Already writing this story after I published Chapter 16, let's hope it doesn't get released like 2 months late again...
Anyways, enjoy the content :)
- ISReaderandWriter
TEXT GUIDE:
ITALICS - Either Text Messages/Calls, Signs, Flashbacks or AI
BOLD - Machine Names or Important Text
'Single Speech Marks' - Thoughts
"Double Speech Marks" - Characters Speaking
(Brackets) - Details
[Square Brackets] - IS Talking or Displaying Information
I do not own the resources used in this fanfiction. All of this belongs to Izuru Yumizuru.
[Dreamscape] [A "day" later]
Ichika had gotten used to the regimen, having to continuously fight both Byakushiki and Setsura without rest, even as going as far to go against both of them at once. They never made it easy aswell, bringing out a much more calculating side of the boy, making split nanosecond decisions whenever Byakushiki did her signature move. His combat aptitude skyrocketed, being able to take out Setsura in just 10 minutes with the Emperor's Cloak, sadly that wasn't the case with Byakushiki.
Sitting down together, Shino and Setsura sat close the the Orimura as Byakushiki respected his space and sat across from him. "You've improved massively Ichika-san, being able to take down my imouto isn't something one could do within a day, not even Chifuyu was able to do so in the same time frame. Congrats to you." He blushed at the praise, especially since he got it from a woman that looked and acted like a perfect version of the Brunhilde. "Um... thanks Byaku, though I still can't get anywhere near you even in the dang Emperor's Cloak!"
"Ichika-sama, you don't have to be so hard on yourself. Byakushiki-san already praised you, which is already a blessing in and of itself. You just need time, it's been only a day here in the dreamscape but roughly 5 days in the real world!" Shino comforted the angered boy as he continued to bring his mood down. Byakushiki and Setsura looked at each other, having had a conversation earlier exactly about Ichika's motivation and discipline. "Look, onii-san? We need to talk about your pride and its source."
Ichika turned his head towards Setsura, seeing the sign of unease coming from the girl. Knowing it was serious, he posed himself towards the two, with Shino moving away from the boy. "Alright, what seems to be the problem Setsu?" Byakushiki cleared her throat as she started to talk.
"Firstly, I'll just start by saying that your goal of getting stronger to protect your loved ones is the most dumb and shitty end point that I could think of." Her unexpected use of harsh language shocked Ichika, but she continued. "However, this does not mean that it is a stupid goal at all, all I am trying to say is that your main target should be something else. You're being treated like a lap-dog right now, having to bear the grunt of all your friend's failures and your tyrant sister's endless annoyances. Basically, what I am trying to say is that you should think of yourself more highly. Which one way you can do so is by getting stronger to earn respect and understanding from your loved ones while gaining the ability to protect them."
"Nee-san! That's a bit too harsh don't you think?" Setsura exclaimed as Byakushiki finished her part of the discussion. "Personally, I think that you should just get stronger to be on the same level as them, but you should also put boundaries for yourself. Those hussies don't know how precious you are to them!"
"..." Ichika felt moved by the pure emotion that Setsura had used to persuade him. Still, he tried to combat this argument with one of his own. "But won't I need to get strong to do all of this? I think that my goal right now is perfectly fine." Byakushiki, Shino and Setsura all shook their heads in disappointment, with the eldest of the ISes bringing up a display, showing all the times that he had been seriously hurt by those in his life, physically and mentally. From Chifuyu's harsh treatment of their relationship as siblings, to Rin and Houki's deliberate use of their ISes to nearly murder their "childhood friend".
"You see Ichika? Your current goal does nothing but protect them, but what happens if they are the ones that kill you? You need to think of a different plan, one that will keep those bitches in check" Byakushiki hit a switch in the boy as he lunged forward towards her, igniting Yukihira's brilliant blue blaze in the process. He sent her flying back, having caught her by surprise and slammed her body into the ground. The force itself was unparelleled, creating a crater larger than the moon itself in depth and width. Adding on to this, he didn't even activate either one of his ISes, instead dawning a new form, one that reminded someone of a fallen celestial being.
