A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome to the new chapter! This...took a while, not gonna lie, and that was mostly on me since I was busy with a bunch of stuff, which included moving into a new house for university, but that's it, for now anyway.
I've also been playing some Blue Division, which has been fun, I approve.
Now, as for other announcements... There is one more, and it's awesome!
We got art! Or, well, I commissioned some art, which might be what some of you saw to either come to this chapter, the cover page, or through the artist themselves, Ziodyne, otherwise known as Froggie, or SuperGoldenFroggie on this site, was kind enough to accept the commission and I was more than happy to pay him for the job well done.
He also writes his own fanfiction, A Cruel Angel's Lesson Plan, an Evangelion x Blue Archive crossover, that can be found on SpaceBattles, Sufficient Velocity, and here! Go check it out if you want.
That's about it for announcements, now time for responses!
ikmal aizad 11- After Abydos, there'll be a few events here and there, but then it'll go to the GDD story.
And that's it for responses, this chapter...well I have a few complicated feelings about it after reading it over but I just hope all of you enjoy it.
Agents, by nature, are adaptable, they are constantly placed in situations that change rapidly at any and all times so to be able to look around, take in as much as one can and make a decision based on this information is an integral skill an Agent has to have.
The perfect Agent can adapt to anything, from a change in location and situation to a sudden exposure to politics, or even a re-insertion into everyday life once the emergency that activated them is concluded.
Well, that's how it's supposed to be.
Thanks to its status as a newer organization, SCHALE doesn't have as much paperwork at the moment, at least nothing that Arona or ISAC can't take care of on their own, so it leaves me with a lot of time to to myself, time I use to reflect on things, mostly on my own life, admittedly.
There's a certain… irony to life. Once upon a time, I heard of soldiers being unwilling to accept that their war is over, of Vietnam veterans, scorned for being forced into a fight they didn't choose, turning to crime, being forced into homelessness, or even worse and at that time, I couldn't help but wonder why?
Why would they do that?
Slowly, I release a breath, the lollipop in my mouth a suitable replacement for the cigarette in my mind as the single opened package of cigarettes I have is kept tucked away in the folds of my backpack.
I get it now. To an extent anyway, back when I was barely getting out of my funk, it was hard to remember to be diplomatic rather than fall back on my instincts to attack, fight, and kill.
The scene of Rambo breaking down stuck with me ever since I watched it with my dad when I was younger. Now, here I am, twenty-one after four years of combat experience, the latter one and a half or so years of it leading me down a more diplomatic path rather than all the fighting I did in the first two years and a half.
Glance at the black screen of my phone, looking at my eyes in the reflection, my nightmare coming to mind as the sun is barely peeking up, revealing my pajamas and shirt as the first breeze hits me, my mask hanging from one side as I shift the lollipop in my mouth.
Not like the nightmare itself or the contents were anything different. Demons, victims, pain, you know, the usual, but...now that I have all this time, things just...I can finally think about things with far more clarity than before.
And if I didn't find myself in Kivotos…
Would I have gone the Rambo route?
Would I have been a shell of a man I once was, seeing the horrors of what was practically war and becoming the equivalent of a one-man army? Would I have even been able to let go?
I look down at my hands as I ask myself one more question.
What if my own squad went Rambo? Would I have been the first to stand up, to elect myself to go after them? Would I have been happy?
Even now, my Go-Bag, ISAC, and everything that comes with being an Agent is my comfort, even if I used them to kill, to become the worst thing I could be.
Do I deserve the trust the students have placed on me?
Slowly, I could feel my very being unravel under my own questioning before taking a deep breath and releasing it a second later along with my uncertainty and anxiety.
Deserving or not, there's a job to do.
Picking up my Go-Bag, I head down to the Crafting Chamber, where I slept and left Arona so she could sleep, as I crunch the lollipop in between my teeth, throwing it away as I ignore the taste of candy and toothpaste melding together.
Back with my usual loadout of my M4, Cuelebre, and the new addition of Adam's Key strapped to my thigh, and with actual clothes consisting of a light hoodie with a gray shirt and jeans, I start signing off on paperwork. Usually, this would be a taxing and exhausting effort, but today it's like a second wind has enveloped me and every dotted line felt so satisfying, especially since all of the paperwork on my desk involves the next operation with Abydos.
At this point, I'm just hammering nails into the pre-built coffin Kaiser has made for themselves, it feels good being the one plotting in the background rather than constantly being forced to retaliate.
It'll all be over soon, for now, I should send Yuuka a request.
Speaking of Yuuka, we have a new face coming in for the morning for an examination of our systems, all of them using the firewalls used by the SHD and monitored by ISAC. While they're not unbreachable, anyone who tries to hack into the servers of either the SHD Network or SCHALE will have some trouble with ISAC on the other side stopping or evading their attempts as he has been doing so for the past few days. In the case that they do get past ISAC, well they deserve to get what they want at that point.
I'm a script kiddie for a reason, hacking I can do, but compared to Leo, I'm a child.
Anyway, thanks to the SHD Network, ISACs only limit is what I impose on him, or else he'd do everything to keep me safe. Not to say the thought is unappreciated, but it is highly unneeded. So even if someone does try to break in, he can just activate one of the many security systems we have in place or just lock down the servers tight
Still, this time I managed to check the visitor's file, Kagami Chihiro, the Vice-President of Veritas, a notorious hacker group and a security consultant to various firms around Kivotos and Millenium.
Like usual, she was pretty cute according to the photo on the file displayed on the Shittim Chest, short blue hair with grayish-blue eyes and glasses with a halo similar to Yuuka's in that it seemed semi-solid but only a certain section with a blue center. Still, I can respect the jacket, varsity has always been a style I've wanted to try, sadly, that opportunity slipped away years ago.
Anyway, her weapon was an M27 and that's about it, among the other members of Veritas, she's usually seen as the 'sensible' one and now I'm kind of scared of a repeat of the GRS.
At least I get to try out the security system again if that does happen.
Regardless, ISAC, and the SHD Network, should be enough, hopefully. As long as there aren't any geniuses like Theo, but Theo himself was connected to the SHD Network as a Rogue, not to mention the connection shared between ANNA, ISAC, and Diamond, the Rogue Network, the SHD Network, and the Black Tusk's network respectively.
Speaking of, I wonder what happened. Did they merge with ISAC and that's why he's as complex as he is? Or were they purged from his programming?
Thinking about it any longer would just be a problem, for now, I've gone through some of the paperwork, might as well brush up on my accuracy.
Picking up my Go-Bag, I sling it over my shoulder and head to the Shooting Range. On the way there, I smile and wave at some of the students walking around and occasionally stop to talk with some.
Once there, I choose a lane and eject the current extended magazine of my M4 and replace it with a normal magazine filled with practice ammunition as I use the screen to choose the difficulty. After a bit of hesitation and idle tapping at the edge of the screen, I choose the highest difficulty as I check my M4 one last time and aim down th
With a click, I insert the fresh magazine into the weapon, pulling back the charging handle as I aim down the lane and wait for the buzzer to signify the beginning of this challenge. All that's needed is the looming threat of the Hyenas, True Sons, or one of the other rivaling factions I tussled with and it'd be like the various times the Civilian Militia organized some Target Practice.
I can't help but smirk under my mask as the buzzer rings out and I raise my M4, the red dot of my sights set on the target, and pull the trigger as a single bullet hits the first target's chest, knocking it back as another appears as it's shot with prejudice.
