancing hit or the chest, they just didn't hit at all. It was like the bullets were cursed to just not hit.
"Can I…" I trail off, pointing to her revolver on the table. She nods, sniffling and on the verge of crying as the two of us switch places. I swing out the cylinder and, with practiced ease, load five rounds into the cylinder before closing it.
I aim down the range at the target back in its original place.
The first shot causes my arm to jerk back from the recoil. Slowly, I bring it back forward and try again, the recoil less this time as I follow with my third, muscle memory from the multitude of revolvers I've wielded coming back as the recoil barely bothers me as I fire round after round.
Finally, after the last round is shot, I empty the cylinder and place it on the table before bringing the target forward, the mechanical whirring loud in the quiet room. Once the target was in front of us I nod in satisfaction.
The first one hit the torso, the second the lungs, the third and fourth hit the neck and the fifth was right in between the eyes.
Seems about right, even when I was sixteen and wandered into a SHD Agent recruitment center, my accuracy was always spot-on despite it being the first time I held an actual gun.
I turn to see Kirino's wide eyes and Fubuki's impressed look. "Sensei! How did you do that?!"
"I'm more impressed with how you missed so many shots." I note to the shock of Kirino who reacted like she was run through by an arrow. While she writhed in her pain, I inspected the revolver. Gun maintenance was never my forte but once the difference between life and death is whether your gun is clean and in working condition or not, you learn. Not to mention most of the guns I scavenged from the gangs back in the States weren't in the best condition. From what I can tell, the gun is fine, a bit off, but a few clicks and it'll be fine. "Honestly, the revolver is well-maintained, really clean, but the sights could use a bit of a shift to the right and down."
I don't know the actual term for moving the sights of a gun, so I sling off my backpack, bringing out the tool and performing the changes. "Done. Give it another whirl."
Reluctantly, she aims down range and fires the five rounds once more, hitting nothing. "...Maybe...it's the situation? Some people are better at shooting in high-stress situations?"
Kirino seems pained at this observation. "No...I don't think so."
"She always runs off, ignoring our superior's orders." Fubuki pipes up. "Even then, her accuracy isn't any better."
"Fubuki~!" Kirino whines as she slumps forward, placing her revolver on the table and slumping.
"Well…" I open my backpack, rustling through it as I hum. I don't have any ceramic plates, food plates, but I do have a pair of balls.
Rubber balls.
Not…
Actually, let's cut that off before it can go any further.
Straightening up, I bring a red and blue ball, I squeeze them. "Well, let's try something else, try shooting...the red one." I say bringing up the hand with the red ball as she nods, imaginary tears running down her cheeks.
"Right." She says, turning back towards the range and waiting with her gun out.
"On three. Three!" Simultaneously, I threw both balls out, the re done on my right and going off to the side and the blue one on my left going to the opposite side.
A gunshot rang out as everyone in the range went silent.
The red ball hit the floor harmlessly while the blue ball's innards were splayed out on the floor.
"...Huh?" Kirino blanched with her gun down.
"...Eh?" Fubuki notes out loud.
"Damn." I pipe up in the silence. "What the hell was that?"
"I-I don't know, I was aiming at the red ball." Kirino stutters, looking down at the gun as she ran a gloved hand down the side. "And everything is fine…"
"No way." I mutter, "You were aiming to the right, how do you shoot a target at the left?"
It-It can't be, right?
"Kirino...aim at the target, but this time, don't try to hit, but try to miss instead." I say, hoping, praying, pleading that it isn't so.
"Huh? But…" She seems reluctant, also trying to hold onto some semblance of sense. But as an Agent, sense does you no good. I've performed a number of stupid things that shouldn't have worked but they did. Like keeping a car battery and a pair of jumper cables on me, dropping a bunch of water, throwing a few wires, and connecting the cables to the wire and electrocuting a lot of people. Speaking of, I lost my previous car battery, I should get a new one. Who knows when you'll need one.
"Kirino, please, I don't want it to be true." I plead and reluctantly, she does as I instruct. Slowly, she brings up her gun in her shooting stance, perfect it is, and prepares to miss by a few inches.
A gunshot later, a crying Kirino, my despondent ass is looking at the ceiling.
I'm willing to admit I'm pretty apathetic and hard to surprise, but some things are beyond my control and even further beyond my ability to just accept it.
Well, whatever.
"C'mon. You're up." I tell Fubuki, the Jr police officer, freezing as she turns to me like I said something surprising.
"Um...I'm here for a patrol…" She tries to wiggle out.
"Nice try, the police have no technical jurisdiction over SCHALE. Go." I tell the cop as she ambles towards a lane, leaving her gun there before going to pick up practice rounds, though when I looked at the gun, I got an 'Error' screen on my ScanTek, something that's never happened.
ISAC informed me that it was a Ruger Mini-14 rifle, but that was just because of the general shape of the gun.
Stopping at Fubuki's lane, I eject the magazine as I inspect the gun reeling as I look at how dirty it is. I couldn't help but retch, a bad idea for anyone wearing a mask, as I lowered it, closing my eyes and retching in the air before grimacing. In the lane beside me, I hear Kirino stop shooting, her eyes on me as her eyes widen. Turning to her, I hum, "Hm?"
She seems to notice as she quickly continues, "I-I'm sorry, I've just never seen your face, no one has, supposedly, only the girls who helped you on the first day did."
Did-Did I forget to take the mask off when introducing myself?
"Ah...sorry, that was rude." I say, scratching the back of my head. Removing the glove on my hand, I extend my hand, "Well, you already know this, but the name's Mat-I mean Vernes Mateo. I'm the advisor of SCHALE and your teacher should you ever need it."