Ichika's body was significantly taller, stretching from 5'10 to a staggering 7'2, going beyond his previous 6'3, and towering above the others. His muscles were toned, having a greek-like physique and his lower body having grown in size quite a lot for some reason. Six IS wings sprung out of his back, donning a brilliant white overlay with obsidian black trimmings (A/N: Byakushiki Ouri?), shifting constantly in an eager bloodlusting manner. "You better not say that again Byaku" Ichika's mysterious alter-ego evolved from the looks of it, scaring the life out of all three ISes, even though they are invincible in this plane of existence. "YOU HEAR ME!?"
"Y-y-yes! I understand..." Byakushiki struggled to get the words out, which made Setsura and Shino even more scared of this version of Ichika. Luckily, he quickly reverted back to his normal state after realising the true terror that he established. "I'm... sorry about that. I don't know what came over me but I think it has to do with the Mosaic Project if I'm honest."
Byakushiki immediately recognised the name, having been previously the IS for Chifuyu's White Knight. She jolted her eyes towards him, making a focused but scared expression. Once he realised the tense air that came from the others, he rushed to a seiza position and bowed profusely. "I AM SO SORRY!"
"It's alright Ichika-san. I just didn't expect you to be able to achieve this sort of power... How were you able to do that?" Byakushiki's question confused Ichika as he didn't even know himself, only being able to remember the effects of the Mosaic Project and parts of his estranged family.
Setsura and Shino stared blankly at the conversation between the two, having zero insight into the history between Chifuyu and Core-001. "Hey, Setsura-san, have you got an idea about what they are talking about?" The white-haired girl responded with an apt "no". Byakushiki, realising the curious stares from the two, coughed nervously to grab the two's attention before grabbing Ichika's outstreched hand to pull herself up with.
Rushing to Ichika, Setsura walked up to the Orimura, swirling around her frilly dress. "Hey, nii-san, I saw you and Shino talking earlier and it seemed quite serious due to Shino's expression... Can I know what you two were talking about?" Shino's face immediately turned grim and Byakushiki joined in the conversation, even though Ichika was clearly nervous about the two getting involved.
"Setsu, Byaku... Do you two really want to know why I have three... or should I say three-and-a-half IS cores?" The two immediately stood in place as they realised what the male pilot was saying. "Three-and-a-half IS cores? I thought only Shino was added to our system?" Setsura worriedly asked the boy, knowing nothing about the possible consequences that it could have on him. "Yes, I am sure that there are three-and-a-half, even if I have no idea how she was able to do that. After all, Tabane-nee gave me this video about it." He pulled out the slim device that Shino had given him the day before, plugging it into his device before turning on the screen, showing the same dark room with Tabane holding the blood red IS core.
[Flashback(?)] [Tabane's Lab]
"Hi Hi Iikun! It's been a while since I did a recording like this... heh... I never really did like doing these kinds of things anyways, but after the attack back on the island with your school I knew that it was only time before an opponent stronger than you arrives at your doorstep." Tabane shuffled her fingers as she slid her hands over the IS core. For some reason, Shino was turning a flushed red as Tabane did so.
"Hey, and if you're watching this, then that time has already come. From a little boy to a well-off man, all from my little tutelage." Tabane softly smiled, like a mother watching her child grow up from a wimpy boy to a strong man. "Anyways, I have a new gift for you. Or should I say two? In any case, you should know what this is, don't you. She's Shinonaito, one of my most top secret and powerful IS creations." She tapped the core as it twinkled in great curiosity. "If you want to know the specs, she's a 5th generation IS. Yes, I know, you thought my best invention was the 4th generation wasn't it? I didn't want to keep you suffering against all those 3rd gen ISes in the world and Byakushiki is taking too long to evolve even if she has core-001."
