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.

*BANG*

The first shot is fired as Ichika partially deploys his IS on his right arm to cover his face.

*PING*

The bullet ricochets off of his IS and sends him flying backwards. He tumbles and skids across the ground, dazed.

Madoka smirks. "Let's see how long you can keep that up."

*BANG*

Just as Ichika gets up, he sees Madoka fire off another shot. Thankfully however, the bullet seemed to slow down and be caught in an AIC field.

Deployed by Laura Bodewig who partially deployed her IS and stopped the bullet's trajectory, to Madoka's shock. Strangely enough, she was not wearing her eyepatch, exposing her Odin's Eye.

"Laura…" A relieved Ichika saw.

"You wretch…" Laura growled. "I'll make you regret messing with my classmate."

Deploying a knife from her left hand, Laura throws it towards the assailant.

*BOOM*

But the knife explodes upon being fired at from BIT drones. And in the midst of the smoke, Madoka unveils her IS.

"Silent Zephyrus!" Laura cried as she prepares herself.

Madoka however draws out the Mugenjin, igniting it. "What a pain…"

Madoka soon comes forward with her sword right at Laura.

"Ichi no Hiken: Homura Dama!"

*SLING*

And with one fiery swipe of the serrated blade against Laura, who blocks it with her arms despite the cut and burn, she was sent away to the side, making her crash into a tree.

*BAM*

"Gaagh!" Laura screamed.

"Laura!" Ichika cried but that was the least of his concerns as Madoka was now right in front of him. With him still on the ground and dazed, he was left vulnerable to the killing blow.

Soon she comes right on top of Ichika, bringing down her ignited sword as the Orimura boy covers himself with his hands in fear of getting hit.

*CLANG*

But just before the sword could strike down at Ichika, another sword blocks the attack. One whose sharp edge of was on the wrong side. Only one person, one IS pilot, wielded that kind of sword and was able to stop something like the Mugenjin.

And Ichika's savior turned out to be nothing more than a familiar blind boy with long silver hair.

"Madoka…" Raiden said as he activates his IS, to Madoka's shock of who it was that stopped her. "Be gone!"

*POW*

Madoka is punched from Raiden's left hand, making her stagger backwards as Raiden comes in.

*BAM*

And then receives a hard blow from Raiden's Sakabatō on the head from a downward strike. Laura wakes up just in time from her brief knockout to see Ichika's assailant being assaulted by Raiden.

*BANG*

*POW*

Two more hits from the Sakabatō stagger Madoka back further. And finally, Raiden comes in with the Sakabatō sheathed.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū – Ryū Shō Sen!"

The opposite of Ryū Tsui Sen, Ryū Shō Sen is a rising attack meant to strike the jaw from below. For additional power, one uses one's free arm to apply force to the back of the blade and utilizes a powerful upward jump during the attack akin to an anti-air attack.

*BOOM*

"Gaah!" Madoka cried as her chin takes the full brunt of the hit from the Sakabatō and her body flies into the air before it hits a tree.

*BAM*

And then makes her fall to the floor. Her ears ring from the impact, her air leaves her lungs, and her body ached in pain. Once more her plan failed, all because of her former partner intervening. But that's when she feels a trickle of blood pouring out the side of her mouth. Swiping a finger over it, she looks to see it was real and is visibly angered upon seeing it.

Gritting her teeth as she stands, she looks up at her former partner and says, "Damn you, Raiden! One day, you will pay for this!"

And soon, Madoka takes off, but not before unleashing her BITS to fire at the floor to cover her escape. Laura deploys her AIC to cover the three of them and when the smoke clears, they see that Silent Zephyrus was gone.

"She fled," Laura gritted her teeth as she deactivates her AIC.

"Let her go," Raiden advised. "She won't make another attempt, that she will not."

Ichika then asked, "Are you okay, Laura?"

Laura flinches, seeing as how her left arm is badly cut from the Mugenjin. But she was a soldier, and she could take on wounds such as that. "I'll be okay. But I should be asking you that. You were the one she was after! Any idea who's behind this?"

"Not really," Ichika responded. He had no clue either. This night was already troublesome.

He then turns to Raiden who sheathes away his sword. "Raiden?"

Raiden turns around and says, "Let's head back to the dorms. And get Laura some first aid, that we must. I'll report this to Chifuyu-dono."

"R-Right," Ichika understood. He wanted to ask Raiden more but for some reason behind the blindfold, Raiden had a scary expression as he was looking up at the sky where the assailant was. He couldn't tell but Raiden was seething with anxiety, like he was preparing for the retaliation to come.

OP song: Suara – Hikari (For reference, look up on YouTube Utawarerumono Futari no Hakuoro trailer)

Kimi e no omoi wasurenai you ni (The first scene begins with a pair of hands grasping a red and black ribbon divided by a white line adorned with a pair of gold and silver bells. The camera soon pans out to show the said person grasping that ribbon)

mune fukaku kizamikomu kara (The person holding the ribbon is revealed to be Houki, underwater and in her IS suit as she closes her eyes, keeping the ribbon, revealed to be Akatsubaki in its standby form, close to her heart before the bubbles cover the screen)

(Opening title is introduced as Infinite Stratos 2)

Arifureta hibi wo tobikoete yukeru (Chifuyu watches from the balcony of the IS Academy the sunrise before a gentle wind blows her hair.)

habataku yuuki wo motteru (The sun's ray hits her eyes before she adjusts her sight)

Mada minu sekai ni tobidashite yukeba (Tabane Shinonono travels via a carrot-shaped airplane, colored in orange with a green tip, as it travels across the skies and she heads towards the moon)

nanika ga kitto matteiru (The camera pans over to the moon before it shifts down to Houki in her IS Akatsubaki, facing forward as her hair is blown by the wind)

Tamerau hodo no kizu wo oottemo (A blue meteor-like object falls to the arena of the IS Academy, creating an explosion of water, before revealing Tatenashi Sarashiki in her IS, Mysterious Lady, as she twirls her spear as the lake water falls like rain)

akiramenaide subete ukeireyou (Kanzashi Sarashiki appears in a holographic world in her IS, Uchigane Nishiki, while holographic data surrounds her)

Kimi e no omoi wasurenai you ni (Camera zooms down to a battlefield just beginning between IS Golems and the gang. Laura is the first to attack as she descends and slices a Golem with her wrist blades before using her cables followed by her rail gun. Rin parries a Golem with her Souten Gagetsu before taking off its head in a spin)

mune no naka fukaku kizamitsukeru(Ichika appears to take out one Golem before he dodges an incoming attack and dismantles another. The next scene cuts to Charlotte and Cecilia prepping their sniper rifles to fire.)

mezasu mirai wo yasashiku terashite (Raiden and Madoka, without their IS, engage in a close quarters weapon combat, Raiden using the Sakabatō and Madoka using the Mugenjin. After a couple of hits, Raiden is thrown high into the air from another hit from Madoka before he backflips and deploys his IS and fires his ion blasters at Madoka. Madoka, in turn, dodges while activating her IS, Black Knight, and flies up to Raiden to engage him again with her fusion cannon on her right arm deployed)

hikari hanatsu hoshi no you ni (Madoka and Raiden clash, creating a violent explosion before the next scene switches over to Luxembourg ten years ago, where Hitokiri Kingslayer stands by the steps to the destroyed Royal Palace, his back to the camera as Luxembourg is enshrouded in flames by Phantom Task, with a massive warship looming overhead as its IS pilots are deployed like a squad of fighters)

(Miriam Walker is shown in front of the CIA headquarters building in Washington DC as the camera moves upwards. Akane Fujimoto is shown on Omega, overlooking one of the poor districts from her apartment, with a cigarette in her mouth. Squall Meusel is shown in her bath robe sitting on the edge of her bed smirking at the camera, with Autumn sleeping naked in the background. Edea Crownsworth, the Archon of Phantom Task, sits upon her throne overlooking the world within a spaceship. Chifuyu is then shown in the deep recesses of the Academy, looking at the White Knight IS kept in storage and locked down, her hand on the glass)

(Raiden is shown next as he turns around with his Sakabatō before sheathing it before he is replaced with the title of Infinite Stratos 2.)

