The second chapter of my second request fic. Lots of happening in this fic. Thanks for the support so far.

Also, one message. There will be no lemons in this fic. That comes from the requester. I will rate it M however with the amount of heavy stuff here.

Also, some stuff comes from canon. No joke.

Started 07/02/2020

Ended at 05/03/2020


Ichika would never think that his life would be that much of a change in one night. Forty-eight hours ago, the boy was now for sure that his life had begun to get completely crazy. That was something he was sure of.

Ever since that night that he started to live with Tabane Shinonono and her live-in maid, Chloe, he and Madoka had been going crazy on their link. They had gotten a lot better than when they started out.

He had gotten good on this mess.

It also had been fun to test out the link and to see where it brought them. They could communicate with each other and for some practice, they could even see through each other's eyes.

But there was more to it for later. He and Madoka were gleefully sitting in front of a screen.

The weekly chatting with Chifuyu was now on. Despite being stationed so far away, she was now done with training the recruits. It was Saturday and the hours matched. It was nine hours later than in Germany. Chifuyu was ready to go to bed and the twins were up. As soon the face of their sister came up, they greeted the sister.

"Chifuyu-nee!" With a smile that had become more frequent, the Brunhilde gazed on the faces of her siblings.

"Hello, Ichika. Madoka. How are you two?" The two looked at each other and grinned.

"We're fine. Taba-nee treats us well. We have our fun. She is also a really good teacher." Madoka said and Ichika nodded on that. He liked being around Tabane and Chloe. The twins learned a lot when they were just around Tabane.

"Of course. How much I hate to admit it, Tabane remains a genius. She invented the Infinite Stratos. So what are you two set on?" Chifuyu asked and Madoka smiled. "I'm going to learn how I can pilot the Infinite Stratos. So I can compete with you, Chifuyu-nee."

Chifuyu had hoped that they would abstain from her path but that was thrown under the bus that night. If Madoka had an Infinite Stratos, she could go to the ISA. One of the twins would be under her watch.

"You can't be anywhere better. But look out, Tabane might drive you up the wall. What about you, Ichika?" The boy shrugged. "Nothing real right now. But hey, Chifuyu-nee. Tabane found something really cool. Looks like we can talk to each other in our head." Chifuyu blinked several times when her darling brother told her that.

"What?" Flat and hard, Chifuyu found it one weird thing that her brother said.

"He isn't lying, Chifuyu-nee. We can talk in our heads. In our skulls, we got a transmitter and receiver in one. Taba-nee found out and that was great. We have been practicing. It is really fun." Madoka supporter her brother and Chifuyu sighed.

"That might explain a bit. I hope you won't abuse your newly gifted powers."

The smiles on their faces were things that made it so much worth.

"Of course not, Chifuyu-nee."

"We super big time, really for real, honestly pledge, declare and promise we will never use for nefarious reasons." Chifuyu really had to wonder what that part of Madoka came from. It wasn't from her. As far as she went. Neither from Ichika.

Did it come from something else? Perhaps. But her darling little sister was so cute.

"You are really going to use it for nefarious purposes?" Chifuyu asked the question, not worth asking.

"Yep." God, she loved that sister of her.

"We won't use it for really bad things, Chifuyu-nee. You know us." Ichika tempered his sister while she was pulled in a hug.

"And you, Chifuyu-nee. How are the Germans been treating you well? You are eating well?" The brother asked and Chifuyu shook her head.

"I am fine, Ichika. I'm carried on hands here. I can't say too much but the girls like me here. I'm a celebrity. I can also visit the city and take it easy. If I was someone else, I would say that I am on holiday." Ichika raised an eyebrow when his sister told him that.

"Why you say someone else? Isn't it a holiday for you if I hear you like that?" The Brunhilde shook her head.

"Nope. It would be a holiday when I had you two around. I can't wait till this year is over." Guilt and love-filled their hearts when they heard that.

"You really love us, don't you?" Madoka said and Chifuyu nodded.

"When I am around you, I am rather around you two. Either way, I am going to bed. I can sleep in and even I need my sleep. Good night, Ichika, Madoka. I love you two."

"Love you too, Chifuyu-nee. Good night." When the call closed, the twins smirked at each other. "So what do you want to do next?"

"Getting ready for breakfast. I am getting hungry, Ichi-nii." Madoka asked and her brother nodded. The two walked off to their personal shower. Despite being in an undisclosed location, Tabane had all the comfort one could ask for.

Both of them had been in contact with their friends. From what Dan told him, both his sister and Rin were heartbroken and there was a big feeling of regret that he couldn't say goodbye. Dan remained tight-lipped on what really happened but Rin had some serious trouble going on.

When Chifuyu looked at the screen, she began dialing in a number. Tabane would be awake by now. If she ever went to sleep.

The bad things about being a genius. Your brain rarely shuts up.

When Tabane took up, Chifuyu cut her off.

"Tabane. What did I just hear? My siblings have telepathy." Hearing the genius sigh, Tabane looked up.

"So they told you, huh? I hadn't expected that. But I can't blame Ikkun and Madocchi for that. Speaking of which, now I lived with her, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that she is your little sister. The same can be said about Ikkun. It is weird if you consider."

"Tabane, be careful about what you are going to say next." Chifuyu's warning sent a chill down the spine of the genius. Even if she was hundred of km away.

"Chi-chan, did you really think you could hide that from me? Let me burst your bubble, you couldn't. I have found out years ago. Unbelievable it took the Germans this long to catch up. It does explain some things. But that all asides, I haven't told either Ikkun or Madocchi. Not my place. And believe me, I know what it feels like being shunned by your siblings."

With a breath, Chifuyu calmed herself. Her siblings were children in the house of Tabane so Chifuyu had to be polite.

"I understand. Tabane, keep that a secret from them for a while. Also, do you have an idea that Ichika might be able to do things that most are unable to?" Tabane smiled at her question.

"We don't know but we can test that out. I thought you were going back to Japan for that job. Good luck out there in Germany. Good night."

"Good night, Tabane." Chifuyu closed the call and her eyes. It had been a grueling long day.