Falling in a trance, I don't even notice ISACs HUD counting down the bullets as I replace the magazine after the thirtieth bullet and continue.
The buzzer rings out, signifying the end of the challenge as I check my score.
No misses, that's good but not all of my hits were headshots. My accuracy has gotten better, but it's still not as good as it was during DC.
With that, I check the time on my Smart Watch and hum. "Guess I should go back and wait."
Not like I have any problem waiting around, I'm quite fine with it, but when you genuinely have nothing to do but eat snacks, waiting seems a lot harder.
Ignoring the looks I'm getting from the students who were also in the Shooting Range, I make my way back to my office and sit down on the couch of the lounge area, reaching into my Go-Bag and bringing out a small booklet with a pen attached to it.
It's time to take a page out of my dad's book and do some sudoku to pass the time.
Before I could put the pen to the paper, a notification rings out as Arona appears within my periphery, seated on 'my' desk, " Sensei, you just got a notification from a teacher from Shanhaijing."
Wait, there's another teacher here? I thought they used online lectures and Blu-Rays for stuff like that?
Quickly and out of curiosity, I retrieve the Sittim Chest and look through MomoTalk as I find the message and read through it.
Shunohara Shun huh? Seems like the class she teaches wants to see SCHALE, kind of like a field trip to the library. She wants to meet first to go over the details, but I'm going to be busy after today, so once I'm done with Abydos, I should have some time.
Once I send that, the buzzer rings out as Arona looks at the video feed of the camera as it pops up on the Shittim Chest. " Oh, it seems like Chihiro is here."
"Let her in." I say, watching the video feed of the camera outside of the 'restricted' area of SCHALE, aka the lounge and a door leading to my office.
I sit down at my desk, Arona's holographic form still seated on my desk while ISAC is looking through something and I pick up some paperwork from the unfinished pile, making it seem like I'm doing work. A second later, a voice rings out, "Excuse me." She says as she enters the room, "I'm here for a security check of SCHALEs servers."
"Kagami Chihiro, right?" I ask, looking over to see her looking around in curiosity as her eyes land on me as I stand up, removing the mask and a glove as I extend my hand in greeting. "Vernes Mateo, Yuuka sent you, right?"
"That is correct." She confirms, grasping my hand and shaking it before letting go, "SCHALE houses many files pertaining to many students among other files of similarly sensitive nature. Yuuka brought it up and decided to schedule this security audit. I hope it isn't a bother."
"Well, go ahead." I say, setting my mask back on my face and glove on my hand as I step back. "Also, you don't need to be so formal, I'm just a teacher."
"You're also the advisor to a club with extrajudicial authority." Chihiro reminds me as she sighs. "While it's not my place to say, an attitude like that will get you in trou-."
She stops mid-sentence as she looks at my computer, specifically, a post-it on the corner. "What's this?"
"The password." I admit. Passwords and I don't exactly have the best of histories since unless they're simple, I'll just forget them.
Still, she seemed befuddled, "...Sensei…" She trails off, turning to me slowly as if her very ideals betrayed her as her professionalism warred with her very role as a security consultant.
"Go ahead. I already know you're not supposed to write down passwords and leave them in the open." I admit as that only seems to anger her more.
"Then why do it at all!?" She asks as I see ISAC fight off against hacking attempts as I shrug.
"Hold still." I tell her as she seems confused as I reach for her hoodie as she seems confused. I bring out a very familiar object, a bug. I show it to Chihiro as her brows twitch and the light reflects off of her glasses, obscuring her eyes as I can't help but shake my head. With a squeeze of my hands, the bug goes offline as Chihiro's mood doesn't improve.
"Sorry about that, but if they get to this point, then they damn well deserve it." I admit with a shrug, "Ask your clubmates, they've tried." I say as I could see a vein bulge in her temple as her shoulders shake in anger.
"Oh, I will. But I'm not done with you Sensei. What firewall does SCHALE use?" She asks, both a bit frustrated but also intrigued. "Troublesome my underclassmen might be, they're not script kiddies. Millenium is the best when it comes to technology to the point where other Academies use our hardware and software and even the General Student Council. This is not pride, but fact, so to have a firewall that they can't crack…" She trails off, trying to hide her interest.
I could understand as well, the SHD Network is already hard to hack from the outside, and considering I'm the only one with complete access to it, with the SCHALE bricks now nothing but scrap and the Smart Watches glorified watches, the only way they could get into it is through my own gear. Even then, they'll have to go through ISAC, an advanced AI before the updates coming to Kivotos gave him closely monitoring the SHD Network that only has one user, that user being me.
Not to mention the little activities Arona and ISAC setup for each other to pass the time, varying from parsing data packets to finding out malware in a piece of code to simply looking through pages of social media and using the cameras they can access to confirm their veracity. In that regard, ISAC is more experienced but Arona seems capable of just...brute forcing it.
"Sadly, that's classified, but I can show you what I mean when I say that they'll deserve the password." I say as I stand up and go to my desk.
"What do you mean?" She asks as I reach under my desk and pull out a double barreled shotgun, to her surprise.
"This is one of the many security systems I've set in place within SCHALE. Of course," I add, slipping the shotgun back in its place, "this isn't the only thing."
From behind her, a Seeker Mine rolled out as she must have recognized it, "Sensei, is that-."
"A drone, it explodes when it's near hostiles." I explain as it rolls back in its place, its orange light slowly letting darkness overtake its position as it practically disappears in the shadows. "The only place lacking any automated security system or surveillance are the changing rooms, showers, and bathrooms."
"But, how are you controlling them?" She asks, her eyes roaming my figure, "You don't have a phone, not using your watch, nothing, unless…"
Her eyes land on my brick attached to my Go-Bag as her eyes widen in realization, "AI…" She mutters as I don't answer while raising a brow.
"Sadly," I admit, "I am personally obligated to say that I have no idea what you're talking about. Paranoia and whatnot."
She doesn't say anything as she scratches the back of her head, groaning in frustration, "Did that hundred kilo secretary set this up?"
I can't help but sputter out a laugh at the nickname as I look at her, unable to hide my surprise or amusement "I-I'm sorry, what?"
"Well," Chihiro grumbles while crossing her arms, looking particularly cross, "if Yuuka is part of SCHALE, then she obviously knows all of this, not to mention Veritas and Seminar aren't exactly on the best terms. Still, this is petty, even for her."
"Well…" I trail off, shrugging, "the only ones who might understand what you're saying are me and possibly the Engineering Department."
She sends me a blank look. "Huh?"
"Yeah. I use my watch to control my tech," I explain, raising up my Smart Watch, "this is all just the security system. And it's not like anyone's asked that I'd have outright admitted it."
Chihiro seems a bit lighter after hearing that, "Well, thank you, I guess you don't really need that security audit anymore, huh?" She says awkwardly with a slight blush on her face. "If you have an AI that can hold off attacks from Veritas…"
"Actually, I'd appreciate it a lot if you could continue the security check." I admit, to her surprise. "I'm not always gonna be here, so having someone who knows more about computers than I do would be useful. Not to mention that as useful as AI is, it also needs oversight." I say, a bit uncomfortable with the belief that ISAC needs oversight, but it's the truth. Not to mention that as much as I trust ISAC, having someone physically checking the system allows for my own peace of mind and an expert opinion on things I, or even ISAC, might overlook.