It was late in the evening, and Ichika and Charlotte were both out on a mission that was given to them a few days after the attempted assassination on Ichika. They stood, with their activated IS units, on a tall stack of cargo containers, looking over at the workers that were unloading the other containers from the cargo ship that was in the docking bay.

"So our job is to make sure IS equipment is escorted safely, huh?" Ichika asked.

Charlotte nodded, "Yeah. Overseas corporations have asked us to test their prototype equipment. But…"

When Charlotte requested hep from the others, they were all turned down with very good reasons. Houki had to help her family with something, most likely with Aunt Yukiko. Cecilia had a meeting she could not afford to miss. Rin was assigned a different mission. And Laura was on a phone call with the Schwarzer Hase while having her arm healed.

As for Raiden, he was in a meeting call with Yamagata Haruto, the JSDF lieutenant general whom they met last semester. Whatever they were speaking about was probably classified at best, meant only for the ears of Hitokiri Kingslayer. Ichika wanted to know more, curious as he was, but unfortunately, he was in no position to ask. And not even his sister would let him in on what she knows. Then again, she does not have much access to what he does outside the Academy.

Mission details were hazy, so it was pretty much unknown, only the location and shipment being delivered was shown. Beyond that, nothing relevant.

Charlotte then said, "You didn't have to come You were attacked just the other day."

But Ichika reassures, "That doesn't meant I can leave you to do all the work! Don't worry about me."

*BOOM*

An explosion was heard not far from their position in the form of a great fireball.

"What was that?" asked Ichika. He then sees the guards rallying over to the scene. "I'll go check it out!"

"Wait, Ichika!" Charlotte halted him.

Followed by the earlier explosion, a cargo truck came rushing in straight through the steel fence and came to a breaking stop. The cargo slid open almost futuristically as blue light erupted out of the interior and revealed 2 green military-grade IS units. They seemed to be a reproduction model of Show Must Go On, which was a modified Rafale Revive Basic once piloted by Yamada-sensei. Even more odd was that the pilots were wearing business suits instead of IS suits, no helmets yet had standard faces.

"Who are they?" asked Ichika.

Charlotte takes a scan. "They don't have any Nationality Identification Codes. But I am detecting some sort of symbol on their IS."

What Charlotte then found was some sort of tattoo on the IS. A skull inside of an Omega symbol and surrounded by 11 stars along the circular line.

Knowing that these guys belonged to some unknown group, Ichika responds, "Let's go, Charl."

"Okay, Ichika."

The pair soon take off to the skies. But soon they were spotted by the two pilots and almost immediately were being fired upon. Ichika was hopping the crates providing the distraction as he was taking fire.

"Damn, he's too quick!" said one of the pilots as they were firing at Ichika, only to turn to see Charlotte with her rifles in hand and pointing at them.

"Surrender now and no one has to get hurt," ordered Charlotte with her rifles pointed as Ichika lands behind her.

"IS pilots?" asked one of the pilots in surprise.

"It doesn't matter," said the other. "Eliminate them." She then open fires on Charlotte.

Charlotte zig-zags out of the way before jumping upwards, distracting the pilot before Ichika comes charging in from above with his Yukihira before she blocks it.

*DING*

Charlotte meanwhile takes the other pilot head on with her rifles, dogfighting in the air.

"Damn it!" said the pilot engaging Charlotte as she then opens up missile ports on her IS and fires all 24 missiles at the French girl. Charlotte evades them all before landing back to the ground.

"Not bad," Charlotte had to give her foe credit for using them as it was a good tactical move. She then re-engaged the pilot in the skies.

Back on the ground, Ichika and the IS pilot engaged in close quarters combat, with Ichika using his Yukihira and the pilot using an ordinary IS knife. After dodging a few strikes from the knife, Ichika sees his opponent back away onto the crates before she goes behind. He then pursues her, dodging the flying bullets directed at him.

"You aren't getting away!" He cried as he goes after her.

"You're disappointing Revive here with your poor skills!" said Charlotte as she easily blocks a thrust from her opponent who deployed her IS knife.

"Shut up!" The pilot demanded.

Charlotte then activates her Shield Pierce and thrusts hard into the pilot, knocking her back against a container.

*BAM*

*SLING*

Ichika cuts off one of the pilot's wings with his Yukihira before grabbing her head to hold her still.

"Surrender now," Ichika demanded. "You don't stand a chance."

The pilot thought for a minute but as she looked at herself, she could see a few bits of blood oozing from her head. In shame and regret, she gave up on reaching her rifle that was in front of her.

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

Ichika's alarm sensors soon pick another incoming unknown IS signature near their position. And it was coming in fast from above.

He soon cries out, "Charl, watch out!"

*BZZZZ*

Suddenly however, heavy fire from above, with the sound similar to an AA gun, rains down on the area where Charlotte was, making her back away. Ichika too moves out of the way of the fire, but the area was completely covered in dust from where the bullets made impact on the ground.

A moving object soon appears from the smoke where the heavy fire rained, carrying a woldo in hand. It was an IS, dark blue on the main body and gold on the trimming in color, and asides a woldo, carried body mounted machine guns on its chest.

(Author's Note: For reference, the IS is modeled after the XXXG-01H2 Gundam Heavyarms Customs)

It was however too late.

*SHIING*

"AAAHHH!" Charlotte screams in pain upon feeling something sharp and big go through her from behind. From what it looked like, it appeared to be a woldo, which was a Korean pole weapon that closely resembled the Chinese guandao or the Japanese bisentō.

Ichika gasps. "Charl!"

*CLICK*

Soon a clicking was heard as Charlotte's back is pressed against the chest of the other IS.

*BZZZZZZ*

And a volley of IS bullets, like something off of a gatling gun, fires directly into Charlotte's back, wracking her in pain and bringing her energy levels down directly to zero.

Charlotte goes limp and unconscious before her body is thrown from the woldo and into a container, followed by an explosion. Charlotte's signal on Ichika's sensors went offline, making him fear the worst.

"Ch-Charl…" He horrifyingly said her name.

When the smoke soon clears, Ichika then looks to see the face of the pilot he was facing, a young adult woman with a well-endowed voluptuous body and long brown hair that is tied in a ponytail with golden eyes. The outfit she wore was not an IS suit but rather a formal black shirt, navy blue business overcoat, matching dress pants, and high heeled shoes made of steel. All of which was inside the IS she was piloting.

"Who are you?" Ichika demanded.

But the pilot did not answer, bearing her stern and serious expression that, in Ichika's eyes, were similar to Chifuyu's. Furious at that, and also because there was no answer from her, Ichika charges in.

"Haah!" He raises his sword against the pilot, but his opponent responded with the woldo in hand.

*CLANG*

Yukihira meets the woldo's handle as sparks fly. But despite his assault, the pilot stands her ground and meets the Orimura eye to eye. But her expression does not change.

Instead, she decides to respond in kind against Ichika. First by breaking the stance they were in. Second, she goes for a diagonal strike that Ichika blocks with his strength.

'Sh-She's strong!'

They break off again before the pilot does multiple jabbing thrusts at Ichika, which he either blocks, parries, or dodges. Though they were quick, his years of Kendo training and his sharp senses made him see an opening.

