A/N: Hello everyone, sorry that his took a while to get out, I was busy due to the fact that I'm no longer a student and have responsibilities now. Beyond that, well… Life.
Anyway, I'm sorry for taking too long, but I'm here, thankfully. Without too many problems, for now, I have a few announcements for things that are better left for the end of the chapter.
Anyway, time for responses:
Eisenhower Haloway: Truly, jokes are the deepest of lore. Veritas are there and are looking to stay. Yes, the Hot Springs Department is working, and poor Iori. As for how they'd react… Well maybe that's something best left for later. And he technically did gamble, just not actual money.
Kamizuma24: No, but there is an Orange Archive later.
Ikmalaizad11: Maybe, we'll see how it goes, between SCHALE and SRT. Yes, if we don't do it now, then when? Best to take care of things at the source. And as funny as that'd be, it would only work a few times, sadly… I think.
Gonsmoss: Well, I have some good news for you. I think Shun was originally 25, while Mateo is 21. It's not like the guns are different from what's used here, they just go by a different name. Fantasy elements? As far as I know, no other guns have that, the closest I can think of are things like the Chameleon, things with a scientific explanation, like the Scorpio firing experimental venomous rounds that violated some convention or other.
That's it for responses. First off, I'd like to thank Random Boat for beta reading this and helping with a few things.
Now, I have a few more things to say, but that'll be left for the end. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Making doors is not the hardest thing I've done, especially the one I'm planning. They're used in a lot of Safe Houses and they're used in the Safe Houses here in Kivotos too. So finishing that and sending it to Kasumi was easy along with some extra snacks for her and the rest of the Hot Springs Department.
Once I'm back in the SCHALE building, I look at my choice of clothes for welcoming the Plum Blossom Department from Shanhaijing along with my fellow teachers.
You heard that right, teachers, with an 's' to denote that there are, in fact, multiple teachers still around who aren't just guest lecturers or robots. It's an idea that I still have trouble believing. Why didn't anyone tell me?
I pout, an act that looks much better on girls than it ever will on me, as I grab a SCHALE dress shirt, slipping it over a black shirt, leaving the top few buttons unbuttoned, and slipping the Tardigrade body armor over it. Slipping some slacks on my legs, I begin setting my armor on, strapping my thigh holster for my pistol and mask as I clap my gloved hands. "Right, let's do this."
After all, these are probably people who know more about being adults than I ever would. Gotta look sharp and presentable.
My mother would be proud.
Still, kids are going to be here and they tend to be rowdy, I should get the cafe ready to get some fruits ready in the morning, maybe a pastry or two in the afternoon. So, with that in mind, I head to the cafe and pause as the person in front of me also pauses, her surprise obvious with the fluttering of her singular wing atop her head. "Sensei?"
"Suzumi." I note with a smile, "How're you doing?"
She takes a moment to compose herself and nods, "It's been fine, I recently found myself with some free time, so I decided to come and try out some of the sweets from the cafe here as well as check out the SCHALE building."
Sighing, I can't help but scratch my head, "Well, I'd give you a tour, but sadly, I'm going to be busy for the day, not to mention all SCHALE personnel are currently working."
"Hm?" Suzumi hums, tilting her head out of curiosity, "Is there an event or something?"
"Yeah." I confirm as I turn to her, "I'm fairly sure there was a post about it, you didn't see it?"
Grabbing her phone, Suzumi taps through it with ease as the wing on her head flaps, a slight tinge of red dusting her cheeks, "Ah, no. I-I don't really use social media." She admits with a bit of embarrassment."
"You're not the only one," I admit, leaning on the wall as I sigh. "Social media is such a hassle and don't even get me started about the news."
Thankfully, he has someone willing to post for him in the form of Arona and ISAC, mostly Arona, ISAC uses social media for more 'official' business, compiling reports of areas, cross-referencing with cameras and such, being a capable combat-assistance AI while Arona is the competent secretary.
"I'd think someone in your position would pay more attention to things like the news," Suzumi notes out loud as I shrug.
ISAC's reports can always be more reliable than whatever Kronos or whoever puts out.
I cannot stress this enough, because as reliable as ISAC is, he shouldn't be invading the privacy of any of the students for any reason. He's capable of many things but that doesn't mean he should do those things.
Even with the handicaps, none of that stops him from being a very effective combat-assistant AI.
"I have my sources," I say out loud, even if it does sound like bullshit. "Still, we're having some of the kids from the Plum Blossom Department from Shanhaijing take a tour of the facilities, after all, most are pretty much open to the public."
Of course, there are a few exceptions, my workshop in the Armory, the Crafting Chamber that doubles as my room, 'my' room, and other such areas.
"Is that so?" Suzumi asks as I nod, "Then good luck, I wish I could help you, but…" She trails off, the singular wing atop her head flapping as it covers her face to hide the slight blush on her cheeks.
"Not good with kids, huh?" I note as she nods, her face an intense red as I shake my head with a rueful smile. "I getcha."
"Were you bad with kids?" Suzumi asks, almost surprised for some reason, as if the idea itself is unthinkable.
"Not really," I admit, which was strange since I've been told I'm terrifying, which is also a strange thing to hear. That doesn't seem to improve Suzumi's mood. An idea causes me to perk up as I smile at her, "So...wanna help me with something real quick?" I ask and she leans forward in interest.
"Is everyone ready~?" A mature voice rings out within a classroom decorated with stars and a moon, every single piece of furniture scaled down to fit the petite forms of kindergartners except for the occasional furniture meant for the only teacher, or more like Instructor.
Even to the children, Sunohara Shun's excitement is palpable, being one of the very few teachers within Kivotos who isn't a robot while also being a student herself. "Remember to be on your best behavior."
"Yes, Shun-sensei!" The kids recite, their teacher's excitement infecting them as the line that would usually be straight, at least at first, is a zig-zagged line with at least three columns resembling a letter rather than a line.
Sunohara Shun is a buxom young lady(?) with black ears over her head, black hair set in a ponytail, and a black sideless qipao with flowers on the side. Bobbing with her movements, a blue halo with four sections hovers above her, and her QBU-88 is over her shoulder.
"So we get to see Sensei." One of the students chatted.
"I heard he was seven feet tall with a bunch of guns!" Another says as the student beside them gives them an exasperated look.
"We all have guns dum-dum." She points out the gun strapped to her backpack.
"No, but these are the big ones, like the one used by Shun-sensei! Or our senpais!" She elaborates as the kids' eyes bulge out. "And he has three of them!"
"I heard he could pull anything out of his backpack!" Another says as their eyes brightened.