Blinking, Kirino smiles, "Right. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance once more, Sensei."
"Good, now where's the sleepy brat?" I grumble, heading towards the area sectioned off for the practice rounds.
Peeking, I see a box moved in a way to hide a certain small brat.
Looking down, I see pink eyes stare back into mine as I frown. She just smiles.
Reaching down, I grab a hold of her cheek and pull.
I wave at Kirino, smiling like she just had the best news of her life handed to her and Fubuki holding her cheek with a relaxed smile, a half dozen of donuts, and a clean rifle slung on her back. I sigh, turning back and towards Angel 24. After picking up a single can of beer, I head to the kitchen area. Where I begin preparing for the borrachitas.
Once that was done, I placed a few in five different tupperwares, one for each of the girls that helped me and Rin.
Placing them in my bag in a compartment so they don't get crushed if I were to move around a lot, I pick up my phone. "ISAC, set a waypoint at...the closest location between Gehenna, Trinity, Millenium, and the GSC."
"The General Student Council is the closest. I suggest going to Gehenna afterwards, then Trinity before ending off at Millenium." ISAC says as I blink.
"Why's that?"
"The General Student Council building is the closest, Gehenna is notorious for being chaotic, moreso at night, Trinity is the calmest out of all of them, and Yuuka might not be at Millenium at the time we get there so you might not need to admit that she's the last one you're dropping off the food for." ISAC lays it out as I nod. That last one seems a bit different than the other ones.
Speaking of, I should get some milk, borrachitas have the nasty habit of leaving me with heartburn and milk is good for heartburn. Actually, I'll just buy some from the nearby area. Now, let's go bother Rin!
"I've been sleeping in a cardboard box, spending every dollar at the liquor shop." I sing The Bidding by Tally Hall, walking out of the SCHALE building with a large duffel bag filled to the brim before turning into an alley and scaling up the ladder.
There, I take a moment to take in the sights of the district and its roofs as I try to identify the major areas of infiltration. "Is there a way I could force the amount of opening into one single opening? Maybe set up a few explosives and force the building down? No, that'd just make me into a nuisance. Maybe I can do what the people of the Theater settlement did, set up a few semis, line them with wire and then set up a car battery or two?" I mumble out loud.
But that will come with its own problems, the alleys will leave SCHALE open for flanking maneuvers. Urban warfare, in general, are high stress environments and quick bouts of combat. Unless someone wants to take this place over, they'll have to be quick and miss a few things.
Opening the duffel bag, I bring out an Assault Turret where ISAC recommends it before placing an Artillery Turret right in the middle of the ceiling. They turn on momentarily and turn off, waiting for the order to move to be given by Arona, ISAC, or me.
I have a lot of preparations to make as I slide down the ladder. If people find out about this, they'll be angry, and I feel horrible for it.
You can take a soldier out of their war but not the war out of the soldier.
In the middle of the sad alleyway, I lean on the wall, my exhaustion hitting me as I plead, almost pitifully, for it to be over. For the chance to come so I can relax away from all the killing, from all the problems, but instinctively, I know that if that were to happen, I'd just hop right back in.
Sighing, I blend into the shadows, dropping a Seeker Mine by a trash can, leaving it there and marking its location.
The duffel bag is full of SHD Tech like Fireflies, drones, turrets, and more, it's practically bursting and it'll be empty in half an hour.
I learned my lesson in DC, where we had no funds and had a shortage in material to defend ourselves. The lesson was reinforced in the Heartlands and in all the other places I visited, but here? Where I need funds but no shortage of materials, ways to get those materials, and no scarcity of SHD Tech via the Crafting Chamber?
Well, I might not have it all but I'll be damned if I don't put up a good damned fight.
With a heavy heart, a flame of anger and resolve keeping my cold body warm, I stalk the surroundings, noting down possible avenues of defense and marking the current defenses being set up.
Admittedly, all of this is under the idea that I'm...indisposed at the moment and that it'll be my last act of pettiness by making their trek to SCHALE the worst thing they'll experience.
Signing off on another paper, Rin rubs the space in between her eyes. How her friend was able to do all of this paperwork while being an absolute goof is a mystery in and of itself.
Looking up, the unfinished pile of paperwork has taken a hit but it's still there, mocking her in all its whiteness among the white office. This is after sending SCHALE some of the more pressing paperwork to look over and sign off on. The thought that Mateo was having as much trouble with paperwork as she was filled with satisfaction.
She could tell Mateo isn't the type to just sit still, after all, the after-action report of the Mission he took on last night is on her desk, and so are the other two.
She glances at the sparse paperwork in a pile originally known as the 'Incorrectly Filed' paperwork but is wondering whether to rename it to the 'SCHALE Paperwork'.
A part of her is a bit regretful of the scolding she's going to have to give the adult when she sees him next. In the other, she feels her scolding is better than whatever the President does when she sees paperwork filed incorrectly.
"Oh~? Did my Rin-chan forget to write down the numbers into Chinese? Arabic numerals are a no-no. See? Here, here and here aren't supposed to be like that."
Though she knew it was a bit of friendly teasing, her first years in the General Student Council was full of the President's mocking words to the point she had a nightmare about it once.
Sighing, she stands up, rubbing her head as she leaves for the break room for some sugar or something to keep her awake.
She left, leaving the office empty with paperwork with the ticks and tocks of the clock. A second later, the door handle was jiggled, "Damn." A muffled voice cursed from the other side.