"Wait... core-001? But then that means." Ichika turned to look at Byakushik leaving Setsura and Shino to guess who Tabane was talking about. "I had a feeling you had some suspicion towards my attitude towards you being a lot too much like Chifuyu-san's. Yes, I am core-001, otherwise known as the White Knight core."
"So you know of my family's past don't you?" Ichika glared scrutinisingly at Byakushiki, as if trying to extract the answers he had been seeking out of her brain.
"I do, but only the parts that Chifuyu-san has told me about. We ISes aren't able to read minds as much as you think." He sighed at her answer, hoping he could find out why he had been having these strange dreams over and over again. "Hey, I can probably guess what you're thinking. I can tell you this much to remember so take note of it." All the others sat into place as they waited impatiently for Byakushiki's retelling.
"I'll sum this up because I don't know that much, but what I can say is that you're family was part of this Phantom Task that you so want to destroy. Your sister, Chifuyu, wanted to leave that type of world behind as you were tortured day in and day out with unconsented experiments meant to turn you into a living, killing machine." She paused as she looked up Ichika from top to down. "And I think they were able to do just that. Your transformation back there wasn't normal for a human, even a genetically-modified one."
Ichika's heart sank as he realised what his random flashbacks in memory meant. That man with the glasses that looked oddly similar to him? That probably was his real father, but what about his mother? "Hey, Byaku, did you ever find out what my family did?"
"Sorry Ichika, that I cannot tell you... Chifuyu-san never mentioned any of them to me." It felt strange to the boy, having memories of people that seem familiar, but having no way to understand who they were. Reluctantly, he sighed as he got back up, looking towards Setsura. "Hey Setsu, let's continue working. Nothing's gonna happen if we keep discussing meaningless stuff."
"Nii-san? Aren't you curious about your past? I mean, what Nee-chan said was crazy for me and Shino to understand no?" Shino kept silent as Ichika flashed an unamused stare. "I mean, it's the past, what can I do about it? Let's just move on from this moment and keep on training. I have to work to get stronger to protect myself."
Byakushiki smiled as she realised Ichika was starting to take on her words. 'He's taking my input seriously, soon he'll be able to stand his ground and keep protecting Chifuyu-san and Tabane-san.' Shino sat there dumbfounded, not understanding a single thing that any of the three said.
Though far off in the distance, behind a large forest of trees, a silent figure stood there, wrapped in a shroud of black with evergreen highlights. She smirked at the sight of Ichika, licking her lips as she thought of her prey.
[Tabane's Lab, Testing Arena]
Tabane sat directly opposite from Ichika, with Chloe laying her tired head across his stomach. She hadn't done much inventing since Ichika's admission to the infirmary, and Chifuyu with the rest of the girls were down in her training arena, strengthening their techniques and manners endlessly under the renowned tutelage of the Brunhilde. Weapons clashed as plasma met blazing steel.
"MAINTAIN YOUR FORM SHINONONO. THE BULLLETS WILL ONLY GET FASTER SO KEEP YOUR EYES ON DUNOIS." Chifuyu's voice boomed throughout the miniature arena as the French blonde and the native brunette fought ferociously, digging further into the No Man's Land that kept them apart. Sparks flew as the others watched the two parry and redirect their attacks. "Charlotte-chan is doing really well against those attacks, normally Houki-chan's Amatsuki would have blown off the Raphael Evolution's armor." Tatenashi analyzed the battle scrutinizingly, with Kanzashi silently following suit. Laura, Cecila and Rin viewed the battle displeasingly, thinking about how they would fare against those two, who now both had 4th Evolution ISes.
Chifuyu herself revelled in the gap between her and the two, noticing clear gaps in their defenses that she could easily exploit. A swing under the right arm and a stab to the chest could easily take out their IS shields. 'These girls are no match for any of those Phantom Task operatives, much less Madoka'.