"Like Doraemon!"
"Doraemon-sensei!"
"Aye, sir!"
"Wrong blue cat!" One of the kids retorts as they all laugh and Shun smiles at how active the children are being, even if she knows that she'll have to get them under control sooner rather than later.
Though her younger sister had that under control at the moment.
"Everyone, please make sure you don't leave behind anything and that you've already eaten your breakfast." A young white-haired girl with ears similar to Shun's says, her blue halo had three sections instead of Shun's four. A white assault rifle is strapped to her back while she wears a sleeveless qipao with a white frilled skirt under it, a black jacket over her shoulders, and orange eyes squint as her cheeks are puffed up in an expression she believes is ladylike.
"Alright, Kokona~."
"It's Instructor!" She retorts, her childish expression only increasing as the children laugh and scamper away, stopping as she releases a breath. "Not good, I nearly lost my composure."
"Now, now~," Shun says, stepping beside her sister, "they're a bit excited, that's all. Let them have their fun."
"B-But," Kokona starts, "won't it be a problem if we're late? He is our colleague after all."
Covering her mouth with her hand, Shun giggles before resting a hand on Kokona's head and patting it gently, "Seems like the kids' aren't the only ones who're excited."
Crossing her arms, Kokona looks away and huffs, "Who says I want to meet Sensei?"
"Well, I do." Shun admits with a giggle, "He seemed like such an interesting person when we spoke. I wish I could have met him, but he was so busy…" She pouts at the end.
While the two siblings were speaking, the children were planning.
"So, Sensei is strong, right?"
"Yeah, I heard he went against a bunch of soldiers and won!"
"Really? But he doesn't have a halo, like us, right?"
"But he has armor!"
"Do you think it can protect him that well?"
"I don't know."
"Then, let's surprise him!"
"Like a prank?"
While the siblings quickly disavowed them of the thought, the seed was already planted in their minds, for them and many of the children.
Children can be menaces, innocent, but menaces.
That's what makes it terrifying.
Within SCHALE's office, I finish explaining my plan to Suzumi as she hums, looking at the map of D.U. I have stuck to a whiteboard with some magnets. "Well, crime rates would decrease if that's the case, but it could also increase as well. I could see some of the gangs fighting over control of these 'Nodes'. Maybe even using SCHALE's name to keep people out or even use it to justify it. Not to mention those who aren't the target taking advantage of it and the complaints that'd come from it."
"If they're complaining, then they probably benefit from the suffering of the students." I point out, "Besides, I'm pretty good at Territory Control myself." Did it a lot in D.C., New York, Jersey, and everywhere else, even took down some Roamers and opened up a lot of roads.
"Still...It's pretty risky." Suzumi points out, her red eyes boring into me with worry. "If it goes wrong, SCHALE could get a lot of flack for it. You could get a lot of people angry at you, and…" She trails off as I understand her worries.
Despite my armor and skills, ISACs ability to access the SHD Network and SHD Tech, and Arona's shield, I'm still just a squishy human. One lucky shot, one wrong step, hell, one wrong word and I'd be history, dead. If this goes wrong, a lot of people are going to get angry, maybe to the point of trying to kill me.
So, just like back home.
"Wouldn't be the first time." I shrug, ignoring Suzumi's curious look. "I'll just take responsibility for it by making sure everyone can use it. Besides, it's just going to be in D.U."
The D.U., coincidentally, while not the same shape as D.C., is slightly larger than D.C., so walking around as I did in D.C. shouldn't be too much of a problem. Even further would be a bit harder, but no problem.
"Well…" She trails off, her expression complicated, a mixture of worry, exasperation, and resignation coming together, "I suggest making patrols to check on it and take care of any gangs that try to take advantage of it whenever you aren't busy."
"'Course, I wasn't about to start a project this big and go out every time it went wrong." I point out. Sure, when I was starting off as an Agent, I might have tried it, and ultimately failed, but I'm older now, wiser, experienced…
I can just go to the helipad on the roof and shoot any of the leaders from there.
"Then, I suggest talking to Yuuka about this." Suzumi says, "I can't give much of an opinion."
"If I did that first, Yuuka would start hounding about the budget and how to make it more 'cost-effective'. And, well…" he trails off as Suzumi's eyes widen as she nods in understanding.
This project is an accountant's nightmare, especially since there is no tangible profit to be made off of it and would only dig into SCHALE's budget, particularly the section meant for more SHD-related projects like Safe Houses and the like. Any attempt to cut corners would only have a detrimental effect.
"Hasumi?" Suzumi asks and I shake my head.
"The Justice Task Force…" I hold no ill will against them, and any distaste I have for the police is reserved for the corrupt, but, "They wouldn't…" I trail off, having trouble voicing my thoughts.
The JTF has a habit of looking at things through a black-and-white lens, especially when it comes to Justice, which isn't bad per se, they're the police, and their job is to bring in criminals, not dole out punishment. Keeping the peace of the district and its students.
I can see Hasumi agreeing, but she'd hesitate once she realizes the short-term effects. Without a doubt, D.U. will have some problems once the project is done at first, and I will help keep it calm, but in the long term, delinquency will drop as students find themselves with a source of two of the most important things for life. How long it'd take for the effects to show is another matter entirely.
A safety net for those who've found themselves on the wrong end for reasons within their control but started from circumstances beyond their control. A chance to break out of it.
"Hasumi doesn't have the perspective I'm looking for." I finally admit, while Suzumi tilts her head in confusion, "I'll probably still run it by her." I'll need the JTF's help with security after all.
"Is Chinatsu the same?" Suzumi asks as I think about it for a second.
"Not...exactly…?" I don't think Chinatsu will have a problem with it. She is the medic of the Prefect Team, so she'll probably mostly worry about the injured. "It's more like I need the view of someone who has more...flexibility to their peacekeeping."
Admittedly, out of all the forces I've met until now, the Trinity Vigilante Corps are very similar to the Division minus the access to the technology.
"This project isn't meant for anyone who's unrepentant of their actions or who have a certain view that comes with being a bureaucrat or official." I try to explain, my hands moving as I try to find the right words. "It's a second chance, a third, fourth, as many that are needed with what little I can do."
It hurts, being able to do so much, but still having more slip by my fingers. I'm a teacher of an entire city the size of the U.S., filled with students and I only can do so much, I can't be there for every student, so I'll do my best with what I can do. If that means having to deal with a few troublesome events, that's fine.