A second later, the door handle clicked open, Mateo's Smart Watch glowing orange before dying down a second later. "Thank you ISAC." He mutters as he leaves a tupperware on the desk along with a carton of milk.
Looking around, he grabs a post-it and scribbles something on it and places it on the tupperware. Nodding, he walks out, stopping by a trash can and humming. He peers into it and doesn't find anything in it. Though his eyes wander onto Rin's desk, having to stop himself from looking through her desk as he would back in the States.
A few minutes later, Rin would see the tupperware and sigh, "Honestly…"
She pulls off the post-it, the note saying 'Here, take a break and don't eat too much at once' before picking up the sugary sweet, popping the strange food into her mouth, she tastes brown sugar, pecan nuts, and condensed milk.
It wasn't a perfect confection, but it was good.
Speaking of, she had to sign off on his reward for saving the city.
After finishing the paperwork, she takes another bite of the confection and closes her eyes to savor it.
German. That was the only way I can describe Gehenna, it was dark, lacking the cleanliness usually seen in many of the places I've visited but it's yet to fall to Anarchy like the world did so they're doing something right.
Instinctively, I jostle my Go-Bag as I default to a more aggressive stance, the only thing stopping me from grabbing my assault rifle and running is my self-control. The students wore darker clothing, reminiscent of uniforms but with a casual vibe that made them stand out and a few students wearing a certain uniform and an armband with the word 'Prefect Team' on them.
Their weapons were also mostly German in nature but more WWII German than modern German.
Some of the students were eyeing me up, so I had to move from the entrance.
In a building, a woman hummed in interest, "My, this is interesting. I was wondering if you would come to us, or we'd have to come to you." She brought out her phone, about to call someone only for someone to call her. Huffing as she answers, looking away from the screen for a second before glancing back at the monitor only to freeze when she notices that he's gone.
While German would be the country I'd use to describe the theme behind Gehenna, urban Mexico and similar urban areas are what I would describe the traversal. If one looked up, they'd notice a great number of buildings had a plank from roof to roof, not to mention a certain type of age I always found pleasing. Vines scaling up large buildings, people selling their wares, students selling things from their dorms, all of this was reminiscent of my few trips to Mexico before and after the Dollar Flu.
If nothing else, it reminds me of the Settlements back in DC, it almost made me homesick.
I stalk the alleys, evading the cameras or shooting them down with my M9, a suppressor on it, as I make my way towards the Prefect Team's building, hoping that Chinatsu won't mind the visit...I should get her MomoTalk actually.
Once I'm close enough to the building, I reach for my Smart Watch, activating the Scanner Pulse as my lenses pulsed orange and the forms of the students were outlined.
"Target found." ISAC says, the form of Chinatsu outlined as the others recede as I stalk towards the building.
Thankfully, a window was open and I hopped into the building after climbing onto the second floor, a bit less tense now that the feeling of being watched has receded.
Leaving the room I turn, watching as Chinatsu's form turns the corner and I come face-to-face with a pile of papers and boxes in her hands while complaining.
"Hm? Is someone there?" Chinatsu asks, trying to move to see but I stop her.
"You seem a bit busy, here, let me help you with that." I say, grabbing a part of the pile to reveal Chinatsu's expression contorting into surprise.
"Huh, Sensei? What are you doing here?" She asks, surprised as she seems to fret for a bit, her hair slightly messed up and small bags under her eyes.
"Came here to see you. I owe you for helping me with the city. Don't you remember?" I explain to the flustered elf.
"You did, but I didn't think you'd actually do it!" She says, still flustered before closing her eyes and taking a breath. Opening them she continues, "A-and the answer is no. I can handle carrying these documents just fine."
"Hmm, if you say so." I hum, placing the stack in my hand back on her stack, taking her off balance only to stumble when she rights herself too much once I grab half of her stack.
"Huh? Are...you going to help me?" She asks, almost surprised as I wait beside her.
"Sure, I'm a teacher after all." I answer.
She hesitates, almost as if she wants to argue but relents, "Then it'd be rude to refuse. Thank you, Sensei."
"Then lead the way." I say as she nods before I follow after her. "Where are we going anyway?"
"It's straight ahead then a turn, we'll have to go down the stairs so be careful." She says as I quirk a brow, keeping my eyes on her back and nowhere lower and using the conversation to keep them up.
"Isn't that dangerous? If I had worse eyesight I'd have confused you for a pile of papers." I say as she shakes her head.
"I don't think it might have been that dangerous. Well...maybe a little." She admits, blinking before giggling for some reason. "Now that I think about it, you're the first person to say something like that to me. Thank you."
"That's a bit worrying…" I mumble under my breath.
Chinatsu just shakes her head, "I would have managed, I'm used to things like this."
"What about the other students?" I ask, and she turns to me in confusion as if I'm the weird one.
"Sensei, Gehenna students aren't the most…" she trails off, as if looking for the right word to describe her fellow classmates, "organized. Many of them leave things like these unfinished which usually leaves it to me to do them."
"What's a medical officer doing with paperwork not about...medicine?" I ask.
She shrugs with a sigh, "I don't know either. It's not like I enjoy it but someone has to do it before it piles up."
A slight silence comes up between us before Chinatsu pipes up, "Though work like this suits someone as boring as me. Haha..."
"I don't think someone as pretty and kind as you can be boring." I pipe up, momentarily letting my thoughts leak out for a second before continuing. "If nothing else, I can respect the lengths you go to help others."
Chinatsu falls into silence, whirling around as her glasses fall from her face, skewing it as she blanches for a bit. Finally, she manages to find her voice, "Excuse me? I-I must have blacked out for a second, because you couldn't possibly be talking about me."
