It's an attempt at a rewrite/restructuring of Armored Core: Shining Memory, hopefully with more consistency in the storyline. Don't worry; I have the story more planned out than in the previous version, where I just improvised on the fly.
As per usual the author owns nothing.
-0-
In the myth, God is force.
Ichika sat awkwardly in his seat, the classroom was empty… he arrived far too early in the morning dragged out of bed and thrown into the wilderness that is the real world by his sister due to administrative businesses.
"Ah, right... Today is the first day…"
Taking a deep breath to ease his wrecked nerves, he slowly leaned back on his seat as he looked outside the window and spotted a flock of ravens flying by the window and watched as the flock flew up to the blue sky above.
Even with the Infinite Stratos humans still envy how freely birds fly, don't they?
'Still, front and middle? I'm going to be the center of attention!' Like it or not he is stuck with this seating arrangement unless he can convince his neighbor to swap places. He was not built to handle this kind of attention.
Nope! Not at all.
He isn't some sort of natural cool nerve of steel pilot like his sister. And speaking of his sister… he still has time to catch up on his "mandatory readings", digging into his pocket the Japanese teen pulled out a crumpled pamphlet of sorts given to him.
Well… if having said pamphlet slapped on your forehead like a Jiangshi with a talisman count.
"Infinite Stratos" The revolutionary transforming exoskeleton that had been developed with outer space in mind created by the genius Tabane Shinonono. But instead of becoming a tool to help humanity expand to space the high-performance piece of engineering was instead used as a weapon, and eventually sports.
It was a flying, armored, powered exoskeleton with a singular noticeable fatal flaw.
"Men can't use it huh… at least that's what they write here…"
It was believed since the inception of the "IS" that only women can use it. The suits didn't respond to anyone except girls. At least… that was the case until the Phantasma Incident, ah he finally reached his sister's doodling and notes on the matters.
"So the person who took out the Phantasma is the first known public male pilot…"
Ichika muses, that ever since that many more male pilots started to appear, and alongside that the technological development of IS has accelerated, he remembered seeing a big sis piloting a 03-AALIYAH.
Somewhere deep in his heart, he still holds onto the dream of getting to pilot that sleek Rayleonard-made Infinite Stratos.
Anyway! Back to the reading lest his sister decide to be less merciful, but Ichika cannot help but to think of how few of the male pilots are… it's almost like an anomaly.
Is he an anomaly?
Actually… he wondered how many male students were going to be his peers, despite the rarity of male pilots Ichika hoped - no begged that there be more than just two or three male pilots around, anything better than being the only male pilot in his year.
It would have been awkward as hell.
He heard footsteps and instinctually turned his head to the hallway and saw his sister alongside a relatively small, petite teacher about as tall as a student with bright green hair and matching eye color with big glasses.
Behind them was a pair of male students, the two looked to be around his age.
The first one behind the green-haired teacher was a red-haired foreign student with reddish hair wearing the standard male uniform, pretty tall too with pale snow-like skin with an air of frailty, if Ichika had to describe him a first glance.
Burn bright, burn fast.
But it was the second person beside the redhead, the one standing behind Chifuyu.
"Is that… me?"
It was like looking into a mirror.
The same face, hair, and eyes.
Their eyes met for a brief moment, brown meet with brown.
'Can someone's eyes look that lost?'
Even if it was for a few seconds, he was snapped back to the present when he felt a chill run up his spine as his counterpart broke eye contact and instead, he was looking at big sis-
"Sit down you fool." the look in her eyes told him.
It was a wordless command but Ichika quickly planted himself back down in his seat, he didn't realize he was standing but still, he hoped he could at least befriend his fellow male pilots.
Huh… didn't Houki also attend the IS academy too?
Ichika thought as the two fellow male pilots entered the classroom with the green-haired teacher while his big sis Chifuyu waited outside for a few moments before leaving, she must be busy.
What he didn't expect however was for the two male pilots to be his neighbors filling the empty left and right seats beside him. Front and center filled by the class only male pilots.
"I feel like we're being put up for exhibition." the redhead pilot commented.
"I know right?" Ichika blurted out which caused his doppelganger to turn at him, he was squinting…
Oh uh… did he just make an enemy out of himself?!
"You know… now that I see it the two of you have the same face." the red-haired fellow on his left mentioned, eying the two. "Maybe we found your long-lost sibling?"
"Very funny Hari." snorted his opponent who turned his head away though not before giving Ichika a long look.
There was a small chuckle for Hari as he offered a hand to Ichika in the middle.
"Oh… right, name's Hari, Hari Kinovar." he introduces himself with a small smile. "Nice to meet you."
Oh wow, a Russian, he sure is far from home.
"Ichika Orimura." he nodded back shaking the offered hand, he was about to pull his hand back Ichika caught a glimpse of something around Hari's arm, it's an armband? No- it's a necklace with gold and red color and a chalice-shaped gem. "You have a personal IS?"
"Being sponsored by Aspina has its advantages… Oh! And that over there is Nora."
Well, that was ominous, surely it won't come up again in future conversations!
Turning around he is met with his mirror… well almost mirror at a closer look, well for start his hair is longer and covers his right eye, and compared to Ichika he looks quite bit more slimmer.
The way his brown eyes looked reminded him of his sister's sharpness and stoicism.
"Nora Sumika," he introduces himself with a nod extending his hand slowly. "Nice to meet you."
Even the way he speaks reminds him of his sister!
"Oh.. uh Ichika Orimura, nice to meet you." it was the world's most awkward handshake ever recorded right there, though Ichika saw something hidden just above Nora's unicorn, wrapped around his neck was a greyish-pink choker.
It's far too mechanical-looking, in fact instead of a choker it reminded him more of a collar than anything else.
"It was my mother's IS, I inherited it."
As if he anticipated Ichika's question about the choker, in such a matter-of-fact tone too as if he explained it so many times it has become a habit.
"You can do that?"
Before Nora could reply the classroom door suddenly slid open and a flood of students filled the room, there was some surprised squealing and noises at the sight of the three male students at the front and center of the class.
Ichika caught a glimpse of a familiar face- or rather the gleaming dark hair of his childhood friend as his, Nora, and Hari's desk and stuffed with curious girls, poking and prodding them with questions.
"Houki…?"
-0-
"Everyone is present, I see. Well, then. Time to start the short homeroom period..."
The last thing Chifuyu heard echoes in the hallway as she walked away from the class, Yamada could handle the morning homeroom period alongside the fools that composed their class.
Making her way to the teacher's office she finds the room empty, with not a single soul inside she makes her way to her desk and picks up her tablet, turning it on she sees a single notification.
"Must be from them."
She tapped at the notification to open it up, as usual, it was an unknown sender but the Instructor knew perfectly well who sent the message alongside the image attachment, the timing was too perfect to be a simple coincidence.
And she does not believe in fate.
Despite knowing the truth Chifuyu knew that she was too afraid to take that particular leap of faith with her younger siblings.
The weight of her failure from back then still haunts her, it's a persistent thing that keeps whispering into her ears even today, taking a deep breath Chifuyu pulled her office stool out to read the message.
It was the usual all things considered, the whereabouts of her "mother" and the "leftover" from that damned project, last she heard the son of the mad professor burned the entire thing down.
A Carnival of Horrors is a major understatement.
She missed the simpler days of the first and second Mondo Grosso, such a shame she didn't even get the chance to fight White Glint on the second tournament, then again it would be quite rude to return Fiona's boyfriend bruised and battered.
A small chuckle escaped her lips. Her friendship with Fiona always came out a little odd considering when and how they first met each other.
Imagine being mistaken as White Glint when the real deal is fumbling with a vending machine. Honestly, it's such a contrast when you see how he fights his battles, shooting down the main thrusters of his opponent with a daring and confident hit-and-run tactic.
It was a bitter first love too.
Now about that message.
"More Phantom Task nonsense."
She kept scrolling down and down faster, reading the report given to her by the unknown sender, no matter what she did she could not track this person down.
Not a moment sooner she sees an attached image at the end, a blurry photo of sorts, for everyone else the picture might be worthless, too blurry to see anything coherent but for her she sees the image.
A grey and gunmetal-colored IS, tarnished by countless battles.
Loader 4, a C-2000-based IS equipped with simplistic but versatile weapons.
It is the living definition of an all-rounder and piloted by the current holder of the Raven name, there is barely any information about the pilot, not even a name just a set of numbers. And yet here she is sitting in her office with the clearest picture of the Raven's face.
One of the few survivors of that carnival of horror and her only lead to that bastard Isaac.
Turning off the tablet she stands up and sees the clock, there are still a few more minutes left to the homeroom period, might as well go and help Maya before those fools overwhelm her.
Knowing her she is being teased relentlessly by the students right now or her younger brother fumbling with his self-introduction. Just thinking about it makes her want to grow grey hair!
It felt much faster making her way back to the class instead.
Just in time to see that particular fool fumble.
Without much hesitation, Chifuyu struck him on the head with a chop to the head.
"Ow!" his body stiffened at the pain as he held his head, slowly and full of caution he turned his head toward his attacker. Chifuyu could only glare at him, her eyes sharp as Steel did not relent even to her own younger brother.
Her arms were crossed unimpressed.
"Whoa! It's Guan Yu!"
Another hit then.
The Instructor could hear a faint 'Blyad' from Hari as he saw Ichika getting hit while Nora couldn't help but wince at the sight and some of the girls in the class even jumped back at the sound.
Of all the students here it seems these trio of boys would cause endless headaches.
"There's no hero from the three kingdoms here, you idiot."
Her younger brother quickly snapped straight and looked at her in disbelief, was her presence in his class that unexpected?
From the dumbfounded look on his face, she can assume there are a million other questions regarding his older sister's presence in the IS academy because she was always busy with work save for a day or two but the biggest question is what is she doing in his class?
"Oh, Ms. Orimura. Is the meeting already over." Maya greeted her from the side.
"Yes, Ms. Yamada. Sorry that you had to greet the class," she replied, tenderly. It irks her that she had to lie about the meeting just to pursue a personal vendetta and unravel the mystery of her relationships with the project.
"No, it's nothing. I'm their vice-homeroom teacher after all."
Turning around she stood behind the podium. "Everyone, my name is Chifuyu Orimura. It's my job to turn you, greenhorns, into useful pilots in a year. Listen to what I say and remember it. If you can't do something, I'll help you until you can. My job is training you from the age of fifteen to sixteen. Hate me all you want, but listen to what I say. Got it?"
The entire class exploded into squeals and shrieks of adoration instead of the expected gasps of fear in the classroom. She always hated this part of her life, all the attention, the fame, and prestige yet she can't even protect what she holds closest.
Kyaa! Chifuyu! It's Chifuyu!"
"I'm a long-time fan of yours!"
"I enrolled here because of you! I came from southern Hokkaidou!"
"I'm so happy you'll be giving me orders, Chifuyu!"
"I'll die for you!"
It kept going, honestly, it took all her willpower to not sigh or show any sign of annoyance. How did Berlioz deal with this kind of fame back home?
"Every year we get all these idiots, what a surprise. Is there any particular reason why all these idiots get assigned to me?" said Chifuyu, while giving the ecstatic girls an annoyed look, yet there was also a hint of disappointment in her words.
Despite her harsh words, it didn't calm the class which piles on to the mounting discomfort with the current arrangements. She was never a social butterfly back in school.
She was wrong, oh she was so very wrong about their reactions.
"Hahh! Chifuyu! Scold me! Abuse me! Please scold us more!"
"But be gentle with us from time to time!"
"Discipline me so I don't get spoiled!"
"And be extremely elegant while doing that!"
While she appreciates having eager, energetic, and enthusiastic students. This is getting far out of hand.
"So? Are you going to introduce yourself properly or are you going to keep standing there gawking after failing to make a proper self-introduction?" The edge in her voice could slice through concrete bricks if those words were swords, not to mention that tone of hers….extreme sarcasm.
"But, Chifuyu, I-" Ichika recoiled at the third strike.
"That's Ms. Orimura to you."
"Yes... Ms. Orimura."
If his pride gets in the way of him getting properly educated then she has no hesitation in having it torn to shreds and tossed into the incinerator, and so he repeats his self-introduction properly this time around, thus the entire class now knows that he was Chifuyu Orimura's brother.
It did spawn some…reactions from his classmates.
"Really? That guy is her brother?"
"Ahh, that must be nice... I wish I could be him..."
Chifuyu ignored the last comment to push on a more important and pressing matter. Proper education.
"Okay, the short homeroom is over. I'll have all of you learn all the IS fundamentals in half a month. After that, training begins. Basic movements will take you another two weeks. Got that? Sound off if you do. And even if you don't. I want to hear from you."
It took a moment for her to realize that her foolish brother was still standing in front of her.
"Sit down you fool!"
And so the fool was struck down for the fourth time today.
-0-
"My head…"
Ichika groaned pathetically against his desk, his head threatening to split apart after the first period, he could barely remember anything after trying his best to understand the "Basics of IS Theory" and the weird atmosphere of the entire class didn't help after the grand reveal that he is Chifuyu Orimura's younger brother.
The IS Academy had regular classes right off the bat so they could drill IS knowledge into everyone until we almost passed out. Need an orientation? "Look at the map," they said.
He felt that there was no resolution to his situation, out there in the wild the number of known male IS pilots can be counted with less than ten pairs of hands. Maybe that's an exaggeration but still!
Turning his head to see outside, he could see the hallway jam-packed with curious second and third-year students like he was some sort of passing curiosity.
Ichika swears he saw Shinkai Shinonono just passed his class a few seconds ago carrying some boxes alongside several other male students.
"Someone please save me…"
"Hm?"
His pleas were answered by his mysterious doppelganger, Hari's seat was empty because he had to visit the infirmary as a regular check-up on his health it relates to his constitutions or something.
Despite knowing Nora for just a few hours, he could confidently say one thing about his fellow male pilot: he was more cat-like than he ever imagined. But like any other cat's they can befriended easily.
"No... it's just I can barely remember anything, what about you?"
"Easy enough for me," he closed his notebook and offered it to Ichika. "You want to copy mine?"
Gasp, the savior of mankind. Just as Ichika was about to reach out and take the offered notebook.
"Can I have a word with you?"
"Hm?"
Someone spoke from behind him, did someone win the tournament among the girls to talk with the boys? Ichika suddenly felt an air of unrest in the class as he slowly turned around, one hand holding onto Nora's notebook.
"Houki?"
"..."
His childhood friend from six years ago standing in front of him, with Nora's head going back and forth between the two of them, sensing something he quickly stood up excusing himself to visit Hari in the infirmary.
Ichika could do nothing as his doppelganger(?) left him alone with Houki in the class. He couldn't say anything as how could he? It's been six long years since the last time they met and she has grown a lot during those times yet at the same time she is still the same old Houki to him, disciplined, unwavering, and certainly stubborn, till being stoic as ever almost like a samurai.
At least… that was what the air he felt around her.
Maybe Nora ran away sensing the danger?
She always looked like she was in a bad mood, but that was genetic, or so Shinkai told him all those years ago. She glared at him even more, if there was something that came to his mind when thinking about Houki.
It's a sword, a very sharp sword that could easily cut through wood and people like paper. But the years since he had seen her had only made her sharper and harder, it seemed. Sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Can we talk in the hallway?"
He guessed she didn't want to talk in the classroom. That would be awkward with the current atmosphere, nonetheless, he could use the escape and breath of fresh air.
Hooray for childhood friends!
"Get going."
"R-Right..."
Houki strode into the hallway like a sword cutting through the grass, the girls made way for her, they were out in the hallway, honestly despite being out in the open it felt more cramped with more prying ears and eyes.
"So, by the way..." Ichika asked while scratching back on his neck, having Houki here does ease him up a little, it's nice to have something familiar in a foreign territory or something.
"Yeah?"
"I heard you won the national kendo tournament last year. Congrats."
"..."
Houki suddenly turned red at the mention of her winning the tournament. Was she upset? Why the hell would she? Ichika was confused by her reaction.
"H-How do you know that?"
"I read it in the newspapers..."
"Why are you looking at the newspapers?!"
Still despite her being a bit more snappy for some odd reasons, despite not really understanding what Houki is talking about, suddenly Houki looked uncomfortable now. Maybe she was trying to glare less during the entire conversation. At the same time, she looked worked up, though.
She was weird.
Much weirder than six years ago that is.
"Oh, by the way, how's big brother Shinkai?" he asked hoping the change of topic would make her less upset and snappy, before he could continue the bell suddenly rang to signal the beginning of the second period.
'Ah guess I won't get that one answered.' he thought to himself.
"Big brother Shin attended the academy as a second year," she replied, which caused Ichika's entire thought process to halt alongside his body.
Shinkai Shinonono is an IS pilot? Since when?
"S-Since when?"
"I-i'll tell you later, for now, let's head back to class." quickly the both of them found themself walking at the same brisk pace, and not long after the two entered the class, Ichika saw both Nora and Hari already in the room first.
Hari waved his hand at him urgently, as if he was warning Ichika of an impending natural disaster or something.
"Talk again later?"
"S-sure."
Honestly, Houki was acting strange today, he hoped she wasn't having a stomach ache or anything-
Suddenly his world was filled with pain as a loud bang sound echoed within the classroom.
"Sit down, Orimura." his sister glared at him with the fury of a thousand suns as Ichika gently rubbed his newly bruised head.
"Thank you for your guidance... Ms. Orimura..."
It was not even lunch yet and Ichika felt that today is going to be a very long day though it definitely can't get worse from here on out right?
-0-
Cecilia Alcott's mood has long gone sour, given the circumstances she could only hope to endure this mockery of a class, as the British National Cadet, and the one who took first place in the entrance exams, she was supposed to be placed in the same class among the best of the best.
Not with a roomful of amateurs!
Yet despite all her achievements she still feels that gnawing feeling that clenched around her heart like a vice, her older sister's shadow feels overwhelming and ever-extending, she was compared to her-
Well, at least she can safely be assured of being chosen as the class representative.
"Hey, Teach!"
"Yes, Orimura!" Ms. Yamada replied excitedly.
"I don't understand a single thing."
It took all that she had not to slam her face into her desk at the upfront confession, how did he even get into the academy in the first place?!
Ms. Yamada looked confused and startled. The respectable teacher act had disappeared. "Um... E-Everything?"
"U-Um... Is anybody else having problems understanding it besides Orimura?"
The class was silent, not even the other two male pilots had this much trouble, then again one of them was the son of Kasumi Sumika, one of the earliest IS pilots in history, but still he was the brother of Chifuyu Orimura!
'No, calm yourself, this is unbefitting for you to act that way. What would Wynne think if she knew you act this childish?'
The fools. If you don't have the basics down, you'll have even more problems later. He really have no idea how anything worked does he?
"Orimura, did you read the textbooks I gave you before you entered here?" asked Instructor Orimura, from the corner of the classroom.
"I thought they were old phone directories, so I chucked them."
He replied with a plain and matter-of-fact tone and expression as suddenly loud noise once more echoed out from the impact that was the fool's head.
It seems percussive maintenance didn't work on idiots.
"I'll send you new ones. Learn what's in there in a week. Got it?"
"E-Erm, those were thick as hell. I can't learn all that in a week..."
His retort was quickly shot down and ignored.
"You will. Kinovar, two of you will help him. Shove the book down his throat if it will help. "
"Yes ma'am."
"Ok."
What did she deserve to be stuck in the same class as him of all people? Even so, the class continued onward, the class was almost like a circus!
Mentally groaning Cecilia returned to taking her notes, she wondered if her sisters had also gone through this nonsense as well, from an insecure klutz of a teacher to whatever her classmates are, her life couldn't get any worse.
None of them could understand.
The expectations she needs to meet.
The size of the shoe the previous Representative Cadet left for her to fill.
The expectations Wynne has on her.
She needs to meet it, no she has to surpass it!
Still, the second-period break was coming, and at least she could gauge her fellow IS pilot's strength, it was only natural after all, she was the strongest in this class for defeating her examiner during the entrance.
-0-
"No, I am more worried about something else."
She pressed her ears against the walls despite knowing that it was wrong, is her older sister talking to someone else?
It was about her acceptance as the Cadet Representative for their homeland for the IS academy.
"I know, Cecilia is too weak for her position as a cadet representative."
Weak?
But… that doesn't make any sense. Why would she say something like that?
-0-
"Do you have a moment?"
"Huh?"
He is truly hopeless isn't he this one fool of the class? Cecilia thought as had her hands on her hips during the entire thing, a show of who was in charge of the conversation.
Just because a select few males can pilot IS doesn't mean their situation has changed, and she believed that heartily, White Glint only won the second Mondo Grosso tournament because Chifuyu Orimura resigned due to unknown circumstances.
She remembered Wynne sighing and shaking her head that day.
"Are you listening? What is your answer?"
"Oh, uh... I'm listening. What do you want?" He answered nervously. He reminded him of her father, indecisive and weak, waiting for her mother to tell him what to do, it only got worse over the years as her father had become even more servile and slavish.
Wynne barely talked about him or mother, even during the funeral she refused to speak a single word about them.
She was the symbol of strength in her eyes, the indomitable brass maiden of Britain.
"Goodness! What sort of response is that? Don't you believe you should address me in a way that reflects the honor I bestow upon talking to you?" she replied, having raised her voice.
"..."
"Sorry, but that name's-" The fool was cut off by Sumika who stood up and met her eyes to eyes.
Despite having the same appearance as the fool his eyes reminded her of someone.
"Yeah, I know her, Cecilia Alcott the Representative Cadet for Britain," he replied sharply, there was an air of familiarity about this one.
"Finally some recognition, it seems you plebians are not hopeless-"
"And the inadequate younger sister of the Brass Maiden who should have been the Representative Cadet instead."
There was a tense silence in the class as the words left Sumika's lips, those cruel, cold, and sharp words that pierced something in her as someone gasped in the background.
Her hands gripped her hips together trying to control her emotion at the mention of that- how dare he say that! What does this plebian know about her?!
It seems she truly has discovered her natural enemy in the IS Academy.
Before she could retort, Orimura raised his hand between the two of them, was this? An attempt at defusing the situation?
"Hey, can I ask a question before any fight breaks out?"
"Hmph. Enlightening the rabble is part of the duties of nobility. Go on, then." she crosses her arms under her generous bosom, she has no intention on educating these fools of their mistake picking a fight with her.
"What's a National Cadet?"
Sumika and Kinovar's heads suddenly snapped in his direction alongside an agitated groan from the girls who had been listening to the exchange.
"Are you really asking that?!" the Representative Cadet half-shouted in disbelief as she glared at Orimura, even her opponent face palmed as he slowly sat back down.
"Yeah. I have no idea what that is."
She wanted to harshly rebuke his questions but… his question were honest and earnest as she pinched the bridge of her nose letting her emotion simmer down as she took a deep silent breath calming herself from any outburst.
"Unbelievable. Utterly unbelievable."
"Let's say I don't. So, what's a National Cadet then?" he asked once more, before she could answer Kinovar cut her off with his explanation.
"To put it simply, they are an elite student picked by their own country to… represent them in the IS Academy, it's in the name after all."
"Oh… make sense."
He nodded, finally understanding such a simple concept. The blond-haired elite representative pointed her finger at him, close enough to almost touch his nose, not that it would.
She shuddered at the thought alone.
"Ordinarily it would be a miracle if someone exceptional, like myself, would share a class with you. Appreciate your luck. I recommend being a little more aware of it."
"Lucky us." Came Sumika's sarcastic replies, such a capricious male that one reminded her of the cats that lived in her family mansion.
She was about to open her mouth to reply only for the bell signaling the beginning of the third period to interrupt her.
"Tsk, I shall return! Don't run away from me! Got it?!" she returned to her desk, on her way back she finally remembered why Sumika's eyes reminded her of someone… his eyes are similar to her older sister's.
That sharp, relentless, and unyielding eyes.
How could someone have those eyes?
-0-
"Seriously, picking a fight with a Representative Cadet?" Ichika whispered to Nora as the three of them huddled together with Hari pinching the bridge of his nose, not wanting to believe that just happened for two different reasons.
"What? Not like she's as skilled as Wynne or the previous National Representative, her high and mighty attitude irks me."
At the risk of sounding repetitive, Ichika concluded that Nora must have been a cat of sorts in his past life.
"You two are idiots for different reasons…" Hari sighed. "But yeah, I don't think she is as skilled as the previous one."
"At the risk of sounding stupid… who is the previous one?"
Hari and Nora shared a look before looking back at Ichika.
"Blaidd Artorius-Hackney, better known as Rusty."
"Sounds like a man's name?"
"Because the previous one is a man." Nora hissed at Ichika.
"Oh-"
Before he could reply suddenly something impacted all three of their heads, followed by a stern voice belonging to the one and only Instructor Orimura.
"If you three done gossiping, open your textbooks you fools!"
-0-
"And before we continue to the next lesson we still have to decide our class representative for the class league match for the week after next,"
Ichika heard his sister mention, there was a class tournament?
Is it like a sporting event? Makes sense considering the IS are considering a combat sport.
Her words hung in the air for everyone and before the teacher could continue someone in the back row raised a hand and asked. "Instructor Orimura, has the other class picked their representative yet?"
"Yes, in fact, our class is the only one that hasn't picked our class representative yet."
The girls in the class begin to talk to themselves. Ichika turns to his side to talk to Nora.
"Hey, do you know who the other class representatives are?" He whispered to his fellow Japanese tapped his chin before shrugging.
"I don't know, but I heard someone saying that class 1-2 and 1-4 representatives are males."
Well, that's a surprise and a half. Suddenly like a cat Nora ducked under an incoming notebook barely missing his head by a few centimetres and sadly for Ichika, he was not blessed with such instinct nor reaction speed.
"Gah!" He shouted in pain as he held his bruised head, how come his sister knew that he wasn't paying attention?
"Pay attention, idiot!" The teacher ordered with a glare directed at her brother who was only able to offer a slow and barely audible 'sorry'.
"Remember, The class representative is just that. They won't just participate in the league match, but also on the student council, as well as committee meetings." She explains while writing on the touch screen board behind her, writing down a mind map of responsibilities and activities a class representative must do.
"The class league match determines the various levels of competence between the different classes."
The teacher continues writing, the longer it gets the more Ichika wants to try and avoid becoming a Class Representative!
It even sounded like a pain in the ass and Chifuyu haven't even finished explaining everything! Was his thought at the wall of words slowly being created.
"Right now there won't be much difference, but competition engenders improvement. It's only going to take place once, then the ranking is fixed."
The instructor explained allowing the students to discuss among themselves for a few moments, honestly, his mind was made up from the get-go. It sounded and was probably kind of a pain in the butt. Bless the one who ended up with this chore.
Not hard to imagine the entire class might choose Hari because he seem to be the responsible and disciplined type, beside he is plain as all hell without any outward talents!
"Well then, I suggest Orimura."
Ichika thought about how funny that this class had another Orimura beside him and his sister-
"Yeah, I agree."
He didn't care who was going to become the class representative because it sounded like a whole lot of pain in the butt, funny how he repeated the same thought.
"Then the first candidate will be Ichika Orimura. Any others? No self-recommendation." the sound of the stylus tapping on the board sounded quite soothing honestly, sucks to be that guy's name being written down.
'I sure do pity that Ichika- now wait for a second!' His eyes snapped open and the black-haired teen found himself standing up and everyone stared. He knew without turning around that everyone was looking, hoping Ichika would solve all their troubles.
"M-Me?!"
"Orimura, sit down. You're disturbing the class. Any others? If not, then we don't even have to vote on this." The teacher pointed at him with the stylus like it was some sort of magical wand,
"W-wait what about Hari?" Ichika desperately suggested to which his sister raised an eyebrow.
"Are you suggesting someone with a weak constitution be our class representative?"
Woah! Ok, that was not his intention!
'N-no but hold on! I'm not going to do-" Whatever meager arguments or reasonings he was about to speak were immediately shot down.
"No self-recommendation. If they recommend you, you can't refuse it. Get ready to do your job."
"Wh-what about Nora?" he pointed to his side at his friend. He has this air of trained discipline or an air of strictness and would be a much better choice than himself but was quickly cut off by a shrill voice from behind who only shook his head.
"Please wait! I cannot agree to this!" Cecilia slammed her table and stood up pointing an accusing finger at Ichika. "What is this farce of an election? Do you want to disgrace this class by having a male representative? I, Cecilia Alcott, will not abide this humiliation for an entire year!"
Wait, that sounded very wrong, she is talking like the males in the room and the entire academy are nothing better than some wild animals in some circus show or a zoo.
"If ability is what counts for class representative, then I should be a natural choice. I will not accept this Far Eastern monkey as my representative just because he's a rarity-"
"Alcott! I believe that is too far-" Hari slammed both of his hands down on the table to stand up facing the Representative Cadet before suddenly bending over and holding his chest in pain, his breath came out as wheezed with one hand while the other over his mouth as he coughed which caused to rush to his side.
Ichika without much hesitation supported Hari, holding him by the shoulders and helping him sit down.
"See? How could the academy accept such a weakling like you?" she jeered at Hari who glared at her but Cecilia didn't notice "The ablest fighter should be the class representative, and that is clearly me!."
Her rage did not subside; if anything, she was getting more and more worked up. Ichika didn't want to be the class representative but Cecilia is slowly starting to piss him off, especially after her insulting Hari, it's like kicking a man while he is down.
"Besides, having to live in this pre-modern country is already seriously offensive to me, and-"
That was the final straw for the vast majority of the class.
"And what are you so proud of in Britain? You've had the world's worst food for years," Ichika blurted out with a scoff which was unexpected for Cecilia.
"Wha-"
"Hard to believe that someone like you is the sister of Britain's Brass Maiden, starting to think she deserves your position rather than you." Nora who remained silent from the start, also added fuel to the fire.
Now Ichika is curious about his relationship with the Brass Maiden, seems like he respects her a lot compared to Cecilia who is fuming red with rage.
"Y-You! How dare you insult my motherland A-And my sister!" She shouted though Cecilia looked like she was about to cry.
Oh, well. It was too late to take prisoners. No use crying over spilled milk. The rock was rolling down the hill. Might as well use the best out of the current situation.
"I challenge both of you to a duel!"
She declared slamming down at her table, many centuries ago she would have thrown a gauntlet at the two.
Hopefully not in the face, it would hurt a lot.
"Fine. You're on. That beats all this talking, for sure." Ichika retorted standing up to meet her challenge with Nora following.
"We're going to beat you down."
'Woah, where did all of that aggression come from?' Ichika thought and little did he know it was also everyone's line of thought after the usually aloof and quiet suddenly went from a house cat to a tiger.
"Just so you know, if you two lose, I will make you two my maids... No, my slaves." she flicked her long blond hair, a telltale sign of her overwhelming self-confidence. "This will be your chance to witness the abilities of the British National Cadet, Cecilia Alcott!"
Ah… it was at that moment Ichika realized something, he was too caught in the flow of emotions and got involved with something. Too late to back down now as Nora patted his shoulder while nodding.
It's nice to have someone that supports and to rely on.
Before the confrontation could escalate, Ms. Yamada coughed to her hand bringing everyone's attention to her. "Can someone help me bring Hari to the infirmary?"
"Both of us can bring him there," Nora said as he walked around to Hari's side and slung his arm on his shoulder which prompted Ichika to do the same soon the three of them followed Miss Yamada out of the classroom to the infirmary leaving Cecilia still standing.
"Looks like we have a conclusion. The battle will be next Monday. Third arena, after school," Chifuyu clapped her hand signaling the end of the discussion which prompted Cecilia to slowly sit back down.
Thou she looked a little deflated as if she finally realized what she had done.
"Alcott: make your preparations until then someone informs Orimura as well as Sumika after they return from the infirmary. We will begin the lesson now."
"Big Sis Wynne is going to kill me…" Was the Representative Cadet's mumbling as she opened her textbook.
-0-
The chapter is named after the remix of Thinker of the same name from the ARMORED CORE REPRISE album.