*Slash*
The orange-tinged titanium IS crumpled to the ground bit by bit as Kaware peeled off parts of Charlotte's wing shielding, exposing layers of hydraulics and wiring needed to control flight. Houki noticed the opportunity and aimed her other katana at the vulnerable area, throwing Charlotte off her balance and sending her tumbling her towards the ground.
Her body bounced off the ground slightly as Charlotte left a small dent in the hard titanium flooring. "That's enough!" Chifuyu echoed the end of the match, bringing both Dunois and Shinonono side to side as they faced towards their instructor. "Shinonono, that was a better display than before, but not enough. More training without spatial awareness! As for you Dunois, you're capable as a defensive fighter, but all fighters must be somewhat effective in using defensive and offensive attacks. Dismissed!"
The two answered with a weathered confirmation, dark bags sagging underneath their eyes. Houki was the first one to move, disabling her IS before landing on the ground with a slight tumble in her step. "Woah, Houki, you need some rest." Cecilia ran to Houki's side, cupping the left side of her body. Laura rushed to do the same with Charlotte, who nearly fell face first onto the cold steel.
"Instructor, I don't want to sound critical but aren't you pushing us a bit too far?" Laura questioned her mentor, with the tired group focusing on the two. The Brunhilde turned to look back at the petite soldier, giving a cold and unloving glare towards her. "I don't think any of you are allowed to talk until you can at least put up a fight against me. Phantom Task isn't going to show any of you mercy, and it was a shitstorm for me to get out with Ichika."
"But don't you think that we should at least have some rest between sessions right? You used to do that back at camp, so what's different now?" Laura's impertinent questioning annoyed Chifuyu, loosely keeping her calm as Laura continued her rant. "Hey, Laura, I think now's not the right time to argue.." Charlotte's tired voice reached Laura as she realised her incessant argument was only taxing on her, knowing Chifuyu's own predicament in regards to Ichika.
Following the two joined Rin, Cecilia and a battered Houki, heading out of the battle room towards their impromptu bedrooms. Kanzashi and Tatenashi stared towards their direction, before switching glances towards each other, clearly worried for them. "Hey, onee-chan? I'm going to go talk to Orimura-sensei. I don't think she's in her right state of mind." Tatenashi nodded in agreement as she motioned Kanzashi to go and talk to her.
Steeling her nervousness, Kanzashi slowly walked over to Chifuyu, coughing lightly to get her attention. "Um, Orimura-sensei? Are you alright?" The Brunhilde sighed as she tried to divert the question. "Orimura-sensei? I'm asking a question?" Kanzashi urged with a slightly more serious tone.
"If you want an answer Sarashiki-san, I'm perfectly alright. Now take a rest, you've earned it..." She responded in a monotone voice, causing Kanzashi to be more curious. "Orimura-sensei, I know you aren't alright. You can tell me and onee-chan if you want." Chifuyu glared at Kanzashi, before answering. "It's just Ichika... You probably know this but I haven't been the best sister that I could have been. No child should be taking care of their elder sibling who acts like a bum all day and treats them like a nuisance. I just want him to be happy, even if it means him hating me. How can I be a better sister Kanzashi?"
The younger Sarashiki thought for a while as she looked over to Tatenashi, giving a reassuring thumbs up with a grin. "I guess you could start by treating him like a brother, instead of a lackluster student?" Chifuyu looked at the bluenette with a slightly confused face. "What do you mean?"
"Wait seriously? You don't understand what I mean?" Kanzashi and Tatenashi were visibly shocked, with Chifuyu shaking her head. Did she not have a proper family life?
"Huh... I guess you can start being a bit more relaxed and kinder with him, it will be better for him if you do it. It shows that you love him and that he isn't a burden to you. It's work for me and onee-chan." Tatenashi joined in to agree with her imouto, with Chifuyu slightly understanding what she meant.
"So basically, I stop beating the shit out of him whenever he doesn't listen?" Kanzashi and Tatenashi readily agreed with Chifuyu's proposition, but one of them had to take it further.