"Trust me, you're one of the prettiest girls I've met since coming here." I continue, enjoying her flustered expression as she uses the stack to correct her skewed glasses.
"I-I-I-um...we-we should hurry!" She says, hurrying down the stairs as I follow after her with a laugh.
Soon, we reach the office Chinatsu works at, "We're here, Sensei."
Opening the door, she reveals a nurse's office with a variety of medical equipment and a few cots. Placing her stack on the desk, she turns to me, "Thanks for your help. You can leave your stack here. I can take it from here."
Placing the stack beside hers, I turn to her, "You sure you don't need help? I'm new to this entire thing but I'm willing to help 'till you're done."
"Umm, but aren't you going to visit the other girls who helped you?" She asks with confusion and a slight blush.
"I am, but I can just sneak in and leave it at their desks." I say to her confusion as she realizes something.
"...Sensei, did you sign in at the entrance?" She asks with narrowed eyes and fists on her hips and I laugh.
"No." I admit it honestly. "I got a bad feeling so I evaded the cameras. Sorry for breaking a few."
She seems surprised but shakes it off with a sigh. "It's fine, I can't take up more of your time. But…" she trails off, fidgeting with her fingers and a blush on her face with a shy smile. "Today's work was much less tedious with you here, Sensei. I won't ask you to help me every day, but as long as you're up to it…I may turn to you if you aren't busy."
That's nice. I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face. Seeing this, she continues with her own smaller smile. "That will allow us the opportunity to...catch up."
… That was very erotic. It had a lot of connotations that are better left untouched. Yes, she's blushing because it's hot. I'm also glad I'm wearing my gas mask even if my embarrassment is obvious in how I scratch my hair.
"Um, sure. Yeah, it'd be nice." I accept, inwardly cursing myself for the stutter. "Before I forget though," I remove my bag, bringing out the tupperware and milk, "here, they're not the best but they're a gift I hope you enjoy."
"Oh...thanks." She accepts them smiling before nodding, her blush nonexistent as she continues. "I-I'll be looking forward to it."
"So will I." I answered as I was about to step outside but I stopped. Whirling towards the window and looking out the window.
"...Sensei?" Chinatsu asked, turning to where I'm looking as I reach towards the back of my Go-Bag where the Ballistics Shield is located.
...I felt it for a second. I'm being watched. As ISAC began scanning the area and looking for the person who was looking at me with such intensity, Chinatsu piped up, "Sensei, is something wrong?"
Her hand reached for her pistol, prepared to fight but I relaxed, stopping her as I shook my head. "It's nothing. Just my paranoia."
"Are you sure?" She asks, worry permeating through her voice.
"Yeah. Probably just a camera or something." I wave her worries away as I exit the room. "Also, your application to SCHALE has been accepted, so stop whenever you feel like it."
Before she could answer, I left the room, stalking out of the hall as I went over what I know.
Before I joined the SHD, I would go with my uncles on their hunting trips, it's where we learned that I have an unnatural sixth sense. Said sense was only improved during my time as a Division Agent and then only went to a near actual sixth sense when I picked my specialization as a Sharpshooter.
And all of that said that whoever was looking at me wasn't aiming at me, but my hand. The snacks I had on hand.
…
I believe I've caught someone's attention that I really shouldn't have.
On a rooftop, a girl giggles, looking into the scope of her sniper. "It seems like our Sensei has brought something strange, don't you think so, Fuuka?"
Beside the woman another girl was tied up and frantically trying to escape.
"I can't wait to expand the borders of my experience."
But first, she has to find a way to either get that tupperware, or to convince Sensei to part with his tupperware.
Glancing at the MomoTalk message I just got from Chinatsu, I can't help but smile, now if only I could feel the same way about Trinity that I do about Gehenna.
It's a good place, don't get me wrong, but when you're from a place like post-Dollar Flu America, the chaos of Gehenna is a lot more comfortable than the pomp found in Trinity, not to mention the religious superiority found in the place.
But I'm just wandering into uncomfortable territory where madness lies in wait for me to wander in like the unsuspecting fool I am.
Still, the architecture is remarkably beautiful if I'm honest, the storefronts remind me of pictures I've seen of pre-Dollar Flu Britain and all the girls are wearing berets or some variation of it. It reminds me of a private school which kind of adds into the uncomfortability of the place of it all as a public school kid.
Also, the stares, I really don't like them.
I dip into an alley, away from the stares and the gossiping girls as I sigh while looking up. "I can never get used to the attention."
"Personally, I find it exhilarating, but I don't think everyone shares the opinion." A voice speaks up as I look back down and find myself staring into a pair of green eyes with pink hair and a pink halo with two circles, resembling a reticle, already a very strange pair of features, but she was also wearing a navy and white sleeveless shirt.
As she steps back, I find myself correcting the previous statement.
It wasn't a sleeveless shirt, but a one-piece swimsuit that fit her quite…
High schoolers, remember Mateo. High schoolers.
You relate to them easier because it never felt like you left Mateo, but you're twenty-one. An adult, remember.
Anyway, my gaze met hers, the mischief in her eyes obvious as I felt confused.
"Halt!"
Before I could say anything else, I duck behind a dumpster, dispelling my presence as I usually had to do during my first weeks in DC and then after the Black Tusk invasion as well as all the other locations I've been relocated to.
"My~, you were quite quick this time." The pink-haired girl said, waiting as the young girl wearing a black sailor outfit and beret jogged to her.
"You walked right in front of me!" The poor black-haired girl pointed out as the other girl just giggled.