Suzumi's expression changes, her eyes wide and full of surprise and something that might be admiration. "Sensei…"
Out of the corner of my eyes, my Smart Watch displays the time as the holographic hands point at a certain time, "Seems like the Plum Blossom Garden is nearly here. I've kept you here for long enough Suzumi."
Reaching out, I can't help but gently tussle Suzumi's silver hair, her singular wing around her head flapping as a slight blush appears on her cheeks. I remove my hand once I get my fill and make my way to the meeting area of the school, a bit lighter after sharing my idea and getting some ideas to counter some of the flaws I noticed in it.
"Sensei…" Suzumi trails off, watching Mateo's back as he picks up his bag and slings it over his shoulder, jostling it to correct it as he steps out of the office, leaving her to be the only one there.
She knew he was an adult, it was a factual thing, but she can't remember ever seeing him so...desperate. As if he was genuinely bothered by his lack of capability to be there for all students.
Many of her colleagues in the Vigilante Corps wouldn't have been the same, some wouldn't believe that some of the delinquents can be saved or should be given another chance, and some can't take the pressure of there being so many problems and only being so capable. The former would go on rampages and the latter would either quit or burn out quickly. She was once a part of the former.
For many, guns are the solution to most problems, but Mateo…
He's looking beyond it, looking to be able to help as many as he can with what he has, yet still can see what it is that he can do. It's not his responsibility, no one expects him to be able to be there for all students, but the fact that he is still trying is…
Admirable.
She glances at the map, outlining the areas where the 'Nodes' would be located as she brings out her phone and takes a picture.
Responsibility...Duties…
"Seems like I'm still naive." She mutters under her breath, as she stows away the phone and walks away, a slight pep to her step.
Seeing him work so hard makes her feel like helping out.
Right, it's just kids. Just like usual, put on a smile, be patient, and be a bit silly.
Before stepping out, I lag back to run a hand through my hair, brushing it back and giving it a bit of shape since it's no longer being pushed down by my hat as the whiteboard reflects my image. Frowning, my eyes land on the singular visible tattoo, the insignia of the SHD, a phoenix, on the left side of my neck.
It hasn't been pointed out, but kids usually have a habit of being fairly blunt, so they'll either be unnerved or a bit nosy.
Well, it won't matter much, just go out there, smile, and show these kids what they can do.
Just like a field trip to the local public library.
A small smile comes over my face as I step out to the parking lot to see a bus with kids stepping ou-.
I drop to my knees and roll behind a trash can, the sound of shattering glass and the whistle of the wind ringing within my ears despite my audiometric earpieces muffling it, my mind running a mile a minute.
Kaiser? No, ISAC would have warned me. Misfire? Sounds impossible, sure I've seen some of the younger students with guns, but they're usually well taken care of. Someone else? I probably would have noticed something, a pull at my gut, a twinge at the back of my neck, something! The most I got was that I should duck.
"Woah!"
"That was quick!"
"Awesome!"
"Do it again!"
"Hey!" A stern but still mature voice rang out as she scolded the child, leaving me to my chilling realization.
Kids like cool and interesting things, my ability to draw my pistol as quickly as I can came from messing around with a fellow Agent with empty pistols that was witnessed by one of the kids. Then I practiced, giving them something cool to see as necessity turned it into a viable skill.
Despite that, the kids I cared for as an Agent were always aware that a gun is dangerous and can lead to someone's death. That doesn't take away from seeing someone bring out a gun and shoot with accuracy in one quick movement like old gunslingers.
These kids have haloes, guns will only hurt them and ballistic ammunition that'd kill me are practically pranks to them. That's why I didn't feel any killing intent when they shot me.
To the kids, they're just pranking the new teacher.
A cold sweat accumulates as I realize how dangerous the situation has become.
Still, with a sigh, I step out, preparing to meet my fate. "Well," I trail off under my breath, muffled by my mask, "that was eventful."
With each step, it feels like I'm walking into a lion's den even with Arona's shields, supposedly, hopefully, protecting me. Still, I get close enough to talk to the teacher, or teachers as ISAC identifies them and one thing comes to mind.
Are we sure that Shun is still a student? Good lord in Heaven, she practically embodies the term 'buxom' even with the stern scolding she was giving to the child as he seemed a few seconds from crying. Meanwhile…
My eyes move to the younger girl among the children, practically melding with them seamlessly if it wasn't for her halo, a smaller version of Shun's, and her ears, practically the same as Shun's, as she seemed to constantly glance at me. According to ISAC, Sunohara Kokona is an Instructor as well…
Shun's age still isn't showing, and I probably shouldn't pry, but it says that she's a third-year.
In college?
And she teaches children, wearing clothes like that?
Granted, I can't say much considering I purposely wear some horrible things and walk around constantly with a mask, but still…
It's hard to keep my eyes in appropriate places.
Finally, Shun leads a child on the verge of sobbing by the hand, "Hello, Sensei. It's good to meet you for the first time face to face. I just wish it didn't have to start like this."
Sniffling, the young girl starts, "I-I'm sorry…" She trails off with the pouty lips that kids had whenever they wanted to stop themselves from crying which tugged at my heartstrings.
Crouching down, the little girl was holding the edge of her clothes and looking away, her eyes misty from unshed tears as I reached out and she closed her eyes.
"Eh?" She mutters, her voice nasally as I grab ahold of her nose and gently tug at it, "Ahhh?" She sounds out in confusion in the same nasally voice as I let go. Resting my hand on her head, I can't stop a chuckle from bubbling up.
"Don't worry about it. Just kids having fun with mischief. Not much of a reason to get angry about it." I note. "Though…" I trail off, smiling as the kid seemed to stiffen. It seems like I've still got it. "I'm sure this kid knows when a bit of mischief is appropriate, correct? Pranks like the one you played could hurt someone, and if they do, you'll have to deal with me and Shun."
The kid desperately nods in understanding, fear in her eyes and understanding as Shun simply smiles when the kid looks at her. Neither confirming nor denying my words, the kid swallowed audibly with trepidation.
"U-Understood, Sensei. I'm sorry." She says quickly with a bow before I release the pressure I associate with my attempts at scaring someone.
Nodding, I stand up to my full height and I turn to the other kids, letting the kid I was holding on to let go. Closing my eyes, I smile under my mask, "Hello, Plum Blossom Department, I'm SCHALE's advisor, Vernes Mateo, Sensei works fine. It's good to meet all of you."
With my introduction done, I brace myself for what is going to be a busy day.
While the kids were roaming around at the entrance, cooing and looking at everything, or just running around, Shun, Kokona and I finally found some time to talk. "I'm truly sorry about the incident," Shun says, bowing while Kokona does the same, all three of us behind doors within a meeting room with two entrances so no one could catch a clear glimpse of the events nor how my eyes were drawn to certain...movements caused by Shun's bowing.
"I already said," I started, raising both hands, "It's fine, really. I didn't even get hurt, so don't worry about it."
"Still…" Shun trails off, unsure while I sigh.
"Personally, I'm just glad I get to meet my fellow teachers," I admit, as the two seem to relax as the smaller one puffs out her chest with pride, something Shun notices as she giggles into her hand.
"Me too, though the two of us are still students, so we're still technically under your care. As you know, my name is Sunohara Shun, Third-Year of Shanhaijing Secondary School." She says as she bows, "I'm also one of the Instructors of the Plum Blossom Department, It's an honor to meet you, Sensei."
"Consider me charmed." I retort as a slight blush comes over her face as she reaches up a hand to cover it, "I wish we could have met earlier for some of that tea you offered."
"It's fine. You were busy from what I've heard, the fact that you were able to set this up is a miracle." She says as I shrug and turn to the shorter girl.
"H-Hello, Sensei," Kokona says, stuttering as she puffs her chest, "I'm Sunohara Kokona. I am a First-Year at Shanhaijing Secondaw-ow!" She says, bringing up her hand as I quickly crouched down.
"You okay?" I ask softly, as she whines, holding her mouth with her hands as she shows her tongue.
"I bit my tongue~!" She says, letting it poke as I inspect it, Shun over my shoulder.
Finally, I gently pat her shoulder, "You're fine. Just be careful Kokona."
"It's Instructor Kokona." She retorts with a pout that makes me release a chuckle while lightly tussling her hair. Reminds me of my time as an Agent, teaching kids around my age or younger, granted I wasn't too bothered when they used my name, but that's probably just cultural differences.
"Sure," I say, with another light chuckle as she pouts. "Then, Instructor Kokona, aside from apologizing for something inconsequential, did you two need something?" I ask while I stand up, leaning against a wall and crossing my arms.
"Not really." Shun says while holding a finger to her cheek, "We already have the itinerary, though, I wonder why it didn't have times?"
"Mostly to not stress out anyone," I admit, though not the whole story. The amount of 'field trips' that weren't missions I led weren't usually very long or interesting, so I usually went off of my gut and the other students for a time. "We go around, show the area to the kids, show how to use certain things for the future, then we just let them loose."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Shun asks, worried as she holds a hand to her chin. "The kids are usually angels, but…"
"Leave them loose and they'll be hell-raisers, huh?" I ask, recalling my own experiences with younger children, a sour thing since a lot of the kids lost someone close to them, leaving them to be fairly withdrawn. Still, even then, they were still troublemakers a few times. "I know, I'd rather let the kids go at their own pace rather than constantly keep moving. Let them ask questions."
"Oh~, as expected," Kokona says with a nod as Shun giggles.
"Well, if you're sure, Sensei~. Let's go and start, shall we?" She asks as they begin to walk out, only for a feeling to pop up as logic and instinct work together while I grab them by their shoulders gently.
"Let's...use this door instead," I suggest, gently pulling them along as we go through the further door into the main area of the entrance of the SCHALE building.
Lo and behold, the kids turn to us like they were caught with their collective hands in the cookie jar, the door we entered rigged with a smoke grenade and a string as the children crowd the area at a distance. Sadly, their expressions were confused, their eyes shifting from the door to us as I sighed.
Idly, I grab my survival knife, the sharp edge cleanly and easily cutting through the string as I put it away a second later and removed the smoke grenade. "Nice try. Confiscated."
Jesus Christ, these kids can be absolute menaces. Still, not much different than before.
Just gotta be patient, all for their smiles, mischievous they might be.
Besides, scolding them isn't my responsibility at the moment.
So, while Kokona scolds them, Shun arranges them in a line as I wait for them to finish.
Once they did, I began to talk, "So, as you know, you're here to tour the facilities of SCHALE, facilities that you might be using in the future. As such, there are a few rules, so please bear with me so we can get to the fun stuff."
The kids didn't do much, but some of their attention was beginning to go away, so I continued, "First off if you cause a mess, you're cleaning it up. Second, except for a few areas, anywhere can be accessed by students. Finally, SCHALE's doors will always be open to any student, regardless of their Academy, year, or club, so don't be afraid to come by if you need something."
"Yes, Sensei~!" The kids say in unison as I can't help but smile.
"Now," I start as I stand up, "let's start the tour!"
With that begins what is promised to be a very eventful few hours.
Our first stop was the garage where most heavy vehicles, both aerial and ground, were found, the SCHALE engineers doing their jobs. "This is where SCHALE keeps its vehicles to perform maintenance on. Our engineers and mechanics are usually around here, working on the vehicles themselves or on someone else's."
One of the girls raises their hands and I point to them, "Yeah?"
"Umm, what do you mean by 'someone else'?" She asks as I nod.
"That's because this is also used by some of the other academies, usually as a resupply point to fill up on gas or to get the vehicle looked at after all, SCHALE is a neutral organization, so some parts are easier to come by with us than if they went to their own school. Not to mention that some of the students also take more personal requests from the people when they have free time." I explain while I walk the kids through the area, making sure to stay away from some of the students performing maintenance on heavier equipment.
Admittedly, SCHALE does have liberal access to a swathe of machinery but most of it is more transportation based rather than combat. The few tanks and other combat vehicles probably belong to a student or an Academy. Even then, there aren't that many vehicles as some are in other Academies after being rented out, others are stowed away in reserve, and others are in a queue to be inspected by the mechanics and engineers.
"So, anyone can come in and have their vehicle inspected or resupplied?" Another student asks.
"I can't make any assurances about a complete resupply if it's sudden, but if you give us time, SCHALE should be able to get ahold of anything that is needed." Which is a bit impressive, not gonna lie.
"Can anyone work here?" Another student asks as I shake my head.
"That's up to the Head Mechanic," I answer.
"But aren't you the President?"
"I'm the Advisor." I correct them, "So, while I have the final say on most things involving SCHALE, that doesn't mean that everything is run by me."
"Darn straight." A student calls from behind me and I turn to see the Head Mechanic, covered in soot, grime, and oil but with a toothy grin and bags under her eyes with a maniacal glint in them, a pair of horns with a tail swaying behind her, "While Boss, over here," she says, jerking her head in my direction, "makes sure that the city keeps chugging along by taking care of the various issues, those of us working for him make sure he can continue doing it without having to worry about silly things like 'terrain' or 'time' by keeping these vehicles in pristine condition."
Even if the crew manning the various branches under SCHALE can be considered skeleton crews, they keep it working just fine so I make sure that they have what they need, and occasionally want, to keep it going.
"You seem to have very reliable students, Sensei~." Shun notes with a giggle as I nod in agreement.
"They are," I admit as I watch the Head Mechanic explain the specifics to the kid. "Lord knows I'd probably be lost without their help."
Not like I know how to fly a helicopter. It's mostly thanks to them that I can worry about the city and its students since they're usually here taking care of most trivialities that come around within SCHALE.
She explained to them the roles of the Mechanics, mostly maintaining the integrity of the vehicles and making sure they're ready to be brought out at a moment's notice, including the vehicles of other academies too, should it be requested. On their off time, they also took more personal requests from the citizens whenever they could.
While the kids have the little session, ISAC appears, his holographic expression far more severe than I could ever imagine it to be as Arona follows a second later, not worried but a bit uncomfortable. "Agent, someone tried to access the blueprint to the Tardigrade Armor system."
While my eyes widen, I move to the side to where my own bike is stowed to get some privacy. "What do you mean someone tried to access the blueprint, and from where?"
"They cut the connection before I could get their location." ISAC answers, directing a pointed look at me, "If I had less restrictions-."
"You could figure out who it was, but that's not happening." I shut him down, thankful as I am for his worry. "Well, has to be Millennium then, Utaha is the only one we ever sent the blueprints to."
"But the one who tried to enter wasn't Utaha or any devices associated with her," Arona answers, holding a finger to her cheek in thought. "This seems like a mystery to me!"
"It's not." I quickly cut her off as she deflates, I glance over to the mechanic and see that she's finishing up her little spiel. "Look, keep a close eye, alright? While the Tardigrade isn't impervious, it's troublesome to fight because it can repair itself and how sturdy it is. Make sure it doesn't get in the wrong hands if you can."
"Affirmative/Roger!" ISAC and Arona answer as I sigh, turning back to see Shun and Kokona corralling the students for the next section
Shun waves me over with a gentle smile while Kokona looks around in confusion, the children trying to innocently look anywhere but near my location for some reason. That isn't to mention this vague feeling coursing through me.
What could it-.
The click of a grenade pin rings out, drowning out all sound, and the cold thrum of betrayal courses through my body as my hand goes for the grenade while I wrestle against the person trying to stop me-
For a moment, my instinct almost overrode my body, limiting my action to grabbing the perpetrator's hand rather than stabbing them through the neck as I did the first time something like this happened. Granted, I proceeded to use them as a human shield after I threw the grenade away and shot their corpse to make sure they were dead.
I still do grab the small arm that tried to pull this 'prank', but I couldn't stop the tremor that coursed through my body, anxiety, fear, and rage coursing through me like poison as innumerable ways to practically destroy whoever tried to kill me appear in my head.
I don't, I clamp down on my instincts as I loosen my grip before it can do anything before I manage a smile, pushing down the tremors of fear and anxiety as I joke, "That's not a nice thing to do, now is it? I could've gotten hurt."
Letting go of her hand, she didn't seem afraid or embarrassed, a bit frustrated, sure, but no fear, or even regret, she knew what she was doing and did it with complete confidence that it'd be fine. Like she was caught pulling a prank by a teacher rather than possibly harming somebody, and as far as she knew, she was.
Though, at least she seemed ashamed at the reminder that I could've been hurt, especially since what she had on hand was a flashbang. Of course, the pin had been removed, but she still had her hand clamped around the tube, the safety pin still attached, so unless she let go, the fuse wouldn't be lit.
What's worse is that I'm intimately aware of tactics like it, I've had multiple people try the exact same thing on me when I was trying to give them something and have even pulled it a few times in the middle of combat by children on the rare occasion.
The idea that these kids commit what would be considered atrocities back home as pranks…
It makes my skin crawl in anxiety and confusion.
After pulling the girl's cheek to scold her, I let her go to the rest of the group, their impressed voices melding together with screams of suffering as the guilt piles on and I push through it.
I still have to give these kids the rest of the tour.
I say my farewells to the Head Mechanic and take a moment to calm myself.
I can't scold them since they're just kids, they don't know any better, for years they've been around people who can take things like that, who they can play with that's rougher than what kids back home play like. It still doesn't make the feeling any better…
For the first time since I appeared, the haloes floating above their heads truly make them seem as Alien as the bible made them out to be.
Slowly, the feeling recedes, it doesn't disappear but it hasn't in all my time that I've been in Kivotos, and I can manage a smile once more.
I can work it out once I don't have a bunch of kids waiting for me.
Stepping out of the door, my closed eyes manage to portray my smile, "So, who wants to go to our next stop?"
The library was self-explanatory, sadly it was mostly filled with textbooks and similar so not something the kids were incredibly interested in.
I proceed to show them around the computer lab, the study rooms, and the shooting range. Public workshops were also included and finally, the private rooms. Rooms can be rented by anyone for any reason, whether it be music, studying, or any reason that has to do with academics or hobbies.
"And that's about it." I finish with a smile, now calmer than I was, "This is the SCHALE building, almost anything within is at your discretion to use as long as you submit a request online or physically. And that concludes our tour of the SCHALE building. Any questions?"
Hopefully, no one tries to play another 'prank' like they did with the rooms...and the library…
So much damage…
A lot of smoke…
A few whoopie cushions…
So much paperwork I need to do. Not any of the other branches or any of the mechanics, but me.
Oh well. I look around and answer a few questions before ISAC alerts me that the bus is waiting for them outside. Seems like Shun also notices as she steps forward. "Alright everyone, that's it for today~." She says, the kids audibly whining as she giggles, "Now now, Sensei is a busy individual, we shouldn't take up a lot of his time."
"'Sides." I interject, "The building is open to anyone, you can come whenever you want, and depending on the time, I might have some time for a talk. So don't be shy."
"'Kay~." The kids say as one of them raises a hand and I point at them.
"Can we have a snack?" She asks and I can't help but smile, turning to Shun and Kokona as the former giggles and the latter seems excited.
"I don't know~," Shun says, holding a finger to her cheek. "They weren't exactly on their best behavior throughout the day." She says, their expressions visibly falling to my amusement.
"I think it's fine. A bit of mischief isn't something to be punished that badly." I relent, grateful that Shun took the role of stern teacher rather than lax. I've always had trouble dolling discipline to the kids simply because my idea of discipline usually falls under corporal punishment, a consequence of dealing with adults a lot more than kids. Not to mention I've been confused as a stoner on occasion when I had time off due to how relaxed I look, especially after my talk with Kelso in D.C.