Tabane smiled wistfully while she looked at the unit. It had gotten some dust and it was closed off.

"Maybe I can boost this up. It had been way too quiet for you." A bigger smile got on her face.

"And I can give Madocchi a birthday gift early. And when Ikkun is old enough, I can do even more."

She perversely giggled but shook her head of the thoughts. She knew that if Chifuyu would ever find out that death would be sweet compared to what her best friend could do to her. Even with her enhanced body, Chifuyu was still the strongest of the two.

Smiling, she had analyzed the situation of the twins and their big sister. Ichika was fond of his big sister and he loved taking care of them. A good homemaker. But Madoka was different. There wasn't a bone in her body that resented her big sister. She loved Chifuyu. Of that, Tabane was sure.

But there was a part of Madoka that hoped that her big sister didn't have to worry about them. Smiling, Tabane knew just what to do. Cackling, she began to work on the Infinite Stratos that Madoka would pilot soon. Thirteen. Not much older than Chifuyu.

The twins had the day off now so they just lounged around the lab. Madoka had some video games to at least they had a semblance of normalcy. She and Ichika had played them but now, they were just bored out of their skulls.

There was so much you could do. Sure, you could spend the entire day on the Internet or playing video games or that but when you have weeks filled with that without the chance of a fresh breath of air, you tend to get bored.

How could Taba-nee live like that? She wondered. Ichika was thinking the same as her. "You're right." He said as he put his controller down.

"How can you live like that? We're here for a few weeks, Madoka and I are bored. There is nothing to do. We can't go grocery shopping or just hang out. We are stuck here. How many more weeks till Chifuyu-nee comes back?"

The youngest sighed and checked her upgraded cellphone. "50 more weeks, Ichi-nii. We are right on schedule for our schools. If we keep up this pace, we're done with the middle school over five months. What are we supposed to do till then?"

Ichika sighed. "We can't enter high school yet on that. So any clue, Madoka? You can enter the ISA. For me, I am not sure."

It'd be sad that he wouldn't see his big sister and little sister for three years when they would go there. For his big sister even longer. He didn't blame them of course. But logic and emotions were no good things combined. He wasn't sure how to live his life.

Or what he could do with it. Maybe he could try to become some sort of IS inventor. Or an engineer. He sighed. Those were problems for the future.

In the next day, Tabane had called the twins. When they entered a dark lit room, the shock on their faces blew them away. Before they stood a beautiful black unit made out the best materials one could imagine. The unit shined and beeped and their brains came back.

"Tada, this is the unit I have been working on, the last few days. Ikkun, Madocchi, hereby I present to you. The unit called Kuroshiki." Tabane proudly presented and Madoka turned to the crazy inventor. "Tabane did you…"

She turned back to the machine "make this for me?" Tabane nodded and smiled while Madoka couldn't believe that she had made this unit.

"Yep. Madocchi, I know how much you want to impress your big sister. This is based on the Kurezakura of your big sister. It got really good specs. Due to your unit, I have made this so you can fight alongside with your big sister. It has its very own Yukihira." That was one big surprise.

Madoka took up the sword that hung next to the unit. Like some samurai or like her own big sister. It was black compared to Chifuyu's that she usually used. It felt right for her. The sword was made of energy.

Unlike her sister who has white as her theme, hers was black. She smirked. It was the complete opposite. Not that she really minded. It was her theme. She and Ichika were like that. Two opposites.

"It also has Star Breaker. A rifle that can use energy rounds or real ammo but out of everything, the sword blows everything out of the water. Get in, we can check it out."

Ichika couldn't help but be conflicted about the gift of Tabane for Madoka.

As long he knew, Madoka wanted Chifuyu to be proud of her. The same went for him of course. Yet, Ichika always felt that with the two being at the same stage, they could compete. Now, that wasn't happening.

Madoka was leaving him alone. Behind. The smile behind the mask had been broken. The race was lost and the night was over.

Sighing, he made himself disappear. He had gotten good at that. He just wandered around the lab now. What was the point of all of it? Men couldn't pilot the Infinite Stratos. That was as true as the day it was invented. He couldn't. Now, what was he supposed to do?

His brain didn't pay attention to. He just wandered around in the lab without any direction. How deep was this place buried? How far did it go? He wasn't sure but it looked like a storage room. When he opened it, there was a closed unit. It had some white shining on him.

Shaking his head, he touched the unit. "How wonderful it is, to be a pilot. To fly through the skies." Before his words turned cold, the unit began to shine on his touch.

"What in the?" He wasn't sure but the unit enveloped around his body. It was like the Infinite Stratos activated. His screams reached the upper part of the lab. The women turned to each other.

"Ikkun/Ichi-nii." Tabane wiped out a device from her buxom chest and that showed two rabbits.

"Don't worry, Chloe-chan, Madocchi. I will have found Ikkun in no time." Madoka briefly wondered if she should be worried about the fact that she had devices like those but she decided against it.

When the three women found the lab, they had seen a sight that none of them ever expected to see. Ichika Orimura, a male, was standing in an Infinite Stratos.

He looked as dumbfounded as the three women looking at him. The silence was deafening as Tabane was trying to reboot her brain. Weirdly enough, it was Madoka who spoke first. If she compared her own unit, a nice bracelet now on her arm, it was the opposite. Unlike the black colors of her, Kuroshiki, it shined white. A contrast, a complete opposite.

His yin against her yang.

"Ichi-nii. Is that an…"

"Infinite Stratos. Yep, indeed, Madoka." Kneeling in front of her like a Knight, the unit shined bright. "I think I am piloting an Infinite Stratos. Tabane-san, would you kindly explain to me what just happened to me?"

Before an answer was actually spoken, Tabane dragged Ichika along with her. Despite him being in a super-suit that rendered conventional warfare useless, she had no issues of taking Ichika along. Nearly throwing him over her shoulder in the same room as his unit stood, Tabane began to radically work on her computer.

"Eh, Taba."

"Don't move!" The order was barked so brutal that Ichika didn't dare to move an inch. Meanwhile, his sister and Chloe joined the two. Sharing a look, they saw Tabane working. Lasers aimed at the unit yet Ichika didn't feel anything. It was like Tabane was just looking at the newest thing she had ever found.