She blinks before sighing while shaking her head. "Well, if you say so. Speaking of," She says as she perks up and turns to me, "would you mind accepting my application to SCHALE? It'd make things easier on my end."
"If you're going to be doing things like these regularly, sure." I say with a shrug as I sign off on the application, Arona processing it as the systems lock it in.
"Thanks, no-huh?" She stops in surprise, to see the computer already open. "How did…"
"I wonder." I say in amusement as I rest on the couch and continue with my paperwork to the sound of Chihiro working in the background.
Soon, she was done as the time to meet Haruna neared.
"Hello, Sensei." Haruna says, turning to me as I near her location. "It's good to see you again."
"Haruna, you're looking as charming as ever." I say as her smile brightens with a light blush her tail swaying behind her with a slight increase in intensity, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
"Not at all," She admits with a wave of her hand and a smile, "while foraying into the unknown and untested reaches of gastronomy is one of our club's activities, one cannot delve into darkness if all they know is darkness."
"So we're getting something normal?" I ask, stepping back, "Like, that person," I say, pointing to the rabbit that's passing by, "normal. Not Izumi or Akari normal? Or 'kidnapping Fuuka' normal?"
"Though I can't fault you for being suspicious," she starts, pouting a bit, "the fact that you can say such a thing is a bit vexing."
"The kidnapping Fuuka part or the Izumi and Akari part?" I ask, sending her a flat look that she ignores.
"Where we're going can be encapsulated in the term 'Old Reliable'." She explains while pacing in front of me, her heels clicking with each step, "The food is good with a hint of originality in the sauces they use, all hand-made, and is fairly well-known but isn't too busy at this time. Not to mention that it's on the outskirts of the Gehenna district, making it a good place to stop by to evade the Prefect Team in or to console ourselves should we find an unsatisfactory restaurant. Of course," she admits, "there are better or newer places, and it lacks originality, but makes up for it with its atmosphere in tandem with the satisfying food."
"Huh." I note with a nod while leaning on a wall, "That sounds good, so why today?"
"That's because they're having a sale, I thought you'd appreciate it." Haruna says proudly as I smile with a nod.
"I do, thanks a lot Haruna." I say, removing her hat and gently tussling her hair before placing it back, to her confusion as I fix my own. "So, why don't you lead the way, miss Gourmand?"
Nodding, Haruna smiles, "But of course, Sensei." She says, amusement sparkling in her eyes as I follow after her.
Soon, we were on a train to Gehenna.
"Finally." A girl within a room says with exasperation as she looks at the screen of her computer, "I thought we lost our chance when he left Abydos, but now that he's coming with Haruna to boot…"
The woman had short cerulean hair tied in a ribbon with a very pleasant smile on her face, her blue eyes reflecting the screen as her halo, light blue in the shape of a crescent moon, a cow bell around her neck with a shirt cut off at the sides of her breast with a short dress and thigh-high socks and boots, with a broken shackle on her left wrist.
The screen shows Mateo and Haruna within the train they were on, along with the location they're heading. "Iori," she calls in, "begin the operation, the target is in sight without backup and with the... subject of interest."
" Copy." The voice on the other side says, " Which district?"
After informing Iori, she adds, "Remember, we need to be discreet before the Pandemonium raccoons find out."
" Do we bring Chinatsu along?" Iori asks.
"Yes, deny it as we might try it, we will have injured in this operation. But don't tell her about the SOI." She says.
" Got it." She says as she cuts the communication while Amau Ako leaned back.
"With this, even Sensei, for all of his skills, tactics, and technology will find himself at our mercy and with that, the variable to the Eden Treaty will be no more." She talks to herself as she returns to performing paperwork and checking in on the different patrols going around Gehenna.
Within an abandoned building, a group of helmeted gangsters are sulking, some of their helmets broken and others are sighing as one of them finally stands. "Right!" She yells, a red-haired girl with an Altyn helmet yells, her teeth bared and sharp with a red halo following her movements resembling a double-layered crosshair. "So, we got our ass beat in Abydos, it'll be fine. After all-."
"Rabu, you got any cash I can borrow?" One of the Helmet Gangster says, raising her hand, "I'm hungry."
"We're all hungry and we're all broke!" Another says as they all agree and Rabu's brow twitches.
"Shut up! I was gonna say I found a good spot! We're gonna go eat in a bit."
"Yeah!"
"Whooo~!"
"After this, we'll find some cash and get back at those Abydos brats!"
...It's quiet. A little bit way too quiet. "Haruna, is it usually this quiet?"
"You're right." Haruna notes looking around in interest and a bit of surprise. "While this little corner of the district is fairly peaceful in comparison to other places, there should be some noise."
"Is that so?" I ask before shaking my head. "Well, how close is this place?"
"We're here." She says, turning and showing it to me. "Now, let's go in and order something."
"Sure." I answer, following Haruna into the small diner.
"Welcome." Someone welcomes us with a joyful chirp, a sparrow with a hair tie, one of the many denizens of Kivotos. "Table for two?"
"Yup." I say as Haruna nods along as she smiles and leads us to a table as we sit down. She passes us, "Do you know what you want to order?"
"Lemme see…" I trail off looking at the menu before my eyes brighten at a certain food, "I'll have a hamburger and a coke."
"Me too." Haruna says as we pass the waitress the menu and she goes off, leaving us to our own devices. "So, Sensei, I've heard you've been doing some good work in Abydos. Is that right?"
"Yup." I confirm. "It's been...a trip and a half." I admit with a bit of bemusement as memories of the past few days filter through my mind.
Haruna leans forward in interest, "Why don't you tell me more? Your updates have been as woefully bare as usual." She says with a slightly pointed look in my direction as I can't help but look away with some shame, "Yuuka has been worried you know? A lot of things have been coming from that place."
"You've been talking with Yuuka?" I can't help but note in surprise as Haruna brightens.
"Of course, we are fellow students under the employ of SCHALE, it is integral we share information, whether that be eateries we recommend to the status of our very own employer. Speaking of…" She says as she grabs her phone and points it at herself, smiling with a hand out and waving as the sound of a shutter rings out as I smile at it from under my mask with my own wave. "There, that should suffice as a status update."
"What are you doing?" I ask as Haruna typed away on her phone.
"Just making a post, there." She says with a smile. "After all, we are still a club, so we have to have a record of our activities in one form or another."
Checking my phone to see the photo Haruna tagged me in, I couldn't help but nod, it was pretty good.
"Now, tell me, how's Abydos been? Have you found some interesting restaurants?" She asks as I nod.
"Actually, I have." I say as I lean forward and begin telling her about Shiba Seki Ramen. In confidence that she won't blow it up for not being to her standards.
My phone vibrated on occasion, in the corner of my periphery, I could see Arona scrolling through a holographic 'screen' as she reels on occasion while ISAC peers over her shoulder. For the first time in a while, ISAC showed some worry on his expression. It was pretty confusing as I'm fairly sure they're looking at Haruna's post, but what could they be seeing that has them reacting like they are?
Soon, the food arrives and with a hiss, I open the can of coke while Haruna deposits hers into a cup as I take a bite of my first hamburger in this place.
It was good. "Mm." I hum as I chew it, "Yeah, this...this is pretty good." I admit after swallowing.
It's not Shiba Seki that made me black out from how delicious it was, but it was charmingly good food, just something to get on the side one day when you have the time.