*WHIISH*

But after a horizontal strike from Yukihira, he misses. The pilot ducked under and goes for another thrust to his face.

*CLANG*

Ichika deflects it, to the slight surprise of the pilot. But Ichika had thought there was only one strike, for he didn't account for two. As such, when the second thrusting strike came…

*SHDIING*

It cut part of his armor on his right shoulder and left a small cut, making it bleed.

"Ggh!" Ichika grunted as he was thrusted back He then lands on his back as the pilot stands up and twirls her woldo above and around her shoulders before readying herself.

Ichika gets up, clutching his shoulder briefly.

"D-Damn …" He cursed. "This pilot is really strong. Right now, I am no match. Very well. Reiraku Byakuya, activate!"

*SHOOM*

With Reiraku Byakuya activated, Ichika goes in for a strike that should overpower his opponent. But the pilot responds in kind, ready for a thrust maneuver.

Ichika then sees the woldo coming forward in a stab. As if time slowed down, he watches pass by his face as he barely dodges it. He then sees his opening.

'Here it is!'

*DING*

Soon Ichika manages to disarm the pilot with an underhanded strike from Yukihira, the woldo flinging out of her hands. He then comes in for the final strike.

"You're mine!" He shouted as he comes with an overhead strike.

But before he could…

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*POW*

A series of punches to Ichika's chest and a backslap, followed by a spin kick to the temple, stuns Ichika and sends him flying back, making him crash into one of the containers.

*BAM*

"Gaah!" Ichika's breath leaves his lungs, like he just got hit by a lorry at full speed. His back felt like it snapped and his chest felt like it took too many G's on impact.

Just as he recovers though…

*GLISH*

The woldo came flying right at him and pierces his left shoulder, going through the armor and into the flesh. Already, he felt his left arm become immediately numb.

"AAAGHH!" He screamed, feeling the woldo in his shoulder!

The pilot then gives him a thumbs up, only for her to flip it downwards as if giving a rating on his performance as an IS pilot.

Ichika did not want to admit that he had just been defeated. But he couldn't even move, not just because of the woldo stuck in his shoulder but also of the fact that his energy level was reading zero. The Absolute Defense system also kicked in, in order to prevent any other mortal injuries from occurring but Ichika was immobile. He couldn't even grip his right hand to pick up Yukihira, laying on the side as it was. He was now a sitting duck and once more did his pride as a man take a hit for this humiliating defeat.

The pilot soon approaches and grabs Ichika's head to hoist him up close for her to say something in his ear.

"Tell your sister that she broke the one rule of Omega: Don't fuck with Aria."

Ichika did not know what the pilot meant by that, not that it matters. His head was still swimming in pain and he was badly wounded. Now, here he was held up by an IS pilot who was significantly more powerful than him. And he was told to bring a message to Chifuyu, something of which he would never do from a criminal.

Ichika then had one thing to say in response. "D-Don't give me that crap!"

With that said though, Ichika is soon thrown aside violently in response by the woman named Aria and into the still down Charlotte, the two colliding upon impact and into one of the containers which ignites a spark of some sort of fume inside.

*BOOM*

And the container explodes, taking the two with them. But for Aria, she simply stands and watches with a cold expression. With the trouble out of the way, she can now focus on the task at hand. What she came here for in the first place.

One of the men who accompanied Aria, a male wearing a combat uniform but also carrying medical equipment and wielding a Sig Sauer M17, approaches Aria who does not bother to turn around. These are the Apothecaries, medic and trauma teams who are also combat defensive units.

"Aria, we've secured our two pilots. Their injuries are not life threatening but their IS requires repairs. Non-emergency ones."

"See to it they return first," Aria said. "I want you out of here before the authorities arrive."

The Apothecary nods and returns to his trauma team as they load the two pilots onto the ambulance and drive off. Aria then walks over to her other four IS pilots who were busy loading the lorry trucks with the cargo from the containers.

"What's the status of the shipments we need?" asked Aria as she approaches the trucks.

"The cargo is secured and undamaged," One of her pilots had said. "We've just about finished loading them."

"Very good. Have the rest of the 258th pilots load the cargo onto the trucks and bring them over to Omega immediately," Aria ordered. "And be sure to cover your tracks. I don't want the Academy or the police to follow our trail."

"What about those two?" One of the other pilots asked pointing to the unconscious Charlotte and Ichika.

But Aria waves her hand off. "Leave them. Cops will be here soon due to explosions. They'll want them interrogated for what's happened. Now get moving before they show up."

As the pilots take to the skies and keep watch from above the cargo and the trucks, Aria looks at one long look at Ichika and Charlotte. She could not help but wonder if the Academy sent two of its well known and powerful IS pilots here, knowing of her operation. If they did, then someone either snitched on her or her operation has been compromised.

A bitterness rings in her as her fists grip, wanting to put a bullet in Ichika's head for attempting to mess up her operations. It was what his sister would have done, not that she has had any encounters with Chifuyu as of yet. But neither Aria nor Chifuyu stupid enough to get into each other's faces, aware of their reputation. So like it or not for Aria, the students get to live another day due to interference from the law that will help them, and their Academy save face. But the next time she sees them, especially Ichika, she will not leave them alive.

So she merely leaves them there, taking off to the skies to join her other pilots in the air. And just in time too as the sirens draw closer to the harbor and Ichika and Charlotte begin to rouse up from their unconscious state, wounded as they are.

Days have passed since that horrible incident at the harbor. Both Charlotte and Ichika still had their injuries as a result of the bandages they still wore on their body.

Cecilia approaches Ichika who was still getting a feel of his left arm in a sling. It was a sprain though and thankfully he is right handed. But he won't be able to pilot an IS for a few months due to this injury.

"You're okay, right, Ichika-san?" asked a concerned Cecilia.

"I'm just fine!" Ichika said with a sheepish smile. "It's a sprain anyway."

"You're such a dunce," Rin said.

"You should never let your guard down, Ichika," Houki advised.

"Sorry for making you all worry," Ichika apologizes. "If it weren't for Raiden or Laura though…"

But Houki sighs. "Jeez, you never learn."

"Seriously!" Cecilia concurred.

"I said I was sorry!" Ichika again apologizes yet laughs.

Raiden soon approaches Ichika and asks, "How's your arm, Ichika?"

"It's alright," He answered. "I just won't be piloting Byakushiki for some time. Not like there's anything I can do about it."

"True, that it is," Raiden nodded. "Still though, the girls are right to be concerned with regards to recent events."

Charlotte, who was quiet and on the desk next to Ichika, silently concurred as she looks at Ichika's right hand, which was missing its IS Byakushiki. The bracelet that Byakushiki took as its standby mode was no longer there. And there was a good reason for that as her mind flashes back to yesterday.

FLASHBACK BEGINS…

Both Ichika and Charlotte, bandaged up as they were in the Scanner Room having there is analyzed. Asides from the damage their IS sustained from the fight and of their bodily injuries, their IS also showed signs of abnormality.

A large metal ring scans over Ichika as he lies back. Yamada-sensei was in the back with Chifuyu looking over the readings from the scans. Charlotte was off on the sidelines watching, alongside with Raiden. When Raiden heard of what had happened, he was allowed permission by Chifuyu to check up on them. But only this once because he managed to save Ichika from Madoka the other night.

Yamada-sensei looks over the scans that detail both Ichika's body and his IS. "Injuries aside, there aren't any issues with Orimura-kun's body, but we're detecting an abnormality in Byakushiki's quantum conversion. Orimura-kun?"

"Right," said Ichika. "Yukihira, activate!"