"The fuck do you mean 'beating the shit out of him' every time he messes up? That's just plain torture to almost anyone except you." Tatenashi boldly reprimanded the weakened Brunhilde, still fearful for her life if she pissed her off. Chifuyu sighed as she realised that she was acting exactly like her parents, deciding to become a better sister for Ichika in any way possible, even if it meant letting him be for a while to fix things.
"I see... Thank you Sarashiki. I guess I just need some time alone now, if you would kindly do so." The two sisters agreed as they walked out of the arena, allowing Chifuyu to recollect her thoughts.
["Orimura-sama, are you alright?"] Haiironokishi asked her pilot, sensing increasing tensity within Chifuyu and her fear of becoming what she hated the most.
"I'm fine Haiiro, really." Chifuyu responded, exasperated as she realised how much of a scumbag she was to her only family. Well, one that she accepted as her family at this point.
["May I suggest messaging with Byakushiki and Shinonaito to check on Ichika's condition?"] Chifuyu jerked back, only now realising how much of a lifesaver this would be. "Please, Haiiro."
Her assistant quickly moved to establishing a connection between them and the younger Orimura, only for the channel to become blocked. [WARNING: UNKNOWN IS IS ATTEMPTING TO BREACH THE FIREWALL]
Haiiro was beyond shocked, no IS was supposed to be able to get through another IS's firewall. Tabane made it that way. So how could another IS block her communication? She tried again, only to achieve the same result.
["What is going on?"] Her struggles were answered as she realised what may be blocking her access. ["Don't tell me that she managed to get out"]. Without thinking a second time, she instead decided to route a connection to Tabane's IS.
[Tabane's Lab, Infirmary]
Tabane still sat at Ichika's bedside, feeling guilty and remorseful for her involvement in the creation of the very machine that put his life in this state. Still, at least she had Chloe to keep her company. "Hey mama, will papa be alright?"
"Don't worry Ku-chan~. Papa's been through way worse than this hasn't he? He should be alright. Heh... heh..." Tabane responnded in a cheerful tone to the little girl, though unsure of the circumstances herself. 'Just please come back safe Ii-kun.'
["Tabane-chan, there's a message for you~"] A bubbly young girl popped up on Tabane's HUD, swirling around with her lime green hair swaying against her arm holding a mail-like phone. "Fanta-chan! Who's the message from?"
["Haiiro-neechan! Seems quite serious from the looks of its contents"] The relaxed girl reported, putting up a pair of fake glasses to seem more intelligent. It was oddly strange given the parallels between the pilot and the IS. "Hi Fanta!" Chloe shouted from beyond the screen, to which Fanta squealed in joy, recognising the iconic voice. ["Chloe-chan! How's it been? You've been helping mama since papa is healing?"] Chloe nodded in agreement.
"Hey Fanta-chan, can I see the message quickly? Haiiro never sends messages to me unless she's in trouble. I swear she's just like Chi-chan and Byaku-chan sometimes." Tabane asked politely of the lime-haired girl. To which the IS gave the message before continuing frolicking with Chloe.
["Tabane-sama, I think you accidentally let out Kuroshina when you added Shino to Byakushiki, I'm constantly getting hacked by her."]
"Wait, I thought Kuroshina was in a completely different core?" Tabane was dumbfounded, she never made this mistake before, especially when it came to one of the most dangerous ISes she created. It was an earnest mistake to create her. She was supposed to be helpful, not murderous. ["I think the stress from Ichika-san's situation took over you. It's not your fault, really."] Fanta tried to comfort her, using Ichika's circumstance as a reason.
"But what would happen if Kuro takes over Shino's consciousness and possesses Ii-kun? It'll all be my fault and then I will lose him forever!" Tabane hit herself in the head as she thought about the consequences of Kuroshina's malevolent nature infecting Ichika's gentle self.