The two of us continue eating in silence as ISAC begins outlining snipers and other combatants as I sip the coke. "Hey, Haruna."
"Yes?" She asks as she leans her sniper rifle against the table, the waitress probably understanding that something's going down as she dips to the back while I shift my form on the chair. Sliding forward until I'm on the edge as I put one leg out and the other under me finishing what's left of my burger and chugging the can of coke as I clean off my hands with sanitation wipes before using the handkerchief I got. After making sure my hands aren't greasy, I rest my hand on the grip of Adam's Key.
"I'm going to the bathroom."
"What a coincidence, me too." She adds as the two of us stand up and I sling my Go-Bag around my shoulders.
Then the doors burst open, a crowd of uniformed girls coming in, their eyes practically alight with discipline.
Of course, I shoot the first one then the second one in the head as I throw a flashbang, closing one eye and shooting it as the flash and bang quickly follow as I holster Adam's Key and grab Haruna. "Let's go!"
She opens her eyes, nodding as we jump over the counter, taking cover as Haruna brings out a detonator. "Brace yourself, Sensei."
Covering my ears, Haruna presses the button on the side and it rocks my world as my audiometric earpiece softens it as I switch out the parts of the ISAC brick to the Banshee Pulse as I tap my Smart Watch, ISAC outlining the cone to the entrance as a pulse of energy rang out, disorienting the students by the entrance before grabbing the Chem Launcher and unleashing a Riot Foam canister, covering the girls in rapidly-hardening foam as I yelled out my order. "Go!"
Soon, Haruna and I find ourselves staring down the barrels of multiple Prefect Team members and their weapons.
"Sensei?" I saw Chinatsu mutter as I blinked, before I could greet her, a different voice rang out.
"Kurodate Haruna, you're under-."
"Oh, hi Iori!" Haruna waves at the tanned silverette, ISAC identifying her as Shiromi Iori, her single visible red eye twitching. The other was hidden under her silver bangs, her hair done in twintails as she wore a white shirt and a black skirt. Keeping with the German theme, the sniper she had in hand was a bolt-action karabiner 98k. "How strange, it's like you were waiting for us."
"Quiet, rule-breaker!" Iori shouts as I raise my hands. Not like I can say much, this is their district, their rules. But…
Something doesn't add up.
Why is ISAC tagging all of them as foes with only Chinatsu as an ally?
"But I'm not breaking any rules." Haruna points out like she's having a conversation, "I only had to blow up the restaurant when your little members broke in."
"And we wouldn't have to have this conversation if you stopped blowing up restaurants!" Iori responds as I frown.
Something's fishy...I have to get out of here.
"Well," I start, slowly stepping back, "I guess I'm not nee-."
"Hold it!" Iori says, pointing her gun at me as I understand then and there.
I'm not leaving without busting a few heads.
"...Were you never taught how to use a gun? Put it down before someone gets hurt." I warn her as her own eyes narrow.
"We need to take you in for questioning."
"What questioning?" Haruna asks, tilting her head in confusion. "The Prefect Team doesn't do questioning, they just throw us into a cell."
"Really?" I ask, humming with some interest as my eyes continue roaming the area where ISAC outlines the snipers, "A Prefect Team cell? I've always been interested in how they look." I start as I step forward, looking over to Haruna before going to Chinatsu, who smartly begins to move to the side, recognizing my act as I step forward, hands out. "Mind if I come along?"
Warily, Iori stepped forward, "You're being weirdly cooperative."
"Well, you know, I was a pretty good student." I admit as she begins to attempt to handcuff me. "Personally, I'm not looking to change that."
Before she can cuff me, I grab the chains of the cuffs and her arm, ramming a foot into her stomach, to her surprise, before handcuffing a wrist and switching our positions as I trip her, forcing her into one leg as I grab her other hand, handcuffing her as I pull her up and rest the barrel of Adam's Key against her head, using my other hand to hold her by around the neck as I quickly tap my watch, a large cone of the Banshee Pulse pulsing outward and disorienting the Prefect Team as I turn to my ally for the moment. "Haruna!"
"Right~!"
With that, I pick up Iori and heave her over my shoulder as she throws an explosive into the crowd and I activate a Booster Hive, the stimulant injecting into both of us as Haruna sets the explosive off, clearing a path as we run.
Sadly, because of all the running, my hand slipped. "Kyah~!" Iori yelps as she looks back. "What the hell are you-?"
I ignore it as I spot a familiar group, Helmet Gangsters. One of them, ISAC identified the one with an Atlyn helmet, as the leader as I pointed at her. "You! Rabu!"
"Me?" She asks as I stop in front of her, pointing at her all the while.
"If you help me, I'll buy you food." I say as her eyes seem to light up and a toothy grin, revealing sharp teeth, appears.
"Well~," She starts, looking over the corner at our enemies, "who could it-."
She freezes as she stares down the regiment going after us.
"I can also get you out of trouble with them." I answer as I point at them as Rabu nods, along with the other Helmet Gangsters.
"...Deal." She says as I nod.
"Now, run!" I say as Haruna, our new conscripts, and I dash down the newly-abandoned section of Gehenna.
"Where are we going?" One of them asks as they turn to me.
"We need ammunition!" I tell them as I continue, my eyes catching a familiar sight as I dash towards it. "Follow me!"
"Hey! Let me go!"
"In your dreams!" I tell Iori as I ram into the door of the convenience store closing it behind me. "Take as much ammunition as you can grab!"
"Hey!" Iori yells as I set her down, grabbing my Go-Bag and looking through it. "That's stealing! Put those-mmphf!" I tie a rag around her mouth.
"So we can grab whatever we want, boss?" Rabu asks as I nod.
"Sure. No one's here to stop us." I say as I grab Iori's rifle and inspect it, I can't help the hum that bursts from my mouth, impressed at the weapon and its condition despite the constant use it must be put through. "Still, this one's good. You take good care of it." I note Iori's frustration as I turn to my group, "Our goal is to escape the district or get a vehicle to escape with! The Prefect Team won't make it easy, we'll be traversing through the buildings or alleys and taking advantage of our smaller numbers to force them into close quarter encounters!"
"Right!" The Helmet Gangsters respond as I nod. Turning to Iori, I give her a pitying look, something she doesn't seem to like as she struggles harder against her own handcuffs.
I leave Crack Shot beside her and a little extra gift in the form of mines, a Firestarter canister modified to release more of the gas than usual to be used as a trap rather than a projectile, and a Decoy Trap, impressing the Helmet Gangsters while the Trap reveals our vague forms and I nod. "Now, let's move!"
With that, we ran out the back, going through the alleys as I could hear the explosion that came from them shooting the Decoy Trap with the Firestarter. Now…
The mines go off a few seconds later. Admittedly, my trap-making skills have waned, if I was a few years younger, I'd have had enough time to make the building beside us collapse, cutting them off and forcing them towards me. Granted, if I was a few years younger, I wouldn't have asked the Helmet Gangsters or Haruna for help.
I've been told I was a monster in my younger years, granted, I was nineteen at the time and I'm currently twenty-one, so 'younger years' is a bit off.
"The-." Before they can finish, my M4 is already up and shooting a burst of gunfire at their head, knocking them out as the next one follows the fate of the first, their halo flickering out.
"Haruna, you're on overwatch, Rabu, split your underlings into two groups of five, send five of them to watch our back and join the five in front." I tell her as Rabu does so, the group listening to her as we're quickly in formation. "Now, let's go!"