But upon giving the command, all Ichika got were particles of light surrounding his arm before they dissipated quickly.

"He can't deploy his equipment," Yamada-sensei revealed.

"What's the cause?" asked Chifuyu.

"I can't say without an in-depth examination."

Chifuyu then knew what needed to be done. "Orimura, give Byakushiki to me."

"Huh?" asked Ichika as he looks at his IS. "But Phantom Task might strike again."

"That's exactly why you should hand it over," Chifuyu approaches her brother. "What if you become unable to deploy Byakushiki?"

Ichika still didn't like it. His pride wouldn't allow it as he would have to leave the fighting to others. "Still…"

"Ichika, you should listen to your sister, that you should," Raiden said in a serious tone. "Because you've depended on Byakushiki's power, you have to learn how to protect yourself without it. And it's better to fight with an IS that has no abnormality than one that has."

"But, Raiden, if Phantom Task—"

"Leave them to me, Ichika," Raiden interrupted calmly. "The next time that assassin or whoever next comes I will deal with it, that I will."

Chifuyu concurred on all points. "When your weapon's unreliable, you're better off without it. Or are you saying… without Byakushiki, you'll be scared and helpless?"

This surprises Ichika before he remains conflicted. As proud as he was, he never liked to admit that he is scared and helpless. He knew better thanks to his upbringing by Chifuyu. And he also recalled the words she spoke to him years ago; the same words Raiden spoke to him last semester.

"A sword is a weapon. Swordsmanship is learning how to kill. No matter what ideals and names you use to cover it up, that is the truth of the world."

Behind this philosophy, Ichika knew that he did not need a sword to fight. After all, a sword is just that: a weapon. How to use that weapon is different entirely. And while Ichika could fight without a sword as he has done Judo before, he had as of late became very reliant on his IS.

Now understanding this, he looks up to his sister and replies, "I'm not scared, Chifuyu-nee."

Chifuyu smiles in satisfaction as she receives her little brother's IS. "Yes. That's the wise choice."

"Now then, Dunois…" Chifuyu calls out to the French girl. "Do you have any idea who ambushed you or who you engaged with?"

"W-Well, they didn't possess National Identification Codes. But I did see a tattoo on their IS."

"Tattoo?" asked Raiden.

"It was… an Omega symbol with a skull inside, surrounded by eleven stars along the circular line."

Immediately, Raiden's eyes behind his blindfold open up and his jaw drops in realization. "Oh no…"

"What is it, Hataru?" asked Chifuyu.

"I know that symbol. And it's not good news, that it is not."

"Go on," Chifuyu turns around.

"That is the symbol of the Omega Syndicate, a criminal organization considered even more foul than the worst terrorist organization you can think of. Especially since they are well equipped with the IS."

"Criminals?" asked a stunned Ichika, realizing who they were fighting. "With IS? How is that possible?"

"I don't know much of the organization, that I do not, but I do know it is run by someone named Aria Ikeuchi, the Pirate Queen of Omega."

"Aria…" Chifuyu closes her eyes before displaying a face of anger.

"Aria Ikeuchi? Oh yeah. That pilot that ambushed us… From what I heard, it sounded like she was the leader. There were more pilots surrounding her calling her by that name."

"If Aria was there that night, Ichika, then you're very lucky to have survived, that you are," Raiden said. "Aria is not usually one to leave her victims alive. She must've known who you really were by then."

"Are you saying that Dunois-san and Orimura-kun were fighting IS pilots who were also criminals?" asked Yamada-sensei.

"That I am," Raiden confirmed. "Criminals from a well organized and very powerful organization. Imagine if all the yakuza gangs came together under one ruler and formed their own nation right below our feet. That is Omega."

"I know Aria by reputation," Chifuyu said as she pinches the bridge of her nose. "She's the worst scum on the planet. But I never thought we'd break her number one rule."

"Number one rule?" asked Ichika.

"Don't fuck with Aria," Raiden said, plain and simple. "Which can be interpreted in many different ways, that it can."

"Then that's that," Chifuyu said. "Orimura, from on, I don't want you to do anything related to criminals, especially those aligned with the Syndicate. Stay well away from them and do not engage. Do you understand?"

Ichika would usually not like that but seeing as how he was nearly killed, he complied with his sister's demands. "Y-Yeah, Chifuyu-nee. I'll try to be careful."

Yamada-sensei then asked in concern, "What do we do, Orimura-sensei? If word gets out that students were attacked by criminals as IS pilots…"

"We don't want those girls finding out about this," Chifuyu said. "Of all of them, Dunois here is the only one who has experience firsthand."

"Yes, there'll be an uproar, but for security reasons, we should notify the cadets at the very least."

Chifuyu agreed but she worried that if they learn her little brother got involved in a fight with the Omega Syndicate, there will be mass chaos that not even the Academy could contain.

"This is giving me a headache," Chifuyu said, holding a hand to her head.

Then Charlotte speaks her own thoughts. "Please don't tell them. We should just let them know about his near assassination but not the fight he and I had with the criminals. I'll protect Ichika."

Raiden agreed with Charlotte. "That's probably wise, that it is. But that does not account for the injuries you and he sustained from Aria."

"We can cover that and say that the mission was compromised," Charlotte suggested, which Chifuyu agreed with.

"Yes. That's probably for the best. Focus on your recovery and rehab afterwards."

But for Ichika, he looks at the bandages he sustained, along with the arm in a sling. Aria was still on his mind, the brutality she showed in the fight. If anything, the Pirate Queen showed no honor, no fairness. She was, in his mind, like the IS pilots of Phantom Task: pilots who can kill other pilots.

And the thought of just letting the Omega Syndicate get away with the cargo, whatever they took, did not sit well with him. But for his sister's sake, he sets it aside to focus on his recovery.

FLASHBACK ENDS…

Back in the present, Charlotte started into her open palms with a serious expression.

'I have to protect Ichika…I have to take responsibility…'

A sudden, loud voice snapped out of her trance as a magazine was then thrusted onto Ichika's face by Laura.

"Oro?" A surprised Raiden was caught off-guard.

"Ichika! Kingslayer! Which one do you like?"

The contents of the magazine showed female undergarments; specifically, striped ones.

"Wha- Th-This is-"

"Oro?"

Houki, Rin, and Cecilia also gathered around with looks of embarrassment on all their faces. Raiden was slightly ajar with his mouth and somewhat surprised at this sudden event that just came out of nowhere.

"Oi, Laura!" said Houki.

"What are you doing sowing that to him all of a sudden?!" shouted Rin.

Cecilia covered Ichika's eyes quickly. "Ichika-san, close your eyes!"

Houki also had the same idea as she covers Raiden's. "Raiden, don't look."

"Oro?" asked Raiden. "Houki-dono, I can't see."

Ironic given that Raiden is blind yet Houki, thinking his other senses or his third eye can see something, doesn't budge.

Laura looked at the trio in confusion, as if what she was doing was an obvious thing. "I'm just trying to find out the boys' preferences. That is all."

"The boys' preferences?" All three asked in unison.

"Indeed. Clarissa said…" Laura revealed in pride.

'When girls are in love, there will be moments when their underwear will be seen by the one they are in love with. These moments are known as "pantyshots". Therefore, you be ready and equip yourself with a piece of underwear that you could show the boys at all times.'

"And these striped panties are apparently the ultimate underwear, guaranteed to fascinate any man!" Laura declared with arms wide open.

"The ultimate underwear…" The girls looked closer.

"W-Well…the design isn't too bad," admitted Houki.

"That's true…I have the same kind too…" said Rin.

Cecilia meanwhile, went to a corner of the room to make a phone call. "Chelsea, I'd like to order some new underwear. Ones with stripes…"

Ichika quickly stood up in denial, "No, no, no, that's not true!"