Still, the girl's wearing something similar to Hasumi, I could probably follow her but that'd be weird. It'd also be weird for me to pop out at a random time from behind the dumpster.
Hmmm, what to do.
"Sensei?" Another voice spoke from behind and I perked up at the familiarity of it.
Turning, I see a familiar silverette tilting her head at me, the confusion in her face palpable as I freeze up. Thankfully, the other girl was still embroiled in a conversation with the pinkette and the latter is taking the former for a ride so I can easily escape.
Ambling to Suzumi, I flash her a smile from under my mask, "Suzumi, how's it been?"
"It's been well." She admits as I lean on the wall beside the alley. "There was a bit of trouble with some gangs after the whole thing that happened with the Sanctum Tower, but it died down. I heard you helped a student after a gang tried to ransom her?"
Oh right. "Yeah, it was something to pass the time, I've never been good at standing by idly."
"Still, thank you." She says, bowing, "While the Justice Task Force and Vigilante Committee have done all they could to keep the peace, a few things fall under our radar."
Shaking my hand, I wave it away, feeling a bit self-conscious from the attention we're garnering. "It's fine, not like it's that different from what I usually did."
"Really?" She asked, her red eyes earnest and thankful as I chuckled.
"Yeah, honestly if it wasn't for the paperwork I'd feel right at home." I admit with a smile as she straightens up.
"Then, are you here on official business?" She asks. "Because I can call up Hasumi and have her show you around, she's more suited for that than I am." She adds as I shrug.
"It's more personal than anything. Here." I pass her tupperware and milk. "As thanks."
"Oh." She mutters, grabbing the tupperware and milk slowly. Finally, she flashes a small smile at me. "Thank you, Sensei."
"Anytime." I responded, "Come around to the building if you have time, I definitely won't say no to some company."
She nods, about to speak only to be interrupted with the sound of gunfire as both of us turn before glancing back at each other and nodding. With a tap of my Smart Watch, the Tactician Drone flies from its position on my Go-Bag and I grab the Chem Launcher, loading a Riot Foam canister in preparation for it.
"What's the situation?" I ask Suzumi as she lowers her phone. While I could listen in via the SHD Network, I did tell ISAC not to listen in on private devices so I had to ask her.
"A gang war is starting in a nearby street." She answers as she grabs her assault rifle, checking her magazine before inserting it back into her gun. "The Justice Task Force is on the way, we just have to make sure the conflict doesn't spread."
"Got it." The Drone is at the location as I see their outlined forms and their weapons in my HUD. "It seems like there are twenty-ish combatants, no snipers but a lot of assault rifles. I suggest setting up snipers on the rooftop."
"Why don't you, Sensei?" She asks, looking at my TAC-50 strapped onto my backpack. "Actually, how are you carrying all of that? Isn't it heavy?"
"I got used to it." I admit. "Besides, the moment I shoot this, everyone would know where I am and who I am." And like in DC, where everyone hates each other's guts, the moment the Civilian Militia are involved they become the target, not to mention what'd happen if an Agent got involved. "If we're the first there, we'll have to attack first. If someone else gets there before us, we circle around and attack from behind."
"Right." Suzumi nods in confirmation. "What happens if they send reinforcements?"
"If their reinforcements get here before the Justice Task Force, we'll have to hunker down inside a store, keep their attention on us but conserve our ammo." I explain as I look around, my eyes landing on the ISAC Brick. While I had the Achilles Pulse active, it'd be useful to have the Jammer Pulse or even the Banshee. I should really find a way to merge all of them.
"Got it. We're closing in." She says as I remove my M4 and inspect the magazine before placing it back and disengaging the safety. The familiar sound of gunfire comes up and I glance around and spot nothing wrong aside from the thugs.
Soon, we duck behind a corner to see a group of delinquents shooting it out, not unlike a battle between the Hyenas and the Outcast minus all the blood but with very attractive girls.
"How would you like us to engage, Sensei?"
"Throw out a flashbang and go to the right." I say, "I'll go to the left, then we'll force them bac-."
I'm interrupted by a phone call as Suzumi turns to it in confusion. Meanwhile, ISAC is picking up radio chatter.
"Ah! President, that's not a door, that's a wa-." The person stops mid-sentence while the sound of a crumbling wall rings out in the din of the silence. Finally, a different voice speaks up, "Yep, she just broke through the wall-ssu."
Huh?
Before I could think about it, the wall down the street broke with a shrill cry, "Keeeeeyah! Hahaha!"
Who came out was what could only be a demon, her eyes beady and her long black hair reaching the floor as she slumps forward with a maniacal light in those eyes and smile, her black skirt was splattered with a red liquid that seemed to drip from her halo and she wielded a pair of Winchester Model 1887 lever-action shotguns like club, knocking back gangsters with a cry with the shotguns while her black wings flapped behind her.
I could barely believe my eyes as she mowed down the thugs. "It seems like the Justice Task Force is here." Suzumi muttered as the gangs screamed in shock.
"Guess that counts as the reinforcements coming in first." I mutter before turning to Suzumi. "Let's go, circle around into the stores and evacuate anyone that needs it, throw flashbangs on occasion alright?"
"Got it." She says, reluctantly nodding before asking, "Will you be okay?"
"Please," I roll my eyes, "I can take a hit. Now go!"
Nodding one last time, Suzumi dashes out to the right and the girl's eyes whirl to us for a second. Suzumi didn't notice, but despite the distance, I could feel the understanding as she moved, dashing to the left as she cries out and kicks away a thug into a wall, breaking it as the thug fell unconscious as she began to cause chaos and moving the thug's attention away from the right where Suzumi is hidden.