With that, I throw a Remote Pulse behind us as the enemies' forms are outlined on my ScanTek contact lenses..
The Remote Pulse was shot and I nod, already understanding the situation as I activate a Scanner Pulse.
They're trying to box us in this alley. There are squads at the end of both alleys and snipers waiting, so we'll either have to break through, or…
"Do you have explosives, Haruna?" I ask as she nods and smiles, reaching behind her and bringing out a block of C4. Somehow…
Where was she hiding that?
Whatever. "Let me set it up."
After all, an opportunity to blow stuff up? What self-respecting Agent wouldn't want to take advantage of an opportunity like that?
Ako, meanwhile, oversaw the entire thing through the cameras, though it was a shame Iori was captured and taken out so early, the Prefect Team has a home field advantage and is numerically superior, not to mention has access to more weapons than Sensei, Haruna, and the Helmet Gangsters combined. She'd have liked to use artillery, but she can't exactly risk Sensei's life or catch the attention of the Pandemonium Society.
" They haven't moved." Came the dissatisfied voice of Chinatsu, obviously still cross from not being informed of the actual intent of the mission. A sad thing, truly. " What should we do?"
Ako thought about it for a second, "Standby, we have them surrounded, any action they take will inevitably lead them to us."
" ...And if that doesn't happen?" Chinatsu asks as Ako scoffs.
"I know this isn't what you hoped would happen, but-."
A loud explosion rang out through the comms as Ako asked, "What was that?"
" They blew the wall of one of the buildings." Chinatsu reported, " They're going through the buildings."
"Follow after them!" Ako ordered as she saw Chinatsu relay the order as the members began to go into the alley.
Only to be blasted back by shotgun fire and submachine gun from the Helmet Gangsters. The explosion was a diversio-.
" We're taking fire from behind!" One of the members yells as she hears the sound of an assault rifle ring out through the comms as she switches screens to the squad that was supposed to be on the other end of the alley, now covered in rubble.
There, Sensei was walking towards them, the bullets just bouncing off of him as he fired in bursts, each one hitting the targets as Ako tried to understand how he's doing it until she notices a drone flying in front of him.
" We're pinned down!" She heard one of the snipers positioned atop the buildings yell. " Haruna found our location and is picking us off with the help of the Helmet Gangsters!"
" The Helmet Gangsters are pushing forward! We can't go into the alley from behind since it's covered in rubble, and they have the alley locked down." Chinatsu reports as Ako begins to get the picture.
The explosion was set up so rubble could cover one side, covering it while another squad was waiting on the opposite end, acting as a distraction and a way out for Haruna, an effective sniper to reposition with her own small squad of Helmet Gangsters. Meanwhile, Sensei was moving to suppress and neutralize the team waiting at the rubble-covered end, forcing them to either join Chinatsu's team, where they can either try to take an alley from a group with submachine guns and shotguns with possible traps laid out, or Chinatsu's team can go out and be beset by fire from Haruna and sniper fire, which could open them up to being sniped, but that'd cause Sensei to turn to them with an anti-material rifle where cover just wouldn't matter.
The only option she had was to move more troops to take care of them, thankfully, she had enough in reserve for this.
" Surprise!" A voice rang out from the sniper's comms followed by blasts of shotguns and submachine guns as Ako flinched.
She has to move now!
Switching out my M4 for Cuelebre, I aim at the nearest Prefect Team member and blast them, the spread hitting them square in the body before a second one knocked them out and then moving to the final five as they tried to shoot the Defender Drone, originally a slow drone incapable of protecting itself with experimental technology, that technology is no longer experimental after four years of R .
Reloading the M870, I move to the next and then the next, blasting them with impunity before throwing a grenade, clattering against the wall as a few seconds later it went off, forcing one of them out as my comms ring out.
" The snipers are out, boss!"
" Heehee, how fun~!" Haruna says.
"Right," I say as I deactivate the Drone, letting it fall in my hand as I switch out the parts to transform it into the Tactician Drone and set it back on my Go-Bag as I loot the bodies of the unconscious Prefect Team members, "more are coming, so let's reconvene and bail. Haruna, join Rabu and push up and hold back Chinatsu's team so the others can join up."
" Right." Haruna agreed as I stepped out of the alley, watching as Rabu's team and Haruna's team met up and headed to the alley, followed by a symphony of gunfire as a few seconds later, the rest of the Helmet Gangsters joined us.
"How's your status?" I ask them as all of them nod.
"I could keep going for as long as needed." Haruna says as Rabu nods.
"Yeah, this is way easier than normal!" Rabu says as I nod.
"Good, now let's-." Before I could finish, Haruna's head jerked back, eyes wide in surprise, a glint of reflected light notifying me as to what it was as I turned and unloaded on the next wave coming after us, forcing them back as I yelled. "Move back!"
Stepping back, we forced the platoon coming after us back as we shot at them, my gunfire more accurate than the Helmet Gangster's as the range between us was perfect for an assault rifle. At the moment, we're at the backfoot since the Prefect Team can just continue to send more and more until we're either out of ammunition or we're forced out.
Still, something has to give, think, you've been in situations like these before, just think.
"Fall back!" I order as we run from the forces after us.
"Where do we go?" Haruna asks as I look around and I spot it, a building large enough to be used for what I need, seems like a hotel.
"In there!" I order as we run to it, as ISAC scans it and I smile. "They have some vehicles we can use, but first…"
I look up and I nod, breaking a window, we can use one of the tables to cross onto the roof of the other shorter buildings though one of the rooms.
"Yeah, this'll work." I say as ISAC brings up my current stock of explosives. I set down an Assault Turret in the front door. "Right, here's what we're going to do!"
Ako wanted to call bullshit, she really did. She was doing all she could on her end, and still, Sensei was fighting back as if he was used to this. Even the Helmet Gangsters that are supposed to be mostly fodder are becoming credible threats under his orders.
Haruna was already a formidable opponent, but having someone that skilled in gunfights but also in leading just feels like cheating. Also, how is a sharpshooter skilled in demolitions? The buildings didn't even cave under the explosives, just broke under the lack of support for half of the building to fall..
Ako was also regretting the amount of damages this would cause…
" They've holed themselves up in a hotel." Chinatsu reports to Ako's frustration. A place like that...they'd have to check every room and cover any and all exits while being wary of traps, the halls make it the perfect spot for close-quarter encounters or cross-firing. The only way they'd be able to traverse through the rooms is if they blew up the wall, and there don't seem to be any explosions going off.
Usually, when a gang or the GRS are in a hotel, they hold people hostage with acts of intimidation that would usually only confirm their locations and make it easier for the Prefect Team to come in. But there are no hostages and there's only silence, as if the district is actually abandoned.
" If I could suggest something." Chinatsu spoke up for the first time, " It'd be best if we pulled back and cut our losses."
Of course. "And why would that be?"
" Sensei excels at urban combat," Chinatsu states, memories of the day he led her coming to mind, " he also excels at using unorthodox tactics to get the job done."
"As in committing crimes?" Ako asks and Chinatsu doesn't answer. "Besides, we already have snipers positioned and looking through the windows-."
Before she could finish, the blinds of all of the rooms began to lower as Ako blinked.
" Ako, regardless of how you look at it, this entire plan is a bad idea." Chinatsu said with finality as she sighed. " But, we'll standby."
