I do not own Infinite Stratos nor do I own Rurouni Kenshin. All rights respectively go to Izuru Yumizuru, the author who created Infinite Stratos, and Nobuhiro Watsuki, the author of Rurouni Kenshin.

In a secret location, far from the eyes of the world, Tabane Shinonono typed vigorously on her computer. The purple haired rabbit, ever keeping that dorky smile, then heard her cell phone on her left begin to play a familiar ringtone, making her mechanical bunny ears perk up. On it was Houki, her little sister.

"Th-This ringtone is…" Tabane answered the phone and in an annoying and child-like response, said, "Yo, yo, hey, hey! 'Sup! This is everyone's idol, Tabane Shinonono."

Houki could only have a huge cross pop-vein on her head as she took the phone away from her ear, intent on ending the call. This was a bad idea to begin with!

"Wait, wait! Don't hang up on me, Houki-chan!" pleaded Tabane like a child.

Houki brought the phone back to her ear. "Nee-san..."

"Hello, hello, my sister. Yes, yes, I know what you want. You want your own personal IS, right?"

Houki could only gasp at that response. It was exactly why she called, yet for Tabane to be aware of it…Perhaps it was a good idea to call.

"Of course I have one ready for you," Tabane turned around and said, "It's got the best of everything and beats everything else's specs. And it looks good next to the white. The name of it is… Akatsubaki!"

"Nee-san, about that…" Houki said which caught Tabane's attention. Houki then took a long deep breath and asked, "Is it possible for it to be matched to something else?"

Tabane could only tilt in confusion. "Ohh? And what's wrong? You don't want a personal IS? But I worked so hard on it for you! GASP! Could this mean my little sister not want my precious gift?! Waaaahhh!"

"NEE-SAN!" Houki yelled into the phone.

Tabane then asked reverting to a normal happy tone, "If not the white one, then who?"

Houki answered, "I want it to be matched to the Lion Heart and its pilot."

Tabane could only widen her eyes at the mere mention of that name, her smile gone to one of shock. Lion Heart was the one IS that she knows of who pilots it. And the one whose history that she knows of, unsurprisingly.

To let her cute little sister to be matched to the Kingslayer instead of the Byakushiki...

While it would indeed put a small dent in her plans, it was something that was of no concern of either. If her little sister wants its data to be matched to the Lion Heart, an IS she doesn't know much of, then perhaps it will be interesting to see how her latest work pairs up with the world's legendary assassin.

Tabane then reverts back to her normal tone. "Okay~! I'll set its specs to that IS then! Toodles~!"

Houki ends the call and merely looked up at the night sky with hope in her heart. At long last, or perhaps reluctantly, she gets her own IS from the one person that changed everything of her life. She wasn't going to sit on the sidelines anymore. Not this time.

With an IS in hand, perhaps she may aid Raiden in his fight against Udō Hina should he ever encounter her again.

(Insert OP: A Cruel Angel's Thesis by Yoko Takahashi)

Zankoku na tenshi no you ni (After a drop of water hits the black screen, it brightens up to a red sky with clouds and stars as it shows the IS Academy symbol)
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare... (Camera pans upwards as it shows the schematics of an Infinite Stratos before it shows its heart, the IS Core and then everything tuns white)

(Title of the show appears as Infinite Stratos)

Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo (Raiden is shown fully clothed and carrying the Sakabatō on his left hip)
Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete (As he watches the waters surrounding the IS Academy Island, the shadowy silhouettes of Akane Fujimoto and Miram Walker appear at the side of the screen going up and down respectively)
Hohoenderu Anata (As the silhouettes fade away, Raiden gives a small smile as if content with something of his life)

Sotto Fureru mono (A shadowy hand is shown pointing to the ground before an IS blueprint of Akatsubaki appears)
Motomeru koto ni muchuu de, (And then Houki is shown next as her image looks up at the sky)
Unmei sae mada shiranai itaike na hitomi (Houki's shadowy image sits on the ground with her arms around her knees as if crying before she looks up while Raiden is in the background and then Houki's image is replaced with that of Tabane, staring out of a window and her eyes blinking twice)

Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou Sono senaka ni wa (Raiden is seen in his IS, looking upwards as he prepares himself for a fight, embracing his persona of Hitokiri Kingslayer. Four brief images of Hiko Seijuro XVIII, Akane Fujimoto, Miriam Walker, and Chifuyu Orimura are shown in order)
Haruka mirai mezasu tame no hane ga aru koto... (Raiden cannot contain the darkness he kept within himself any longer as Hitokiri Kingslayer emerges and the background is shrouded in flames of Kyoto)

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze (Ichika duels with Raiden, clashing his blade, Yukihira Nigata, against Raiden's Sakabatō, fighting on even ground)
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu (Raiden and Ichika break away as Rin comes in to assist the latter against the former with her Souten Gagetsu. Brief images of the various cast of IS, including students of the Academy, Liu King-Sang and members of the Righteousness Union, and members of FEISAR, are shown in quick timeframes)
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de (Laura was next as she unleashes her cables at Hitokiri Kingslayer, but he dodges in the air and attempts to cut her down but is blocked by Charlotte's shield)
Omoide wo uragiru nara (Raiden backs away as Cecilia unleashes heavy firing onto Raiden, making him move and slice down her BIT drones. Brief images of the various cast of IS, mainly the main antagonists are shown in quick timeframes, in order of Udō Hina, Squall Meusel, Autumn, Madoka Orimura, and the shadowy form of the Dark Lady)

Kono sora wo daite kagayaku (Raiden in his IS takes a Battojutsu stance and charges forward as executes a Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū attack)
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare (As Raiden comes in and slices at the camera, everything flashes white as the title of the story, Infinite Stratos Hitokiri Kingslayer, comes up on screen)

The sun that frantically tried to enter the room passed through the window, and the chirping of the sparrows seemed like they were prompting Raiden to get up. Unfortunately, even though it was morning, Raiden was still tired and had a long day yesterday.