"Are you upset because of how painfully true it is?" Laura asked who seemed sure of it. "Quite modest, aren't you?"

"NO!"

"Kingslayer, how about you?" asked Laura to Raiden with the magazine. "Surely you must know that striped panties are the best for your forte."

Raiden sheepishly laughs. "I-I think it's every man's taste, Laura-dono. Some like stripes, others like plain, that they do."

Laura seemed to take that with a grain of salt. "Hmm, you must be right."

She then turned to Charlotte who had been quiet this entire time. "What kind of underwear do you wear, Charlotte?"

The blond gave a light smile, "Laura, this is not something we should talk about with guys next to us."

But that is when Charlotte felt something funny, her expression changing to one of surprise. Her hands dip down to her skirt, the backside at that, and she gasps.

Standing up, she says, "S-Sorry. Excuse me."

She then takes off out of the classroom while holding her bottom, but that only confused everyone in the room. They even repeated Raiden's infamous line.

"Oro?"

OUTSIDE…

Back outside, Charlotte runs across campus before she rests behind a pillar in the shade. But her face was pretty flushed just by the sight of it.

"No way!" She said as she looks at her skirt.

Or rather underneath it. For in the moment, her panties suddenly vanished in white light.

"H-How did my underwear suddenly vanish?" She asked before gasping in realization, remembering Yamada-sensei's words.

'We're detecting an abnormality in Byakushiki's quantum conversion. He can't deploy his equipment.'

Having realized that, Charlotte then asks herself, "Did something happen to my underwear too?"

Charlotte was back in her room at the dormitory; her top drawer open that was full of nothing but her own panties.

"They'll stay on this time!" said Charlotte as she put on a white pair. But as soon as she puts them on, they suddenly vanish into white particles, leaving her without them.

"Again?!" cried the poor French girl as she held her hands to her mouth in embarrassment. "What should I do?!"

A few knocks were heard on her door, snapping her out of her shock.

"Charlotte-dono, are you in there?" asked Raiden.

"R-Raiden?!" Charlotte turns her head to the door. "Wh-What is it?"

"Class has already started. I got sent to pick you up, that I was."

This shocked Charlotte as she then ran to the door.

"Oh, sorry!"

She closes the door as she exits out before she finds herself with Raiden. She tries to keep her heart rate normal, but it doesn't work and neither does her tense breathing. Raiden could only look dumbfounded at her in this weird situation.

"Oro?"

"Sorry, Raiden," said Charlotte with a smile as her hands were behind her back.

"Something wrong?" asked Raiden.

"N-Not really," said the fidgety French girl. "It's alright now."

Raiden wasn't convinced. He had a feeling something was wrong but right now, he decides to toss it aside and put school as a priority first.

"I see. Let's hurry back!" said Raiden, with Charlotte right behind him as they jogged back. "Orimura-sensei is already lecturing, that she is."

Charlotte pleaded for Raiden to slow down but she was slowing down instead as a wind lifted her skirt and touched her other area. They kept jogging and jogging until Charlotte trips herself and falls on Raiden's back, taking the boy with him.

"Sorry," said Raiden as he tried to get up. "You okay?"

"I-I'm okay!" said Charlotte.

They both land in an awkward position. Raiden was flat on his stomach as Charlotte sat sitting on his head. But the worst thing about it was the fact that with no panties on, she could feel her private area rub against Raiden's head.

"Kyaah!"

A great shock swept over her before she partially deployed her IS in her right hand…

*POW*

"ORROOO?!

And blindly punched Raiden, knocking the blind boy backwards and knocking him out, with swirls where his eyes are and stars going in circles over his head. And him saying "Ororroo…"

But Charlotte only had a red face on herself as her breathing became a little bit ragged because of what she felt.

"How long is this going to last?!" asked Charlotte to herself with tears lurking in her eyes.

The rest of the day was nothing but miserable for Charlotte. Going commando due to a quantum shift in her IS that made her panties disappear was by all means not fun. And several incidents throughout the day made her realize that she was not wearing any panties.

With a tray of food in hand, she spots Raiden and Houki having lunch together at one of the tables.

"Ah, Houki! Raiden!" Charlotte greeted with the two turning to face her. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Sure, go right ahead," Houki accepted.

Raiden nods. "Come on in."

But as soon as Charlotte sets her food down and sits down, she feels herself gasp from her bottom, holding her hands to her mouth. But that made her other two look at her, wondering what that was.

"What's the matter?" asked Houki.

"Seat cold to the touch?" asked Raiden.

Charlotte quickly responded, "U-Uh, yeah! The chair just feels colder than usual."

Both fox and lion only replied one word in unison.

"Oro?"

LATER…

Later on the rooftop, Charlotte was playing volleyball with Cecilia and Rin. With classes over for the day, they could now spend the rest of the time being productive.

"There, Rin-san!" Cecilia cried as she hits the volleyball upwards for Rin.

"Okay!" Rin cried as she hits back. "Charlotte!"

"I got it!" Charlotte then jumps for a spike. "Attack!"

But then…

*WHIISH*

A blast of air made Charlotte stop and drop to the ground while holding her skirt down to cover her bare parts. And she completely misses the ball to the British and Chinese's confusion as it bounces away.

"M-My timing was a bit off," Charlotte sheepishly said.

MEANWHILE…

Being asked to help, Charlotte carries a box that was assigned to go to the Reference Room. But still, the day so far was nothing short of misery of despair. At least no one knew that she was not wearing any panties.

"Why do I get asked to do all this stuff today of all days?" asked Charlotte to herself.

And then the voice of Raiden interrupts behind her. "Hey, Charlotte-dono. I can give you a hand."

But as Charlotte turns around, her face turns red, realizing Raiden may peak underneath.

Gasping, she tosses the box out of hand. It flies upwards before coming down and…

*BAM*

Smacks Raiden in the face.

"ORO?!"

After Raiden recovers, he helps Charlotte carry the box, holding one end of it walking forward while Charlotte gets the back.

"Charlotte-dono, are you okay? You look like you're having a bad day," Raiden remarked.

"Sorry, Raiden," Charlotte apologizes.

"Is it because of Ichika?" asked Raiden, curious.

"Y-yeah."

"You don't have to worry, that you do," Raiden tries to comfort. "Even without Byakushiki, Ichika is strong in his own right, that he is. Reckless, but strong."

Charlotte then realized that the blind boy was right. Still though, as the only one who was with him on the mission that night, she felt it was her responsibility to protect him.

I-I understand that," Charlotte said. "I just can't help but worry. But I am glad I get to help him!"

"That's thoughtful of you," Raiden smiles. "Just don't push yourself too hard that you shouldn't."

Charlotte nods and then comments, "Raiden, you're so kind. And wise."

"Oro?"

"Oh, nothing."

Laura then walks up the stairs nearby and sees Charlotte and Raiden walking.

"Hey, Kingsla—" Laura calls out, only to catch a glimpse of something underneath Charlotte's skirt.

Stunned, she backs off a bit, realizing that her best friend was going commando. In a haste, she pulls out her cell phone to make an international call back to home.

"C-Clarissa, it's me!" Laura said. "We have an emergency!"

BACK AT SCHWARZER HASE BASE…

"Charlotte Dunois doesn't have underwear on?" asked Clarissa.

"I might have opened Pandora's Box," Laura said over the phone.

Clarissa then asked, "Captain, do you remember 'pantyshots'?"

"Of course."

"There are said to be cases in which the underwear becomes effectively invisible," Clarissa explained.

"What?!"

"Angle, lightning, and other conditions result in these special instances, commonly known as 'no underwear'."