["So... What should we do now about Kuro? I think we need to contact Haiiro and Chifuyu-san, they can probably sort through Ichika's mind, especially when she has a past with Byakushiki."]
"I guess that we'll just have to do that..." Tabane sighed at her helpless position. If only she could do more to help out Ichika, especially when it was her own fault in the first place. At least, that's how she viewed it as.
[Tabane's Lab]
The origininal five girls sat in their respective beds, looking pensively at the ground while giving weak glances towards each other. It didn't help that their sensei was in a grueling mood, continuously putting them through hell and back. Houki and Charlotte were the most tired out of the two, being the students with the latest technology in IS and the best suited to protect Ichika.
"Hey Charlotte-san, you alright after that mock battle?" Houki asked her friend, still slurring her words from the continuous 15-hours that she had stayed awake with. Charlotte replied with a simple nod, flashing a weak smile towards her. "It's fine Houki, it's just that we've been through hell this past day and I don't really feel that well considering Ichika's position right now..."
The rest gloomed at Charlotte's answer, they knew that Ichika was in a bad position at this point, and it was their fault he ended up this way. "Hey, but at least we know that he's ali-"
"But it's our fault that we keep getting him in these situations!" Cecilia argued against the French girl, causing everyone else to jump from her sudden outburst.
"Cecilia, what was that for?" Rin and Laura cringed as their eardrums ached from being so close to her.
"I mean, what do you think we do on a daily basis? Think about it, we've used tools that surpass any other military equipment to harm Ichika because he did something that caused our jealousy to spike! Don't you think that's way too overkill?!?" Cecilia recounted for the group every time they aimed their scimitars, katanas, guns and railguns at the poor pilot.
"I mean, Cecilia-chan has a point, right Kazashi-chan?" Tatenashi butted into the conversation as the door opened, followed by a smaller Kanzashi.
"Nee-chan has a point guys. Ichika's been struggling to comprehend why you guys keep on shooting him or putting him in the ICU every few days." The younger girl answered her sister's question. The rest of the group looked at her with scrutinising eyes as they realised Kanzashi seemed to have a closer relationship to him than they do.
"I-i-i'm Ichika-senpai's kouhai, so he tells me all about his struggles in communicating with you." Kanzashi recoiled slightly at their piercing glares, but retaliated with Tatenashi's support.
"You girls, Ichika-kun just wants to be friends with you, and yet you fill him with either led or bleed him dry whenever he talks to another girl. I know you hate to admit it, but Cecilia-chan's right. You need to trust in your friend more." Tatenashi summed up Cecilia and Kanzashi's arguments cleanly, allowing the rest of the group to understand her qualms.
"Though I think he already knows that all of you like him, judging by how he treats you." Tatenashi whispered under her breath, which thankfully none of them realised.
'Ichika-kun's a good man to be around, his massages are perfect, he's equal to everyone no matter their background and he has a nice toned body. I can understand why all of them like him so much.'
"Anyways, I found a game room in this god-foresaken lab with some neat machines. You wanna come join me and Kanzashi-chan?" Tatenashi lightened the mood, which the rest of the group didn't find a problem with. They all left the room to find the games, only to be stuck in a loop as they didn't know the lab very well.
...
"Ugh, nee-chan! I thought you knew the way!" Kanzashi whined at her sister.
"I swear it was this way! I was there just a minute ago!" The Sarashiki elder was confused, how could they already be stuck when they only took like five turns? Laura was about to speak when Kanzashi piped up again, whining that she was getting scared from how long it had been since they left the room.
The monotone grey walls of the facility didn't work either to calm her worries, with Charlotte having to calm down the youngest of the group.
"Hey, isn't this part of the wall different from others?" Laura looked at a specific part of the right wall, noticing a very thin line between two panels that seemed a bit too out of place. Bringing everyone's attention to it, Houki pressed the door, causing a sequence of gears shifting and miniature engines whirring to slide the door out of the way. On the other side was the game room that Tatenashi proposed, but it was thousands of times more eloquent that any of them expected.