Chuckling under my breath, I grab the Chem Launcher and aim at the group before pulling the trigger, the payload flying in an arc as it lands, bursting into riot foam at a group away from the girl. "What the-." They started but I didn't let them finish, M4 aimed and primed to fire as I hold down the trigger, firing a constant stream of bullets into the group, only stopping once my magazine is empty as I duck behind cover once more and reload, pulling the charging handle as I hear a salvo of gunfire aim at me only to stop at the cry of the girl fighting.
Peeking out, I see the group has thinned out as I aim and fire at a girl with a minigun in the back, nailing her in the head before doing it again in bursts until she's out before reloading.
ISAC intercepts radio chatter, "They're tearing us a new one!"
"We're on our way!" The other side says, ISAC displaying a map of the back-up as they come closer. The Tactician Drone scans them and outlines them on my HUD as I reach back for my Bulwark Ballistics Shield, running towards the other girl while unfolding it.
I spot the back-up in time as they drive down the street with little care and lean out the window, posed to shoot the girl but I stand in front of it, bullets hitting the shield as she hums in surprise as the shield takes the hits while I fire back with my M9. "Suzumi!"
"Flashbang!" She yells and I see the small canister fly up as my ScanTek outlines it and I aim. With a pull of a trigger, the flashbang goes off early, blinding the driver and deafening them causing them to swerve and crash.
Silence comes over the road as I sigh, turning to the girl with a worried look, "Hey, you okay?"
The girl's eyes seem misty for some reason, unfocused as she blinks, staring deeply at me as she nods. Smiling, I nod back, "That's good."
A familiar glint pops up and I move to intercept as I hear the girl give a guttural growl only for the glint to disappear with a familiar gunshot.
"Sensei!" Turning, I spot the tall and buxom figure of Hasumi as she jogs towards us, "What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you and Suzumi." I explain as Suzumi joins us. "I already met her and then this happened."
Hasumi nods, turning to the girl as she nods, "I'm guessing you've already met our President."
I turn to the girl as she freezes up, smiling stiffly and awkwardly as I turn back to Hasumi, "Not personally. Should probably fix that." I mumble at the end, removing the glove of my right hand and then my mask, directing a smile at the still girl as I extend a hand. "The name's Vernes Mateo, I'm the advisor to SCHALE and the teacher. It's nice to meet you."
She just stares at me for a long time until she mutters, grasping my hand, "...Kenzaki Tsurugi, President of the Justice Task Force."
After shaking, I release and place my mask back on along with my glove, "Good to meet ya. And before I forget."
I sling my Go-Bag over, to the curious stare of the girls as I grab the tupperware and give it to Hasumi. "Here, as a gift from me and thanks for the help."
Hasumi's eyes widened in horror to my confusion and a bit of hurt. They're not perfect, but they can't seem that bad right? Is something wrong with them? "Oh-um, Sensei, the thought is what matters, really."
"Is something wrong with them?" I asked, unable to hide the slight hurt in my voice as Hasumi gulped and seemed to look away in shame.
"Er...no-it's just…" She tried to explain but I was still sulking. It's been a while since I baked anything, so the fact that they wouldn't like it isn't that surprising, but to have it said so brazenly…
Finally, she sighs, looking down, "...I'll take it."
I smile at that, placing the tupperware in her hands. "Please enjoy it."
Gulping, Hasumi looks at the tupperware in trepidation as I step away. Waving as I jogged away from the scene.
For some reason, Tsurugi cries out again but in a weird tone that doesn't feel right but I leave it for later.
Why do you have to do this Millenium? Hibiki is here and she's cool, why can't this school stop giving me the heebie jeebies?
Because it's up to its ass in surveillance devices, that's why. I'm also up to my ass in gadgets, and unlike before in DC where I only had two gadgets, I have all of them on me at the moment, something that took a bit of contorting to make sure it all fit, so I'm pretty loud despite my capability of disappearing at the drop of a hat.
I should ask Hibiki if the eggheads in her club can make the whole thing easier to lug around. Though that'd probably only have to include SHD Tech like the Fireflies, Drones, and Hive. I already have a system for the Sticky Bombs and Chem Launcher canisters and the Ballistics Shield can't just change at the drop of a hat.
Regardless, I return to my stalker activities and evade as much as I can.
"Might I suggest you hurry. Someone is trying to hack into the SHD Network through you." ISAC pipes up in my ear as I blink.
"Isn't the Network just you piggy-backing off of already pre-existing network structures or something like that?" I ask.
"As there is no SHD within Kivotos, yes. It's quite interesting," ISAC notes as I speed up, "as you have told me not to touch more personal technology. I'm quite limited compared to my true potential in this situation, even if this entire thing is a blatant disregard for SHD Rules of Engagement."
"Well, it's not my fault this position was hoisted onto me!" I retort before huffing. "Right, in and out, hopefully nothing goes wrong."
I enter the building where the waypoint was pointed at as I stalk through the building, evading the main hallways and hiding whenever a student got too close, though at this point it was just practice.
After a bit of walking, I reach the room, a shiny plaque with the word 'Seminar' on it as I hum. "Why a plaque? Isn't that a bit pretentious?" My only answer was a comforting silence as I reached for the handle and grasped it, turning only to have nothing happen as I huff. "Of course this place has good security."
I'm not much of a hacker, like at all, the closest I can get to hacking is short-circuiting any technology I have a grudge against but that won't be very good huh?