"'No underwear'!? Then is Charlotte…"

"You probably just couldn't see her underwear," Clarissa summed up.

"I see. So she actually was wearing some. Thank god. Seriously, thank god."

In the foreground, some of the members squealed.

"That's the vice-captain of the Schwarzer Hase for you!"

"She isn't an anime and manga enthusiast for nothing!"

"She's my idol! I want to be her!"

Back on the phone call, Laura breathes a sigh of relief. "Seems I didn't lose my comrade in arms."

"Comrade in arms, huh?" asked Clarissa before she mutters something to herself. "She must be very close to you. I feel a bit jealous."

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. We Schwarzer Hase are always with you, Captain. Please keep that in mind, given that you've turned over a new leaf with regards to your former enemy, the Kingslayer."

"I appreciate it, Clarissa."

Laura soon ends the call and gets on her mission regarding her best friend. Although one could wonder just why she would listen to the advice of a second-in-command who bases real events on manga and anime.

At the Reference Room, Charlotte and Raiden set the box down on the cart, their task now finished.

"Thanks for the help," Charlotte thanked Raiden. "I'll go tell the teacher we're done. See you back in the classroom."

"Okay," Raiden nodded. "Don't overwork yourself, that you shouldn't."

As soon as Raiden leaves, Charlotte gives a big sigh of relief. "I managed to keep him from finding out. My underwear's having the same symptoms as Byakushiki, isn't it?" She the looks at her necklace. "I should do something about this soon. But then they'll have to examine Revive. I won't be able to protect Ichika. Plus, if Ichika finds out that I'm not wearing any underwear…"

Charlotte soon starts to imagine Ichika and her on the rooftop, with the former's back turned to her as he leaves, disappointed of how she is into stuff like this. Despite her pleas for him in wanting to explain, he only expressed greater disappointment and leaves her, like a father leaving his child.

Back in the real world, Charlotte exclaims, "It might end up like that! I don't want that to happen!"

After stepping out of the Reference Room, Charlotte knew what she had to do. "Anyway, I need to keep it a secret at least until Ichika gets his Byakushiki back!"

"Huh?" The voices of three girls of Houki, Rin, and Cecilia heard what Charlotte had said.

Charlotte was shocked. Talk about bad timing.

Quickly though, she tries to make up an excuse. "H-Hey! Fancy meeting you all here!" A teacher asked me to move some stuff over to the Reference Room! S-See you!"

Charlotte tries to leave but all three girls, with closed eyes and scary smiles, stop her, with Houki's hand on Charlotte's right shoulder.

"Hey, Charlotte," Houki stopped.

"About what you just said…" Cecilia said.

"Could you tell us more about it?" asked Rin.

Now caught in the palms of their hands, Charlotte was now forced to divulge the truth. At the very least though she can keep the fact of her missing panties a secret, along with the encounter of the Omega Syndicate. But regarding the assassination from Phantom Task…

LATER…

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Houki demanded to her childhood friend.

"You need to tell us these kinds of things!" Cecilia said.

"Do you realize there are people after you?!" Rin asked.

In Class 1-1, all three girls confront and corner Ichika. Since they now know the truth regarding that night of his assassination, along with the mission he was in with Charlotte, the girls were a bit mad. Although for Houki and Rin, it was more out of concern for their childhood friend and not out of unrequited feelings. Luckily though, they know nothing regarding the Omega Syndicate.

"So you found out about my Byakushiki?" Ichika asked.

The girls nod in confirmation.

"I suppose I'll just have to protect you," Houki said. "I can't let Raiden be the only samurai to do so."

But Cecilia disagreed. "No. This is where me and my Blue Tears come in."

Rin however had something to say. "You cant be his bodyguard when you've got a long-range sniper type! Leave it to me and my Shenlong!"

"What did you just say?!" Cecilia angrily asked.

"What's your problem?"

"Be quiet!" Houki demanded.

"What was that?!"

This was getting out of hand and at that point, the girls would've most likely be ignoring the boy in question's opinion regarding the matter. If he tried to intervene, he'd probably just get told to shut up.

Then, a hand grabs his left hand sneakily.

"Ichika, this way," Charlotte whispered before dragging him off. And they make a run for it down the hall.

"Sorry, Ichika," Charlotte apologizes.

"They would've found out eventually anyway," Ichika reassured.

"I'm really sorry," Charlotte again apologizes.

But that was the least of their problems as a pair of blue BITS caught up to them. And there was only one pilot who could do such a thing.

"Duck!" Charlotte cried.

*PEW*

The BITS fire as Ichika ducks for cover, missing the shot from the drones. Charlotte too hits the deck.

"That's dangerous!" Ichika shouted at Cecilia.

But Cecilia reassures rather worryingly, "I'm limiting the output power, so it won't kill you or anything." She then offers a hand out. "Come on! I'm placing you under my protection!"

Ichika however was not buying it. "Don't shoot lasers at someone you should be protecting!"

Charlotte however looks behind and sees a spinning Souten Gagetsu coming at the two at full speed.

"Watch out!" She pushes Ichika out of the way.

*DING*

And the double-bladed Chinese scimitar embeds itself into the wall, crushing it.

"Rin this time?" asked a shocked Ichika.

"Don't worry," Rin reassured before retrieving it magnetically. "I used the dull side."

"It totally broke the wall!"

That however was irrelevant to the girls, determined to be Ichika's protector.

"I shall protect you!" Cecilia charges in with her BITS.

"No, I will!" Rin retorted.

*CLANG*

But a pair of katanas blocks both of the girls' weapons.

"I'll be protecting Ichika!" Houki said.

Cecilia however said back, "I'm not going to back down."

Rin too had the same idea. "Let's fight and see who's his true childhood friend."

All three soon have a stand-off and the tension in the air mounts up. At this point, it is unlikely neither of the girls will back down.

"U-Um, guys…" Charlotte tries to intervene.

But then another voice speaks up. Another male voice that could only belong to another male in the Academy. "O-Oi, you three! Can you please act like proper adults here?"

But all three girls, recognizing the voice, responded, "DON'T GET IN OUR WAY, RAIDEN!"

"ORO-" Gasped the blind boy before seeing a pair of katanas, some BITS, and a Chinese scimitar come flying at him.

But then a water barrier is deployed in front of him, deflecting all three weapons.

"That's enough!" The voice of Tatenashi Sarashiki spoke up before dropping her water barrier protecting Raiden. "No abusing IS for personal reasons inside the school. And to think the one person I sent who could try to calm all three of you, you nearly tried to skewer him."

"You should stay out of this!" Houki said.

"This is our problem!" Cecilia agreed.

"Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong!" Rin retorted.

But Tatenashi was undeterred. "I see… Very well. Then I might as well join in. I can have Ichika-kun or Dear Raiden to myself if I defeat you, right?"

Tatenashi then flips open her fan that says, "Strongest in Academy", which immediately makes the three girls stand down, realizing they don't stand a chance. Immediately, they deactivate their IS.

"Thanks for being reasonable," Tatenashi thanks before putting the final nail on this coffin. "All right, you three will go level the field!"

"What!?" All three were stunned.

"I'd set a bad precedent if I let things slide after all the trouble you've cased," Tatenashi explains. "Okay, have fun! Oh, and Dear Raiden, I want to talk to you about something. Can you follow me?"

"Uh, right!" Raiden accepts following the Student Council President.

All three girls were left defeated, now forced with punishment. For Ichika, he was glad the nightmare was over. And for Charlotte, she was glad that her other secret was not exposed.

Later on the rooftop, Charlotte looks out to the sunset while Ichika had his back to the wall next to her, thinking about what just happened.

"I feel sorry for them," Ichika admitted.