Ako could appreciate it, if it wasn't resignation she heard. Now, she just had to wait for the teams to get in position.
Within the area, there's a tense silence as Mateo's Go-Bag, noticeably lighter than before, rustles while he crouches against a wall on the stairs, finger on the trigger in preparation for a fight, as he talks into his comms. "Surveillance. Status."
" No change yet." One of the Helmet Gangsters said. " The cameras haven't caught anything and I haven't heard anything."
"Good. Haruna?"
"In position." Haruna responds on the first floor of the hotel, the hotel itself an 'L' shape with only one set of staircase, her back against a wall with only a door leading to a hotel room. "The elevator access is under our control."
" Good." Mateo's voice cut through the silence as she looked through the scope of her sniper.
Within another set of rooms, Rabu and two other Helmet Gangsters used large hammers they found in the closet to make holes through the wall, widening until someone could pass through, "Argh, this sucks. Why are we even making these?"
" The Prefect Team is working off the assumption that they're entering a trap-laden hotel, not that we'd be willing to break stuff for it. They're expecting an organized counter-attack, not a chaos-laden area. Now, garage?"
Rabu nods at that as she breaks down the wall, shifting her helmet and rubbing off the sweat. "Right…"
She turns on all the water appliances, and sets up a strangely shaped thing, or a Shock Trap as Mateo called it. "Good, next!"
Meanwhile, Mateo spoke to the Gangsters hidden in the garage as he talked them through hotwiring a car.
It was do or die, and though it might be a good day to die, Mateo ain't going down easily.
Finally, it was time.
They heard the gunfire from the Assault Turret and Sniper Turret, as Mateo disengaged the safety of his M4. " In positions."
Then, in a few seconds among the sound of gunfire and footsteps, the lights of individual rooms and the lobby area where Mateo is goes out as he steps down the stairs, not making a sound as he grabs his Sticky Bomb Launcher and loads an Explosive Sticky Bomb, firing it at the side of the entrance as they got closer as he crawled under a couch. Waiting as his presence practically disappears.
Finally, they overwhelmed the turrets as they burst in, "We're thr-argh!" The Explosive sticky bomb went off seconds later, sending them back a few steps as the ones who weren't too injured tried to get their bearings entering the pitch dark room.
Meanwhile, the other entrances were breached with far less hassle, aside from the mines and explosive traps set about that they were expecting. But when they tried to go through any other entrance, they found that it was either blocked, broken down, or just unavailable. They had to go through the lobby where the initial struggle was.
From his position under the couch, he heard his comms ask, " Sensei," they whispered, " they're so close, can we do it now?"
"No." He answers under his breath. "Wait. I already told you when."
Slowly, the two meet, "Have you found them?"
"Nothing but traps and broken entrances, this one's the only one that isn't." One of them notes.
"Well…" The other starts, "Let's go."
Soon, the group were going up the stairs as Mateo grins.
" Now." He hisses while aiming at the furthest Prefect Team member and fires in bursts, nailing her in the head as they turn to look at the ruckus.
Then the explosions go off remotely, rendering the groups either unconscious or with most of the unconscious as the ones in the lobby had it the easiest, or they would if Mateo didn't throw a Stinger Hive in the middle. The micro-drones popping out and attacking all the Prefect Team as they flail about and he slides out from under the couch, grabbing a Prefect member by the leg and knocking her out with a solid punch.
His leg flails out, catching another as they fall and he pounces, turning as he holds her while a member tries to shoot him but instead shoots an ally as Mateo aims Adam's Key at her, the M45 going off as she goes down by the fourth shot to the head.
After pushing her off, he throws a flashbang and closes his eyes.
Once the explosive goes off, he runs into a room to the side while the others are trying to catch their bearings.
A different team follows him as they find a hole on the ceiling leading up to the first floor with a rope attached to it as he throws a grenade down a second later. It goes off.
"So he had his team break down the floors and walls?" Ako asks as her brow twitches, ignoring the clamor of the Prefect Team scrambling away from the shrapnel. "Where is he?"
"I don't kno-agh!" The Prefect Team member yelps as a bullet hits her square in the head as it goes silent and she groans.
"Sniper down the hall!" One of the members yells as another goes to the elevator.
"Just use the elevator." She says as she opens the door and pales, another turret inside as the laser points right at her. "Oh this is bull-."
The turret releases a burst of gunfire as she falls back, the door closing as the elevator begins to move.
A second later, all doors leading to the elevator broke down, as if they were already a bullet away from breaking due to thermite on the hinges.
Now, they were forced back due to Haruna's sniping among other things.
"Go through the holes!" Ako orders as she pinches the space in between her brows, "They have ropes right? Sensei can't just jump onto a new floor!"
With that, they slowly went up as more and more forces entered.
With a crack, Haruna ducks behind an overturned table as she reloads. "Their assault is slowed down but I'm a sniper for a reason. I'll run out sooner rather than later."
"Slow down," Mateo says as he rests his TAC-50C against his shoulder, "the Helmet Gangsters are in position, let them get confident."
With that, he peeks through the cover he's using and aims at the location outlined by the Tactician Drone and fires. With a loud crack, the anti-material rifle rang out and took out one of the snipers. Pulling back the bolt as the spent round clatters against the floor, he goes for the next.
Haruna slows down on the sniping, waiting until she uses the next round as she removes the pin of a flashbang as one of them notes her lack of ammunition. Soon, they charge at her, ignoring the other hall as a pair of Helmet Gangsters pop out of the rooms behind Haruna, unloading the magazines of their submachine guns as two more pop out from the hall by Haruna's location, unloading their shotguns as she throws a flashbang over them. "It's time for a little performance~!"
The elevator stops in front of them as the Helmet Gangsters duck into cover, both of them entering into one side and into the room as they begin to go up the ropes they setup, with the help of another Helmet Gangster for their next position in the second floor, ignoring the wetness in their shoes.
Meanwhile the flashbang goes off as a Seeker Mine rolls out of the elevator as the elevator leaves and then, it explodes.
Haruna enters the room she was given and goes up the rope with some help from Rabu, her mouth spread in a shark-like grin as they move, Rabu cutting the rope as they move.
Seconds later, Ako rings out in the comms of the Prefect Team, "Leave the rooms, go to the second floor!"
She flinches as another crack signifies the last of the snipers she positioned.
Meanwhile, Mateo was in the last room, their exfiltration as he begins to break off the legs of tables and other things, duct tape ringing out as he makes a makeshift bridge.
" Exfiltration ready." He hears along with the sound of whooping as the two Helmet Gangsters finally finish hotwiring the cars. " Has the point changed?"
"No." He answers, "Go to the alley and wait for us."
" Affirmative." The Gangster answers as Mateo continues working, " Also…" she trails off, " sorry...about the...you know…"
"Trying to take Abydos," Mateo starts, "shelling me, taking my stuff, and other stuff."
" Er, yeah." She answers, " Rabu wasn't a part of it, so she won't apologize but…"
"It's fine." Mateo assures her as he takes a moment to reflect on himself.
He's grown ever since that scared child stepping into D.C. He's learned from the worst and the best, both personally and combat-wise. From being beaten if he let his weapon get taken away with ex-Delta Force to brokering peace with a diplomat and even setting up supplies for Agents stuck in foreign nations and leading those Agents and the countries' own version of Agents.
Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if the countries were interacting with each other again, and though he doesn't like admitting him, a part of him feels like he was a part of that. That he was integral to the event, which is a bit preposterous in his mind.
He was just a kid who made a stupid decision without understanding the consequences. He suffered for his curiosity and made up for it by finding a way he could help beyond fighting. Teaching. Even then, he messed that up and had to bury a student for his own failure. He had to make sure no one else would touch them, so he went on operations and survived while making sure the other side didn't.
When he went to assist in D.C. he was angry, aggressive, and alone and as time went on, these traits began to sharpen. Anger became focus, aggression became confidence, and loneliness became a willingness to work with others.
If this was back when he was nineteen, or even in D.C. he'd probably have been more pissed. But…
"It is what it is. Let's just be glad I'm still around to say this." Mateo says as the Helmet Gangster doesn't answer for a moment.
" Alright." She says before cutting the comms.
On Ako's end, it was like a nightmare coming true, the high-quality cameras catching every moment of the operation, and the reported measures that were being taken against the Prefect Team as they went from room-to-room. From an elevator that had a turret inside among other things that changed on a whim, to rooms overfilling with water that overflowed when they opened it along with electric traps, holograms of Haruna and a sniper turret in closets and this was barely the second floor and spots of conflict against the Helmet Gangsters as she found the amount of members waning with each report.
Her brow twitched as she waited and so did the Prefect Team members, what was originally a speedy pace replaced by a cautious slog as no more traps appeared, only the occasional sparse explosives and such.
Meanwhile, with no snipers looking out, Mateo finishes his makeshift bridge, breaking a window as he sets it out, the alley under them empty as he holds onto it and places the other end of the building on the other end. "Alright, all of you go first."
Rabu looks reluctant, "Are you sure that'll hold?" She asks and Mateo shakes his head.
"It won't, but it's the best I've got with what I had, so move." He insists, "Come on, we don't have much time before those go off."
At the reminder of what Haruna and Mateo set up, the Helmet Gangsters are a lot more willing to go as Rabu and Haruna stay behind to check the door.
" Third floor has been reached and the elevator has been disabled." ISAC reported in Mateo's ears as he sucks in his lips. By the third floor, they were running out of traps and explosives to use even Mateo's own SHD Tech was running out, thankfully, there's more than one way to stop people from moving.
The building shook for a second as the stairs were blown up, making some of the Prefect Team members trip over each other as they tried to move.
Soon, the only ones left were Mateo, Haruna and Rabu. "Haruna, you first, support us with your sniper."
"Sure~." Came Haruna's reply as she hopped up, balancing herself precariously as she made her way to the other end with minor problems and hopped down.
"Rabu-."
"Damn it, where is he!" A familiar voice rang out as Mateo cursed.
"Iori is back on the field." Mateo grimaces as he grabs the Cuelebre from his back. "Rabu, get over there, now!"
"Are you sure boss?" She asks and Mateo nods. "Then, sure." She says as she begins to walk away and remembers something, "Also, that helmet you've got on ya? It's really cool."
As she walked off, Mateo tried to understand what she just said, "Helmet? Is she talking about the mask?"
Shaking his head, he leaves the strange girl for later as he steps out of the room, coming face-to-face with a fuming Iori as her eyes land on him, a group behind her, "You bas-!"
He didn't wait anything beyond that, bringing up Cuelebre, he shot her before she could finish, the spread hitting some behind her as he pumps the forend and fires repeatedly again and again, until a gunshot rang out and hit his shoulder, glancing off his body armor but leaving a cut on his hoodie as he stumbles back and something clattered to the ground, a smoke grenade as smoke began to flow out into heavy clouds.
Before he could retaliate, Iori came out, hands on the barrel of her gun and reared back preparing to swing as Mateo's eyes widened before narrowing. He can't get either his karambit or survival knife, much less his Hunter's Axe, and he can't shoot her easily, so...
Stepping forward and switching the grip of the M870, he brings up his gun, the buttstock of Iori's rifle hitting Mateo's Cuelebre, as he bats it away and tries to jab the buttstock of his own gun into her face as she steps back and swings again. Again, Mateo blocked it, but he reeled, stumbling back as her heeled foot landed on his side, why is she wearing heels? Like why? Sure, Agents wear some strange things to combat, but isn't that just plain uncomfortable?
Regardless, there was some space, so he grabbed his survival knife on instinct as Iori got closer and swiped upwards as he realized what he was doing a second later.
He was about to-
RIIIP~
Mateo's arm was extended upwards with the edge of the blade out, Iori's halo protecting her not only from bullets and explosives, but sharp objects, well, except for her clothes that Mateo just cut through as his eyes widened and Iori's do too. Not like the cut was large, but if Mateo wanted to see more than he should, he'd keep his eyes on her.
"Wha-kyah!" Iori yelped, crouching down as her gun clattered to the floor and her arms enveloped her shoulders, her eyes wide in embarrassment before they narrowed and landed on Mateo.
Except, she was staring down the barrel of Mateo's Cuelebre as he pulled the trigger a second later, knocking her out as the other members looked on in shock.
He threw a grenade before they could react as he ran to the room and jumped onto the bridge, the Helmet Gangsters, Rabu, and Haruna waving him forward. "Come on!"
The makeshift bridge couldn't sustain his weight as it began to break and he leapt forward, the bridge falling to the ground as he landed in the building with a bit of stumbling as he and Haruna locked eyes. "Now!"
Nodding, Haruna bought out her detonator and clicked it.
A second later, an explosion rocked the first floor, some of the second one, and a larger amount of the third as Mateo stepped out to the window and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as satisfaction coursed through his very being.
Catharsis, oh how I've missed this feeling.
Taking a moment to enjoy it, he nods, "C'mon, our exfiltration vehicle should be here." He says as they begin walking down the stairs.
A few minutes later, a group of cars that were found in the garage of the building pulled out and drove away, to the Prefect Team's consternation.
They kept speeding until they reached a bridge, a bridge that'd take them out of the city as Mateo nodded. "Right, ram them!"
"I thought you'd never ask!" The driver said as they sped up while Mateo leaned out of the window, M4 aimed as Haruna did the same with her own sniper rifle as they began to fire on their targets, distracting them long enough to get away.
Meanwhile, Ako's eyes were blank as she put her forehead on the table. It was over, there was no way they could do anything now. They're outside the Prefect Team's jurisdiction after fighting a battle in their home turf, and losing to make it worse.
He used his lack of defendable position against them, turning their advantages against them, and then proceeded to outdo anything they could do, from his accuracy to his strength, despite having no halo and lacking the natural defenses most students have.
Not only is he suspicious, but he's dangerous too.
"Damn it," she grumbles as she sits up, "I can't believe we had this much trouble with one adult."
"Who is this adult you're talking about?" A voice asks behind her as she huffs.
"The advisor to SCHALE, I've read Chinatsu's report on him and felt that he might have been a threat to the Eden Treaty. I guess I was right considering how he managed to rally Haruna and a few helmet Gangsters against the Prefect Team." Ako instinctively responds, recognizing the voice in the back of her mind. "Now, I need to wait and try again when the Hea-."