'You always make problems, don't you, Ichi-nii.' Glaring at his sister, Madoka got the message.

'Shut. Up. You think I have seen this one coming.' That was something she had to agree on. Ichika wanted to send more but found his unit rumbling and it closed down. He got a bracelet on his arms. Like Madoka but weirdly enough. More like something a boy wore. Looking down, he wasn't sure about this.

It was like he had broken everything that people knew about something. Like some guy who managed to attract an alien that was already bound to another human.

But he looked back to his sister and to the inventor.

"Eh, Tabane-san. Can you explain to me what happened?" The bunny-eared woman smiled at him. Not her usual overly energetic smile but a calm one. Ichika would be happy to say it was nearly serene.

"Congratulations, Ikkun. You have become the world's first Infinite Stratos Male Pilot. Which is great, because now both you and Madocchi can go to the Infinite Stratos Academy." Ichika looked in horror. He had lived with two women before. Now he had to go to a school where he was the only one who had a Y chromosome in his body. At least, he was sure of.

"Eh, Tabane-san. Who is saying that I am going?" The brilliant scientist had opened her mouth to say something scary but she stopped. She could do this easier.

"Well, Houki-chan is also going the same year as you two. And with my help, the brilliant inventor, Tabane Shinonono, you can become the world's best pilot." There was no stopping her now. Ichika and Madoka were sure of it.

The twins had often talked with their big sister about what happened if a male would be found. An extremely rare thing, countries would go to war for it. Ichika now had a target on his back for the rest of his life. Sure, his sister could be used as a determent but hiding behind the back of his sister wasn't something he could live with.

If he was going to become a pilot, he sure as hell would become one of the best out there. And he could now find something to compete with.

During that week, Tabane jammed in their heads what they should learn in years yet it worked. Of course, this was the Inventor of the machine. So it was the purest and fastest way of learning how to use the Infinite Stratos. Mock matches went on despite their schooling. At least, this way, the time at the end of the day going on the Internet with a tablet more enjoyable.

Nothing better to lay in a soft bed while your bones and muscles ached. A week went by and Tabane had given them the day off.

From Monday till Friday, the twins woke at the crack of dawn. Got their breakfast, they would first get teaching and around ten, they got training in the Infinite Stratos. That went till noon when they had lunch. After lunch, they had class until two am. When that was over, they had training until six. Every time, they crashed down.

Ichika was wondering what was wrong with Tabane. They at least had no homework. So every night, their bodies gave out around ten. So when Saturday came around, they slept in.

So it was late until they made the call to their big sister.

49 more weeks to go. Better warm her up now. A thousand winters, that could take a while.

"Ichika, Madoka, are you okay? You certainly took a while." That little thing just showed how much Chifuyu loved her siblings. Even if she didn't show it.

"We're fine, Chifuyu-nee." Her mirror said.

"We're just extremely tired. Tabane has been working us into the ground." The brother backed Madoka up.

Chifuyu crossed her arms. "Really now? What has she been doing?" Madoka showed the bracelet off her closed up form. Chifuyu just raised an eyebrow on that.

"So she gave you a Personal Unit. Should have known. But hey, I knew you were intending to go to the Infinite Stratos Academy. That doesn't excuse you, Ichika."

The boy made a humorless chuckle. "Chifuyu-nee, there is something you need to see."

Chifuyu titled her head.

"What is it, Ichika?"

Awkwardly, Ichika rose his hand and like his twin, a bracelet was attached. Chifuyu was a smart woman so she had quickly figured out what exactly hung on the arm of her little brother.

The twins were happy they captured those logs on a private hard drive. Cause the look on their big sister's face was worth a thousand words.

Mouth dropped open, her eyes wide as sauces and blown away expression. The first time they had seen Chifuyu Orimura like that.

"Is that an Infinite Stratos unit?"

"That was my reaction as well, big sis. Yeah, that is an Infinite Stratos unit." Madoka said and throwing her arm around her brother, she ruffled her hair.

"My baby brother can pilot an Infinite Stratos. First time in ten years a male can pilot an IS and it has to be my little brother." Madoka was busy on taking her big sister's expression and Chifuyu just sighed.

"It also got the first Core. The one from the White Knight."

Chifuyu really wondered where she got that beaming voice from. It wasn't from her. The Brunhilde knew that. It also didn't come from her brother. Ichika was a happy go lucky idiot but he wasn't as beaming as Madoka.

And that little girl dropped a new one.

"Ichi-nii's unit is called Byakushiki. Based on the White Knight. And mine is based on your current one, Kurezakura." Chifuyu groaned when she heard it. Good thing she had the day off. Her headache had increased. Of course, it was clear how they could pilot the Infinite Stratos. Her little sister went without saying but her little brother as well.

Chifuyu playfully glared at them.

"Just my luck. So I won't only have my sister but also my brother at school."

The twins smirked. In a near-simultaneously voice, they spoke. "We blame it on being your siblings."

Chifuyu just gave them a real big sister glare. "You two creep me out like that. And you are the only ones who make me lose it. So besides your link and your strength that you got when you heard your little sister, Ichika, you can also pilot the Infinite Stratos?" Chifuyu slammed herself in the head.

"That explains why you say that Tabane drove you into the ground. Been there, done that myself." With a smile, she shook her head.

"In any case, you can consider this bad news." The twins had an 'Eh' expression when they heard that.

"Tabane has found two interesting things. A male Pilot and my little sister as a Pilot. Couple that with your links, you two have a year to make it out alive. She won't let you go until you're thoroughly investigated. The good news is that when you are done, you will have some serious skills under your belt. And when you are there, I'll be around." That was a good thing. The two just nodded and smiled when they heard that.

"We'll be here when you come back from Germany, Chifuyu-nee. Until then, we can't wait." Shaking her head, the Brunhilde loved the two.

"I love you two. You do know that I hope?"