"Yeah," Charlotte nodded, still uncomfortable of the fact that she was still commando.

Sighing, Ichika pushes himself off the wall. "All right. I'll be going too."

This surprises Charlotte as she looks at him. "Where?"

"To get told off by Chifuyu-nee," Ichika replied as he starts to walk away. "It all happened because of my Byakushiki."

Charlotte pleaded, "Wait! In that case, I should go!"

"You did your best, Char," Ichika reassured with a smile. "Let me be the cool guy for once. Otherwise, I won't be able to catch up with Raiden."

"But…" A sad Charlotte said clutching her necklace.

"Thanks for all you've done for me today. You've really made my day."

Charlotte could only look in discomfort as Ichika walks away so casually to see his sister, ready for whatever punishment would be brought upon him. For some reason, it pained her to see him cover for her. Must be because he was so caring and selfless, but that line of thought could often be regarded as naivety.

'Ichika's going. He's taking responsibility for my mess. He hasn't done anything wrong. Should I have told him the truth?'

Charlotte then shakes her head no.

'There's no way I can tell him! If I do, I won't be able to protect him! He'll hate me! But… what am I supposed to do?'

Charlotte soon takes out her necklace, which was Rafale Revive in its standby form. In that moment as she cradles it, a green light emerges from it. But that is when she witnesses a flashback to her childhood as a little girl, when she broke her mother's favorite mirror. Her mother had calmly asked why a young Charlotte never told her, only for a crying Charlotte to respond that she would be mad if she did.

But Charlotte's mother was not concerned over a broken mirror. Rather, she was concerned if Charlotte had gotten hurt, for nothing is more precious to a mother than her own child. Between a mirror and her daughter, Charlotte's mother favored the latter more than anything. It was a lesson Charlotte had taken to heart that made her honest from now on. A lesson she had almost forgotten considering her current circumstances.

Remembering this moment made Charlotte smile.

'Of course. There's no way Ichika would hate me because of this. I just need to be honest. I should just be honest with him!'

With steely determination, she looks up and calls out, "Wait!"

Ichika turns around to face her.

"There's something I need to tell you," She aid.

"What's going on?" He asked.

Gripping her skirt with shaky hands, she says, "You see, I…"

And slowly she starts to lift it to a surprised Ichika.

"Hey, what are you doi—"

"Please!" She interrupted.

"Char?"

"Look. This is my…secret."

Slowly she lifts her skirt up more, about to reveal her dark secret. But then…

"Charlotte!" A voice interrupted from behind, surprising her and catching her off-guard.

'Wh-What was I about to do?!'

"Oh, Laura, what's up?" asked a stuttering Charlotte as she turned slowly.

Laura then crouches down before lifting Charlotte's skirt from behind, shocking the French girl a little.

"Ah, you are wearing underwear," Laura said as she looked.

"Of course I am!" said Charlotte before she felt something odd, making her confused. "Underwear?"

She then lifted her skirt to see that her panties had indeed returned. Seems as if the quantum shift had died down on her IS.

"You're right! Look Ichika! Look at this!"

Charlotte looked to see Ichika with his back turned on the two girls, obvious of what they were talking about and what they were doing and looking away out of embarrassment and dignity. Realizing what she was doing at this moment, she screams and puts her skirt back down out of shame and embarrassment.

She only had three words to say as she then brought her skirt back down.

"Ichika, you pervert."

"What did I do?!" He asked.

LATER THAT NIGHT…

Charlotte and Laura were in their dorm room later that night, discussing the rather unfortunate day the former had. She told the whole story about it to Laura, starting from the beginning with the mission.

"Your underwear exclusively kept undergoing forced quantum conversion, huh?" asked the one-eyed German.

Charlotte was looking at her orange panties, sighing.

"It's been a long day," She said with a sigh.

"You could've worn something that's not recognized as underwear. Like this."

Laura then held up a pair of black bloomers.

"Bloomers?" asked Charlotte before she put her head down in shame. "Why didn't I think of that?"

It was then that Laura just had the audacity to say something outrageous.

"As a French queen once said, 'No panties? Then let them wear bloomers.'"

"She didn't say that!" exclaimed Charlotte. Where the hell did Laura get that kind of information from?

IS ACADEMY: Chifuyu's Office…

Meanwhile in Chifuyu's office, she was not having a good day either. Asides from the fact that she heard from Tatenashi and Charlotte of the girls learning of Ichika's near assassination, she was at least grateful that the mention of Omega was kept out of it.

But as a matter of fact, the only thing on Chifuyu's mind was Omega, having now attracted the Syndicate and its leader, Aria Ikeuchi. And to Chifuyu, she had only recently learned she was an IS pilot, and an incredibly talented one at that with an unknown IS. It is probable to her that the IS was constructed by Tabane which is why it never showed up on any official registration list. But the fact that Tabane conspired to build IS for criminals disturbed her greatly, wondering what the hell the rabbit was thinking.

And as much as Chifuyu wanted to go to Omega to make Aria pay for the harm done to her brother, Chifuyu knew better than to take reckless vengeance. Raiden had told her that the call he received from Yamagata a few days ago was in regard to Omega and the shipment at the docks. The JSDF could not do anything at the time it happened and the Diet, having learned that the Syndicate was involved, was already in uproar. They want to wage a full scale assault at Omega's doors, but the Omega Syndicate vastly outnumbers and outguns the police and JSDF combined. Even with aid from the US, they would be no match. And the Syndicate is well hidden from public eye. To engage them would mean all-out war on Japan's streets and declaration of martial law.

Chifuyu would be forced to let this slide and allow the Pirate Queen to take whatever prize she sought back to Omega. Frustrated, and with school hours over thanks to the sundown over the horizon, she takes out a bottle of scotch she kept hidden and drinks.

"Ugh, what a miserable day," Chifuyu stressed while leaning back into her chair with drink in hand. "Can it get any worse?"

"I take it this is a bad time?" A voice soon popped up entering into her office. The voice of a familiar American blonde haired woman she knew.

Chifuyu was not in a mood. "Miriam. I didn't get the memo you'd be coming."

"I'm sorry to not inform you, Chifuyu," Miriam Walker said entering the room with some documents in hand before taking her seat. "I did read the report of your students' encounter with Omega so I figured you'd need some time to stress off."

"Just the usual shenanigans I get as a teacher," Chifuyu said as she provided a second cup of scotch to hand to Miriam. "I've been teaching here for so long and been behind so many operations that the Academy staff is thinking of promoting me to headmistress but I'm going to decline."

"Not your sort of thing?" asked Miriam as she takes her scotch and drinks.

"Just worried about the students is all," Chifuyu said as she refills. "My brother being the most important."

Funny enough for Chifuyu, when it comes to Miriam Walker, she can be comfortable to speak with. Unlike with Akane who is always looking for some way to settle their rivalry and loves taunting the Burnhilde, Miriam was more civil and professional. Granted, both Chifuyu and Miriam were never friends, but they are at least tolerable with one another. Not to mention they have things in common regarding Akane. At the very least Chifuyu can trust Miriam with keeping a leash on Akane but that's probably no longer an option since Akane retired from the CIA.

"So, what did you call me for?" asked Chifuyu, seeing the documents in hand.

Miriam decides to get straight to the point. "Remember the attack on the Academy a few days ago? When Phantom Task nearly took Ichika's IS and brought in a whole army of flyers?"

Chifuyu's mind flashes back to that day of the school festival when Phantom Task attacked with an army of IS. Five of them were Golems. She had not forgotten it one bit.

"Yes…" Chifuyu answered. "Those Golems that could transform into jets. Raiden had called them Seekers."