With that, the kids cheer and begin to head toward Angel 24, ISAC doing me a favor and sending Sora a warning beforehand while I'm left with the other teachers. "Either of you want anything?"
"No, but thank you for offering," Shun says while Kokona nods along with her elder sister. "I was a bit worried, they were a lot more mischievous than other times."
Jesus Christ, their mischief had me right back in the trenches of my time as an Agent, and not metaphorically either. A few of the 'pranks' the kids did sent me right back to some of the worst moments of my time as an Agent, the senseless death, and the atrocities I committed.
Which meant a lot of cheeks were tugged and I had to pull out the threatening teacher's voice a few times.
"That's fine." I wave off, not like it bothered me for longer than a bit, even if the truth never left my core. "Just kids having fun with something new. Can't really get angry at them for it."
"If only others could be as patient as you," Shun said, her smile dipping into a frown. "Many times adults will scold the children for being children. It's not something I'm very happy about." She says with a slight pout and a dangerous edge.
"That's right." Kokona pipes up, trying to imitate her older sister but coming up short and cute. I couldn't stop my hand from reaching out and tussling her hair lightly. "Hey!" She said, removing my hand.
"Right, right." My hand moves back to my side, "Sorry 'bout that." I say, my eyes glancing at Shun, her eyes lingering on my own hand for a second too long while Kokona puffs out her chest.
"Thank you. It's quite rude to do such a thing to a lady." Kokona notes, "But, I'll let it sli-huh?" She interrupted herself as I placed my hand on Shun's head, the black-haired woman blinking in surprise.
"You've been working hard. Both of you." I say, tussling her hair gently as the black-haired woman seems surprised. "Thank you." I finish, leaving Shun to stare blankly in the air with flushed cheeks while Kokona looked between me and her sister in surprise in confusion. "I'll go and check in on the kids, make sure-."
Instinct causes a pinch in my body in the direction of Angel 24, ISAC outlining the area inside of Angel 24 in red that he'd use for things like grenades or explosives in general. I pull Kokona and the distracted Shun behind some cover in the form of a wall, to their confusion, before the windows of Angel 24 explode a second later.
A second later, the section is wracked with explosions, flames exploding from incendiary grenades, glints of white from white phosphorous, smoke from smoke grenades, flashes from flashbangs and gunfire punctuating each explosion.
Then, the screams of children rang out, all of us surging forward, "Arona, call Sena and-."
"Sensei!" Serina's voice is heard from the bullet-hole-riddled Angel 24, Sora coming out with an exhausted look in her eyes. How did she get there? Was she there since the beginning?
"What's going on-!?"
"Who-!?"
"I knew it was you-!"
"I di-ah!"
Gunfire exploded in the building, the sound of accusations and more fanning the flames of chaos further. "Damn it, Serina, wait here and assist Shun and Kokona, check on the kids."
The Lexington, a High-End M4 given to him by the Division for his service, or what was left of it, is slung off his Go-Bag and into his hand, with an extended magazine, a holo-optic, compensator, and handstop attached to it. "Arona, get me on the intercom."
"Understood," Arona says, nodding before disappearing in particles of blue.
"To all occupants within SCHALE, put down your weapons." My voice rings out within SCHALE, "Just a prank gone wrong, nothing to worry about."
Thankfully, after my words, some of the gunfire died down. Some of it.
I can't help but sigh at that, at least Sena is already on her way. "Last warning. Anyone continues shooting, you'll be disciplined."
A few more, but some of them…
There is a short burst of heavy gunshots before it all goes quiet, the security system I installed coming in handy while ISAC nods in assurance. "Good. Please exit in an orderly fashion while we take care of this." I add before huffing, turning to see Shun and Kokona are already in the process of going into the wreck of Angel 24. "ISAC, Arona."
"Roger."
"Yes, Sensei."
Making my way to the wreck, I grab a fire extinguisher mounted on the wall, images of bodies lighting up in my ScanTek lenses as I move toward them.
Leaving the fire extinguisher to the side, I pick up one of the kids and grab another by the hand. "Go, go!"
I pull them to the entrance and push them out, bringing them to the rest of the group where the other Plum Blossom Garden students wait.
Shun and Kokona follow out with their batch of students before Shun and I return, leaving Kokona behind to corral the rest of the kids and keep them calm, or as calm as they can be. Fire extinguisher in hand, the chemical smothers the stubborn flames lingering on the building while Shun helps the kids out.
Again and again, the two of us entered, finding unconscious kids and pulling them out until I was sure all of them were out.
"Sensei, we're missing one!" Kokona cries as Shun steps out with more of the students and I am about to follow her outside.
Under my breath, I curse and tap my Smart Watch.
A Scanner Pulse spreads from my location and I get a ping along with-.
My body moves before I can truly make sense of what I saw, the lingering heat replaced by a humid heat, the white of Angel 24 replaced by duller colors and I'm back in Washington. A grenade and an injured soldier by each other as I cover the child my mind confused with a soldier with my own body.
The grenade goes off and pain courses through my body while my ears ring, dull impacts coursing through my legs while the Tardigrade takes the impact on my torso.
Arona was tearing up and ranting while ISAC didn't seem too phased, my HUD revealing how much damage the grenade did. Thankfully, the Tardigrade Armor System is reliable, taking the shrapnel and impact and only leaving me with a bit of tinnitus.
"God be…" I start, but stop when I see the kid's grip on what she can grab.
I can't hear what she's saying, but I can read her lips. She's apologizing profusely. Tears streaming down her cheeks and snot running down her nose, which makes sense. Kids are probably used to the chaos that comes with carrying weapons around and using them to take care of any disputes. But having everything fall apart like it did? That's probably not something they'll be forgetting.
"C'mon kid, let's get up." I insist, standing to my feet while helping the kid, only to see her stumble, catching her gently and seeing a fairly bad gash running up her calf.
All of that chaos, all of the explosives, sounds, and all they have to show for it is a bad gash.
I can't help but find the idea absurd while standing to my feet and grabbing the kid, cradling her while she held onto him and he made his way out of the Angel 24.
Outside, Shun and Kokona turn to me as I step out, "Sensei, are you alright?!" Shun starts while the ringing in my ear begins to recede, thankfully.
"I'm fine," I assure them before turning to the girl. "She, on the other hand…"
Their eyes turn to the girl and immediately Shun begins to try to coax the girl to relent on her grip on me while Serina begins to wrap up her leg.
In the end, it was easier to let the girl hold onto him while Serina cared for her injuries rather than force her off.
"I'm so sorry," Shun says, bowing along with a kid who seemed like she was on the verge of bursting into tears along with Kokona. Meanwhile, the girl has long since relinquished her grip on me and returned to the Plum Blossom Garden while I was confused.
Thankfully, Shun quickly explains, "This is the perpetrator of this prank gone wrong." She explains, the girl flinching at the reference to the little prank that escalated.
"I-I didn't mean it." She whines under her breath. "I-I was just going to have the pin drop without letting go of the safety lever, th-then the grenade, it just went off." She sobs, "I-I didn't even remove the pin. Then it went off sooner than it was supposed to. It was an accident. It's because I cheaped out and got a grenade from Kaiser to get some snacks, I'm sorry."
My injuries were minor thanks to the Tardigrade and Arona blocking the shrapnel. Something she's still not happy about if her holographic form refusing to look at me was any evidence.
"It's… fine?" I can't help but nearly ask, "Well, no, it's not." I backtracked, turning to the kid with a sigh as the kid flinched.
I was never good at this, much less with kids. Tell me to dress down a bunch of adults and it'll be easy, but with kids who didn't know any better? It was a lot harder to be angry. Especially when it was genuinely an accident because the idea of Kaiser products experiencing a malfunction makes a lot of sense.
"Hey." I begin, kneeling in front of the poor girl who flinched. "Look at me."
The poor girl doesn't, for a while, stubbornly looking away, and when Shun is about to insist, she stops when I shake my head. Waiting until the girl's teary eyes lock with mine.
Gently, I reach out and use my gloved hands to wipe her tears. "You did something very stupid. It's a miracle no one got as hurt as badly as they did with only a few injuries and only one was visibly bleeding."
The girl nods while I continue, ashamed, "You need to be aware of your actions and the consequences that come with them. Playing pranks is fine, but the prank you tried to play…"
Admittedly, my morals clashed with my words. Who plays pranks with explosives?
Still, this is a different world with people that can take a lot more than I ever could without protection of sorts.
The girl is crying while nodding and I can't help but smile. "Come on, I'm not too angry. You'll probably get a stern enough talking to once you get back to Shanhaijing. Just remember," I begin, grabbing her shoulder gently while her eyes locked with mine.
"Lesser mistakes have had greater consequences. The building? The merchandise? Those don't matter, but you do. You could've gotten hurt badly." I say, watching her eyes widen. "Your friends could've gotten hurt. One of them did." He reminded her, the girl's eyes widening at that realization. "You saw what happened, right? And you girls are tougher than I am. You're young, and you made a mistake. A mistake that left one of your friends bleeding. I'll forgive you, but will your friend?"
The young girl pales rapidly, her face becoming queasy at the realization before she looks at Shun desperately, whose stern facade softens slightly before looking at me.
I don't say anything else before resting a hand on her head, tussling it lightly. "That's enough from me, you still have to get your earful from Shun and Kokona and you still have to make amends with your friend, right?"
With that, the girl steps away, leaving me with Shun. Serina is… somewhere too, probably, considering he never saw her disappear after she checked on him.
"Once again, I'm so sorry about this," Shun says, visibly ashamed before I chuckle.
"Like I said, it's fine." I wave off. "I wasn't even badly injured, not to mention Serina and Sena already gave their approval on the kid's condition."
Shun pauses for a second as I recognize the look in her eye, the look of confused acceptance. "I know Sena, but… Serina… she's part of the Remedial Knights, correct?"
I pause for a second, raising a brow, "Last I checked, yes. That is correct. Why is that?"
"No reason. The Remedial Knights are good people, though it's a bit strange not to see her following after their President." Shun noted, to my confusion.
"What do you mean?" I ask and Shun chuckles sheepishly.
"You'll see when you meet President Mine. Not to say she's a bad woman," She assures me, "Quite the opposite, which is why it's a bit… strange she wasn't here for such an event. Not to undermine Serina's skills. Simply…"
Mine…
My ScanTek lenses light up, to Shun's interest, while Aomori Mine's file appears in front of him.
A quick read through it shows what Shun meant. The president of the Remedial Knights is an 'act first' kind of girl and rarely asks questions afterward, which makes sense. Unlike being a soldier or a police officer, a medic has a clear-cut goal, which is, more often than not, to heal.
The light dies down and I can't help the wry grin on my face, "I'll keep my mind open until I meet her first."
Shun reciprocates with a brighter smile, "Good. As expected of Sensei."
"Yeah, yeah." I retort, waving a hand while slumping on the couch I was seated on, sighing heavily. "I'm glad you think so highly of me."
"For good reason," Shun says, her eyes becoming fonder and softer. "Not many have the patience to deal with such rambunctious children, and even less have the composure you did after what happened."
"What's there to get angry about?" I can't help but ask. "Expecting for a child to act like an adult is a fool's errand. 'Sides, it's not my place to scold the Plum Blossom Garden kids."
I glance at Shun and wink with a teasing grin under my mask, "I'll leave that to the expert."
She blinks for a second before pouting, "Honestly, is this really how an adult should act, relinquishing responsibility to others?"
I can't help but huff out a laugh, "Hey, I know better than to get in the way of an expert's work. You've known these kids far longer than I have, so, clearly, such things are best left with you, the expert."
There was a second where Shun pouted before sighing, her shoulders shaking from amusement, "It seems like this adult's tongue is far smoother than most."
Oh, I can show you what this-.
Before I can say what was on my mind, I let my eyes move to the newfound pile of paperwork that's found its way onto my desk. "It comes with the territory." I retort instead of what I originally had in mind. "The paperwork too."
"My~, my~." She says idly with a particularly sweet and smooth voice, bringing up a hand to her mouth to hide the slightly smug smile she had. "Is this…?"
"Yup. Paperwork for Angel 24. Rinny already called and gave me an earful, so I need to leave before she comes to check on me tomorrow." I say while Shun blinks.
"While I'm not an expert in matters of the General Student Council, wouldn't Acting President Rin be too busy to come so quickly?" Shun asked, "Even Genryumon gives a warning before any formal investigations or inquiries are made."
I shake my head at her naivety, "No, I know how this works. They give you a date and come earlier to catch you off-guard in the middle of rushing through it or hiding the unfinished paperwork."
"Well, if you'd be so inclined, I don't believe Genryumon would be against hosting you for a few days." Shun suggested, a bit excited, "There's this wonderful tea shop with snacks that I've been dying to see from the Black Tortoise Promenade, I could show you if you'd be interested?"