"We love you too, Chifuyu-nee. So hurry up and come back home." If they were just two girls, it would be really creepy but Ichika and Madoka had their own. It wasn't just creepy now. It just made her sigh. When that call closed, Chifuyu took out her cellphone.

It didn't even ring once.

"Heya, Chi-chan. You don't have to say anything. I know why you called. Ikkun's skills, right?" Tabane told Chifuyu and she sighed.

"I don't think I need to tell why he can pilot the Infinite Stratos. Fuck it all. If I had known."

Hearing a scoff, Chifuyu perked up. "Chi-chan, you know what I regret. I invented the Infinite Stratos and I turned this world around. Yet, I have regret. Do I have to tell you what?" Chifuyu knew what she meant.

Tabane invented a thing that the world would sell their soul for. Yet, she did one thing that was so small and insignificant for most of the world.

Tabane's little sister, Houki Shinonono, had no love for her big sister. That love died when she published the Infinite Stratos. It broke contact with Ichika and caused her sister to suffer from heartbreak. A painful thing for a child. Tabane and she hadn't talked in years.

If you knew Tabane, it broke her every time to hear her sister pick up the phone and slam it down. She ignored texts, emails and so on.

Her sister ignored her and that was killing her.

"I don't want you to do the same thing, Chi-chan. It will kill you if Ikkun and Madocchi cut you off because you refused to tell them the truth."

"How is that better than they cutting me off because of the truth? What am I supposed to tell them, huh? Hey, you two. You don't have parents, you're born out of my DNA. Out of a tube. Is that something they should hear?"

Tabane rarely heard Chifuyu lose her cool but it happened every while. When it concerned her siblings, Chifuyu's ice queen personality went down the drain.

"They will find out the truth. Chi-chan, I don't have to tell what you should do. But I know where your roots lie. I know who you are. What you are. They won't be hidden for long. They won't stay behind. I am sure that sooner or later Ikkun and Madocchi will find out the truth. It is better they learn it from you."

"So I would have kept lies from them for years. Is that a good thing?" Tabane smirked when she heard it. It meant Chifuyu Orimura was defeated.

"Well, you told them that they're your only family, right?"

"Yes. So?"

"That is not a lie. It is the truth." Chifuyu sighed. This has begun to get so much more complicated. "Thank you, Tabane. Don't work on them too hard. I still have a job to do."

"Noted Chi-chan. I send you my everlasting love." Chifuyu closed the call and threw herself on the bed. With an arm on her face, she felt tears running down her face. Damn, she hated it. She hated feeling like this. She hated feeling weak. It was a sort of irony. She was the strongest woman in the world yet when it came to reality, she ran away.

She couldn't change the fact. The fact that her little brother and sister weren't really her little brother and sister. Well, they were but they weren't at the same time.

They were her siblings but not in a natural way. They were born out of a test tube, from her DNA. So technically, they were her siblings. Even if they didn't come out a womb that was made from sperm. Gross but it was how human beings became on the planet.

The Germans only now caught up. Phantom Task was still out there and they were some real issues. Chifuyu groaned as she laid her head on the pillow.

Tabane was right. No matter how long she tried to hold back the truth, it would come out. There was even truer. If she had left Madoka behind, it'd just Ichika. She was sure she could handle, keeping that a secret but she knew they were going to figure out her secrets sooner or later.

"There is no running away, you just have to face it, don't you?" She sighed. That deal wasn't worth it. And like always, she traded one life of violence for another. There was no changing it.

Her siblings would be in the front line of this. The one thing she knew for sure was this. But when this was all said and done, there would be no Phantom Task.

The twins weren't sure but in the meantime, they came up with a name for their units. Ichika's unit was based on the White Knight. It was called the Byakushiki. Madoka's unit, based on the Kurezakura, was named the Kuroshiki.

One great name for their units. But at this point, they were just going to stay inside and play on the computer. Outside, they could hear a storm rage. But now, they sat inside, watching cartoons, anime, and other stuff.

Ichika did leave his sister's side. He would wonder his entire life where his sister got her love of metal from. Neither he nor Chifuyu could understand that sort of music.

The week turned around and in a makeshift classroom, Ichika and Madoka were seated, paying attention to absolutely no one.

It had become a common occurrence in the last days. Tabane would always turn up late and in the first few minutes, she'd always look down. Just like now.

"Hey, Ikkun. Madocchi. Sorry I am late." Knowing they weren't ripping off a certain spiked haired character, the twins found their link.

'Finding out what is going with Taba-nee, right, Ichi-nii?'

'Literally Madoka. You read my mind.' They couldn't do much else but they would make a visit to the other person who was living in the lab. Even with her eyes closed, Chloe tensed up when she found the presence of the twins.

"Ichika-sama, Madoka-sama." They had gotten Chloe to stop calling her the nicknames. Tabane could get away with it but she wasn't allowed to say that.

"Hey, Chloe. We got a question." Ichika took the chair around and sat with the back to the table. Madoka took the other one but sat down in the proper way.

"Do we need to ask you what it is?" Chloe smirked as she heard the two speak. "You are talking why Tabane-sama is distressed. Why she is late. Ichika-sama, Madoka-sama. Do you really need to ask this question? Who besides you and your dear older sister belongs in Tabane-sama's heart. Who is her beloved person beside you three."

"Houki." The name was said between the two of them. They knew who Chloe was talking about. They really should have known. That must be the reason. Despite being hidden, Tabane still kept tabs on them. Well, not on them but on Chifuyu Orimura. Their sister and so by extension them. Houki was just another name on that list.

It should have made sense. From what they heard, Tabane didn't part on good terms with her little sister. Which is why she was sad.

"Indeed, Tabane-sama is very sad with how her sister is ignoring her for the last few years. She has tried numerous times to call her sister but Houki always slams down the phone. I have no idea what I should do. I do not concur how someone would reject Tabane-sama." Ichika snorted as the two turned to him.

"That's cause Tabane ruined her relationship with Houki when she made the Infinite Stratos. Because of that, she had to move. Plus," a red hue set in on his face. "She had made a promise with me that if she won the tournament, I'd become her boyfriend." Madoka now knew why her brother was sad with Houki moving. That would explain the sadness on his face.

"So what now?" The little sister asked and Chloe sighed.

"I don't know. Tabane-sama has refused me to go over to Houki and talk some sense into her." The twins could only agree with that decision.

'I think she'll talk Chifuyu-nee does, right, sis?'

'Yep. Good thing that she didn't go over to Houki's house.'

"Maybe we should talk with Houki for a bit. I mean. If she knew about what Tabane has done for us. She might come to terms." Madoka told her thoughts and Ichika could agree with that.

"Especially when she hears that I am around. It might give her some peace. Painful. We haven't been in contact for years. And now via her sister, we will be." It wasn't everything but so far, they had no better shot. They should talk with Houki and maybe come to terms.

Besides, most likely in about two years, they'd be classmates. Best thing to be prepared for that little thing. But first things first. They had to talk with Tabane about this matter. She had been nothing but an excellent host ever since they started to live in the lab.

So the day after the talk with Chloe, Ichika and Madoka walked to Tabane's room. They could hear the calling going over. The fact they knew what would happen after the call made them break a little.

"Heya, Houki-chan. How are you doing? It's me, your sister… hello, Houki-chan. Are you still on the phone?" Some silence and the feeling of dread washed over them.

"Houki-chan, please take up the call."

Some more silence.

"Houki-chan, please. I just want to talk to you for a few minutes."

Again, some more silence.

"Houki-chan, please. Call me back. I am sorry."

Again silence.

"Houki-chan. I am so sorry for what I have done. Please. Onee-chan misses you."

She didn't have a chance to leave a new message. Seeing Tabane cry was something that Ichika nor Madoka actually ever wanted to see but they could see the normally lively genius crying her eyes out.

"Ikkun, Madocchi. Eh, Tabane-nee will be right ready for the lessons." The faces of sympathy hurt more than she had hoped for but the twins weren't buying.

"Taba-nee. Were you calling…"

"Houki on the phone?"

She gulped but wanted to deny that little truth part. She, of course, was speaking with Houki.

"Taba-nee. Are you"

"Crying." There was nothing worse but to see her smile like that. It wasn't her real smile as usual. A broken one. A forced one.

One they hadn't expected to see. "What are you two talking about? I'm not crying." The stares did some damage to her.

"Seriously you two. Cut it out. I'm not."

She began to fall back in the teary eyes.

"You two. I told you I am not." She couldn't help but gulp. The lump in her throat had become bigger. When she swallowed it, tears fell around her. Before Tabane could protest, she felt the arms of Ichika and Madoka around her.

They had seen Chifuyu break down a couple of weeks ago and the fact they saw Tabane coming down crying. The twins kept her tight. Sure, she could have run away and broken it off while she cried but there was one little aspect. Tabane didn't want them to let her go. She had been calling Houki for years and every time, it was cut short.

She could tell them later but now, she needed some comfort. Some of the twins were happy to provide. They heard her cry and weren't going to stop comforting her.

"Tabane, shouldn't you tell us"

"What is going on? That was Houki, right?" Tabane sighed. Those two were really the siblings of Chifuyu Orimura.

When Tabane was done crying her heart out, she looked at the two. Still heartbroken but at least, the pain was gone for a small bit.

"Indeed. I have been calling her for months. She either doesn't take the call or she closes it off. If I had known. I hate myself sometimes for creating the Infinite Stratos." Ichika and Madoka shared a look but halted to let her speak.

She certainly wasn't alone in that matter. "May I ask why?" Madoka spoke the question. It might be better to hear it from her.

"Because of what it has done to Houki-chan. Ever since I created that weapon, Houki-chan has completely cut me off. It isn't that she ignores me. She despises me." That was something they hadn't even hoped to hear come from Tabane's mouth but they weren't pushing her.

"She hates me due to everything I have done. And I still don't get why." Ichika felt his little sister beeping in.

'Promise from back then?'

'Yep. I haven't forgotten about it. You remember how I felt back then?' Madoka had been sure that Ichika had been in a depression ever since of the things that happened back then. It nearly killed her brother and it had taken till Rin showed up to get him out of it.

Ichika sighed and hugged Tabane a bit more while Madoka sat behind her. They sighed while she was lulled to sleep. She was exhausted and Ichika knew that. Emotions weren't easy to deal with. They knew that of course. But for now, they had something else to do.

So when Ichika found the phone of Tabane, he began to look for the number. There weren't that many contacts. Two actually. He could call his own big sister later but now, he was looking for Houki. It had been a while. What now, four years?

When he was sure, Ichika pressed calling. The beeps went over. Somewhere he hoped that Houki would take the call. He could also just call the number with his own cellphone.

After two minutes of silence, Ichika heard the call going over. "Nee-san. I do not."

"Hello, Houki. Been a while." Ichika said and there was some silence on the other line.

"Who is this? How did you get this phone? Or this number?" Ichika pressed it on speaker when he was calling her.

"Is that a way to greet me after four years of silence? Nice one, Houki." There was a grin in the room and not just from the twins.

"Ichika?"

"Hello. How you've been, Houki? How are things at your place?" Houki blinked rapidly when she heard the voice of Ichika and the silence was no longer suffocating.

"Ichika? How do you have the number of my sister? Why are you there? With her?" Ichika sighed when Houki asked that little thing but he was going to answer it.

"Well, that's cause your sister took me and Madoka in. Long story short. Chifuyu rescued us after the Mondo Grosso Championship but was sent to Germany for a year. No other place to be safe so we are now living with your big sister. For about?"

"Three weeks now?" His sister said. "Good to hear from you again, Houki. It's been a while."

"Hello, Madoka. So you're there as well?" The youngest smirked when she heard one of her oldest friends speak.

"Everywhere Ichika is, I am as well. But Houki, it looks like you and Taba-nee don't get along well." They heard Houki sigh.

"That is between me and her. Don't interfere." And with that, Houki closed the call.

"Hasn't changed one bit. You can wonder how that will go next." Ichika gave the phone back and even without their link, he had the same thought as his little sister. They would break down Houki's walls even if it was the last thing they would do.

But dealing with that was going to be one painful thing. And with Houki who closed down her phone, Ichika and Madoka knew what they'd do next. Tabane was still sucking her thumb while she was crying. Going to Chloe was also out because the answer wasn't going to work for them either.

So the one they were going to ask for advice was out for a bit. That would be their own big sister. So that was going to be the best course of action. They would have to wait a few more days before that.

In the meantime, they had this entire week to spend in a different way. The twins did their best to distract Tabane from her sadness. Not that it was really difficult to do that.

Chloe approved of the ways that Ichika and Madoka kept Tabane entertained. Either by their matches or by their lessons. Despite not knowing that much of the Infinite Stratos, Ichika had never thought he would use that. Yet, he was happy that he got about three years to prepare for the hell of a roller coaster that would be the Infinite Stratos Academy.

Tabane had also been improving the weapons for the two. Both Ichika and Madoka had already one Yukihira of their own. Both used the sword as a way to fight as their main weapon. Madoka had another weapon she liked. The rifle was out to use against her brother but she was getting a good shot.

Tabane didn't forget about Ichika either. With a gift, that was called the High-Frequency blade, Ichika had seen how his sister could dual wield a katana. While a second one was a bit excessive in his mind, it was shown she could wield it. And with the practice, he received Ichika grew as a fighter.

The High-Frequency blade had about the same length as the Yukihira and it could be used to the same effects. The blade was razor-sharp and from the drones that he fought, Ichika could cut through them like a hot knife.

In terms of practice, it took his preference above the Yukihira for the amount of ease he had. The High-Frequency blade was stronger to cut through and while the Yukihira was stronger, the sacrifice of shield points was a valid reason to be concerned. Still, he had gotten pretty good at using both swords.

For Madoka, she had gotten good at using her rifle. For some reason, her rifle could work for long-range support. Compared to Ichika, he was nowhere near as good as Madoka. Tabane hadn't given him a gun as she found that it would be a bit too difficult to use that in a correct fashion.

To prevent the Shield Points from doing them on occasions, Tabane had improved the way how the One-Off ability. While it would still drain their shield points, it wouldn't be too fast compared to Chifuyu.

Both of the twins realized that while they were nowhere near their big sister, they had begun with catching up. It would Chifuyu at least a reason not to look over her shoulder every time. If they could fight, Chifuyu didn't have to worry too much.

The two didn't make illusions. They knew that their sister would never stop worrying about them and when they would over in their head, their sister would be there to get them out the mess.

Time flies when you have your fun. Before long, Chifuyu was again on the screen. She looked extremely tired when she saw her brother and sister again.

"Hey, Chifuyu-nee." The smile on her little sister's face made it so worth it. Really, from who did she get it?

"Hello, Madoka. Ichika. How you've been?" The Brunhilde asked her siblings.

"We can better ask you that, sis. Jesus Christ, Chifuyu-nee, are you okay?" Ichika asked in genuine worry and Chifuyu shook her head.

"I'm fine, you two. Just extremely tired. They had some realistic exercise today. They just finished now."

The two shared a look.

"Chifuyu-nee, that can't be what made you look like this. You're tougher." Chifuyu smirked at them. "It's not that what killed me, Madoka. It was seeing those idiots going and stumbling around. I grew up with you two and neither of you has made me gotten more gray hairs than today."

Her brother shook his head. "Wrong. You didn't grow up with us, you raised us. And that is one big compliment, Chifuyu-nee. So things aren't great in Germany?" Chifuyu shook her head.

"I thought that you two were something. I learned today that I will take you over them every day of the week. Well, just 48 weeks to go. So anything on your end?"

The two nodded.

"Chifuyu-nee. We got a little problem. Taba-nee has been trying to call Houki but it didn't work out very well. Same can be said when we tried. Houki just closed down the call and we tried all we could but she doesn't answer our calls either."

Madoka admitted and the older sister sighed. She couldn't blame the twins for trying to help out their host but so far, the matters of the heart were something that Chifuyu hadn't been used to.

"So you tried to call her back, right?"

"Yes. But she hasn't answered us. She told us that it wasn't our business. Which is true but you should have seen Taba-nee. She was really hurt by that."

Chifuyu wiped over her eyes and nose. This wasn't something she'd ever talk with but it was nowhere and the older sister wouldn't run.

"I don't think it's unreasonable. Tabane-san really hurt Houki by her actions." Ichika added his opinion and Chifuyu looked back at him.

"Ichika, you can't forget that the promise you made with Houki meant the world to her. That is something. Madoka, if you try to call her again, I'd say you would be the one who tried calling her."

The youngest raised an eyebrow. "Why me, Chifuyu-nee? Isn't Ichi-nii better for this?"

"I think you have the same view on it as me. I get that Houki is hurt by what happened but by acting like a child, it's not solving things."

Even without a link running between the sisters, Chifuyu was sure that her younger sister was thinking about this the same way. Madoka looked at things more logically than her brother.

She could get why Houki was hurt by it but she couldn't help but think that the actions on her behalf were agreeable.

"You think I should call her? Chifuyu-nee, what would you want me to say? Even if I get her. Both I and Ichi-nii have been trying to call Houki for the last few days. And that is not getting any response."

Chifuyu tilted her head and stretched out. "That is true, little sister. But keep trying. If not, well, at least, I think she is acting like a child as well."

"Why are you two saying that she is hurt? And what promise did you mean?" The two looked back at their brother with the same expression.

"This is why I am happy you both will go to the Infinite Stratos Academy. At least, you'll be watching his back, Madoka."

Chifuyu's tone betrayed a hint of irony.

"Indeed. Also, Chifuyu-nee. I hope you'll be there to help me. Alone, I don't stand a chance." Madoka could be a twin of Chifuyu with her tone.

"What are you two talking about? Am I missing something?" Ichika's own voice betrayed his impatience and Chifuyu sighed.

"You know what the promise was? Right? When Houki would win that tournament, you'd be her boyfriend? That is why she is so sour towards Tabane. A broken heart takes a lot of time to heal." Chifuyu answered and Ichika blinked a few times.