Ako pauses as she realizes what she's doing and her eyes blank as she realizes who she's talking to. Slowly, she turns to see the Head Prefect herself, her eyes glowing with an almost mystical light as the cracks on her horns seem to grow, her halo seemed solid, moving idly as it bobbed with three layers and a pair of stone-like constructs pointing in opposite directions. Her pale hair was split at her forehead, splaying out behind the jacket she wore over her shoulders and the military uniform she wore, a slit at her thigh giving her a more mature look despite her diminutive height with dark wings splayed out behind her. Idly, she raised up a hand and tugged at her gloves, an idle gesture and habit that Ako knew instinctively, just like the tapping of her foot that she used when talking to the Pandemonium Society.
To anyone else, these tells might have shown someone impatient, but to Ako, each tap reminded her of a toy she saw on a Millenium student's desk, she remembered asking what it was out of curiosity. Newton's Cradle was the answer, a display of conservation of momentum and energy they said. Each tap was a sign that she was still alive, but if her foot stopped tapping…
She really didn't want to write apology papers.
"When who gets what, Ako?" Sorasaki Hina asks as Ako swallows her spit. "Is it the Head of the Pandemonium Society coming to ask why we closed down a part of the district?" She starts, holding a hand to her chin as she hums thoughtfully, each step only making the hairline cracks in her horns and halo grow while her face shows no visible reaction, "The Head of the Justice Task Force knocking on our door after the Vice-President finds herself incapable of contacting Sensei? Or maybe, it's the Head of the Office of Defense when the Acting General Student Council President can't get in contact with Sensei? Or the Head of Security of SCHALE itself after they can't contact Sensei and have the authority to ask for assistance of SCHALE students, one of who is a member of Millenium's Seminar, the Engineering Department, Trinity's Vigilante Task Force, our own Chinatsu who might not even try to hide what's happening? Or is it me?"
Hina then stops, looking at the downcast Ako as she continues, "So, tell me, Head Administrator," she said distantly to Ako's dismay, "do I have to say what needs to be done?"
Ako looks down, shaking her head. "No."
Hina nods, pleased as the pressure stops, allowing for Ako to finally relax. "Good. Then I'll wait for the report and the apology letters. I want them on my desk by tomorrow." She says as she begins walking away but stops as she glances back, "And Ako, despite how you went about it, I'm glad you're taking the Eden Treaty seriously." She says, walking off a second later, leaving Ako thoroughly scolded with the realization of the consequences of her actions weighing heavily while also in a better mood thanks to Hina's compliment.
Soon, the Helmet Gangsters said their farewell while leaving their contact information and a new plan cooking in my head as I thought about it for a bit. On the paperwork end, I have everything ready, but for incriminating evidence…
Yeah, ISACs used the locations found on the server of the Stygian Bank and the serial numbers on the weapons to reveal a few things about Abydos. Like how it's being used as the heart of Kaiser's illegal weapons trade, or the location of re-supply stations and military bases besides the one that's publicly shown.
Four days. In four days, I can compress what'd take years of bureaucracy into four days while only using the authority vested to me by SCHALE to speed up the process. Legally, they'll have no way to actually show that I did something wrong.
Still, I turn to see a frowning Haruna, "Something wrong?"
"No, it's just…" Haruna says, before sighing ruefully, "I didn't expect for today to go like it did. As a Gourmand introducing you to the world of Gastronomy, it was a disaster."
"Well," I start, scratching the back of my head, "at least it wasn't boring, that's for sure. And we did manage to eat it, and you were right, it was pretty good, cheap too." I add as Haruna turns to me with a smile.
"Is that so. Heehee, well, then maybe we can try again?" Haruna asks with a slightly shy smile as I nod.
"Sure, I'd like that." I say, watching as her tail moves slightly as she smiles brightly.
"You know, it's been bothering me a bit," I start, my eyes glancing at her sniper rifle, "But can I take a look at your sniper rifle?" I ask as I can't help but lick my lips in interest. While knowledge of weapons and weapon maintenance was a necessity in post-Dollar Flu America, we rarely got any access to foreign weapons. Sure, the P416 was similar to the HK416 and I did get my hands on a few foreign weapons, but things like Hifumi's assault rifle, Mutsuki's MG5, Haruna's PSG-1? Never got ahold of them and it's making the gun nerd in me salivate a bit at the possibility of trying them out.
Not to say SCHALE doesn't have one, it has multiple versions and copies among other foreign weapons basically equating it into an armory that NATO would have among other pieces that can be used to modify the weapons among my own in my workshop, but weapons like what Haruna has, weapons that have endured…
"Oh? You mean Ideal?" She asks before smiling proudly puffing up her chest, "But of course." She says as she hands me the weapon. "Be careful with it though."
Slowly, I nod as I grab the gun, my eyes practically glinting as the HUD updates to show things like ammunition, not the golden pistol grip or other smaller modifications, I could identify those on my own. I spent enough time in armories, taking care of weapons to recognize them in between my time as either a Support Agent or a field Agent.
"Oooh." I mutter as I tap the weapon, noticing how clean it is before removing the magazine, inspecting the bullets before inserting the magazine back and peering down the scope in interest.
Done with my interest, I return the weapon to Haruna. "It's a beautiful weapon."
Proudly, Haruna swiped at her hair, "Obviously."
"Fitting for such a beautiful girl." I add under my breath, as I shake my head. "Well, I have to get back to SCHALE, see you later." I say, walking away as I wave behind me, with Haruna not responding, to my confusion.
Haruna's face flushed slightly at his words as she shook her head to get her mind out of the gutter. Still, the compliment was appreciated and she went back home with her chest puffed out in pride.
I passed by streets and alleys, wandering as I headed back to SCHALE, hoping for a peaceful night after all the action. Well, compared to taking Control Points, performing missions, assisting the people, mediating conflicts, and taking Supply Drops, that little skirmish with the Prefect Team wasn't much to see. Sure, a bit tiring, but after practically three years of constant fighting, I've gotten used to not only running a lot but recovering stamina quickly. Even before my time as an Agent, my stamina wasn't the best, but I recovered easily and fast too.
Still, my inner monologue is running out of things to say as this robot keeps following me. Thankfully, I'm back in the DU and we're within range of one of my traps, an Assault turret, so…
Memory dictates I dip into an alley as I slip out my M45 and slip it into the sleeve of my hoodie as I go further into the alley, the robot following me into it as I hide behind a dumpster as best I can, which is pretty good, before he can find me. Slowly, he follows me in, almost reluctantly as he says nothing, finally passing me as I point the pistol to the back of their head. "Don't move."
A second later, the laser of the turret swivels over and points at the robot, who had both hands up, as I ask, "Unless you want me to splay your insides on the outside, talk. Who sent you?"
There was a beat of silence as a chuckle came from its speaker, as I raised a brow. "You really are interesting. I mean you no harm, I simply wish to meet with a fellow 'adult'."
Wait… ISAC is picking up a signal, is he transmitting this from a different location?
"And who said I want to meet with you?" I ask as the voice goes silent for a second.
"Do you not wish to meet with the one who has influence over Abydos' debt, Sensei."
…
"I'll be there." I say before pulling the trigger of my pistol, ISAC already managed to track the signal back to the origin as I slipped Adam's Key back to my holster, my eyes narrowed and my brow furrowed and I glared forward.
I've got questions that need answering, and let's just say I'm more than willing to wring some necks to get them.
A/N: And here's the chapter, you can probably tell a few details, but the single detail I was most anxious about is Hina. I really, really hope I got them right, beyond that there's a lot I want to say but that's more for myself. Sadly, because of the commission, no Orange Archive or extras at the end, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless.