I do not want to commission you, artists. Go somewhere else. All queries will be considered spam/soliciting and ignored.
If you wish to draw fanart for the sake of art, that is fine. I have no issues with people who draw simply to enjoy creating.
Important: Call of the Void -Momotalk- has been posted to AO3. These additional microchapters are considered required reading.
If you have not yet read them, please defer this chapter for later.
This is another smaller-ish chapter, because I didn't feel like padding out another 5,000 words. However, it sets something into motion that I've been looking forward to for a while now. Actually, make that two things; you'll see what I mean as you read.
I also blame a smaller, but persistent writer's block that has hampered my writing pace a little. For the foreseeable future, chapters may be around this length until something major happens.
"Destination is in sight."
"Oh my... We're really doing this~"
"Of course we are! We have to capitalize on this. He's the one who wanted to listen."
"Well said, comrade 'o mine. Don't even remember the last time we went somewhere just to talk.."
The day has finally arrived. The day all of us in SRT's FOX Squad have been waiting for.
The visitation period has begun.
Everyone around me is visibly excited. Niko was wearing a constant smile, evidently happy. Kurumi was trying to obscure her excitement, but failing. Otogi was even more chipper than usual, her usual confident smile wider. And as for me?
I've got to begrudgingly admit... I haven't felt this confident in the future for a substantial amount of time. As we sit in our subway car, almost entirely devoid of people due to the time of day, I consider the events of the past few days.
We have all but cut contact with Shiranui Kaya. Naturally, she has not taken this well, as she has threatened to expose our details to the General Student Council and Schale if we refuse to cooperate with her going forward. And yet, in these uncertain few days, I have had time to think. I've forgotten how uncomfortable it is to be left with my own personal thoughts, devoid of any relating to an impending mission or assignment. This personally unsettling disquiet has allowed me pause for ponder.
It is possible that Kaya would not have lived up to her end of the deal.
Excluding Schale from the equation entirely for a moment, she is the next best option for reinstating SRT academy. And unfortunately, she is only one element of said equation. Her future plans to seize the GSC's bureaucratic throne heavily relied on the prospective assistance of Kaiser Group and their subsidiaries, Kaiser PMC and Kaiser Industries.
Their PMC has all but collapsed into a pile of ash, while Kaiser Industries has been forced into an unwinnable position. This is because the whole General Student Council has taken truly decisive action for once, playing the game of crisis management to prevent a total market collapse.
Kaya, thusly, has lost her allies in the shadows: For they no longer exist in places of power. Drifter-sensei and his allies have torn their foundation asunder, leaving nothing but the metaphorical steel beams behind.
I have reason to believe that such an outcome would've happened regardless of whichever side we chose to unify with.
It is also for similar reasons that I have chosen to evaluate our quandary from a more distanced, detached angle. In light of recent events, I have mentally analyzed the capabilities of the General Student Council, and compared them to Schale. I then followed that up by logically exploring the alternate paths we as FOX Squad could've taken; primarily the one under Kaya.
I cannot deny that there was potential for Kaya to truly reinstate SRT, if she had achieved the visions of power she set for herself. Sadly, her promises and offers hereto were based on the potential of a future outcome yet to pass. Comparatively, Schale has accomplished incredible feats in service to Abydos's plight in the present, making ample use of their extrajudicial status for questionable, albeit good reasons.
Admittedly... I am now glad we chose to distance ourselves from Kaya. We would have become positioned against Schale as enemies one way or another, due to Kaya's veiled intent to disable the organization altogether.
Elite as we certainly are, Drifter-sensei is a force of the unknown. He makes use of tactics that are completely alien to that which we've been trained to counter, and has mobility equal to—if not superior to—Millenium Academy's Mikamo Neru. In addition, he utilizes powers that defy common sense, and they seem to vary greatly between his numerous suits of golden armor. His weaponry is equally unpredictable and anomalous, some including technology that is currently considered theoretical.
In multiple senses of the word, he engages in combat using tactics, training and equipment not native to Kivotos. Not to mention one additional, critical observation:
He equips melee weapons of varying types to use against his enemies, and exhibits exceptional skill at fielding them all. This makes him a truly lethal and chaotic adversary.
Diminutively few Kivotos denizens and students carry melee weapons. It is normally impractical and unviable to engage the enemy with a melee weapon, as swords and the like are considered taboo due to being able to bypass a halo's protection. They are also impractical to use against firearm users, for reasons that need not be stated.
Drifter-sensei's capability offsets this fact entirely. SRT is not trained to fight bladed users, because such training does not exist, nor does it need to: Ergo, this is a unique weak point we cannot compensate for in a potential engagement.
...And additionally, Drifter-sensei can somehow deflect bullets with melee weapons of all types. We would have to utilize the surroundings exclusively to defeat him, or utilize purely dirty tactics (such as chemical and biological weapons) in the hopes he cannot counter them.
My conclusion: There is no sensible reason to antagonize him and his organization at the present time.
There are too many unpredictable variables to safely engage him without adequate preparation and insight. And even with all conditions being favorable, an equally favorable outcome is not guaranteed. Not only would he be an opponent far superior to the likes of a High-Threat Individual such as Kosaka Wakamo, but it is likely he would utilize measures we would not be able to foresee.
...
And on a more personal note... He is not our enemy. He has chosen to publicly stand with the RABBIT Squad, granting them provisional jurisdiction over Kousagi Park indefinitely. He did it knowing it would antagonize the General Student Council.
It is my wish to communicate more friendly intentions in our imminent meeting. His choice to side with our underclassmen's plight was something I'm glad he did.
❪ Next Stop: Schale Tower, District of Utnapishtim. Please step away from the doors until the train has come to a complete stop. ❫
"Oh hey, that's our stop." Otogi says, getting up from her seat. She stretches in place, doing a high pitched quiet squeal. "Man, I've got the shakes. Nerves feel all jumpy and stuff."
"Likewise~" Niko says warmly, getting up from her seat in a more fluid motion. "Given Drifter-sensei's actions, I feel a little nervous at the thought of meeting him at last."
"Urgh..." Kurumi stands up, sounding a little lower energy than usual. "I really hope he doesn't already know what we did. I'm kinda scared of fighting him."
I exit my seat without a word, staring out of the window as we approach the station. I had nothing to contribute to the conversation, so I opted to remain quiet.
"...Yukino?" Niko calls my name.
"Yes?" I slowly turn around, giving her a neutral response.
"Penny for your thoughts, madam?"
"Hmm..." I cross my arms, maintaining eye contact with her. "I am hopeful we will reach a favorable result."
"That's not what I mean, silly~" Niko responds with a touch of firmness. "I want to know what you think of Sensei so far."
"...He's an unpredictable element." I reply straightforwardly. "I am unsure of what to expect. There is not enough intel available to ascertain his character."
"So you're nervous then?" Otogi cuts in. "Yeah, I getcha. We all are, y'know. No shame in it, Yukino."
I can feel the temperature of my cheeks increase, along with my ears lowering by themselves. Before I could formulate a response, the doors on the train opened, which forced a momentary lapse in the conversation in order to exit the vehicle. Once we are outside, the conversation promptly continues.
"D'you think we're gonna end up fighting?" Kurumi asks, concern evident.
"If we barge in like a bunch of stooges, yeah." Otogi responds. "C'mon, we're not that dumb. We're here on purely good terms."