Unfortunately, he could not sleep as he felt something pressing hard against him. What was more is that what he was feeling around his palm was like the skin of a human being. That feeling intensified when something snake-like wrapped around his leg.

"What the…" He immediately shot up in panic before he saw the blanket rustle.

Raiden looked under the blanket to see a certain silver haired girl with an eyepatch sleeping. What's more is that she was naked.

"Oro?!" Raiden was stunned.

Upon hearing that, Laura sat up and rubbed her one eye to wake up. The only thing wrapped around her was the blanket.

"Morning already?"

"When did you get here, Laura-dono?" asked Raiden. Just as he said it though, the blanket fell off of Laura yet she didn't feel ashamed of her naked body in front of Raiden. "Oi, cover yourself up, that you should!"

"I heard married couples don't hide anything from each other. Besides, you're my master."

"We're not married, that we aren't!"

"I heard the Japanese refer to people they like as 'my bride.'"

Raiden could only sigh in disbelief at the German girl and asked, "Who's the one giving you incorrect information?"

Laura however grabbed Raiden's pointed arm and pinned him down onto the bed. She then used her legs to trap Raiden in an arm bar.

"ORO?!" Raiden cried.

"You really need to practice on your mat technique some more," Laura suggested. "If you need lessons on the mat, I can help you."

The door to the bathroom was soon opened, revealing Raiden's roommate.

"Raiden, wake up!" Houki said. "You're gonna be late for training!"

Houki enters into the room in her Kendo uniform while carrying a shinai upon her shoulders. "Just because it's Sunday, you can't slack off—"

However, as she entered the room, what she saw completely made her frozen as she unconsciously dropped her shinai and only stuttered in pure shock and horror.

Raiden could only look with an expression of dread while Laura remained indifferent as she nonchalantly said,

"How rude of you. You should know better than to barge into a couple's room."

"Couple?!" Houki was now on fire and that fire only increased with her rage.

"W-Wait, Houki-dono!" cried a frantic Raiden. "This is all a misunderstanding, that it is! It's—"

Houki completely ignored it and, picking up her shinai, raised it high and charged at the defenseless boy.

"DIVINE PUNISHMENT!"

*BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM*

And with that came down the shinai. And with that shinai came a noise that woke everyone else in the school up.

"ORRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

LATER THAT DAY…

"What a terrible way to start the day," sighed Ichika.

He was currently on the train with Charlotte as they made their way out to the shopping district. But the reason for the statement he said was because he heard of Raiden's loud scream from Houki's divine punishment. And it woke him up all groggily and tired.

"Um…why did you invite only me?" asked a curious Charlotte.

"The beach class is coming up, right? You said you don't have a girl's swimwear. And I don't have swim trunks either. I was planning on buying one for myself, too, so I thought about you while I was at it."

Charlotte could only give a somber look as a depressing aura surrounded her.

'While you were at it, huh?'

"I-It's what I would have guessed, anyway," said a moody Charlotte as she turned away for a bit.

"Did you say something, Charles?" asked Ichika.

"It's Charlotte! I told you to call me that when we're alone!" clarified the French girl with Ichika holding up his hands in apologies.

"Right. I'm sorry, Charlotte."

Charlotte pouts even more. "A guy who plays with a girls' heart deserves to be kicked by a horse and die."

"What's with this all of a sudden?" asked a confused Ichika before turning frontwards. "But yeah, a guy like that does deserves to die."

That made Charlotte sigh in disbelief, while also confusing Ichika.

The train soon stops at the station to which both Ichika and Charlotte made their stop. For Charlotte however, she didn't like being played around with and kept somewhat of a mean look.

"Wait," said Ichika. "Why are you mad at me?"

Charlotte then turned around and held her hand out. "Here. I-I'll forgive you if you hold hands with me."

"Oh something like that? Okay," Ichika took a gentle hold of Charlotte's hand.

This took Charlotte by surprise as she blushes a little, wondering what Ichika was thinking so recklessly holding her hand like that. He then starts to walk, pulling her along gently.

"It be bad if we lose track of each other in a city we don't know. Keep a good grip."

Charlotte could only give a sigh and said, "Blockhead."

Unknown to the two, two particular girls; one a blonde British, another a brunette Chinese, all saw them from behind a vending machine.

"Hey…" Rin said in a dark mood.

"What is it?" asked Cecilia in the same.

"Are they holding hands?"

"They are."

Something soon snapped in Rin. "Good. So I wasn't seeing things, nor was I dreaming. Good."

Then she takes out her personal IS in partial deployment, with a look of murder on her face. "Time to kill!"

They were however interrupted by another voice. "Oh? You seem to be doing something interesting."

That made the two rivals turn around and see Laura. Given of their prior experience with her, they felt hostile, especially as Rin brought a fist up in response.

"Laura-san!" cried Cecilia.

Laura reassures, "Don't be so intense. I have no intention of hurting either of you."

"Like we can believe you!"

Laura didn't care. "That's fine." She started to make her way towards Ichika and Charlotte but was then halted by Rin.

"Wait!" Rin said.

"What are you planning on doing?" Cecilia asked.

"Obviously, I'm going to join them," Laura said. "That is all."

Rin however suggests, "W-We have to gather intelligence before confronting the enemy!"

"That's correct!" Cecilia concurred. "We must first follow them and observe at what stage their relationship is in!"

Laura realized they were right. In any battle, it's best to do some reconnaissance first and not simply go in guns blazing. "I see. You have a point."

And with that, the former rivals set off to stalk the two.

Meanwhile, on another side of the district, Houki and Raiden were walking together in their casual clothing. Raiden wore a traditional yukata and kept his Sakabatō hidden away so as to not be seen walking around with a weapon in public. If this were the Tokugawa era, the law would permit him.

Houki too wore something more traditional, a kimono. Nothing too fancy but it was a blue kimono with the image of a swan adorned on its robes, surrounded by cherry blossom petals.

Raiden made a promise to go on a date with her, even if she didn't win and he was kicked out of the tournament for attacking a teacher. Some people were eyeing on them and their reactions with mixed; some of them acknowledging this date while others questioned Raiden's blindfold.

For Houki however, she slowly began to see a side of herself that she never thought she had. One that was cute, energetic, if not a bit sexy. She found it embarrassing initially yet grew comfortable over, thinking if Raiden likes sexy. At least she acknowledged that Raiden was not a pervert.

The two came before the entrance to the shopping district. "So…I take it you thought of everything, that you have?" asked Raiden.

Houki was caught off guard and nervously said while playing with her fingers, "W-Well…Yes. I-I did. Wh-Why don't we check out that store over there?"

Raiden sees her point her finger over to what appeared to be a shopping store, filled with summer wear. Or rather having an incoming summer wear sales event. That made Raiden realize something.

"Oro? I forgot we have that trip to the beach, that I did. And I need swim trunks," said Raiden.

Houki immediately blushed upon hearing that, immediately thinking of Raiden's upper naked body, and said, "We-Well…I don't have a swimsuit either. So, let's get one then."

The two looked at a variety of swimsuits before Raiden found himself in front of one of the changing rooms, waiting for Houki to emerge. He had in his arms a pair of black swim trunks and a black tank top as he merely leaned against the wall next to the changing room that Houki was in.

"D-Don't…Don't peak in here, you hear me?! If you do, you are dead!" warned Houki.

Raiden responded, "Don't worry. I'm not a pervert, that I am not."

The curtain then opens up as Houki came out, wearing a two-piece white bikini as her face was burning mad with a blush.

"D-Do…Do you like it?" asked the blushing girl.

The blind boy merely smiled and said, "You look absolutely beautiful in it, that you do."

Like the cute girl she was on the inside despite not willing to admit, Houki moans cutely, seeing that her roommate likes it. If this white swimsuit was something Raiden liked, then perhaps it is worth a buy. Although truthfully, she felt it exposed too much of herself, especially on her chest area.

"Now then…shall I go try mine on?" asked Raiden.

But then Houki asked this question that made Raiden freeze in his tracks for a bit. "M-Ma-May I join you?"

"Oro?" asked Raiden.

Realizing what she just said, Houki explodes in a red blush before dragging Raiden into the changing room without being seen by both customers and staff.

"What's this about now?" asked a confused Raiden.

"W-W-Well…I-I wanted to see it for myself."

Raiden was only more confused before said,"Alright. But turn around until I am finished, okay?"

As Houki turns around, Raiden proceeds to take of his yukata so as to put on the tank top and his swim trunks. Houki, meanwhile, was blushing like mad and was very deep in thought.

'S-Stupid! What was I thinking? Why did I drag him in here with me? I only wanted to not let the other girls in the store look at him! They were given that curious look!'

Houki briefly took a peek behind her with her eyes before she reverted back as her blush continued to grow.

'And yet…the thought of seeing him without his shirt is…'

Houki then shakes her head.

'No no no! Get yourself together, Houki! You are a samurai, and you shouldn't think of things like that!'

Raiden then took off his pants and left his undergarments on as soon as he slipped on the trunks.

He then said, "Okay. All done, that I am."

Houki turned around and what she saw astonished her completely. Raiden was in his black swim trunks and black tank top. His muscular arms being shown which made Houki unconsciously stroke them with her arms.

"What do you think?" asked Raiden.

Houki stuttered over this and said, "Y-Y-You look…sexy."

Raiden could not hear the last part and asked, "Oro? You said something?"

"Argh mou! Y-You look…SEXY!"

But before the moment could go on, a couple of familiar voices were heard from behind the curtains outside. And because of Houki's small yell, they caught onto it.

"That voice just now, could it be…"

The curtain from behind were thrown open and Houki yelped while Raiden turned his head and had his jaw slightly dropped, with an Oro.

"Shinonono?! Hataru?!" asked Yamada-sensei as they were revealing more than what they had showed. The two remained in their awkward position.

"What are you two doing?" asked a disbelieving Chifuyu as she stared at them.

Raiden could only say one word.

"Oro?"

LATER…

The two were then in their seating positions fully clothed in their normal clothes before they were given a lecture by Yamada-sensei.

"Now listen, even if you are classmates, a line must be drawn," Yamada-sensei pointed. "Boys and girls cannot enter the changing rooms together!"

"Sorry," The both of them said.

"So why are you and Orimura-sensei here, Yamada-sensei?" asked Raiden.

"We also came to shop for swimsuits," She answered. "Ah, but since we're not on duty, it's fine if you don't address us as your teachers."

Just then, it could have been Yamada-sensei's eyes, but she swore she just saw Charlotte and Ichika, followed behind by Rin, Cecilia, and Laura. Sensing an opportunity for both Chifuyu and Raiden to be alone, perhaps because of perceiving how close the two are, she takes Houki with her and drags her along.