"Eighteen-Twenty-Eight-One, a strange man is found in front of the Seminar room." A feminine voice spoke behind me, as I whirl around, stopping myself from pointing my pistol at her. "Upon closer inspection, the strange man is Sensei. This is Noa Ushio's first time meeting the elusive advisor of SCALE." The girl closed her notebook, placing the pen she was using inside as her purple eyes drilled into me.
She wore a white dress shirt and a blue tie with a white shirt and stockings with white heels. Above her head was a two-layered halo, the inner circle a simple blue while the outer halo was white, its form similar to Yuuka's but the color scheme was its direct opposite. Hell, Noa's entire style is practically the direct opposite of Yuuka's.
Currently, she is waiting for me to do something with laser focus as I shift at her words, her eyes lighting up, as she brings out her notebook and clicks the pen. "Eighteen-Twenty-Nine-Fifteen, Sensei moves under the gaze of the scribe."
"Really?" I couldn't help myself as I sigh, "That's what you put down? Why not the weapons I have on hand or gadgets?"
"That would simply clutter the record." She explains, still scribbling down on the notebook, "As Seminar's Scribe, I have to concisely and objectively write down the events. Anything else would simply be irrelevant."
Wait, Seminar's Scribe?
"So, you work with Yuuka?" I ask and she nods.
"Yes, though if you're looking for her you just missed her." She notes, looking down at the notebook and flipping it back. "Seventeen-Thirty, Yuuka stops fidgeting and states her intention to visit SCHALE. Seventeen-Thirty-Forty-eight, Yuuka blushes at the Scribe's words. Seventeen-Thirty-one-Fifteen, Yuuka storms out."
I did not need to know all of that but I sighed in relief. "Alright, that's good, I was going to leave Yuuka here as thanks. Could you…?" I trailed off, glancing at the door in front of me.
"Sure." She said, opening the door to reveal an office-like room with scattered paperwork out and about. "Our President wanted to meet you but she's out of the school at the moment."
Nodding, I spotted a desk filled with paperwork and I knew that it was Yuuka's. Wandering over, I place the tupperware and milk I bought from the vending machine on it as I nod. "Mission accomplished."
"And what mission would that be?" A pointed voice piped up from behind as I whirled around to spot a familiar twin tailed girl, hands on her hips and her lips pursed into a pout. "Sensei~."
Tilting my head, I stepped aside and pointed at the tupperware. "My thanks for the help with the mess."
"Oh…" She trailed off, looking at the tupperware with a bit of embarrassment. "Sorry."
"It's fine." I wave it away, resting my hand on her head and tussling it a bit to her dismay. "Now, I have to get back, it's been a very active day."
"Wait, before you go, I wanted to ask if you managed to submit the invoice for the reimbursement for the mission to reclaim the club room?" She asked as I stilled.
…
Huh?
My confusion must have been palpable as Yuuka also narrowed her eyes. "...Sensei, you have managed to do so, right?"
Admittedly, I was genuinely confused. Why would I need an invoice for a mission? The most we used were bullets and Suzumi's flashbangs, why would I-
Oh right.
Those cost money.
Back in DC, Division Agents didn't have to do all of this paperwork and would instead just get what they needed from an ammo box. Though that's kinda what happens in a post-apocalyptic world.
I couldn't help but scratch the back of my head as I looked into Yuuka's narrowed eyes. "Um...I don't know how to?"
Yuuka closes her eyes, rubbing the space in between her brows. "Sensei, you're hopeless."
Ok, that's going a little far. "Hey, I've never had to do things like this." Not to mention the fact that the government is in literal shambles after the death of the President.
"Why wouldn't a soldier know logistics?" She asks incredulously.
"A soldier doesn't have access to anti-material weaponry. Look, Yuuka, I'd appreciate it if you could help me. Please?" I ask, clasping my hands together while practically begging and bowing forward. "You're practically the only person I can ask."
Her face flushes red as she looks away, her lips twitching as she continues, "W-well, if you insist, Sensei."
"That's quite an interesting expression you have there, Yuuka." Noa pipes up as Yuuka jumps.
"Noa!" Yuuka squawks as Noa brings out two sets of paperwork as I could feel my hand ache.
"Here, use this form and then use this one as an outline." She says as she places them on the desk with a wink. "I have some responsibilities to take care of so please look after Yuuka for me."
"I will. Her expressions are fun to look at." I admit as Yuuka squawked again as Noa giggled from behind her hands.
"I agree, she's just so cute when she's angry. Like now." The two of us turn to Yuuka, her face scrunched in anger and flushed in embarrassment.
"You two…" She trailed off but Noa quickly retreated before she could burst, leaving me as the singular target of her frustration.
It took a bit but I managed to fill out the paperwork and submit it. By the time I reached SCHALE, the sun was going down.
Stumbling into Angel 24, I hit the floor to Sora's shock, "Sensei!"
"Sora," I note, getting on my elbows as I sigh, "I'm tired."
I was hungry and I'm in desperate need of food. My headache is horrible. "Umm, would you like me to warm up some tea?"
Tea? Hmm, she's probably not talking about the tea I'm familiar with, "Sure," I drag myself up and sigh as Sora does her thing, "so how was your day."
"It was calm." She starts, "not that many people came around so there wasn't much to do. Speaking of, some correspondence was sent to you, Sensei." She says, the microwave humming as she ducked out.
A few seconds later, she came out with a letter and presented it to me. Grabbing it, I feel a familiar sensation course through me as I held it, just like the time I was Activated, or the time before all the SHD Tech went offline, or the time the Black Tusk invaded the first, second, and third time before kicking them out, or the time I was sent to hunt down Aaron Keener and his little band of Rogues and all my other targets, my reassignment to the Heartlands and all of the other subsequent relocations all over America.