"And in addition," Niko begins to add. "We're not here on an official mission. We're visiting as ourselves to tell Drifter-sensei about our earnest wish to see SRT restored."
"Oh..." Some of Kurumi's nervousness visibly fades. "Right! Yeah! I guess I shouldn't be worried, then. Not like I was."
As we make our way towards the Schale building, I look around and monitor our surroundings out of instinct. The civilians were going about their usual business, and the students appeared to be quite positively animated. I could identify a more evident excitement from the individual tells they presented.
I could also identify some anxiety. It was understandable, given the uncertain times we found ourselves in at the moment.
"Holy moly..." Otogi remarks in awe. "This tower is bigger than I thought. And the guy has it all to himself— err, I mean, the three of them have it all to themselves?"
"Possibly." I answer. "Certain floors of the building come equipped with facilities designed for long-term habitation, and are prohibited to public visitation under normal circumstances. It is likely the tower contains other facilities that require intel gathering."
"Always thinking about things from an operator's point of view, Yukino~" Niko comments with her usual warmness. "We aren't here as their enemy. For once, It's best to think of ourselves as students instead of agents. We're only visiting a teacher who wants to hear what we have to say."
"...Right." I reluctantly nod.
She had a point I could not refute. We truly are just visiting as students rather than operators.
There is no deeper meaning. Nothing less, nothing more.
We walk up the steps leading into the lobby, venturing through the automatic doors. There were already several students of all types sitting around in the lobby, and I couldn't tell who was SRT alumni and who wasn't. I certainly hoped we weren't the only ones visiting today.
As we moved up to the front desk, the receptionist robot greeted us.
"Hello, and welcome to Schale Tower. What business do you have with us today?"
"We're here for the SRT visitation." I answer. "Is Drifter-sensei available?"
"One moment, please."
The receptionist reaches towards the phone on his desk, dialing a few digits into the keypad. A few seconds later, he starts speaking.
"...This is the lobby. We have a few more students showing interest in the SRT inquiry... Okay, I shall."
Shortly after, he hangs up the phone.
"You may proceed to the elevator. Your destination is on floor 40, Drifter-sensei should be with you momentarily."
"Understood." I nod.
The four of us then advance towards the elevator. Otogi hits the call button before any of us, and we await the doors to open.
...
...I am not used to this feeling.
In the shadow of the Battle for Abydos, days of pure quiet have passed.
The General Student Council declared a city-wide state of emergency, but they haven't really done anything with it. Academies all around have tightened security on their own—and in a few cases, their border policies. The markets, from what Arona told me, have been hit very hard by Kaiser PMC's destruction.
But the strangest thing is... there hasn't been civil unrest.
Since that fateful battle, things have become much less hectic. Instead of going out and fighting, or worrying about the now-solved Abydos problem, I've been in this office doing... paperwork. A whole bunch of forms that are marked 'for my eyes only' have ended up on my desk, and I've spent at least 1 day straight going through them. Most of them are related to the state of emergency, but there's a few of them that come from the academies themselves.
Sol bless Volt Prime. I cleared several days worth of backlog in a single one.
I was expecting to trigger a market collapse because of how thoroughly I kicked Kaiser's ass. I now understand just how much of Kaiser Group's value was vested within Kaiser PMC, courtesy of some reports filed by the General Student Council. What actually ended up happening instead is different.
In order to offset the damages from the battle, Kaiser Group has rapidly sold off a bunch of their smaller companies, or struck deals with these smaller companies wanting to buy their independence. They tried to do some stock market shit, but it wasn't enough. As a result, the economy is uncertain, but stable.
It's just like I said to the RABBIT Squad: The market's corrected itself back into balance. For now.
There was some damage though. Kaiser Industries sold off some of their factories to new competitors, which has caused a manufacturing deficit while those factories get spun up again. However, the General Student Council has stepped in to handle this themselves, publicly announcing a new bill that transfers some of Kaiser Industries' patents into the public domain. Naturally, Kaiser protested this, but the GSC actually asserted themselves for once. Bravo, kids.
They sent the bill to me for fast tracking, and I approved it. It goes into law tomorrow.
Sadly, I've been so busy that I haven't been able to make time for my new disciples in the Ninjutsu Research Club. I'd love to start their training sooner than later.
For my equipment today, I've chosen to walk as Loki Prime. On my person is the Kuva Hek from a few days ago, my Vesper 77 again, and my Prova Vandal I switched to when I visited the Hot Springs Development Department. Although I rarely used the Prova Vandal due to its non-lethal nature, its nature as a mere stun prod made it the perfect weapon against students.
—
I feel the sun beating down on my skin from the window behind me. Although it makes me feel warmer than I want to be, it's a comfortable heat. Across from me, Yuuka assists me in my work, standing in for Arthur who wanted to do more physical-based work today. Amir, as always, is sort of doing his own thing. Occasionally, we send him on supply runs, or have him go to other academies to deliver paperwork. He enjoys running as fast as he does, so why not use it for our purposes?
Today, there wasn't much paperwork to do. What I was doing was burning time: The window for SRT visitations has officially opened today.
The turnout has already been much larger than I expected. I've interviewed much more than a few SRT kids, because they usually arrive in groups of 8. This started hours ago: Some were Valkyrie Police School students, others were students who transferred to more normal academies. There were a few unfortunate cases of unaffiliated students, who appeared to be relying on their friends in other schools for support.
It's too early to say anything. I've gotten a decent enough amount of students' opinions, but that window is still open for several days. The RABBITs are exempt from this whole thing; I already know what their stance is.
Sheesh... it was only the very early afternoon, and I've been so busy with meetings.
"Sensei." Yuuka suddenly breaks the comfortable silence of work.
"Yes?" I responded.
"When are you going to visit Millenium?" she asks, sounding slightly forlorn. "You haven't visited any of the other schools yet."
"Soon." I say, leaning back in my chair. "Traded one form of busyness for another. When I get some free time, I'm planning another day trip."
"I look forward to it." She says, sounding placated. "I'm sure you will enjoy your visit to our school. After all, your weapons are the talk of the student body."
"Are they now?" I remark with some amusement.
"Yes." She says assertively, pridefully even. "Millenium prides itself on advanced technology. You're like a celebrity there, with all your weapons and armor of superior technology. I've had several clubs approach me asking when you'd visit."
"No promises." I say bluntly. "I've got a lot of other people who want my time right now. Not much I can do about that."
"I understand." Yuuka sighs, disappointed but not bitter.
Suddenly, the phone next to Yuuka rings. She grabs the handset and brings it to her ear.
"Main office speaking." Yuuka pauses, listening to the person on the other end. "Yeah...? Okay, you can send them up."
She places the handset back into its holder, ending the call.
"You've got more SRT visitors."
"Really?" I stand up from the desk, momentarily stretching. "That was quick. If the other two get back before I'm done, tell them I'm in a meeting."
"Okay."
I walk past Yuuka's desk, making my way towards the exit. I manifest the warframe in my place, seamlessly transferring into it the moment I exit into the hallway. There was a brief lull in visits after lunch, but it looks like things have picked back up again. I'm guessing that's because they're, well, students.
I made my way over to the designated meeting room, which was on the other side of the floor and specially built for large numbers of people. It was a huge conference room with a table, multiple dozens of chairs and a projector screen on one end. At most, only a third of those chairs have been used at a time today.
I walked over to my chosen chair, one of the end seats, and stood my warframe next to it. I then transferred out, before sitting in the chair as myself.
For today, I've done something I've never done before; put on a formal suit. In my personal quarters, the closet had a crisp white suit hung up that fit my dimensions perfectly. No idea how it got there, but I really liked the way I looked in it. Even did my hair a little nicer than usual, trimmed my beard to look more presentable, and put on a nice pair of rectangle glasses.
No wonder these suits were formal wear in 1999. I feel like I'm actually as important as I am when I have this on.
I sat there waiting for about 2 minutes, staring out of the window absentmindedly. But then, the door finally opened. In walked four students with fox ears and unique haloes, some tactical equipment and identical school uniforms to each other. Since I wasn't in my warframe, I couldn't gauge their power until I re-entered it.
Talking to them face-to-face was more important.
"Please forgive the intrusion." The student with black hair said politely.
"Holy..." The one with tan hair stared at me, her neutral expression turning into one of approval. "...So that's what you look like. There is a human in that suit after all."
"Right?" The kid with yellow hair comments. "I thought—"
"Otogi. Kurumi." The student with pink hair firmly flicked the two students in their necks, who grunted in either pain or irritation, and then turned to me. "I apologize on their behalf. We are here regarding your SRT inquiry."
"Welcome, kids." I greet them as cordially as possible. "Take your seats anywhere. The rooms' quiet enough that I'll be able to hear you wherever."
"Very well." The black-haired one speaks up again, as all four of them take their seats at the midway point. "Allow me to formally introduce ourselves: We are members of the former SRT element 'FOX Squad'. I am the squad leader, Yukino. All of us are 3rd year students."
"I am Niko~" The pink haired student gives me a nice smile.
"Yo! Otogi here." The tan haired one raises her right arm and does a two-finger salute.
"Name's Kurumi!" The yellow-haired one smiled pridefully. "And don't you forget it!"
"Nice to meet you all." I give them a nod of respect. "You don't look like you belong to other schools. Are you unaffiliated?"
My question causes a shadow to fall across Yukino and Otogi's face, while Kurumi furrows her brow slightly. Niko shows no tell.
"...Yes." Yukino answers. "We refused to transfer to Valkyrie."
"So you're like the RABBITs, then." I bring a hand to my chin, my attention now captured. "Interesting. I thought they were the only full squad that protested the closure, but it looks like I was wrong."
These kids are not amateurs. The way they walked in here, their subtle ways of sizing me up with their eyes, and the presence they collectively had reminded me of some of the more elite Grineer and Corpus units... and of course, Arthur himself.
"Oh, right." Otogi leaned back in her chair, changing posture to something more comfortable. "You met our underclassmen. How are they doing?"
"Pretty well." I answer honestly. "They come here for amenities when they need it. I can't do much for 'em until I have a proper understanding of this whole SRT mess, though."
"We understand." Niko says, a neutral smile on her face. "Our underclassmen are tough~ I have confidence in their skills to endure."
"Right." Kurumi leans forward on the table with both arms. "I wish we could've met them before everything happened, though. I really wanted to see them in action for myself."
"I am glad to hear they are doing well." Yukino comments, a slight smile on her face. "Nonetheless, let us save that topic for a different time. How many SRT alumni have paid you a visit?"
"Quite a few." I answer honestly again. "Heard the stories from some that went to Valkyrie, and others that went to different schools. There was one kid that looked up to Miyako, and wished to one day go on a mission with her, but got transferred to Valkyrie's Public Peace Bureau."
"...Wow. Really?" Otogi frowns, ears folding flatter. "Man... that's soul crushing. I wonder how many are just like her."
Kurumi's and Niko's also fold a bit flatter upon hearing this, while Yukino seems to internalize her thoughts.
"Well that's why we're all here, right?" I remark, trying to shift the mood. "To tell me all these stories and opinions, so I can decide what the right path forward is."
"While we will abstain from speaking about our stories..." Yukino stares at me right in the eyes. "...It is our honest desire to see SRT restored."
At this, the other three FOXes nod in unison, serious looks of determination on their faces.
"Understood." I smile, taking note of the fire in their eyes. "That's been the consensus so far. Almost all of you former SRT kids want to see the school be brought back."
"I see." Yukino smiles more than slightly, but not enough to be notable. "That is reassuring to hear."
"Isn't it?~" Otogi gives a toothy smile. "And here I thought we and our RABBIT underclassmen were the only ones."
"So it isn't just our dream after all..." Kurumi fails to hide an evidently wide smile, so she turns her face away so I can't see.
"What is your plan so far?" Niko asks, hands under her chin.
"Well, I'm reserving judgement until the time window closes." I answer. "It's only the first day. Too early to decide, even if the overwhelming number of you want to see it reopened."
"I can understand~" Niko responded with a warm smile.
"Although, there is a slight hiccup in my plans."
"And that is?" Kurumi turns back around, having reasserted her character.
"The Sanctum Tower was bombed."
Instantly, the temperature of the room felt like it became several degrees colder. All their ears stood up on end, and I could see Kurumi and Otogi subtly reach for their sidearms, as they glared at me with immediate hostility.
So it was them, huh.
"Eyy-ey!" I firmly asserted with authority, which made those two freeze. "Let's not be hasty here, foxes. You're not here for a fight, and I don't want to send some students home injured because we had a flare up. If you want to escalate this, I will give you the ass kicking of a lifetime—so take your hands away from your pistols, and just be honest with me. Please."
Evidently, they take my warning at face value, as they continue to look at me with distrust while stealing glances at my Loki Prime. But then they exchange looks with each other. After a long, tense silence, Yukino sighs and speaks for the group.
"...Yes. It was us." Yukino admits coldly.
"Alright." I say, adjusting my glasses. "I'm going to level with you, kids: What you did has put a wrench in my plans. I don't fault you for being pissed off at the General Student Council, and I certainly don't like them that much either. But you still bombed the most important building in Kivotos, home to the most important group of public servants."
None of them show a change in reaction, so I just continue.
"Make no mistake - I'm still on your side. I don't agree with what you did, but I understand why you did it. Truth be told, when I heard they chose not to send aid to Abydos when it could've made a true difference, I was just about ready to march back to the Sanctum Tower and discipline their asses. Attacking the tower, though? That solves nothing. It just gave them ammo to fast track SRT's closure."
With my harsh words, their ears fold slightly flatter, even as they continue to stare at me with... well, not exactly 'distrust', but bitterness instead. I keep talking.
"...Listen." I cross my arms and look at the four of them seriously. "I wasn't here to see that whole mess go down, so I don't care as much as the GSC does. You're gonna have to be punished regardless... but I can make some strings dance in your favor."
"...You can?" Niko asks seriously, staring at me with curiosity and skepticism.
"Consider this an... assignment of sorts." I lean forward on the desk with my arms. "Go out into Kivotos and find old SRT material. Training discs, textbooks, anything that's relevant to the curriculum itself. Bring all of it back here to me. The most important things I'll need to reform SRT, are the very things that were used to teach you all."
"...Understood." Yukino nods obediently. "The FOX Squad will accept this mission for the benefit of SRT's future."
"Good." I lean back in my chair. "I will store everything you bring back for safekeeping and archival. As punishment for bombing the Sanctum Tower, You won't be getting any support from Schale for this assignment. You're doing this independently—and if you're caught and charged for said bombing, I'm not going to pardon you. You have until the end of the visitation period. Do this, and I'll consider it penance and officially pardon you four."
"That's an... unusual mission." Otogi blinks a few times. "Is this really the way we'll atone? I mean, I'm not complaining, but..."
"It's unusual, yeah." I admit. "But I think you understand full well what your actions caused: You greatly accelerated the death of SRT, maybe even caused it. I'm trying to undo your fuck up, so this is the first way you can make up for it."
"Hey, works for us." Kurumi shrugs. "Anything else?"
"You're barred from seeing the RABBIT Squad for now." I say firmly. "I don't want you to interact with them until I can pardon you. The only reason they're safe is because I gave them the provisional right to occupy their park. Valkyrie and the General Student Council wanted them apprehended before, so I don't want to bring more bad attention to them. Consider this part of your punishment."
"Oh..." Niko blinks once, ears folding flat yet again. "Okay. Understandable."
Yukino, although less physically reactive, casts a sad stare out of the window.
"One more thing." I say, grabbing the Shittim Chest off Loki Prime. "Give me your MomoTalk details."
Each of them stares at me dumbfounded. All except Yukino.
"...Very well." Yukino reached down to a phone holster, grabbing hers out of it. The others in FOX Squad see her do this and follow her example.
...
"Alright, that settles that." I remark as I return the Chest to the warframe. "Keep me updated on your progress. I'm going to continue talking to more former SRT kids."
"Understood." Yukino nods, getting up from her seat. Again, the others follow her example. "We will be departing now."
"See ya later, Sensei." Otogi does her two-finger salute again, flashing a confident and boyish smile.
"Next time we return on more cordial terms, I'll be bringing something you might make like~" Niko says while doing a wink.
"We'll show you what SRT's elite can do!" Kurumi says with a prideful smile, arms crossed.
"See you kids later. Good luck."
I watch them leave the room and remain there, still processing the conversation.
...
So I've found the ones who bombed the tower. Maybe it's because they put their best foot forward, but I was expecting the culprits to be more... malicious. The FOX Squad did not give me that vibe. If anything, they seemed like they were genuinely hopeful, even after the truth accidentally came out. In fact, apart from that one Peace Bureau kid, they looked the most hopeful yet of every SRT kid I've talked to.
It's exactly as I thought had happened. These kids probably felt immensely betrayed seeing their home close down, and took to drastic action as the way to voice their displeasure. Unfortunately for them, their way of opposing SRT's closure only solidified its fate.
The saving grace for them is that no-one died in the incident, so it can be called a "simple" terrorist attack. I could see it in their eyes when I was chastising them—they regretted what they did. Those were the looks of kids that realized they fucked up hard.
They require a touch of guidance. I think they might lack direction.
I slowly get up from my chair and walk into Loki Prime, seamlessly transferring into the warframe. I exited the meeting room and made my way back towards the office. While I continued to think about the best way to handle them, I heard Arona speak to me in my comms.
≪ Wow. I'm a little surprised that you sent them on a mission right away... ≫ Arona quips, sounding equal parts curious and hesitant. ≪ Are you sure it's a good idea to do that? I mean, they are technically criminals. ≫
"It's better to make them think they're earning their redemption, instead of just granting it to them for free." I answer seriously. "it'll be better for them that way."
≪ Really? ≫
"Sometimes, a person has to feel like they've atoned in a meaningful way before they can begin moving on. If you readily hand them a golden parachute, they'll never learn: Worst of all, they'll never heal. I gave them something to do to earn forgiveness. And with it, I gave them a proper punishment; not letting them see their juniors until the inquiry period is over."
≪ Huh... ≫ Arona muses in a slightly lower tone. ≪ I... don't understand. ≫
"Because you haven't been put in their position, kid." I answer solemnly. "You'll understand when you've done something very wrong. Those FOX kids fucked up big time. Your subconscious has a way of haunting you with your mistakes when you don't have a way to make it right... I can sympathize with their plight."
I speak from first hand experience. For not even that long before I came here, I had screwed up badly with Flare and Lizzie. I almost got Lizzie to hate me because I was trying to earnestly fulfill Flare's request. But in reality, their problem wasn't as simple as they made it seem. In the unexpectedly crushing guilt, I want out of my way to apologize to Lizzie, which she thankfully accepted.
Arona doesn't respond to what I said. In fact, the conversation ended right there. Guessing that I've given her food for thought, I left her to the silence as I walked back into the office. I made my way towards the desks, when Yuuka turned around to face me.
"Welcome back, Sensei." Yuuka greeted me with a smile. "You returned sooner than I expected. How did your meeting go?"
"Interesting." I answer.
Yuuka tilts her head. "Interesting... how so, exactly?"
"I'll tell you about it some other time." I say as I walk past her station.
I stand next to the chair, preparing to transfer out of the warframe, but she holds up a hand to get my attention.
"One moment, Sensei." Yuuka says with some importance. "I've just been informed about something you might find pleasing."
"Really?" I respond with a little skepticism. "Not sure there's much that can, but I'm all ears."
"I've just received word from the front desk that you have a group of visitors, and they aren't former SRT students." Yuuka says.
"Okay, and?" I stand there, staring at her.
Yuuka then smiled unexpectedly warmly. "They're a group of 5 unaffiliated students, freshly released by Gehenna's Emergency Medical Club. I believe they might be the very students you saved a few days ago."
"...Oh. Oh. Did you tell the front desk to send them up?"
"No." Yuuka replied. "I assumed your meeting would take longer, so I told them you'd be available in 10 or so minutes."
"Alright." I nod. "I'm gonna go down there and see them myself."
I walk past Yuuka's desk once again, who resumes her work with calm focus. I leave the office for the second time and venture over to the elevator. When I step inside after a 30 second wait, I take the Shittim Chest off my warframe's hip, gently toss it up into the air, transfer out of and demanifest the warframe, before catching the Chest with my right hand – all in one fluid motion.
≪ Uah!? ≫ Arona's voice plays over the tablet's speakers, sounding surprised. ≪ W-What was that for? ≫
"I said I want to see them myself. As myself." I answer aloud, clipping the tablet to my belt. "Only Ayumi saw me in person. I think I should extend that courtesy to the other four."
≪ Oh, I see!~ ≫ Arona becomes much more chipper. ≪ Okay then. If anything comes up, I'll vibrate the Shitim Chest. You better pay attention, you hear me? ≫
"Right."
Moments later, the elevator doors slid open. I step out into the lobby, full of much more people than I expected. There were several groups of civilians all around, the animal and robot kind. I did see some students sitting in the chairs and couches, but I was unsure if they were SRT alumni or not.
The group of students that did get my attention were a quintet sitting in the chairs closest to the elevator. The seats reserved for those who had an appointment with our office.
I make my way over to the group of students. Ayumi, who appeared to be reading a book, heard me coming. She turned around, and then said something quiet enough for only her group to hear. The other four promptly looked up, laying eyes on me for the first time as I came to a stop a few feet from their chairs.
"...Sensei." Ayumi broke the silence,
"Nice to see you again, Ayumi."
She went unexpectedly quiet after I greeted her. I took that moment to look upon the new clothing she was wearing.