"The CIA gathered a few of those corpses to analyze their construction thanks to cooperation from Japan's Public Security Intelligence Agency," Miriam revealed. But Chifuyu was not surprised given of her inquisitive nature.

"What exactly did you find on them?" asked Chifuyu.

Before Miriam could answer, she had to make one thing clear. "First things first though, I am not asking you to help me with the autopsy. Technically what I have found is only a theory. I just felt I owed it to you to let you know. It could lead us to the one behind their creation. The main leader of Phantom Task."

Chifuyu tensed up, keen to listen to what Miriam has uncovered. "Go on."

"When we had taken one of these Seeker corpses and reassembled and reactivated it under a careful and watchful eye, we used several methods of interrogation until we found out that it and the rest of their kind cannot speak. They show no reaction to anything, not even electrocution. There's not even a pilot inside. It's as if they literally can't think of anything for themselves, no matter what is going on around them." Miriam then shows some documents related to their findings. "Their programming as it turns out is based on a single command to find IS pilots related to the IS Academy and destroy them. They're like drones almost."

"Why do you think this would lead us to the mastermind?" asked a concerned Chifuyu.

"This is where things get interesting," Miriam said before she began her explanation. "Our analysis shows that the Seekers are indeed composed of Infinite Stratos technology, but without the IS core. When we analyzed its construction down to its core processor, we discovered that they were made from parts of various IS that were retrofitted and reforged to create them, with their core being a simple processor. Creating robots that are indeed IS but without the core and without the pilot. All of it based on a singular programming to terminate any hostiles it encounters."

Chifuyu narrowed her eyes as she looks at the documents and images. If these Seekers were indeed the remains of IS throughout the ten years the Infinite Stratos has been in existence, then it seems not all of them were left to the dumps.

"Someone combined the IS parts and weapons to create these drones," Chifuyu said as she brought her hand to her chin in thinking. "Are they even artificial intelligence though?"

"The transformation is a result of 23 cybernetic implants, IS parts, and other prototype weaponry that would otherwise be classified, yet stolen through unknown methods," Miriam revealed. "To oversimplify it a bit, they've been modified so that their exoskeletons are capable of functioning without an IS core needed. At least not a true one in the sense that we know. I believe Phantom Task has made them into living weapons made to combat against the IS without the need of a pilot."

Chifuyu gritted her teeth. To oversimplify it even more, Phantom Task has managed to create an anti-IS unit that was also an IS but no pilot. The facts found by Miriam only disgusted the Brunhilde.

"Their processor's apparent lack of processing power probably comes from the burden that causes," Miriam explained more. "But I am more concerned of their reconstruction. There is absolutely no way for an IS to be stripped of parts and combined with another IS' parts at this scale to be made into a living weapon, let alone be retrofitted and function without a core. Even if mankind eventually created cyborgs, they would never become this powerful. Not unless someone had an advanced intelligent mind capable of this. Unless…"

Chifuyu listens closely for what Miriam would say next.

"Unless that someone is so powerful in the IS world that they would also receive such information on how to integrate IS technology, physically and systematically. That there is someone out there with the power to create anti-IS weapons in the form of the IS without using the 467 cores the world shares. By constructing more IS cores in secret from harvested Time Crystals in Luxembourg."

"But who would ever create something like this though?" asked Chifuyu.

"My only guess…" Miriam answered. "…Is that it may be one of the Mondo Grosso candidates. We know from the 2nd Mondo Grosso that there were four contestants. Obviously, you cannot be it since you forfeited to save your brother. The second candidate and 2nd Brunhilde, Alicia Josestof, I have doubts on despite her desire to have a rematch with you. The third I have found to have been murdered by a street gang. Which just leaves the fourth candidate, the IS pilot without a face and who withdrew due to the incident you had, Kikiyo Inazumi. Or as she is better known by her IS… Sound Wave."

Miriam soon hands over a file and Chifuyu looks at the documents presented regarding the individual Kikiyo Inazumi. Her face was unrecognizable due to a visor that she always wore, one that would cover her entire face. But everyone who knew her during the second Mondo Grosso called her 'the IS pilot without a face.' An exaggerated term but one befitting to the silent type. All that was known was that she had long silvery-white hair down to her shoulders, wearing a black IS suit with purple lining designed to look like a complex computer software, and had a pet raven with her on her shoulder.

"I'm sure you have heard the name though before the 2nd Mondo Grosso," Miriam continued. "In the early days of the IS, when the world was thrown into chaos after the White Knight incident, and then Thirteen IS pilots were chosen. Besides you, there was one another among the group who was just as powerful. The one that Kikiyo serves currently now, along with Nobuo Iwasaki whom we later learned is with Phantom Task. The one behind the 2nd Mondo Grosso incident where your little brother was kidnapped. The one I think is the real leader of Phantom Task."

Chifuyu's face soon turned into utter shock and disbelief, not wanting to believe what Miriam would have said next. She gasps, not wanting to believe it.

"It can't be!" cried Chifuyu as she stood up, but Miriam remained steadfast.

"Given the evidence, Chifuyu, I think it's a reasonable conclusion. That's why I came. I had to let you know immediately."

Chifuyu then walks over to her window, her face distorted with such anger that she grips her fists and her teeth, the former with a small hint of blood being drawn. Her head hangs low as Miriam looks at the Brunhilde in concern.

"No… it's not possible!" Chifuyu growled. "Don't tell me she's back again!"

And so this chapter and episode is now finished. I am glad to get this one out of the way since the episode was mostly for comedy purposes and everyday school life, not about the real story of what is going on. So I thought it best to make some big changes and add some things while also trying to keep the core of the episode intact.

For starters, Laura saving Ichika from Madoka. I needed Raiden to get in there and Ichika instead of letting Laura hog all the glory and spotlight. Plus the way it was portrayed in the anime differs from how it is portrayed in the light novel; for example, Madoka's hand being cut up with blood after she caught Laura's knife. I'm not saying that's what I used instead but rather just pointing out differences. Next, I made Raiden be the one to save Ichika from Madoka to show that this story still centers around him as the main character. I know season 2 is not the best season compared to season 1, I admit, and it is difficult to write it out at this point since many of the episodes later on focus on Ichika and the Sarashiki sisters being added to the harem and not the other girls.

Now for what I think is the main crux of this chapter: Omega. And its leader, Aria Ikeuchi. For those wondering, Aria is another OC I created, along with Pearl-Tapioca. So credit to him as well. Plus I wanted to get her involved personally so that everyone, Ichika included and the readers as well, implant into their brains the one rule: Don't fuck with Aria! I know it is from Mass Effect but it is a fairly simple and straightforward rule to employ, if you know the meaning of its context. Also, I needed Ichika to lose very badly against an IS pilot whose caliber and skill match with Chifuyu.

Then the rest of the chapter follows just like the episode: Charlotte going commando due to her panties undergoing a quantum shift because of her IS. Not really much to say about it other than comedy effect and usual harem shenanigans found in harem anime. But at least I get Raiden involved somewhat as the one trying to calm the three girls down, only to nearly end up skewered by them.

Finally, the chapter ends with Chifuyu and Miriam Walker discussing about the Seekers and Phantom Task. Inspiration from this came from My Hero Academia where All Might is informed by Detective Tsukauchi regarding Nomu and Nomu's creator. Same thing here in this chapter as we slowly start to see Chifuyu's face visibly angered upon learning who is really the mastermind behind the attack on the Academy and the one leading Phantom Task. And for the record, it is NOT Tabane Shinonono!

Next chapter will be the start of the Kanzashi Sarashiki arc. All three chapters that is. This is going to be a difficult arc since I am still trying to work out how to fit my OC into this arc.

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