On the left room, rows upon rows of virtual reality headsets laid on charging stations, ranging from the high-end PIPE IndeX 4s to ones that seemed to not even be in the prototype stage of any company in the industry. In addition, each headset was accompanied by an array of haptic IS suits, seemingly designed for each headset, and a motion platform to allow full body movement. Taking note of the right side, a clear cut shooting range sat in full display of a tempered bulletproof glass wall. Racked on the walls, organised sets of SIG Sauers and Glock Gen 9s sat in one corner, with Smith Wesson revolvers with Benelli M4 to M12s adjacent to it. To most of the group, they wanted to steer far away from it. Laura however, it was a soldier's dream. Taking no chance to look anywhere else, she raced over to pick up her trusty German-made HK USP 45 and G36C with an ACOG scope with vertical stub grip.
The rest of the group continued looking, falling into the centre, laid in front of a 100 inch TV screen, supported by all the latest consoles: Play-Platform 12, J-Box Range X and Ninendo Click, all respectively with their kinetic equipment. However, five unknown consoles sat in row with the three consumer-devices. Curious, Kanzashi and Rin looked closer at the consoles, noticing a distinct rabbit head with a sheathed katana imprinted as its logo with a clear Shinorima Industries Innovate 1,2,3,4,5.
"Houki! Did Dr. Shinonono ever have an interest in gaming?" Rin asked the kendo champion, who responded with a reluctant shrug. "I've never really seen her play an actual game, but she did always fangirl with Ichika and Orimura-sensei over the newest ecchi-games. Only to end up with a bulging bump over her head as Orimura-sensei berated her for talking about it in front of Ichika." Houki's answer pleased Rin as her face lit up on the advantags of all of the tech right in front of her.
"Eh, that doesn't matter right now! Laura's already having her share of fun in the shooting range. Let's go play some Wario Kart 9!" Rin leaped towards the middle of the room, laying herself square on the middle couch, as she relaxed on the plush leather. Cecilia and Charlotte joined afterwards, seeming to gain the same burst of energy that Rin had, diving next to the Chinese girl.
Houki stood there next to the two Sarashikis as they tried to comprehend the large room that was definitely larger than most of the other rooms within Tabane's facility. "Hey, Tatenashi-san, don't you think this is a bit too much?" Her question didn't reach the student president, who continued to glaze over the technology like a child at the arcade. "Tatenashi-san?"
"Huh? Oh, Shinonono-chan, no I think this is great! I can finally relax and play some games. You wanna come with me Kanzashi-chan?" The younger bluenette nodded in joy as they ran over to the virtual reality corner, donning their headsets. Houki was the only one who didn't decide to join in, standing hesitantly next to the door. 'How can they all be so comfortable when Ichika's dying at this point? I need to go take care of him.'
[Tabane's Lab] [With Houki]
Finding her answer to boredom, she left the room as she headed to where she thought was the infirmary, only to become lost in the winding corners and corridors of the laboratory. "Damn, where is the flipping infirmary??" She continued to wander through the steel grey walls, patting the walls to notice any doors camouflaged in.
She tripped over what seemed to be like wiring, but considerably larger than any she had seen before. Curious, she decided to follow the perpendicular cable towards a section of wall that blended perfectly with the sections next to it. Dabbing her tired hand on the wall above the wiring, her arm seemed to phase through the wall, making her fall face flat into a new room. From what she could see, it was completely different compared to all the other quarters she had been in. It was decked with ruffled papers, hanging haphazardly on layers of shelves, and mysterious inventions sat on dusted tables with a lone computer embedded within to the wall. Houki knew that Tabane kept a lot of secrets, especially ones that either pissed off her or Chifuyu.