It was the feeling of anticipation and resolve.
Not waiting for much, with Arona and ISAC staring at the mail with anticipation, Arona's holographic form leaning forward, her halo green with excitement, while ISAC's orange holographic eyes lost focus as he prepared to extract as much information as he could.
Removing the knife I keep handy, I cut into the mail, extracting the letter inside and reading through it.
To the advisor of the Federal Investigation Club.
Hello. My name is Okusora Ayane, and I'm a student at Abydos High School.
I'm writing this letter because I want to ask for your help.
Our academy is being harassed.
One of the local gangs has been tormenting us.
It's a long story but we think this gang is after the school building itself.
The students are doing their best to stop them.
It's only a matter of time before we run out of ammunition and supplies though.
At this rate, the school will fall to them for sure
That's why I'm writing to ask for your help.
Can you please help us, Sensei?
"Hmm, Abydos High School…" Arona muttered.
Meanwhile, ISAC frowns at what he's looking at. "That's strange. The satellite is catching some heavy interference within certain locations, some places are just jammed."
While the two AI spoke I heard Sora gulp as she jerked when I turned to her, it was there where I managed to catch a glimpse at my reflection.
I was livid. How does a government like the GSC just let one of their districts get to this situation? SCHALE is similar to the SHD since both are supposed to be the last option in any situation but for this to be the first thing…?
Closing my eyes, I release a breath, "Sorry Sora, just got some bad news." This seems to relax her a bit.
"W-Was it that bad?" She asks, setting the paper cup down as I remove the mask, letting it slump around my neck as I take a sip from the warm liquid, the taste being lost in my anger and frustration.
Situations like these were what I excelled at, trained to take care of but I can read between the lines.
For one, the school building is like the White House of any district, it can be moved but it's not supposed to. So to have a gang be enough to threaten it means that something's wrong, even DC had to deal with the Outcast, True Sons, Hyenas, Rogue Agents, and the machinations of the Black Tusk in the background to bring it to a desperate situation.
My finger taps the table as I sigh while paying. "Sorry for that. You didn't deserve that."
"I-It's okay," he stutters, "do you need anything else?"
My hand taps the table as I sigh. "Tell anyone that stops by that the office will be closed for work reasons but everything else will be open." I say before exiting Angel 24 as I head to my office. "ISAC, compile a map of the area, Arona showed me their files, I need to get to the bottom of this."
With that, my trusty AIs got to work as Arona finished first, as I noted down the girls' ammunition requirements as I sat down.
Takanashi Hoshino, the Vice-President and the student who's been there the longest. She has to know something but I'm not in America. I can't just go in there and start demanding things.
Sighing, I look through the other girls' files. With the supplies needed already compiled, ISAC appears within the screen of the Shittim Chest.
"Agent, here it is. I've also taken the liberty of adding extra information at your perusal." He says as I nod at him.
"Thanks." I told the AI as I opened the file.
It was worse than I thought. I watched as satellite imagery from at least two decades back changed the large and vibrant district into a desolate desert, the number of students dipping and disappearing each year along with the inhabitants as the sand only got worse.
Strangely enough, I began to spot vehicles and buildings being set up as I narrowed my eyes at it. "ISAC, who's that in the desert."
"Kaiser PMC." At the mention of a PMC I click my tongue. "If we were to translate this to DC, it'd look like this."
My heart dropped as I saw the amount of red in comparison to the singular green of the Abydos annex. The 'Control Points' were all moving weapons, munitions, and other stuff to and fro as I grit my teeth.
Gently, I place the Shittim Chest on the desk as I try to keep my anger down.
I was only successful once I punched the wall.
Anger and vitriol pushing me forward, I head to the armory.
At the moment, those students need my help with the gang. It's their district, they probably don't need some outsider like me to tell them what's wrong in their own district.
I release a breath of air as I step out the elevator. Yeah, it's fine. Just let the leaders deal with their problem and do your job. First, prepare everything, get everything squared out and ready for easy deployment and extra ammunition and material in a supply crate should we need it.
Once at the armory, I start placing the ammunition on the table, boxes of buckshots, bullets, and other materials as the first re-supply all placed in neat rows and prepared to be placed into a bag, but first, I ask, "Hey Arona, can you do me a solid and access the Crafting Chamber and make a few of the special ammunition for these calibers?"
"Done!" Arona says as I smile at the holographic image.
"Thanks, now...a bag." I say as I spot the bag and grab it before loading boxes of buckshots, assault rifle magazines, and pistol magazines, my experience with my own Go-Bag helps me fill the bag up while also adding boxes of stray ammunition for their calibers as I nod.
A stop to the Crafting Chamber and placing the special ammunition in the bag, I leave the room, the moon peeking out as I mutter out loud, "ISAC, place a waypoint on the first dish in Abydos, it'll be too late by the time we get there so we might as well do something about the spotty reception there."
I begin my trek towards the train station, waiting for the singular train passing by Abydos as it screeches in front of me, ignoring the stares from the people who saw me jump the card reader on instinct as I enter the train and sit down, studying the area and information ISAC and Arona compiled.
Looking at my phone with new MomoTalks, I smile before placing it in my pocket.
Watch out enemies of Abydos, a new Sherriff's in town.
A/N: And that's it, I hope you guys enjoyed as we get to meet the Foreclosure Task Force in the next Arc and I attempt to do it justice. Aside from that, not much else to say, I think, but since I know the general opinion on romance, why don't all of you tell me who your first three star was? Mine was Hibiki, which is why she gets an early introduction.
Now, I hope you have a merry Christmas and a great rest of the year!