"Sounds wonderful." I say before turning to her, my wry grin in place, "But, I'll have to take a rain check. I'd love to go see it, but I have to get this filed away before Rin gets here and I already have some prior responsibilities."
"Oh," Shun begins, a bit downtrodden but she quickly bounces back, both metaphorically and literally, "Then, where will you be going?"
"Well, there are two Academies that need my help, one of them is Hyakkiyako Alliance Academy and the other…" I trail off, checking the requests.
"'Red Winter'." I read out loud while Shun nods in understanding.
"Makes sense, Sensei, then-Oh." She interrupted herself before reaching into a bag she had and bringing out a paper. "Here." She said, passing over an application for SCHALE. "In case you ever need some help… punishing some rowdy students." She says with a wink of her own before glancing at the paperwork. "Or need some help with the papers."
Grabbing it, I inspect it and nod, "I'll keep that in mind." Standing up, I extend a hand, "Thanks for stopping by, Ms. Sunohara. It was a pleasure to have you and your students stop by."
Shun pouts slightly and grabs my hand, "Simply Shun is fine, Sensei. I'm still a Third-Year, after all. And thank you for having us."
"Alright, Shun. I still need to say 'bye' to the kids. Though they're probably all asleep, it has been a fairly packed day." I note and Shun smiles.
"I'm sure they'd love it."
I watch the bus of Plum Blossom Garden students drive off while waving at them, smiling before I sigh. Stretching and letting my back pop before slumping. "Jesus, that was more exhausting than normal."
"How are you feeling, Agent?" ISAC asks, appearing in his holographic form while I glance at him.
"Fine, why?" I ask though ISAC gives me a knowing look.
"Your heart rate spiked during certain points of the visit." ISAC points out, leaving me silent for a second while watching the kids go, looking down the road where SCHALE finds itself. Lined with traps and other surprises that I couldn't sleep comfortably without.
"It's nothing." I wave off, resting my fingers through the belt hoops of my pants. "Just… still getting used to things."
ISAC doesn't believe me for a second, but he doesn't push. "If that's all, I suggest you look for an expert if it continues happening."
"I hear ya." I hum noncommittally. "Now, let's actually do that paperwork so Sora can get back to working quicker and we won't have to deal with Rinny."
With that, I slip back into SCHALE and sit back in my office, pen running a mile a minute and getting it all submitted before midnight.
Sadly, all of the trains have stopped running at that point, and he really doesn't wanna wake up any of the drivers for anything that isn't an emergency.
I'll just have to bite the bullet and gamble on getting away before Rin gets here.
Still, Red Winter is fairly cold. I should get a jacket and some extra socks, it'll be perfect, it's not like anything will happen in Red Winter during Ivan Kupala.
Quickly, I pack up for a trip and rest in the basement of SCHALE, letting sleep take me and leaving an alarm.
For some reason… Arona seemed particularly mischievous when I last saw her.
A/N: So, how was it? My Beta gave it an okay, but after he pointed out a few issues, and I fixed them, I'm kinda iffy. I hope you enjoyed it regardless.
Now, anyone who decided to check my profile, they'd see something interesting.
Since money is needed for transactions, I need money. So, I got a job, but it'd be nice to have something else to help, right?
So, while people might know that I have a Ko-fi, they should also know that I'm going to start taking commissions.
At the moment while I experiment with this whole… commissioning thing, I'm charging ten dollars for a thousand words. You can either commission me on Ko-fi, PM me, or DM me on Twitter, which I recently got.
Or, you can simply donate on Ko-fi. I don't mind, but I usually update things there.
Anyway, this is my Ko-fi: ko - fi . com (slash) 501ar
While my Twitter is simply what I use, just look for 'Solar' and watch me fumble through it.
Anyway, with my greed out of the way, let's get to the last part.
Orange Archive: Hand-in-Hand
The click Kanna heard was not one she wanted to hear, especially after the tumble she and the perpetrator just had when she looked away after confiscating his weapons.
She saw the notable glint of her handcuffs cuffed around her wrist with the other end still attached to the perpetrator. Connecting the two as the two tugged at it.
Her grip on her pistol was still strong and the only thing the perpetrator had was size, weight, and his pistol against hers.
She hated her job sometimes.
Still, her handcuffs connected her left wrist with his right, and his pistol was at his right thigh, it'll be an awkward attempt to go for it, but still doable.
She couldn't let that happen.
The perpetrator had similar ideas, his left hand grabbing her wrist before she could point her gun at him before headbutting her. Then her shin exploded in pain at the ensuing kick before she fell to a knee, her arm being forced around her neck before she forced both of them down.
His weight rolled over her back before he slammed against the floor and she put her legs around his arm and pulled, both straining as they heard the clatter of Kanna's gun. Slowly, he pulled, using brute force to try and escape the armbar Kanna had him in but she grits her sharp teeth and pulls right back.
His feet moved, not a panicked flailing, but attempting to do something. It was only until he had one knee on the floor that she realized her mistake.
She could feel the muscles in his arms tense while her back left the floor by barely an inch. She let go of his arm, his right arm surged back while she did the same with her left, the cuffs digging into their wrists before she slammed her leg into his knee.
He fell back down and she leaped, trying to get him in a chokehold, but he scampered back, placing a gloved hand on her face and obscuring her sight. She patted his thigh while trying to bite his palm, looking for his gun before she found the thigh holster empty.
A gunshot rang out, her ears ringing and her neck stinging before a second, third, and fourth continued. She coughed before jerking her left wrist, the gun slipping from his grasp while her teeth found purchase on his hand.
The glove saved him from her sharp teeth, but she simply bit down harder while he yelled. Kanna nearly let go when a kick landed on her stomach, but she ignored it until he pulled his hand, pulling her along while grabbing her under his arm and then flipping her over his side, letting go of his hand.
A second later, his left forearm was around her neck, cutting the airflow while his right was off, keeping her left occupied while she tried to fight while he pulled her over him.
She rammed her elbow into his side, trying to get him to let go, but all she hit was armor as her consciousness began to leave.
Slowly, her struggles grew weaker and so did her hits until she finally blacked out.
Once Kanna's struggles ended, he pushed her off, breathing labored but not heavy while he patted down Kanna and found the keys. Quickly uncuffing himself, he pulled both of Kanna's arms behind her and cuffed her, grabbing his Go-Bag before making his way out of the building and away from the sirens of the Valkyrie Police Force.
A/N: With this done, I bid adieu. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next chapter.