"Shinonono-san, there's something I forgot to buy, we're going. Come with me since I'm not exactly sure of the place."

"Huh, wha- h-hey, wait a minute! What are you—"

But Houki was carelessly dragged along with her swim suit in hand, leaving both the Brunhilde and the Kingslayer alone.

Chifuyu sighs. "Geez. Yamada is quite perceptive."

Raiden chuckles a little. "Anyway, it's a surprise to see you here at a shop, that it is, Chifuyu-dono."

"I don't often shop for clothes, but this is an exception. Which reminds me…" She then turns her attention to Raiden. "Raiden, which swimsuit do you think is better?"

To the surprise of Raiden, who gave an "Oro", Chifuyu holds up in her hands a two two-piece suits, one black and one white. Even though Raiden could not see which ones they were, his other enhanced

"Hmm, I like the black one, that I do. Matches your hair, that it does."

"Black, huh?" asked a smiling Chifuyu. "You know, you looked as if you were staring at the black one just now. From what I see, you like it, no? I can see right through you."

"Just like Akane," Raiden said. "You really know how to read blind people. But shouldn't the opinion be your brother's and not mine?"

"Really now, my brother doesn't have to worry so much. To begin with, I won't see girls bowing down like that at the beach, right?"

"I never thought to ask this though, but have you considered settling down, Chifuyu-dono?" asked Raiden.

"If my meddlesome brother was independent, I'd consider it," She said. "So, how about you? You haven't gotten yourself a girlfriend yet, and you're sharing a dorm room with a girl. Now that I think about it, what about Houki? You and she are almost always seen together wherever you guys walk."

"Is it that obvious?" asked Raiden with another "Oro" face.

"Not even blushing," Chifuyu noted. "Come on now, how do you feel of her? Her looks, your type?"

"Well she does have her cute moments, that she does," Raiden said with a smile. "At other times, she can pack quite a punch." Raiden adjusts his jaw, remembering how Houki still punched him in the face during the Class Representative duel event.

"Ohh? So Houki's cute and strong?" Chifuyu teasingly asked. "Just like a proper samurai. You two really are compatible with one another."

"Is that why you made her switch rooms and move in with me?" asked Raiden.

"Call it a hunch," Chifuyu said.

Raiden grunts as he turns to hear Houki being directed by a shopkeeper, along with the other girls surprisingly shopping for swimsuits. And Ichika was caught in the middle of it all, told to stand outside the shop and wait. With the beach trip upon them all, everything should go smoothly.

DAYS LATER…

"Everyone, make sure to be back at the Inn by dinnertime!" yelled Yamada-sensei.

Everyone looked out to see the beautiful view of the ocean. Ichika wore a simple blue trunks swimsuit while Raiden wore something similar but in black with a silver lion pouncing on the right side of the trunks. Also, because of the scars Raiden has, he wore a gray tank top despite the hot weather.

"Hey, Orimu. Play volleyball with us. You too, Hatata," said Honne Nohotoke who was wearing her familiar fox suit, albeit full bodied this time. And it was a wonder how she was not feeling sweaty under that thick coat.

"We should stretch first," Ichika said.

"That we should, Ichika," Raiden concurred as he and his friend stretch their arms and legs, cracking some joints and bones in the process.

Suddenly, Rin assaults Ichika from behind and sat on top of his shoulders.

"Woah. It's so high up here. I can see all the way yonder!" Rin yelled.

"What are you doing?! Are you a cat or something?" asked Ichika as he struggled to get Rin off.

"That looks fun!" said Honne. "I wanna do it, too!"

"Then I'm after her!" said another girl.

"I'm an observer, not a watchtower! Get off of me already!" cried Ichika.

"You two are so serious, you know?" Rin remarked. "Why don't we go for a swim instead?"

"Hey now, if you don't warm up enough before, you know you'll drown, right?" asked Ichika.

But Rin brushed it off. "Nah, drowning wouldn't happen to me. I was probably a mermaid in a past life."

Cecilia came over with an umbrella and towel and, after seeing what Rin and Ichika were doing, only puffed her cheeks.

"What are you two even doing?" Cecilia asked.

"Can't you tell?" said Rin. "It's a mobile patrol watchtower."

"It's child play," Ichika clarified.

Cecilia could only smile but this smile was not one of happiness. "Ichika-san, have you forgotten the promise we made on the bus?!"

She then thrusts her umbrella deep into the sand before laying out her towel. She then laid on it and unclasped her bikini before handing Ichika the suntan oil.

"If you please, Ichika-san."

Rin immediately got off in a rather acrobatic fashion like a cat and asked, "What are you planning on making Ichika do?"

"As you can see, I'm going to let him rub some suntan oil on me. A gentleman does not break promises he makes with a lady."

With a smirk on her face, and showing her bare back, along with a butt crack that no one notices, it was enough to make even Ichika blush.

"Oh well," said a reluctant Ichika. "I got no choice."

As Ichika put the oil on his right hand, he could only feel slightly repulsed at the texture of it. As he put it on Cecilia's back, the British blonde startled in shock.

"Ichika-san, warm it up first with your hands."

"Sorry," said Ichika as he proceeds to rub his hands. "I've never done anything like this before."

"Well…I guess I could forgive you if this is your first time," said Cecilia with a smile.

"Why do you look so happy?" asked a cranky Rin.

Ichika proceeded to rub the oil on Cecilia's back and as he did, he could only blush at what he was doing. Cecilia was not having it any better, at least for Ichika's ears. She kept on moaning and moaning since Ichika's hands, big as they are, gently massaged the back.

"Wow. She looks like she is enjoying this," commented one girl.

"It makes my heart racing faster," said another glasses girl as she brought her hands to her cheeks in amazement.

After Ichika was finished, he asks, "Am I done?"

"Actually, can you do everywhere else as well?" asked Cecilia.

"Everywhere?!" asked a startled Ichika.

"My legs and…my buttocks too."

Ichika could only gasp in shock. If he knw this was not going to be good and that it was more than just putting on some sunscreen, he wouldn't have made such a promise in the first place. Fortunately or unfortunately, rescue came to him in the form of Rin, who had a different idea.

"Ok ok!" Rin said with a mischievous face. "I'm gonna handle this. A slap, a stroke and-!"

With such rough hands filled with the oil, Rin gets to work on Cecilia. And already was this proving to be rather uncomfortable for the British blonde.

"Kyaa!? Rin, why are you interfering—so c-cold!" Cecilia cried.

"It's fine," Rin reassured. "But if we're gonna put some on, we'll need some here, a little there—"

Then Rin took it so far as to put oil on the butt crack, making Cecilia yelp so loud she squealed. And it ticked her off.

"Ahh! That's enough! Behave yourself and-!"

But the moment Cecilia said that as she sat up, she forgot she had taken off her bikini. And it exposed her bare breasts in front of Ichika and Rin. Raiden, thinking fast, turns around and starts heading off in the opposite direction.

But for Ichika, well he was not so lucky.

"AAAHH!" Cecilia screamed as she covered herself and punches Ichika with her partially deployed IS.

Because Raiden fled the scene before Cecilia turned around to reveal her bare chest, it allowed him the time to take a bit of a swim for himself. Truth be told he has never been to the beach before in his life. All he knew was that he needed a swim trunks and something light to wear, hence the tank top. But choosing a black tank top was perhaps a bad idea as it made him hot underneath. Luckily, the ocean water cooled him off a bit.

As he swims though, he wonders about one particular person that was not among the group.

'I wonder where Houki-dono is?'

Then, Raiden heard a scream from the beach. He goes up to the shore and sees Rin being attended to by Ichika, Cecilia, and one other girl. Everyone else just watched.

As soon as Raiden arrived with his tank top on, he asked, "What happened? Is she alright?"

"I don't know," answered Ichika. "She nearly drowned out there."

Raiden takes a hold at Rin's foot and says, "Nothing serious, that it is. Just a small cramp on the foot, that it is."

"Rin, are you okay?" asked a concerned Ichika.

"Y-Yeah, I'm all right" She said.

"That was quite the catastrophe, Rin," Cecilia said from behind, putting behind the recent debacle of the sun oil as Rin turns around. "Let me walk you back to the inn."

"Huh?" asked the confused girl. "No, wait. Ichika can…"

Cecilia then turns over to her classmate, Shizune Takatsuki. "Takatsuki-san, could you lend me a hand?"

"Sure, you got it," Takatsuki said.

Both girls then took an arm of Rin and drag her from behind like she was a prisoner.

"Hey, I said I'm all right!" Rin flailed. "Help me, Ichika! Raiden!"

But both boys decide not to help her, thinking she is alright.

"With that much energy, I'm sure she's fine," Ichika said.

Raiden agreed. "Y-Yeah. She's a strong girl, that she is."

"Ichika. Raiden. There you are," cried a familiar voice of Charlotte. She was accompanied by someone wrapped around in white cloth from head to toe with an eyepatch around the left socket. Her silver hair was also in the form of two large twin tails.

Ichika and Raiden were both surprised at Charlotte's companion.

Raiden said, "Um, Charlotte-dono, it's not Halloween yet, that it isn't."

"What is that bath towel ghost?" asked Ichika.

The French girl could only giggle at that remark. "Come on. Show Ichika. You're fine," Charlotte said to the wrapped figure.

"I…I'll decide if I'm fine or not," said the figure whose voice was female and familiar.

"That voice. Is that Laura?" asked Ichika.

"It sounded like her, that it did," Raiden noted.

"You changed into your swimsuit, so you have to show Ichika," whispered Charlotte.

"W-Wait! I need to prepare myself for this…" said the figure who did indeed sound like Laura. And from the sound of her voice, she felt embarrassed.

"Oh? Then I'll go ahead and play with Ichika in the ocean. Is that alright with you?"

"N-No, you can't!"

Charlotte then unwraps Laura who was then shown in a two-piece black bikini. Immediately, she blushed heavily with a red face.

"L-Laugh at me if you wish," She bashfully said while looking away.

"It looks good on her, doesn't it Ichika?" asked Charlotte.

"Yeah. You look cute in it," He said.

Laura gasps and began to play with her fingers, "So I'm c-cute? It's the first time anyone has ever said that to me."

"Orimura-kun! Hatar-san!" One of Honne's friends wave at the boys. "Let's play beach volleyball! You promised earlier!"

Honne playfully gasps, "We're gonna fight against Orimu and Hatata! Bang! Bang!"

"Perfect. Three on three!" called Ichika.

With Charlotte, Ichika and Laura were set up on one side of the court against Honne Nohotoke and her two friends. Raiden was on the sidelines being the observer.

The ball was tossed from the other side as it came over to Charlotte before she passed it over to Ichika who jumped up and spiked it, only for it to be caught and passed over to the other side by a freaked out Honne.

The ball kept on going back and forth before it was spiked by one of the girls. It was too fast for anyone to track, and the ball was headed straight for an otherwise disillusioned Laura.

"Cute…" She monologued to herself. "I'm cute…"

"Laura!" cried Ichika.

But it was too late.

*SMACK*

The ball smack into Laura's face dead on, which made Ichika and Raiden wince away at the impact.

Laura took the full brunt of the hit and merely fell back into the sand. The three came over to check on the downed German girl.

"Laura. Are you ok?" asked Ichika.

"Laura, what happened?" asked Charlotte.

Laura could only stutter and say, "Wh-When he said…I'm c-cute…I…"

"Were you still blushing over that?" asked Charlotte.

Laura could only look at Ichika in a much redder face than being sunburnt before she turned and ran for the ocean.

"What's wrong with her? Should we go after her?" asked Ichika.

"I think it's better if we left her alone," answered Charlotte.

"Probably wise," agreed Raiden. "I'm gonna go get some drinks. Want something?"

"Sure. If you could get some smoothies, that would be great," Charlotte said.

Raiden heads on over away from the beach, where he finds a smoothie shack serving all kinds of flavors. With some spare change he brought along for the trip, a couple of smoothies for him and perhaps Ichika would be smooth sailing.

*BOING*

Suddenly, from behind, Raiden gets tackled as he feels two arms wrapped around his chest and his head brought backwards to feel two large breasts envelop around him.

"Oro?"

Then he hears a very familiar voice.

"Hey there, kid. How you doing?" asked a woman with long blue hair, wearing a green camouflage bikini. Despite making a scene, she still bore a happy smile with eyes closed and showing her white teeth.

(Author's note: Insert soundtrack - cigar & coffee from Grisaia no Meikyuu)

"A-Akane?" asked a stunned Raiden, hearing her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Relaxing. What? You think I was incapable of that?"

"Your definition of relaxing usually involved sleeping, drinking, and playing with them balls."

By the term playing with them balls, it referred to Pachinko balls that Akane kept. She was no gambler, but she usually kept them around for fun.

Akane laughs. "Ahaha. Kid, if anything, I know when there are more than one ways to relax."

"Akane, you're attracting a crowd. Again," sighed a tall and attractive woman from behind with long curly blonde hair, blue eyes, a mole under her left eye and her bust is rather large that is even bigger Akane's chest.

Miriam Walker a.k.a. Miri. Close friend of Akane Fujimoto. CIA agent and supervisor of Raiden. And also a great big pain in the ass according to Akane.

"As are you, Miri," Akane retorted, noting of the Hawaiian triangle top purple bikini with orange Hawaiian flowers.

And it could have just been her. But she swore she just saw that baggage of Miri's bounce, attracting the men over to her.

But Miriam caught onto her gaze. "Oi, did you really think to yourself that my breasts bounced just a moment ago?"

"Did they?" feigned a surprised Akane. "I guess they really do store a lot of milk in them."

"Akane!"

Akane laughs and ignores her best friend, turning her attention to Raiden. "So, kid, what you planning to buy?"

"Well, I was going to get some mango smoothies for the girls, that I was," Raiden said.

"Is that so? Hey, barkeep!" Akane called out to the smoothie staller. "Three mango smoothies here for the me, the boy, and my friend. Oh, and Miri, you're paying it."

Miriam groans, "Ugh. Fine!"

After begrudgingly paying for the drinks, the trio head back down to the beach, where Akane and Miri's spot was not too far from the students'. Just two chairs, two umbrellas, one cooler full of beer, and a large blanket on the sand. They both take the time to observe the ocean and the volleyball game on the sidelines.

"So how you have been, Raiden?" asked Miriam. "Has the Academy treated you well?"

"More or less, that it is," Raiden said sipping his smoothie. "On one hand, some of the girls gossip about me. On another, a few of them try to kill me, that they did. Like Laura-dono over there."

Akane looks over and sees the one eyed German and is rather surprised. "What? Did the Germans get mad over something and tried to blitzkrieg you?"

"Something like that," Raiden answered.

"First the British bloke, now an angry German soldier?" asked Akane. "You sure attract a crowd these days. Didn't I teach you to blend in?"

"It's hard to blend in when I have a blindfold on, Akane," Raiden remarked.

"How's Omega treating you?" asked Raiden to his mentor.

"Great so far," Akane said. "Got a contracting job as a bounty hunter. And I'm getting paid by the Pirate Queen, or as I would call her Jabba, for my deeds."

"You approve of this, Miri?"

"Surprisingly, I do," Miriam confessed as she drinks her smoothie. "Akane always complained about the red tape at the CIA, especially if our higher ups prefer using drones for air strikes instead of agents. I think this is good for her health, though I am not sure how she works in an environment full of criminals."

"Hey, we worked together that time at in Brazil, remember?" asked Akane. "Going after that arms dealer named Tiago Rodriguez?"

"Ugh," Miriam groaned upon remembering. "Don't remind me of that. My hair was a mess."

"Oro? What happened?" asked Raiden.

"When Miri and I first started out in the CIA, our first task was in Brazil to hunt down an arms dealer selling illegal IS weapons to Chechen terrorists. As soon as the brass bastards dropped us off, we were immediately taking fire. Had to play hide and seek throughout Rio de Janiero, do some guerilla warfare if you will just to get close to our target. Took us two days to track down the arms dealer. Then, when we thought he was about to get away, Miri crashes through a window, captures the son of a bitch, and brings him down on top of a car, all the while dirtied, bleeding, and showing her bra that she complained was now ruined."

"That bra was an exclusive item!" Miri complained. "I bought it with my own pocket money!"