"Tabane-san, what were you up to with all this stuff? I wonder if I can take a peek in what's inside the room." The younger Shinonono walked over to the dusted computer, swiping away the little clumps of powdered grey and bringing the computer alive. Surprisingly, the computer had no encryption on it, which Houki chuckled it off, knowing it was one of Tabane's worst habits. "Really, you are the genius creator of the IS, but you don't even remember to lock your own personal devices."
[PROJECT FILE: QUAD CORE SYSTEM (SUBJECT: ICHIKA ORIMURA)]
"Huh? When did Ichika have a four-core system? I thought he only have Byakushiki and Setsura..." Houki clicked on the file, opening a plethora of 10-minute videos numbered in what seemed like chronological order, diving further, she clicked on the first video.
What appeared was the genius Tabane Shinonono, who bore tired eyes and held what seemed to be a cube with four individual cutouts of spheres compacted within it. Two of them were filled, one flowing in brilliant white and another gleaming light blue. 'Are those Ichika's ISes?'
"Log 1: It's been four... five? days since I started with this project. I know Ii-kun's supposed to get the IS in two days but I need to do this! I still have Houki-chan's Akatsubaki to take care of but I need to finish this off. I need to protect the two of them, especially Houki-chan, with how I took her away from Ii-kun when I released the IS."
Houki paused for a second, she thought that Tabane used that phrase to excuse herself for releasing the IS. But from what she had just heard, it seemed that Tabane really did regret her release of the IS, now using it to protect her imouto and the only boy significant to her.
"Nee-san, I'm so sorry..." Houki realised the damage she inflicted on her sister, wrongfully disassociating herself with her in a fit of rage because of her world-changing invention. 'So I was just acting like a bastard towards my sister... What is wrong with me? Even with Ichika, Cecilia is unfortunately correct. The situation he's in is not that different from when I attacked him for annoying me.' Her logical consciousness reasoned with her, pointing out her irrational behaviour. 'Still, it's his fault! He should know that all of us like him! He's just too dense!' However, her more emotional side fought back, reasoning some stupid and childish answer. Thankfully, her logical side slapped her mind back into place, allowing her to reasonably put the guilt on her.
After having her moment of gloom, she decided to click out of the folder, noticing a small image with the name:
[MESSAGE TO HOUKI IF SHE EVER FINDS THIS]
"Hm? What's this?" Houki clicked on the file, starting to read the lengthy text document.
Dear Houki-chan,
I can't say this to you personally since you hate me to the core. But I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for creating the IS
I'm sorry for never treating you like a proper sister
I'm sorry for acting like an idiot
I'm sorry for taking you away into protection
I'm sorry for taking Ii-kun away from you.
{...}
I promise I'll protect you. I'll protect you and Ii-kun to the best of my ability.
- Tabane Shinonono, Sister of Houki Shinonono and Tutor/Mentor of Ichika Orimura
Houki's eyes started to swell. She tried to wipe away the building tears, only for four times the amount to replace it, eventually welling up into waterfalls as deepest regrets flowed freely. Her silent voice became a loop of sobs mixed in with short phrases of "I'm sorry" or "This is all my fault".
[???]
Looking from a distance the black figure watched Ichika's group like a hawk, staring deeply at Shino with her emerald-green slits. Chuckling slightly at the sight of the male pilot, raising a maniacal grin with her white-highlighted streaks between her teeth.
"Let's see how Tabane likes it when I mess around with her."
I just want to say, this chapter can be considered one of the most boring in my opinion. However, it's really important as it lays the ground for the group's redemption.
If you want to see the order of redemption, it's:
1. Houki
2. Cecilia
3. Rin
4. Charlotte
5. Laura
6. Tatenashi
7. Kanzashi
8. Chifuyu (The finale)
I'll probably be doing three character's arcs per chapter, so the next few may be a bit long. But I technically have done half of Houki's so let's see.
I may be having a break for the next two months to mark up a full plan for the next chapters for the redemption mini-series.
Hope you love reading this.
- ISReaderandWriter
PS. IS: Fixed Friendships and Bonds will be on hiatus for a while [Sorry :( ]