"She was in love with me? Really?"

The groans of his sisters were done at the same time. Ichika had no idea what he did wrong to upset both of his sisters.

"Little sister. Can I trust you to help me light the darkness?"

"I will try, big sister. For this year. Next year, I will need you to break down. Osmium doesn't hold a candle." Ichika glared at his sisters. They had their says. It was time for his.

"If you have something to say, be clear. Guys are bad with hints, you know. So yeah, you'll have to forgive me, Chifuyu-nee, Madoka, that I didn't pick up what Houki meant. How old were we? Ten. Besides Houki didn't give me the right signals."

Chifuyu mulled over her thoughts. Looks like it wasn't too bad. They would need to make it clear. He was going to be locked in a school with over 1 200 women and the only person who was a guy. She sighed.

In some ways, she would have loved to have at least one male friend to give Ichika the talk about it all. But that wasn't the case now.

"Ichika, it is true about that all but Houki was pretty hurt over what happened during that time. It has been three years. Madoka, try to talk her out. If it doesn't work, well, I think she'll come to the ISA." That took the attention of the twins.

"She will?" That was spoken in unison.

"Yes, indeed. Like you two, Houki got a target painted on her back. She might loathe her sister for what she has invented but for her, the only way to live free is by doing the same thing as what you have planned. Either way, I'll talk to you two later. Good night. I am going to need more sleep. Next week is going to be brutal." And with that, Chifuyu closed her call.

The twins sighed. "I wonder how Houki is doing now." There were some red hues over his face. Despite not picking up the signals, Ichika now had a bigger feeling for the girl. And if Tabane was anything to go by, well, he had no reason to complain.

"We'll talk about that later. But for now, let's just take it easy. I can't feel my body anymore." Ichika walked to his own room. He was going to sleep for most of the day as well.

The weekend flew by with Madoka trying to call Houki as well. Ichika didn't stop but so far, neither of them got lucky.

If Madoka could be honest, she would rather have the idea of Ichika hitching off with Houki instead of Rin or Ran. While Houki had some traits that could be a turnoff, she and Chifuyu admitted that they could get along the best with her.

Even with an age difference of eight years, both Houki and Chifuyu got along. Better than with Tabane. Which was ironic because, from the three siblings, Madoka took a bigger liking to Tabane.

Not that she and Houki didn't get along. Despite their conflicting personalities, the girls had taken a liking to each other.

Madoka's relaxed and friendly attitude coupled with her infectious energy broke Houki out her shell. Houki's own serious nature kept Madoka in check but she didn't have to worry about bigger things. So far, she sighed.

This was frustrating. She couldn't believe people did this for a living.

In Germany.

Chifuyu had been busy training the entire day with the cadets Schwarze Hase Corp. While the girls were strong, they weren't all she had seen. They certainly could give what they'd fight problems but to say that they were superior to Phantom Task, Chifuyu wouldn't think so.

They would get there. But it would cost them one heavy price.

She was finally off when she saw the youngest of the bunch, Laura, coming down. Chifuyu couldn't help but think that like Laura Bodewig, her own siblings were born like her.

"Hey, instructor. May I ask you something?" Chifuyu raised an eyebrow on the question of Laura. They were having a professional relationship and so far, Laura's growth had been leaps and bounds compared to a few weeks ago.

"Go ahead, Bodewig. I'll try my best to answer."

"Why are you so strong? I want to know what it would take." Chifuyu shook her head and some smile got on her face.

"It's not for glory or fame, Bodewig. I have a younger brother and sister. They're twins. They're my two reasons to come home." Laura was shocked to hear her speak like that.

'Siblings? And they cause you to lose focus. I will not accept that. It will not do.'

Back in the lab.

Weeks had gone by and a rhythm set in. A wise man once said that humanity has managed to normalize the most extreme conditions. Ichika and Madoka could certainly attest to that.

Slowly but surely, Ichika and Madoka learned a lot with the Infinite Stratos. Sure, they would need to go through the ISA but instead of an unclimbable mountain, it would look like a great trip. Especially as their big sister would be around.

Time went fast in the lab. A year would be immeasurably long in some way but in reality, it wasn't that long. Weeks flew by and turned into months.

When you had five days of working hard and fighting early, hours flew by and days didn't turn out to be so long.

Every week, the twins would use their machines and improve by fighting and training together. Their growth was leaps and bounds compared to other Infinite Stratos pilots.

You could say that was due to Tabane's and Chloe who pushed the limits of the twins to go beyond their limits. It might also have something to do with being related to Chifuyu.

The weekends were they could talk to Chifuyu were something that the twins looked forward to. Every time, they would draw a line to mark how many more weeks they would be without their big sister.

Their birthdays rolled around and the fun they had preparing made them almost forgot that it was just the four of them.

It wasn't all happiness and joy. Ichika heard from Dan that Rin moved back to China for family-related issues. That was a bummer and Ichika had no idea if he would ever see the genki upbeat girl in his life again.

Things just ground on and stuff just went by. The twins had grown very much during that. They would still need to go to the ISA to get their license.

That was only the secondary reason why they would go to the academy. Three years where they could spend days with their big sister. That was something they really look forward to. They missed their sister. And they would do anything in their power to break down the walls Houki had build around herself.

And maybe they would carry out some other acts. The life in the lab made him realize some stuff. Especially when Tabane showed him some pictures of Houki.

A blush crept up Ichika's face when he saw how Houki grew up. Tabane and she really were sisters. Some memories crept in where he knew that Tabane grew up pretty fast during those days.

She really took after her sister.

Times just went by fast and despite being locked up in the lab, they weren't cut out of the world. The Internet proved to be a wonderful solution for loneliness. Between the videos and music, Ichika spent his time playing games.

So did Madoka. She enjoyed shooters but never had much time to really play them. Now, she could. The stuff Tabane had made was really good for her to game on. She was getting good at those and she had been playing games around.

Eventually, it was like the twins had lived their lives underground. But all things have a beginning and an end.

On one particular Saturday, there was no screen of Chifuyu playing. There were no twins sitting in front of that.