Ayumi had ditched her damaged uniform for a more civilian-ish look: She was now wearing a dark-ish red hoodie with a new tactical rig identical to the one from her old uniform, and I could also see body armor sticking out slightly past the zippable area of the hoodie. She had some slightly worn dark grey cargo shorts on, complete with black pantyhose and black rugged-looking boots. She wore a fingerless glove on her left hand, and a full glove on her right in a seemingly deliberate choice of asymmetry. Ayumi also had several holsters; a pistol holster on her right leg, a taser holster beneath that one, and a phone holster on her left leg.
Additionally, she was wearing some glasses, but she propped them up on her forehead when she saw me approaching, allowing me to see her amber-colored eyes. She also had a backpack with her; it was placed next to her chair, and her rifle was secured to it via specially designed straps.
I also took special note of something... interesting. Ayumi's halo has changed: It was no longer a generic white torus. Instead, it was now a dark blue hollow rhombus that is taller than it is wide, and it appeared to be continuously emitting vapor as if it were mostly made of smoke.
So Sena was right after all. I really do not understand haloes.
Before I or any of the other four could speak, Ayumi immediately sprung up from her seat and hugged me. It wasn't as tight as before, and she let go of me after only a few seconds.
"I'm glad to see you, Sensei."
"Uh..." I looked her in the eyes. "Likewise, kid. But next time, could you please ask me before doing that?"
"O-Oh..." Ayumi looked down for a moment.
"You didn't do wrong or anything." I quickly added. "I just want a heads up next time, alright?"
"Ah. Okay, then." Ayumi nodded.
"Well ain't that a surprise!" One of the other girls stood up. "I've never seen her do that before."
I looked at the girl. "And you are?"
The girl leaned forward with a friendly smile. "Hideko Kazama! Former member of Highlander Academy's Passenger Security Team! And, uh... Kaiser PMC too, I guess. I was the Close Quarters Specialist in our squad."
I eyed this energetic-seeming girl up and down. She had chest-length yellow hair with reddish-brown eyes. She wore a black vest over a yellow sweatshirt, which she equipped two holsters over; a pistol holster on her inner left forearm, and a holder for some sort of retractable tool on her right. Above her black vest was a chest harness, having several grenade and tool holsters attached. She had black sweatpants on, complete with blue and white sneakers that appear to be well used. Similarly to Ayumi, she also had a phone holster on her right leg.
This girl also had a unique halo. Hers is a set of three interconnected yellow circles with shotgun shells in the middle of each. The top left one portrays a shell of buckshot, the top right appears to be a slug, and the bottom is flechette. That made me direct my eyes to her back, where her firearm was slung. It didn't look like a shotgun, but it probably was.
The way she was looking at me was... interesting. I could see equal parts trust and skepticism.
"Nice to meet you." I outstretch a hand. She takes it and shakes it hard.
"Whoa, easy there!"
"Ahaha~!" The girl flashes a grin. "My bad. But can you blame me? Ayumi talked up a storm about you!"
"Hideko!" Ayumi protests, blushing slightly.
"Who are those students? They don't look like they belong to any academy."
"Hey, why is he so friendly with them? I want a hug too..."
"Is that what Drifter-sensei actually truly looks like? He's so..."
Ayumi and Hideko's behavior attracts the attention of those around us. I pick up on some muttering around the lobby, but choose to pay it no mind.
Just then, the next girl stands up from her seat. A girl with long dark blue hair, lighter blue eyes and an ample figure. She was also the tallest of them all. The girl bows forward politely.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sensei. I thank you for saving us from expiration."
This girl was much more brutalist in her appearance. She was wearing a dark grey long sleeve shirt and black cargo pants with a camo pattern, with black combat boots to finish off the basic look. She wore huge black body armor that covered almost all of her upper torso—including parts of her arms and legs—and it had numerous pouches for various things, with more large pouches than small ones. On her legs, she had a similar holster layout to Ayumi, with the taser holster replaced with another pistol holster. Interestingly, she also had a ballistic mask on, but she had put it aside when she saw me initially approaching.
It all looked so heavy, but she appeared to be unbothered by the sheer bulk she equipped herself with. Needless to say, her firearm was a machine gun of some sorts. It was slung over her front instead of her back.
This one had the most unique halo of them all. It was a hollow circle of interwoven wires, alternating between the colors red and blue. The blue wires were currently glowing, while the red wires weren't at all. It also appeared more physical in nature, similarly to Yuuka's halo.
"Same, kid."
"A question." She raised herself. "Is there any reason you chose to save us? We do not belong to any academy."
"Because it's the right thing to do." I answered without hesitation. I then lowered my voice some. "And I didn't want to let some kids nearly die."
"I see..." The girl nods, a slight smile on her face. "Kazue Ishikawa. Designated Gunner and Demolitions Expert."
Concise with her words, huh? But she was definitely not the dumb type. Those eyes have experience behind them.
"Right. Does all that bulk not bother you?" I ask as I adjust my sleeves.
"Negative." Kazue shakes her head. "I am used to it. During a mission, we bring all equipment that may assist us."
"Actually, that reminds me..." I hold up my index finger. "Why weren't you all wearing this when we were enemies?"
"I can answer that." The next girl stands up, speaking with a dignified tone. "This is our standard issue equipment. You faced us as average enemies because of decisions beyond our control. Command thought it best, for some reason, to have us blend in seamlessly with standard Kaiser PMC student units... Which included us disregarding all our normal equipment and apparel for the sake of obfuscation. I am Masuyo Sasaki, by the way."
Masuyo's appearance was a little interesting. Her thigh-length hair was all white, but her eyes had an unnatural purple to them; I couldn't tell if this was normal or something artificial. She was wearing an elegant all-white dress, which appeared to outclass even the uniforms of Trinity's Tea Party, but it was covered by a purple jacket and some black body armor, with a light chest harness over the jacket and armor itself. Matching the dress were a set of black pantyhose, which further added to the Tea Party look. Again, two holsters for each leg; pistol on the right, phone on the left. Interestingly, she also had a rugged-looking duffel bag slung over her shoulder.
Masuyo's fashion is... interesting. But with the way she looks at me, I can tell she's not to be underestimated. She was giving me the same vibes as Little Duck. This one might be their sharpest tool.
Her halo was equally interesting; it was a depiction of a planet split between light and day, nearly identical to the appearance of planet Earth, and the parts that were covered in darkness was itself glimmering with uncountable amounts of lights all over. I liked it.
"Alright." I look at her. "Why did you need to blend in?"
"Because our goal was to capture the other Abydos students besides Hoshino, and use them as hostages." She readily admits an absolute bombshell. "Unfortunately, that plan was made before you summoned your walker from the sky, and promptly laid waste to our forces without issue. They hastily ordered use to disregard our previous orders, and redirect to stall for the inevitably doomed retreat. It was a true display of incompetence."
That revelation makes me raise my eyebrows. They were meant to capture the other Abydos kids? I don't know how many people were defending the school, but it was likely less defended.
"Is that so..." I remark, kind of at a loss for words.
"Indeed." Masuyo responds. "Ah, I forgot to mention my role. I am the Medical Professional of the squad. I am also responsible for handling logistical issues pertaining to our unit."
"Alright." I acknowledge her explanation with a nod.
At that moment, I caught a glimpse of the final student staring at me with a low-energy expression. Sighing, she got up from her chair.
"I guess it's my turn, huh." She said in a gruff voice.