Aria scoffs, "You can always buy another. I don't know why you complain so much on stuff like that."

Miriam grumbles as she drinks her smoothie rather hastily, but instantly regrets it due to brain freeze. Now she was going to need to find some other way to vent stress. Raiden smiles while Akane laughs at her misfortune. Though if Raiden knew Miri any better, she knew that in her heart, she didn't want to remember those events as it made her lose her squad.

Then, Raiden got a bad feeling behind his back as he feels a rather ominous presence coming towards the beach. And with him sitting with Akane, he knew exactly who this was.

"Well, I better get going, that I do," Raiden said as he puts his drink down. "The teachers will be here soon, and they'll want to keep sight of their two male IS pilot students."

But Akane smirks and wraps a hand around his neck, shoving her right breast near his face. "Oh come on, kiddo. Forget about those little wusses and stay with me and Miri."

"Hey, Akane!" Miriam called out. "You remember he is an IS Academy student and he has to follow their protocol."

"We're staying at the same inn as them," Akane retorted back nonchalantly. "I don't see a problem if we can look after him. Hell, he can stay in our room for tonight."

"Oro? You are at the same inn we are?" Raiden asked.

Suddenly, a hand grabs Raiden from behind and he is pulled away from Akane. As he does so, he feels his head enveloped by two other melons, wrapping around him from behind.

"Oro?" asked a stunned Raiden.

That hand and those breasts belonged to none other than Chifuyu, who wore a black bikini and had her hair down. But already she was already giving a rather nasty glare at Akane, having seen where her student was and who he was with.

And the crowd of female students plus Ichika were watching from afar.

"My student is not yours to have, Akane," Chifuyu warned.

But Akane, nonchalant as ever, wasn't buying that. "Oh come on, Chi. I was just catching up with him."

"By shoving those things you call breasts in front of his face?"

"Ah, that's normal for him. He's used to it. And I could ask the same of what you're doing to him since his head seems to be in those titties of yours."

But Chifuyu didn't really care whether Raiden was between her breasts or not. But this shocked her little brother behind her, along with all the other girls seeing the rather tense sight.

Whether she was bashful or not, Chifuyu pushes Raiden to the side, hearing an Oro, and confronts her bitter rival from years ago.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked.

"Came here to relax, why else? Miri's here, by the way," Akane points out to Miriam behind her.

Chifuyu however was still irritated by her relaxing tone. Indeed, Akane always put up a haughty expression not like Cecilia's. Rather than laughing obnoxiously, Akane would rather stick her chest out proudly. With a rifle in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

"You stay away from my students," Chifuyu warned. "Or do you want this to get ugly?"

Akane however smirks, having a brilliant idea after seeing a volleyball court set up. "How about this then? We have a volleyball match. You and your brother against me and Miri. Prize would be Raiden. I win, I keep him. You win, you keep him. Sound fair?"

Chifuyu though, ever one to be cautious in the face of Akane, adds a condition. "One condition if I win. You don't show your face in the presence of my class again."

But Akane scoffs, "Oh come now, where's the fun in that? I came here to relax and you're just gonna kick me off if I lose? Not cool, Chi."

But Chifuyu was not having it as her face gets up close and personal to Akane's, even as their breasts touched one another's and squished. If one could describe the situation, they were like MMA fighters days before the match, seeing each other for the first time while holding a press conference.

"10 points to win," Chifuyu proposed.

A smirking Akane nods, "Agreed."

With yet another duel, the contestants take their place on each side of the net. Through a coin toss, the Orimura siblings were starting out, though Ichika wondered how he got into this mess.

"You'll be dust when I'm through with you," Chifuyu said.

But Akane smirks. "You're going to talk or fight, Chi."

With Chifuyu serving the ball, she goes for a spike serve before Miri catches it. Then, Akane makes her move, with Ichika in her line of sight. She jumps up and smacks the ball hard with her right hand. The ball comes down so fast right towards Ihcika who could not dodge in time.

*BAM*

And Ichika gets smacked to the head, making him fall backwards.

"Ichika!" cried Charlotte.

"All right! That's one point!" cried Akane in triumph.

Miriam, apparently putting on her A-game on, smirked as well. "If you can't catch that, then don't bother."

Cecilia however objected to the brutality of the game as she points a finger to Akane. "Listen to you! Getting all worked up when you're playing against other people! Don't you think you're being immature?"

"That's where you're wrong, little lady," Akane said. "No matter what kind of contest it is, you'll be dissing your opponent if you pulled your punches." She then looks over at Chifuyu and smirks. "Of course, if Chifuyu Orimura herself were to request that I go easy on her, it would be a different story."

As Ichika sits up and shakes off the stun, Chifuyu glares at her hated rival, having heard enough of her taunting.

"Fine by me," She said, standing up with the ball. "Since we're playing against hated rivals, there's no reason to hold back."

Chifuyu tosses the ball to the other side, with Miri noticing her game face. "Looks like Chifuyu's motivated!"

Akane smirks as she picks up the ball. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

As Akane grips the ball, it looked like the image of a charging boar behind her, and it was on fire. Chifuyu noticed this and prepares herself while Ichika gets stunned if what he had just saw was bloodlust in Akane's eyes.

The blue-haired woman tosses the ball up for a spike serve.

"Haah!"

*SMACK*

Ichika could only watch as the ball comes at him too fast. But his sister luckily gets up front and hits the ball upwards, twirling in the air and landing on her feet.

"Ichika, toss it up!" cried Chifuyu.

"R-Right!" Ichika said as he sees the ball coming down. He tosses up upwards as Chifuyu charges up into the air.

She finds her target between Miriam and Akane, an empty area of sand.

"There!" She saw. "Haah!"

*SMACK*

Chifuyu spikes the ball hard but Miriam catches the projectile path and lunges to the right.

"Not so fast!" She said as she passes the ball to Akane, to Chifuyu's shock.

"Nice pass, Miri!" Akane said before she jumps up at her chance for a spike.

*SMACK*

Akane spikes the ball towards Ichika, who once again stands there as the ball zips past his face.

*BAM*

And hits the ground behind him, outside the line. It was a score for the Orimura siblings. The match was now tied 1-1.

Akane clicks her teeth, "Tch, I missed." Then she casually apologizes to Ichika, "My bad. That wasn't on purpose."

"Liar!" Ichika angrily pointed.

"Based on what grounds?"

"You just said you missed, remember?"

The girls on the sidelines were shocked, including Charlotte and Cecilia.

"How heinous…" Charlotte said.

"You totally aimed for his face!" cried Cecilia.

Throughout the whole death match, Akane and Chifuyu went at it, with Ichika and Miriam respectively supporting their teammates as best they can. And although the Orimura team were scoring, it was nothing compared to Akane and Miriam. Hit after hit, score after score, they were nearing the end point.

The score was now 8 to 10, with Akane in the lead. The blue-haired woman was in the air for one last spike.

"It's over!" cried Akane for one last spike.

*SMACK*

*BAM*

And in one final explosion of sand does Akane score the final point. Ichika could not catch it in time and neither could Chifuyu.

Once the dust settles down, Akane gives Miriam a high five. "Victory!"

"Well played," Miriam said.

But the onlooking audience was stunned at how rough and violent that game of beach volleyball was, especially for Ichika whom they saw had a lot of near death encounters with the ball.

"This is no longer a game, is it?" asked a sheepish Charlotte.

An angry Cecilia clenches her left fist. "Just watching makes my blood boil!"

"Damn those women!" Ichika cursed to himself as he sits on the sand. "Did they forget I'm the man here?"

Chifuyu however was not one to lose against her rival. Not like this.

"You…" Chifuyu glared at Akane. "This may be a game, but a challenge is a challenge! To lose in this manner is disgraceful for me! This isn't over yet! Best two out of three!"

Ichiak grew concerned and worried. "Uh, Chifuyu-nee?"

She then turns to Ichika and commands, "On your feet, Orimura! We're going one more time!"

Ichika goes blue, forced to go into yet another death match against his sister's rival and her friend.

Raiden could only watch from the sidelines, seeing that this volleyball match, or matches, will not stop until Chifuyu scores a victory. If she ever scores one. But for Akane and Miriam, they looked like they were having fun for the first time in a long time.

And so too were the rest of the IS Academy students.

LATER THAT DAY...

Sunset had approached as Houki stood at the edge of a cliff while staring at the sight. She desperately wanted to be down by the beach and enjoy spending the time with Raiden but unfortunately, there were other things on her mind that prevented her from doing so.

She then heard some footsteps and a voice come to her from behind.

"So this is where you are."

Houki turned around as Chifuyu walked up to her, making her a bit surprised.

"Chifu—Orimura-sensei."

"It seems your heart is not in the right place. What is wrong?"

"Well…"

"Is it about Tabane?" asked Chifuyu, making Houki surprised at that remark. "I called her the other day. She was not connected to Laura's VT System."

"Yes," acknowledged Houki.

"Tomorrow's July 7th. She may show up."

Houki acknowledged it as she could clearly remember the words that Tabane had promised. However, it was not the only thing she thought of as she immediately thought of Raiden. Having heard of his recent mission protecting an important individual from an assassin, and coming back with an injury, she could not sit by anymore and let him fight.

She could only turn to look at the sky and with one thought in mind.

'I will protect Raiden. With this new IS. At any cost.'

And the beach episode is finally done. Nothing much to say on this one to be perfectly honest. But it does provide a big, long, and nice break from all the fighting. And I'd say it is one that everyone, including Raiden, deserves. Especially if this is all going to be a prelude for what is to come in the next two episodes.

First of all, the date scene between Houki and Raiden. While not as exciting as in the first story, I wanted to keep it relevant to the main focus of the episode which is regarding the beach day. And since Raiden has never been to the beach before, he needs some swim trunks. And going to the store to buy one on a date with Houki was perfect. As for how they avoided Ichika and Charlotte and their stalkers, let's just say both were on the other side of the store, far than the eye can see.

I know some of you may be thinking regarding Laura of why she first appeared naked in Raiden's bed one morning, and then the next she blushes at Ichika being called cute. Well, it is not so much of her developing feelings for either of the boys, or perhaps to Ichika at this point and time, but more so of discovering herself and developing her personality beyond that soldier look she has always had. What better way than to go into he cuteness? Besides, if she were to pick between the two boys whom she respects the most, it would be Raiden despite their mutual past.

And now, we get Akane Fujimoto again along with her best friend, Miriam "Miri" Walker. The two are polar opposites but best friends nonetheless. However, unlike Akane, Miriam does not have a rivalry with Chifuyu and instead only sees her as a respected acquaintance. And we get to learn a little bit more on Akane and Miriam's history of working together. They are after all childhood friends. And if two childhood friends can beat two Orimura siblings in a beach volleyball match, then it is safe to say that they are not to be underestimated when it comes to teamwork.

Next episode we get the reveal of a red 4th generation IS, first of its kind built by a rabbit professor creator of a genius. Along with that, the Silver Gospel battle. With a twist.

Like, favorite, follow, and review at your leisure. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.