Ichika and Madoka had been packing their bags and prepared to leave. They had set their bags with all they had in the larger carrot/rocket of Tabane. It was just a one-way trip. They would take place, unload their bags and send it back to Tabane.

They also had to clean up the house. After one year, there was no doubt it would be dusty.

"Well, Tabane, Chloe. You were wonderful hosts and thanks for this." Ichika said when he stood next to his sister.

"It was our pleasure, Ichika-sama, Madoka-sama." With an elegant bow, Chloe turned to them. She was cut off guard when she got a hug from Madoka.

"I'll miss you." The youngest said. With smiles and grinning, all four of them tried to hide the tears. They had lived one year together.

When she let Chloe go, she turned to Tabane. With a hug, Tabane wrapped her arms around the smaller girl.

"I'll miss you two, Madocchi. Do Chi-chan my regards and take care of your brother." Some tears spilled down and the end of it was set in. When she took her place, the rocket took off. When the two were done, Chloe and Tabane couldn't help but sigh. Some tears came down but smiles hid the pain.

In the rocket, Madoka found her hand being clutched by her brother. She looked at her brother with tears running down her face. "I'll miss them too. But just know we'll see our sister again." Ichika said and Madoka nodded. She would be happy if Chifuyu came back home.

The rocket landed at the same place, only without destroying the street, where they were picked up a year ago, minus twelve hours. Checking his watch, he knew that Chifuyu would be home in six hours.

When they got their bags, the rocket flew back to Tabane. It was like they came home from holiday.

Unlocking the door, it was almost weird for Ichika. When they saw it, it was clear the place had gotten dusty but the rest of the house looked good.

"Home sweet home," Ichika said and Madoka stood next to him.

"Hard to think about it, Ichi-nii." It was weird, nearly impossible to get the grips that this was their house.

"I'm going to clean up. Can you hit the store to buy us food? I'll need it to make curry." Madoka cheered up and walked away. Breathing in the fresh air, she couldn't believe she missed it. Doing normal stuff, the people couldn't blink when they saw the youngest Orimura.

Meanwhile, Ichika took a vacuum cleaner and began to take care of the dust that settled all around the house. Used to it, he liked to keep a place clean. With the broom, he went around. A mop of water and the head nowhere but on his task. Simple things you take for granted.

Ichika was happy to be home again. The door opened and Madoka walked in while she was eating a candy bar. Shaking his head, she placed the stuff away. The food that expired years ago was thrown away and again, fresh food filled the place. After that, Ichika began to cook while Madoka took out the clothes and began to fill out her closet.

She really was happy to be home again.

On the airplane, Chifuyu had been trying to knock herself out. That resistance to hard alcohol really costed her. After a year, she had to tell Ichika and Madoka the truth.

The whole cold truth about their true birth. What they really were. The fact that there was a lie. They had no parents.

It was even hard to think about some other stuff. Chifuyu couldn't remember her parents either. One thing was clear. They didn't miss anything.

The mind had worn off hard enough. They had sealed off the thoughts on what happened to her.

She downed another shot. Her resistance wouldn't be broken. And that she wanted to have the decency to come home sober. She didn't drink more alcohol and let her body fight against it.

When she landed, she breathed in. "Back home." The German army even arranged a taxi and when she took it, memories consumed her and she looked around.

The Brunhilde was back home.

The streets became more familiar and the houses recalled more. When she turned into her street, she looked at the house that she had earned. She wasn't out of the car before an exhilarated voice said two words she had learned that Chifuyu would think were her most beloved words.

"Chifuyu-nee!" Turning around, her Two Reasons stood and she turned around.

"I'm home, Ichika, Madoka."

"Welcome home, Chifuyu-nee."

The simplicity of the moment was there for a few glorious seconds while Ichika and Madoka looked at Chifuyu. That was broken by Madoka running up to the sister. A year ago, Chifuyu could easily take the two up in her arms.

In one year, Madoka nearly knocked her sister off her socks. "Damn, little sis. You really got a grip. Working out?" The dry, teasing voice of Chifuyu did not stop Madoka from crying on her shoulder. Soft sobs came out of the girl.

"It's been a year. I missed you, big sis." Chifuyu caressed the hair of Madoka while she admitted she missed both of her siblings. Ichika had taken out the bags of the truck and said his thanks to the cab driver. Shaking his head and muttering something about kids, he just drove off.

"I place them in your room. Is that okay?" His sister glared at Ichika on which he shook his head. "Is that really the first thing on your mind?"

"Nope. Just being practical here." Ichika said with a grin but his eyes betrayed how he really felt. Plus, his body badly contained how much he wanted to hug his sister. When Chifuyu let Madoka go, she stood ready for Ichika.

If Madoka nearly knocked her off, Chifuyu had to use her strength for a first and more than she would have guessed she thought she would ever use on her brother.

The strength was just for the hug. Ichika didn't cry but he felt a lump in his throat. "I missed you, too, Chifuyu-nee." Wrapping her arms around her brother, Chifuyu couldn't help but feel how he had grown. A year ago, he reached her chest. Now, Ichika had grown a good bit more.

He would grow longer than her but that was not her concern.

"Welcome home, Chifuyu-nee. We're having curry."

At least, his home cooking would make it easier. They ate that when she left and the first meal they would share as a family. Wrapping her arms around the heads of her brother and sister, Chifuyu Orimura finally came to the right place.

Home.


That took me a while to write out. I had my fun in this. I also finished this after The Division Two. That game got me back in and I like playing. But there is some stuff I need to catch on before I do more.

I can better work on stuff first and get something finished.

Amazing that another person to help you out can be such a drive.

So for those who are interested, I'm looking for a beta for my crossover fics, especially Stories Told and Afraid to Shoot Strangers.

If someone is up for it, just let me know.

With this chapter, it wasn't easy. I really owe a lot to ChaosJay7. He really helped me out.

The next update is most likely the next chapter of Surprise in the bathroom.

After that, Stories Told is next, I'll be happy when that grind is over and after that, Brave New World. What we'll do after that, we'll see.

Or it changes. No telling how it will really turn out. This is just my plan.

Saluut.