The fifth student of their group had the most straightforward look: Her black hair was short, mostly covered by a dark-ish grey beanie, and her eyes were a striking blue. She wore a black leather jacket and blue jeans with a few tears in them, complete with kneepads and holsters in the usual places. She had rugged combat boots and gloves on, a tactical belt around her waist with numerous tools hanging off of it, and a fairly normal looking black armored vest on. Velcroed to the vest were numerous pouches of varying sizes and a spotlight, but not much more.
...And then there was her firearm. It looked nothing like anything I've seen from this city. It was a bullpup design of some sorts, but it had a battery sticking off the trigger guard. It looked like it was hot-swappable, too. Its barrel was also more oblong than circular, which further added to my curiosity.
This one has her tells under control. The only thing giving her away was her eyes, because the rest of her expression was completely neutral; she looked at me with neutrality and slight amusement. Her grey halo was a scale that was in perfect balance, but also had a few chips in its form. Nothing as bad as what I saw, but worth paying attention to.
"Ami Kaneko." the girl bowed for a moment. "I'm the wildcard in the group. I do multiple things depending on what Ayumi needs done."
"Like what?" I ask with curiosity.
Ami crossed her arms. "A lot of things. Being the Pointman or Designated Marksman, executing OpLink strategies, causing disruption behind enemy lines, and too many more to list."
"...Did you just say you're both the Pointman and the Designated Marksman?" I ask, utterly baffled at what I just heard.
"Yes." Ami nods. "...Can we save that for later, though? We're the center of attention."
I looked around the lobby, realizing that Ami was right. Most background chatter had stopped, with most people around us staring at our group.
"...Yeah, you're right." I admit, then pointed my thumb towards the elevator. "Come with me. You've made it here on your own, so I'm gonna live up to my end of the deal."
At my behest, the girls started walking with me, with Ayumi taking an extra second to grab her backpack and place her book inside. We all made our way into the elevator, which was a tight fit due to all the bulk they had on. But I still managed to click the button for the habitation floor.
"Sensei!" Hideko spoke up as ascended the floors.
"Yes?"
"This is where we're gonna be staying from now on, right?"
"Yes." I answer readily. "The Schale building has a lot of things for people who need to stay the night. There's enough rooms and stuff to spare all of you. I have the feeling you kids probably won't have homes to return to, so I'm gonna let you stay here until we can figure out a game plan. In turn, you're gonna help me around the tower."
"How shall we be of assistance?" Masuyo asks, a finger to her lower lip.
"I will show you a different day." I responded. "For now, let me bring you your rooms. I want you five to have a good meal, take some nice baths, and enjoy a few days rest before I'll put you to work."
"Really?" Ayumi questions, sounding hesitant. "I'm sure we won't mind being your helpers right away."
I shake my head. "No. That's not how I want to do things."
"Thank you for your generosity." Kazue lightly bows again. "I am not fully healed yet. My friends are."
"Ah, right..." Hideko frowns, speaking in a more downhearted tone. "...I wish you would've let us carry your spare equipment, Kazue."
Kazue gently shakes her head. "I politely refuse. It is my equipment, and thus, my responsibility."
The elevator doors opened. I stepped out into the hallway with the girls in tow. As we walked, I started pointing out the points of interest we were walking past.
"That right there is the communal bathhouse. There's individual showers in there too, for quicker bathing. Over there is the rest lounge, which is where we take breaks from work. It also has a bedroom connected to it for napping. Down the hall over there is the communal kitchen, which Arthur sometimes cooks in. And finally... These are the guest quarters."
I come to a stop in front of a hallway that has rows and rows of doors marked 1 - 20. I turn around to face the girls.
"You're free to take any room you want. These haven't been used much yet, so it won't be disruptive if you stay in them for the long term."
"Hmm..." Ayumi stares down the hallway, appearing to give the matter more thought than expected. "...May we have 15 through 20?"
"Are you sure?" I angle my head down to face her. "Those are the farthest doors."
"Yes." Ayumi nods with certainty. "If we are going to stay here for a long while, it wouldn't be right if we occupied the rooms closest to everything else."
"Alright, then." I shrug. "It's your choice, after all."
Ami crosses her arms, smiling wryly and showing visible emotion for the first time. "Ayumi is just like that. She'll hate it if she feels like we're imposing on temporary visitors."
"Yup-yup!" Hideko follows up with a thumbs up. "She's a compassionate one!"
"Ami! Hideko!" Ayumi blushes again, bonking both of them on their shoulders. Ami holds her wry smile, while Hideko just giggles cheekily.
"Let us evaluate our new dwellings." Masuyo remarks, walking past the rest of the group and stopping, turning back to face me. "Where would we handle the matter of laundry?"
"Uh, the machines are in a room across the communal bathhouse." I answer. "Oh, right; the toilets are next to the stair access. Forgot to say that."
"Noted." Masuyo nods. "Now if you will excuse us, we shall be in our new rooms. I humbly thank you for the opportunity bestowed upon us."
"I'm with Masuyo." Ami's wry smile turns into a genuine one. "With Kaiser PMC gone, we have close to no opportunities. I never thought someone in power would be so generous... saving our lives, and then offering us a place to stay."
"It's just the way I am." I comment, putting my hands in my pockets. "I've been helping people for years now, even before I came to Kivotos. I don't see a reason to stop doing it. Now, go enjoy some rest, kids."
"Okay!" The five of them say in unison, and walk off towards their new rooms.
I turn around and double back towards the elevator. I hit the button for the office floor when I enter.
A lot of things are happening all at once today. Not only do I have to begin drawing up a plan to reinstate SRT now, but I've gotta find a place to store all the stuff the FOX Squad will be bringing me. And now, those Kaiser kids have finally made good on my offer, so I have to think of useful ways to have them help me.
So much work... so little free time. Ugh.
—
Several Days Later
—
The sun has set. The city lights are coming on, building by building, and the city has begun to shift to its other personality.
I like this city better at night. The sight of all the lights on make me feel like this city is truly alive. Unlike Höllvania...
I've completed all of my work today, against all odds, and I've sent Yuuka home early because of it. I lean back in my chair and stretch, before shutting off the PC and getting out of said chair. Arthur was probably cooking in the kitchen again, so I was thinking of going down there and having dinner.
≪ Great work today, Sensei ≫ Arona speaks over the tablet's speakers.
"Thanks."
Today officially marked the end of the inquiry period. By now, I've developed a plan to reinstate SRT and will look at it again tomorrow.
The FOX Squad has yet to visit even once, but Yukino has been sending minor progress reports about their scavenging mission through MomoTalk. Otogi asked about the RABBIT Squad; I reassured her that they were fine, and weren't in any danger of being evicted. Otogi evidently wore her heart on her sleeve, because she was apparently more motivated after hearing this, according to Yukino.
Niko was equally as curious about her former underclassmen—including the other SRT alumni—but was also concerned about my wellbeing, which was a surprise. She was glad to know that I've been able to handle the workload, and offered to bring something called 'inarizushi' as a thank-you gift upon her next visit.
Kurumi was the only one who was completely radio silent. I can't tell if it's because of a bad first impression, or because she simply keeps to herself.
As for the Kaiser kids, I've left them to their rest for now. Due to how busy I've been, I've only seen one or two of them in passing, despite the fact I've been down on the habitation floor quite regularly. I did manage to briefly cross paths with Ayumi and Ami yesterday though, who were hanging out in the communal kitchen. They had ditched their gear altogether, and looked a lot more civilian than before without it.
According to them, everyone is spending most of their time resting, as that's what Sena told them to do. Good thing it wasn't my plan to make them work right off the bat.
However, I do plan to finally put them to work tomorrow – by starting with a combat evaluation. Seeing how geared up they were when they got here made me curious about how well they'd handle themselves in battle. When I fought them as enemies in the Voidrig, that wasn't even fair. Not to mention the fact they were forced to masquerade as normal troops.
I flip the sign to 'closed' and leave the office for the night. But shortly after I leave the office, I feel the Shittim Chest vibrate.
≪ Sensei, Sensei! ≫
I grab the Chest and look at Arona on the screen. "Yes?"
≪ You have unscheduled visitors in the lobby! ≫ She says with excitement. ≪ It's the FOX Squad! They seem to have some pretty big duffel bags with them. Maybe it might be all that SRT material? ≫
"Oh, they've finally come for a visit?" I remark with genuine astonishment. "Alright then. I've been looking forward to seeing them again."
When I enter into the elevator, I toss the Chest into the air, transferring into my warframe for today—Loki Prime again—and catching the chest, mimicking what I did a few days ago. I promptly press the button for the lobby floor.
≪ AAAH! ≫ Arona yelps in surprise. ≪ Agh...! Warn! Me! Before! Doing! That! I can feel my world spinning... Oough~ ≫
"Heh. My bad." I say, chuckling in amusement. "Don't worry, I'll warn you."
Whoever coded the ability for Arona to feel dizziness must've been a questionable person. Aren't AI's supposed to be free of the flaws in the human condition? Anyways, when I'm down on the lobby floor, I look around and see a complete absence of people; save for the receptionist and the FOXes themselves.
The four of them were in the middle of talking to the receptionist, but I couldn't hear them. However, Kurumi caught me out of the corner of her eye and informed the rest of them, which caused them to turn around and face me.
Interesting. They're all Level 1200 with armor ratings.
"Good evening, Sensei." Yukino nodded in respect, greeting me first. "We have procured the SRT materials you asked for."
"You've been busy, huh?" I say, crossing my arms behind my back. "I see you've all got duffel bags on you. Is that everything you managed to find?"
"Unfortunately..." Niko remarks with sadness, ears folding a little flat. "It appears most of the material has been seized by the General Student Council. We were able to get a nice amount, but our learning material is considered contraband now."
"Yeah." Otogi pipes up, one hand on her hip and the other at her side. "Of course, getting the stuff isn't much of a problem for us. There isn't much to go around anymore, though."
"I see..." I say, nodding slowly in understanding. "That does mess with my plans. If the GSC's the one seizing everything, then I'll have to approach that issue more carefully. But anything is better than nothing, so I'm glad you've managed to bring back a few bags worth. Thanks for your work."
"It is our pleasure." Yukino says formally, looking at me where my warframe's eyes would be.
"Could I see that bag?" I say, taking my arms from behind my back. "I want to see what kind of material you gathered."
"Very well." Yukino obediently nodded, slinging her bag off her shoulder. She held it out to me, which I took from her.
"Thanks."
I got down to one knee and gently laid the duffel bag on the ground, zipping it open. Inside were a huge quantity of textbooks, cases for Blu-Ray discs, and even a few things that had "OFFICIAL PROPERTY OF SRT SPECIAL ACADEMY - PUBLIC DISSEMINATION PROHIBITED" written on them.
I took one of the standard textbooks from the bag and flipped through it, skimming through the contents. This book seemed to cover strategies on how to set up camp in desolate urban areas without power, including how to establish a sturdy rampart using a bunch of common materials. Interesting... Maybe I should read that one later, and see how similar it is to Scaldra doctrine.
I returned it to the duffel bag and grabbed one of the 'prohibited' textbooks. I flipped through this one more slowly, scanning some of the pages: This book covered a false flag strategy on how to pit other peacekeeping forces, such as the Prefect Team and Justice Task Force, against each other if considered desirable to the mission. It also had a special provision on the Genryuumon of Shanhaijing... whoever they were, and how they must be fought like criminals rather than peacekeepers.
Now that is some spicy shit. I bet if I showed this to Velimir and Minerva, they'd be approving of this book.
"...Yeah, this is good." I say, closing the second book and returning it to the bag, before zipping it back up. "Alright. Good job kids, you did the best you could. I'll live up to my end of the deal and pardon you of the bombing by decree, but I won't be able to do it tonight. Likewise, you won't be able to see the RABBITs until tomorrow."
"So..." Kurumi suddenly speaks up, shifting slightly in place. "What do we do now?"
"We go to ground." Yukino answers. "We have completed the mission. Now we await Drifter-sensei's actions."
"Sensei, I have a question." Niko suddenly speaks up, sounding more serious.
"Yes?"
"What is your final decision regarding SRT?"
Niko's question causes the other FOXes to redirect their attention from Niko back to me.
"Isn't it obvious?" I say as I stand back up with the bag. "Something like 99% of you alumni all wanted SRT to be reinstated. So that's what I'm going to try and push for."
My words elicit bright smiles from all of them. Even Yukino, who I've found isn't all that outwardly expressive, wasn't hiding her nice smile at all.
"Finally..." Yukino says in a breathy tone, clenching her right fist with a smile. "Finally. Our dream may soon be realized at last."
"Another question, Drifter-sensei." Otogi chips in, looking at me with a smile – but her eyes fail to hide her anxiety. "How long is it gonna take?"
"I can't answer that yet." I respond honestly, which makes the four FOXes breaths momentarily hitch. "But I can promise you that it's actively being worked on now. Getting all of the teaching material was the first step up what is likely gonna be a mountain."
"Ah..." Otogi slowly nods in understanding, my answer seemingly a bitter pill to swallow. "...Yeah, that makes sense, I guess. For as quick as the GSC kicked us all out, bulldozed our academy and threw us into the wind, they sure were fast with everything."
"Agreed." Niko says, one arm resting on the duffel bag. "The academy building is completely gone, and our school curriculum material has been labeled contraband. It likely won't be a straightforward matter, since the General Student Council is actively involved in this."
"Right." I nod in agreement with Niko. "It's one thing to help Abydos against Kaiser Group because they're my home's kind of scum. It's another thing to go against the ruling body directly."
"Do you have a plan?" Kurumi asks, sounding evidently hopeful.
"Like I said, it's still being worked on." I answer. "Right now, you've helped with step one. However, I'm going to need more help to set everything in its right place."
"Understandable." Yukino nods, and then directs another rare smile at me. "FOX Squad will pledge to assist you in whatever way is necessary to ensure the reformation of SRT Special Academy."
'Yup!" Otogi nods with a toothy smile on her face. "Anything to help bring our home back from the dead."
"I look forward to working with you~" Niko says with a smile on her face, that... eerily reminds me of Aoi.
"I want to see SRT return!" Kurumi says with a determined fire in her eyes. "It was unfair what happened to our school!"
"So, kids..." I say, looking at each of them individually. "How about we make it official, then?"
Each of their eyes widened, immediately catching onto what I'm implying.
"...Are you sure?" Yukino asks, genuinely uneasy. "Directly affiliating with us might prove... problematic for your reputation in the future."
"I don't give a shit." I answer crassly, shrugging. "I'm not here to be loved. I'm here to do what's right. Besides, you kids are technically unaffiliated... right?"
The FOX Squad averts their gazes, ears folding forward in response.
"So here's what I'm proposing, then." I begin, grabbing the Chest off my hip. "Normally, I'd onboard students into Schale through the normal student applications. But since you don't belong to any school right now, I want to directly hire you four. This'll let me grant you some of the protections the schools have, and give you your legal status back."
The four FOXes go completely quiet. I don't continue, opting to wait for one of them to break the silence.
"...Niko, Kurumi, Otogi." Yukino looks to her peers. "What is your opinion?"
"My opinion, madam?" Niko tilts her head. "I... I wish to take Drifter-sensei's offer."
"Me too." Otogi nods.
"Me three." Kurumi nods more fervently.
"...I see." Yukino smiles for the third time. "Then we accept your offer, Drifter-sensei."
"Welcome aboard." I hold out a hand for Yukino to shake. "I will be counting on you to keep helping me."
Yukino takes my hand, shaking it gently. "As will we."
"Now then," I let go of her hand, turning around. "Let me show you to your rooms."
"Our... what?" Niko responds quizzically.
"Your rooms." I reiterate. "This'll be for tonight. Once I've issued the pardon, your new home is going to be with the RABBIT Squad."
"With our juniors!?" Otogi responds with shock. "Oh wow! Now that's a surprise!"
"What a way to get reacquainted~" Niko says warmly. "We will graciously accept that. Where shall we leave our bags of learning material?"
"I'll show you." I answer. "Careful, this elevator might be a tight fit."
I gesture for them to follow. I take the five of them back upstairs into the office floor, where I re-enter the closed office and direct them into a nearby storage room. When that's done and the bags are stored, I take them back down to the habitation floor, where I give them a similar rundown to the Kaiser students. They pick the closest rooms in the hallway, 1-4, which are currently unreserved.
With them retiring for the night, I myself head back towards the kitchen. I bet Arthur has probably cooked up something good tonight.
"ARGH! That damned Drifter!"
Shiranui Kaya slams her desk, thankful that almost everyone in the Sanctum Tower had clocked out for the day. She practically had the floor to herself now.
She was absolutely livid. Everything has gone wrong! EVERYTHING!
Ever since Drifter arrived in Kivotos a week ago, he has caused nothing but nightmare after nightmare for her. It was Kaya's intention to slowly amass power in the long term so that she may eventually assume Rio's place, and then establish a new system that would bring peace, freedom, justice and security to Kivotos writ-large. Her Kivotos.
That entire strategy has been foiled by his actions.
In Drifter's incomprehensible devotion to Abydos, he chose to oppose Kaiser Group... and it was Kaiser who lost the conflict of power, against all possible and sensical odds. Her allies in the conglomerate have all been fired in a sweeping round of layoffs and terminations, mostly concentrated around Kaiser PMC leadership. This has meant that her crucial ally, the Kaiser PMC General, is no longer useful to her.
She has lost her connections to Kaiser altogether. She has to start all over from scratch. But with Kaiser PMC all but gone, it isn't even worth it anymore.
And then, as if that wasn't enough... FOX Squad abruptly cut contact before that whole disaster happened. Kaya has tried numerous times to get in contact with them, even threatening to leak their involvement in the Sanctum Tower bombing if they didn't comply. They chose to ignore her anyway. That means they must've seen what he could do for them.
So not only has she lost her primary allies, but also her enforcers.
"DAMNIT!" Kaya shouted to no-one in particular, slamming the desk even harder. The impact sent a cup of coffee onto the floor, cracking and spilling its contents. Kaya sighed in frustration, not even having the interest in cleaning that up.
It would've been an excellent plan! It was going to be perfect! AND THEN HE HAD TO COME ALONG AND RUIN IT!
Everything about him makes no sense. His combat capability, his relentless devotion to the students, his extrajudicial power he wields... it all makes ZERO SENSE! It's almost like what the GSC President did - Except even she didn't wield her power like he does.
Does that idiot Sensei even realize how much trouble he's caused for their entire office? Every action he has taken has resulted in the General Student Council scrambling in his wake.
As much as Kaya didn't respect Rin, she had to admit that the sheer amount of paperwork going in and out of Rin's office made Kaya feel almost empathetic towards her. Every time she came out of that office, Rin looked like she was aging twice as fast. Kaya even thought she spotted a grey hair on her head the last time she exited the office... however long ago that was.
And Aoi, the head of the Financial Office? Oh, she hated Drifter. For someone so straight-edged, Drifter was her worst nightmare. The way he completely disregarded the GSC's authority for his own ends, and completely went around the pre-established rules, has sent Aoi into a bout of stress Kaya has never seen before. Aoi has turned from a quiet and strict woman, into a snippy little bitch who snaps at every minor document mistake; something which has caused some workplace tension.
Even Momoka hasn't been completely freed of Drifter's chaos; she got a report of Drifter driving down the streets at high speeds yesterday, with the traffic lights seemingly obeying him instead of following their natural pattern. This also includes a speed trap report from a Gehenna-Trinity bridge that caught him driving at 303km/h. Momoka, in her usual asinine childness, actually enjoyed reading the reports, and seemed to find it so entertaining that she made personal copies for herself.
The only one who's been spared of his chaos is Ayumu. Drifter has mostly kept to himself during the Abydos craziness, which minimally impacted Ayumu's work. Thank the gods, because she's the one responsible for the Arbitration office. If that clogs up, then they're all screwed.
...
This man is a thorn to more than Kaya herself: He's the bane of the GSC itself. And thanks to that damned GSC President giving Schale independant extrajudicial status, they can't do much of anything to reign him in.
Drifter must be stopped using other methods. So long as he exists, Kaya will never be able to reach her goal.
-Postscript-
Ladies and gentlemen, the FOX Squad is here. And they're here to stay.
You might have noticed that they did not introduce themselves with their family (last) names. This is because, at present, only Yukino has a last name. Therefore, I've written that part of the interaction as if they had, because I intend to go back and add their last names when they're finally revealed. It's for a similar reason that I omitted Yukino's family name; to make it unified.
On the OC's: I've decide to flesh them out after all due to the positive reception and some out-of-story inspiration I got. I opted to go into high detail about their clothes and equipment, more then what might be considered necessary, because I'm the type of writer that wants you to physically picture these character in your mind if you can. I also did it so interested fan artists—if they do actually exist in the future—are able to richly picture the design in their heads and go from there.
Their last names are currently tentative; if the FOXes have conflicting last names when they officially release, I will change the Kaiser squad's last names. Otherwise, they will be retained if there are no conflicts.
About their weapons:
Ayumi's weapon is the HK51/MC51. Additional details to be revealed in story.
Hideko's weapon is the SPAS-15. Additional details to be revealed in story.
Kazue's weapon is the RPL-20.
Masuyo's weapon will be revealed in story.
Ami's weapon will be revealed in story.
I have detailed long-term plans for both the FOX Squad and the Kaiser squad (working title) individually. They are considered groups of interest, like the Ninjutsu Research Club.
I will not lie reader, I am starting to feel the effects of burnout. It's possible the next one might take longer then I want, because I did have to push myself to write this chapter more then I wanted to. If you want progress updates, I recommend you check my FF profile. I update it semi-regularly.
Until next time.
-llJaysimll